Avengers 1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Caged Wild Fires**

**Some of the characters have been changed a bit by me. Such as Black widow's name is Sharon Carter. I hope you enjoy!**

"It has almost been a year since Steve Rogers was found. Why the hell hasn't he taken any down time yet" yelled Nick Fury. Sharon watched as the leader of S.H.I.E.L.D. passed back in fourth. She regretted telling him about Steve as soon as she saw his reaction. She was assigned to keep an eye on the Avengers, and also to keep watch on Captain America since he was having a hard time adjusting to the 21'st century.

"Sir, I believe he's afraid of what he doesn't understand. Everything he knows is gone, including the people he loved. He's a broken man but refuses to give up his duty" Sharon said. Yeah right! He was just a cry baby who couldn't get over his thick self she thought internally.

Fury turned and looked at her with his good eye. "Your right Carter; you of all people would understand how he feels. You to have lost so much as well" he said. He returned to his desk and sat down with his hands over his face. He looked up at her, and looked deep in thought. She hated when he observed her like that. Like a sick animal that might collapse at any minute. Ever since he showed up at her rehab clinic he's always kind of hovered; watched over her.

"Even though you have had hard times you still came back on top Sharon. Which is why I'm assigning you to show Steve how the world has changed" he said.

Forgetting who she was talking to; Sharon sighed in annoyance. "Come on Fury, I am totally drained and not in the mood to baby sit. I just got back from Liberia, and I haven't had a single moment for myself in months. Plus I just bought an apartment and need to go through all of my shit" She complained.

He glared at her and shook his head. He wondered if she would ever grow up. Sure she was the best agent he's had since her mother, but she lacked the shine of a soldier, and the respect. He hoped that Rogers could teach her some manners. He smiled to himself; now that would be a sight.

"Bring him with then. It'll be good for the both of you. There's nothing wrong with a little team bonding. The fact that you refuse to work with anyone else in my division worries me. You are the agent who is the closet to taking over for me in the future. You have the skills, but you're attitude says otherwise. You're a loner Carter, and I won't have you on my team if you keep it up. Now go, find Steve and get off my base. I don't want to see you for at least a few days" he said going back to his paper work. As far as he was concerned; the conversation was over.

Sharon sighed, saluted, and left his office. She was fuming. How dare he call her a loner. She has all the relationships she could stand. There's Izzie who is practically her sister. Also Jason, her older brother who's away in Afghanistan. Who the hell knows where her younger sister Mara is. The rest of her friends and partners were either dead or missing. Other than the bonds she already has, why in the hell would she want more? The farther people are away from her; the safer they are.

The one time she gets a day off, and she has to spend it babysitting Steve. And what was she supposed to do for him? She could barely talk to any guy from her own time. How was she going to talk to an old fashioned man from the 1940's? What normal sane man would want her? Her life style consisted of spying, and traveling around the world to do Fury's dirty work. Not to mention the only significant relationship she was in was with a man who was sent to take her out. Now those were the good old days. She was pissing Fury off long before she started working for him.

Sharon walked down the halls of the secret military base and wondered how she got here. Ten years ago she was doing her first Jell-O shot, and then puking in the guy's umbrella vase in the hall. Eight years ago she ran away from rehab and joined the Black Widow Corps. Four years ago she was on the run from multiple assassins. Now she was Fury's lap dog and a spy.

She couldn't help but laugh at her dumb luck. She was lucky to be alive; let alone not in jail. A couple of agents passed her in the hall and whistled as she passed them. Sharon stopped in her tracks and turned to face them. She had several colorful remarks but a shimmer caught her attention. An arrow zoomed past her and went between the two agents and stuck to the wall in front of them. The look on their face told her that they might have to change their underwear. They turned and ran with their tails between their legs. Pathetic. She turned to see Hawkeye standing a few feet away with his bow drawn. He was dressed in his usual leather vest and black combat pants. His muscles were screaming for her caress, but she resisted those urges. Sharon's philosophy was to always move forward, and to leave the past in the past. Even if the past was six foot, hotter than hell, and could make a nun break her vows.

