The White Queen (S.Rogers)

Chapter 77

She stood on the sidewalk, looking around, while Steve hauled a sleeping Juliana out of the vehicle. The small child was deadweight by this point, limp and floppy, but Steve handled her like she was made of fine glass. Brooklyn glanced at him, briefly, before turning a slow circle, taking in the entire street available to her view, and taking a deep breath.

"I own all of this." She whispered. "All I see, is mine."

"What?" Steve asked, pausing, as he went over to the tailgate of the SUV. "What was that?"

Smiling, she skipped over to him, helping him open the back of the vehicle, reaching in to grab bags. "I own everything. It's mine. Including you."

"You do own me." He agreed. "But I'm not so sure about the rest of it."

"It's mine." She shook her head. "My own little kingdom."

He heaved a sigh, shifting Juliana so she was sitting on one of his hips, her head on his shoulder, while reaching for bags himself. "Inside. We'll discuss this inside."

"Steve." She looked at him, while shutting the tailgate, before shifting the bags in her hands so she could dig out the keys to the doors. "I own a borough in New York. It's mine. I'm the boss."

"I know you think you are..." He shook his head. "Inside, Babydoll. We need to get her into bed."

She danced over to the door into the apartments, slipping her key in the lock. "I am the boss of Brooklyn. I am the boss!"

He nodded, herding her inside and up the stairs, following closely behind, bracing Juliana so she didn't flop all over the place, while also making sure the bags he carried didn't bump her. "Maybe."

She frowned. He didn't get it. He didn't get what this meant. She was finally a Queen, of her own little kingdom. He didn't understand how she was finally going to be changing the world, even if it was a tiny part of it. This tiny part of the world was hers now. And she would be able to make the changes to make sure it both ran smoother, and that her people that lived within it's borders would be safer, happier, healthier. Everything she had been primed for, while a HYDRA asset, could finally be put to use.

And she didn't even have to take it by force!

It had been given to her, as a birthday gift! Freely!

"Definitely the best birthday gift, ever." She giggled, opening the door to the apartment, leading Steve inside, before going over to set the bags down so they were out of the way for now. "I could get used to this."

"Don't." He warned, dropping the bags in his hand and toeing off his shoes. "Let me get her put down, and we are going to talk this out. I have... I have concerns."

"Opinions." She corrected, crossing her arms, raising an eye brow at him. "And why am I not surprised?"

He came over to her, shaking his head, before bending his head and pressing a quick kiss to her lips, then pulling away with a rueful smile. "Because you know me too well, by this point?"

"That might be the reason." She grinned up at him. "Put her to bed. I'll go change into something more comfortable, and we can have some wine and talk about your 'concerns'."

She followed him down the hall, turning into the bedroom while he continued to go to Juliana's bedroom. She listened to him putting the small girl to bed, as she walked over to the dresser, opening it to pull out a silky little something. Steve might be gearing up to give for a lecture, if she read him right, and it was her job to derail him. She quickly stripped, shivering slightly as the silk settled around her body. She paused, as she felt the temperature of the room. It wasn't freezing in the bedroom.