Petrifying

Chapter 2 [Fashionably Late]

Steve was not one for parties, he never was, not even in the forties. The other avengers would try to create small talk with him, Natasha always on the move trying to set him up with the most random girl she could find. It was a pattern from the Russian spy- she wanted to play matchmaker, but for some reason, only for the captain.

Tonight she only used her words however, there was no actual engagement between her and the possible matches for her dear caption. Natasha seemed secluded tonight-overly secretive.

Other than Romanoff though, nobody really paid attention to the guy. He was a broken record playing on repeat, mind constantly switching between what his life used to be and Adina.

He wondered where she was, if she was okay. There was no way to find her and Steve knew that. If she wanted to be found, she would be. However, the only way for him to see her again was if she came looking for him.

At the bar of Stark's tower, Steve let out a long breath and flipped the top to an aluminum can in his fingers. It was the one Adina had left with him just before she launched the missile into the Chitari , right before they lost her. The story behind it was unclear, but whatever it was- it was important to her.

So, she left it with him.

That, and the watch.

The people around him eventually got overwhelming. So, wanting some air, the captain left the room catching the attention of both the spider and the hawk. The two looked at one another from across the room and gave off a smile.

Steve reached the balcony and closed the sliding glass door behind him quickly. The sound from the party was drowned out right away, and that gave Steve the privacy that he needed.

Painfully, he leaned against the railing and looked down at the city beneath him.

Everything changed since he was gone. Everything.

The only thing that gave him a sense of what he used to be was Adina, but she came and left as she pleased. It had to be nice, being able to escape everything like she did.

With the tab in his fingers, Steve squeezed it tight and stared blankly. Wherever she was, he prayed that she was safe, and he prayed that she could come back soon.

"Well don't you look like shit." The smooth voice suddenly called out behind him. It instantly made him jump, look upwards and behind him with curiosity, and his eyes grew wide as soon as he was able to verify who it was. "Not sleeping much, are we Cap?"

Adina was above him, sitting on the roof of the stark tower with her legs dangling over the side. Her blue eyes pierced into him just like they had done before, but instead of running cold like he had done the first time he saw them, his heart completely ignited. "Addie?" He breathed stepping towards her.

As soon as he was close enough, she jumped down letting him grab her just before her feet made contact. Softly, he set her onto her feet and gripped her sides tightly. She chuckled at this, feeling how tightly he gripped her. It was like he couldn't believe she was real, like he wouldn't believe she was real. "It's good to see you too Steve."

Hearing her voice so close now, Steve's shocked expression caved. The man quickly had her into his chest and was releasing a hard breath against her hair. "What are you doing here, when did you-"

"Nat and Clint came and got me." She muttered as they separated. "Said you guys were a little out of your league on this one?"

"I wouldn't say that." Steve stifled with another smile. "Just a little unprepared on the first go around. Don't think it will happen again."

"Well, I'm here to make sure that it doesn't."

"Whoa!" Tony's voice suddenly broke their moment. In his hand was a drink, but the other one extended out to her as he yelled again. "Party's here! Look at you!" As uncomfortable as it was, Adina embraced his hug and smiled. "Back from the dead. Wow..."

"It's good to see you too stark." She smiled.

"I didn't know you were coming, who invited you?"

"I don't need an invitation. You should know that by now."

The billionaire shrugged. "Yeah, I suppose so. Well look, the team is heading upstairs, parties dying, I suggest you two make a move to the stairs. Thor said something about party tricks, I don't think you want to miss it."

Steve chuckled as well. "Alright, we'll be up in a second."

"Okay. Finish your moment." He nodded then went back towards the door. "We'll all be waiting."

Being alone again, Adina and Steve chuckled at Tony before turning back towards the city. "It's different" she started catching Steve's undivided attention. "The feeling of the city. Before it was always so lively. I could feel everything, everyone, but now- they all feel so guarded." Sighing, Adina leaned against the railing. "Like they don't think we can protect them anymore."

"They have every right to." Steve nodded. "In a way- we didn't do our job." Adina was curious. "We're the ones that are supposed to see these things. Not them. Our job is to shelter them from what we face, not bring it to their front door step."

"Sometimes that's what they need though. These people, they can't be sheltered from what's really out there. Because one day, it'll wake them up, and we won't be around for it. They have to be able to do things on their own, they can't rely on us forever." Then, she stepped away from the railing. "They'll just be disappointed."

Her body went back towards the door stark had just entered. "Come on soldier. We're already fashionably late."