Hi, everyone, I'm here with my first ever Avengers or rather Captain America fic. So, after watching CA: TWS I very much liked how they handled Steve and Natasha's relationship. In this story I will focus on the connection between them and as they have quite a bit in common we can never know where they might end up. :) This piece is now declared a one-shot as long as you guys don't decide that I should make something bigger out of it. I have a few ideas so I'd be glad to write a multi-chapter story but only if you guys want it too.

The story takes place a couple months after CA:TWS. Hope you'll enjoy!

Nothing lasts forever.

This was what Steve Rogers had come to realize since he had woken up after having been frozen in ice for almost seventy years. Waking up he had to acknowledge that time had passed him by. Life had passed him by. He didn't recognize the world around him anymore. The places and people he had once known had all been gone with the years and he felt all alone, lost in a world he didn't belong. He was living in an unfamiliar environment with too few things he could relate to.

There were of course people around who helped him adjust to the modern world. They did a pretty good job considering that after a couple years he had been able to find a place for himself in the twenty-first century. He had managed to catch up with technology, which made up a huge part of the world he had been dropped into; he had learned modern social customs even though he didn't quite approve of all of them; and of course, fighting alongside the Avengers, Steve could do the one thing that he had been trained for, the one thing he was meant to do: serve his country.

Still, standing before the black coffin of his only love, Steve couldn't help but question the reason why he had been given a second chance at life. It wasn't fair. Margaret Carter had dedicated her whole life fighting for what she thought was right. But not with a gun out on the battlefield as a soldier. Even out of the line of fire, Steve felt like she had done a lot more than he had or he ever could do for that matter. She was one of the main reasons SHIELD had existed. She was the one who had given him strength to get up when he felt down, the one who made him feel worthy. Peggy had done so many great things for the world and yet he was the one standing in the cemetery, watching as she left the Earth on her final journey to a better place.

The black suit Steve was wearing felt uncomfortably restrictive against his body. The warmth of the autumn sun was suffocating making it difficult to breathe, but he ignored the urge to loosen his tie and stood still, giving Peggy the respect she deserved. It was a late September day and the air was hot and thick, something that wasn't usual that time of the year in Great-Britain. Although Peggy had achieved the most under the American flag, abiding by her family's wish, they had decided to rest her in British soil.

The priest finished his speech and Steve realized that he hadn't been paying attention. He was overwhelmed by memories of the times Peggy and he had spent together and that was something he couldn't, he didn't want to break away from. They hadn't had the chance to be together as much as they had both wanted and that made those few occasions especially precious. He felt ashamed for not listening, but honestly there was nothing that he didn't already know about Peggy's life. A couple of people closest to Peggy stood to say a few kind words, but he just stood there like a statue. He was afraid that if he were to speak he wouldn't be able to contain his emotions no matter how strong he thought he was.

Steve saw someone in his periphery stand next to him and a moment later he felt Natasha's hand slide into his. She was the one Steve knew, beside Fury and Agents Coulson and Hill from SHIELD, to attend the funeral. After SHIELD had been dissembled, only some of the higher level agents had been invited. They had to keep it below the radar so whatever remnants of Hydra were left wouldn't have the chance to locate the proceeding. Of those few to have been informed, even fewer made it. Clint Barton was on a mission to find remaining members of Hydra overseas, Bruce Banner didn't consider himself a permanent member of the Avengers, Thor wasn't even expected to show up as it was known that he had more important issues to deal with in Asgard, and Tony Stark just hadn't admired the whole idea of SHIELD enough to attend the funeral of one of the founders of the agency. Steve looked at the other Avengers more like partners than friends, so their absence didn't hurt him much. He was more thankful to those who showed up.

Natasha didn't need to look at Steve or talk to him to know what he was going through, but she wanted to make sure he knew she was there for him. During the last couple of months they had worked together Natasha and Steve had become intimate friends, something that she treasured very much. She had a tough time when it came to trusting people. Steve, though, saw something in her even she wasn't sure was there, and that faith toward her meant too much to just let go. She wanted to prove Steve that she was worthy of his trust.

