A/N: Long overdue update and it's a long one, I hope you all enjoy it! I love reading your reviews and seeing all your favorites and follows, so please keep them all coming!
The sun had set and Pepper was still sitting next to her on the floor in her room at the foot of her bed, staring straight ahead and not moving. She had told her the whole story, just as she had Tony, telling a little bit of lies. She hadn't told her that the SSR had become SHIELD but she was there to protect Tony. At their feet were photos, papers, documents, the things to prove Emma's story. Her USO costume was on the bed behind her to help as well, luckily Pepper asked her not to put it on. Emma was still in her 1920's clothes from earlier and gave a sigh, exhausted and tired from travels and from explaining her life to Pepper.
"Are you okay Pepper?" Emma finally asked.
"I'm still processing." She said softly, "But I'm getting there."
"Do you want me to leave? Turn on a light?" Emma tried anything to get her to snap out of her state, it was scaring her slightly.
"Jarvis, lights please." Pepper spoke.
"Yes Miss Potts." And Jarvis turned on the lights. Pepper then turned and looked at Emma, really looked at her.
"It's just so strange that we live in a world with superheroes and mutants and people with extraordinary gifts. But I guess if we didn't have people like you, our world would be a lot less interesting and exciting." Pepper stated and Emma smiled. "But also, it's the people like you who protect us and are there for us. I am grateful to have you here and looking after Tony and to call you a friend."
"Thanks Pepper, but believe me, I'm not a real hero. I have done some bad things…"
"But they were for the greater good; that still makes you a good person." Pepper touched her shoulder and Emma gave a small smile.
"Thank you."
"How about I get some take-out and we have a relaxing evening, you look like you need one." Emma nodded her head and Pepper went off to get the food ordered. Emma changed and showered and still felt a bit uneasy. Hydra knew about her, but after the war they were disbanded but there are other horrible people out there, people who might now know about her due to Hydra and they could be searching for her.
Emma went to her computer and turned it on and turned off Jarvis. She needed to call Nick and Phil.
"Hey Emma!" Phil's happy smile filled her screen and Emma couldn't help but smile back.
"Hi Phil, I need to conference call you and Nick." She said getting straight to business.
"Alright, I'll connect the director in." Soon Nick's face popped up in a side screen and she could see both of them.
"Yes Agent?" Nick asked.
"I have some news of my travels today." Emma then went on to explain her travels and being followed and hunted down by Hydra.
"Agent, I want to inform you that you are under the strongest protection known to man and work with them as well. You're records and history are kept safe, as long as no one else knows about your powers besides Mr. Stark."
Emma bit her lip, "Actually, Miss Potts caught me traveling and I had to explain it all to her." Nick rolled his eyes and grumbled a few curse words under his breath.
"Do you trust her?" Phil asked.
"Honestly, yes. She would take any secrets Tony has to her grave. I have done checks on her and she's clear, so yes I trust her." Emma stated confidently and they both nodded their heads.
"Look, Hydra was disbanded by our Agents in the past, including you. You are there for most of them. You have nothing to fear with them."
"But time is not a straight line, it's wibbly-wobbly and can be changed, what if they capture me on one of those raids and attacks when we disband them?"
"I love the Doctor Who quote!" Phil proudly stated in his fan boy smile.
"Yes, but trust me, it won't change. I have faith in you and our Agents that it will not change. So stick to your current mission agent and protect Tony Stark." Fury then ended the call.
"I believe in you too Em, you are going to be fine. Just keep safe and keep low from now on." Phil advised.
"Thanks Phil," Emma smiled.
"Anytime, now enjoy your night." And with that he hung up.
The next morning Emma awoke with her alarm and got up and started her morning routine, she went down to the gym and exercised and then when she headed upstairs she saw Pepper holding a woman's dry cleaning and talking to another one of his night escapades.
"You must be the famous Pepper Potts." She heard the woman say.
"That I am," Pepper said smiling.
"After all these years Tony still has you picking up the dry cleaning." The woman said.
Emma didn't like her tone and walked forward.
