The Soldier and the Spy.

Chapter 28

***Steve***

It has been a year since earth was attacked by the Frost Giants. They retreated as soon as their leader was killed, and we haven't had any more problems with them since. Loki was taken back up to Asgard to be put in prison. Variel and I have been dating the entire time, and I couldn't be happier. She's the perfect girlfriend- well almost. I mean, we all have our disagreements. But we're never angry with each other for a long time, and now I know I want more time with Variel. Sighing, I set out to find Tony and Clint, whose advice I will need at least one more time. I find them in the rec room.

"Hey Capsicle, what's up?"

"I need your help again..."

***Variel***

I sit in Natasha's room, waiting for her to finish getting ready. We are going to the mall to have some 'girl time,' a rarity when you're a superhero in charge of protecting millions of people.

I look at the promise ring on my hand and think about Steve and I. We have a wonderful relationship, granted, with its ups and downs. Natasha comes out and we take a jet off the Helicarrier. We enter the mall, and we go straight for the shoes.

"So, how are you?" Natasha asks me. I look over at her. "You're awful quiet, sis. You haven't spoken two words since we left the Helicarrier."

"I'm just thinking," I say, fiddling with the ring. Her eyes look at my hand, and she smiles.

"You want him to ask you don't you?" My eyes shoot up to her face. She is smiling a soft smile I hardly ever see. I nod.

"I don't want him to hurry, though. I want him to ask me when he means it. I guess I'm just impatient. I know I love him. I would say yes even if he asked me in the filthiest, least romantic place ever."

"Well, to take your mind off things, let's shop!" I laugh as she takes my arm and drags me to a jewelry store. We've been shopping for about an hour when Clint comes up with Steve.

"Hey can I borrow Nat for a minute?" Clint asks with a strange expression on his face. I look over at her and shrug.

"Sure," I answer. He takes her hand and walks around the corner.

Steve steps closer to me and twines his fingers in mine.

"Hey," he says with a shy grin.

"Hey," I reply. "Is something the matter? Clint looked a little worried or...something. What's up?"

"I have...something to ask you," Steve says, and my heart starts beating a mile a minute.

"Go ahead," I answer, trying to contain my growing excitement.

"Do you want anything to eat?" he queries, gesturing to the little ice cream shop just outside the mall doors.

"Sure." My pulse drops back to normal. Slightly disappointed, I follow him into the store.

***Steve***

I curse myself for losing my nerve as we walk into the ice cream shop. After we have two ice cream cones, we stroll towards a nearby woods and I gather my courage once again. After taking a few deep breaths to steady myself, I attempt it again.

"Variel?"

"Yeah?" she replies.

"Back there? Um...that wasn't the question that I really wanted to ask you," I say, adrenaline coursing through my veins.

"What was it? The question you wanted to ask, I mean," she replies.

I swallow nervously and get down on one knee. I take a box out of my pocket and open it, holding it up. "Variel... will you marry me?"

"Oh my goodness! Yes!" she squeals, dropping her ice cream cone and throwing her arms around my neck. "Yes yes yes and yes again!" she exclaims happily.

Six months later

***Variel***

I grin giddily as Natasha helps me into my wedding dress. After all this time, I still can't believe that Steve and I are getting married! My dress has long sleeves made of lace, with a sweetheart neckline in the front and a low scooped back. The fitted top flares slightly to a skirt that is smooth and flowing, and almost resembles a Greek goddess' dress. I have dangly, sparkly earrings, and my veil is white lace attached to a silver comb.

Natasha puts the finishing touches on my makeup, and hands me my bouquet of turquoise and white flowers.

"There. You're all ready," she says fondly, and I notice with surprise that there are tears glistening in the corners of her eyes. "You look beautiful."

"So do you," I say, admiring my sister's lovely figure in the light turquoise bridesmaid gown I chose for her and the other bridesmaids, who are the other Avengers' respective 'lady friends' that I made friends with over the past year and a half.

"Come on. Steve's waiting for you," Natasha says, carefully wiping a tear from the corner of her eye with a tissue.

I follow my sister out to the door of the little chapel that Steve and I decided to hold our wedding in. It is an ancient stone building that looks as if it has seen hundreds of generations of people pass through it. I stand near the door with Bruce, who has agreed to walk me down the aisle. My hands are shaking, and he gives me a comforting hug. The wide wooden doors envelop me like the warm wings of a mother hawk as I walk slowly through the doors to the sound of Pachelbel's Canon in D.

Down at the other end of the aisle, I can see Clint, Tony, and Thor on one side of the altar, and Natasha, Pepper, and Jane on the other. In between them is Steve. He's wearing a light gray tuxedo with a turquoise rose in the lapel, and his face is positively glowing. I concentrate on him, and everything else fades.

***Steve***

The huge doors of the church open and Variel walks in, surrounded by a halo of light like an angel. I can't believe how beautiful she looks, and I suddenly find myself holding back tears of joy.

The ceremony passes by in a blur, as all I can focus on is Variel. Nick Fury finally says, "You may now kiss the bride."

I respond with such enthusiasm that our small audience cheers loudly. I hear Tony wolf whistle, followed by an 'ow' as Pepper reaches across and smacks him on the shoulder. Variel and I walk out the chapel to a rain of white flowers- the perfect end to a perfect day. I look over at Variel, my wife, and smile.

"Well Mrs. Rodgers, the carriage awaits," I say, picking up my wife and sweeping her into a white carriage gilded in silver and pulled by six white horses. We ride off, only looking back to wave goodbye to all our friends. I pull Variel in again, and kiss her soundly.

"Where are we going?" She asks, breathless. I smile.

"To infinity and beyond."

THE END