CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

( THE FERRIS WHEEL )

THERE'S A NERVOUS pit starting to burn its way through her stomach. Her foot taps anxiously against the linoleum floor of the small, pristine waiting room. The smell of the sterilized room was enough to make her gag instantly but she needed to remind herself to calm down, it wasn't the end of the world. She just hated confrontation. No doubt that's why Dr. Woodruff had called for her while she was visiting her mother. Even the look on her mother's face was worried, she had no recollection of Dr. Woodruff, she was reading her emotions at face value. She runs her hand through her hair, her fingers ultimately getting stuck through the tangles that she managed to brush over at the ends. A sigh escapes her lips. It's time for a haircut.

"Miss Cruise?" A British accent calls her name, pulling her from her thoughts. She glances up to see none other than Dr. Woodruff standing at the door of the waiting room, lab jacket on, chart in hand, deep circles under her eyes, auburn hair hastily pulled back into a bun. She looked like she was having a helluva day. Her head jerks in a motion for Quinn to follow her as she turns out of the waiting room. She barely has time to spring on to her feet as the renowned doctor begins strutting away, her heels clicking further and further away. "Doctor Woodruff," Quinn calls out after her, cursing her for being so fast, perhaps it was the long legs she possessed.

Though her voice sounds distressed the doctor doesn't heed to her, instead, she ignores her allowing her to catch up as she fiddles with keys to her office. Her attitude towards Quinn made her nervous, no doubt she was on a power trip. In some aspects, she wished she hadn't moved to New York so she didn't have to have these weekly sit-downs with her. Ever since she had brought up EDGE it's like she couldn't get off her case, like she was actually working for her without pay. "It's good to see you, Quinn," Dr. Woodruff announces as she finally is able to enter her office.

Although the comment seems light and nice, Quinn knew it was double-edged, especially with the tone of her voice. She tries her best to not show any weakness or that she was upset with sitting in her office as she slides into the plastic chair across the desk from the doctor. Her eyes dart around the office like usual, it was extremely well decorated with certificates that showed how well Woodruff was qualified, along with a few personal pictures and a couple of miscellaneous trinkets. Without those few indications of Dr. Woodruff being a normal person, she would've guessed that she lived a terrible, depressing life with the way she always talked down to her and to the people she worked with.

Yes, she's seen how she's talked to her mother's nurse Monyce. It's not pleasant, frankly neither was she. Dr. Woodruff flips through the pages of the manila folder she had placed on the desk, seeming disinterested in Quinn's presence. "How are you, Doctor?" Quinn asks, finding her voice after a moment of silence. "Not... particularly...well," the doctor chides, taking time in between each word as she continues to flip through the pages of the file.

Suddenly Quinn's curiosity picks up, her mind starts wandering towards what could be in the file that's more important than talking to her. She was on a time constraint. She needed to get home, she had to get ready to see Steve as he said he wanted to "try something" with her. Just thinking about what he could mean made her body tingle with anticipation. Dr. Woodruff quickly flips through the file once more before placing it in her desk drawer, the sound of it slamming made Quinn jump back and out of her thoughts. "Miss Cruise -"

"Quinn," she interrupts the doctor. She had told her several times before to just call her by her actual name, no titles, no last name. Obviously, she didn't care.

"Quinn," Dr. Woodruff corrects herself, a brow perking up as she adjusts her sights on her. "I can only assume you must know why I called you here,"

"To yell at me?"

Dr. Woodruff's lips press into a thin line, her patience was wearing thin with the apparent lack of sleep. "To yell at you," she whispers under her breath, an obvious sarcastic tone hinting in her voice. She lets out a sigh before repositioning herself to a more uptight posture in her chair, before interlocking her hands with one another in front of her on her desk. "We're here to talk about Marianne and her condition," she bluntly states. "It's been apparent that since you've recently moved to be closer to her, she's been progressing but also regressing in some areas that we've never seen before,"

"What do you mean by regressing?" Quinn questions, her voice becoming cold as her gaze narrows.

"Well, when you weren't here all the time Marianne would have common episodes, "Where's my family?", "Where am I?", all of that. Since you've arrived that's dwindled significantly,"

"Well that's great," she interrupts, relaxing into her seat. "How is that regressing?"

"You didn't let me finish," Dr. Woodruff states. "Once you arrived Marianne's questions have altered from "Where am I? Why am I here?" to "When am I leaving? Why can't I be dismissed? Where is my son?" All questions that show some signs of progression but most are dangerous to be asking in her state. You wouldn't happen to be telling her that your brother is still alive and giving her hope?"

Quinn wanted to squirm under the pressure but she sat still, almost statuesque, staring at the doctor. "No," she shrugs nonchalantly even though it was a direct lie. Dr. Woodruff"s brows raise before she clears her throat to continue. "The reason I phrase these questions as dangerous because of her mental state. I fear that if she starts thinking these questions, she may begin wandering the halls at night when we're low on staff, perhaps even make a break for it. We can't have that with her, she'll be too confused. She could become a danger to others along with herself, especially since you say that the last place you saw her have a coherent thought was in Seattle about seven years ago,"

"That's correct," Quinn responds. Her mood becomes more somber as she remembers back to her life in Seattle - the last time she visited her mother before she forced her to go to the hospital to check on her state after she had an episode. She had thought she was crazy but seeing her mother broken pulled on her heartstrings.

"It's best for her to be under careful watch, where people are around her constantly," Dr. Woodruff speaks up. "Which is why I suggest that she treat at the facility,"

Quinn rolls her eyes at the mention of the facility. It's not like she hadn't forgotten about it, it had been her main priority in saving money for it. Without the support of Jo, it's been rather hard. Hopefully, now that Robin was moved in, she could cut the cost on what she'd be paying and be able to save faster. Quinn gnaws at her bottom lip, avoiding her gaze. "I know, Dr. Woodruff. I have a good portion of it saved up for her move. I just need a little more -"

"Time?" The doctor interrupts in a hasty voice. Quinn attempts to crack a smile to ease the tension between them. Of course, she was getting sick and tired of her excuses for the lack of money. This all seemed like a trap to her. "Honestly, Dr. Woodruff, I am trying," her voice sounds exasperated to a degree. Even she was tired of giving the same answer. And she was tired of her money being sucked right out of her wallet every time she got a check. "I just need a couple more weeks worth of paychecks and I promise you, I'll be ready to have her settled into your facility,"

Dr. Woodruff's jaw clenches before it relaxes as if she was contemplating giving her a lecture. Quinn gives her no leeway to look around, she only glares at her causing her to feel meek under her piercing gaze. The doctor huffs out a sigh before sinking back into her plush chair, nodding once. If she gave her any more chances she'd feel more guilty. She felt as if she was taking advantage of her already. She takes Dr. Woodruff's relaxed - almost bored state as the perfect cue to leave. She couldn't get out of the chair fast enough.

