Marvel Outtakes & One Shots

What do you think? S.R.

Story: Like no one does; Ronnie asks Steve to move in

Ronnie's POV June 30, 2015

Eyeing the mass of grocery bags in the trunk of the borrowed SUV Ronnie purses her lips before asking JARVIS to send out the guys to help her. There was no way that she was going to make a dozen or so trips from the car to the elevator and back by herself. As she waited for them to arrive she went around to the back seat to double check that the pies she'd made had survived the long trip. Pleased to see that the top two cherry pies were fine her smile fell when she saw that Steve's apple pies had gotten smashed. Trying and failing to get the broken top layer of pie crust to go back together she felt like crying. "No, no, no!"

These were meant to not only be his pre birthday sweets but also a hopeful pick me up mood booster because he'd been so down since coming home from DC. After everything that went down she couldn't blame him for settling into a bit of a depression. Finding out they had been betrayed since very nearly the beginning of SHIELD's inception had been hard to swallow for everyone, but especially for Steve and the Stark's. Then on top of that to find out that Bucky Barnes was still alive after all of this time had nearly broken her best friend. Having discovered this shocking fact mid life or death fight that he'd been turned into a mindless killer had nearly cost him his life.

The phone call she'd received while they waited to go after Pierce had been tough because Ronnie knew how much Bucky meant to Steve and what his supposed death had done to him. To find out he was still alive had eaten him up to know that he might have been able to find him back then if only he for a second thought that Buck had survived the fall. She wished she'd been close enough to be there for him and Natasha, but she'd been halfway around the world on Stark Industries business with Tony and Pepper in China. By the time the plane needed to be refueled in Germany it was over and her best friend had almost died. The second they touched down she hopped into the waiting car leaving Tony and Pep behind and broke about every law there was to get to the hospital to be by his side.

Her heart broke to see Steve so beaten and broken, looking smaller than she'd ever seen him in that hospital bed hooked up to IV's and monitors. Choking back tears she had hovered next to him unsure where or if she could touch him. Overwhelmed she clasped a hand over her mouth squeezing her eyes shut and tried to cry as silently as she could. For just a minute she reasoned and then she would be as strong as he needed her to be. Apparently Ronnie hadn't been as quiet as she thought because his large hand had gently wrapped around her wrist to tug it down to link their fingers together. "Not crying over me are you, Buttercup?"

Biting her lip she nodded, unable to joke at the moment causing the dam on her tears to break. Heaving sobs broke from her small frame when he tsked as he tugged her closer. Shaking her head when he tried to get her to come up next to him. "No, you're hurt."

She instantly caved when he pouted and held his arms open holding the blanket back for her to get under. "I need Ronnie cuddles to feel better." Kicking off her heels and tossing her jacket on the chair Sam had vacated when she entered the room Ronnie carefully scooted up and into his side.

"I don't want to hurt you so how do you want me?" After some very slow, very careful maneuvering Steve had her settled against his chest with her head on his left shoulder. Resting her hand over his heart she traced a random pattern on his hospital gown. "I'm so sorry I wasn't closer to help you. As soon as I got your call I had the plane readied-"

Running his bruised fingers up and down her arm he shushed her. "Hush, you're here now. Besides, I know you would have been here in an instant had you been nearby. To be honest I'm glad you weren't anywhere near here. If anything would have happened to you I would have never been able to forgive myself." Steve hugged her closer even as he let out a pained grunt ignoring her telling him that she'd get up so he could get comfortable. "The only way I'll be comfortable is if you keep your pretty little ass right here." Snorting out a half-hearted laugh Ronnie finally relented and snuggled back into his side.