The Lakes (Steve Rogers AU)

6

"Forgetting what Bucky and Sam said, did you enjoy your evening?" Steve asked they walked in the direction that would lead to the trails and ultimatly the road where Nell lived. 

"I did, it was just nice to have conversation and find out a little more about people and this place".

"All good I hope?"

"Oh definitely!" She chuckled. "If it wasn't then I wouldn't have stayed for as long as I did. Plus, the views are stunning". The one from her balcony especially was beautiful, and she'd had to snap some pictures and send them to her friends back in the city. Not that there were many, only Gabs, who was her closest friend and fellow teacher. 

Crisp autumn mornings in Westview Pines were fast becoming her favourite sight...amongst other things. 

Steve smiled. "Sure are, I think that's why we get the amount of tourism that we do, which is good for businesses around here. Most are owned by residents, so they need to get by".

"If you weren't a cop? Would you have had your own business here?" Nell now asked.

He hissed in thought, "good question...maybe. I think even if I wasn't then I would've ended up here somehow. Brooklyn's always home to me, but even I have my limits".

"What would you have done?"

"Probably sold art or something. I've always liked to draw since I was a kid".

Nell nodded as she remembered he'd told her when they'd met on their morning jog. "Oh yeah, I remember you saying, and then there's me who can only draw stick men". She chuckled. "Thankfully the art at school is very much at my level".

"Now I don't believe that - which reminds me, I'm coming in next week to give the kids a talk about road safety and all that - I think your class may be on that list".

"I vaguely recall someone mentioning it, my mind's all over the place currently".

"How are you settling in? With the job and all? It was your first week, wasn't it?" He asked, hoping that she was finding her bearings alright. The last thing that he wanted was for her to feel out of place, even if the people he'd met and spoke about her to him thought otherwise.

Nell nodded. "If you count losing your way around corridors and then forgetting how to get home part of it then I'm doing great".

He laughed at this, now navigating down some steps that lead to the road she lived on. "It's a start, watch your step, it's slippery". He told her before she did exactly what he thought might happen.

Slipped.

On instant he caught her and helped her down. "Damn steps, need to talk to Fury about getting those redone so they're nonslip, you alright?" He asked with some concern. Hopefully she hadn't hurt anything, otherwise he'd be carrying her to the medical centre to see Bruce and Helen. 

"Guess you were right about the trails at night". She laughed lightly in shock. "I'm ok, but I'll probably need to invest in some boots with grip".

"Well, they'll get their use through autumn and winter for sure".

Nell smiled, "thanks, I think if I'd have landed on my butt then that would've been even more embarrassing".

He shrugged it off, "if you saw Sam at last year's Christmas fair you wouldn't feel that way, it was like watching Bambi on ice". Now Steve couldn't help but laugh at the memory of Sam literally sliding through his patrol as they'd worked the fair, ensuring that everything ran smoothly and there was no one there stealing items from the stalls.

"Gotta admit I'm looking forward to that too, as well as the Autumn fair - will you be working that?"

"Always do. Gives me a chance to talk with tourists and the locals. I enjoy it".

Nell liked that. Some people felt like they couldn't trust the cops, however it was things like this that built that with the community even more than it had. She highly doubted there was anyone in Westview Pines that didn't trust their police department.

They now reached Nell's home, the outdoor lights she'd put around the tree and porch lightening it up. "Now that? It's been a long time since this place had life". Steve smiled. 

"It's a beautiful house, honestly I didn't know what to expect when I came here, but even just a room would've been fine". 

"Well, if you need help with anything then let me know - Scott has his hardware store for tools and things if you're wanting to do it yourself". 

Nell made a face. "I don't even know what DIY is, so I may be calling on your services". 

"Anytime, just give me a call". 

It had been a long time since he'd actually given his number to anyone for personal reasons, but now he punched it into her phone as they exchanged numbers and quickly tested them to see if they were right. 

"Thanks, and thank you for walking me back, you really didn't have to go out of your way to do so". 

He shrugged, "Not out of my way at all, and as those steps just proved, it's a little uneven ground". 

"Well, I hope you don't slip when you go back". 

"I'm used to the paths, I'll be ok". He assured her. "Goodnight Nell". 

"Goodnight Steve". 

She watched as he turned and made his way back along the road, disappearing into the darkness, before heading inside. 

Steve cared so much about the people in the community and their welfare, but yet other than Sam or Bucky, there seemed to be no one who looked out for him...