Wildfire (Steve Rogers AU)

8

The sun was rising as Hadley walked across the prairie, not being able to sleep. She'd risen early whilst Flynn still slept and had taken an early morning walk. The air was cooler than it had been for the last few days, and still she hadn't got quite used to the weather since her arrival. 

Slowly but surely as the weeks were passing, she found herself beginning to settle somewhat into her new life, falling into a routine. She'd go walking with Nat and Wanda when she wasn't manning the store for Mary, but sometimes these walks helped her to cry everything out when she couldn't. 

The isolation she felt in some ways lingered, and now was the only time she could really clear her head. 

She dabbed her eyes with her handkerchief as her skirts swished through the long grass. Her usual route was down along by the river, and she'd already been down by there, but instead had chosen a longer route back to town. 

"Damn you William" She cursed to herself, hands shaky while she dried her eyes, looking out across the grasslands, the town in the distance. 

"You shouldn't be walking alone this early". Came a voice from behind her, and Hadley turned, seeing Steve trotting towards her on a horse. He came to a stop and dismounted, now looking a little concerned at her. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine" She nodded. 

"You've been crying, what's happened?"

Hadley swallowed but now her anger towards her husband had bubbled. "I just...sometimes I need to get away, cry over my stupid dead husband and wonder why the hell I ever deserved to end up here!" She sobbed and then realised what she'd said. "I'm sorry...I...I'm just so used to living a different lifestyle. Here? I feel lonely, even if I have made friends. It just feels like I have nothing and no one". 

Steve felt for her. She'd come from privilege and now the only thing she known for the majority of her life had been taken away from her. "I don't blame you for grief, we've all been through it. Things change from it, people move on even if they don't want to or have no choice but to do just that". 

He gestured to the horse. "C'mon, I'll give you a ride back to town, I need to pick up some flour for my mother anyway". 

Hadley looked at him and then nodded. "Thank you..." 

Helping her onto the horse, he got on and sat behind her, taking the reins and giving the a tug so that the horse could move off. "You lost your father..." Hadley now confirmed, still thinking about grief. 

"Sure did..." 

"How did you get past it?" 

Steve looked out across the prairie. "I didn't...you don't just forget, even if you really want to, but I coped because I needed to take over the ranch and focus on looking after Mom and Johnny". 

"Did you get along?" She now asked. Curiosity getting the better of her. 

Steve nodded. "Most of the time, but i'd be lying outta my ass if I told you that he was a good man and that we were a happy family". 

"Johnny" Hadley confirmed, having been told about him and the situation by Mary. 

"Yeah..." He sighed. When all that happened, that was when I told myself I'd never be like dad, even though up until then I'd wanted to. Father's are supposed to be someone who boys look up to. So after that? I decided to turn to my mother instead, because of what she did that was who I was meant to be admiring and appreciating". 

Hadley smiled weakly to herself. "For her to take him in...it's admirable"

Steve nodded. "She'd never turn anyone away. It was hard for her and I could see that it was, there were fights about it, but never once did I hear her say she wouldn't look after Johnny. She simply got on with it and ignored the gossip, but I could tell sometimes it hurt her what people said". 

"She's a good woman, so much that it makes me feel guilty for the way that I am. You must thing that I'm a spoiled brat". 

He chuckled. "Assumptions may have been made when you first arrived, but just because you're struggling to try and get used to life here? Doesn't make you a bad person. Is Flynn happy?" 

"I'd like to think so". 

"Then that's all that matters". 

By now they were back in town and Steve tried the reins to the latching post outside of the shop, helping Hadley down. "Thank you for the ride back". 

"Anytime" He nodded. "Oh, and if you ever need to let out some anger, grief? I could teach you to use a gun and you can come shoot some bottles? Pretending each one you hit is your husband or something like that?" He smirked. 

Hadley chuckled at this. He was actually trying to make her laugh. 

"Well...if that's how people deal with it down here? Then I would be happy to learn how to do so". She now looked up at him with a genuine smile. 

They both looked at one another for a few moments before he remembered why he had been on his way to town. "Flour". 

"Oh, yes of course. Come on in and I'll get you some" She said and led him into the quiet store. The town was starting to come alive with people beginning their day by this point, so it wouldn't be long before they opened. "There we are, flour" She smiled as he pushed the money towards her. 

"Thank you Miss Hadley. Remember what I said" They heard movement from upstairs and Mary calling down to her. 

"Is that you Hadley!" 

She came out from behind the counter and called back up to her aunt. "Just me! Thought I'd start early!" 

"Alrighty! Flynn's just woke up" 

"Be there in a moment!" 

She turned back to Steve. "Motherly duty calls". 

He nodded. "I'd best get back and see if Johnny's dealt with the horses, or even come home at all for that matter". Tipping his hat to her, he smiled from underneath it. "Have a good day, Hadley". 

"You too, Steve..." 

She watched him go and then made for upstairs to get Flynn dressed and fed, unbeknown to her that Brock Rumlow had been watching the exchange that she and Steve had outside the store from afar. 

It was clear to him that he now had more of a reason for his rivalry with Rogers. 

He would have Hadley Knox, even if it meant a wasting a few bullets in doing so.