Tess (A Dark!SteveRogers AU)

Chapter 5

Tess walked out into the kitchen the next morning. She'd barely slept knowing that she now had to share a bed with a man who she hated. Had to be under a man who she hated. Had to now be known by the same name as the man she hated.

Sarah turned from the stove and put some bread and water down on the table, gesturing her to sit.

"Thank you". Tess mumbled quietly, sitting down.

"So you Rumlow's do have manners..."

"We know when to be thankful, and polite, not all of us are animals Mrs Rogers". She stated

Sarah sat down opposite her. "You can call me Sarah. You're a Rogers now". And began to eat, watching as Tess picked at the bread. "Your mama ever show you how to cook a decent meal? Or at least eat one?" Eyeing her new daughter in laws skinny form.

She shook her head. "She died, giving birth to me. Brock practically raised me as our daddy was always our looting or drinking his way into another whores bed".

"Sounds like the thing a Rumlow would do". Steve now appeared from outside. Already looking dirtied from the mornings work.

Tess simply glared at him as he thanked Sarah for his breakfast, putting the empty plate into the sink before heading back to the forge without so much as a good morning to his new wife.

Sarah smiled weakly. "I know how it feels".

"How could you possibly know how I feel?" Tess snapped a little.

"Because I was like you...except I didn't know anything about Joe or this life he had until I'd married him. And I didn't wanna marry him, but my daddy had arranged it and I had no choice. I was doing it for family".

Tess frowned. "You were made to marry?" Wondering whether she'd heard Sarah right.

The older woman nodded. "Sure did, and just look at me now - now I'm not gonna say it's easy, because it's not. You'll hate Steve, that much is true, but you'll soon learn to tolerate one another, and - if possible - love one another".

"I'm sorry, but I can't ever imagine loving him..."

"I said exactly the same as you to my mother-in-law, and she just shrugged and said, 'we'll see'. Needless to say, that I was proved wrong. I learnt to understand Joe, and I learnt to love him".

Tess stared at her plate. "Were you forced to have kids too?"

"Oh no, I thought that perhaps having a child would help matters, and it wasn't long after we married that Steve came along".

"And did it?"

Sarah's smile was weak. "Not entirely, but it allowed us to talk more. Kinda made things a little more stable in some respects. You and Steve need to find that balance, and when you do? You'll know it".

"If I offended you yesterday by how I spoke to you, then I guess I should apologise".

"I was the same. I screamed the whole house down, I cried during our wedding night. I've shed many tears over the years more than you could imagine". Sarah admitted. "I envy you Tess..."

Tess looked a little surprised. "Why?"

"Because you know this life. You're aware of how it works, you live it. When I married Joe, I had no knowledge of just what it entailed. I simply just had to sit back, keep my mouth shut about it and learn as I went along, but you? You'll just need to now say a word about what we do. If you do? Then it's not gonna be good".

"That you threatening me?"

"No, but I'm suggesting that sometimes it's best to say nothing at all". She now pulled up her sleeves and showed her a large scar. "I got this only a week into my marriage, because I threatened to tell people of just what was going on. Needless to say, that I didn't say nothing again. Still haven't to this day".

Tess nodded. "Your family's like mine. I'd never say a thing. Not if it meant that we'd be strung up for it. My brother and I have avoided the noose for this long".

Sarah smiled. "That's what I like about you Tess. You understand. I know that it's not gonna be easy with Steve. You're both stubborn - but I think you'll be refreshing for one another".

"Try telling that to your son".

"Oh I have, and I'll keep on doing so until I get my point across". The older Rogers woman declared and then pointed to her daughter in law's plate. "Now eat up, you look like you ain't seen a good meal in ages".

"Probably coz I don't have time to eat. I make food for my brother, his gang, and barely have time to have any myself as then we're out looting and stuff".

Sarah nodded. "I see, so you can cook - who taught you?"

"My brother only taught me a couple of things. Everything else I had to learn myself. However, our life? My brother raised me into it - shot my first gun when I was just six years old".

"My goodness". Sarah looked at her.

Tess simply nodded, "I can defend myself, I don't need anyone else to do so".

"Now I have no doubt about that, but sometimes you do need others behind you - if you'll let me be one of them".

Tess realised that to have her mother in law as her only ally seemed to be the best move tactically. She understood the situation, more so than Tess had first thought.

They had endured the same in the circumstances of marriage.

Hopefully Tess would be able to endure her new life better than her new mother in law had, and learning to tolerate her husband was something that she knew would prove to be the hardest task of them all.