"Thanks Clint, but I can take care of myself" she said placing a hand on her hip. He gave her _that_ smile and walked forward slowly. She watched as his strong shoulders swayed when he walked. God he was hot.

"I know that little girl; I just wanted to protect your virtue" he said looking deep into her eyes. He was only a few inches away. Sharon could smell his after shave. It was within licking distance… She could just imagine the feel of his stubble on her tongue.

She snorted, "What virtue. That ship sailed long ago. And since when do you call me little girl? I'm a woman" she said running her finger up and down his broad chest.

He leaned in even closer and whispered in her ear; "Oh trust me baby; I know you're a woman. I was just fucking with your head" he said spilling her ears with his hot breath.

"Did you want to fuck with something else" she panted. What was she doing! She was breaking her own rules! She hasn't seen him for months, and after they split, he got really weird and avoided her.

He smiled, and looked deep into her cold grey eyes. He grabbed her upper arms and pushed her hard against the wall. Oh yes, She knew what was coming. Clint didn't make love; he fucked, and he fucked rough and hard.

He reached into his pouch and pulled out some ties. He tied her wrists together and pulled her arms over his head. He brought his mouth down hard on her lips and penetrated her mouth. Sharon pulled away with his lower lip between her teeth.

"Consider yourself fucked" Clint said between his teeth. Sharon was sure that there was a hint of anger in his words. After all, it was her who ended their relationship.

He grasped the zipper to her black uniform, and nearly ripped the fabric as he exposed her body. Her legs and arms were still safely hidden behind the fabric, but the rest of her was completely open. Clint ran his hand down her chest and between her breasts. She gasped from the millions of tiny electrical currents that were bolting up and down her spine. His hand continued to glide further down until he cupped his palm between her thighs.

He slipped a finger under her panties and leaned in close. His breath was raspy as he whispered in her ear.

"It appears that you're ready for me. I guess I don't have to do too much work" he said suckling her ear lobe and rubbing his stubble across her neck. She moaned deeply and tugged on his hair tightly. Damn him! He knows she can't resist that. He slipped a digit inside her hot core. She gasped and pulled his hair tighter. He slipped a second finger in and bent both fingers and turned them to the right. Oh god, he was right on _that_ spot. Using his third finger, he flicked her throbbing nub once, twice, and a third time. With each flick she dug her nails into the back of his neck. She was on the verge of releasing when he spoke once again.

"You always did finish quickly. Do you like this" he said flicking her nub once again. She nodded mid moan; afraid of the quality of her voice. She caressed his strong shoulder with her chin, and wrapped a leg around his waist in desperation. She could feel the hot bulge in his pants, and the tremors of his pulsing length. Her knees were shaking, and her body was beginning to convulse. She was about to finish when he pulled his fingers out of her cavern. He slammed his fist against the wall; making her jump in shock.

"Well to fucking bad; if you recall _I_ was the one who stood up for you; so you owe me. And what I want is to see you suffer" he said zipping up uniform. He backed away from her and admired his handiwork.

The woman he once loved; was staring at him in disbelief with flushed cheeks. Her knees were bent and shaking and her chest rose with each rapid breath. She was so beautiful, and he wanted her, but he couldn't go through with it. Finally, her fiery temper surfaced.

"You are such an asshole" she hissed breaking the tie strap and straightening herself up. She rearranged her uniform and glared at him. He could tell that she wanted to say something else; he saw it in her eyes. But instead, she turned and walked away; he listened as the clicking of her boots slowly disappeared down the hall. He reached behind and rubbed the soar scratch marks on his neck. He'll enjoy falling asleep to the wondrous ach of the widow's marks. After all, few men have had the pleasure of earning those marks and live. He just happened to be the one to crave them, and he pursued the most poisonous creature he ever came across. Now all that remained was the scars that seemed to burn him from within. Clint bit his lip until he tasted the bittersweet fluid that replaced the sweet taste of Sharon's cherry Chap Stick. He cursed under his breath and left the hall with his pride no longer intact.

