Ballet Shoes

Chapter Five

Apple Pie

Once Penelope apprehended the captain of the ship, she called in the rest of the agents to come as they hid, hovering in the airships.

It had been a close call, though fortunately she and Steve were in one piece. The Mediterranean coast was now safe once again. The drug dealers were in custody. The case was officially closed.

"You did good tonight…" Steve smiled as they walked through the hanger.

She smiled. "Thank you… You were pretty fierce out there, too. I'm glad it was you who helped me this round."

"For someone who didn't have a partner for so long, you really had my back there… Thank you." He raised his hand.

It indeed had been a long time since she shared the field with someone. The work was spread evenly and she didn't have to survey the entire boat. For a moment, she felt safe. Being on the field wasn't as worrisome. Perhaps Penelope did miss being with a partner. She never opened herself up to someone like this before.

Her right hand and wrist began to sting as she got into the handshake.

"Are you alright?" Steve's hands hovered over the sore area.

Gingerly cradling her arm, she realized the pain she had felt hours ago was greater than she thought. "I... I think it's dislocated."

"You sure I didn't do it?" breathed Steve. "I mean I know I have a grip, though I never thought I could do this to someone..."

Even in serious times, Steve could pull a wise crack.

A smile came to her. "No, you didn't, I think I got it from that guy who slugged me on the ship..."

"Penelope, I'm so sorry..."

"Don't be, Steve... It's nothing the meds can't handle."

"Do... do you need me to come with you?"

"No, it's alright...! Someone has to report in, I can do this on my own." She smiled. "You did good tonight. Thanks for helping me out."

"Glad to have helped... Anything for a fellow agent."

What did Steve do when he was off duty? Not knowing the city he was originally from when so much had change must be toucher for him. No one waited for him at the end of the day.

"So, hey, um..." She caught him before he could leave. "If anything happens, if you need anything... you can always give me a call."

"Thank you..." nodded Steve. "We already have our numbers, right?"

They exchanged numbers for professional purposes. It wasn't like as if it was that awkward. Either way, it wasn't as if she was interested in Steve in that way. They were just friends.

Penelope nodded, smile on her lips. "Yeah, we did..."

He gestured to her arm. "Take care of yourself... Hope you get better."

Pressing on her speed dial, the phone began to connect the call. It was night-time. Penelope had no idea what Steve was doing, though she had to make sure he was alright.

The phone picked up. "Hello?"

A smile was on her lips. "Hey, Steve, how are you?"

"Penelope...! I'm alright, had a long meeting today, though nothing big happened today. How about you?"

"Oh, I'm fine, I just..." How could she make this sound not awkward? "Wanted to know if you were alright."

Did he eat yet? Was he taking care of himself? How lonely was he tonight? Though perhaps it was her who needed the friendly company this hour.

I never trusted someone this much before. Everyone else just turns away, but when I'm with you... it's different.

"I'm... I'm fine right now," Steve began. "I was thinking of getting dinner right now. If... if you haven't eaten yet yourself, you're more than welcome to come on over."

She blinked. "Of... of course, dinner would be amazing."

After picking up Vietnamese take out, she was at Steve's door with their food and another bag in hand.

Steve opened the door. "Hey... Thanks for coming around. Hope your wrist is better."

Penelope chuckled. "Thanks... It was nothing too big."

She placed the bags on the table.

"I usually eat out. I burn everything I cook…" Another chuckle left her. "SHIELD usually keeps me, so there's no time to cook."

A chuckle also left the super solider. "We all have things we aren't good at... I mean, you went head to head with Ted and you managed to knock him down ten seconds flat."

They both laughed in unison. At least being a bad cook didn't make her less of a person to Steve. Opening the extra bag, she presented a box of apple pie from SugarBabes.

Steve eyed the box as if it held a priceless diamond inside. "How did you know...?"

"Natasha told me it was your favourite, back in the day... They were clearing out the last batch for the evening at this bakery and I'm glad I got it before they donated it."

"I'm glad you found it... Penelope, thank you."

She smiled. Whatever it was that could remind him of home, Penelope would do anything to make sure Steve would settle in to this time with no discomfort. She didn't want him to have to go through this alone.

After they had their Vietnamese pho noodle soup, they each had a slice of the apple pie.

"I did a year of art school back then before the war started..." Steve mused as he played with the fork.

The conversation managed to get them to talk about what they did as hobbies years ago.

"I do some sketches here and there, though I haven't found the time to sit down and draw."

Having Steve talk about his old life was fascinating. It wasn't the same as talking to a senior or war veteran. Life in the forties must have been so different. Steve told her the forties felt just like yesterday. For him, it was hard to believe he was asleep for seventy years.

Steve had an artistic side to him. Penelope was no stranger to the liberal arts.

"I did ballet when I was little..." she mused. "My mother and I would be at the studio and would practice the choreography. She said at the rate I was going, I could be dancing Swan Lake and wow the crowd."

Chuckles were soon in the air, though her smile soon fade. She was never in a production of Swan Lake. She hadn't been in a dance studio in years.

"And then once she was gone... I stopped. It just... reminded me too much of her."

After her mother was taken away from her, the world was never the same to her again. The world was a twisted place, full of corruption and deceit. To prevent what happened to her to others and to make a world a better place, she studied criminal justice in university. This lead her to become a police officer, then a detective. She was now a government agent, a life she never thought she would end up with.

She felt Steve's hand on her own, feeling the sorrow in his eyes. The conversation turned blue. Smiling, she tried to perk the atmosphere back up.

"Either way, you have to show me your sketches one day. I'd love to see them."

"I'll bring them out one day, though you'll have to show me some ballet moves of yours..." He smiled.

Eyes closing, this laugh wheezed out of her. "I haven't practiced since I was six... I'm beyond rusty."

Tonight was perhaps one of the most relaxing nights she had in years. She wanted to come over to help end Steve's isolation, though perhaps she helped herself out as well. One fact she knew from tonight, she knew she didn't want to be alone anymore.