Chapter 6-
Saturday came a whole lot faster then Emerson thought it would. The city was starting to fix itself up from after the Battle of New York, with the help of Tony Stark and S.H.I.E.L.D. The bakery was busier then ever and was keeping Emerson busy enough to keep her mind off of what she went through. Steve was also a big help as he spent the night at the apartment, not in her bed of course. But on the couch, just in case Emerson had a nightmare about what happened. Even though nothing happened to Emerson personally, watching Steve get thrown out a window was enough to trigger the nightmares. So she stayed up as late as she could and woke up before Liam. Which most of the time only gave her about 3 to 4 hours of sleep. Something she was not used to, luckily coffee was there to help.
The taxi pulled up to her childhood home, in Long Island, New York. The brick covered ranch was where she escaped to when the city became too much. The train station was only a short taxi ride away from her parent's house. Making sure that she had Liam's over night bag, she paid the taxi driver. Walking behind Liam down the long driveway, they made it to the front door where Chance her parents Beagle, ran out of the open door. Her parents were standing on the other side of the door with open arms to hug their only grandchild.
"Well there's our daughter." Her dad, Jackson said pulling her into a hug. "Do you want anything to eat?"
Shaking her head, her blonde hair slipping from the messy pony tail she was wearing. "No I can't. I have to get back into the city."
"Oh do you have a wedding to deliver too?" Her mom, Sarah asked.
"She's going on a date with Steve!" Liam said as he ran into the house with the dog following.
Both her parents turned their heads towards their daughter. "Who is this Steve?"
"Um he was a friend, that turned into something more. Well at least I hope." Emerson said tucking her hair behind her ears, trying to keep the blush away. "He planned this whole night, keeping every detail from me. I don't even know what to wear yet."
Sarah put her hands on her daughters shoulders. "Go get ready for your date. Liam is sleeping over. Your dad and I will drop him off at your apartment tomorrow as we are helping Jenson find a new apartment."
"Thanks mom." Emerson said pulling her into a hug. "Call me when you guy head into the city tomorrow."
"Will do." Jackson said as Emerson bent down to be eye level with her son. "We will make sure you have plenty of time to get decent."
Ignoring her father's joking comments, Emerson leaned down to Liam's height. Who realized his mom was leaving and came back to the front door. "Be good for Grandma and Grandpa. I'll see you tomorrow." Kissing the top of Liam's curly black haired head. "I love you to the moon and back."
Pressing his smaller button nose to hers. Liam replied, just like he always does, "I love you to the moon at back. Bye mommy."
"Bye Liam."
Walking into her apartment, she heard ruffling coming from her bedroom. Grabbing the pan for her counter top she walked towards her room. Opening the door she found a red headed girl setting clothes on her bed.
"Who are you? And why are you putting clothes on my bed?" Emerson said raising the pan, pointing it at the intruder.
Turning towards the voice. Emerson got a good look at her and realized that she was in the Battle of New York. The Black Widow. One of Steve's team mates. "I'm Natasha. Steve gave me a key."
Lowering the pan slowly, Emerson curious to know why Steve gave her a key. "Why would Steve need you to go thru my closet?"
"This isn't from your closet. Steve bought it, with the help of Pepper of course. Or else you would be wearing a khaki and plaid outfit." Natasha said looking down at the pan. "Were you going to attack me with a frying pan?"
"Uh yeah. Sounds stupid now that I know who you are. You could kill with your pinky in probably what, 5 different ways." Emerson said setting the pan down on her night stand. "So I'm supposed to change into that?"
Nodding her head. "Yes you are."
Walking closer to her bed to see what Steve picked out for her to wear. The dress was strapless and the same light green as her eyes. The shoes were sliver pumps that matched the necklace and earrings. "So were going somewhere fancy?"
"Probably." Natasha said sitting on the bed staring, or Emerson guessed, studying at the her. "I don't know anything. So don't bother asking."
"You are a spy right?" Watching Natasha give her a curt nod. "Then how do I know you're not lying to me? I mean its your job to lie. Your lies probably have lies."
Smirking her pouty lips. "True. But I'm still not going to tell you. Now get dressed. You have an hour to get ready and Steve is annoyingly never late."
"Oh I know." Emerson said picking up the dress. "So uh are you staying? Leaving? Not that I'm kicking you out or anything."
