It's getting boring, isn't it? I'm sorry if you feel that way.

31 : MEET THE PARENTS**

It was a peaceful, quiet slumber for them, compared to the chaotic fundraiser. But reality quickly chased after them. Steve woke up to his phone blaring loudly. He quickly answered it to prevent the beautiful redhead in his arms from awakening from her sleep.

"Hi, Mom" Steve said
"Steve, I have something important to tell you." Sarah told "Meet me for brunch in twenty minutes. A car is already waiting for you"
"Of course, mom. I will be there" Steve replied

He hung up and sighed before closing his eyes and holding Natasha tighter in his arms.

"Where are you going?" A sleepy voice sounded
"My mom needs to talk to me" He replied
"You should get ready you don't want to keep your mom waiting" She said and pushed herself upright.

Steve climbed off their bed before giving her a quick kiss. He headed to the bathroom to wash himself and brush his teeth, quickly dressing himself before turning to her.

"I will be back soon" He told her "You want anything? I can bring you something to eat"
"Anything that's delicious please"
"Yes, ma'am" He said and leaned in to kiss her again.
"Go" She murmured against his lips and pushed him away.

Steve smiled at her before heading out the door but didn't forget to look back at her one more time. Natasha smiled at him.

Steve met up with his mother at the small outdoor cafe. Sarah was sitting alone without a sign of his dad.

"Morning, mom" Steve greeted and kissed Sarah's cheek. He sat down in front of her.
"Steven"
"Where's dad?"
"He had an early meeting at the Pentagon"
"Yeah, that sounds like something he would be doing" Steve sarcastically replied. "So what's the urgent matter that requires my attendance on a Saturday morning at 10 AM, mom"
"I need you and Natasha back in New York by tonight because there is someone I want both of you to meet"
"Who is it?"
"Before I tell you, I have to tell you that I ran a background check on her…"
"YOU DID WHAT?"
"Just let me finish it, Steve. I heard you guys talking about her family and her last name struck me as familiar."
"So you sent Cornelius to find someone or something from her past?"
"Yes, and they are on their way to meet her." Sarah replied "That's why I need you guys back in New York tonight because I will bring them to meet with Natasha tomorrow and I want to keep it a surprise"
"Okay"

Steve finished his breakfast but didn't forget to order some takeout food and dessert for his little red. He knew she would like it. Sarah's piercing blue eyes looked at her son as she sipping her coffee and she noticed something on his neck.

"Hmmm, looks like you had some quality time with Natasha last night"

Steve stopped for a second and knew that his mom was referring to the purple hickey on his neck.

"Nothing happened last night, mom" Steve said "That the farthest we went last night"
"And you said she's not your girlfriend" His mother inquired sardonically
"Fine, she's IS my girlfriend. Satisfied now?" Steve sarcastically replied, obviously irritated by his mom's interest in his love life.
"I'm just teasing you, sweetheart" Sarah said "But I really like her a lot so if you're planning on hurting her, stop it now before you get into deep"
"Mom, she means a lot to me"
"I can see that, son. You seem to enjoy spending time with her"

Steve didn't reply but he couldn't resist a small smile when he thought about his little red.

"The only advice I can give you, Steve, is where there is smoke there is fire, so try not to get caught up in the flames."

"Yes, mom"

Finally, the awkward brunch was over and the takeout Steve ordered had arrived. He excused himself, to return to his penthouse where Natasha was waiting for him.

"See you tomorrow, mom" Steve said and hugged his mother.
"See you, son" Sarah replied "And take good care of her"
"You know I will" Steve said with a wink and grin

Steve grabbed the paper bag and headed to the limo waiting for him. But before the vehicle had even pulled away from the restaurant he received a call from his little red.

"Hey, Nat" He said "I just got us lunch and I'm heading back to the penthouse now."

"Stevie, before you come back, can I have a huge favor." She sweetly asked, causing a huge smile to break out on Steve's face.

Sarah could clearly see that her son was truly happy. He was the happiest she's seen him in a very long time and somehow, it had everything to do with Natasha Romanov.

"Okay, I will bring you a cup of coffee." He said "I'll see you soon."

Steve came back to the penthouse with coffee and food for both of them. Natasha was already out of their bed and was wearing something that was clearly not hers.

"Why are you wearing my shirt?" Steve asked.

She turned and saw him. She broke out in a mischievous smile and sauntered her way to kiss him. Steve almost forgot what he needed to talk to her about.