As her hand rests on the doorknob a wave of guilt courses through her, the doctor only wanted to see her mother get better - it was her life's work and she was the best in the field. The fact that she's given her more than enough opportunities to let her mother stay at her facility was a blessing, she shouldn't treat it as a curse. There were people out there who'd take any chance to put their loved ones in her care.

She turns to see that Dr. Woodruff had already pulled out another filing, scribbling down notes inside of it, her hand rubbing the top of her forehead as if she was stressed. "I'll have EDGE ready soon enough," Quinn states, gaining Dr. Woodruff's distracted attention. At first, she narrows her eyes as if she's trying to remember what she was talking about. The more she stares The more apparent it is that she does know what she's talking about, she's just trying to gauge if her word was valid. After a moment of watching Quinn squirm under her gaze, the doctor forces a smile upon her face and nods her head once. "I look forward to seeing it in action,"

~ BOOK TWO: AGE OF ULTRON ~

QUINN GROANS IN frustration as she attempts to pull her golden hair up into a bun. She was trying to go for a clean bum, but instead, it seemed to come out messier than a messy bun. She pouts as she looks at herself in the mirror. Her makeup looked nice, she had already tried on the outfit she was going to wear to see Steve and it looked fine, it was just her hair. She had always had some problems trying to look the way she wanted it to look if it wasn't what she had pictured she'd want to give up. Not this time. She pulled a few strands into the bun, making her hair look somewhat decent.

A perfect messy bun for the mess that she was.

Her phone vibrates on the surface of her vanity mirror making her gasp in surprise. She had messaged Jo earlier to get her advice on how to manage her hair. She also missed her presence. Granted she was air-headed and stubborn she was also her best friend and her shoulder to cry on. She wanted to vent about the things that had been happening but she had been busy with her job. As she took the phone in her hands her smile disappeared, a scowl replaced it as she read the words "STARK INDUSTRIES" run across the top of the caller ID.

She contemplated picking up but she begrudgingly answered, thinking it could potentially be Steve. She should've stuck with her gut of not answering as the unpleasant tone of Priya's voice greeted her. "What can I do for you today?" Quinn questions, placing the phone back down on her vanity as the sound of Priya's breathing echoed through the speaker.

"I'm calling in regards to Captain Rogers," her voice rang through the speakerphone, making her very aware of how loud it was. Of course, it was about Steve, why else would she call? Quinn rolls her eyes as stands up from her vanity, heading towards her bed where her clothes were laid out. Suddenly, Robin enters her bedroom, mouth agape as if she's going to ask a question. Quinn quickly places a finger up to her lips to hush her. Robin's mouth shuts as she looks quizzically at the phone on the vanity. Quinn mouths to her roommate that it's Priya, making her eyes widen at the mention of her name. Robin wasn't exactly a fan of the PR rep for Steve as well, seeing as she had dropped off the large NDA to her while being at work.

"Shoot," Quinn offers in a sigh, knowing that this wasn't going to be pleasant. "It looks like we've just become aware of your outing with Captain Rogers. It wasn't approved. I'm just calling to let you know that unless there are appointments that are scheduled a couple of days in advance and approved by myself, Captain Rogers, and Mister Stark, we cannot allow you to be with Captain Rogers,"

Robin's brows furrow at the statement, her mouth flying open in shock. Quinn was also confused by this statement. She had to decide days in advance if she wanted to be with Steve? It didn't settle too well with her. "Is Steve aware of this stipulation?" she questions, sitting on the bed next to Robin. Did he set her up for failure? Did she even need to stress about looking nice today? This day seemed to be getting worse by the moment. "Captain Rogers is now aware of this, yes,"

"I guess I'm just confused, Priya," she states, standing up from her bed. She grabs her phone and places it just beneath her chin. "He's the one who asked if I was doing anything today. He's the one who made these arrangements saying it's a surprise. You're telling me that I have to make an appointment and get approved by you because he wants to surprise me?"

"I know it may be confusing for someone like you, but trust me it's completely legal and it's in your NDA that you signed," Priya's voice is sickeningly sweet. Quinn has the urge to throw her phone on the ground at the statement. Robin's face is filled with disgust as she looks over to her. Quinn shakes her head, she doesn't even want her to elaborate on what she meant by that. Instead, she moves past it, not trying to let it ruin her day. "So does that mean I have to make an appointment to see him today since we have plans?"

"Unfortunately, you'll have to schedule a couple of days in advance in order to see Captain Rogers,"

"Great," she sighs out of frustration before being caught off guard by her ringtone. She looks at the screen to see Jo's name scroll across the top of the caller ID. A moment of relief flows through her, finally someone worth talking to to encourage her. She couldn't stand to listen to the PR rep threaten legal action against herself or throw a new curveball into her relationship with Steve. "Ah, Priya, I'm going to have to call you back," she quickly states.

She doesn't have the patience or the time to listen to Priya try to warn her about the dangers of seeing Steve on more than one occasion in public. Frankly, she couldn't care less about being seen with him in public. As soon as she hits the end button she rolls her eyes collectively with Robin, she was thankful she wasn't the only one who witnessed her being harassed by the woman. "What a killjoy," her roommate jokes, causing a smile to appear on her lips. "You could say that again," Quinn replies, as she presses the green button to Jo's call. It was a relief to finally hear her voice after not being able to see her or even talk to her.

She quickly puts her on speakerphone announcing that Robin was in the room with her. "The new roommate, huh?" Jo's voice crackles over the receiver. Robin perks up from the bed at the mention of herself. "That's me!" she yips out excitedly.

"You're her new emotional support?"

Quinn stares at the phone in question before looking to Robin who merely shrugs. "For the time being," she states making Quinn's cheeks light up. She was responsible enough to not need an emotional coach, she had no idea what Jo and Robin meant by being her emotional support. If they wanted to support her, they'd help her with her mother, yet Robin was too new and Jo was in Miami.

