The bad thing about waiting, Brooklyn found, was that she had a tendency to let her brain wander. It was still focused on her task, but the other part of her brain would start ping ponging all over the place. One minute she would be focused on what she was doing, and then the next half her brain would start thinking about colors, or why people tied their shoes a certain way. Take right now, for instance. She was sitting on the couch, with her kindle in her hand, reading while the TV played a movie in the background, but for the past fifteen minutes she was thinking of Christmas.

They had put up a tree a few days ago. But just as they had gotten it, and had returned from buying all the things Steve pointed out they needed for the tree such as ornaments, lights, a topper, a skirt, and a stand, he had been called back to the Tower. They thought they had a good lead on the Scepter. So, he had given her an apologetic smile, kissed her gently, and packed up to leave. As he had gone out, he had given the tree a sad look, as if he had expected Juliana and her to decorate it without him.

Juliana had flat out refused. She pointed out that it felt wrong, to decorate the tree without Steve. He was part of the family, and that sort of thing was for families. Brooklyn had agreed, wholeheartedly. They would not be decorating the tree until Steve came home to them.

Instead, for the past three days, she had dutifully watered the tree, organized the things they had bought for the tree, and began to wrap the presents she had bought during the nightmare shopping spree that had been Black Friday.

Patricia and Nat had hit it off, right away, and during the shopping trip had ganged up on her, several times, in regards to her purchases. They had felt that she was not buying enough. In the end, the three biggest purchases she had made, had shut them up, and Kitty approved.

She had started out with a laptop, for herself. She had noticed that several of the students in her class found it easier to take notes and do school work on one, and with prices being low, or at least having the appearance of being low, she had managed to wedge herself between a few people to get one. The second had been a bike for Juliana. The little girl hadn't really started thinking about Christmas, but Brooklyn had done her research and found out that at five years of age, a bike was a perfectly acceptable gift for a little girl. It was pink, with a basket on the front, training wheels, and tassels that would flutter in the breeze from the white rubber grip handles. It was currently sitting in it's box, in a closet at Mrs. De Luca's, waiting for Christmas eve, when hopefully, Steve would be home to put it together. If push came to shove, Brooklyn was more than confident that she would be able to follow the instructions for assembly, but Steve had made noise about wanting to do it.

The third, and final major purchase that had raised the eyes of the three other women in that shopping group, had been a watch for Steve. She had spent every free moment, on the phone and on the internet, trying to find it. And although it had been towards the end of the day, when everyone had been tired, they had still been willing to make one last stop. In a small watch repair shop, off of Broadway, tucked between a small deli and a used book shop, she found the exact model of watch that had been issued to the men, during world war two. It was in great condition, having been repaired and refurbished by the store owner. An A-11, general military issue, manufactured by Elgin, and though he had replaced the leather band, the housing and clockworks were original, if cleaned up and repaired. When the man had recognized Nat, he had pause, raising both eyebrows, before asking if there was anyone specific in mind that the watch was going to be given to. Nat, under Brooklyn's permission, had admitted who the watch was going to be given to.

Upon hearing that the watch was going to be the intended gift for Captain America, the man, going flush with pleasure, had told them to wait a moment, before going into the back. He had returned with another small box, lifting the lid, to reveal a pocket watch from the same era. It was an Elgin military pocket watch, manufactured in about nineteen forty three, he had explained. It had been used by his father, who had just passed away, the year before. And, he went on to explain, it would make him proud to know that Captain America would be using it.

Brooklyn had blinked, and then asked the crucial question. How much for both?

The man had looked at the A-11, and the pocket watch, and shook his head. He would not be selling her the pocket watch. It was his gift, he explained, to a man who had given up so much of his time to save the country and the world, already. It would also have been his father's wish, he explained. To give such a prized possession to someone who would truly appreciate it.

Brooklyn had bit her lip, but paid for the A-11, but argued when the watch seller tried to give her a watch chain, and a fob, for free. Those, she argued, were costs out of his pocket, when he was already being so generous. They ended up haggling, to where she paid the cost the man had bought them at. She had also managed to get him to agree to allowing her to pay for the engraving of the fob. It was a risky move, but she requested that the fob be engraved with the insignia for the Howling Commandos on one side, and after a brief discussion with Nat, the Avenger's insignia on the other. The man mentioned that the possibility of adding another fob, allowing her add other notable mentions, but Brooklyn had told him that would be up to Captain Rogers.

As they had left the shop with the watches, with a promise of the fob being ready in a few days (the shop owner explained that they were rarely busy, so it wouldn't take him long to have the fob engraved), Kitty had looked at Brooklyn, before giving her an approving nod.

"That was a very well thought out gift, Brooklyn. I am sure that Steve will be thrilled to get them, on Christmas." she had told her, patting her on the shoulder, before leading the women back to the SUV they had come in.

