A few hours later, all of the girls except for Natasha, who was obviously at Steve's house, Sif, who was with Thor, no doubt, and Darcy, who was on a date with Ian, trying to convince him that she never had a secret crush on Steve, were hanging out in Hill's loft, decorating the place further when a knock sounded at the door. Giving a pointed look to the others, Pepper climbed down from the stool she had been standing on and grasped the handle of the door. She swung it open to reveal Steve standing in front, a hand on either side of the doorjamb.
"Hey," he greeted with a nod and a small smile. "I got your message. What's up?"
"We need to talk," Pepper told him, voice grave and eyes fixed in his seriously.
The sandy haired boy in front of her frowned in uncertainty. "We do?" he repeated and she hooked her fingers into his collar and hauled him inside. "Whoa!"
Pepper pushed him over to the center of the room, where Jane and Hill had walked over to. Hill, sitting in one of the armchairs with fingers laced together, looked like one of the creepy villains from an action flick. "Greetings, Rogers," she said in a stern voice and the blonde tried not to laugh.
"Uhm, hi?"
"Sit down," ordered Jane firmly and she rammed her hands into his shoulders, knocking him down onto the couch next to Pepper, who had an arm draped across the couch herself. Steve looked around the room nervously and sat up. This was not looking good for him.
"So what did you want me here for?" he inquired, eyes darting around the room and avoiding all of the women's eyes in turn.
"Natasha quit the fundraiser, and we think you know why," Jane informed.
"You do?"
Hill nodded. "Of course, You're her boyfriend."
"Right!" he piped up in an almost too cheerful voice, holding up a finger. His smile then wilted and he dropped his hand down, staring down at the floor intently with a guilty sigh. "All right. You guys deserve the truth. Natasha and I . . . aren't really going out."
Jane gasped loudly in shock. "You broke up with her?!"
"That's why she quit the fundraiser," Pepper finally realized, saying the sentence in a revelation like tone. "She's upset because you broke her heart."
"No!" Steve shook his head vigorously in denial. "I didn't break up with her!"
"Oh, please," dismissed Hill with a wave of her hand, sharp blue eyes pointed upwards. "Like Natasha had any reason in the world to break up with you."
"No, you guys, seriously! I-" He broke off abruptly at realizing the brunette's words. Steve then began slowly, "Why wouldn't Natasha break up with me?"
"Because she loves you too much," the other brunette informed him. "She has for a really long time."
"Really? Cool," sighed Steve dreamily, plopping back on the couch and gazing up at the ceiling with sparkling blue eyes.
"Yes, very cool," said Pepper encouragingly. "And we know you love her too." She then heaved him up off the couch and toward the door, still speaking. "So you have to go to her place and get this all straightened out. You guys are too good together to let a little fight break you up." Finally pushing him gently out of the loft, she slammed the door shut on his back. The bang of the noise finally awoke him from his dreamy expression, his eyes flying wide open.
"Wait!" he called. "Natasha and I were never-" Knowing that they couldn't hear him, Steve shrugged his shoulders in defeat. "Oh, forget it." Walking outside of the loft's door towards the stairs to the sidewalk, he pulled out his phone and dialed in the redhead's number. What he didn't notice was a certain couple departing with a kiss and the dark haired woman of that couple starting down the sidewalk towards Hill's place.
"Hey, Nat, it's me," he said, and Darcy froze in her tracks. She wondered if she should turn around and walk back to Ian or if she should listen in. Her curiosity getting the better of her, she ducked in under the stairs.
"Look, I don't know if I can do this anymore," Steve was saying into his cell phone, most likely to Natasha. He paused for a moment before saying, "Your girlfriends are trying to save our relationship when we're not even going out in the first place." Darcy's eyes gaped at this, but the next thing shocked her even more. "Just tell that you're failing Selvig's classes. They'll understand. And remember what I said about telling another person?" Another pause later, she heard the boy sigh, "Okay, fine, I'll come over."
Darcy's head peeked out covertly to see Steve turn the opposite street and around the corner. The black haired girl then rushed up the stairs and threw open the door. The talking girls froze.
"You guys," she confirmed in a breathless voice. "I know why Natasha actually quit the fashion show fundraiser."
"I just don't get it!" the red haired woman complained as she stared down at the confusing textbook with a pencil in her hand. She bowed her head. "It just does not make sense to me."
"Try it again," said Steve once again in a gentle and encouraging tone. But they were interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Steve, it's Jane," said a certain female someone from outside the door. Natasha's mouth fell open and she whirled around to face Steve with a burning glower, who helplessly shrugged, raised his hands and mouthed, I swear that I didn't say anything.
Jane obviously noticed the silence and added, "I know Natasha's in there, Steve and I will bust the door down if you don't open up."
"Go with me on this," whispered Natasha as she walked to the door and then said loudly, "How can you say that? I can't believe you could be so insensitive!" She opened the door a crack and peeped out at the angry brunette. "Hey, Jane. Look, this isn't the best time-"
"I know why you you quit the fashion show," interrupted Jane and forced the door open wider. "Steve, could I talk to Natasha alone, please?"
"Sure," Steve said, walking out of the room, ignoring the second glare the redhead was sending him. She then turned away from Jane once the door had closed. Jane stared at her.
"I don't get it. Physics and math are my best subjects. Why didn't you just ask me for help in the first place?"
Natasha sunk down onto Steve's soft bed and started fiddling with her hair again. "Physics isn't so bad anymore, but you're great in math while it just makes my brain short out, which makes me feel like a total loser."
