Captain's Hart

Chapter 19 Sam Wilson

Steve P.O.V.

Steve finished cleaning up as he washed his hands in Sam's bathroom. Arianna was in the living room with Sam, getting to know the man who'd kindly taken them in while she washed his and Nat's outerwear for them. Nat sat in Sam's bedroom, drying her hair casually, but Steve could see she was extremely shaken.

He stepped out of the bathroom, leaning on the doorway as he asked her seriously: "You okay?"

She glanced at him and shrugged it off, muttering: "Yeah."

He examined her and then walked over, sitting before her as he asked concernedly: "What's going on?"

She searched his eyes for a minute, and then she finally said slowly: "When I first joined SHIELD, I thought it was going straight." She averted her eyes as she muttered: "But I guess I just traded in the KGB for HYDRA."

She paused as she played with her hands and she continued slowly: "I thought I knew whose lies I was telling, but...I guess I can't tell the difference anymore." She admitted with a mirthless smile.

"There's a chance you might be in the wrong business" Steve said lightly.

She scoffed as she turned to look at him, and he gave her a tiny smile. She stared at him at length before she said at last: "I owe you."

"It's okay." Steve shrugged, but she wasn't finished.

She asked him seriously: "If it was the other way around, and it was down to me to save your life, and you be honest with me." She added warningly. He just looked at her and she asked him quietly: "Would you trust me to do it?"

He answered her just as seriously: "I would now."

Her face changed, she looked almost shocked at his admittance. Steve cracked a smile as he added, joking half-heartedly: "And I'm always honest."

She examined him as she murmured: "You are, aren't you?"

He shrugged, but paused as she said quietly: "I owe you, so let me give you some advice about Ria. Don't let her push you away. It's not for the reasons you think. And I... I think you can help her as much as she helps you."

Steve frowned as he asked slowly: "Do you always have to talk in riddles?"

Nat smiled faintly at that as she replied: "It's because it's not really my place to tell you. But I want to see her happy... and I want you to be happy, too. You're a good guy, Steve."

He looked at her in surprise, when Sam interrupted as he poked his head in: "I made breakfast. If you guys...eat that sort of thing." He added uncertainly.

Steve almost smiled, particularly when Arianna called from the kitchen: "Oh, they do. Despite how she appears, Nat actually has a soft spot for pancakes."

Sam raised a brow as Nat's brows scrunched. Steve looked at her and he couldn't help himself as he asked bluntly: "Seriously?"

She glared at him and he raised his hands in surrender as Natasha stood up and strode out of the room. Sam glanced at Steve as the blond man stood up, and as Sam was about to leave Steve said quietly: "Hey, man. I just wanted to say thanks. For taking us in."

Sam looked at him in surprise as he replied: "It was no big deal. Besides, from what you and Arianna have told me, it looks like you need all the help you can get."

He sounded a little pensive as he said that, and Steve looked at him questioningly, but Sam shrugged as he nodded to the kitchen.

"Even super soldiers have to eat... don't they?" Sam suggested and Steve nodded.