Awakening Quake
By Misha

Disclaimer in Chapter One.

A.N- I made a Polyvore post for Skye's outfit for my own personal inspiration. If anyone wants to look it up my username is Misha726 and the outfit is labelled "Skye". I figure Steve is not the type to rush into anything and I wanted that to come across, plus Skye is still scared and confused and she's been badly hurt and Steve senses that, so that makes him even more cautious.

Chapter Eight: A Throwback From a Different Era

"We need more men." Darcy complained as the women arrived at the high-end store Pepper had chosen.

"There are more men than women as is," Natasha pointed out. "Why do we need more?"

Darcy made a face. "Yes, but none of them are any fun. Sam is the only one even willing to dance."

"Thor dances." Jane said with a dreamy smile.

"With you," Darcy told her, "not with anyone else. Tony's ok for one dance and then he's back to Pepper. Clint and Bruce both refuse."

"What about Steve?" Skye asked, before she could stop herself.

Darcy made a face while Jane, Pepper and Natasha all laughed.

"He'll dance, but only to boring, archaic songs." Darcy complained.

"He's from a different era." Skye defended. She was sure it was a bit of adjustment for him, even after a few years.

"Yes, he is." Natasha agreed. She smirked. "He is a great dancer though, as I'm sure you'll find out tonight."

Skye blushed at the implication. "We're just friends."

"Of course you are," Natasha told her, "what did we just say about Steve being from a different era? Modern courtship is foreign to him. Instead, he'll be polite and kind and there."

Skye shook her head. She and Steve were just friends. She enjoyed the time they spent together, but she wasn't looking for anything else.

She started browsing the racks. She wasn't entirely comfortable with this shopping trip, or the idea of Tony Stark financing her life, but she knew the other women would insist that she buy something and it would be kind of nice to step into another life for one night. A life of glamourous dresses and dashing heroes.

"I like the blue one." Pepper told her, seeing the dresses that Skye was eyeing, "Go try it on."

Skye nodded and picked a couple dresses to try on, including the blue one that Pepper had mentioned.

She tried it on last.

"That's the one." Jane said, "It's perfect for you."

"Do you think so?" Skye asked. The dress was deceptively simple. It was a beautiful royal blue color and fell below her knees in a simple A-Line. The dress had a define waist and a modest V-Neck and it clung to Skye's petite frame. A daring cut out in the back ramped the dress up a bit.

"Oh, yes." Natasha agreed. "You look beautiful."

"It's perfect." Darcy assured her, though Skye noted that her choice was a much more dramatic green number. "A certain Captain is going to love it." She added with a giggle.

Skye blushed, but secretly she hoped that Darcy was right. Even if she and Steve were just friends.

0

Steve fussed with his tie. He guessed he should be grateful Tony had just demanded that they wear suits and not full black tie ensembles.

While he was grateful for everything that Tony did for the Avengers, sometimes it was odd living in Tony's world and it occasionally included having to wear a suit for dinner with the same people he at with every day.

"JARVIS, is Skye finished dressing?" He asked when he was satisfied with his tie. He figured he would escort her down to the banquet hall. Yes, Stark Tower had a banquet hall—a holdover when the Tower was actually meant for public use.

"Yes, sir." JARVIS answered. "She is waiting by her door. I have informed her that you wish to escort her."

Steve hurried to his own door and crossed the hall. He politely knocked on Skye's door and then froze when she opened it. She was always beautiful, but today… She wore a simple blue dress and it clung to her curves, but was still very simple and elegant.

Steve wasn't always sure what to make of what passed for fashion these days. Sure, the woman looked nice, but Steve thought the fashions of his day were sexier. He supposed it was old-fashioned of him, but he preferred clothes that left something to the imagination. Like Skye's dress.

It clung just enough to hint at what lay beneath it. Enough to send Steve's fantasies into overdrive. He had to take a deep breath, trying to force his body to behave.

"Do you like it?" Skye asked, almost shyly.

"You look beautiful." He told her sincerely. So beautiful. Steve wanted to say more, but he had no idea what to say. He had never been really great with talking to women. Most of his experience women came from USO girls. Women like Peggy and Skye had always made him nervous.

Skye was the first woman who had really caught his attention since he was found and he was considering making a move, he definitely thought about her a lot, but he had no idea how to go about it. Besides, she was so skittish and wary of her place on the team, that he didn't want to make things worse.

Her eyes lit up and she blushed. "Thank you. You clean up pretty well yourself."

"Thank you." Steve said and offered her his arm.

She took it and they headed towards the elevator.

"Does Tony do this often?" Skye asked as they headed towards the banquet hall.

"Thankfully, no." Steve told her. "But every once in a while he comes up with ideas to liven things up around here. He's so used to this kind of thing though, that he thinks it's normal."

"Normal people like to sit around in their sweats and watch TV." Skye said with a laugh. "But then normal is highly over-rated."

"It's been a long time since I've been normal," Steve confessed, "and sometimes I think it sounds pretty good."

"I've never really been 'normal'," Skye told him, "and yeah, I've always thought it sound pretty great."
There was a sadness in her eyes and once again, he couldn't help but think her eyes were too sad, too haunted for someone so young.

Just then they reached their destination.

"I guess, we're here." Skye said, as the doors opened.

"We are." Steve said and he took her arm. "Let me lead you."

She smiled, obviously pleased by the gesture and the smile gave Steve hope. He knew she had been hurt in the past, but he would never hurt her. He just had to figure out a way to let her know that.