"You're kidding. I would never think you were a loser. And you're fantastic at geometry."
"Yep, that's what the 'F' is for," quipped Natasha snarkily. "Fantastic."
"Loo,, geometry is the math for shapes, right?" Jane instructed, holding up a triangular shaped protractor. "You know what else is all about shapes?" She gestured to the pieces of paper behind her on the note book next to the textbook. "Fashion designs. You use this stuff everyday. You just don't recognize it in the textbook."
Natasha walked over to her, shaking her head. "Jane, I don't have time to study and design the costumes."
"You still don't get it," Jane countered and held up the notebook. "The best way for you to understand geometry is making costumes. Trust me?"
After a moment, the redhead looked back at the brunette. "Yeah, I trust you."
After hours of designing, crumpling papers, sticking and glueing, cutting and snipping, trying and fitting, drawing and stenciling curves, lines and shapes, Jane had given Natasha a paper full of questions and she finished it in ten minutes. Handing it over to the brunette, the redhead stared anxiously until Jane gave her a thumbs up, ending the session with a high five.
"Wow!" Pepper exclaimed once the other girls got there and Natasha explained everything to them, staring at her very good looking costume. "These are too cool!"
"Awesome!" cried out Darcy.
"You did really well on this," complimented Hill on her own outfit, adjusting the belt around her ordinary jeans.
"Yeah, and I can't believe I used geometry to do it, Natasha said, jumping down from the bed. "I feel so stupid for hiding it from you guys in the first place. I mean, come on, forcing Steve to be my boyfriend? Damn it."
"Believe me, I don't think he minded," Darcy said, shaking her head while examining a piece of sparkly cloth.
"That's not true," Natasha said obliviously. "Darcy, you totally have a chance with him now."
"What? Why would I want a chance with- Oh, right. My secret crush on Steve. Look, Natasha, I only said that so you wouldn't find out-" She paused when she saw Hill clapping a hand over her mouth, Pepper waving her hands around and Jane pointing to Natasha with a worried expression, all of them behind her back. The redhead stared at her expectantly.
"You know what? It doesn't matter, but I don't have a crush on Steve at all," the black haired woman assured.
"But then what-"
"So Nat," Hill slid in, laying a hand on her shoulder. "Think you're ready for the test?"
"Totally," the redhead said, bobbing her head. "I just want to get it over with so I can focus in the fashion show. It's going to be the amazing night ever!"
"Oh yeah!"
"Mm hmm."
"You bet it is." And the other girls looked at each other slyly, knowing about what was coming right after the fashion show.
"Uh, but Nat, one question: What are we doing in Steve's house?" Pepper inquired. Everyone else looked over at her.
"I just like to hang out here," she shrugged.
When the other girls dismissed themselves so they could go finish up other things, Pepper was the last to leave. "Okay, now that everyone is gone," she started, crossing her arms. "Are you now going to tell me why you're living with Steve? You did say you weren't actually dating, right?"
Natasha stared down at the ground, remembering Steve's words and her promise. "Okay, but you can't tell anyone," she whispered in the most grave tone she had ever used.
Ten minutes later, Pepper was gasping. "That son of a bitch!" she cried out in an intense but quiet tone. "How dare he do that to you!"
"Well, you're taking it better than Steve did," Natasha quipped.
"Wait, Steve knows?"
"Why do you think I'm living with him? He was the one who forced it on me."
"And you just happened to agree?" Pepper slyly smiled. Natasha shoved down a blush.
"Well, uh, it was a big fight, I'll tell you that."
"Come on. You like him."
After a few minutes of silence, Natasha finally admitted, "Yeah."
"Then what's keeping you from telling him that? He obviously likes you too."
"I know, but-"
"Theere are no 'buts'. You have to tell him."
"How?"
"I'm sure after the fashion show would be nice," Pepper suggested.
"Hmm . . ."
"Natasha, you can't let your grades and your foster father get you down. You have to-"
"I know. I have to live. Life's too short for me to keep waiting for things to happen," Natasha said with a burst of wisdom coming into her words.
"Exactly. And I'm glad you told me about this." The blonde wrapped the redhead in a hug before leaving.
"Me too, Peps.
Downstairs, Steve lay on the couch and heard the front door shut again. Then the sound of footsteps padding down the stairs towards the couch he was sitting on. He turned around and knew he was in trouble form the mischievous grin a redhead was sending him.
"Hey, soldier," she inclined her head to him, saying the very short sentence in a seductive voice. He swallowed down a lump in his throat.
"Hey. What's up?"
"Nothing. Just wanted to thank you for helping me through everything."
"Thank me how?" he nervously stuttered. She raised an eyebrow.
"Whoa there, Rogers. I didn't know you liked getting paid like that."
"I don't!" Steve quickly exclaimed, furiously blushing. "It's just that-"
Her marvelous laugh cut him off. "I'm playing with you again, silly. But," she said with a solemn expression. "I really did want to thank you for the studying."
"Anytime." Before he could catch himself from what he was doing, he leaned forward and placed a tender kiss on her cheek, but he fumbled for a moment and it landed on the spot between her cheek and the corner of her mouth. Her breath caught for a moment before she smiled.
A/N: Sadly, this is the second to last chapter of this fanfic and I appreciated all of your support. Just a random question to you readers, do you ship Sam and Hill together? I think it would be great, but I'm not using it in this fanfic, unless you want them to. Please say so in an review. Credits to juillet15 for the kiss thing. Again, don't own anything.