Laying on the bed, making herself comfy. "I'm staying at least until Steve gets here. He just wanted someone to be here. He's been paranoid lately. He hasn't been at his apartment at night and that is making S.H.I.E.L.D. worried."
"Uh yeah, he's been sleeping on my couch." Emerson said as she walked into closet.
"What do you mean he's been sleeping on your couch?" Natasha asked looking over to where Emerson disappeared too.
"Ever since the attack, he's been here. I was in the center of it and watch Steve get thrown out of a window." Emerson came out of the closet with the dress on, and walked to the floor length mirror. The dress fit her like a glove and landed a couple inches above her knee. "I have been getting nightmares and he's been here so I don't wake up Liam. And I think he hasn't been sleeping well either."
"Well that explains everything." Natasha said grabbing the necklace and walking over to the blonde. "We were all wondering where he went to after Stark made us stop at that shawarma restaurant."
"Shawarma?" Emerson wrinkling her nose as Natasha put the necklace on. Remembering going to a Shawarma restaurant and getting sick afterwords. Emerson later found out that she was pregnant with Liam, but now the smell of Shawarma made her stomach queazy.
Shrugging her shoulders. "He just fell out of the portal saving New York. We didn't question it."
"Well lets hope Steve has better taste then that." Emerson said walking to the bathroom. "Ugh I hate curling my hair."
"Sit. I'll do it." Natasha said following her. "I might not be a girly girl but I can still curl hair."
Natasha just finished curling Emerson's hair when there was a knock at the door. Turning the curling iron off, she sent Emerson to get her shoes.
"Hey Rogers." Natasha said answering the door. "She's just grabbing her shoes."
Nodding his head, he walked into the apartment. "Thanks for doing this."
"Well of course. Now I know where you like to have your sleepovers." Natasha said closing the door.
Steve could feel like face turn red like a tomato. "Uh I sleep on the couch."
Nodding her head, she smirked at the super soldier. "I know. Emerson told me."
"Hey Steve." Emerson said slipping on her left shoe. "Ready to go?"
Steve was about to say something until he turned around to get a look at Emerson. Stunned he just stood there and stared at the beautiful women in front of him. The dress hugged her curves and fell just before her knee. This was the first time he saw her hair curled and her bangs were pinned back out of her face. Her makeup was light, but she had eyeshadow that brought out her eyes. But the one thing he couldn't stop staring at was her lips, she put a thin layer of pink lip gloss on and Steve could help but wonder what it tasted like.
"You look beautiful." Steve finally blurted out. Handing her the white flowers he was holding.
Smiling softly, Emerson smelled the flowers before putting them into a vase. "Well thank you. And thank you for getting this dress. You didn't need to do that."
"I know, but I just wanted this night to be perfect." Steve said walking over to the blonde. "So is it improper to kiss before the date?"
Shaking her head. "I don't think so."
"Well I take that as my cue to leave." Natasha said walking to the door. "Have a good night."
"Bye Nat. Thanks for everything." Steve said waving the the red head as she walked out of the apartment. "So back to this whole kissing thing."
Smiling she wrapped her arms loosely around Steve's neck. "We decided on yes we can kiss before the date officially starts."
"Good." Steve said before he dipped his head to kiss her. Once his lips touched hers, he tasted her strawberry lipgloss and deepened the kiss.
Pulling away as she needed to breath. "Whoa. At least we know that part works."
Resting his forehead on her own. "Strawberry is now my favorite fruit."
"I'll keep that in mind." Emerson said closing her eyes, not wanting the moment to end. If she kept her eyes close, she wouldn't have to watch Steve pull away and in her mind it could be like this forever.
"Ready to go?" Steve asked pulling away from Emerson. When she didn't respond, he raised her chin with his index finger. Watching her open her eyes slowly he asked again. "Ready to go?"
Nodding her head. "Yes, yes I am.
Steve walked them down to the streets and stood in front of a Harley-Davidson. Emerson nervously took the helmet Steve handed her, she knew that he had a motorcycle but she didn't think that they would be riding it tonight of all nights. Watching Steve sit on the motorcycle, she didn't know if she could get on.
Steve realized that Emerson wasn't behind him and looked over the the sidewalk. "Have you never ridden a motorcycle?"
"No I haven't." Emerson said staring at the helmet.
