Author's Note:

This chapter is a bit of a doozy. Mentions of child abuse and noncon. Still taking requests for situations you would like to see Astrid and Steve. And as always please review and let me know what you think.


Astrid and Steve had just passed the half-year mark in their relationship and she couldn't be happier. Steve had been nothing short of amazing to her. Yet her feelings were complicated by her doubts. Would he feel the same way about her if he knew the truth about her past? It was so unlike her to have these kinds of thoughts. But then she also never expected to actually fall in love with a guy. Given all the abuse she had experienced.

It hit her at dinner last night. Nothing they hadn't done a thousand times before. As she watched him laugh at another one of her stupid jokes she realized that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. Wanted him to be the father of her kids. But she had no idea how to tell him.

And right now her doubts were going haywire. For the first time in the entire time, they have been going steady Steve was late. She was in her apartment with Shamira sitting on the love seat while Astrid was pacing. Trying to calm her nerves.

"He probably got in a fight in some back alley," Shamira suggested. "He'll be here any moment."

"That's supposed to make me feel better?" She continued to pace around the apartment before stopping in front of Shamira. "Shouldn't you be out with Bucky or someone?"

"Your man is not the only one who is late." That worried Astrid even more. She felt her heart leap up into her throat as she heard a furious pounding at the door. Opening it up she saw Bucky standing on the doorstep. Looking immensely haggard. He was panting. Hands-on his knees as if he ran the entire way here.

"Steve is… Steve is.." he tried to get it out. He was panting hard.

"Easy," Astrid stated holding a hand to his chest. "Easy. Just take a couple of deep breaths." Once he calmed down Astrid focused in on the issue. "What's wrong with Steve?"

"He's sick. Like really sick. I haven't seen him this sick in a long time."

Astrid's blood ran cold. For a second her entire world froze before immediately springing to action. Grabbing her mobile tool kit that she kept in the closet when it wasn't on her. When she turned to Bucky the relief was evident on his face. He quickly led them to Steve's place. Not one of them saying anything. Just wanting to get there as quickly as possible.

As soon as Bucky opened the door, Astrid knew it was bad. She could smell it. The apartment was tiny and sparse. Steve clearly did not have a lot. But she barely noticed. Heading directly to the bedroom where she found Steve lying in bed. She rushed to his side and started examining him. Shamira and Bucky staying close by. Holding hands.

Sweat was pouring down his entire body. Each breath was labored. Except when the cough racked through his entire body. His eyes glassy. Skin burning to the touch.

"Astrid?" he mumbled leaning into her touch.

"Don't speak," she responded. "I'm here. I'll take care of you." She turned to Bucky. "When did all this start?"

"He was complaining about a sore throat and headache yesterday," Bucky replied. "I told him to rest and take it easy." Despite the situation, Astrid snorted. Rest wasn't something Steve did willingly. "You know what it is?"

"I have a fair idea." Astrid took a pad of paper and a pencil out of her bag. Quickly jotting down a prescription and address. Handing it to Bucky. "Get to that address as quickly as you can. Tell them that I sent you." Bucky nodded and sprinted off. Not even bothering to ask questions.

"What can I do?" Shamira asked.

"You still know the recipe for the soup?"

Shamira let out a grin. "Say no more." She headed out as well.

"Astrid?" Steve mumbled again drawing her attention back to him. She took his hand.

"Hey. I'm here. Have you been able to drink anything?" Judging by the empty glass of water on the table it looked like Bucky managed to force something down. Good. "I'm going to get you another glass of water okay?"

He used what little energy he had to shake his head. "…Stay." Astrid signed. Normally she wouldn't do this but Steve probably wouldn't remember. Slowly she floated the glass over to the sink and turned on the tap. When it was full she brought it to her empty hand. Taking out a pouch of dried powder she poured it into the glass and mixed it.

"Can you sit up for me?"

Steve tried but the racking cough prevented him from moving much. Astrid slowly helped him up and brought the glass to his lips.

"I know you feel awful right now and this stuff is going to taste like trash but I need you to drink it." The look of sheer determination he gave her, despite his body failing him was all the indication she needed. She helped him swallow it down. Even as he was fighting the urge to gag. Once the glass was empty she brought it down beside her.

He was starting to breathe slightly easier now. That was no cure but it would help ease some of the symptoms. She moved so that she was sitting on the bed next to him.

"You… you should not be here. I do... don… don't want you getting sick." His teeth were chattering. The chills getting to him.

Astrid smiled. "In case you didn't notice Steve my job has me around a lot of sick people." His entire body was paler than normal. "I'm going to open your shirt up." Even sick he managed to blush as Astrid slowly undid the buttons. Normally she would take time to relish this action. But at this moment she had a job to do. When his shirt was undone she saw his bare chest underneath. He really was a stick. The faint outline of bone obvious. She slowly pulled the shirt off of him completely.