"Can I help you? I'm Emily Walker, one of Tony's other young intern assistants," Emma grinned and loved the look of pure envy on the woman's face as she looked her up and down in her tight yoga pants and razor back tank. She was clearly starting to feel her age creeping up on her and didn't like being around the young woman.
"No, thank you." She commented.
"We do anything and everything that Mr. Stark requires, including occasionally taking out the trash," Pepper commented to the woman and Emma felt a surge of pride.
"Will that be all?" Emma asked turning to her to add on to the burn. The woman turned on her heel and left.
"Is Tony still here?" Emma asked Pepper.
"Yes, he's down in the garage. I need to go speak to him, you can come with me." Emma followed her back downstairs and turned towards the garage.
"You were supposed to be half way around the world right now," Pepper commented as they entered the garage, ignoring Tony's comment about her touching his music that had been playing.
"How'd she take it?" Tony asked as he kept working on his car.
"Like a champ," Emma commented feeling relieved he was still home. Tony looked up and smiled at her.
"Morning Em," He said.
"Morning Tony."
"Why are you trying to hustle me out of here?" Tony asked Pepper.
"Because your flight was scheduled to leave an hour and a half ago."
"That's funny, I thought with it being my plane, it would wait for me to get there." Tony teased and Pepper was not amused. Emma tried to hold back her laughter, he had a point. She took a seat on a stool nearby knowing Pepper had some business with Tony.
"Tony, I need to speak to you about some things before I get you out the door."
"Doesn't it kind of defeat the purpose of having your own plane if it leaves before you arrive?" Tony kept the teasing up knowing how it ruffled Pepper's feathers and she continued to talk to him about a painting he had to sell or buy, Emma got lost in the conversation. Then they started to fight about a speech he needed to make in June, which was months away.
"I need you to sign this before you get on the plane." Pepper finally placed a clipboard in front of him.
"What are you trying to get rid of me for? What; have you got plans?" Tony asked her, "Have you and Emma got some big plans for today?"
Emma looked at him, "You know my name is…"
"I know Pepper knows about your past, so hey, I can call you your real name now." Tony smirked at her.
"How?"
"Pepper told me early this morning."
"As a matter of fact, I do." Pepper stated taking the subject back to the present. Both Emma and Tony looked at her.
"I don't like it when you have plans," Tony mocked and Emma rolled her eyes.
"I'm allowed to have plans on my birthday." Pepper smirked.
"I didn't know it was your birthday!" Emma said surprised.
"It's your birthday?" Tony asked.
"Yes."
"I knew that already didn't I?" he asked.
"Yeah, it's the same day as last year."
"Well get yourself something nice from me." Tony said and Emma could see the sincerity in his eyes.
"I already did and it was very nice and tasteful, thank you Mr. Stark." Pepper smiled.
"You're welcome Miss Potts." Tony smiled back and Emma could cut the tension between those two with a knife.
"There was something you wanted to ask Tony as well?" Pepper turned to Emma.
"Yes, Tony where are you flying to today?" Emma asked.
"I am going to the Middle East for a weapons meeting and demonstration with our Government." He said cleaning up his hands.
Emma felt her heart sink, "Don't go."
"What?" Both Tony and Pepper said to her.
"I just have a bad feeling about this, just please don't go." Emma pleaded.
"Don't worry, Em. I've got Rhodey going with me, he will protect me. You have to take care of the office today since Pepper has plans for her birthday." Tony kissed her forehead and headed upstairs.
"Tony wait!" Emma called after him as she raced up the stairs.
"Yes?" He said and she walked over and hugged him.
"Just please, be careful and be safe." Tony hugged her back.
"I will, I promise." And with that he headed up to grab his bags and left.
"And where are you off to?" Emma asked turning to Pepper.
"I am having lunch with a friend of mine and then going to come home and relax for my birthday. You really don't have to cover for me today." Pepper started to say but Emma held up her hand.
"No, please, let me. It's the least I can do since I didn't get you a birthday present." Pepper smiled and went off to get ready for her lunch. Emma then changed and headed over to Stark Industries. She spent the whole day there and at the end of the day, went to find Obadiah for him to sign some papers. She went to knock on his door but found it open a crack and could hear him on the phone.
