Chapter 13-

The next morning Emerson woke up to an empty bed and a post it note on her forehead.

I went on a run and I will bring back coffee.

and a box of Dunkin Donuts.

Steve

Smiling softly, Emerson slowly got out of the bed and began searching for a towel. Luckily she found one in the first box she opened. Grabbing her change of clothes she ventured to the bathroom. Starting the water, she pulled her hair straight blonde hair into a messy bun. Getting into the shower, she let the hot water fall onto her body. Closing her eyes, she just let her body relax. For a month she was stressed, didn't feel like her normal happy self. She never thought that she would be the kind of women that would need a man to make her happy. But once her and Steve broke up, she became that women. And she hated herself for it. Before she had Steve, she had the two loves of her life. Liam and the bakery. It was all she needed. But things are different now.

"Hey I'm back." Steve said as he poked his head into the bathroom. "Theres coffee and donuts waiting for you."

"Thank you." Moving the curtain out of the way. "Do you want to join me?"

Laughing he walked into the bathroom. "I would love too."

"Good." She said letting the shower curtain go.

"You know the last time I showered with someone was in the army. With a bunch of men trying to get out of there as fast as they could." Steve said as he began to strip.

Emerson shook her head smiling. "Babe trust me this is going to be so much better. We're going to be in here so long you will get prune."

"So let me get this straight." Emerson said looking in-between Peggy and Steve. They had been at the nursing home for a while now. And she was listening to war stories told by the two 90 year olds. "You had to try and sell war bonds the the men who had already enlisted and were out fighting?"

Steve nodded his head smiling softly. "Yep. It wasn't the best plan and they just wanted to see the girls."

"That is so stupid." Emerson said shaking her head.

"Oh it was. They threw fruit at him." Peggy said holding in a chuckle. "I found it quite charming. But it was clearly not what Captain America was supposed to be."

"I was a circus monkey." Steve said shaking his head. "And I got really good at drawing circus monkeys."

"But then you saved Bucky's unit?" Emerson asked resting her hand on Steve's arm. "That doesn't sound like something a circus monkey would do. Or at least that monkey had to be really well trained."

"Now that would be something I would like to see." Peggy said smiling. "So are you two heading back to New York soon?"

Nodding his head, Steve rested his arm on the back of Emerson's chair. "After we leave here we are. We want to get out of this city."

"I understand." The sliver haired women said. "As long as you come visit me. I really do want to meet Liam."

Emerson smiled softly looking down at the pictures Peggy gave her. All the photos were of before Steve truly became Captain America. All the publicity that he had to do. Just so some politician could show off America's big new toy. "Of course. He will want to meet you after looking at all of these photos. Seriously thank you again for these."

Waving her off. "Oh it is not a problem sweetie. I have been waiting for years to give those to Steve's new family. The Smithsonian kept asking for anything that I had when they started that exhibit. And I only gave them what I had multiple copies of. There are pictures in there that no one else will ever see."

"Awesome. And there is no way to get a video of those performances?" Emerson asked as Steve sighed loudly.

"No I don't have any." Peggy said laughing softly. "But you could ask Howard Stark's son. He might have something."

Whipping his head towards Emerson. Steve sternly said. "Don't you dare. He will never let it go."

"Fine." Crossing her arms, winking at Peggy. "I won't tell Stark.
"Thank you." Steve said kissing her temple, not noticing the smirk on either of the women's faces.

"So Steve when are you going to give Peggy a dance? I mean she has been waiting 70 years for this." Emerson said changing the topic to something she knew both Peggy and Steve wanted to bring up but neither had the courage to do so. With her being there especially. "We've danced so technically you have already danced with the right partner. But Peggy was your right partner too at one point, so I think she deserves a dance." Remembering when they went on their third date and Emerson took him to a 40s styled bar where they had swing dancing. It took awhile to get Steve on the dance floor but eventually Emerson got him out there when he realized she couldn't dance that well either. And he had to watch other men dance with his date and that didn't fly over so well.

"She's right you know. I deserve a dance." Peggy said looking right at Steve. Her eyes were shinning bright with hope that she would finally get what she was waiting for after 70 years.

With a nod of his head, Steve stood up and walked over to Peggy. "Well then Peggy can I have this dance?"

"I thought you would never ask." Peggy said smiling softly as she took her hand in Steve's. Emerson put on The Way You Look Tonight by Michael Bubblè, as the former couple began to sway back and forth.

Emerson sat there smiling as she watched the two who never got their chance to be together. She knew that it was hard on Steve when he woke up from the ice that he could never be with Peggy. And she could tell by the way Peggy was smiling that she had been dreaming about this day. No matter how long she had to wait, she finally got to dance with the man she thought she was going to marry. As the song ended Steve kissed Peggy's cheek and Peggy began to cry.

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting for that." Peggy said as the tears fell down her cheeks. "Thank you. Both of you. Without you Emerson I don't think I would have ever gotten that dance."

"It was no problem at all." Emerson said as she moved to hug the older women. Whispering softly so Steve wouldn't hear. "We both know he's too thick to even think about it."

Nodding her head in agreement. "Well you two should get going. You have a drive ahead of you and a little boy who would like to see his mum."

"It was nice seeing you Peggy. Let me know if you ever need anything." Steve said hugging his old flame softly.