Sharon had to force back the tears that were threatening to spill over. Damn that bastard. They were just fooling around; why did he have to say those things. She knew that he was hurting, but why did he have to hurt her? Couldn't he see that she was keeping him safe by keeping her distance? She stopped in her tracks and threw her arms out to the side as if trying to balance on a beam. She was having an internal debate with her emotions. There was no way she was going to cry. Like thousands of times before, she carefully stuffed the painful bastards deep into a jar and tightened the cap as hard as she could. She took a deep breath; feeling loads better, and headed into the girls locker room.

The locker room was buzzing with gossip of past missions and fallen comrades. As she walked through the isles, she smiled and waved to her co-workers whose names she couldn't recall. She spent most of her time off base doing solo missions. But everyone knew her name. At least they knew her code name. Only a select few knew her real name. The name that threatened to blow off the capped jar of her emotions she worked so hard to conceal. When she was in high school, she changed it to avoid those situations.

Even Izzie's forbidden to use _that _name. Those who make the mistake of calling her by her mother's name suffer dire consequences. That was her punishment; inheriting the name that used to belong to her mother. Now it was displayed on a tombstone. A stone that seemed to be stuck in every damn shoe Sharon wore, and no matter how many times she tried to shake it out; it still seemed to stay trapped deep within her soles. And every time she heard that cursed name, the stone cut her, and she could barely walk as the pain jabbed at her with every step.

She sighed and muttered. "I'm fine, I'm fine" over and over. Lately _that_ itch has been following her like a shadow. She knew the relief it brought her, but also she knew the consequences that went with it. It took her down a road she never wanted to go down again.

She opened up her locker and removed her black jump suit. Sharon pulled on her dark blue ripped skinny jeans and a black tank top. She kept her black combat boots on, but loosened the strings on the top. She pushed her nose stud in, and made sure her dog tags were hidden between her breasts. It had her real name on it, and she wanted to make sure it wasn't visible. She attempted to brush out her long curly titian colored hair. Giving up, she pulled it up into a high pony tail. She threw all of her supplies and dirty clothes in a small pack and pulled her arms through the straps. She shut her locker and started walking towards the exit. She stopped in front of a large mirror and took in her appearance.

The girl in front of her stared back with bright grey eyes. Her smooth creamy skin was flushed from the rule breaking acts in the hall, and her hair seemed to turn a darker red the longer she stared. "_Your hair is the color _of blood" is what the kids used to say to her in elementary school. At least until she kicked their asses. Then she became an outcast; something's never change no matter how old you are.

She lifted up her shirt, and felt the small, yet defined muscles on her abdomen. The girl was lean and fit after years of training, and her breasts seemed bigger than they actually were due to her lean build. Sharon pulled her shirt down and looked at the girl with disgust._ Could be her twin_ Sharon thought. She turned away from the jar popping sight and left the locker room.

She was half way to the parking lot when she remembered. She had to bring fucking Steve Rogers with her. Biting her lip, Sharon turned around and went to look for captain jerk face. She checked the cafeteria, knocked on his door, looked in the control room, and even went to the mission debriefing station. Where the fuck was he!

She was about to say screw it when she heard his voice down the hall that led to one of the gyms. She blew a stray Locke of hair from her face and followed his voice down the hall.

He was standing in front of the gym doors talking to Stark. He was in his armor, and from the look of it; he just got back from a fight. Large dents were on his chest, and his mask, which was in his hand, was scratched.

Steve wasn't in uniform, or should she say his normal clothes. The guy pretty much lived, ate, and probably slept in his obscene patriotic colors. Now he wore a tight white shirt with a shield printed on the middle of his shirt. He had tan khaki pants with the bottoms tucked neatly into black combat boots that were tied tightly. I looked down at my loose boots and my clothes and felt a little degraded. Sharon couldn't see a single wrinkle on him. He was clean shaven, and his blonde hair was perfectly pushed up in the front with gel.

He looked even more professional in his Captain America suit. Just watching him was already making her regret the next couple of days. They were like oil and water. Two completely different people. He was positive and a born leader, who followed orders right down to the letter. She was an unpredictable, rule breaking walking disaster that always did the opposite.