While not expensive, the watches had been a reflective gift. And one she had put a lot of thought into. She had noticed that Steve didn't wear a watch, preferring to check his phone for the time. But she was also aware, having done a bit of reading on the war since leaving HYDRA, if only to get a better idea of her father's past, that wearing watches should have come second nature to him. The only thing she could think of, was that the watch he had during the war, had become damaged during his time in the ice, or lost. And since coming out, either no one had thought to give him one, or he had just fallen into the habit of looking at his phone.
The watches, chain, and personally engraved fob were now wrapped and sitting in a hiding place in her closet, waiting to be placed beneath the tree, for Steve to open on Christmas morning.

All that was left now, really, were to get a few more gifts for people. Sam, Nat, Bruce and Kitty were the last remaining people on the list. Most of the shopping for everyone else had been done on Black Friday, and with a little over two weeks left before Christmas, she was beginning to think she may have left it too late. Even the grocery stores were full of people who were acting like the end of days had come.

She was pondering what she should get Bruce, when she heard the key turn in the door. Sitting up, she set the kindle aside, and waited, as Steve came in the door, sighing heavily as he shut it behind him, reaching up to hang his key ring on the hook she had put up for him, next to hers. He turned to look at her, blinking in surprise.

"Hey." He said, softly, still looking a bit surprised, although a smile spread across his face. "What are you still doing up? It's after midnight."

"Is it?" She turned to look at the clock over the stove, the angle bad. "I was reading, and thinking, and I guess I lost track of time."

"Well, I'm glad. I was worried I was going to wake you up, when I crawled into bed." He took off his shoes, lining them up next to Brooklyn's and Juliana's. Setting down the brown leather case he carried his shield in, he took off his coat, hanging that up on the coat rack that they had gotten last week. Steve had pointed out, that with the rain and soon the snow, having a place to hang their coats up to dry would probably be a good idea. They had invested in one that had lower pegs, so that Juliana would be able to hang up her coat and hat, without their help. He came over, leaning down over the back of the couch, reaching out to cup her face with cold hands, his lips cold as well. "It's a welcome sight, seeing you as soon as I walk through the door."

"Its a welcome sight, seeing you come in through the door." She grinned up at him. Reaching up to put her hands on his shoulders, she began to pull herself up on to her knees, intending on wrapping her arms around him, when he winced and groaned softly. "What's wrong?"

He sighed, before shaking his head ruefully. "I took a hit, and may have banged up my shoulder and side really well. The bruises are already fading though, so not to worry."

"Huh." She raised an eyebrow, not happy that he had been damaged. "I guess that's why my clothes are still on."

He chuckled, before leaning down to give her a quick kiss. "I just want to take a shower, and crawl into bed, while holding you as close as I can. I don't think I've had maybe an hour or two of sleep in the past three days."

She nodded. "I'll shut everything off, and make sure the coffee pot is set for the morning, then come to bed. Go shower off the stench of Stark's aftershave. How his girlfriend can stand it, I don't know. It reeks of a male whore house. It's too girly for someone like you."

"So, what you are saying is I smell." He nodded his head, giving her a half grin. "Got it."

"Only when you've been around Stark." She reassured. "Go, wash it off. I'll meet you in the bedroom."

He nodded again, turning to go down the hall. She noticed a slight limp in his step.

"You're limping." She pointed out.

"Might have hit my knee, too." He admitted. "But I'll be fine. You'll see."

She frowned as he disappeared down the hall, before groaning and rubbing her face. The urge to go to the Tower and find Stark, if only to smack him around was strong. She also wanted to find Nat and scream at her. Bruce could do with a strong talking to, as well. How dare they return him to her in this state? Did they all think, just because he was Captain America that he couldn't be hurt? That he couldn't be damaged? There were things that could be done, to a super soldier, that took years to heal, if they ever did. Look at her father. His arm had been ripped off, and he still bore scars from when he was still getting used to it, waking up from nightmares, scratching at where the metal met flesh. Scars so deep, she wasn't even sure they would ever heal and fade. And God knows what damage had been done to his brain, if that could ever be fixed. Steve wasn't immortal. He was flesh and blood, human to the bone. He might be more durable then the average man, but that didn't mean that he couldn't be hurt.

She stood up from the couch, reaching out to use the remote to turn off the TV. Picking up her kindle, she went into the kitchen and quickly prepared the coffee pot for the morning, before turning off the lights, and making her way down the hall to the bedroom. Using the street lights to guide her, she turned on the lights on the bedside tables, before reaching down and picking up the power cord for her Kindle.

She grabbed a nightgown from a drawer, quickly changing, listening to the shower going in the bathroom, pulling back the blankets and sheets on the bed, sliding under them, wiggling her toes against the cool feel of the cotton. There had been a break in the rain, recently, and the temperature had dropped, making it almost bitterly cold. Steve and Kitty had not been wrong when they told her that New York winters were nasty, even if it still qualified as fall. She wondered if they should get a set of flannel sheets. Something warmer, or if Steve would find them too warm. He still kicked off the blankets some times, other times he stole all of them. Sometimes he would complain that the apartment was too warm, other times he would put on a sweatshirt on, and pull on a thicker pair of socks.

