《 It's Been A While 》Steve Rogers X Reader

~ Chapter 3 ~

Alright. Everything is set. My check list is completed. The location is secured. It should all be fine. God, this is nerve wracking. I dailed Agent Hill's number.

"Agent Hill speakin--"

"I'm losing my absolute mind, right now." I pace around my office, Hill walking me through my whole plan.

Rogers is to be thawed out and get his vitals checked and stabilized. Then placed in the hospital room set up on the ground.. the ground floor?

"Yes, remember? We aren't able to carry him up the stairs or fit in the elevator with the equipment to keep him stable until he wakes up on his own," Hill reassures me.

"Right. Right. Okay." Placed in the hospital room set up on the ground floor, and to be decorated with items from the 1990's; not exactly his time period but a slight shift to get him accustomed to the changes. And a S.H.E.I.L.D. nurse on stand by in the room to break the news, calmly.

I rubbed my temples and let out a long sigh. Everything was in place, everything was going to be fine.

But my gut says otherwise..

"Hey, y/n," Hill's concern on the other line snaps me back to reality. "You good? If not, you'd better say something now..."

I take a minute to catch my breath.

Rule #8 Don't show insecurities, doubt, or worries.

"I'm good. Help direct everything on the front while I watch from my office. Report back to me and Fury afterwards."

"Atta girl." Hill hangs up and I log onto the S.H.E.I.L.D. computer, pulling up the live feed of the hospital room. Everything was in the right place, the flowers in the pot are the wrong color though.

I reverted to my old habit of biting my nails and started chewing on the cartalige while staring at the screen. Any moment now...

Any moment....

Hmm..

How long do they need? Wait-

I zoom in on the door. The angle is weird, but I can see the handle jiggling. The door is opened and on a strecher, with several tubes protruding from him, is Captain Rogers. I watch as they carefully move him onto the hospital bed, flinching whenever they lose their grip.

"Careful..."

When he is set in place, they make sure he is stable, unhook him from the tubes and machines, and leave him to awaken on his own. I lean back in my chair and let out a sigh of relief. I look at the clock. In a few minutes, Hill will know on my door saying that all was a success and that he's due to wake up calmly, confused, but calmly. I close my eyes and wait.

A few minutes go by. No one knocks.

A few more minutes pass. Still no one.

...

"Sh--" I look at the camera footage and see the hospital bed sheets ruffled and to door flung wide open. I turn in my chair as Hill busts through my door, panting. We exchange the look and book it out of my office.

"Do you know where?" I ask as we moved across hallways and staircases.

"No, but--" Hill's  phone interrupted her. She showed me the contact as she answered it. Fury. She listens to what he has to say and stops in her tracks. I swivel my head around.

"What? Come on!"

"Fury has him." I look at her, puzzled and out of breath.

"What?" Hill began to walk and a followed her.

"Captain Rogers saw through the set up hospital and ran outside if the complex into traffic. Fury was already waiting for him."

"Wait wait. So he knew my approach wouldn't work?" Hill shrugged as we turned the hall to an empty meeting room.

"He had his suspicions. He wants us to meet here after he explains everything to and brings the Captain back." I sit in the chair and brush the loose curls out of my face. My plan failed. Frick.

"You okay?" Hill asks as I wipe off the spots on my glasses lenses. I chuckled.

"I'm good, I had a gut feeling that something wouldn't follow the layout. Should've listened to it."

Rule #10 Your gut is right 85% of the time. Listen to it.

Hill laughed and sat to my right, opposite to the door. "And now, y/n, we wait."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It takes about 45 minutes for the boys to show up to the room. Fury knocks on the door, a signal for me to straighten up a bit more before they come in. It was time to see the man who saved my granddad. Just stick to your rules and you'll be fine.

Fury opens the door, making way for the Captain to enter. As he does, he briefly looks around taking in his surroundings. As do I, studying his features. His once blue, icy skin has returned to a rosy peach. His bed head messily finger combed and thrown over his baby blues. 

His eyes met ours and he flashes a sincere smile. Immediately I return his smile with a shy grin, bending the rule of intimidation slightly. Fury and him sit down at the table and begins explaining the situation.

"Captain Rogers here has been filled in on what happened to him. I've informed him about how things ended so everything is wrapped up." Captain Rogers listens intently and respectfully to what Fury has to say.

"However, a lot of things have changed since the 1940s. There's a lot of new things you need to grow accustomed and used to doing and seeing. In order for that to be done in a timely and orderly manner, I have tasked one of my most responsible Agents to look after you until you're ready to flee the nest."

Fury motions his hands towards me, signaling my introduction.

"Agent Y/n Jay," I say extending my hand. He smiles and shakes it.

"Steve Rogers." He has a firm grip and rough hands.

"You'll be under my care until we get you properly situated, okay?" I speak in a soft tone. He smiles and nods.

"Thank you for taking me under your care. And, sorry for any trouble I've caused you." Look up and our eyes meet. "I was told you set up the room and I feel bad about just bolting out of there, heh."

"Yeah, well. Don't go running into oncoming traffic next time," I chuckle.

"Heh, yeah. My apologies."

"Took all these precautions to ease your return and you decide to dive right in." I let go of his hand, give him an amused smile, and sit back down.

I'll need extra vacation days for all that wasted prep time..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Preview~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Well, Captain Rogers--"

"Oh please, you can call me Steve. No need for formalities."

"Okay then, Steve. I have some things I'd like us to go over together."

"Lead the way Agent Jay."

"Oh please, call me Y/n."

I earn a few chuckles with that one.

♡