"I don't care what you have to do, just get rid of him. I know it will put you all in danger and into the news but it is our deal." Obadiah said angrily over the phone.
Emma knocked and heard Obadiah finish up, "Just call me once the deed has been done tomorrow and you have him." She heard him slam the phone down, "Come in!" He said.
Obadiah smiled as she walked in, "Ah, Miss Walker. Nice to see you looking better since yesterday."
"Yes, I was ill. But today is Miss Potts birthday so I am covering her shift today as a present."
"Well, that's very nice." He said and she handed him the files. "What are all of these?" He asked.
"Just some legal documents, needing a signature." He smiled and signed.
"You missed a good night in Vegas last night. I was just dealing with some horrible room service I had in my hotel." He pointed nonchalantly to the phone and Emma nodded her head.
"I apologize sir, would you like me to call the hotel for a refund?" She asked.
"No, no. I got it handled, thank you Miss Walker." He said and handed her the files back. "Would you like to take a seat and relax for a little bit?" He asked pointing to the chair in front of his desk.
Emma hesitated and then decided, why not, she could get some info out of him.
"Sure, that would be nice. I've been on my feet all day." She stated and sat down. Obadiah got up and got her a drink and handed it to her and sat in the chair next to her.
"So, what made you want an internship with Stark Enterprises?" He asked.
"I'm interested in business as you know from my resume and graduated in Business Management and why not learn from one of the biggest leaders in the country."
"You know we specially created this program just for you Miss Walker. Your letter of interest and resume were impressive and Miss Potts had been asking for a second assistant for some time. You should feel honored to be the first," Obadiah reached over and put his hand on her knee and started to rub her leg. Emma moved her leg and his hand fell down to the side.
"So do you have a boyfriend?" Obadiah asked getting up.
"Yes, he lives back home."
"Really? What's his name?"
"His name is Steve." Emma stated and she felt Obadiah put his hands on her shoulders.
"You look like you need to relax, you're so tense and must be missing your boyfriend huh?" he whispered in her ear and rubbed her shoulders and his hands started to reach down towards the front of her blouse. She grabbed them and she kicked off the desk and pushed him back and twisted his arms until she was facing forward. He was a bit in pain she could tell from the way she was twisting his wrists and hands, she could pull a little more and break both wrists.
"I studied kickboxing in college, so if you know what's best for you; back off! And if I didn't need this internship so bad, I would report you for sexual harassment." Emma stated and she pushed him away and grabbed her files and marched out, "But mark my words Mr. Stain, if this happens again, I will be reporting to Mr. Stark himself and HR and we will see what they have to say."
Obadiah laughed as she paused at the door, "Oh please, we can sweep you under a rug like that." He snapped his fingers for emphasis, "You won't do a damn thing," He said and Emma ground her teeth and left, slamming the door behind her.
Oh if only he knew. She filed her papers and left, she went back to the mansion and found Pepper on the couch with Pizza and wine and watching some romantic comedy.
"What happened?" She asked seeing Emma's angry face.
"I want to wash off the stench and disgust of Obadiah Stain!" Emma growled heading upstairs.
"What?!" Pepper asked shocked following up behind her.
"He put moves on me and sexually harassed me at work!" Emma shouted back.
"No! You need to report him!" Pepper said following her into her room.
"I can't! I'm on a mission, I can't do a damn thing until it's over. And I am doing a damn well good job when Tony is halfway across the world!" Emma said exasperated and collapsed on her bed.
"I will deal with Obadiah from now on, I don't want you going anywhere near him, unless you have to." Pepper said sitting next to her on the bed.
"Thanks Pepper."
"How far did he go?" Pepper asked.
"Just touched me inappropriately, but I put my own moves on him and damaged his ego a bit. He didn't realize I could fight back."
Pepper smiled at that, "Well, you can hold your own that's for sure." She leaned over and hugged Emma, "Get showered and changed and come down and drink and have some pizza and chick flicks with me." Emma nodded her head and Pepper left.
Emma went downstairs and Pepper handed her a plate and glass of wine.
"Here, this is how we are going to relax and enjoy a night without Tony."