It came down to the fact that his internal thermostat was out of whack, he explained. Something to do with the time he had spent in the ice. Although, he had also admitted to her that he hadn't felt the cold quite as bad as some of his comrades in arms, during the war. She tried to remember if her father had been affected the same way. With her, it seemed as soon as summer was over and the temperatures seemed to dip, she was cold to the bone. But it was odd, she didn't remember feeling the cold quite this bad, back in HYDRA. To be fair, she had bigger concerns, back then, then feeling chilly.

She heard the shower turn off, and brought her hand down from her jaw, feeling the ache in her knuckles. Pulling the blankets down from her hips, she brought her knees up, wrapping her arms around them, waiting for Steve.

He came into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him, sighing as he did so. Dressed in his gray sweatpants, he rubbed at his damp hair, before giving her a smile. "There's my Babydoll."

She wanted to give him a smile, she really did. But the sight of the purple splashed along his left side, and the way his left shoulder also looked purple made her bite her lip. He saw where she was looking, before shaking his head. "This is nothing, Brooklyn. You should have seen the other guy." He joked.

"I thought your new armor was supposed to stop this type of damage." She sighed, bringing up her hand to her jaw, her knuckle already pressing against it.

Steve groaned softly, coming over to sit on the bed by her legs, causing her to shift over a bit, making room for him. He reached out, taking her hand and pulling it down, rubbing it with his thumb. "Hey, it's okay. Stark is still figuring out the best solution. It's either I have full movement, which I like, but have allowances for protection, which I don't like, or he tries to build me a suit like he has. Which I don't like, at all. He'll get there. But he has a bunch of other projects he's working on as well. New arrows for Barton, a backup plan for Bruce. Upgrading all of Nat's gadgets and protections. They don't have the natural protection that I have. They can be hurt a lot worse than I can. So I can wait."

"I can't." She shook her head, getting angry again. "I won't. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't put a knife to his throat and make him make sure you are as safe as he can make you! Yes, the others can be hurt, but so can you. You aren't a god, Steve. I know what the serum can and cannot do. There will be a point where your body might just... stop. Because it's too much. I've seen it happen before. I know where the point is. I refuse to let them push you to that point."

"Hey." He reached out, cupping her cheek, stroking it with his fingers. "Listen, I know you are concerned. I don't like taking the hits, either. But we have to let him work at his own pace. Better he take his time, and do it right, then rush, and possibly make a mistake. A mistake that could be a lot worse then a few bruises. And no putting a knife to his throat."

"I could always shave that stupid goatee off his dumb face." She muttered, reaching down to weave their fingers together. "See how he really looks under all that facial hair."

He grinned, before leaning forward to kiss her. Opening her lips under his, she met his tongue, letting it stroke hers, while he ran his hand down her face, over her neck, to settle on her shoulder, pushing the strap of her nightgown down. She reached down with her free hand, pulling up the skirt of her nightgown, sliding down, pulling him down with her, their fingers still locked together. He climbed up onto the bed, putting one knee between her spreading legs, letting go of her face to brace himself, as he brought his other knee up. But as soon as he put any weight on it, he groaned, breaking their kiss. Pressing his forehead against hers, he cursed.

"Goddammit. I'm sorry, Babydoll. I would like nothing more...." He sighed. "But my knee..."
"Lay back." She whispered, untangling their fingers, to press both her hands on his chest, pushing gently. "I'll be gentle."

He followed her directions, grinning widely. He was rarely in the mood to let her be on top, to direct their coupling. Too much of a control freak. She could sympathize. But tonight, with him being all banged up, it was best that she take things in hand. He wiggled on the bed, pushing the blankets and sheets down, until they were out of the way, and folded his arms behind his neck, waiting for her, with a raised eyebrow.

Brooklyn rolled over on her side, leaning on one elbow, as she tugged at the front of his sweats with the other hand. "Off." she ordered.

"Don't I get foreplay?" He asked, reaching down to help her pull his sweats down off his hip, his cock springing up to slap against his belly, before laying there. He returned to folding his hands behind his head, pouting and batting his eyes. "A little tenderness? Kisses and soft words? How about dinner and a movie?"

"Nope." She grinned at him, reaching for his cock, giving it a few strokes, paying attention to his foreskin the way he had taught her he liked. "If I don't get to threaten your teammates, you don't get foreplay."

Bending down her head, resting her shoulder on his hip, she kissed the glistening cock head, before swabbing it with her tongue. Opening her mouth, she began to feed the length of him into her, letting it slide over her tongue, working herself down on him until he was starting to lodge in her throat.

"Damn, Babydoll." He groaned, reaching down to push her hair out of the way, bunching it up on the back of her head. "How is it I forget you can do that? It's a fucking miracle, every goddamned time."

She stroked what she wasn't fitting in her mouth, but she was being lazy about it, she knew. It wasn't like most of the times, when she felt like if she didn't go full steam ahead, she was going to miss out on something.

