Chapter 11

By: MysticFantasy

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"You get to come home tomorrow." Natasha mused as she placed a tray on the side table that was loaded with food that was made extra special for Captain America.

"Thank goodness." Steve said happily. "I can't take sitting in bed much longer."

"It'll be over soon." Natasha said as she put the food on a rolling tray and placed it in front of Steve. "Eat up. The faster you recover, the faster you can go home."

"Plus this is the first serving of real food I've had." Steve said and picked up the large sandwich.

"Tony says that he had a new gym installed for you." Natasha said as she sat on the chair next to the bed. "Even made some new energy progecting ones that can't be broken like the sand ones."

"Save him a lot in wall repairs and replacment bags." Steve said with a smirk.

"He knew what he was getting into when he made that gym for you." Natasha said. "He knows how strong you are."

"Maybe that's why he nevers spars with me."

"He does the same with all of us." Natasha said. "I think it's because he knows that we can beat him without breaking a sweat."

"We need to get him to practice with us. Even if it's just boxing." Steve said. "I could help him with it."

"Let's mention it to Pepper. She'll get him to agree to it." Natasha said with a smirk.

"I wouldn't doubt it. Ms. Potts is very...intimidating." Steve admitted before taking a sip of his green tea.

"She is. I would even admit to her being a match for me in intimidation." Natasha said.

"Maybe you can use that on the doctor's to let me go early?" Steve suggested with hopeful eyes.

"Not a chance." Natasha replied. "If you're going to be with me, then I think you already know that asking for favors will only go so far."

"I guess you're right." Steve agreed snapping a chip in half. "I guess if we switched spots, I would make sure you were fully healed before being released."

"I want the same for you." Natasha said. "We can try sneaking each other out of places later."

Steve lightly blushed and bit his lip as he looked down to his lunch. He remember Bucky telling him of times he had to sneak dates out for a night on the town. If he hadn't asked his friend to stop telling the details, he would have heard more than he wanted about his friend's evening.

He figured what it was anyway since Bucky always returned to their little aparment looking so happy and glowing.

Steve was just happy that Bucky could be happy and forget the hard times they lived in, even if it was just for a while.

Maybe now he could be able to have that same happiness. Be able to put his past behind him and look to the future. He was always thinking about the past.

His former life, his amazing friends, the one woman he loved who proved he wasn't invisible...

All of the things that he could never get back but only honor in memory.

Now he has new friends, a new life and a new lady to admire.

The future was complicated and Steve knew that it wasn't going to stop being that way any time soon but maybe he could slowly get use to it with Natasha at his side.