The next morning Emma woke up with a slight headache and an uneasy feeling in her stomach.
"Good morning Ma'am, you are needed in the living room immediately." Jarivs announced.
Emma got out of bed and headed downstairs, she found Pepper in the living room staring at the TV. She had tears down her face. Emma walked in and looked at the TV screen, which was projecting news footage of an attack in the Middle East and the ticker at the bottom read, Tony Stark presumed missing.
"What happened?" Emma asked sitting next to Pepper.
"Rhodey called me about an hour ago and told me Tony's Humvee was attacked and then he was missing. They are searching everywhere for him." Pepper stated. Emma pulled out her phone and started to dial. "What are you doing?" Pepper asked.
"Calling in backup." Emma stated.
"Hello?" Clint asked groggy.
"Wake your ass up, I need you Hawk." Emma said into the phone.
"Em? What's wrong?" He asked.
"Turn on the news," Emma stated and she heard Clint shuffle around and heard a woman's angry, tired voice shouting something in Russian. "Is Nat with you?" Emma asked in slight shock for a moment.
"No," Clint quickly brushed and she heard him gasp, "Aren't you supposed to be protecting him?" He asked.
"Shut up, please help. I have to call Coulson and Director Fury but I need your skills, take a plane and go start searching."
"I need his last coordinates, "Clint said. Emma turned to Pepper.
"Get me Rhodey on the phone," Emma demanded and Pepper did as she was told. "Now, I need you to ask him for Tony's last coordinates." Once Pepper got them and repeated them back to Emma, she gave them to Clint.
"Alright, I will get going. So does this mean Strike Team Alpha is back on?" he asked giddier than he ought to be.
"Yes, but minus me. Take Nat with you, just help find Tony. I will leave within the next day and meet you two there. I have to see if I can get a cover and get out of here."
"Alright, stay safe Em." With that Clint hung up and Emma headed upstairs.
"Where are you going? Who was that?" Pepper asked.
"Just some friends in the SSR who are going to help look for Tony and now I have to call my Director and tell him I failed my mission. I couldn't keep Tony Stark safe." Emma sounded defeated and went to her room. This was not a phone call she was looking to make.
"You had one job Agent!" Director Fury yelled as she entered her room and her laptop was on.
"I know Director, I tried to stop him but how was I supposed to know? All I had were visions and no exact location."
"She does have a point Director," Emma heard Phil in the background say.
"Okay, yes but you need to start helping the search for him."
"I already did, I contacted Strike Team Alpha and they are currently in the process of heading out."
"Good, you meanwhile must stay put, there is not much you can do without blowing your cover. We will handle it from here." Emma nodded her head and felt like a punished child. "You are doing fine agent, sometimes there are things you can't stop." Fury said in the most fatherly tone she had ever heard him use and then he hung up.
"So…" Pepper said coming into her room.
"I have to stay, I can't blow my cover." Pepper nodded her head.
"Well, let's leave it in their capable hands."
The next three months dragged on and all Emma and Pepper could do was worry. Clint took on the mission, while Natasha stayed at base to do some tech work and research. She was searching the internet for any feeds or leads towards Tony, while Clint took on the ground work, following and searching in the Middle East. Natasha kept in contact with Emma every day and sadly didn't have much to go on, the internet was dry. But Clint would try and contact when he could and he went pretty quiet fast, which could be good or bad depending on the situation. There was one instance where they thought all their worries could be over at a simple knock at the door. It was late in the evening and Emma and Pepper ran to the door when Jarvis announced someone was at the door.
"Tony!" Pepper said excitedly as she opened the door and found not Tony but Clint in the door way. He looked battered and tired and worse for wear.
"Clint," Emma said with a sigh. She didn't know if his presence was good or bad.
"Can I come in and have a drink?" he asked sounding exhausted.
"Yes, please come in Agent Barton," Pepper showed him inside. She had met him briefly two months earlier before when Emma had called for backup and he came for information for his search. Clint collapsed on the couch and Emma curled up next to him and hugged him close and he hugged her back.
"Hey big brother," She said softly to him and he kissed the top of her head.