"Why don't you swing your hips over where I can get to my pretty pussy, Babydoll." He suggested, reaching behind himself, to prop the pillows up, and when that didn't seem to do the trick, he reached for hers, giving his head and upper body a bit of a shelf. "That's better. Now I can really watch you work."

She let go of his cock, letting him slide out of her mouth, before readjusting her body, moving her legs and hips over to where he could reach her without straining. In the end, it felt like she was laying alongside his body, her feet near the foot of the bed. She flipped her hair over one shoulder, trying to keep it out of her way, as she braced her forearm on his hip, reaching for his cock again. Just as she began to swallow him down, she felt his hand moving up her calf to her knee. He pushed on it, encouraging her to lift it, spreading her legs, before he propped it, so her foot was braced on the bed, leaving her open under her nightgown. He pushed the fabric up her thigh, until it was pooling around her hip, then reached between her legs to pet her vulva. She moaned softly around his cock, which caused him to grunt, and lift his hips, pushing himself deeper into her throat. Tracing his fingers along the slit of her, he eased a finger in, brushing up and down the gathering wetness. One finger was joined by another, until he was burrowing those fingers, searching out her clit.

She began to bob her head, sucking and licking as she went, enjoying the sounds caused by her mouth and his skin. Even her stuttering breaths, when she went as deep as she could, to work her throat around him, was an enjoyable sound. His soft groans and grunts, whispered words of encouragement and curses, all made her even more eager to continue. As she licked and sucked, he began to play himself. His fingers began by brushing along her clit, dipping into the opening of her, gathering up some moisture and using that to rub harder on her clit, sending electric sparks up her body. She was able to muffle her own sounds, seeing as her mouth was currently occupied, but she was still making them. It was a cycle, he would do something to her clit, and she would make a sound, which would vibrate along his cock, causing him to make a sound and resume his efforts on her clit.

"God, Babydoll." He groaned, sinking a finger into her, stroking it slowly in and out of her. "I want to pull you over, have you lay those hips on my face, so I can work you over, while you suck me down."

She groaned, pulling her head up slowly. The taste of him had changed. It was saltier, as she dragged the head of his cock along her tongue. She raised her head, turning to look at him, stroking the turgid flesh in her hand, still fascinated by all the facets of it, even after the amount of time she had spent becoming acquainted with it. He was smirking down at her, as his hand was lodged between her legs, his fingers playing with her open, wet flesh. She angled her head, so her mouth remained touching his now leaking head, swiping her tongue out to clean it. "Steve, have I told you how much I miss this?" She asked, before kissing the head of his cock. "I really miss it when you take it away. I think I've gotten attached to it."

"Well, I'm rather attached to it, as well. And where I go, it goes." He grinned down at her, thrusting his fingers into her just a little bit harder. "I will admit, I miss this when I go away."

She gasped, as he reached deep into her, curving his fingers and dragging them down the sensitive inner skin of her. "As much as I am enjoying this, I think I want more. I've missed you too much, to just be content with a little play. I need you inside me. It feels like it's been ages since you've stretched me open."

He chuckled. "Is your body hungry for me, Babydoll? Have I been neglectful, and left you to starve without me?"

"Yes." She pouted, not hiding the humor in her eyes. "I'm absolutely gasping for it, Steve."

He grinned down at her, bringing his free hand down to brush at her hair. "You really are, aren't you, Babydoll?"

"Always." She promised, dropping her head on a moan, as he slowly and firmly dragged his fingers along the inner tissues of her pussy. "Oh, fuck, Steve..."
"Oops." He laughed softly. "I shouldn't be distracting you."

She lifted her head, glaring at him, before rolling over onto her knees, his fingers being twisted away from her body as she did it. Reaching up, she smoothed her hair out of her face, pushing it back, before kneeling up, and moving to lift one leg over his hips. He reached out, grasping her hips, keeping her in place.

"What do you think you are doing?" He asked, raising one eyebrow.

"I'm going to fuck you." She informed him, wiggling to get away.

"You didn't ask my permission." He reminded her. "Maybe I want to play a bit more."
"But I don't need your permission." She leaned down, placing her hand on his good shoulder, grinning down at him, as she twisted her hips in a way that broke his grasp, letting her settle herself down, trapping his erection between them, making him let out a low grunt. "You are mine, remember?"

She moved, trying to figure out how she was going to slide down on him, taking him fully into her body, when he impeded her movement, once again, by grabbing her hips and thigh. "Maybe I want a little sweetness, first. A little kissing? I haven't seen your breasts and sweet nipples for a few days. Maybe I miss them."

Laughing, she sat up, wiggling against him, teasing both of them, as she brought her hands up, pushing the straps of her night gown down, until she was able to push the loose top down over her breasts. Pulling her arms out of the straps, she let the fabric pull around her waist, before leaning forward, putting her hand on his good shoulder again.

"There we are." He sighed, letting go of her thigh, to bring his hand up, his fingers brushing against one erect nipple, before giving it a soft pinch. She let out a little gasp, arching into his touch, the action making her rub her wet flesh against his cock. "There are those pretty tits. So fucking delicious looking. Lemme get a taste, Babydoll."

