Goldridge (Steve Rogers AU)

24

"I can't see where I'm going dumbass". Elsa complained as Steve helped her from the truck. He'd blindfolded her so he could surprise her finally with the home he'd not allowed her to see. She'd been grumpy all morning, sometimes having days where she was gone, others that were a little emotional - and then these, where he could only compare her to Satan.

"Just shut up and let me help". He rolled his eyes, knowing that tomorrow would be a different day anyway.
She was slowly beginning to remember more, but still not the day of her accident.

She unfortunately had remembered just how her brother had died and how Steve had come to receive the scar on his left side. Her anger had risen up, gone was the worry and fear of Jack returning. Instead she was cursing him for setting foot back where he didn't belong.

To say her attitude was back was an understatement, but in Steve's book, it meant that the old Elsa was slowly returning.

He steered her towards their new home, knowing that she'd love the log cabin and stone style that was the exterior.

The interior? Well, it was something else.

The great room boasted the large fireplace made from river rock - and was the focal point. Above was a balcony/loft room that overlooked the room itself. He'd had that built so there was somewhere private to read or just to drink and observe. It was large but cosy with rustic touches to make it homely. Steve could picture many Christmases here with Elsa, and perhaps eventually some children if she ever wanted them.

Their bedroom had another fireplace of the same material built so as many winter evenings could be spent probably on the floor in front of it. The bathroom attached had a tub big enough for both of them.

The guest rooms and other bedrooms had been decorated to the same style and standards. He'd put in a new study which was furnished to his tastes rather than in keeping with the rest of the home.

Outside the stone walled porch was the perfect place for him to sit with his morning coffee, and beyond that was an area with seating and a fire pit, looking out towards the mountains.

"Alright...here we are, welcome home baby". He said, taking the blindfold from his wife and seeing her reaction as her gaze fell onto the home that now stood where her former one had.

"Holy shit..." she uttered. "It's...it's beautiful. Is it really ours?"

"Designed it myself". He told her. "You wanna go see that big ass fireplace of yours? Well there's a couple".

She clapped her hands in delight. "Hell yes!"

He put an arm around her and pushed her forward as they walked to it, opening the door to the entrance hall area and then steering her into the great room.

Her jaw dropped. "You built me a bigger fireplace than o thought!

"Sweetheart, I built you two". He smirked. "The others in our bedroom". "C'mon, go exploring, it's ours after all - we can go anywhere we want in here".

Immediately she was exploring the room before moving onto others. Her feet finally took her up to the bedrooms and into theirs.

"Steven, that bed is just as big as the damn fireplace!" She laughed, sitting down before throwing herself back on it. "I am never leaving this bed..."

"You won't be leaving this room if I have my way". He smirked.

"You could have it now?" She smirked as she sat up to look at him.

He grinned. "I could, but apart from this? I got once last thing to show you". Now guiding her downstairs and out of the home.

Elsa frowned. "Where we going?"

"You'll see". He said, leading her away from the ranch itself and along a newly laid track that eventually came to run by the river. "Surprise number two - so where you can come if I ever piss you off or you want some time to relax.

"You built me my river cabin..." she stared at the cabin set by the river through some trees. The track leading up to it so as she could even bring her truck down there or a horse.

She turned to him as he smiled and nodded. "Last minute addition, but even though the house may be big? It's nice to have somewhere separate if you wanted to get away to think".

Walking up the steps onto the porch, she opened the door and walked inside. It was cozy, with a bed, kitchen, and was basically another home. The porch area wrapped around to where there was a little seating area that overlooked the river.

Romantic.

"It's yours. I'll never set foot in here unless you want me to - but this? It's yours to do with what you like". He told her, passing her the keys.

"I love it...the house, this? I've never had anything like this. Well, not as much or as big".

"Now you do. We do. We can finally start fresh, make it our own". Steve told her, putting an arm around her. "Who knows? It could last as long as my family home has".

She smirked at this. "That code for you wanting some babies from me, Rogers?"

"Babies or no babies - I worked my ass off designing that home. I wanna see it last". He laughed.

Elsa shrugged at this. "I mean, you've made it big enough to house a whole army of little Rogers...would be a shame to see it go to waste".

For a moment he was silent, taking in what she had just implied before nodding. "Perhaps we should talk about it at a later date. Have some time to ourselves first and enjoy the peace while it lasts".

"Now that? It sounds just fine to me".