He turned to look at her and he rearranged his stern face to allow a small smile. Sharon looked away from him and tapped her foot with annoyance. God, he was already pissing her off. Why did he have to be so perfect! Seriously, he was built like a Calvin Klein model, and was probably around six foot two. Perfect hair, and of course don't forget those sapphire blue eyes. He has every girl drooling after him. But Sharon wasn't following for his Boy Scout charm. He was such a goody goody, and it really pissed her off. Her ideal man was strong, dominant, someone who could put her in her place. She was a strong willed woman, and if she felt she could over power a man it was a total turn off which turned into disrespect for that person. And even though he was a leader, he didn't give off that roughness that Clint so naturally gave off.

Steve waved goodbye to tony and walked over to her. As he inched closer, she had to fight the urge to jump him and pin him. She was so sure she could take him. The smile on his face angered her even more. Sharon could tell that this was already going to be a disaster.

**Captain America POV**

Steve was heading to the gym when he spotted Tony staring at a picture hanging on the wall. It was a picture of Howard Stark, his father. Steve knew him quite well. Even though he's been dead for some time, it felt as if it was yesterday that he had spoken to him. Tony was in his armor, and looked in pretty bad shape. No matter how many times he saw him, the armor still left him awestruck. What we could have used it for in the war. The very same war that still plagued his memory. The war that everyone says we won. Steve still felt like he was in the middle of it; while everyone else moved on. He probably never will be able to leave it behind; not after what he saw.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't escape the past. It enveloped him, burdened him, and most of all, stabbed him through the chest every single damn day. Sleeping was out of the question. Horrific images filled his mind. Some of them were soldiers and victims of the Nazi's wrath. Others were about Peggy. She died, while he lived. After he woke up from the ice, he looked up her file. She died during a raid in one of the base camps in Germany. He wasn't there to protect her, and it ate at him. Every night he saw her die in different ways. He was so enveloped in the past that he didn't even feel Starks hand on his shoulder.

"Hey Cap, you ok?" he asked. Steve nodded and smiled. It was the perfect cloaking device. It's the same smile that allowed him to pass with flying colors on the ptsd test.

"Yeah I guess I was just spacing. What about you; you don't look too good" he asked changing the topic.

"I had a run in with my own weapons that were secretly sold to Afghanistan. But I'm over it, at least I still have time for my date with miss October" he said making a strange animal noise. Steve rolled his eyes. He was just like his father in _that_ regard. Something that Steve could never do. Even after he wasn't held back by his weak body; Steve just didn't know how to talk to women. Peggy was the one exception. Peggy…

"Anyway I'll live. Now I have to figure out what I'm going to do with my company. The bastards keep going behind my back" he said angrily.

"Well good luck with that. I'm on my way to the gym, so I guess I'll see you later" Steve said. "Oh wait cap, do you ah, maybe want to get a drink. I know you can't get drunk, which sucks, but you've been cooped up in here for like 3 months man. I can have Pepper schedule a break. What do ya say" he asked.

"Thanks for the invite, but I'm going to have to take a rain check" he said. He sighed and stared at the floor. "Look Steve, you need to get off this base. You're going to drive yourself insane. The truth is, Fury is concerned about your behavior. I know you old people aren't as spry as us kids, but you need to take initiative. Were all worried about you Cap" he said.

So that was why everyone on the team was asking him to do stuff. "I appreciate that everyone is worried about me, but I'll be fine" he said. He nodded and looked over my shoulder at something. Steve turned to look and saw Sharon Carter.

She was standing with a hand on her hip and tapping her foot. Her face was scrunched up like she ate something bad, and she looked really angry. She was wearing ripped up pants; a black top similar to his white ones, and her boots were untied. Her fiery hair was pulled up in a ponytail and something was gleaming from her nose. She looked like a delinquent rather than a lady. If it wasn't for her female body and her creamy skin and rosy cheeks; he would have thought she was a boy.

She had the most peculiar look on her face when she noticed he was staring at her. She scowled and looked away like a child. Steve patted Stark on the shoulder and walked over to her. She must be waiting to speak to him; why else would she be here? They almost never talked; in fact he had the impression that she avoided him at all costs. Why Fury had her working for shield was a mystery to him. She never listened to orders, and was very disrespectful. When he approached her, she folded her arms. A sign that she didn't feel comfortable around him. Well the same went for him, he didn't like her at all. But being who he was; he had to set an example of what a good soldier and team member should act. Something she clearly was lacking.

