Rogers (Steve Rogers AU) 18+

5

Delta 

I don't see Grant the next week, or the next. When I got to drop off the grocery delivery he doesn't come out to stare me down. In fact the whole ranch just feels deserted if it weren't for the animals that are there.

Joanne has the doctor coming round to visit her this morning, packing Stan and Grant's deliveries up last night for me in case she's scolded for exhorting herself. I won't tell if she won't though. I tell her off enough without having the doctor do the same, although it would be amusing to watch.

"I'll take them now so I can be back for the shop's opening time". I say over the phone to her. She's back at her place now, picking and choosing what night she wants to stay with me. Sometimes she's too tired for me to drive her back, so instead I help her to the spare room and she stays there. Last night she felt awake enough to go home and I dropped her off, telling her once again that if she needed me, then to call.

"We can open later, people will understand anyway - I had to do it before..."

"That was before you had me". I tell her adamantly. "Fine, but I'm gonna walk to the store today - no need to pick me up. I could use the air. Docs orders last time". She says.

"Alright, see you when I'm back". I reply and hang up. Loading the bags into the back of the truck and heading for Stan's first. The old man is sitting on his porch with his usual morning paper and coffee, but looks up at me with a beaming smile as I come up the garden path. "Morning old timer". I joke as he laughs at this.

"Always nice to see your pretty face of a morning Delta". He says as he goes to get up.

I don't let him. "You sit your ass down, I'll put this away for you". I've been putting his shopping away ever since his first delivery, feeling obliged. But I enjoy it. He's good company and always tells amusing stories.

Setting the bags on the counter, I put the tins, fruit and veg in the right places and then go back out. "Heard that you had a saviour in the bar a couple of weeks ago". He says and puts down his paper.

I roll my eyes, because Grant's act of supposed 'chivalry' did obviously not go unnoticed, and by the next afternoon was the gossip amongst everyone. I wanted the ground to swallow me up, but instead I laughed it off and just said anyone else would have done the same. I've put his avoidance of me down to that. He's probably annoyed that he had to step in, although he really didn't need to.

"Anyone else would have done the same". I say like I have been. "Anyway, guess I'd better go deliver my 'saviour's' groceries".

Stan chuckles. "He's a good man that Grant, whether you may think it or not. He may not say much or give off that whole cold exterior, but he's still human".

"Has he always been like it?" I question, knowing Stan has lived here his whole life.

He smiles knowingly. "No. But it's not anyone's story to tell other than his".

On that note, I leave him and start my journey to Serenity Creek ranch, the drive so familiar now that I no longer need the navigation system to tell me where to go. The truck jerks around as it goes over the natural bumps of the dirt track until I finally arrive at the ranch.

Getting out, I go and put the groceries on the porch and then make for the truck, the same sense of Grant's eyes watching me. I stop and turn to where he's leaning against the fence next to where the horses are.

Plucking up the courage, I now walk over to him and stop just a couple of paces. "I just wanna say thank you for what you did at the bar..." I swallow my pride because I do think he deserves my thanks.

"Idiot weren't gonna let up. You don't need to thank me". He shrugs it off, still blunt and unapproachable as ever.

"Well, I would've sooner but I haven't seen you. Anyway, same time next week". Giving him the same stiff nod as he gave me that night in the bar. As I go to walk back to the truck again, I hear a cry from the barn and then Sam coming out with a small girl in his arms, sobbing.

Immediately Grant is away from the fence and by them, taking the blonde haired girl with the messy little bunches and soothing her. Sam now telling him she tripped over something on the floor while he was on the phone. "Sarah can't take her today, one of the kids is home with a sick bug and she doesn't wanna risk her getting it". He says, not having noticed me yet.

Holy crap...

Sam looks over at me. "Oh...hey Delta, didn't realise you were here too".

I go over to join them, seeing the little girl now snuggled under Grant's chin, her ocean blue eyes glassy and red from crying. Geez she can only be a good couple of years old but she's beautiful. "Shhh it's alright". He says, rubbing her back gently, before he checks over her grazed knees and turning to Sam. "It's fine. We'll just have to divide it between us for the week."

"Is she ok?" I ask a little concerned for the child in Grant's arms that is clearly his daughter. She's his doppelgänger.

He nods. "She's fine. You should get back to Joanne".

"If you have no one to look after her then I could..." I offer, even though I barely know anything about kids, but I still love them all the same. 

"NO." Comes the stern tone before he then shakes his head and says it a little more nicely. If that's how you want to put it. "Thanks for the offer, but I can manage.".

Sam sighs. "We gotta get these hay bales out and then train that horse this week, then there's that delivery we got..."

Grant shakes his head adamantly. "We can do it".

"Grant..." I now say as he looks round at me again. "Let me watch her. Even if it's just for an hour. I could take her back to the shop or even just sit here with her if you've got your hands tied. Which, by the sounds of it, you do. Look you did me a favour the other night in the bar. Let me repay it".

He stares at me, and then looks to Sam who just shrugs. "I mean, I'd trust her - what have you got to lose?"

"I dunno, perhaps my mind".

I look at the ground. "I get it, you don't trust me. I'm a stranger, but I know that even though I've been here for a short time, people here? They help one another out - so let me just watch your kid for a couple of hours and call it even shall we?" I pause. "I'm assuming she's yours".

He nods and then scrubs his face his his hand, finally giving into my offer. "Alright, fine. But only a couple of hours. I'll get you her things".

"If it's any consolation, she'll be with Joanne too, not just me. But if it's enough to let you guys do what you need to then I don't mind. Call every hour, even every minute if you want - I don't care". I smile at the girl who now looks at me and grins before waving at me, a little brighter now she's had a cuddle. "She's gorgeous, what's her name?"

Grant hesitates for a moment and then looks down at his daughter with a look I've never seen before. At least not from him.

It's adoration.

Maybe this grumpy ass cowboy does have a heart after all. 

"Emmy. Her name's Emmy".