Natasha wasn't sure how long they had been standing there, but by the time she had decided to leave Steve alone with his thoughts, everyone else had already gone. She slowly took her hand from his and turned to go, but not before stopping to catch a glimpse of the man's face. She shouldn't have done so. Steve didn't move, but Natasha recognized the pure sorrow and hopelessness that reflected in his eyes. It was heartbreaking to see. She wished there was something she could do to help him cope with his loss, something to help him carry the burden, but she knew there wasn't. What Steve felt was so complex that she struggled to comprehend the full depth of his anguish. Natasha laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder, then walked away leaving a broken man behind with his grief.

The weakening rays of the sun had already started their descent toward the horizon, but Steve still stood in the empty cemetery unable to leave Peggy behind. A hundred feelings were whirling through his mind, a mixture of sorrow, anger, love and a few he couldn't clearly define. A chilly wind gently stroked his face and he shivered. Steve gathered his strength and walked to the coffin in front of him, moving slowly under the burden of his heavy heart. He pictured Peggy's face under the smooth black wood, not the face that had aged throughout the years, but the beautiful face of a gorgeous and gracious woman telling him to meet up with her for a dance. He carefully placed the rose he had been holding on top of the coffin along with the other flowers. A single tear slipped down his face and fell at his feet. The ground swallowed it immediately, leaving no sign it had ever existed. Steve let out a deep sigh he had been holding back since he had arrived, but it didn't make leaving any less painful. He supposed it wasn't going to be any easier for a while.

"Goodbye, Peggy." The words came out faint and choked as they carried a painful finality.

Steve's eyes lingered on the deep crimson of the rose for another moment, then he turned and left the cemetery knowing that a piece of his heart would always remain buried there.

Steve couldn't go to sleep that night. In the dimly lit hotel room, by the single bedside lamp, he sat on the couch, listening to the silence that enveloped him. He still wore his suit, only his jacket and tie were carelessly thrown on the bed next to his suitcase. The room was still, the only movement coming from the slightly fluttering curtains in front of the open windows. There was something in the delicate, rippling motion that helped Steve relax, and with so many things on his mind he could definitely use that.

As much as he tried, his thoughts kept going back to Peggy and his life in the 1940s. It seemed like it was only yesterday that he had applied to the army and been rejected for his ineligible physical attributes and health issues. He wondered whether he should have just gone home afterwards and never lingered, giving Dr. Erskine a chance to recruit him for the super soldier project. Maybe that way he could have lived a normal life. He wouldn't have had to watch Bucky fall from the train. He wouldn't have had to mourn his best friend's death for so long merely to find out that he hadn't died that day, but had been found by Hydra and programmed to kill for a cause he had fought against his whole life. But just as rapidly as the idea had entered Steve's mind, he pushed it aside. His greatest desire had always been helping those in need, and if it hadn't been for Howard Stark and Dr. Erskine he would never have had the chance to become Captain America, an idol, a ray of hope in a world where many couldn't fight the darkness around them. Of course he had to endure terrible things, but had he not joined the army on Dr. Erskine's advice he never would have met Peggy. And that he would never trade in for anything.

Although one of the two people that meant most to him was gone, there was still one he could save. Bucky was out there, somewhere. Steve had promised himself that he would find him. Hydra might have toyed with his mind and made him do whatever they had wanted, but the Bucky Barnes he knew was still inside the ruthless killing machine he had become. Bucky had proved it when he pulled Steve out of the Potomac, saving him from dying the second time. For everything Bucky had done for him in the past, Steve owed him.

He and Sam had spent the last few months trying to track him down, but without success. They had traveled across borders, hoping to find someone who had seen him, but Bucky obviously didn't want to be seen. It only made Steve more desperate because he didn't want to give Hydra the upper hand in finding him first. They might have been uncovered and their operations inside SHIELD been stopped, but Steve had no doubt that there were plenty more around the world laying low, waiting for the opportunity to reveal themselves, stronger than before. Steve couldn't let them get to Bucky again.

