Steve

Steve felt warm and he knew he was asleep. He knew he was dreaming. Steve opened his eyes and he was in his apartment in Sydney and he was in bed. The covers were to his waist and he was as comfortable as can be. He didn't want to move, afraid he would ruin the moment of the peacefulness. He could feel the warm of the sun as it peered through the balcony window. The sliding glass do was open and the cool breeze of the ocean was flowing in and he smelled with a deep inhale. There was nothing like fresh air by the ocean, how it is calming, yet invigorating.

Steve could feel someone close to him and he turned his head. He saw a familiar face lying next to him. He turned onto his side, he was facing the sliding glass door and she was facing him. Steve smiled and she smiled back. He put his hand to her face and lightly rubbed her cheek and moved his hand through her red hair. The sun made her ivory skin shine and Steve loved being next to her. There was nowhere he would rather be. He felt her hand on his face and he kissed her arm softly. He moved up and kissed her collar bone and he kissed her neck.

He felt her hand in his hair and she gripped tightly. His arms were around her and he kissed her deeply. Her hands moved over his muscular back and he felt her lips against his neck. Steve moaned softly as she shifted her hand down and grabbed him in her hand. Steve kissed her neck, and he moved down and kissed her breasts. He looked up to see Natasha smiling at him, he didn't know what he would do without her. She was his everything, his reason for going on. The world was a dark and dangerous, miserable place, but she made it a little more bearable. She made it worth it.

Before he went into the ice, he had no idea he would meet someone as amazing as her. Every woman he ever met always walked past him afraid to step on him. He had waited for a long time and at first he thought it was Peggy. How he wished it could have been her, she would always have a piece of his heart, but he met the right partner. He just had to wait seventy years for her.

Steve opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was the ceiling. From that he knew where he was instantly; the tower's medical bay. Steve sat up and a hand touched his shoulder. He looked over and Clint was standing next to him.

"Take it slow big guy" Clint said

Steve looked to his left and he saw Bucky lying on a bed and he had bandages around his legs and chest.

"Hey punk" Bucky said

"How long have I been out?" Steve asked lying his head back down.

"About two days, your friend was out for a whole day." Clint said

"And Nat?" Steve asked

"We're still waiting for her to wake up" Clint said

"Do we know when?" Steve asked

"Banner said maybe a week, yet the mind is a difficult thing to unravel. It could be shorter, or longer. We just have to wait and see. I give her a week and then she is going to wake up and you two can make googily eyes at each other for the rest of the day"

"Does anyone else know about our…?"

"About your guy's relationship, no. Just I and your pal over there. Fury doesn't even know"

"Good, she'll be happy" Steve said

Clint smiled and chuckled "Yeah you can give her the news when she wakes up" Clint said and he nodded and walked away.

Steve chuckled and looked over at Bucky "So what's new with you?"

"Oh me the usual, picking up girls left and right" Bucky said smiling

Steve chuckled and he sighed "Yeah, you always had a thing with the ladies"

"Yeah, not anymore. I don't even know how to talk to a woman anymore. Well at this age anyhow"

"I know how you feel"

"It's like when I asked that hot lady in red to dance and all she could look at was you" Bucky said

"Yeah, after the serum, I stole the show. Sad part was it didn't help with talking to them"

"Yeah, well you've got yourself a good woman after all" Bucky said and he looked past Steve at Natasha who was lying very still and breathing slowly.

Steve turned to look at her and he exhaled and he looked at her and he wished he could get up and hold her hand.

"Well, with that serum of yours, you'll be out of here by the end of the day. Your ribs are already healed, she broke them good. Then again once you're better, you're just going to sit over there and wait for her to wake up."

"You know so well Buck" Steve said

"Ah it's what I would be doing"

"It's good to have you back Bucky"

"It's good to be back, but not for long. I have a long road ahead"

"Why is that?"

"Niko got away"

Steve rolled his eyes at the name "Yeah I know, but someone has to hunt him down and stop him" Bucky added

"If you need help"

"No, Steve I need to do this on my own. I helped create him, even if I didn't make him crazy. I taught him how to fight and how to use tactics. It only seems right that I should stop him."

"You're pulling a me" Steve said

"Well, I guess Captain America rubbed off on me" Bucky said

"What about your arm?"

"Oh get another one from Fury, I'm putting the red star back on it"

"Why"

"I want to be reminded of where it came from, and the past. As much as we have to move on from the past, we can't forget it. Or else we repeat history"

"Pasts are troubling things" Steve said

"Plus the Avengers need you, and someone with a dark past could use someone who can help" Bucky said looking at Natasha.

"I'll do my best"

"Your best is enough, trust me. I hope she can forgive me for all the pain I put her through in Red Room. I guess I'll never get forgiveness for that"

"It's hard to forgive something hard and traumatic" Steve said

"Yeah"

"But it's usually worth it" Steve said

"Damn you just know what to say to everyone don't you?" Bucky said smiling

"I guess I could have made a good motivational speaker"

"Yeah, then again. Your motivation is to go get beat up behind movie theaters and parking lots."

Steve laughed and he shook his head at Bucky.

"Well I think I'm going to take another nap" Steve said

"Have fun with that"

"At least it's a warm nap" Steve said

"True"

"You won't be here when I wake up will you?"

"No, but I'll visit in a month" Bucky said

"Well see you in a month"

"Don't have too much fun without me" Bucky said

"How can I do that?"

"It seems you have a buddy who you can talk to and have a drink with."