"Hey lil' sis." Pepper came in with a beer, remembering his drink of choice last time. No wonder she was so good. She remembered everything.
"What's the news?" She asked sitting on his other side.
"I had a lead for a while but then they covered their tracks. I had to go into hiding because they were soon on my tail."
"Who? Who was the lead?" Pepper asked.
"They call themselves The Ten Rings. They are a terrorist group. After I went into hiding for a few weeks, I was able to sneak into their camp but got caught in a crossfire, it was the wrong camp, and Tony wasn't there. So I had to escape, hence the reason I came here."
Emma rubbed his shoulder, "Well, I'm glad you are okay."
"I do have an idea where their bigger camp is, I heard one of them talking about it when I snuck in. I don't know the exact location but I was thinking Rhodey could give me a hand?"
"Rhodey has been searching just as hard as you Agent, he's supposed to be coming back tomorrow for a rest for a few days. You can catch up with him then."
Clint smiled and nodded his head, "Good." He gave a yawn then and Emma kissed his temple.
"Come on, you are sleeping in my room and I will take the couch."
"Oh, we have a guest bedroom, he can have that." Pepper said and she went to go get the room ready.
Emma laid her head on Clint's shoulder and tried not to cry and feel guilty.
"You know it isn't your fault," Clint reassured her, he could feel the guilt radiating off of her.
"I failed, my first solo mission and I failed."
"You didn't fail, you had no idea this was going to happen, yet you did try to warn him because you had a hunch. You did your best and that's all we ask for in our missions, is our best and then some."
Emma nodded her head and got up, "Let's go find Pepper and let you get some rest."
"You need some rest too, when was the last time you traveled? You look exhausted," He commented brushing his fingers over the bags under her eyes.
"I haven't traveled since Tony left, I can't, what if I travel and…" Emma trailed off. She couldn't watch someone else she cared about die, she was afraid she would travel and see Steve die again or would travel and see Tony die or Clint or she would see Howard die.
"You can't stop travelling forever you know? It's a part of you, you need to travel." Clint said taking her hand and kissing it. Emma found Pepper in a room close to Tony's and she left him and went back to her room.
How was Emma not travelling? Well, she wasn't sleeping. She found ways to keep herself awake at night and sleep only for spurts when she needed rest, having an alarm wake her up every so often so her body couldn't travel. In a total, she only got about 2 hours of sleep a night over a fitful and restless routine.
As Emma laid in bed and kept herself busy, she found herself starting to doze and could hear Clint's word of advice in her head. As she was dozing she felt herself get dizzy and lightheaded and she fought against the feeling and finally, let herself travel.
Emma awoke and found herself in Howard's penthouse back in London. She sat up and looked around the room she was in, she looked at the time and saw it was 3 in the morning, the same time it was back home. She grabbed her silk robe off of the chair in the corner and wrapped it around herself and walked out of the room and towards the living room. The long and tall windows overlooked the dark city, the lights were all out due to air raids and she heard the distant booms of the bombs. She walked towards the windows and looked up at the stars in the hazy sky. She could see the destruction below of the city from the bombs and felt tears spring to her eyes.
"We're lucky here, the bombs were earlier this evening and my building wasn't touched." Emma turned at Howard's voice and saw him standing there shirtless in his pajama bottoms and he opened his arms to her and she ran to him and hugged him close.
"I'm so glad you are okay." At least someone was. "Where's Steve?"
"He's on his mission. He should be back tomorrow." Howard pulled away and really looked at her, "Good lord, when was the last time you slept?"
"Not for two months. I have a friend missing on a mission back home and I haven't slept since he went missing."
"He?" Howard raised his eyebrows.
"He is just a friend, Steve is still my boyfriend." Emma reassured Howard. Howard led her towards the couch and they sat down together. He pulled her close as she curled up into his side.
"You need to sleep, I will protect you." He said rubbing up and down her arm.
"I'm afraid to travel, that's why I haven't slept," Emma continued.
"Too late," Howard snorted.
"Obviously, but I feel a little relieved now that I traveled."
"Then sleep, I will be here. I won't leave your side."