"Li-li-like wh-what you see?"

If his breathing wasn't still labored she would have pulled him in for a kiss. "Of course I do." She took a second to feel him up. Placing her hand against his chest. Feeling his heartbeat underneath her hand. "This might be slightly uncomfortable." She tapped his chest a few times with two fingers. Carefully listening. Once she was done she moved to his back and did the same thing. "As I thought. You have the flu and a mild case of bronchitis. You should be fine in a week. As long as it doesn't develop into pneumonia."

"Th-that all?"

Astrid nodded. "Yeah, that's all." She laid him back down. Pulling and tucking the covers up and around him. "Get some rest."

"Yo-yo-you'll be-be here when I wake up?"

She kissed his forehead. "Like you can get rid of me."

Still, he didn't seem to want to rest. Keeping one eye open on her. She let out a small soft smile. As much as she could will him to sleep she wasn't going to manipulate his mind in that way. Instead, she did what her mother used to do. Softly singing him a lullaby. She didn't even get through the first verse before he was out like a light. Hopefully, the medicine she gave him would allow him to stay asleep.

She got up from the bed and moved to the kitchen. Looking to see if he had what she needed. Steve seemed to barely have anything at all. It was like a wrench in the gut. Astrid gritted her teeth and promised herself she would make sure that Steve was never in want of anything.

Opening up the cupboards. She noticed he had a stockpot, a baking sheet, a cutting board, and a set of dull knives. She took out one of her blades from her bag. Unfolding it and placing it on the counter. Its intended purpose was to never cut vegetables but that was far better than what it was actually used for.

It was just in time too as Shamira came in carrying the groceries.

"This brings me back," Shamira stated as she placed the bags on the table. Astrid immediately set forth grabbing the carrots and started peeling them with her blade. "Does he not have knives?"

"Dull." She had already made her way through two of the four carrots.

"Well hand me the other one. Let's see if I can handle the chicken." While Astrid sorted out the vegetables Shamira worked on spicing up the chicken and roasting it. Once they prepped all the ingredients, they threw it in the stockpot along with some chicken broth. As soon as the smell started wafting through the door Bucky came bursting in. Panting and carrying a brown paper bag.

"You got it?"

Bucky nodded. "The guy refused to talk to me until I mentioned your name. As soon as I brought you up he handed me everything and said it was free. Also, to remind you to come over for dinner at some point."

Astrid let out a chuckle as she loaded up the needle with the medicine. "I should bring all of us. She loves to cook and I haven't had good soul food in a while." She went back over to Steve and injected it into his shoulder. It almost felt like it would go completely through him. He stirred a little bit but calmed. Still asleep.

"You guys go," Astrid stated. The two of them had joined Astrid in the bedroom. "Enjoy yourselves."

"But what about-" Bucky stated to say when Shamira interrupted him.

"Astrid is a highly trained doctor. She can do way more for him than we can. And we will only get in her way. Trust me. He'll be up and alert by the time we get back."

Bucky begrudgingly nodded, knowing that Shamira was right. He nodded at Astrid and took Shamira's hand.

"Take care of him okay."

Astrid looked back at him. Knowing how heavy those words were. And how much he trusted her. "I plan on it. He may not be my whole world but he's an important part of it." Bucky blushed and smiled. Astrid knew exactly how Bucky felt about Steve and how Steve felt about Bucky. She gave a glance at Shamira who was shaking her head and silently laughing. Yeah. She knew exactly how they felt.

It was two hours later that Steve woke up. He was still cold but eyes slightly less glassy. More alert overall. Astrid was still at his bedside. Only getting up to check on the soup.

"Astrid?" he mumbled trying to sit up. She gently pushed him back down again.

"I'm here," she replied. "Like I said I would be." He let out a sigh of appreciation and took her hand. His eyes already drooping again. "Get some more sleep."

His eyes snapped open and he started sitting up in bed. "Not yet. There's something I need to tell you." The way his eyes flickered. The muscles tensed. His body trembling not from chills but from something else. Astrid knew exactly what he was going to tell her.

"Steve," she stated. "Before you say what you thinking there are some things you must know." She got up and lied down on the bed next to him. Placing her head gently on his chest. Waiting to feel his heartbeat for more than one reason.

He sat up further in bed now that he had the strength and smiled. Coming his hand through her perfectly crafted curls. "What? You can read my mind now?"

The world stood silent for a moment. Astrid wished it would stay that way so that she wouldn't have to say what she had to say next. "Yes," she whispered her tone soft. "I have the power to read minds and move objects. Along with other abilities." Steve didn't say anything. Just kept looking at her as if waiting for her to continue. "Here. I'll show you." With her mind, she reached out and connected with Steve. For the first time in a long time, she was having a telepathic communication with someone other than Shamira.