"Guys I'm having a crisis right now. I don't have time to shoot the shit," Quinn stresses as she looks at the clothes strewn across her bed. She didn't know whether or not Priya was being serious about Steve not showing up. Her next scheduled day off was a week away, it's not like she couldn't plan for that, she just had her hopes set on today. "What's the situation?" Jo questions, leaving Quinn to let out a large sigh of frustration.

She didn't want to relive the situation but she had to. She'd only known about Priya's existence for a short time and every time she thought about her she got a headache. "I was supposed to be getting a surprise from Steve tonight," she sighs out the answer before perching herself on the chair in front of her vanity mirror. "But apparently I have to schedule an appointment to see him a week in advance and it has to be approved by several different people,"

"That sounds like horse shit," Jo spits out, catching her off guard by the vulgar language. Her eyes widen as she turns to look at Robin, fearing that she'd be offended. However, she seems unphased by this even nods her head with Jo in agreement. "I know," Quinn huffs out. "I was trying to look cute today as well. I'm half hoping he'll show up anyways,"

"I'll check for you," Jo offers, causing her interest to pique. She instantly regrets mentioning this to her, she didn't want to seem too desperate. "N-no!" she shouts over the receiver a little too loud and a little too quick, causing Robin to snicker. She feels flustered, she didn't like feeling this way. "I can ask him," she lies. She knew she wasn't going to ask Steve if he was actually going to show, she was too much of a coward to face rejection - it's why she didn't put herself out there. The way she felt at the moment made her heart sink. She never wanted to be this hung up on someone. "You don't have to jump hoops and hurdles just to send him a simple text right?" Jo teases.

"Not that I'm aware of but I'm sure it's somewhere in that God awful agreement I was forced to sign off on,"

"Agreement?" Jo reiterates.

"It's like a one hundred page non-disclosure agreement between Steve and basically everyone who he's come in contact with," Robin informs her. "Including me, and I've only known him for a few days,"

"I didn't get one," Jo states causing Quinn to let out a wry laugh. "Consider yourself lucky," Robin replies with the same sarcasm. Quinn rolls her eyes. "I've only met her once and she has this weird, standoffish, type of nature about her. But when she talks to Steve it's nonchalant, like she's an actual person and not this corporate asshole,"

"So she dictates most of his personal life?"

"Pretty much," she states, biting her lower lip out of nervous habit.

"Quinn, she's screwing you over," Jo impedes, her voice sounding lithe. Her brows knit together as she stares at the blatantly obvious assumption, her eyes drift towards Robin who just shrugs. Even Robin knew Jo was right. Even if she was, it wasn't like she could do anything to stop it. "Well," Quinn simply mumbles from under her breath while shrugging it off. Of course, her heart felt like it was being chopped up into finely minced meat but she wasn't going to share that information to anyone, she didn't want to be babied.

Her phone vibrates, alerting her of a new text. Her brows raise as she reads Steve's name come across the top of the screen. "Pick you up at fifteen-hundred - Steve". She rolls her eyes. She's known him for a while and he still feels the need to put his name after every text he sends to her. However, she was elated to receive the good news from him. She wondered if he spoke to Priya about the situation and he worked his magic on her. She didn't care, she was just happy that they were going to have a moment alone together. Maybe she'd grow enough courage to tell him how she felt, yet a small voice in the back of her hindered her from ever convincing herself to.

"Apparently he doesn't care," Quinn states, a small smile appearing on her lips as she turns and shows the text to Robin. "He's still coming?" Jo questions, her voice louder than usual over the speaker, catching Quinn off guard. She must've been excited. Jo chuckles and whoops in excitement after Quinn confirms that he is still coming to pick her up. "I knew loverboy wouldn't let you down,"

~ BOOK TWO: AGE OF ULTRON ~

HER HEARTBEAT RUNS fast with anticipation. She hadn't felt this nervous in so long. She couldn't refrain from pacing within the living room, often looking towards the window that overlooked the sidewalk along with the bustling street. Robin chuckles from the couch, catching her attention. Robin had quickly divulged into the way things were ran around here and had not quite gotten used to Quinn's nervous antics. Watching her pace back and forth deeply humanized her.

Although she was beyond excited to be getting or going on a surprise with Steve and she couldn't be happier, she felt as if she wanted to curl up into a ball on the floor and cry with how swirly her head felt. She hated it when her emotions got the best of her. On one hand, she excited but on the other, she was nervous that she wasn't going to get what she wanted. All she wanted to do at this point was curl up beside Robin, with a bowl of cereal and watch horrible rom-coms with her new roommate as some sort of bonding.

"Can you chill?" Robin questions, her mouth full of Cap'n Crunch. Quinn lets out a groan of frustration as she runs her hands through her hair, plopping down on the couch. If she watched a little television with Robin she could easily forget about the tension building up in her stomach. "You're not going to pass out when you see him, right?"

"I don't know. Do you think it's weird to be acting like this?" Quinn's voice is beyond jittery - almost as if she were in hyperactive mode.

"Of course not, you like him, you just don't want him to disappoint," Robin comforts her with a warm smile making Quinn feel somewhat relaxed. Somewhat. However, just the thought of being alone with Steve was enough to make the pit in her stomach bloom with butterflies. She grasps on to her torso to stop the feeling. "Okay, I thought I was just going crazy," she admits with a sheepish smile.

"Having expectations doesn't make you crazy. Just try to relax, because you're making me a little anxious. Remember it's just Steve, you've hung out with him dozens of time before,"

But I don't even remember those times, Quinn thought, trying her best to suppress herself from actually saying it. She sucks in a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "Yeah, you're right it's just Steve, I have nothing to worry about,"

But with her, there was something to always worry about. Whether it be Steve standing her up because of this obscure agreement or if it hadn't gone as what she had expected. Or in the extreme case, what could happen to them in the meantime, if they were attacked or if someone she knew was attacked. Worry flowed through her veins as regularly as blood, spreading to each corner of her body, igniting a new sensation with each thought. Sweat began to build on her brow, her stomach began churning wildly, contorting whatever was in her up. "Oh no," she whispers out as she rushes forward, running to the restroom. She was going to be sick.