Emma relaxed and soon was asleep in Howard's arms. She fell asleep for what only felt like minutes but woke up to the sun shining brightly through the large windows.
"Good morning," Howard whispered in her ear and she could smell Jarvis cooking breakfast in the kitchen.
"What time is it?" Emma asked as she stretched and sat up.
"9am; I told you I wouldn't leave your side and now I need to go to the bathroom." Howard announced as he left. Emma smiled as he left, grateful for his amazing friendship. He stayed with her the whole night and she felt relaxed and rested. Emma went into the kitchen and found Jarvis like she suspected.
"Morning Jarvis!"
"Good Morning Miss Walker, it's lovely to see you back with us again."
"Thank you Jarvis," Emma got up and sat on a bar stool. Jarvis placed a plate of eggs and toast in front of her and she ate them quietly. Emma heard Howard's phone ring in the distance and the ringing stop as he answered. As soon as Emma had finished her breakfast, Howard came into the kitchen fully dressed and the look on his face made Emma's stomach drop.
"What is it?" Emma asked.
"Steve and the Commandos are back. Bucky didn't make it. Peggy called to let me know and to get in contact with you. I'm heading down to base." He said and Emma jumped off her stool and went to go change into her uniform. She quickly changed and styled her hair and met Howard down in the car.
When they reached base, Emma immediately went off to find Steve. She searched all over and finally ran into Peggy.
"Peg! Where's Steve? What happened?" Peggy then went on to tell her about Bucky's fall on the train during the mission and then told her where Steve was.
"He came back for a brief moment to give us the report and left, I have no idea where he went. How was your mission?" Peggy asked.
"Fine, not much to report."
"I find it odd you never file reports," Peggy stated as Emma went to walk away.
Emma turned and noticed all the files in her arms, "I file them myself." She lied.
"No, I see all the files. You don't. Why don't you?" Peggy asked.
"Because I was asked not to, these are confidential and dangerous missions I go on." Emma explained and turned to walk away.
"Emma what is going on?" Peggy asked grabbing her friends hand and giving her a concerned and worried look.
"It will all make sense soon, trust me, please."
Peggy nodded her head and let her go. Emma told Howard she was going off to find Steve and he needed to stay and get some work done there. Emma went to his hotel and they said he was out, he had left about 30 minutes before she had gotten there. Emma tried every place she could think she could find him and all of them came up empty. As nighttime started to come in, the air raid sirens sounded and Emma headed back to Howard's. Howard's was empty, Howard was out and Jarvis went home, Emma just sat and waited. Waited like she had been for weeks, waiting for Tony and now for Steve. It was then when it hit her, she didn't look at the Pub. The sirens went off and Emma ran out of the apartment into the dark streets.
She was careful around the rubble and destruction from the bombs and crawled through the destroyed Pub to find Steve at a table in the back talking to Peggy. For a brief moment, she could see the love in Peggy's eyes for Steve. They had become close friends and Peggy loved Steve, she could see that. Peggy must've sensed someone else there because she turned and saw Emma and gave her a small smile.
"Hi Emma." Steve turned and his eyes were red rimmed and he had a few empty bottles in front of him, obviously trying to get drunk, which she knew he couldn't. Her cells changed but not as much as his, hence the reason she could get drunk. He stood up and walked to her and hugged her close and started to cry again.
"I'm so sorry Steve." Emma stroked his back and cried into his chest with him. She lost a friend too and that didn't just hit her until that moment. Peggy excused herself and left them alone.
"He's gone Em, Bucky's gone…" he cried, "It's all my fault…" Emma took a sharp breath and started to sob harder into Steve's chest. In that moment, the two of them were feeling the exact same emotions. Emma felt it was her fault of losing Tony and he felt it was his fault losing Bucky.
"You know it's not your fault. You tried everything you could, there was nothing you could do. He died to save and protect his country and his friends." Emma reassured him and in a way reassuring herself.
"He was supposed to be with me, till the end of the line…" Steve cried and Emma remembered the story behind that phrase the two of them had and felt Steve shake in her arms from crying so hard.
"I know baby, I know."