Pulling her up by her hip, he helped her guide her chest up to his face, as he bent down to lick the swell of her breast, his other hand smoothing down to cup the plump flesh in his hand, sighing as he worked his way up to her nipple, flicking it with his tongue, before closing his mouth over it, sucking it hard. She brought up the hand not bracing her weight, digging into his still damp hair, dragging her nails over his scalp. "That feels good, Steve."

"Mm-hmm." He mumbled into her skin. He let go of her breast, moving his head, as he released the nipple he was currently giving his attention to, sucking the other to give it the same attention. Meanwhile his hand slipped between them, using his grasp on her hip to help her raise up, so he could grasp his own cock, placing it against her, helping her to slowly lower her until he was pressing against her opening, hard. She began to rotate her hips, feeling him start to press into her, start to open her up.

"There it is. Work that cock into you, Babydoll." He groaned, leaving her breast to press his forehead to her breastbone. His hands moved, one sliding up her back, cupping the back of her shoulder, while the other moved up her front, again holding her breast, rubbing a thumb over the nipple. "I've missed this, missed you, so goddamned fucking much, Brooklyn. I wish I could rip open my chest, tuck you in there, and carry you every where I go."

"I wish I could, too." She gasped, as she rocked her hips, working the head of his cock into her. She didn't want to ever say she had a favorite part, when it came to sex with Steve, but she definitely liked the stretch when he first began to breech into her, and considered it high on the list. "There are times I wish I could claw into your skin, until all I feel is your warmth, and all I hear is your heart beating."

The burning feeling was intensifying, and she tossed her head back, her eyes staring at the corner where the wall and the ceiling met. She pressed down, lifting herself, then dropping again, feeling him forge deeper into her every time she repeated the movement. But it wasn't enough, it wasn't near enough.

She wanted to dig her fingers into him, until she felt the blood and muscle under her nails. All the hunger she had been keeping tamped down, all the desperation that self satisfaction merely pushed back by inches, surged forward, filling her, hot and rushed. She wanted to sink into his skin, melt into his soul, pull it out, and stitch it to her own with threads made of their own veins. She wanted him to know that if he shed a drop of blood, it would be matched by hers. If his lungs stuttered or failed, she would breathe into him, bringing him back. That for every beat of his heart, her's would match it.

One of them may be stained by sins, the other might be a saint, but between the two of them, they would be able to wash themselves clean. And she wasn't a believer, but she was sure there would never be a heaven unless Steve was there with her.

"I'm sorry, Babydoll." He hissed into her chest. "I cant wait any longer..."

Steve wrapped his arms around her back, sitting up, the change in position forcing her weight down, as well as him guiding her body, until she had engulfed his cock. She cried out, feeling the breath leave her body at the same time, her hands coming up to grasp at his head, as he began to use his hips and his hands to control her rocking along him. Keeping his head buried in her chest, his breath was hot and moist against her skin, as he panted out his pleasure.

Shifting her legs, so she had one foot on the bed, while the other remained tucked against his side, she slid up and down, round and round, side to side, back and forth, feeling him press deep into her, knocking that part of her that was almost painful at times, while also feeling her clit drag along his cock. The hunger raged in her, and she tried to hold it at bay, wanting the slow easy pace they had set. The hunger gnawed at her belly, stoking the fire that always seemed to reside there, now. Licks of fire escaped, racing down her body, circling back and forth, teasing the bonds of her inner control. Bending her head, she pressed her lips into his damp hair, closing her eyes, focusing on the scent of his shampoo. Musky and herbally, there was something in it that was purely complimentary to the base scent that was Steve. He could try to hide it behind the artificial scents of the self care products he used, but in the end, it would always be there. The animalistic musk of him, that made her mouth water sometimes. The one that she knew she would be able to follow for miles, if she suddenly lost her sight.

The hunger almost broke through for a moment, and she bounced herself a little rougher then she had wanted, but she took a deep breath, slowing it down, pushing the hunger back. It could wait. It was not going to get the better of her. Using her grip on his head, she tilted his head back, forcing his face up to where she could drop her lips onto his, opening his mouth with her tongue, invading him as surely as he was invading her body. He groaned into the kiss, one of his hands coming up to brush the back of her head, before sliding down her back, to grasp at her backside, bringing her body to his, chest pressing against chest, she tried to synchronize their breathing, so that she was exhaling while he was inhaling, and vise versa. She could feel his hips rolling against hers, rising to meet her downward movements.

Even as she pushed it back, it all began to rise within her, making her whine. She didn't want this to be over, this perfect moment when it almost felt like she would be able to become one with him.

Steve must have felt it too, because he broke the kiss to press his lips to her neck, his teeth starting to find purchase in her skin. Arching her neck back, she pulled his face in tighter, encouraging him to break into her. Maybe if he sucked her dry, she would never be able to part herself from him. If she became liquid enough, maybe she would forever run through him. She was so much smaller, compared to him, it wouldn't take much for him to do that, would it?

