Then let it

By: MysticFantasy

.

.

Disclaimer: (I own no part of this movie or the characters in it.)

.

.

Chapter 1

.

.

With a small grunt, Steve jumped toward a railing. He grabbed it and effortlessly swung himself through the air. He let go and flew toward the center of the room where he used his shield to disarm a gunman who had managed to get a solid two rounds before being slammed with the shield.

Steve felt a small sting in his shoulder and side but continued pushing forward. He looked up when he heard tires screeching.

The three remaining men had jumped into their getaway van and were about to get away.

Thinking quickly, Steve threw his shield with all his strength. He watched as the disc shield flew by the van and cut straight through a wire cable that instantly released the load it was holding.

The two ton sized crate fell and landed with great force on the ground. The van containing the three men trying to escape skidded and turned sharply in an attempt to avoid the sudden road block but didn't make it.

Steve watched as the van crashed into the crate. The men and stolen items spilling out from the sides and back doors.

He sighed as he walked over to where his shield and pulled it out from where it was jammed into the wall.

Another mission accomplished. he thought without emotion as he slowly made his way toward the doors of the warehouse.

.

l~*~*~*~*~*l~*~*~*~*~*l~*~*~*~*~*l

l~*~*~*~*~*l~*~*~*~*~*l~*~*~*~*~*l

.

Steve lightly groaned as he shut the door to his apartment. Upon returning to the helicarrier, he discovered that he'd been shot twice but it was nothing serious. At least, not to a super soldier.

The super soldier.

Locking the two door locks and the extra deadbolt he'd added when he first moved in, he sighed and stood still against the door for a moment.

His enhanced hearing picked up only silence. No one else was in the apartment.

No girlfriend or wife to kiss and greet him, no children to run up and hug their father...No one.

He was alone. Always alone.

No family, no friends...no one.

Figuring he could use a little time to relax, Steve went to the small bathroom and began to fill the tub with hot water. The steam from the water began to collect in the room as he undressed and removed the bandages that had been placed over his wounds.

Turning the water off, Steve eased himself into the tub. He allowed the heat to seep into his body, relaxing his tense muscles and allowing him to push his thoughts to the back of his mind for the moment.

Holding his breath, he sank under the waters surface and remained there for a few seconds. He had been fond of water since he was young but because of his poor health he never got to enjoy it much.

Luckily he had learned how to swim but going to beaches was out of the question. He'd been too embarrassed to walk around as a skinny little stick figure and he was sure that the waves would have easily dragged him out to sea.

Sitting up, Steve took in a fresh breath of air and pushed his hair from his face. Sitting back along the rim, he suddenly heard something.

A knocking. Someone knocking on his front door.

Knowing who it might be, Steve stayed where he was and didn't attempt to get out of the tub.

"Steve!"

Tony. Steve thought but remained motionless.

"Cap! Open up. I know how to pick locks." the inventor declared.

Not the ones I have. Steve thought and heard small scratches coming from the living room. He had no doubt that Tony would try to pick the locks on his door but he was sure that Tony wouldn't know how to expertly pick a deadbolt lock.

Out of the team, he knew that Natasha and Clint could do such a task in under ten seconds at the most. But Tony needed technology to do things, know things. Doing something like picking locks was something that Steve believed was not a skill used often by Tony Stark.

"Ok. You win. This time." Tony called. "But I am going back to the tower and I am bringing Barton and Natasha. You know very well that they could get these locks open. When we come back and we get in there, we want to see if you're ok. We heard what happened during the raid and we want to make sure that you're alright. Ok? I'll be back and I'll bring you food."

Steve admitted that the thought of a hot meal was tempting to get out of the tub and let Tony in but he didn't move an inch and soon heard faint foot steps leaving.

The soldier knew that Tony would make good on his promise and decided that he'd been in the tub long enough.

Draining the water, drying off and getting a first aid kit, Steve wondered why Tony was bothering to pretend to care about him.

He knew that Tony hates his guts because he blames him for his father never paying attention to him as a child. So it confused Steve to know that Tony was here in the first place and was trying to get into his apartment while claiming that he and the others were concerned about his well being.

Dressing his wounds, Steve looked at his apartment and decided that it was good enough for company. Not that he was worried about what Tony, Clint and Natasha thought about his living habitats.

Once his wounds were bandaged and he had a shirt on, he moved to the small kitchen and began making a simple meal.

Tony claimed he would bring food but Steve was sure it would be that awful shwarma stuff. A steak would be so much better.

Luckily, it didn't take long for him to fix his meal and sit at the table to start eating. Just as he was about half way through his steak, his front door suddenly flew open.

He looked up and swallowed his food as Clint and Natasha walked in with Tony right behind them holding a large bag in his hands.

"Hey, I said I was going to bring food." Tony said as he shut the door with his foot.

"Never asked you to." Steve replied after wiping his mouth. "Didn't ask for a break in either."

"Well, you're welcome for us checking up on you." Tony said as he placed the bag on the table.

"Steve, we came to see if you were ok." Natasha said. "We heard what happened during the raid. You got shot? Twice?"

"You heard right." Steve answered. "But I'm fine and I'm trying to enjoy a quiet evening while I can."

"What's up, Cap?" Clint asked. "You alright? Mentally?"

"What does it matter to you three?" Steve asked standing from his seat. "I didn't ask for any of you to come babysit me or be my nurse maid. Now if you don't mind, I would like to be alone."

The three stared at the captain with a look of uncertainty but complied. They left the apartment quietly and left Steve alone.

"Concerned." Steve muttered as he grabbed the bag from the table. "Yeah, right."

.

l~*~*~*~*~*l~*~*~*~*~*l~*~*~*~*~*l

l~*~*~*~*~*l~*~*~*~*~*l~*~*~*~*~*l

.

"Something's wrong with him." Natasha said as they came to the parked car.

"Obviously. But he's not going to talk about it." Clint said.

"Think he believes that we're worried about him?" Tony asked standing by the driver's door.

Clint turned, stuck his arms out and caught a bag that seemed to drop out of nowhere. He turned around and the two saw that it was the bag of food they had brought for Steve to eat.

"I believe he thinks we're full of it." the archer answered.