"She is truly amazing"

"She is" Bucky said and he watched as Steve closed his eyes and fell back asleep.

Three Days Later…

Steve was out of the medical bay that afternoon, but Bucky was right he spent all his time there sitting next to Natasha. He wanted to be there when she woke up, it would be nice if she saw a familiar face when she did. Steve had been up to the main floor only for food. Everything seemed fine as well. Bucky was gone and Steve wasn't going to see him for a month. Well at least it's better than a few years. Steve had started to coordinate with Thor about finding Loki's scepter. Thor seemed to want it, it was important and he was anxious go get it. Steve told him they would all help, but they were going to have to take on Hydra. Steve still had all those files and he knew where every base was. It was the perfect opportunity.

Steve said they would once Natasha was better and the team back to full strength. Hill was around more now and she was no reporting everything to him, even though it was supposed to be Stark, since she does work for him. Steve didn't mind having some structure to it, he liked it actually. Even though there was no clear leader, he had no problem giving orders in high risk situations. Steve had to guess that he was the leader, even if it was only in certain situations.

Steve was sitting in a chair next to her bed and h had his head resting on it and he hands were next to his head. He wasn't sleeping, but he was close to it. Steve slightly shifted when he heard the door to the medical bay open. Steve lifted his head and looked and saw Clint walking in.

"So how is our favorite spy?" he asked walking up next to him

"She seems ok, but Banner said we won't know anymore until she wakes up"

"And that should be any time now" Clint said

"Well, when she does, you'll be the first one I call." Steve said

"I'm going to stay down here with you, I need a break from Stark anyhow" Clint said pulling up a chair.

Steve looked back at Natasha and he saw her stir slightly. He felt his hands grip the arms of the chair. Natasha moved her head and her eyes fluttered open. Clint and Steve both stood and walked to either side of her. They both smiled and laughed and they were happy to see her awake. Natasha rubbed her eyes and she looked at Clint, then at Steve. She noticed she was in the medical bay and she saw Steve looking at her in a weird way.

"Rogers, what's with the staring?" Natasha asked rubbing her eyes and she tried to move and winced at her leg

Steve was confused by what she said to him, and he leaned a little closer. He reached for her hand, but she pulled it away.

"What has gotten into you Rogers?" Natasha asked staring at him weirdly

"Nat, you ok?" Clint asked

"Yeah I'm fine Clint, just who broke my leg?"

"That would be Cap" Clint answered

Natasha looked at Steve "Why did you do that?" she asked rather harshly

"Natasha do you remember anything about Niko?" Steve asked

"Who the hell is Niko?"

"Ok Nat what is the last thing you remember?" Clint asked

Natasha paused and Steve saw her eyes shift as if she was trying to remember. They waited in silence and she finally answered.

"Stark's party"

"Which one?" Steve and Clint asked in unison

"The one when some masked guy attacked the tower"

Steve felt his heart sink and he knew which party she was referring to. His smile disappeared and was replaced by a solemn stare.

"You ok Steve?" Natasha asked

Steve was brought back to reality "Yeah, it's good to have you back"

Natasha looked at the two uncomfortable men standing in front of her "Come on guys what's wrong, isn't it usually good when a person wakes up from something that put them in the hospital" she said and Steve felt her emerald eyes beaming at him, as if blaming him for why she was there.

"Nat that party was in September"

"And?" Natasha asked

"It's January" Clint said glancing at Steve and he noticed that he was disconnecting himself from the conversation.

Natasha looked at them "What?"

"We just rescued you from a man named Niko, who kidnapped you stabbed Steve and brainwashed you"

Natasha was breathing a little faster now "And the masked guy, what about him"

"It was actually Red Skull, and he attacked New York and we stopped him. Afterward Rumlow shot Steve, well actually aimed for you Steve saved your life"

"I thought Red Skull was dead"

"We all did" Clint said

"So is that all I missed really?" Natasha asked

Clint looked at Steve and he saw that he was thinking deeply and he was about to tell her about her and Steve when Steve spoke up "No, other than we stopped them both and you and me blew up a Hydra base in Germany, and we had a wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas" Steve said leaving out their relationship and Bucky

Clint's eyes widened and he quickly let them go back to normal and he looked at Natasha.

"Ok well we'll let you be alone for a bit to soak it all in" Clint said and him and Steve walked away.

They exited the medical bay and Clint grabbed Steve by the arm and slammed him up against the wall.

"What the hell was that, you didn't tell her about both of you being a in a relationship" Clint said in a harsh whisper

Steve clenched his jaw "Do you think she would have taken it well?" Steve asked

Clint scoffed and he thought about it "No she wouldn't have taken it well, and that would have also meant that everyone else would find out, and then you would have to be stuck with having to get her feelings out all over again" Clint aid shaking his head

"Yeah, it'll be better this way" Steve said

"Yeah but for who? Do you realize all the good you did for her, she could actually walk around and smile and have fun. She wasn't having any till she got you as a partner and as a boyfriend"

"Yeah but all that is lost now isn't it, all the work and time I put in to get to open up, and now she still thinks that I'm her work partner and that I have her file and don't know a damn thing about her"

"Maybe its temporary amnesia" Clint said grasping for straws

"Get Banner down here and then we'll know" Steve said walking away

"And where are you going?" Clint asked

Steve turned and he looked at Clint "To move all her stuff out of my room" Steve said "I don't want her to think it's strange that her work partner has most of her clothes in his room" Steve walked away and he felt his heart ache and he felt tears come to his eyes and he wiped them away. He got into the elevator and hit the button for the main floor.