His other hand, the one not wrapped around her backside, guiding her movements in a steady rhythm, slid between them, his fingers spreading over where they were joined, tucking his thumb in so that the knuckle was rubbing against her clit. The added stimulation caused the fire she had been trying to keep pushed back, tried to keep contained began to break it's bonds. Their combined movements picked up speed, and she felt his cock start to lengthen and grow harder inside her, a sign he was close to cumming.

The knowledge that he would soon be flooding her, until she dripped in his seed, was enough for the fire to break free. It burned through her, leaving ash and bone behind, hollowing her out, leaving her soul and heart bared. It wouldn't take much more for her to disintegrate into nothing, she was sure. If he wanted to, he could shatter her very being in this moment, with a touch or word.

Instead, he seemed to know, and gathered her as close as he could, his teeth leaving her neck to press his face into her shoulder, gasping and cursing. The words that left him were disjointed, barely making any sense. She understood what he was stuttering, what he was trying to say. He felt it, just as much as she had. That despite their best efforts, they still remained separate, in body and soul.

She felt like crying, like throwing her head back and screaming to the wind about how she still felt alone, despite how much she knew they owned each other. So much was still not right. She had to be doing something wrong. As much as she needed him, there was something that she needed to do, to say, to make clear, for the last broken pieces of them to snap together, to complete the picture, to make them whole. To make them one.

The only word that she knew to say, that she could bring to leave her lips, was "Mine."

He shuddered against her, going still, before rolling his hips hard a few more times, before it felt like his whole body deflated against her, the steel and iron that held him up falling apart. He fell back on the bed, taking her with him, keeping her tucked tight to him. As if he was afraid to let her go. As if she knew how to let him go, now.

"Yours." He gasped, exhaling a shuddering breath.

Rolling on the bed, his good side pressed against the mattress, he stroked her hair out of her face, pressing kisses to ever available space, before giving her a long soft kiss. Their breaths were gasping, as if they were above the breathable air. Steve leaned up, reaching down to grasp the blankets and sheets, pulling them up over their bodies, pulling her in tight, covering her in warmth, now familiar with how her body temperature would drop quickly as soon as her heart regained its normal pace.

"That was..." he breathed, shaking his head, a silly grin floating across his face.

"Not enough." She responded, wanting to weep.

He flinched, pulling back, the happiness leaving his face, his eyes losing their languid nature, sharpness entering the blue. "What?"

"It's not enough." She tried to explain. "It never seems to be enough. There's something missing."

His hands stilled, mid stroke, before his fingers began to dig into her. "What's missing?"

"I don't know." She shook her head. "I just need to figure it out. What am I doing wrong?"

He huffed out a laugh, shaking his head, before kissing her. "Nothing. You are perfect. If there is something you think is missing, we will find it."

"It's like, it's not enough, there's still to much space between us." She waved her fingers between them to demonstrate.

"Ah." He suddenly smiled again, a satisfied wide smile. "I got ya. I know what it is. We'll get there. Don't worry."

"What is it?" She pulled her head back, making herself look him in the eyes. "What am I missing?"

Steve reached out, tapping her breast bone. "It's in here. Like I said, don't worry, we will get there. It just might take some time."

She pressed his hand to her chest. "What ever it is, take it. Rip it out of me, so you can have it."

"Oh, Babydoll." Steve sighed, shaking his head. "It's not something I can just take. You have to give it to me, freely. You have to offer it to me. But, there is no rush. It's okay. I would rather take our time, and do things right, then rush, and lose it all."

She blinked up at him. "Are you sure? You aren't just blowing smoke up my skirt?"

"Where did you ever hear that saying?" He chuckled, reaching out to tuck the blankets tighter around her. "Don't worry. I wouldn't lie to you, not about this. There is more than enough time, to figure it out, together."

Brooklyn frowned, but nestled against his chest, letting her head rest where she could hear his heartbeat. "How much longer?"
"It'll happen, when it is meant to happen." He assured her, rubbing her shoulder. "Now, I don't know about you, but I've had some eventful few days lately. And after that amazing bout of sex, I will admit that I might be feeling my age. Sleep sounds pretty good right now."

"Sleep." She snorted. "Really, Steve?"

"Yeah, Brooklyn." He snarked back, yawning. "Sleep. It's good for you."

She snorted again, but stayed silent, enjoying his absent minded stroking of her shoulder, listening to his heart and lungs, as he slowly began to sink into the sleep he was needing. As soon as she was certain he was out, she lifted her head, watching him, his soft snores not unpleasant.

Frowning, she reached up to brush her fingers along his face. "If you won't help me figure it out, I'll do it on my own. Stubborn man."

Sighing, she dropped her head to his chest again, tucking herself in tighter, closing her eyes, and pushing her mind into silence, before she felt herself drift off as well.
****************

It was something in the change or shift in the light outside the window, that woke her. She remained still, silent, listening. The sounds outside had even changed. They were more muffled. Traffic, when it went by, was slower. It wasn't danger that woke her, but it was something different.