Emma and Steve just stood there in each other's arms, just crying. Finally after some minutes, they broke apart. Steve looked at her and kissed her. "Thank you," He whispered against her lips as he pulled out of the kiss.
"That's what I'm here for. I understand what you are going through, I failed a mission recently and someone went missing and I felt like it was all my fault." He nodded his head and took her hand.
"Let's go back to Howard's."
They walked in the darkness and just talked and caught up on what they had missed in each other's lives. Emma told mostly the truth, but had to make it all seem like it was in their current time and not hers. Steve told her about his missions and reminisced about Bucky. Howard's place was still quiet when they came back and they went to her room.
"Can I use your shower?" Steve asked.
"Sure," Emma turned on the light in her connecting bathroom and found the towels in a cupboard in the bath for him.
Emma changed out of her Uniform and suddenly the bathroom door opened.
"I can't seem to get the shower head to turn on-" Steve stopped when he saw Emma standing in her cream slip as she turned and covered herself with her arms, feeling indecent in the thin silk. Steve was standing shirtless with his dress pants still on.
"I can get it for you," Emma walked into the bathroom past him and pulled the faucet switch to change the flow to the shower head. She turned and Steve was standing mere inches from her. "There, all fixed."
Steve then suddenly grabbed her and kissed her deeply and passionately on the lips. His one hand held behind her neck and the other held tight around her waist. Emma held him close to her by keeping her hands running through his hair. The kiss was intense and passionate and both of their emotions were boiling over from the stressful days. Emma gave a moan into his mouth as he pulled her flush against his bare chest. The steam from the shower was making the room feel warm and making her head hazy and her body sweat. Steve broke away from her lips and started to kiss along her jawline and neck and Emma sighed out his name into his ear. She had never seen Steve like this and reveled in the feeling and the emotions coursing through her body.
"I've missed you so much." He said into her neck. His hands trailed down her sides gently and Emma felt shivers go up her spine at his touch. It was like fire on her skin as his hands gripped her waist.
"I've missed you," She said skimming her fingers down his chest and around to his back. Feeling him made this seem all more real to her.
"Emma, I love you." He said pulling away and holding her head in between his hands.
"I love you Steve," she said looking deep into his eyes.
"You are my right partner." At that he lifted her into his arms and carried her back into her room and laid her down on her bed and made love to her.
He took his time with her and both explored these new emotions and feelings. Emma had never felt more alive and felt her love for Steve grow. When they had finished and lay in each other's arms, Emma felt the most at ease than she had in a long time.
"The shower is still running," Steve laughed into her hair.
"You should probably go turn it off." Emma laughed. Steve jumped up and turned off the shower and came back.
"You look tired," He commented as he brushed hair out of her face.
"I haven't been sleeping well," Emma replied and then grinned, "But I feel like I will sleep better now."
Steve smiled and kissed her lips, "I'm here now. Sleep and I will be here the whole time. I'm not leaving you."
Emma felt her stomach tighten as he said that. But one day you will, she thought. For now, she lived in this moment and went to sleep feeling the most relaxed and at ease than she had ever before and in Steve's arms.
She awoke the next morning to the smell of bacon. She could feel Steve's arm around her waist and she rolled over and kissed him lightly. She slipped out and threw on her night gown and undergarments and pulled on her robe.
"Why are you getting dressed?" he asked sleepily from the bed.
"Because we need to eat and get changed to head back to base. We do still have work." Steve got up and put on pajama pants and walked towards her and wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her deeply.
"Good morning." He said with a small smile.
"Good morning." She smiled back but then her face turned serious, "the moment we walk out that door, reality will hit us again. I'm here, it's going to be okay." Emma held his hand. Steve nodded his head.
"It was nice to escape for a night."
They then walked out hand in hand and into the kitchen where Howard was seated and Emma felt her stomach drop, the mere sight of Howard made Emma remember her life back home and that Tony was still missing and after this, Steve was still dead. She pushed those thoughts aside and needed to be strong for Steve, who she could feel had the weight of his life fall back on his shoulders.
"Good morning you two," Howard said with a knowing smile. He pushed two hearty plates toward them with bacon, eggs, toast, and fruit. "I figured you two would be hungry this morning."
