Desperate Affairs

You Have A Deal

Summary: Ransom and Steve reach an understanding

Pairings: Ransom Drysdale X Steve Rogers (Bromance at it's finest)

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Explicit language, mentions of moving a child out of country, mentions of custody, soft Ransom, hiring Mike Weiss, 18+ ONLY

Word Count: 1K

"Are you...I mean, what can you do?" Ransom asks, still flipping through the pitiful amount of photos Steve has. Becoming more pissed that this is all he has of his son, and these photos almost look like she made them bad on purpose, just so he couldn't have a clear one. He understands how lucky he is to have you. Even when you were very much set on being married to Andy, you always sent him photos, videos, and a daily update of Aster.

"I have a lawyer. He's just not great, and not putting it as a priority."

"Mike Weiss..."

"Is way over my budget. I looked into him, and I just can't..."

"Let me pay," Steve shakes his head. "Yes. That's your son, you need to see him. She has to bring him back, and let you be a part of his life."

Steve's eyes fall to the table, watching his fingers draw circles into the dark wood table top, "Not everyone is like her, you know? You're lucky. I don't have rights."

"But you could. I've been there."

"Peggy is in England."

Ransom gets his angry face, gritting his teeth, "Then let me pay for Mike for you."

"No."

"Fine, you pay what you're currently paying, and I'll pay the difference. It's the least I can do. You've been a good friend to me, to her, you went into a battle to help save my family."

"You would have done the same thing."

Puffing out a laugh Ransom tilts his head, "You know I wouldn't."

"You would now. You've changed."

"Then let me do this for you. I want to. You deserve that."

"Why do you want to?"

Ransom finally hands his phone over to Steve, watching the waitress set the plates of food down. Picking up his fork he plays around with his food a bit, "I doubt you remember," he never looks up at Steve, but Steve stares at him. "You were there when the twins were born. I know, because so was I. My cousin Meg was dating Jimmy Dobyne, he was one of her nurses, gave me a call when they were born," a small airy chuckle releases out of his throat, and he takes a quick drink of his water. "I went and seen her, she was asleep, holding onto Frank's hand, he was asleep too."

"How do you know it was Frank?"

"He told us. I went to the hospital to see them. I can't remember how long I just stood there staring at them. It felt like forever, and then not long enough. They were perfect. I watched them thinking I didn't deserve to be a part of their life, I wasn't good enough, because they were these perfect innocent angels, and then this doctor came and stood beside me," Steve is now the one looking at his plate. He remembers standing next to the father who he had been watching with a sadness and complete fondness in his eyes.

"I remember."

"Why?"

"You looked...there was this part of you that was watching them with a deep sadness. I know, because that's how I would watch James. I had such little time with him, and then he was taken from me. I didn't understand, because I knew the twins' parents were married, but there you were watching them like you would never see them again. You were there for almost an hour before I stood beside you, and I was there a few minutes before you even realized. You were mesmerized by them."

"It was me saying hello and goodbye. Now look at me. I see them almost daily. They're amazing, and they look at me the way I looked at them that night. The difference is they know I'll be seeing them the next day," Ransom wipes away the stray tears that fall on his cheeks. "Just let me help you."

"Fine. I'll let you help me if before the new year you tell her how you feel. You can go to bed under the same roof. You can wake up in the middle of the night because she's had a nightmare, and once you calm her down you can go watch those girls, and wake up to their giggles."

"You think she has nightmares?"

"I know she does. Don't wait."

"Okay. Before the new year."

"You're going to wait until New Year's Eve, aren't you?" Ransom actually smiles, giving a quick sniffle. Steve reaches over the table, holding out his hand for Ransom to shake. "You have a deal."

----

Mike shifts through the papers in front of him. Reading through each one separately. He sighs looking up at Ransom, and then over to Steve, "You've done good. Why did she move to England?"

"Done good?"

"You're legitimized, you've been paying child support."

"He's my son, I should be doing all that."

Mike gives him a soft smile, "Well the good thing is that we can make her come back to Massachusetts. If all this hadn't been done, this would be much more difficult. You're even on the birth certificate, and he's got your last name. Why did she leave?"

Steve looks at Ransom and then his lap, "She was engaged. They had broken up, I came in the picture, and then they got back together while she was pregnant. She lied to him about how far along she was, when he was born, made him believe that he could be his, but he wasn't convinced. I was at the hospital that day, and they called me back, that's how I found out about him. He demanded a DNA test before he was put on the birth certificate. Well, he was mine. He left her and pissed off she left."

"You voluntarily paid child support?" he asks eyeing through Steve's neat file he provided.

"He's, my son."

"So, can you help? The holidays are coming up, and he's not got to see his son."

Mike stacks all the papers back up, and smiles up at Steve, "You've made my job much easier. I'll do what I can to get him here for Thanksgiving, most definitely before Christmas."