She understands why she was letting her feelings get to her. Perhaps it was because the last time she was close to Steve she was manipulated into hating him, was that what was causing the horrible reactions to him? She had never vomited before seeing anyone, nervous or not. She was starting to think Hydra had gotten the better of her and the mere thought of her and Steve doing something secluded doing something she didn't know about was driving the sleeper agent in her mad. Was she becoming her worst enemy?

She slides down on to the tile floor of the bathroom, her mouth agape as she gasps for air. Her makeup had become somewhat ruined with the tears that stained her waterline. She doesn't want to make eye contact with Robin as she sees her crouch down beside her with a concerned look on her face. A few days into knowing her and she was already starting to act like Jo in so many ways. Robin's lips press into a thin line as she wraps tissue around her hand, patting Quinn's already lackluster makeup away in an attempt to clean her up.

"You took worried sick to a new level," Robin teases under her breath hoping to gain some sort of laugh from Quinn, she becomes even more concerned when all Quinn does is stare at the bathtub in front of them. "Maybe I should call Steve and tell him to come another time -"

"No!" Quinn hastily interrupts, causing Robin's brow to furrow. "No? You're a mess right now. I'm trying to help you," Robin tries to get her to sympathize with her. She needed to see that her paleness and the dazed look in her eyes didn't correlate with being healthy. She was obviously sick or under so much stress she was actually getting sick of it. "You don't look too hot. Maybe you should rest instead,"

Once again Robin is cut off during her sentence as the buzzer on the door alarms both women that someone is here. Steve. Quinn's eyes widen as she realizes that this is the moment she's been waiting for. There was no time to dwell on any negative emotions now that he was around, they all seemed to disappear. She hoists herself up from the floor, looking at herself in the mirror and cringing at her makeup. She takes a moment to consider redoing the whole look but instead goes on to take it off.

Steve had seen her many times without makeup, this wouldn't be different. The only things she reapplies to make her confidence grow is her eyeliner and her lipstick. As she preens herself in the mirror she sees Robin disappear towards the door to answer it, saying she was going to turn Steve away. This didn't settle right in Robin's stomach.

Quinn doesn't have a second moment to retouch up her lips once again as she darts after Robin who has already opened the door, looking confused as ever. Quinn doesn't quite understand her confusion until she sees a man walk in. The man had a lot of similarities to Steve but this wasn't him. His hair was darker, and longer, he sported a beard. Everything about him screamed west coast surfer circa nineteen ninety-nine. Immediately this put her on edge, wondering who this man was.

A scowl formed on her face. "Oh! You're not Steve, or at least I don't think you are," Robin greets in surprise. Quinn's brows furrow, as she tries to step in between the stranger and Robin. Finally, her overprotective nature was starting to show throw once again.

However, she stops mid-stride as a familiar voice speaks. "It's me, Robin,"

For a moment Quinn's brain can't even function correctly. It was Steve's voice but he looked so much unlike himself. Her mind becomes jumbled with confusion looking for answers that all point to Stark. "I didn't think that much time passed since we last saw each other. Was I in a coma and no one told me?" Robin teases once again, pondering with a thumb held to her chin. Quinn steps behind her, looking at him once again, taking in his looks for a long measure.

This was not the Steve she knew. However, his smile was the same, even though it was slightly masked by a beard. Her heart stopped. It was Steve. "What's this? What are you wearing?" she questions, picking at the way too casual jacket, something she'd never thought to see him wear. His hand comes up to stop her from analyzing his clothes, he knew she'd throw him under a microscope for inspection when he arrived like this. "It's a compromise between myself and Priya. She at least wanted me to be safe and wear a disguise if we were to go out in public again,"

"Oh my," her fingers absentmindedly brush the thistly hairs of the beard, making her fingers tingle in the process. "You look like a Wookie,"

"And you look pretty,"

The comment alone is enough to make Quinn's heart rate climb. She can feel a vibrant hue of red spread across her cheeks. Here she thought she looked terrible but in Steve's opinion, her everyday look was enough to be considered pretty.

Robin's nose scrunches up at the googly eyes the pair were making at each other. The fact that they hadn't acted on their emotions until now had her boggled. If she didn't know better she'd say they were already a couple. Which makes the stipulation Priya put on them unbelievable. It didn't settle right with her. She'd have to do some investigating of her own while they were gone. Her arms cross and she huffs out a sigh gaining their attention. "It's getting a little stuffy in here, don't you think?" she states, trying to push them out to get on with whatever surprise Steve had been promising. "Right," Steve mutters out, breaking out of the trance first. "Ready to go?"

"Uh," Quinn mumbles in hesitation, her mind still trying to wrap around the compliment that was thrown at her from earlier. She feels something along across her shoulder while still uttering out the word "uh". Her purse. Robin has draped it around her shoulder in an assist to get them on their way. As Quinn stares at her roommate in confusion, Robin returns it with a humble smile and a nod of her head towards Steve. A subtle way of saying "Get the hell out of here".

"I guess," Quinn stammers out, her hands instantly latching on to her purse. "Where exactly are we going?"

"Only the best place to go in New York,"

Quinn pauses to think about what he means. He obviously wanted her to guess. "I've been to Central Park a million times. Unless you mean Broadway,"

Steve makes a slight humming sound as she guesses where they're going. "You just said a casual place and a fancy street like it was nothing,"

"I'm a woman of simple taste," she smugly shrugs off with a smirk, gaining a genuine smile from Steve. "Then you'll like Coney Island,"

Quinn's brows raise in surprise. She really had no idea what was at Coney Island, only that it may have a couple of rides but that was about it. She hadn't even thought to go there since she moved. "I've got to say I'm a little excited. I've never been," she sheepishly admits. Steve grins. "You'll love it," he admits as he opens the door behind him, leaving it pried for her to walk through first.

Quinn doesn't hesitate to leave, she'd been waiting for this the whole time. An aggressive hissing sound draws Steve's attention back into the apartment. Robin stands with her arms crossed, glaring at him as if she was sizing him up. She quickly points her two fingers at her eyes before pointing them back at him. A subtle but overplayed way of saying, "I'm watching you". For the first time, Steve rolls his eyes at the new roommate before shutting the door.

Quinn can feel her body temperature rise as she steps out on to the sidewalk, watching Steve follow in her steps. She had to stifle a chuckle as a cool blast of wind trickles past them, making Steve's fake beard flowing in its trail, leaving him to sputter out the few hairs in his mouth. Was this really the guy she was crazy for? Why did it take until after her memories had faded for her to finally work up enough courage to even be alone in public with him for a long period of time?

