Recovery-Sequel to Burn and America(Captain America FanFic) [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter 8

A/N---

I'M ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!

Freya Taschereau

I wake to the sound of soft breathing, the warmth of a hand linked in my own, and the smell of clean sheets.

I smile slightly, but don't open my eyes. I feel a finger tracing the area just underneath my eyelashes. I don't move, and resist the urge to smile. It moves down, and traces my nose delicately. Just as the finger touches the edge of my lips, I ask, "What are you doing?"

I open my eyes and laugh at Steve's surprised expression as he leans over me. "How long have you been awake?" He asks me, scooting over. I sit up, rubbing my eyes. "Not long. The real question, is how long have we been asleep?"

I realize we were still lying horizontally across the bed when we must have fallen asleep. "Hey, we fell asleep here." I say, pointing. Steve nods, smiling. "I don't remember falling asleep, just waking up beside you." He says softly. I smile again, for what seems like the hundreth time this morning. "Yeah, me too." I agree.

Steve stands, and offers me a hand. I chuckle. "Forever the gentleman." I say, taking his hand and he pulls me onto my feet. "Forever beautiful." He says, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me to his chest.

I giggle and flick a piece of hair that had fallen onto his face away. "Forever charming."

I lean forward, and he moves his lips down to meet mine. I veer away at the last second and kiss him on the cheek. He looks slightly disappointed and I laugh, pulling away from him. "We should get down soon, its already 8." I say, walking away.

"Actually, its 8:03." He says, going to the door. I turn and give him a look. "Same difference." I reply. He gives me a confused look. "How does that even go in the same sentence?" He asks me. "Its an expression." I explain through bursts of laughter,

"Ah," He nods. "Okay, I'll just go.. Change." He says somewhat awkwardly. I smile and wave behind my back as I pick through my clothes. I hear the door softly click closed behind me.

I run into the bathroom, and take a quick shower, the hot water making me feel refreshed and awake. I towel dry my long, dark hair, and change into a pair of dark skinny jeans, and one of Natasha's shirts; a plain orange t-shirt with a picture of an AK 47 on it. Somehow, I'm not surprised.

I walk out of my room and walk into the elevator. I press the button labeled 'dining floor', and lean against the railing, looking up at the ceiling, thinking.

Before I think about anything too deep, the elevator door opens, and reveals everyone sitting around the dining table. I smile and move to walk out of the elevator. As soon as one of my feet cross the threshold of the elevator, I hear a deep voice beside my ear say, "Good bye Ms. Taschereau."

I scream and light my hands with fire, spinning around in surprise. There's no one there. "What the hell!?" I yell, turning back

I hear Tony laugh behind me. "That's just Jarvis Frey. Don't freak out."

"Jarvis?" I ask, turning around to look at my friends. "Is that like the security guard downstairs?" I ask.

"No Ms. Taschereau" The deep voice replies. "I am Just a Rather Very Intelligent System Ms. Taschereau. I keep watch over the tower, I secure the tower and the sensitive information within, and I help Mr. Stark operate the Iron Man suit."

"Jarvis isn't a person Freya." Natasha says.

I go to sit down as they explain everything to me. "Its like Stark's automated butler." Steve says. I nod, and sit down to a plate of bacon and eggs.

"Oh God, real food." I say, grabbing my knife and fork. "Real food is good!" I exclaim through a mouthful of egg.

Everyone laughs, though probably the most noticeable is Thor's booming laughter. He has a whole platefull of poptarts in front of him. "You're going to eat all those poptarts?" I ask him, surprised. He nods, looking proud as he pointed down.

"I have found this to be Midgards' finest sustanance!" He exclaims, biting almost savagely into one.

I nod and smile politely, my eyes wide as he digs into his plate of poptarts. "He really likes poptarts." Clint remarks matter-of-factly from across the table. "Yeah." I say scoffing. "No kidding."

"Hey, is that my shirt?" Natasha asks suddenly, pointing at the shirt I'n wearing. I nod. "Sorry, do you want it back?" I ask. She shakes her head. "No! No, its fine. But you do know you can BUY your own clothes, right?" She asks me.

"With what money?" I ask, scoffing. "The money Shield pays you." Tony says from across the table. I drop my knife and fork in surprise, drawing everyone's attention away from whatever conversations they were holding to look at me.

"I, get, PAID?!" I cry. "We all do." Bruce says. "For, you know, being an Avenger."

My eyes widen in disbelief. "I get paid, and I don't know where my money goes!" I exclaim, throwing my hands in the air. We all break out into laughter, Nat pinching the bridge of her nose, her eyes squeezed shut, Clint with his head thrown back in pure delight. Tony and Bruce are looking at me, laughing, and Pepper's face is buried in her hands, shoulder shaking.

Thor looks confused, but Steve is laughing, his eyes looking at me affectionately. "We'll figure it out." He says, rubbing my shoulder. I finally stop laughing, wiping tears from my eyes. "I hope so." I say. "Because I could really use clothes of my own!"

He smiles but says reassuringly, "You'll look fine either way." I smile, blushing slightly. His hand is still on my shoulder, but I don't mind. I feel a tingle around the place where Steve's pinky finger is brushing against the exposed skin on my shoulder, making me feel ridiculously happy and pulling my stomach into a tight knot.

His eyes, like I said before, are kind and warm blue, and he smells like cologne. I smile shyly. Shyly. I'm not normally shy around Steve. What's different?

Uh, maybe the difference is that you've died since the last time you saw him before last night? I think to myself sarcastically.

"Thanks." I reply, trying to be polite.

He leans in a little closer, and I can smell the maple syrup from his pancakes. Damn it. Why couldn't I have been drinking a caramel macchiatto, or been eating something with vanilla prior to this? Instead, I had to have damn bacon and eggs. Ugh, I wish I was vegetarian right now.

I feel myself leaning in closer to him as I'm contemplating converting to vegetarianism.

"Um, people are eating here!" Tony's sarcastic voice cuts through my thoughts and what could have been a beautiful moment like a hot knife through butter, making me jump in surprise. Steve's reaction is similar to mine, and his hand slips off my shoulder. I instantly miss the warm yet nervous feeling I was having, as it disappears along with the warmth from Steve's hand.

"Tony!" Pepper cries, her eyes wide, slapping him on the back of the head. "Ow!" He exclaims, rubbing the back of his head.

"What was that for?"

"You.. They were trying to have a moment!" She exclaims, pointing at Steve and I. "Ugh!" She exclaims, burying her face in her hands and shaking her head in shame.

I feel my face burning, smiling slightly as I look at them. I glance at Steve out of the corner of my eye and see that he's already looking at me.

I turn to look at him. His cheeks are slightly pink, but he's looking at me with interest. When I turn to look at him, he smiles immediately. A slow smile creeps onto my face as we regard each other carefully.

Suddenly, we both lean forward, my left hand going to cup his left cheek, his hand doing the same on the other side of my face.

Our lips crash into each other in the middle in an impulsive kiss; tasting of maple syrup and buttermilk pancakes.

I pull away gently, and we stare into each others eyes for a few seconds, smiling widely and panting slightly.

I turn and look at Tony's surprised expression. "Ruin that." I retort, then turn to look back at Steve.

As everyone laughs, Steve winks at me before pulling away and returning to his breakfast.