Till the End of Time-

Chapter 21: Concerns

My eyes flutter open, and I look around the room that's lit up with golden light from the sunrise. I sigh softly and stretch at how comfortable I feel in my bed with Steve next to me. I look over at his back that's facing me.

I admire his shoulders that are perfectly chiseled and broad. I feel so small and protected when I'm near him, not only because I know he would protect me but also because I'm almost a foot shorter than him.

I run my hand gently across his back before leaning forward and planting a kiss on his shoulder. I slip my arm around his waist and cuddle him before drifting off to sleep again.

"Rosie", I hear a soft voice say in the distance. I feel warm breath on my neck followed by tender kisses.

My eyes slowly open and I look up at Steve looking down at me. "Good morning", he says smiling at me before giving me a kiss. "Good morning", I respond reaching up and touching his face.

"I wish this wasn't going to be our last morning, I've been enjoying our time here", I tell him facing our reality of leaving.

"Yeah, that's how I feel every time I've had to leave after visiting Bucky...". I look at him after he says this sensing what he's thinking. "You're worried he won't come home today aren't you?", I ask.

Steve falls onto his back with a huff, "Yeah I am. We've talked about this before and I thought it was settled that he would come back to the compound once he was healed... I just don't know what changed or why he's hesitating now".

"I wouldn't give up hope just yet. He might change his mind... But if he doesn't, that doesn't mean that he'll stay away forever. Maybe he just wants another month or two here to sort things out", I encourage him.

"Yeah maybe you're right", he mutters lost in thought.

"I tried talking to him about it last night", I tell him.

Steve looks over at me, "You talked to him about coming with us? What'd he say?".

"Well... technically he didn't answer. But I asked him not to stay and that I had a feeling like he should come with us. I know that it wasn't really my place, but it just kind of all came out of me", I truthfully tell him.

Steve turns on his side so that we are facing each other, "You had a feeling? Was it like a premonition?".

"No. No nothing like that.. it was like an underlining feeling I got when I saw him. And I didn't fully realize it until after dinner when I was talking to him on the balcony".

"What else did you two talk about?", he asks me.

"Well we talked about me and some of the things you've told him. Like about my powers and my missing years. Which that reminds me... Does he know about us?".

Steve gives me a sly smile, "Sam and him both suspect something is going on, but I haven't confirmed it yet. I wasn't sure if you wanted others to know besides Natasha and Wanda".

"You can tell them. I mean I would like to get to a point where everyone knows... but at the same time, I would also like it to be just between us for a while before we shine a light and the world and Tony know about it", I tentatively say.

"Yeah I forgot about Tony... He's pretty protective of you. When you were out on the balcony last night we talked about you and what happened with me not wanting you to fight last week".

I question him with my eyes until he continues, "I'll spare you all the details but he wanted to take over your training since he thought I wasn't seeing your full potential", after he says this I can see a hardness grow behind his eyes.