Perhaps a part of herself still didn't trust him, even though he was the most trustworthy person. "Is that real hair?" she questions as Steve falls in line beside her, still playing with the beard. "Maybe," he chides. He resists the urge to scratch at his face, he didn't like the tingling sensation it created. "So how's it staying together?"

"Eyelash glue," he simply shrugs causing her to laugh at his quick answer. "It was thrown together quickly. Priya had to make do with what she could,"

Her stomach lurched at the name drop. Of course, she was the one to come up with this distracting disguise - if that's what it was even called. This disguise just made him look like a hippie version of himself with darker hair. Perhaps no one could notice him, but if she could somewhat recognize him so could other people. The disguise was definitely a lot more intricate than his normal disguise which was just a hat and some glasses. If he could fool people like that, maybe she didn't need to worry about people recognize him. Hopefully, no one would put two and two together.

~ BOOK TWO: AGE OF ULTRON ~

THE SCREAMS IN the air can be heard from at least a mile away. Usually, blood-curdling screams were accompanied by an apparent danger whenever Steve was near, but staring up at the roller coaster was a nice change of pace. He can't help but steal a sideways glance at Quinn as she nervously chews on her bottom lip while looking up at the ride. Her body was rigid, her arms tucked tightly across her chest and her eyes remained glued on the booming structure. It looked to be as if she was frozen in time, looking up at the roller coaster as if she was looking at her death. And to her, it definitely felt that way.

She didn't want to burst his bubble but she was not a fan of amusement parks. She never was, especially with the statistics of fatal injuries that occur on these rides each year. She hears Steve chuckle from beside her as he places both of his hands on his hips. "The Cyclone? I'm surprised this thing is still here," he states, gaining Quinn's ever-growing fearful attention as her brows furrow with confusion.

"Wait, you rode on this before?" she questions in an attempt to clarify. The roller coaster whizzes by them, causing their hair to blow with the wind that was kicked up. She instantly feels nauseated. He had never seen her so squeamish.

"Yeah, back when I was a teenager," he answers honestly, watching her head shake back and forth adamantly. "What a better reason not to go on it," she banters as she turns on her heel to leave the area.

"It'll be fun," his voice is nothing short of singsong which irks her for a moment as if he was taunting her. "I'm not even going in a hundred feet of that thing," she exclaims, her brows furrowing uneasily as she gazes upon Steve. He seemed to finally be relishing in how timid she was. "Please?" he pouts, something she's not used to seeing. She rolls her eyes. "That thing is almost a hundred years old,"

Steve's lips purse as he stares blankly at her after the statement. She wants to slap herself. The comment was made in poor taste. "I'll pretend like you didn't just say that," he mumbles, making her smile. Only he could be kind enough to dismiss her words. She tries her best to flicker her eyes someplace other than his eyes which held a sense of pleading. Another roller coaster car trudges past them, the screams were dizzying to her. She could already feel her stomach becoming more upset than usual.

Absentmindedly, her gaze rests upon him, their blue eyes connecting with one another. She lets out an audible scoff as she sees him slightly stick out his bottom lip. "I won't make you do it if you don't want to. I know it looks scary,"

"Are you calling me a chicken?"

"Only if the shoe fits," he tempts with a smile. It was almost as if he had known her too well. She was never one to back down from a challenge, her competitive nature wouldn't let her. She closes the space between them, the rattling in her chest ceases as she steps on her tiptoes to try to be eye to eye with him. "We're going on it," she stubbornly states. "And we're riding the first car just to notch up the stakes,"

"Stakes?" he questions. "What are we betting?"

"If I win and don't hurl on this, we don't go on any rides and you have to win me a big prize no matter the amount of money you put into it,"

"And if I win?"

"What do you want?" she tempts closing the gap between them even more until they were mere inches apart, she could feel his breath on her. Her heart thumped wildly but she was managing to keep her cool. His eyes became hooded as if he was intoxicated with a want for her. Something she didn't know she possessed on him. "Quinn," his plea was no louder than a whisper, if a roller coaster car of screaming people had gone by at that moment she wouldn't have been able to hear her name. A pool of heat puddled in his core at the closeness.

An ever-present smirk growing on her face as she leads him towards the line for the roller coaster. It was apparent what he wanted and the wager had been set. It didn't matter if she won or lost, she was still getting something she wanted. As they waited in line Quinn could feel her nerves start to stand on edge as they inched closer and closer to the ride. She felt uneasy yet calm at the same time. Calm because her closeness with Steve reminded her that he wouldn't put her in harm's way but uneasy because she wasn't a fan of being strapped into a metal car hurtling down steep slopes at eighty miles an hour.

She nervously wiped her sweaty palms against her shirt as she approached the front of the line, staring widely at the front of the roller coaster as people dismounted from the previous ride. "Bet's off..." she whispers quietly under her breath. If only Steve had heard it.

Instead, she was ushered through the gate towards the roller coaster car, knees trembling, hands shaking unsteadily as she approaches the small cart. She doesn't feel safe, not even with Steve's hand slipping to the small of her back, beckoning her to join him in the cart. As she slides in next to Steve her hands cling on to the bar that sits across their lap for dear life.

Absentmindedly, she presses herself against Steve wanting his closeness to protect her. He can't help but chuckle as her eyes widen at the track in front of them. They hadn't even left and she was ready to jump off. "Relax, I'm not going to let anything happen to you," Steve reassures her as she grips on to the bar tighter, her knuckles turning white. "How? If we fall at eighty miles an hour, how are you going to rescue us?"

"I-I don't know but you're starting to make me nervous," Steve admits.

Quinn's stomach plummets to the ground once she feels the car jolt forward, lifting them up to the first drop. Her mind was rushing a mile a minute. "I can't believe you talked me into this!"

"Hey, we have a bet. Just think about the biggest prize you can imagine,"

"Yeah, I will if I live!" Quinn's voice quivers with anxiety.

"You've gotta relax. Try doing something that'll make you relax,"

Quinn's eyes screw shut as she forces herself to not look down at the people below. If she did she was going to have a heart attack. "I-I have a nervous song. I butcher it each time I sing it. Will you make fun of me?" she chirps, her eyes staying glued shut.