"Here's your coffee" He said "And our lunch"
"Nice"
"You still haven't answered my question"
"I didn't take a shower yet so I kinda borrowed your shirt. It's very comfy and I like it"
"I'll allow it" He replied and kissed her again. "By the way, you look sexy in my clothes."

Natasha hummed in pleasure upon hearing those words before wiggling herself away from Steve and walking to the kitchen. He followed close behind.

"My mom wants us back in New York by tonight" He told her "I just want to ask you. Are you okay with spending your weekend with me at my place?
"Of course" She replied "Are you planning a surprise for me, Stevie?"
"Nah, I just want to spend some alone time with you."
"Aww, but I don't want to" She teased and Steve frowned immediately "I'm kidding. It would be lovely to spend my weekend with you, Stevie"

Steve smiled seductively and leaned down to place a soft kiss on her plump lips, sucking her full lower lip. He just couldn't resist her or her kissable lips. She was plastered to him in the most delicious way and the taste of her was intoxicating him to the point he felt his body go up in the flames his mother had warned him of, and he couldn't care less. He loved it and he loved the feeling of having her in his arms, and all he could think of was having more.

"Steve…" She moaned in a husky voice "Our lunch…"
"Right…" He slowly released her and moved to place their meals out on the dishes.

Natasha sat on the counter top watching her Stevie prepare everything for her. He even brought her her favorite dessert, chocolate soufflé. She sat there and wondered, who is this guy? He was a totally different person when she first met him.

This is the sweet, kind, gentle Steve Rogers not the stupid womanizer.

She really liked this side of him.

They spent their afternoon just sitting in front of the fireplace, cozying up together and watching the snow fall outside the window. He made them some tea, while they talked about anything and everything that they both shared their interests.

Steve spent a good hour kissing her neck and everywhere that his mouth could reach from behind her, trying to keep his hands from wondering past her waist. Nat could do nothing more than lean into his chest as her body literally melted under his touch.

This was one hell of a good way to pass the time, by sharing a smoldering hot make out session that left them both panting in lust.

They headed back to New York and to his home. Which would lead to the third time they shared a bed without involvement of alcohol. Steve stepped out of the bathroom, wearing only his sweatpants, and Nat couldn't find it in herself to find even one complaint at the sight. She loved to watch his powerful muscles move and flex.

Well, he was one very fine specimen.

After completing their bed time grooming, they found themselves back on a bed, passionately making out. Nat found out, in the best possible way, that Steve was pretty amazing with that tongue of his.

But as good as it felt for Steve to pay homage to her skin with his lips and tongue, Nat wanted to taste him in the same way. She broke off from his kiss, to trail her lips across his jaw line, to nip at his ear, and slowly trail her tongue along his throat to his collar bone. As she worked her way down to his clavicle placing butterfly kisses, and kitten licks across his skin, she noticed something that gave her pause. The heart pendant with engraved the letters PS he had worn on his necklace since she had known him was gone and in its place was a snowflake pendant that matched her lucky charm.

"What is it, Nat?" He asked worriedly until he noticed her staring at the pendant.
"Do you think of me as a replacement? A substitute?" She asked quietly, avoiding looking into his eyes.
He forced her to look at him by grasping her chin in his hand and tilting her face up to his "Why would I do that?"
"Steve…."
He exhaled "Well, if you really need to know….I have never thought of you as anything but Natasha. You captured me by being who you are. I have never once compared you to Peggy, if that is what you think."
"How can you be sure, Steve? How do I know that subconsciously you are not comparing me to the woman you always thought was the love of your life?
"I saw you talking to her at the gala, you know" He suddenly said causing Nat to gasp in surprise. "What?" He smirked "You thought if I knew you were talking to her again I was going to cause a scene or do something dramatic? He sighed and traced his thumb gently along her cheek. "Nat, it took me a long time to realize I had moved on a long time ago."

He could see tears forming in her beautiful green eyes

"You're not gonna cry, are you?" He asked teasingly
"No, it's just that you admitting that you have moved on is overwhelming." She said shakily; still not believe that he would say that. "It's a big move for you, Steve. Moving on"

Moving on, moving on to me, moving on and letting me in, Natasha silently thought to herself and found herself smiling. Steve was smiling at her too and then she couldn't hold back her tears anymore.

