Little Star // a Steve Rogers, Captain America, Avengers story

Superhuman

The conversation died down as they entered the living area, then Pepper spoke. "Ellie, that was a remarkable experience. I'm sure that Morgan will need a good therapist by the time she's in high school, and we plan to call on you."

"In high school?" asked Tony. "She's probably needed one since she was in utero."

The conversations picked up and plates were piled high with a wide assortment of delicacies. Ellie took small tastes of almost everything, except for the fermented fish that Thor monopolized. He was supposedly quite the ladies' man, but no woman she knew would have gotten within five feet of him without gagging at the moment. They didn't have any close conversations for the rest of the day.

Finding Bruce sitting alone, she asked about his groundbreaking research on artificial limbs that could connect with the neural system and provide sensation. He launched into a passionate conversation about using his 'small' time to do as much good as possible.

Ellie had been embarrassed earlier in the day because she didn't recognize Jim out of his War Machine suit. She made a point of finding him and apologizing. He was touched and explained that he chose not to be in the public eye unless he was working. She asked him what exactly his suit could do and was duly impressed by his capabilities.

As the afternoon wore on, Ellie nodded off in her seat. Steve saw her head dip and lifted her out of her chair. "Naptime," he whispered to the room. All eyes were on the couple as they disappeared down the hall.

As Ellie slept, Steve thought about the day's experiences, and was disturbed. Tony would want Ellie, without a doubt, but for what purposes? He wouldn't allow his friend to pressure her into any kind of service; she had to join them of her own volition and on her own terms.

He suddenly realized that he loved this woman so much that he would consider hanging up his suit to keep her away from harm. And he was certain now that what she could do was superhuman, but how had it come to be? He hoped there would be answers that evening when the medical team submitted their findings.

Stretching out on the edge of the bed, he gently placed his arm around her waist, closed his eyes, and considered how his life might change in the next few days and weeks.

Waking refreshed, feeling eager yet apprehensive of the meeting ahead, Ellie prepared to face her future. Curiously, there was a warm depression that ran along the edge of her mattress. Looking sheepishly around the room, although she knew perfectly well that no one was there, she lowered her nose to the sheet and inhaled the lightest scent of cedar and lemongrass. He had been with her as she slept.

Ellie went in search of Steve. Not finding him in his room, she made her way around the corridors to the lounge, realizing that this was the first time she'd walked the halls on her own. Maybe she was becoming 'one of the guys,' if not one of the team.

Steve, Tony, and Nat sat close together at a table. Pepper and Happy were focused on meal preparations in the kitchen. "Has everyone else gone?" she asked, obviously disappointed.

"Yes," said Tony, "Bruce had some concoction brewing in his lab that needed tending, Clint never stays around very long anymore, and Jim had an appearance in DC this evening."

"What about Thor? I wanted to talk to him again."

"New Asgard was calling him. Well, more like a certain Asgardian he wouldn't shut up about. 'Raven-haired stygg munn wild woman' was the phrase he used. It means foul-mouthed. I think being around you and Steve made him... amorous."

"Ah. I see. Still, I'm sorry I wasn't able to say goodbye."

"You'll see him again. Soon, I imagine."

Ellie had taken a seat next to Steve and squeezed his knee under the table. He squeezed back.

Tony opened a manila folder on the table before him. "Let's talk about these results, shall we?"