"You can sing anything you want. You can sing off-key as much as you want and I won't care," he coaxes, placing his arm around her shoulders and pulling her in closer than what she already was. If anyone saw the two at the moment it would look almost as if Quinn were sitting on top of him. However, she seemed to relax at the closeness, her arms still shook but less violently as she grabbed on to the bar.

"Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away," Quinn's voice was trembling as she sang off-key to herself. She couldn't believe she was embarrassing herself in front of Steve. However, at the moment the anxiety of embarrassing herself wasn't as high as the fact she was on a rollercoaster. "Now it looks as though they're here to stay. Oh, I believe in yesterday,"

She doesn't have time to finish her song as the car teeters over the edge of the top hill before plunging down, causing Quinn's sense to go into full overdrive. She can't help but scream at the top of her lungs as she latches on to the bar in front of her with an iron grip, Steve's hands retract from her to wave in the air as if he were having fun.

Quinn's lips can't help but let obscenities escape from her mouth, they burned on the tip of her tongue like poison. Her stomach churns as they hit their last hill before pulling into a rest. Steve's sweet laughter fills the air as the car comes to hold, whereas Quinn's chest heaves from hyperventilating the whole time. She can't believe she got conned into going on a rollercoaster, one that was built almost a hundred years ago nonetheless.

It takes her mind a moment to collect itself as they exit the ride. Her spine shivers from the adrenaline that was starting to kick in. She appeared to be in some sort of shock. "Y-you w-w-win," she stutters out as she trudges alongside him, earning a soft chuckle. "Let's discuss who won over some food,"

Quinn's stomach growls in agreement even though she feels the strong urge to vomit. The Cyclone wasn't like other rollercoasters, it was tamer but she still didn't like the feeling of not being in control and not being on the ground. She's able to snag a table that isn't being shared by anyone, thankfully.

Although, she does have to wipe a few crumbs off with her sleeve before Steve places himself across from her. He slides the checkered plate over to her, letting the smell of warm cheese fries and a chili dog waft in her face. Despite not wanting to eat she can't help but dig into the fatty food - something she had grown accustomed to ever since coming to New York. "So," Quinn begins after stuffing her face with a bite of chili dog. "How's the tower?"

Steve's face drains of any fun or happiness that he had been displaying this whole time. Instead, his eyes held an almost bored look as if he had suddenly become filled with disgust. "Tiresome," he answers before stuffing fries into his mouth. Quinn perks a brow up, hoping he'd elaborate. "I feel like I'm under a microscope. I know S.H.I.E.L.D. kept an eye on me but they did it discreetly. What's happening now feels like I'm being babied,"

"Babied?"

"Well, you know Priya," she nods with a slight eye roll to show her displeasure with her. "She's glued to my side. Telling me what to do, what I can't do,"

"Seemed like you two were pretty chummy the other day," she observes, wiping her mouth clear of cheese. Steve shrugs. "She's nice but it's all a little suffocating,"

He looks up to see Quinn's eyes befuddled at his statement. It did seem contradicting. "This life you know? Working for S.H.I.E.L.D. I was able to do the things I wanted to do, see who I wanted to see without a hassle. Now I have to fill out a twenty-page form if I want to see you for just a couple hours,"

"Hey I feel ya," she agrees. "I'd like to see you whenever I can without calling Priya five days in advance and seeing if the visit is approved,"

"You have to do that?"

Quinn nods earning a disgusted scoff from him. "It was in the NDA I was forced to sign,"

"I'll talk to Tony about this. It's ridiculous,"

Quinn taps on the table as silence falls between the two. Steve hastily goes back to eating his food as she stares off towards the end of the dock, watching the lull of waves dip down and crash upwards. The sound of it was almost completely covered up by the sounds of screams of enjoyment and thrill. She never got to go to the beach, being in D.C. it had been quite some time since she's seen the ocean.

Perhaps it was a good thing, for as peaceful and docile it seemed at the time - the beautiful golden sunset with streaks of pinks and purples shining through could turn deadly in a moment's notice. Much like how the months prior treated her. As few slight memories began to seep in she noted that some were good but most were primarily bad, centrally focusing on the torture she underwent while becoming a sleeper agent. It took Steve three times to call her name to gain her attention. As she fluttered her eyes over to him she could see the concern floating to his face. "Sorry, I was just...thinking,"

"About what?"

She presses her lips into a firm line as she narrows her eyes at him. She couldn't blame him for prying information from her but she wasn't used to actually telling someone what was on her mind. Usually, she'd like, but seeing Steve and trusting him, she felt as if she could let every secret go. "What was it like for you before everything happened? Did we ever have fun like this?"

"Well, it's good to know you're having fun and I didn't scare you away," he smirks before clearing his throat and becoming more serious. "To me we had fun. We spent most of the time going over actual educational things -"

"I don't think having a movie marathon about Ghost Buster's is educational," she interjects, remembering the time he had brought up all the movies they had seen. He lets out a chuckle before looking at her once again. The look alone was enough to make heat rush to her cheeks. "You taught me how to have fun and adapt to this time period. You also aren't afraid to express how you feel sometimes. Sure most of the time you're just being stubborn but you're not afraid to get pushy if you have to -"

"I'm the biggest pushover," she corrects him with a smirk. "But thank you for that compliment," her hand immediately stretches out to touch his to convey her emotions. For a moment both of them seem lost on each other, Quinn definitely felt like she could live in this forever and be content. However, Steve pulls his hand away as he rises from his seat, interrupting her daydream. Her eyes litter with confusion as she stares up at him. Had she done something wrong? "Let's go get you that prize,"

~ BOOK TWO: AGE OF ULTRON ~

"IT'LL BE FUN, have I ever steered you wrong before?" Steve jokingly asks as he steps in the back of the line, while Quinn stands timidly with a giant bear wrapped in her grasp - a token from their rigged bet from earlier. Steve had almost thrown the baseball through the stand as he knocked over the milk bottles every single time. She anxiously looks up at the brightly lit Ferris wheel. It was like a beacon with how many lights were on it, although it didn't compare to the other more exhilarating rides. It contrasted perfectly with the vast navy color of the night sky.

"It's slower than anything else here," he urges, watching as she purses her lips. "It's also higher," she mumbles, her voice is riddled with skepticism. She wasn't sure Steve had actually heard her but the eye roll confirms he did. "One more ride and then we can go home,"

Quinn's head lay on top of the stuffed bears head, almost as if she was confessed this, knowing that he was impatient. A soft sigh escapes Steve's lips. "Please,"

"Well, all you had to do was ask," she teases, taking his side in the line, listening to him chuckle. Her anxiety about being up high only grows with each step, however, she isn't dreading it as she had been with the rollercoaster. Something about the Ferris wheel just seemed so docile, like it was just a big friendly giant compared to its terrifying neighbors.

