Slow Dancing & Apple Pie

Seven

"Do we know if she had family?" Tony asked.

"Yeah. Us." Steve said, still looking at his feet. You were examining the bruise on his cheek as Thor and Clint started arguing. They had managed to get all six infinity stones. But Nat hadn't made it back from her and Clint's part of the mission. And they were hurting from it. Everyone's grief was so strong it was palpable to you.

Steve rested his forehead against your stomach for a moment before he looked up as Bruce's yelled and threw a bench out over the river. "She's not coming back. We have to make it worth it. We have to."

Steve stood. "We will."

He looked at you, something intense in his eyes before he wrapped his arm around your shoulders and murmured quietly, "Come on honey."

Everyone went separate ways with an agreement to meet in the lab in twenty minutes. Steve led you to the bedroom. You sat on the bed as he moved around the room, changing.

"You're stealth suit?" You asked.

"Mhm." Steve acknowledged while he changed.

Your fingers were twisting in your lap, and you were chewing on your lip. You wanted to say something about your concerns and worries about what was happening. Steve looked over at you, his preoccupation with the next steps of what they were doing fading when he saw the condition you were in.

Walking over to you, he crouched in front of you. "What's wrong princess."

"It's nothing."

He sighed, reaching out and tipping your face up so that you were looking at him. "Something is obviously wrong."

"It's just, what if something happens to you?"

Steve stood, scooping you up and sitting down with you in his lap. "Nothing is going to happen to me."

You rubbed your face against his neck, trying not to sound too whiny when you asked, "But what if?"

He rubbed his hand over your back, leaning his cheek against the top of your head. "Well, if that impossible thing does happen, then the others will take care of you."

Lifting your head, fingers playing with the hair at the nape of his neck, you looked into light blue eyes. "Really?"

"Of course, honey, you're my mate." He kissed your forehead before kissing your lips. There was a soft tone and the AI announced that the others were waiting.

~*~*~*~

You didn't know why you were in the lab with everyone else. But when you suggested you could wait somewhere else while they did what they were doing, Steve dismissed it. Saying he was more comfortable knowing where you were considering what they were trying to do. There was a short argument on who would be using the glove but, in the end, it was decided that it would be Bruce.

"Good to go, yeah?" Tony asked.

"Let's do it." Bruce responded.

Tony nodded, the normal attitude he seemed to wear like one of his suits not in evidence. "Okay, remember, everyone Thanos snapped away five years ago you're just bringing them back to now. Today. Don't change anything from the last five years."

"Got it."

Everyone shifted into ready positions. Steve's eyes met yours from across the room. Clint and Tony had positioned themselves in front of you, and Tony's suit materialized a shield for protection.

"Friday, do me a favor and activate Barn Door Protocall."

The room darkened as walls shut down. Holding your breath, you brought crossed fingers to your mouth and watched with wide eyes as Bruce slipped the glove on and it activated. He was screaming, his fingers snapped, and he collapsed.