"Do you trust me?" Steve asked taking her hand in his bigger hand. He watched her lift her head as she nodded. "Then you have to trust me that nothing will happen to you."
"Okay." Emerson said putting on the helmet. "This better not mess up my hair."
"Theres a brush under the seat." Steve said as she hopped on behind him.
Smiling as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "You thought of everything, didn't you? Where are we going?"
"We are going to, I am not telling you until we get there. Its a Scottish, Asian hybrid restaurant. Stark suggested it."
"Sounds delicious." Emerson said trying to hold in her laughter.
Starting the motorcycle, Steve turned his head. "Hold on tight." Feeling Emerson's arms wrap around him tighter, and pulled out onto the streets.
Emerson rested her head on Steve's shoulder finally relaxed as the soldier drove them to the restaurant. And before she knew it, Steve pulled into a parking spot. Taking off her helmet she looked up at the restaurant. Gasping softly when she saw what restaurant they pulled up too, Vitae. She had always heard good things about this restaurant, but never had the time or a date to see if it was true. She must've mentioned something to Steve as this was not where she was expecting.
Feeling Steve's hand rest on the small of her back, the two walked inside to the hostess stand. "Hi we have a reservation at 7:20."
The hostess looked down at her list. "Ah yes, Mr. Stark told us to be expecting you. I'll take you to your table right away."
Following the hostess, Emerson quietly asked. "Why did Tony make the reservation?"
"They didn't have any reservations so instead of picking a new restaurant, Tony decided to try." Steve said pulling on her chair.
Snorting, she quickly covered her mouth, ignoring the look the hostess was giving her. "Sorry. I just find that hilarious. Considering who you are."
Waiting for the hostess to walk away. "Well I couldn't really use my other identity. I'm still trying to keep that a secret until I'm ready for the world to know."
"True." Looking down at the menu. "So what are we doing after dinner? There is no way this is the only thing we are going to be doing."
"You are just going to have to wait and see." Steve said smirking at the women in front of him. "Be patient."
Letting out a long sigh. Patients was never her strong suit. "Fine."
The two had their very romantic steak dinner, with a bottle of chardonnay for the table. They talked about everything under the sun. Steve told her all about the life in the 40s before the war and before he became Captain America. He told her about his best friend James 'Bucky' Barnes and all the double dates Steve had to endure, even though no dame would want to be with an asthmatic 5 foot 2 male. No matter how much Bucky talked him up. While Emerson told him all about her growing up in Long Island with her parents and older sister. And before she knew she could bake. She tried to learn how to make homemade pasta until her parents got sick of all the noodles hanging in their kitchen. So they told her to make cupcakes and cakes instead. Steve felt a bang of sadness when he realized that he never got to have to family life, that Emerson grew up with. A mother, father and sister. Something Steve wished he had.
"You still have to show me a picture of what you used to look like." Emerson said as they walked back to the motorcycle. The sun went down and the wind was beginning to pick up, Emerson was regretting not bringing a jacket.
Wrapping his arm around the blonde loosely, Steve replied. "And I will, when I go through those boxes."
"I was serious when I said I'll help you go through those boxes. It might help having someone to talk to when you see something." Emerson said looking up at the Captain.
Kissing the top of her head. "I know. Thank you."
"Your welcome." Emerson said before grabbing the helmet. "So now can I know where we are going now?"
"Nope. Still not allowed to know." Steve said slipping the helmet on her head. "Now get on the bike and stop asking questions, you know you are not getting an answer to."
Driving down the street of New York City always cleared Steve's head. But the women holding onto his waist was making his mind wonder to how she wanted this date to end. Did she want him to spend the night? He may have been staying every night at her apartment anyway, but he was sleeping on the coach. Not in her bed. Would that be what she wants? He knew she obviously wasn't a virgin as she had Liam. But he had never gone any father then kissing a dame. Feeling Emerson wrap her arms tighter around his waist, he felt all the worries slip away. She wanted to go slow. Knowing he should just let what happens, happen. She was in control and he was okay with that.
After Steve parked the bike, Emerson got off and noticed that they were back at her brick apartment building. "Um is the date over? Was I a horrible date?"
"No and no." Steve said smiling down at the concerned looking women in front of him. "I just thought we could walk to our next destination."
Nodding her head, letting out a deep breathe she didn't know she was holding. She smiled softly. "Okay."
Holding out his arm. "Ready doll?"