Raising her head up off Steve's chest, she looked out the window, confused for a moment by what she was seeing.

It was almost like the static off of a television, when all connections had been lost. But it wasn't. Her eyes took a few minutes before her brain caught up to what she was actually seeing.

Snow. It was snowing outside.

Sitting up, being careful to not jostle Steve, she watched the big fluffy flakes fall, changing direction depending on how the wind and air currents moved them. Steve shifted, his hand coming to rest on her bare side, before it slipped off.

"Brooklyn?" He guttered out, his voice deep and gravely from sleep, his eyes blearily blinking at her, not really focusing. "Wassit?"

"Nothing." She leaned down, kissing him. "I'll be right back. Go back to sleep."

She slid off the bed, making sure the covers still were over him, before readjusting her nightgown. She had decided she was going to wake up Juliana, and see if the little girl wanted to go out for a few minutes to see the first snow of the season, before it either melted away, or was ruined by the activity of the city. When she was decently covered, she slipped from the bedroom, shutting the door behind her quietly. Tiptoeing down the hall, she slipped into Juliana's room. Her sister was huddled under her blankets, the light from her night light moving in shapes and shadows along the walls and ceiling. The teddy bear that she had received from their father for her birthday was somewhere under the covers, Brooklyn knew.

Kneeling by the side of the bed, she reached out and stroked her hand down Juliana's body, whispering her name in a sing song tone. Low and gentle. Enough to wake her sister, but not enough to wake her in a panic. It worked, and eyes that matched hers blinked open, before the cherry pink mouth of her sister opened on a yawn. "Lyn?"

"Hey, Little One. It's snowing." She informed her sister in a soft voice. "Do you wanna see?"

"Yeah." Jules nodded, rubbing at her eyes. "I wanna see."

"Okay." Brooklyn continued to rub her sister's side. "We gotta be quick, because you still have school in the morning, and we gotta be quiet, because Steve is still sleeping."
"Steve's home?" Jules perked up.

"Yeah, but he came home really tired." Brooklyn didn't think that her sister needed to hear that her older sister MAY have worn him out even more, when he came home. Some things were not for little ears. "So, we need to be as quiet as mice."

"I can do that." Jules whispered.

"Good." She stood up, helping her sister crawl out from the covers, before leading her out of the room. When they got to the living room, she helped Juliana into her shoes and coat, pulling her hat down over her head, and handing her the gloves. "We also gotta be quick, because it's cold."

Jules nodded, waiting as Brooklyn pulled on her own coat, hat and gloves, slipping her feet into a pair of shoes. Grabbing the keys, she put them in her pocket, before unlocking the door, wincing at the slight creak the hinges made when she opened it. "C'mon."

They stood in the hall, again cringing at the creaking of the hinges, and the small thud that the door made, before joining each other's hands, and all but running down the hall to the stairs, Brooklyn keeping an eye on Juliana as she tried to skip down the stairs. Soon, they were at the outer door, and putting a hand on the handle, Brooklyn turned to Juliana.

"You ready?"

"Yeah!" Juliana hopped up and down, excitedly. "Open it!"

Laughing lightly, Brooklyn opened the door, revealing that the snow had started to stick to the ground, beginning to cover the alley. Stepping out, she turned and held her out her hand to her sister. "C'mon, Jules! It's so pretty!"

Her breath fogged in the cold air, the flakes of snow already sticking to her before her body heat melted them into dots of water.

Juliana gave her a big grin, grabbing her hand and jumping off the stoop, into the alley. She paused, looking up at the sky, shivering slightly. "It's so quiet!"

"Yeah." Brooklyn nodded, a smile she couldn't take off her face growing. "The snow muffles the sounds."

Juliana let go of her sister's hand, raising both of hers up to the sky, spinning in the falling snow. "Its amazing!"

Brooklyn hummed in agreement, before nodding towards a car at the mouth of the alley, parked near the 'no parking' sign. One of Stark's, most likely. Steve had cottoned onto the fact that no one was going to give him a ticket, if he parked there. Either because it was one of Stark's cars, or because this was Marino's neighborhood, and that the people in the building were under his protection. Either way, Steve always parked there, now. She snorted a bit at the idea that Captain America was regularly breaking parking laws.

"Watch, Jules!" She called out, as she dragged her feet through the building snow, leaving the dark scars of the asphalt to show through. Scooping up as much of the snow in her hands off the car, she packed it together, before opening her hands, showing her sister the snow ball. "Here." She came over to hand it to Juliana, who cupped it in her hands. "See? It's good packing snow."

The door to the building was suddenly flung open, a frantic Steve Rogers, dressed in sweatpants, with his jacket open over his bare chest, his shoes untied over his sock-less feet, froze when he saw them.

"Steve?" Brooklyn asked, frowning slightly.

"Look, Steve!" Juliana held out the snowball. "It's snowing!"

He looked at both of them, whatever panic in his eyes fading. Clearing his throat, he nodded, relaxing. "I see that. What are the two of you doing outside at this time of night."