At first, Quinn doesn't think she'd be allowed to take her stuffed animal into the carriage of the Ferris wheel, but Steve somehow manages to stuff it in. He places it across from them on the bench, it actually looked like a third person had joined them in the enclosed carriage. After settling something with the ride operator, something about the conversation seemed completely suspicious, Steve places himself beside Quinn.

As the ride springs to life once again, she can feel her stomach drop. It isn't then until she realizes that she was in very close proximity with Steve, there was absolutely no gap between them as they sat. She also noticed that his arm was perched behind her shoulders, although she shrugged this off nonchalantly. There's a moment of silence between them as she looks out of the open windows to see the park lit up. She swallows a lump in her throat as she looks down at the ground, she absentmindedly tries to inch closer to Steve.

He chuckles at the involuntary movement, catching her attention. She hadn't realized what she had fully done until she sees there is no gap between them once again. She hurriedly moves away, apologizing with a heavy blush resting on her cheeks. "Yeah, this might be a bad time to tell you that I don't like amusement parks," she admits, swiping a piece of hair behind her ear, her eyes find them locked on the ground in front of her. He chuckles quietly making her feel even more embarrassed. She hated feeling like such a child about these kinds of things, especially in front of him. "If you told me I wouldn't have taken you on a date here,"

Quinn's face immediately heats up, her cheeks turn a vibrant red as she looks over to Steve. "A date?" she questions, her voice cracking a little. He nervously starts to chuckle, a tinge of pink coming to his cheeks. "I mean if that's what you want it to be. I didn't mean to phrase it like that. Not saying I wouldn't like to take you on a date, I would love to, I'm just not sure if you'd be ready for a date since the whole Hydra thing," he stops himself from rambling by looking to the ground in front of him, it was his turn to have his face turn a vibrant red. If only he wasn't so bad about talking about this kind of thing. "I'm sorry," he apologizes. "I'm just a little nervous is all, I don't have much practice in talking to beautiful women like yourself,"

Quinn erupts with laughter, making his self-confidence shrink even smaller. He badgers himself, this was a stupid idea, it was stupid for him to even say anything. However, he's thrown off once Quinn slides back to her original spot next to him, she takes his arm and slings it around her shoulders as she leans on to his shoulder. Steve's heart races but he feels relieved, happy that she can return his emotions. He carefully rests his cheek on the top of her head.

"We talk all the time," she clarifies, her voice barely above a whisper. "Well, yeah, but not about romantic stuff," he states, causing her to roll her eyes. It was like he was a twelve year old with a crush. "I don't think much will change," she counters, earning a dazed humming sound from Steve. She can't help but feel all the butterflies in her stomach, they won't stop. She could melt to the ground in a puddle and be happy. She was finally satisfied that she got her feelings out there, and was ecstatic that Steve reciprocated them. "So when we moved Robin in, and they asked if you were seeing anyone and you said no but you had your sights on someone, you were talking about me?"

"Quinn, you're the only woman I've had my sights on since D.C. who else would I be talking about?"

She shrugs as she hums. "Priya,"

"Priya?" he questions, lifting his head from the top of hers. She looks at him confused, thinking she had offended him. She sits up straight, tucking her hair behind her ears nervously. "Well, it wasn't your actions that lead me to believe you liked her. It was hers," she tried to defend herself. He perked a brow up as if he was asking her to continue. "She just touched you flirtatiously, and called you "mister man". She gave me hell about seeing you today. I just thought it was off," she shrugs. She half expects him to be mad but once again he surprises her. "This is good, this is good, I feel it too," he chants as he fidgets in his seat, causing her brows to furrow. "I feel like there's a whisper of...desire,"

Quinn lets out a gagging sound. The way he phrased it sounded off like it was from another time. The phrase made her feel uncomfortable. "New rule: you're never allowed to say that again. But yes it does seem like she may have a slight crush on you,"

"Well you don't have to worry about her," he replies with a smirk while nudging her shoulder playfully. "Oh I'm not," she mumbles under her breath. The carriage of the Ferris wheel jumps and shakes at the abrupt stop, forcing Quinn to hold on to Steve anxiously. She peered down out of the window, looking at all the tiny figures below. It was enough to make her dizzy. She holds her head in her hands to avoid feeling lightheaded as her heart thumped wildly in her chest. She groans. "Why did we stop?" she questions, her voice becoming whiny as the carriage slowly swayed back and forth.

Steve draped his arm around her and held her close, trying to ensure to her that nothing bad was going to happen. "Maybe it was because I gave the operator a fifty to stop at the top," he mumbles out. Quinn shoves herself away from him furiously, before realizing she's dangerously close to the side where she feels as if she could fall over. "Why!" she shouts, sending a glare his way. Steve tries to calm her down, he didn't expect her to get this upset. "Just trust me," he pleads while sticking out his hand for her to take.

Cautiously, she takes it, however, she feels sabotaged by whatever he was up to. He obviously knew she had a fear of heights, why he would suspend her several hundred feet in the air is beyond her. But there's a sense of innocence that lies beneath his calm and assuring voice that leads her to believe he had the best intentions. She huffs out a sigh of agitation as she once again places herself next to him, making sure her shoulders were under the crook of his arm. She groans in uneasiness at first before she hears a familiar shooting sound.

This perks her attention as she looks out of the carriage only to see the busy end of the boardwalk and the endless dark ocean waves. Then a spark of light illuminating the sky in a dazzling pink, another in red, then another in a shimmering crackling white. She can't help but smile to herself. Steve had tipped off the operator to stop at the top to watch the nightly fireworks. For a moment she's dazzled with the lights, and overwhelmed by the loudness of the fireworks. She can feel Steve's grip on her shoulders tighten, then relax as he starts stroking her arm.

"Still mad at being so high in the air?" Steve questions, his breath hot against her ear as he leans over to ask the question over the loud banging sounds. Quinn turns, a half-smile playing on her lips as she nods her head. "Not bad, Rogers," she coos as the brilliant lights reflect off of their faces. She notices that Steve's eyes dart down to her lips for a slight moment, her belly erupts with butterflies once again. She doesn't even think as she dives in, placing her lips against his. She feels like putty against his warm lips as the friction between the two seem to grow with each kiss.