"Hi Sharon, do you need something" he said covering up with a smile. The moment he said her name, she flinched and closed her eyes and bit her tongue. When she spoke, she spoke through her teeth as if holding back some unspoken thought. "Yes, but first, call me Carly or Carter. Sharon's my first name and I only allow Fury to call me that" she said coldly.

"Alright then…Carter; what can I do for you" he asked remembering to demonstrate patience. He was already getting annoyed with her. She let her hands fall to her side and scowled at him. "Well we have a mission" she said. "Well what is it" Steve asked crossing his arms. Great, what in the world kind of mission did Fury give them?

"You are coming home with me, and I am going to show you the 21'st century" she said using her hands to quote someone. At least that's what he thought she was doing. He took in what she said, and nodded. He walked past her and down the hall. She called out from behind him.

"Where the hell are you going Rogers" she yelled. Steve stopped and stared at the rude undisciplined girl.

"To talk to Fury" he said. There was no way in hell he was going to spend the next couple of days with her. He would rather inhale mustard gas.

**So that was chapter 1. I revised it, and I'm kind of starting from scratch with this story. Yes I know you probably think Sharon's a slut; she's not. She just has issues. You'll learn more about her past as the story continues, and I promise you won't hate her forever. Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: **

"There's nothing you can say to Fury that's going to change his mind" Sharon said trailing behind Steve. She thought she was a fast walker, but he was putting her to shame. Her clicking boots echoed against the bare walls as she followed a very angry Steve.

"If you get me suspended I'm going to kill you. You hear me Rogers" she said tugging on his elbow. She was aiming for his shoulder; but his height caught her off guard. He stopped in his tracks and looked at her with cold eyes. It caught her off guard and she took a step back. His eyes normally looked so calm and beautiful; but these eyes were telling a different story. She thought for sure he was going to slap her, or cuss at her; but instead his hateful gaze softened and he turned and continued walking. Sharon stood there alone in the hall trying to decide what to do.

She heard the sound of Fury's office door closing. Normally she would have barged in there, but for some reason, her courage just flew out the window. Was she afraid of Steve? No, nobody scared her. She was used to men being rough with her. But then why was his stare still burning her skin? Sharon sat down on the bench outside Fury's door and started counting the tiles on the floor. Damn, she must be nervous; because she only started counting things when she couldn't keep her shit together.

**Captain America POV**

Steve knocked on Fury's door and suddenly felt sick to his stomach. He didn't mean to scare Sharon like that. He was just furious that Fury was treating him like a child. And the worst part is he's doing it behind his back. First the team was going after him because of Fury; but this was the cherry on top of the sundae. He heard the door unlock and he let himself in.

"Captain, I thought you would have left by now; have you spoken to Agent Carter yet?" he asked. Steve took a deep breath and bottled his anger. Fury was his commanding officer after all.

"Yes sir I have; that's why I'm here. I'm afraid I don't agree with this mission sir" he said in a monotone voice. Fury exhaled loudly and opened up a drawer and pulled out a manila folder that had a classified stamp on it. He opened it up and closed it.

"Son, I know things haven't been easy for you" he said. Steve opened his mouth to defend himself when Fury raised a finger.

"I've talked to your psychiatrist Steve. She said you're internalizing everything and you refuse to talk about anything about what's happening now or in the past" Fury said looking him right in the eyes.

"That's not true sir; I participate in every appointment" Steve said. Fury arched his eye brows and shook his head.

"I've heard that one before" he said laughing at some private joke. Steve clasped his hands behind his back feeling awkward.

"How have you been sleeping son" he asked. _Lie _Steve said in his head; but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

"Not well sir. I only sleep an hour or two every couple of days. I guess it's because I slept for 70 years" he joked. There that sounded believable he thought. The truth was that his nightmares were killing him. When he did manage to fall asleep; he would jerk awake covered in sweat. This last week was especially bad. Every night he woke up crying. But he would never tell anyone about that. He was a soldier, and soldiers didn't cry.