Pulling into the Rhodes driveway, Steve looked over at the sleeping Emerson in the passengers seat. They stopped at Emerson's, well now their apartment, to drop off Steve's things. Before going to pick up Liam from Emerson's parents. Figuring that they would want their car back. Smiling softly he decided that he didn't have to wake her up just quite yet. Getting out of the car, he didn't see the 6 year old boy running out of the house. "Steve!"

A smile grew on the super soldier's face when the younger boy jumped into his arms. "Liam!"

"You came back! Did you get that bad guys?" Liam asked as he wrapped his little arms around Steve's neck.

"I most certainly did."

"Awesome." Liam said as he looked around for his mom. "Where's mommy?"

Nodding his head to the car. "She's sleeping. Do you want to wake her?"

"Yeah I missed her." Liam said as he wiggled out of Steve's arms. Running to the other side of the car, he opened the door giggling. "Mommy wake up."

Moaning softly, Emerson stretched as she opened her eyes. "Oh we made it back. Hey buddy where's Steve?"

"I'm right here." Steve said as he rounded the car. "Want to go inside?"

"Yes please." Emerson said when she got out of the car. Liam tagged Steve and the two ran inside. Well Liam ran and Steve power walked, to act like he couldn't catch him. Following the two boys inside she wasn't surprised to see the looks on her parent's faces. Sarah had a smile on her face holding her hand out to Jackson. Whose face looked like Liam's did when he didn't get what he wanted.

Shaking her head at the money exchange her parent's where making. "What was the bet?"

"We knew that you two would be getting back together, but we didn't know when. I said that you would be together right away. Your father on the other hand was giving it a couple of more months." Sarah said pocketing the 20 dollar bill.

"I'm glad my love life fulfills your betting needs." Emerson said sitting down on the couch next to Steve.

"Don't worry we bet on your sister's love life too." Jackson said as he sat down on the love seat. "Where's Sean?"

Smirking softly, Emerson pulled out her phone to show her parents the picture of the women he was with. "He went to some medical conference with this girl."

"Oh Sean. What are we going to do with that boy?" Sarah said as she looked over her husbands shoulder to see the picture.

Tossing the phone back to his daughter. "He'll stop eventually. Once he finds the right women."

"That's what we told him." Emerson said as she leaned into Steve's embrace, covering the yawn that escaped her lips. "But you know Sean."

Nodding her head, the light brown haired women looked at her daughter. Emerson looked so content in Steve's arms. It was almost like all the troubles of her world just slipped away once she was with Steve. Josh leaving her and Liam, didn't seem like such a big deal. While Sarah and Jackson wanted to give that boy a piece of their mind. Emerson and Liam had Steve. Liam would always talk about all the exciting things he would do with Steve, when his mom was too busy in the bakery.

"Well Emmy don't go trying to hide those yawns. You've had a long weekend. How about you guys go back home." Sarah said standing up. "I'll go get Liam's things from his room."

"Thanks mom." Emerson said letting out another yawn. "I don't know why I'm so tired all of a sudden."

Steve stood up from the couch, holding his hands out. "Must have been from carrying those boxes up the stairs."

Nodding her head as she let Steve pull her up. "Must've. I clearly need to start working out again if I get this tired for just carrying two boxes. You did most of the lifting."

"What boxes were you lifting?" Jackson asked as he watched the young couple from his seat.

Turning towards her dad. "Oh, Steve's boxes. We decided that he should move in since he no longer has his New York apartment."

Before Jackson could say anything about his daughter living with a man she had just gotten back together with. His grandson yelled excitedly. "Steve's moving in with us?!"

"Of course I am." Steve said bending down to Liam's height level, looking in between the two men before him. "I love Emerson so much that we decided it would be the best for our relationship if I would move in. But is that okay with you, Liam?"

"Yes!" Liam said jumping into Steve's arms. "Are you and mommy going to get married? Because all my friends have a mommy and a daddy living together with them. Some even have a mommy and daddy in two different apartments. So if you lived in our apartment with mommy would that make you my daddy?"

With wide eyes he looked up at Emerson, whose face was just as stunned as his was. They hadn't talked about marriage yet, but Steve knew that they were going to spend the rest of their lives together. Steve moved Liam in front of him so he could make eye contact with the younger boy. Luckily Sarah came back with Liam's things to distract Emerson. Speaking softly so only Liam and Jackson could hear. "Yes mommy and I are going to get married. But you can't tell her I said that because I still have to ask her. And I have to ask your grandpa for permission. When I ask your mommy to marry me then yes I will be your daddy. But until then you have to keep that a secret okay?"

"I think she'll say yes." Liam whispered in Steve's ear. "Mommy loves you because she likes kissing you. But I think kissing is gross and I don't want to kiss a girl."

Steve stood up, lifting Liam along with him. "Kissing is for older boys and girls. But you'll change your mind someday."

Jackson put his hand on Steve's shoulder, and began to talk softly. "You have my blessing."

Shaking Jackson hand before he walked over to Emerson. "Thank you sir."

Emerson gave them confused looks as she took Liam's things from her mom. "What were you two whispering down there?"

"Just men talk." Steve said glancing over at the nodding Liam. "You wouldn't understand."