"Ready." Hooking her arms with his the two began to walk to their next destination. It wasn't that far of a walk. There was a horse drawn carriage waiting right outside of the building. "Now I understand why we didn't need to drive." Emerson said as Steve held her hand as she got on the carriage.
"I thought this would be a good way to end the date." Steve said sitting next to her. As the summer days were ending, the nights were beginning to become cooler. Taking off his suit jacket he draped it over Emerson's bare shoulders. As she pulled up the blanket onto their laps.
"I agree." Emerson said as the carriage began to move. "It is such a beautiful night."
Looking down at the women besides him, who pulled the jacket closer to her body. He sighed softly. "Really beautiful."
Looking up at Steve, she blushed softly. "Stop."
"Stop what?" Steve asked tucking her hair behind her ear.
"That. Being perfect. Stop." Emerson said leaning into his touch. "You make it really hard to be nervous. This is our first date, we should be nervous around each other. Worried that this is going to ruin our friendship."
Kissing her forehead softly. "Well I like you too much to let that happen. You even said that you don't get into relationships lightly because of Liam. So it makes sense that we are not nervous. And if this night didn't go as planned, you and I both know we would go back to being friends."
"So did the super soldier serum also make you extremely logical as well?" Emerson asked turning her head to the side, staring at him with wonder in her eyes.
Nodding his head, letting out a chuckle. "Yes it did actually. They didn't make me a Captain for nothing."
"Amazing." She said snuggling into his side. "You are so amazing."
The carriage ride lasted for an hour, until they were back in front of Emerson's building. Emerson enjoyed listening to Steve talk about the buildings that were there when he was growing up. How it was the same city, but when he first got back, it didn't feel like it. That was until he met Emerson and Liam. They made New York feel like home again.
Paying the man for the ride, the two hopped down to the sidewalk. Emerson walked over to the bakery and unlocked the door with a confused Steve following her.
"Why are we in the bakery?"
"Do you want a cupcake or no?" Emerson asked as she went to the back.
"Yes please!" Steve exclaimed as he sat down at one of the tables. "Do you still have cookies 'n' creme?"
"Duh, I always put one aside for you when I know you are coming over." Emerson said walking back out with two cupcakes. "But I do want you to try out this new flavor I discovered. Its butterscotch with caramel frosting. Take a bite of that first then you can have your precious cookies 'n' creme." Emerson said setting down the butterscotch cupcake, while holding the cookies 'n' creme cupcake at arms length.
Sighing, he took a bite of the cupcake. "Its good. Not as good as creme but I still like it."
"Well if you like then I know others will. So it is going on sale tomorrow." Emerson said walking to her cupcakes served board. "It's supposed to be like a Butterbeer cupcake. But I can't call it then, cause I don't you know have rights to anything Harry Potter. I have to think of something else, just in case someone who does have rights, like J.K Rolwing or Warner Bros come in I don't get sued."
Standing up he walked behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, stopping her rambling. "Hey no working, we are technically still on our date. You can think of a name tomorrow."
"Sorry, sorry." Emerson said putting down the marker. "I'll do it first thing tomorrow."
"Good. Now lets go upstairs." Steve said pulling Emerson away from the bake goods.
Turning towards him on the stairs. "Um are you going to spend the night?"
"Uh I don't think it would be appropriate." Steve said looking into Emerson's eyes.
Nodding her head, trying to keep the hurt out of her eyes. "Okay that's fine. I uh should probably go alone upstairs then. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."
"Hey what's wrong?" Steve asked putting his hand on her cheek. "Are you still getting nightmares?"
Shaking her head. "No, its going to sound silly."
"No it won't tell me."
Sighing. "This will be my first time, in two years, being alone in my apartment."
"Really? What about when Liam would stay with his dad?" Steve asked, trying to hide his amusement.
"Liam could never make it threw the night, so Josh would drop him off before I would be even close to going to bed." She said wrapping her arms around her waist.
"Okay I'll spend the night." Steve said as they continued to walk up the stairs. "But I'm staying on the couch."
Unlocking her door they walked into the apartment. "Thank you Steve."
"Your welcome." Steve said wrapping his arms around her waist. "I had a great time tonight."
Wrapping her arms around his neck. "Me too. Best first date I have ever been on. Do I still get a good night kiss?"
"Of course." Steve said pulling her closer, brushing his lips against hers.