"Little Red, what's wrong?"
"No—it's nothing."
"Nat—"

She silenced him with such a passionate kiss that it made him completely forget what he was about to say. The kiss was an expression of everything she was feeling, and it's gentle loving purity made Steve's heart skip a beat.

"Steve, will you hurt me?" She murmured against his lips
"No, I won't ever hurt you, little red"
"Promise?"
"Promise"
"Are you going to make me cry?"
"Only out of happiness" He replied "You have my word"
"That's good enough for me."
"I will protect you from everything and anything, Natasha. You're the most important thing to me now"

Natasha was startled awake by a dream of losing someone she really cared about. Her biggest fear was that karma would treat her the same way she had Alexei and she would wake up and find an empty bed.

But the steady breathing against her shoulder quieted her fears. The warm embrace that enveloped her tightly radiated safety and security.

He hadn't left her and had, in fact, protected her all night with his embrace.

She turned in his embrace so she was facing him and snuggled into his chest, her ear against his heartbeat, where she felt it was the safest place she could find. As if he sensed her need for his security, he tightened his arms around comfortably just to let her know that he was there with her, for her.

And this time when she saw the snowflake pendant, she smiled and ran her hand gently over it.

"Why are you up so early?" He murmured
"Having a not so good dream"
He opened his eyes and looked at her "Are you okay now?"
"Yes, I am. I feel perfectly fine"

Their peaceful morning was interrupted when Sarah barged into Steve's bedroom. She smiled at the sight of her son and Natasha snuggling.

"You two should get up and shower. Natasha, there is someone who wants to see you downstairs" Sarah told her.
"Who is it?"
"I think you should see for yourself"

That's all Sarah said before making her exit. Steve let Nat use his bathroom while he took a shower in one of the guest room. When he was done getting ready he returned to his room to get Natasha.

"Are you ready?" He asked.

She got up from the edge of the bed and walked downstairs with Steve. They heard people in the living room talking in Russian. Natasha quickly registered her native tongue, and was surprised to hear the topic they discussing.

There were five people in the living room. Natasha knew three of them, Sarah was standing with her foster parents, Ivan and Yelena were also two people who she didn't recognize but judging from their clothes and how fancy, they were rich.
"Наталия …" The tall man with her own emerald green eyes whom she didn't know called her. The woman next to him had the same fiery red hair as her and a small frame.

Natasha stopped in her tracks and held Steve back with said nothing, trying to recall everything from her past. She couldn't remember anything about them or anything related to them. They couldn't be her parents.If they were, there should be at least even the slightest of memories about them left in her mind.

"Natasha, this is Alexandre and Aliana Romanov" Sarah introduced.

The last name confirmed her belief but was it true that they were her parents?It couldn't be true because Ivan told her that her parents had died ever since she was a child. Steve also gave his mother a quizzical look but Natasha didn't say anything. She was lost inside her own thoughts.

"Say something, Natalia" Ivan spoke up for the first time in a thick Russian accent.
"I-" That's all she could get past the lump in her throat.

Steve knew she was in the state of shock so he squeezed her hand gently in a show of support.

"Ivan, what is going on?" Natasha asked
"Tаля, please sit down" Ivan said.

Natasha did as she was told but she pulled Steve down with her.

"We should give you guys some privacy" Sarah said.
But Nat held Steve's hand tighter "No, don't go" She whispered silently telling him I need you here with me

Steve sat down when he saw that his little red was about to break down. She wasn't her strong usual self and he had to be there for her. Sarah, as well, sat down on the arm of the couch next to Steve.

"I believe we all owe you an explanation" Ivan began "Tаля, these are your real parents, Alexandre and Aliana Romanov. They are my trusted friends."
"Why did my own parents give me to their friends to raise me rather than do it themselves?" Natasha bitterly asked.
"We were being hunted down by a neo-Bolshevik extremist group." Alexandre spoke up "We couldn't hide in Russia anymore so we fled but we wanted you to grow up in your motherland and live a normal life that your mother and I cannot give you."
"We asked Ivan to help us and he agreed to raise you as his own and protect by keeping our secret from way, you could grow up in a safe and peaceful environment and have the childhood you deserved."

Aliana continued "We supported Ivan and Yelena financially to raise you without any problem. They were able to find a secluded town to raise you in safety"

Natasha kept quiet while she processed the information she'd just heard. Steve could feel her grip on his hand tighten.