A feeling of want pools in the bottom of her heart. She had been aching for this for so long, she had been waiting for Steve to want her as much as she wanted him. It isn't until the kiss suddenly deepens that Steve hesitantly pulls back, only leaving her with one to two more pecks in the absence of their passionate kiss. "Wow," is all Quinn can mutter out as she pulls her bottom lip between her teeth, bashfully looking away from him. Her mind is racing with a million thoughts all at once, her nerves on fire. He pulls her in closer as they watch the finale of the fireworks.

~ BOOK TWO: AGE OF ULTRON ~

"SO THAT WASN'T our first kiss?" Quinn questions as she walks alongside Steve on the darkened sidewalk. Although it was late, she never felt safer walking through the city with him at her side. There was finally no need to worry. Especially since he was in disguise, if she couldn't recognize him at first no one was bound to. Steve chuckles as he comes to a complete stop at the stoop of her apartment building, shaking his head ever so slightly. He nervously rubs his brow while thinking about their first kiss. How it was what he had been waiting for for a long time, how it was in that moment that he knew he had to do everything in order to protect her, that he was willing to fight for her.

Which only leads to disappointment as he remembers that Hydra had gotten to her just for being close to him. If she had gone with him none of it would've happened, however, who knows what could've happened to her while being in his care. "We kissed the day Hydra got you. You wanted to go back to warn Jo and then you were going to see your mom," his eyes fall to the ground, leaving Quinn with a questioning look on her face. "It's my fault they got to you,"

"We've been over this thousands of times," Quinn scoffs, placing her hand on his cheek to comfort him. "It's both our faults. We weren't careful enough and we had no idea Hydra was in S.H.I.E.L.D.," she offers him a comforting smile to make him feel better. "Stop beating yourself up,"

Steve scoffs in protest before returning her smile. He could at least act as if it were on both of their shoulders but he knew deep down that the Hydra account was on his part more than hers. Yet he knew she would never let him feel as if it rested solely on him. Quinn's eyes dart towards her apartment door then flicker back towards Steve. She knew Robin would have a thousand questions regarding her date and why they've been out so late. She couldn't delay it even further. "I guess this is good night then," she hums to herself dreamily.

If only they didn't have to say goodbye. She felt like a teenager with their first love once again. Steve's brows shoot up as he asks her to wait a moment. She watches him puzzled as he struggles to shrug off his leather jacket. Once it's off and in his hands, he offers it to her. The color from her face drains, her smile no longer holding its usual place, instead, it's replaced by a sorrow frown. "You're leaving?" Her voice threatens to crack as she takes the jacket within her hands.

She had been reminded of this gesture over and over again even with the trauma she received from Hydra. This was all too familiar with her. "Not for too long, hopefully," he tries to ease her with hope. She doesn't buy it, her frown was still settled on her face. He sighs out of frustration, he didn't want the night to end on a bad note. Unexpectedly, Quinn embraces Steve in a tight hug, catching him off guard. It doesn't take too long for him to reciprocate the embrace as his arms wrap around her figure. They hold the hug for a few moments, Quinn deems it because she's trying to remember why this feels all too familiar while Steve just wants to memorize her embrace.

As they break from the hug, Quinn leans up to touch his cheek, pressing her lips against what should have been his flawless cheek but instead she gets a mouthful of itchy hair and a bit of cheek. Steve's eyes widen with the deja vu, as she leans back down, face distraught from the tingling feeling the false bears left on her lips. His fingers gingerly graze where her lips had once been, admiring the warm sensation that it left behind.

"Come back safe," she whispers out to him, her lips pulling into a pout. Steve chuckles at the sight of her. She had always been worrisome over him. It was bound to amplify now. "I promise," he replies. She bids him a wave before stepping up the stoop, Steve's eyes don't leave her from the sidewalk as she fiddles with her keys for the front door.

Once she's finally in she turns and gives him another wave, which he mimics before turning on his heel and walking down the street. His head feels like it's in the clouds but he needed to restrain his excitement, he had a mission to focus on now. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees a familiar car parked on the other side of the street, just a little way down from Quinn's apartment.

As he looks back he can see that her window is just in full view of where the car is at, so is the stoop they had gathered at. Rolling his eyes, he crosses the street. Anger seethed through his veins as he tapped on the tinted window. He couldn't have one peaceful night alone. The sound of the window rolling down caught his attention.

He glares at the pristine figure of Priya, a smug grin on her face. "If you're going to follow me, be more discreet," he hisses out, leaning down to look her eye to eye. Priya hums out a small laugh that irks him. Ever since Quinn said she also noticed Priya's actions towards him we're flirty he's been on edge with her. Especially since he's face to face with her now. "I thought we agreed that you wouldn't get too chummy," she chides.

"No, that was you. I never agreed to anything,"

Priya rolls her eyes as she glares at the apartment building where Quinn had retreated to, a scowl crosses her face. This just means she's going to have to work harder with the impossible woman that Steve happened to fancy. "Headed back to the tower?" she questions, a brow perking up. Steve's lips pull into a frown before resting his eyes on Quinn's apartment. If only he had been invited it, perhaps he wouldn't have run into Priya. He huffs out a sigh of frustration as he places his hands on his hips, it was clear that he was irritated. However, that didn't stop him from rounding the front of the car and sliding in next to Priya. It was just a ride. But to her, it was something much more.

A/N: Hi. President Slow Burn here. So, you've been waiting 37 frustrating chapters for Steve and Quinn to finally get together to actually see it happen. Pat yourselves on the back if you've made it this far. As Steve always says, "Patience". I heard everyone likes big fluffy pieces every once in a while and I figured in Age of Ultron would be the best time. Don't get used to it because Civil War is going to be coming up in the next few months and without saying too much - we're not gonna see a lot of happy Quinn in that section.

Anyways, thank you so much for the kind reviews, and sticking with the story for this long. It'll be fluffy until the next section, I promise!

Also if you like this fic and want to read more like this one check out my other fic Full Stop. It's about Tony Stark and his new publicist and Tony essentially being the worst boss ever. That story (along with more on the way) directly ties into this one and vice versa because if you think Steve (aka Captain Can't Make The First Move) thought about this date night all on his own pfffft yeah right.