New Avenger (A Steve Rogers love story)

What Is Going On?

We went to Steve's apartment building after the museum, Peggy, Sam and dinner. It was late and we were tired.

The air was misty from fresh rain, the streets filled with puddles. I inhaled deeply. The air still smelled of rain. I loved it. The night sky was covered by rain clouds still drifting apart. The street lights were on, lighting up the sidewalk and road.

Steve parked his motorcycle and turned it off. We got off and headed inside.

Steve's neighbor, Kate, stepped out of her apartment, a laundry basket in one arm, her phone in between her shoulder and ear as she used her free arm to pull her door shut.

"Hi." Kate whispered as we passed her to Steve's door, smiling and waving. "I got to go, though. Okay. Bye."

Steve turned toward his neighbor. "My aunt, she's kind of an insomniac." She tossed her phone into the laundry basket. "Yeah."

"Hey, if you want..." Steve began. I rolled my eyes and leaned against the doorframe. "If you want, you're welcome to use my machine. Might be cheaper than the one in the basement." Steve smiled.

"Oh, yeah? What's it cost?"

"A cup of coffee?"

She laughed and looked down, pressing her lips together. "Thank you, but I already have a load in downstairs, and you really don't want my scrubs in your machine. I just finished a rotation in the infectious disease ward, so..."

"Well, I'll keep my distance." Steve replied.

"Hopefully, not too far." Kate said as she turned toward the stairs.

My ears pricked up as I noticed 40's music coming from Steve's apartment. My hair and eyes began to change to a dark red and I quickly pulled my hood over my head, hiding my abnormal hair from Kate.

Steve fumbled with his keys, clearly disappointed that Kate had turned him down. He couldn't hear the music coming from inside, but I could.

Kate turned toward us again. "Oh, and I think you left your stereo on." She pointed at Steve's door.

"Oh. Right. Thank you." Steve replied.

"Yeah." She smiled and walked down the stairs.

As soon as she was out of sight, Steve turned his ear toward the door. "Someone's in there." I whispered. Steve nodded.

Steve and I went back outside the building and climbed up to one of his windows. We crawled through and quietly made our way toward the music. The whole apartment was dark, the only light coming from the street lamps through the windows. Steve picked up his shield and put it on his arm. I didn't have any of my weapons. All of them were in with the rest of my stuff in Steve's room. But I did have my superhuman abilities. I stretched my hands, readying them for a fight.

I stayed behind Steve as we got to the corner. Steve poked his head around the corner to see who or what it was. He relaxed and leaned against the wall, then turned to me. "It's just Nick." Steve whispered.

I nodded and relaxed my hands, putting them down by my sides. I walked out from behind Steve and stood with my legs spread, my arms folded in front of my chest. Fury was laying back in a chair in the dark corner of the room, next to Steve's old-fashioned record player.

"I don't remember giving you a key." Steve said.

Nick grunted as he sat up. "You really think I'd need one?" He leaned forward, holding his arm. " My wife kicked me out."

"I didn't know you were married." Steve replied.

I stood there, observing. I didn't really need to say much to gather information. As I observed, I noticed that Nick wasn't acting like his usual self. I could sense that he was in pain, that something serious had happened.