"Shut it Howard." Emma said.
"I'm just saying, I know the feeling." He said and he opened up his paper.
Emma put her face in her hands embarrassed and Howard patted her back.
"Thank you for breakfast," Steve commented trying to get off of the subject.
"Anytime pal, I feel like I should've give you two a gift for this momentous occasion."
"Howard…"Emma growled and he laughed and kissed her temple.
"You are too easy to tease."
"How's Maria?" Emma asked turning the heat back on him. He shuffled his paper and went back to reading. "That's what I thought."
They ate breakfast in silence and Emma felt the dizziness return as Steve was getting ready for the day. She kissed him goodbye and told him she would see him later. She then gave Howard a note to give him and traveled back home.
When she opened her eyes, it was like she was waking from a dream and found it to be morning, only an evening had passed. Emma walked downstairs and found Clint in the kitchen with Pepper.
"You look better," Clint commented.
"Uh, yeah…I feel better." Emma said as she poured herself a glass of OJ.
"You are glowing almost…where did you go?" Clint asked as he stopped eating his Fruit Loops.
"Did you travel?" Pepper asked looking over her coffee mug.
"Yes…I saw Howard…and Steve." Emma said as she poured herself a bowl of cereal and milk. Emma could feel her face starting to blush thinking of Steve.
"YOU DIDN'T!" Clint shouted laughing.
"Did what?" Emma looking up at him all innocent and brushed her hair behind her ears and touching her cheeks in the process to make sure she wasn't blushing and she could feel the heat on her cheeks.
"Oh my…you DID!" Clint started laughing even harder and ran over and hugged her.
"What has gotten into you?!" Emma said pushing him away.
"What is going on? Is this some Agent thing?" Pepper asked.
"Emma slept with Steve!" Clint said to Pepper.
"Really?!" Pepper said excited.
"What?!" Emma looked at Clint, "How the….fine! Yes I did!"
"Aww, look at you all grown up." Clint teased and she smacked him.
"You have a mission, stick to it." She grumbled and took her cereal up to her room.
Clint followed her upstairs and into her room, "Look, I was just teasing. I'm happy for you."
"Yes, be happy that I slept with the only man I have ever really loved who is coincidentally dead." Emma felt her raw and dark emotions bubbling back up from the year earlier. Oh, it had already been a year? She thought to herself and the emotions boiled over and she felt the tears falling down her face.
"I know, it's been a year hasn't it?" Clint shuffled to sit next to her on her bed.
"Yeah, it just hit me." Emma looked over at her calendar and looked back at Clint, "I can't lose Tony too Clint, he's become like a brother to me, a friend. Please find him." Emma laid her head on Clint's shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her waist.
"I can't believe I have been at Stark Industries for 6 months, 2 of those without my boss. And before that spent a month depressed over Steve and 4 more on missions. Time fly," Emma mused to herself mostly.
"Only that one month was you bedridden and depressed, if you remember correctly, Nat and I got you out of bed as soon as we could, got you back into full scale missions. Also in between all that time, you time traveled, a lot." Clint nudged her.
"Yeah."
"So you still saw Steve. It's okay." He reassured her.
"But soon the travelling will catch up in my time stream there and I will stop seeing him."
"We will cross that bridge when we get to it," Clint kissed her temple. "I hate to leave but I need to get back to finding Tony. I love ya lil' sis. Take care." He hugged her and then left her room.
Emma sat staring at the wall in front of her and felt the dread in her stomach and her mind. She needed Tony to come back and she needed her travels with Steve to last longer, but life wasn't fair, she couldn't have both.
"Clint left," Pepper came in and Emma looked at her. "He told me what today was, I figured we could go out for a drive. That always seems to clear my head. Maybe get some ice cream and then watch some sappy, happy movies?"
Emma got up and hugged Pepper close as she smiled into her shoulder, "Nothing would make me feel better than that."
No need to dread on the darkness, because when there is darkness, the light will eventually come. And it did, in only a short month, when Pepper and Emma got a call from Clint and Rhodey. They had found Tony.