But by the look on Fury's face; he didn't look like he bought his fake little charade. He turned the folder so that it faced him and adjusted his eye patch. Steve wondered how he lost his eye…

"So tell me why you don't agree with this mission Captain. I think it seems easy enough" he said. Steve cleared his throat and thought about his words carefully.

"I don't approve of Black Widows methods sir. Quite frankly, we don't get along at all" he said. Fury sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"You didn't give me a choice Steve. You refused to leave the base, and the more you isolate yourself from reality, the harder it will be to recover" he explained.

"I understand that sir, but I can do all of that on my own. Why must I be paired up with _her_" he said with a hint of agitation in his voice.

"Do you know why I paired you with her" Fury asked. "Quite frankly sir, I've been thinking about that all the way down here" he admitted. Fury was a smart man; he never did something for no reason; Steve knew this much about the man.

"You two are a lot alike" he said. Steve couldn't hide the shock that was plastered on his face. He shook his head astounded that he said that. Perhaps he wasn't as smart as Steve originally thought.

"I know what you're thinking; how in the hell is that crazy woman like me" Fury said laughing. He leaned forward and pushed the folder toward Steve. He motioned for him to take it.

He flipped it open; his curiosity peaking.

**Sharon Carter, Age 21**

**Height: 5 7'**

**Hair: dark red**

**Eye color: Grey**

**Race: Caucasian**

**ID: 1768904 (Black Widow, Agent 13)**

The rest of her records were blank, as if someone deleted them. There were also multiple pictures of Sharon. Some of them were Shield profile pictures. The others consisted of snap shots. He flipped through them and was astounded. She looked like a kid in some of these, and in others she was either wounded or incarcerated somewhere. He looked back to Fury in horror.

"I don't understand sir" he said. Fury closed his eyes and nodded.

"Nor do I expect you to. Most of those photos were taken by spy's that were following orders by me. I'm not going to tell you her whole story; but I will say this. That girl has been through more shit than anyone should ever have to face. The only reason she's still alive and out of jail is because I took initiative. Her mother was the first Black Widow, and was the best agent and friend I have ever had. She gave me the honor of being Sharon's god parent. I'm just sorry that I couldn't get to her sooner.

She's made mistakes Steve, but she isn't who you think she is. Like you she puts up a front, but inside it's slowly tearing her apart. These past two years I was fortunate enough to clean up some of the damage, but it's still there. This is a good healing opportunity for the both of you" he said.

"But what can I do for her sir? She doesn't like me at all, and she's so, so difficult. And I highly doubt she wants anything to do with me. I just don't see how this is going to work" Steve said.

"I'm leaving that up to the two of you. Sharon has the street smarts and she's more in tuned with the outside world than myself or any of these over schooled doctors here. You are an authoritative and strong role model; I'm hoping you can whip her into better shape for me. One day I hope to give her my job, but the condition she's in now says otherwise" he said. Steve almost choked.

"You want her to be the director of Shield!" Steve said appalled. "Son, depending on how the next few days go; I'll give you two a real mission together. You haven't seen anything until you work with her. She puts all of my other agents to shame" he said laughing.

"Well I guess I'll give it a shot, but I'm not promising anything" Steve said. "That's all I ask for; now I suggest you get out there. She's not one for patience" he said obviously remembering something in the past.

Steve saluted, and turned to leave when Fury spoke once more.

"Oh son, don't be afraid to speak up. She's probably going to put you through hell at first. She's very independent and likes to do things her own way. Don't let her walk all over you because if you do; it's over" he warned him. Steve nodded and left feeling uneasy once more.

What was he supposed to do? He'd never hit or yell at a girl. And he definitely didn't know how to talk to dames. What had he gotten into?

"And one other thing; keep that conversation between us" he warned. "Of course sir" Steve said.

He grasped the door handle when all of a sudden the door burst open and he was pushed into the wall hard. He peered around the corner and sure enough; there she was.

"Jesus Rogers, what's taking so god damned long? I want to get on the road all ready" she said scowling directly at Fury. She looked around the room but didn't see him anywhere.

