It's Forbidden

The Apology

Aspen was in slight shock. Steve was in front of her telling her he was okay with everything. Telling her that as long as this is what she wanted and she was happy, he was okay with it. After the hell he had given her before about all of this...

She had asked him before, what if it made her happy? What if it made Bucky happy? What if this is what they both wanted? He didn't want to hear any of that. He didn't care if that's what they wanted or if it made them happy. So what had changed?

She thought it had to have been because he thought her and Bucky were related, and now that they're not, he sees that everything is okay. He doesn't care if they're together. He accepts it. But she's still worried. She doesn't see how he could just change his mind so fast.

She was worried that this was too good to be true. That he would end up not being okay with it. She was afraid that he would take back what he said. That he didn't mean it. He would go back on his words. But she didn't want to call him a liar.

She didn't want to say he wasn't telling the truth, but she did need an explanation as to why he switched up so fast. Why he was all of the sudden okay with it. She deserved the answers especially after everything he had put her through since she got back.

All the fighting and the emotional trauma he had put her through since she got back. She needed to know if he really did change his mind and was okay with it and why he changed his mind so fast. "Why are you all the sudden okay with it?" She asked.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful," She says, trying to show she wasn't at all upset about the fact that he was okay with it. "I missed my brother, but..." She says. "How can you change your mind so fast?" She asked him. She was slightly scared of the answer.

Steve understood where she was coming from. He knew it was a lot to take in. His extreme change of heart. But he meant it. And he wanted her to know that he really meant it. He too was tired of the fight and he just wanted his sister back.

"The only reason I didn't approve to begin with, is because I thought..." Steve started. "Because of what mom said..." He says. Not being able to fully get his sentence out, not knowing how to word it exactly. Aspen knew he was at a loss for words and continued to ask questions.

"Why didn't you just tell me before?" She asked him. She had been wondering that since he told her. If he would have told her sooner, they would have been saved so much fighting, arguing, stress, heartbreak, they would've been saved so much trouble if he would've just told her.

And she was going to let him know how she felt. "Do you know how much trouble and fighting it would have saved us?" She asked him. And Steve knew. He thought about it over and over, and his explanation sounded stupid, but in his mind, it sounded right to him.

"I thought you would listen to me." He told her. "I didn't want to tell you that you were adopted. I knew it would hurt you." Steve told her. "I didn't want you to hurt anymore than you already have been. And now that I say that out loud..." He says.

"It sounds stupid." He admits. Aspen chuckles at his admission. It did sound stupid. "Yea it does sound stupid." She says. "But I get where you heart was at." She tells him." She knew he just wanted to protect her. She knew his heart was in the right place he just went about it all the wrong way.

"I'm so sorry Aspen." Steve tells her. There is was. The apology. "You're really okay with Bucky and I being together?" Aspen asks. Waiting for the other shoe. But there was no other shoe. She had her big brother back. He approved of them.

He was even happy that it was Bucky with Aspen instead of someone else. Especially now that he knew they weren't related. He knew that Bucky would protect her. If he couldn't protect Aspen, he knew that Bucky would. He trusted him with his life, and he would with Aspen's too.

"As long as you both are happy." Steve tells her. That was all that mattered to him. After everything they had been through he just wanted them to be happy. "I am." Aspen tells him. "I'm really happy." She can't help but start tearing up once again. Thinking about her and Bucky.

"He makes me really happy." Aspen says. "And we're not related." She chuckles, trying to lighten the mood, and wipes the tears from her eyes. Steve looks at her and nods, giving her a small smile. He was happy they were really talking. He was happy for her because he saw how happy she was.

"That's all I could ask for Aspen." Steve tells her. They just look at each other for a moment, neither one knowing exactly what to say next. And then it rung in Steve's mind again. Something that he needed to ask her. He needed the answer.

"Do you hate me Aspen?" Steve asked. He kept telling himself she didn't mean it, but he really needed to know. "No." She says shaking her head. She regretted saying it as soon as the words left her mouth. She knew she shouldn't have said it. She regretted it so much.

"I shouldn't have said I did." Aspen tells him. "I love you Stevie. Blood or not you're my big brother." She tells him. "You shouldn't have told me I was adopted the way you did, you yelling it at me hurt." She says. She wanted to be completely open with him.

"A lot." She says. "But I forgive you. I don't want to fight anymore." She tells him. "Neither do i. I miss my sister. And I'm so sorry." Steve tells her. He really was genuinely sorry and he would do whatever he possibly could do to make it up to her.

"I know you are." Aspen tells him. "Thank you for actually listening. Letting me explain..." She says. She gives him an innocent and cheeky smile. "Can you go make up with Bucky now?" She asked him.