"Lyn woke me up, and asked me if I wanted to see the snow." Jules came over to him, holding out the snowball again. "It's so pretty."

Steve took a deep breath, bending down to pick up Juliana, holding her tight. Pressing his face into the little girl's neck, he nodded. "Yeah, it is."

There was a thickness in his voice that worried Brooklyn. "Steve?"

"Yeah." He raised his head, looking at her over Jules's shoulder. "It's cold, ladies. And someone," he jiggled Juliana in his arms, making her laugh, "Needs to be in bed, so they aren't grumpy in the morning. Not to mention, neither one of you is really dressed to be out in public."

Juliana laughed holding up the snowball. "But Steve! It's snowing!"

"Uh huh." He eyed the snowball in her hand. "What are you going to do with that?"

"I wanna keep it." She told him.

"Nope." he shook his head, looking over at Brooklyn relief in his face and eyes. "Put it down, and come back upstairs."

Brooklyn watched as Jules, whining, let the snowball drop from her hands, before following as Steve began to carry her sister back inside, and up the stairs. He didn't look back at her, and she raised her eyebrows, confused. He was acting like he was upset at her, but she didn't understand why.

He led the way back to the apartment, keeping Juliana tight in his arms, opening the door, not bothering to wait for her, almost just assuming she was following behind him. Brooklyn shook her head as she shut the door behind herself, watching as he disappeared down the hallway with Juliana. Sighing, in personal aggravation, she took off her outerwear, hanging it up, before taking off her shoes and making sure they were back where she had taken them from.

By the time she was finished with all of that, Steve was striding back into the darkened living room, Juliana's coat, hat and shoes in his hands. Putting everything away, he stood up straight looking at her, before he grabbed her hand and began tugging her to the bedroom.

"Steve?" She gasped, unused to his being this demanding. "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" He snarled, turning on her. "I woke up, hearing the front door shut. I came out, to see Juliana's bedroom door open, and Juliana missing. Your coats and shoes were gone, as were your keys. At this time of night? I didn't' know why you would leave the apartment. All I could think, was that somehow your father had gotten a message to you, and you were leaving! Or worse, you were just leaving me. Just walking away."

"I wouldn't do that!" she protested. "Not without telling you."

"You've done it before!" he snapped. "I watched you pack up Juliana into some car, and leave. You looked right at me, and left. And I had no idea where you had gone. I thought I had lost you. That I was never going to ever see either one of you again."

She was taken aback. She knew they had never really hashed anything out, about the little hiccup in their relationship, back in August. But she had been under the impression that it was water under the bridge. It had been put on a barge and sent down the Hudson. Apparently, she had been wrong. "Steve, that was months ago. Before I knew you. Before I trusted you. Before I knew who you were to me."

"I know that!" He groaned, rubbing his face. "I do. But... Goddammit, Brooklyn, you have to know that I still have moments when all of this," he waved around the apartment and between them, "doesn't feel real. Like I'm going to wake up in the Tower, and its all been a fantastic dream. That you are still gone, and the future I want for us is never going to happen."

He sighed roughly, lowering his head, before nodding, his voice going softer. "That you never came back to me. That you never accepted me back into your life. That I've still lost you."

"But I did come back, Steve." She stepped forward, running her hands up his arms, settling them on his shoulders, pressing against him so he could feel her. "I came back, and I claimed what was mine."

There was a tremble in his hands, when he put them on her waist. "I know. But the fear is still there in me."

She swallowed, nodding. "Okay. So, how do we make the fear go away?"

"Don't..." He shut his mouth, clearing his throat, before beginning again. "Don't ever just leave me, in bed. If you want to go play in the snow with Jules, wake me up enough to tell me. Don't leave without telling me where you are going. Just keep reassuring me that you are going to come back, okay? At least for now. I just need to know, that you are going to keep coming back."

She reached up, cupping his cheeks. Lowering her voice into a soothing tone, one she was very familiar with using on distraught soldiers, she assured him, "I will always come back to you, just like you will always come back to me. I am yours, and you are mine. That's how this is, now. There is nothing that can separate us, ever. We won't let it. You and me."

"You and me." He repeated his voice thick again. "No leaving."

"No leaving." She nodded. Standing up on her tiptoes, she pulled him down, pressing their lips together. "You'll see. It'll all work out. It has to, you see."

"Oh?" He cleared his throat, holding her to him.

She soaked in his body heat. "Of course. I can't very well take over the world without a Captain, can I?"

Steve groaned, bending down to press his face into her shoulder. "No, Babydoll, just... no... I'm gonna break you of that habit, if it's the last thing I do. We've talked about this, no world domination. Jesus, this is gonna take forever, to get that through your head."

"Well, it's a good thing I plan to live for a very long time." She laughed in his ear. "So you better start planning on keeping up with me."

A/N: FIFTY CHAPTERS! I think I'm doing something wrong, lol. So, yeah. That all happened. I'm going to try to get things going again, here in a bit. Let's see how that works out. But a bit of calm in a storm, yeah? Vote and comment!