'You see what I mean?' she asked Steve. She watched as his eyes went wide. A million thoughts flooded their brains. She winched. 'Can you ease up a little?'

"Sorry," he replied both out loud and in the mind.

'You don't have to speak. I can hear you quite clearly.'

'Sorry,' he replied this time in mind alone. 'What else can you do?'

'I can plant suggestions in people's minds. Make them forget things occurred or make them think that something else happened.' She summoned the glass of water on the bedside table with her mind and handed it to Steve. 'Along with moving objects, creating shields and who knows what else. I'm still not sure what I'm fully capable of.'

He took the water from her hand and placed it back on the table. 'How long have you been able to do this?'

'Since I was born apparently.' She let out a hollow laugh. 'I have no idea why I can do the things I do. I only know that I can do them.'

'Okay.'

Astrid sat back up, looking slightly taken aback. She stared at his perfectly blue eyes. 'What do you mean okay?'

He gripped both her hands. 'It's just another part of you to learn about. I intend to learn everything there is to know about you.'

'There is something else you need to know.' She withdrew her hands and curled them into herself. It was time. There was no hiding it any longer. She threw him a wicked grin. Might as well get it over with. "I have been with other men," she spoke out loud. She could see the confusion on his face. "Right after Hitler rose to power Nazis came to our town. We were 12 at the time." She swallowed a lump in her throat. "Unfortunately, I caught the eye of one of the Nazi soldiers." She remembered his face. The way his eyes bored into her. "A young up incoming commander who insisted that I come with him. He wanted…he wanted me to be his fiancée. When my parents said no, he shot my mother in front of us. Threatening to kill everyone if I didn't go with him." Her words rushed out. If she stopped now she would never be able to finish. "I agreed to go with him to avoid more bloodshed. He beat me." Her fingers curled around her arms. Still remembering the bruises that were no longer there. The memories still haunted her but that's why she was good at her job. "He would rape me repeatedly. Sometimes bringing others to watch or even participate if they gave him money." She watched as the look on Steve's face grew more and more horrified. But her thoughts turned to another matter.

"Due to the abuse, I went through I was handpicked for a specialized Nazi program. One that specializes in pain. In inflicting it on others." She didn't need to say it out loud. Steve knew. "It was they who trained me to be a doctor. Though it was more of a side effect rather than a goal." She let out a deep breath. "So before you say what you were going to say you need to know that. I'm not ashamed of my past but it is a part of who I am. I'm sorry for not telling you sooner." She looked up at Steve's face which was a mixture of disgust and rage. She knew. She knew this was too good to be true. It was only when he brought her in for a kiss that she realized that he wasn't angry at her. The kiss was hard, passionate. Possessive. As if she has only ever kissed him and no one else.

"You're a survivor," he whispered pressing his forehead against hers. "I promise you that no one will ever touch you without your permission again. I'll make sure of it." It was her that brought him in for another kiss. And for the first time in her life, she opened up her mind. Connecting to his so that they could share what they were both feeling. The physicality of the action and the emotion that was coursing through their veins. The feeling of it was indescribable. Almost overwhelming if it wasn't Steve.

"You love me," they both stated at the same time breaking off the kiss. Still psychically connected. She could feel how he felt. Tears were pricking Steve's eyes and she cupped his face.

"What's wrong?" she asked him though it was a pointless question. She just wanted to hear it out loud.

"I'm so incredibly happy. The most amazing woman on earth loves me back. I've found the right partner."

"You're not the only one who's incredibly happy. For the most amazing man on earth loves me back. My partner."

"You two are the sappiest people I've ever met," Shamira interrupted bringing in two bowls of soup. Followed by Bucky who was bringing in another two.

Astrid sat up and looked over at the two of them. "You overheard most of the conversation, didn't you?"

"Yep," they both answered. Astrid broke off the psychic connection. The tension rising in the room. She looked at Bucky. Monitoring his expression.

"Astrid," he stated. "If you can move things with your mind can you grab these bowls from us?"

Astrid laughed doing exactly that. Floating two of them and placing them on a nearby table while bringing one to her and Steve.

"You made soup?" Steve asked. Picking up some with the spoon.

"It's more than that," Shamira replied exchanging a smile with Astrid. Both Bucky and Steve looked at each other and took a bite. Their expressions ranged from shock to pure joy, to utter bliss. "Told you."

"This is the most amazing thing created by mankind," Bucky stated. Steve was already looking healthier.

Astrid and Shamira leaned into each other and looked over the boys. "We know."

"How?" Bucky asked.

Astrid shrugged. "Don't know really. Goes back generations. Everyone in our home town knew it by heart. The theory is that you could cure any illness with it."

"A theory which has been extensively tested," Shamira added on. "Also it tastes amazing."

"You can say that again," Bucky replied. The four of them curled into each other on Steve's rather small bed. Sharing in the warmth, love, and food. And there was no other place Astrid would rather be.