"Where the hell did he go" she asked Fury. Nick shook his head and pointed behind the door. Sharon pulled the door open and found Steve plastered to the wall.

"Oh my god, I am so sorry. I didn't see you" she said pulling him close and grabbing his face to make sure she hadn't hurt him.

Her reaction caused Steve to jump a little. Why did she care if she hurt him? He thought she didn't care about anything or him for that matter. She was the most confusing dame he's ever met.

"It's fine. Sorry I made you wait. Are you ready to go now Mrs Carter" he asked politely. She looked at Fury and back at him in confusion. He wasn't mad anymore?

"Um sure; do you have everything?" she asked Steve. "Yes I keep everything I own in a duffel bag, so I'm ready" he said. A duffel bag? Wow he must not have many possessions.

"Alright then, see you in a few days Fury" she said waving goodbye to the director of Shield. "See you later kid" he said as she closed his door.

"Sorry I snapped at you Shar… er Carter" Steve said. She glanced at him and waved off his apology with her hand.

"No big deal; everyone needs to vent once in a while. In your case you have 70 years' worth of venting to catch up on" she laughed punching him in the arm. He smiled for the first time in a long time. It wasn't his fake smile, but a genuine one. He sized up the young dame and remembered what he and Fury discussed. He had judged her before he even got to know her; and there was a lot he didn't know.

They stopped at his room so he could grab his bag and a few other things. Sharon sat on his bed while he got his things together. She couldn't help but notice the bear walls, and lack of items. Everything was neat and orderly, and it made her smile. Wait till he walked into her place. He was in for a rude awakening.

"Don't worry about bath supplies; I have tons of that junk at my place. I just moved into an apartment so I stocked up on all that stuff. But on the way I have to stop and pick up a few things from my parents' house" she said staring at the ground.

"Not a problem" he said sitting down next to her with his bag. She looked up and was met with his dazzling eyes, and her heart beat gave a little lurch. She cleared her throat nervously and stood up.

"Alright lets go; we have a pretty long drive ahead of us" she said yawning. Sharon was dead tired. She was in Liberia for the past two days protecting doctors from terrorists so the sick and injured children could be cared for. All she wanted to do was crash, but her being a Shield agent came with consequences.

"If you're tired, I can drive. I'm still waiting for my license to get renewed, but I think I can handle it" Steve said.

"Ah thanks for the offer, but _no one_ is allowed to drive me" she said. "Why" he asked confused. He was hoping to get behind a vehicle and just let loose with the windows down.

"Um, that's a long and complicated story that I will never discuss with you" she said. "Ok?" he said confused.

They left his room and exited Shields base. For October, it was pretty warm out, and the sun was out. Steve found himself looking at Sharon's long curly hair. The red seemed to gleam with fiery faucets. It was the first time he actually really looked at her. She was very beautiful.

Steve was busy looking at all of the vehicles in the parking lot. He knew nothing about cars, but from what he could see; they were way more advanced than the cars he was accustomed to. He wondered if they invented the flying car yet like Howard's at that future fair.

Finally they came to a halt next to a tiny little red truck that was heavily rusted. It looked nothing like the other trucks in the parking lot. It looked…old.

"You like it? It's a 1955 Chevy. It's almost as old as you" she laughed. Steve was suddenly very curious as to why she would want something this old.

"I think it's great; did you pick this out yourself" he asked. She shook her head and opened the driver's door. Steve tried to open his, but it was locked. He was waiting for her to press the opening thing that dangled on people's keys. He's ridden with agent Coulson and he was told that that's how people opened their car doors now. She reached over and unlocked the door so he could get in. The truck was very low to the ground, and he had to squeeze his way in. Steve thought the truck might give out from his weight.

"A friend of mine sold it to me for real cheap. Maybe I can introduce you two. I think you'd hit it off real nicely" she smiled.

Sharon saw that his knees were pressed up against the dashboard. She reached over and went underneath his legs to pull the lever. He froze when he realized how close she was to him. Suddenly the seat moved back and he had more room now.

