Trust Me (Steve Rogers Fanfiction)

Chapter 40

AMERICA'S POV

Once I'm outside, I greedily gulp in all of the fresh air that I can. It's almost calming, but not really. This whole situation is just so frustrating. I don't want to have anything to do with Hydra. But soon I'm staring at the river and lost in memories of my own.

"Ready?" I finished stretching and nodded, shaking my arms out to loosen the muscles before turning to face him. Night has fallen in the training facility: it's just us. No rules, no superiors.

"Yeah, I'm ready."

"Stay on your feet. You're too small to beat me with force. You're fast, but I'm too big of an opponent. You have to keep moving at all times," The soldier reminded me. "Your mind is the only way to win."

"Why are you helping me?" I asked curiously as we began to circle each other.

"Because you need it. And I'll still win, doll."

"I might be young, but you talk like you're old." 

As I expected, he threw the first punch. I didn't like fighting offensively, and that was all he ever did. We made a good team in that way. Opposites. I did as he said and kept my movement constant, hoping to wear him out, but once he overcame me with strength, it was all over. He pinned me to the floor and leaned over, grinning wildly, his long hair brushing my nose.

"Yield?" I struggled, but it was pointless.

"Yeah. Get off of me." He obeyed and offered his metal arm to help me up. I took it gratefully.

"That was better, you know."

"Thanks."

"You still lost, though."

That was years ago. I was younger then. At that age, most teenagers learn who they are. I didn't know who I was. I learned how to fight instead.

Why did I get roped up in all of this, anyway? I took that bullet for Steve and got yanked head-first into the Avengers. But deep down, I know it was more than that. I wanted to make up for the wrong I did. I was tired of being alone. But now, I feel more alone than ever.

I meant what I said about Hydra and SHIELD. They go, or I go. There's no in between for me. I refuse to save something that took away ten years of my life and used me as a puppet with a knife. It's just not happening. I have to take a stand for something.

"You okay?"

I sigh. "What do you think?"

"What I think doesn't matter right now." Steve leans on the rails next to me, not making eye contact. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that too much is happening too fast." I take his hand, but keep my eyes on the water. "Have you ever been surrounded by people but feel completely alone?"

"Yes," He says after a second of hesitation. "When I got out of ice and joined the Avengers, I felt completely out of place. It was rough. I didn't feel like I had anyone who understood me."

"What happened? How did you change that?" I ask, desperate to know the secret.

"I didn't do anything. You just showed up." His grip on my hand tightened a bit as he turned his face towards me, a small smile forming on his lips.

"I love you," I sigh, shaking my head. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For being the first person to trust m," I replied honestly. "And for being the first person I could trust."

"You don't need to thank me. Not for anything."

I bite my lip as other thoughts come to my mind. "We're going to have to fight him again, Steve. It's not going to be pretty."

Out of nowhere, he pulls me in for a rough, passionate kiss. It's unlike any other one he's given me before. More desperate. Very out of character for old-fashioned Steve Rogers. His hands cradle my face, and I shut my eyes, just enjoying the moment. The world stops when I'm with him. I don't have to think about soldiers or guns or the past. It's just me and him.

We break apart after seconds, or maybe years, but we're still close together. "What if we run away?" I breathe, daring to voice that selfish thought. "Let's just run, Steve, let's just go. Wherever we want, whenever we want. Just the two of us."

"Valeria, I'm sorry," he whispers back. My real name in his soft voice is beautiful. Like a song. "But it's no use wishing that."

"I guess not. It doesn't make it any easier, though." And he pulls me close again. We stay like that for a few minutes, lips pressed against each other, bodies close, until someone clears their throat. We both turn to look at Sam with identical clueless expressions.

"Sorry. I think this was probably a bad time."

"I don't see a good one coming up any time soon," I shrug, motioning for him to join us. "What's up?"

"You two know he's gonna be there, right?"

"We know," Steve says, letting out a long sigh.

"Look, whoever he used to be, the guy he is now, I don't think he's the kind you save. He's the kind you stop," Sam says, voice darker than usual. I know he's concerned about us and this mission and himself, but it's not that easy.

Steve glances at the skyline fading in the distance. His thoughts are probably even more conflicted than mine. I knew James Barnes as a soldier. He knew him as a friend. "I don't know if I can do that."

"Well, he might not give you a choice. He doesn't know you."

"I remembered," I tell Sam. "So can he." We've done it before.

"Gear up, it's time." Steve starts walking back towards the building.

"You gonna wear that?" Sam calls to Steve's turned back. He has a point. Casual clothes aren't built for battle. I'm going to have to find something, considering the suit Tony and I designed is in my apartment in Washington.

"No. If you're gonna fight a war, you gotta wear a uniform."

I roll my eyes and tail after him. If he's going to be dramatic and go back for his suit, so will I.

New chapter! Comment and vote, love you all! I hope you're enjoying reading these as much as I do writing them.