"We fled to France to start a new life. Now, I can build my new empire but we didn't know whether we should look for you or not" Alexandre said. His voice filled with guilt.
"Do you have any other children besides me?" Natasha asked quietly.
"You have a brother who is 5 years your senior"
"Then why did you only leave me with Ivan, and not both of us?" She frowned and kept her distance as every part of her body stiffened up afraid to hear that they didn't care about her.
"Darling, we wanted to but Nicholas knew far too much and it was too risky to leave him there with you" Aliana said mournfully before lunging forward to grab Nat's hand but the girl pulled away from her touch.
"All this time, I thought my birth parents were dead…" Natasha said with a shaky voice "Do you even love me?"

Steve witnessed Natasha break down as soon as the question left her mouth, burying her face in both hands as she wept. Steve silently got up from his seat when Alexandre and Aliana knelt down in front of Natasha. The Rogers silently left the room to give the Russians some privacy to talk about that matter.

"How did you know about this?" Steve asked as he and Sarah entered the kitchen.
"As I told you a breakfast yesterday, I overheard you and Natasha talking about her childhood at Christmas so I had Cornelius track them down" Sarah replied "At least, she deserved to know who her real parents are"
"I agree with you, mom, but a little heads up next time would be nice" Steve said "And here all this time I wondered where I inherited my cheeky and manipulative traits from"
"You got all of that from your dad, Steven." Sarah corrected
"You mean cold and distant and have rules for everything? That's what I got from dad" He joked with a hint of honesty

Steve smiled and hugged his mom. He knew she only wanted the best for everyone, especially for Natasha who he knew she had grown very fond of her.

The Rogers came back into the living room again to find Natasha hugging her true parents while her foster parents watched quietly from the side. Steve assumed that everything went well.

"Thank you so much, Mrs. Rogers" Natasha said
"It's at least I can do for you" Sarah said with a smile

Sarah told the Russians that they could stay at her house as long as they wanted but Ivan and Yelena had to fly back to Russia tomorrow while the Romanovs' accepted her invitation and stayed at the Rogers' penthouse.

Sarah took them all out for dinner at a very nice restaurant. Steve never left Natasha's side for one second, knowing Natasha was currently emotionally fragile and would need his support now more than ever.

At the same time he could also see that shew as very happy to have her parents back. And if she was happy then he was happy.

Natasha had to admit that this was one of the best days of her life. She got her parents back and they agreed to stay in New York for a month so they could spend some time together. She and Steve headed back to his penthouse to get some rest because they would have to return to the university the next day.

Natasha had to admit to herself that her feelings for Steve had tripled within a very short period of time. She finally accepted that not only did she have feelings for Steve but that he had defeated her ability to distance herself emotionally with his tender and protective behavior towards her lately.

They fell asleep in the same bed again but when she woke up, he wasn't there. He was gone and she began to panic. He didn't leave a note or anything to tell her where he went.

Don't do this to me Steve, She quietly thought to herself.

Natasha looked around his bedroom and tried not to think the worst but she couldn't help it. Her biggest fear realized to wake up alone.

"Hey, beautiful" A gentle voice sounded from the door and brought her back to reality.

She turned and found Steve standing at the door way with a breakfast tray in his hands. He looked at her with a quizzical look.

"What's wrong?"
"No, I just—thinking about something"
"I cooked breakfast for you" He told her and placed the tray in front of her. "Hope you don't mind" He leaned in to kiss her lips before he got out of bed "I have one more thing for you"

He ran out of the room before returning with not only a vase of freshly cut flowers but a freshly brewed coffee pot.

A flash back through her mind while he poured coffee into her mug.

"Is this the go to Steve Rogers' typical romantic breakfast in bed?"
"Not even close." He replied. "No one has ever had that honor because I've never stayed the night with my random one night stands so breakfast in bed never occurred."
"Let's just pretend that you are head over heels in love with someone, will you make her breakfast in bed?"
"Maybe. Which means I have to find the one who can make me feel again. It's hard, you know? To find the right one so I gave up for a very long time"

Thinking of the conversation she had with him ages ago made her smile. She was so sure that she was the first one that he did this for and that fact made her very content.

AN:

- Special thanks to my dearest friends, sleeplessinbudapest & internetangie!

- Thank you to my proofreaders, chrwrigh and kgbucky.

- Please kindly leave a review if you love Steve's mom as much as I do!