"Thanks" he told her. "No problem. Now before we go, I have a few rules. First rule, your seat belt must stay on at all times. I am the DJ on this road trip, and no distractions" she explained. Steve nodded; the rules weren't too bad, and he didn't know what a DJ was anyway.

Sharon puts the key into the ignition and the truck sputtered about three times before it finally started. It began to shake and Steve could see a ton of black smoke coming from the back.

"Is this thing safe" Steve asked. Sharon snorted and glared at him. "How dare you call George a thing, and yes he's safe. I've been through over 300,000 miles with him and he's never so much as complained" she snapped.

"You named your truck" Steve laughed. "Of course I did; everyone knows it's bad luck not to name your car" she said. Steve thought luck had nothing to do with driving, but he didn't want to make her angry.

"The only thing I don't like about George is this really old radio. I can't plug in my iPod, cd's, or tapes" she complained. Steve furrowed his brow; "What's an iPod" he asked.

"I'll show you later. You're already breaking the no distractions rule. If you get me started on music, I'll probably talk the entire way and kill us both" she warned.

Steve decided that perhaps her small attention span better try to pay attention to the road so he zipped his lip.

She opened his window, and the sweet smell of fresh air slowly started to rejuvenate him. Maybe this trip wasn't such a bad idea after all.

**Sharon's POV**

"See anything interesting" she asked him. He was looking out the window, obviously not in a talking mood. But being him, he turned around and gave her a fake smile.

"There's a lot of farmland" he said. "That means were almost at my place. It may look boring but I grew up here. My mom and dad used to be farmers. My dad plowed the land, and my mom raised horses and taught people how to ride" she said before she could stop herself. Why was she talking about her family with him? Maybe it was because she was playing country music. It always relaxed her, and it reminded her of home. Back when there was a home anyway.

"I didn't know you were a farm girl" he laughed. Sharon wanted to say something smart back, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

"I used to wake up early before school and my mother and I would ride the horses. It was my favorite thing to do. My brother would always want to go but it was our thing" she explained. Oh god, she even mentioned her brother. She really needed to shut her trap so she turned the music off

He was looking at her differently now, like he was trying to figure her out. She cleared her throat to avoid the awkwardness and sped up, praying that they were almost there.

**Steve's POV**

Sharon looked very tense and very nervous. He was prepared to reach over and grab the wheel in case she lost control. For someone so strong and independent, he's never seen her act like this. She was sitting as far away as she could. If the door blew open she would probably fly out.

The first few hours of the ride were silent, and he was busy looking out the window. Not that he cared, this wasn't his world. His world was with the woman he loved, but she and the rest of his friends were dead. He never even got the chance to be taught to dance by Peggy.

He let that thought slide, and looked over to see if Sharon looked better. Steve couldn't stop looking at her hair. He's never seen that color red before. It wasn't orange, but dark, blood red. It made her grey eyes pop, and her skin glow. She was very beautiful, but something felt off with her.

Her beautiful eyes had no light, and her lips were a fine straight line. This was a very sad woman, and he wanted to figure her out.

"Were here" she said in an emotionless tone. She pulled into a dirt drive way and parked in front of a very large barn. She turned the car off and stepped out. He got out, stretched, and looked around. There wasn't anything around, except for a few farms across the street.

The big barns paint was peeling, and looked run down. The house however was in good condition.

"I thought you said you raised horses" he asked her. She turned around with a phone in her hand. "That was when my mom was still alive and my dad wasn't a drunk" she said poking at the phones screen.

"What are you doing" he asked her. "Calling someone. It's an iPhone. The screen is touch" she said showing him. Steve watched as she pressed the screen and the numbers appeared on the screen. Amazing.

"Izzie, hey it's me. I just got here, and I should be in New York by tomorrow. Are you free then? Your with Hal, well that's fine because I'm with…a friend. Ok I'll see you in a few days. Can't wait to see you!" she said hanging up. She glanced at him and he could tell she wasn't happy.

"Well come in, I guess we'll find something to do" she said holding the door open for him. Funny, Steve was going to hold the door for her but she beat him to it. Dames are so confusing in this time.


End file.

Avengers, Adventure, Romance