There were two light knocks on the door of his room, almost inaudible even in the complete silence. Steve looked at the clock on the bedside table. The glowing, red digits read 12:27. It was unusual that anybody would come looking for someone at such a late hour. He didn't answer. Maybe whoever was outside had missed the number and knocked on his door by accident. A few seconds passed, then another two knocks followed the first ones. Steve's self-defense reflexes came alive and he stood from the couch, walking to the bed to get his shield as quietly as possible.

"Steve, you awake?" He heard the familiar voice call softly from the hallway, and his muscles relaxed.

He walked to open the door and saw Natasha standing on his doorstep. She wore a black tank top and dark blue pajama pants indicating that unlike Steve she had tried to sleep, but for some reason there she was, standing in front of him in the middle of the night. "Thought so," she said to herself upon seeing that Steve obviously hadn't been sleeping.

"What are doing up so late?" Steve asked, not stepping away from the door.

"I, uh, couldn't sleep. The bed is just uncomfortable." Natasha tried but regretted it the moment the words had left her mouth. One of the best spies in the world, a master of disguise, and all she could come up with was the stupid lie that the bed was uncomfortable. Truth was, she was worried about Steve.

"Oh. I haven't gotten so far," Steve managed without any traceable emotion in his voice. He was tired and could pass the opportunity of a late night chat with Natasha.

When she saw that Steve wasn't going to let her enter, she asked, "You mind if I come in?", taking a small, uncertain step forward.

"Sure," Steve answered after a few seconds of hesitation. He figured it would be better to avoid the chance of unintentionally hurting her by saying no.

Steve stepped aside and Natasha slipped into the room. By the time Steve locked the door she had already made herself comfortable on his bed, sitting with her legs crossed, resting her hands in her lap. Steve made his way back to the couch and took up his earlier position there.

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence between them before Natasha spoke.

"How you holding up?" Her voice was tender and caring. She knew what the answer might be, but thought it would be better for Steve to get some of it off his heart. She knew he was strong, but he shouldn't keep everything for himself when there were people around him who wished to help.

Steve kept his eyes on his feet. He didn't have to look at her to know that concern was etched on her features. For a moment he thought about giving a simple one word answer to let her know he was not in the mood for chatting, but then decided otherwise. Natasha deserved more.

"Before I met Peggy, I had never thought that someone like her would ever be interested in me." His voice was low and steady although Natasha knew it must have been hard talking about her. "I used to go out with Bucky a lot, but he would always get the ladies. There were a couple times when he tried to set me up with the girls but no matter where we went, he was always in the spotlight. Girls usually didn't notice me at all."

"Well, I'm not so surprised Peggy did. You aren't exactly hard on the eye." Natasha smiled, trying to cheer him up a bit.

There had been a few times during their missions together that she caught herself thinking about Steve. She knew it was unprofessional, but when he was close to her she couldn't not notice how handsome he actually was. Hearing that he hadn't had the luck with girls really made Natasha think of what kind of women had lived in the 1940s. Steve might have looked different before the serum, but his manners and morals must have been the same and those were what made him the man he was today. The man he should be proud of.

She could have sworn she saw the slightest of smiles in the corner of Steve's mouth but it was gone in a second.

"She saw far beyond appearances." Steve knew that the serum had improved his physique significantly, but he also knew that Peggy had been a much more decent woman than to just judge a person by their looks.

Natasha shifted to the edge of the bed, setting her feet on the floor. "What was she like?" She asked with honest curiosity.

Steve took a moment to picture Peggy in front of him.

"She was beautiful," but Steve supposed Natasha already knew that, so he continued. "She was a self-confident, smart, independent woman. She was kind, gentle, and caring. She had all the virtues of a real woman. She was also courageous, probably the strongest woman I've seen. She never hesitated when it came to pulling the trigger. She always knew how to act in a certain situation, was never short of words, but she never said too much. She saw in me what most other people missed. She believed in me. Whenever I felt lost, she was the one that kept me going."

Natasha had always had an idea of what could have been between Steve and Peggy, but he had never really talked about it. Hearing his words now, she realized that Steve loved Peggy much more than she had thought. She wondered what it would be like to love somebody that way, to be loved that way. There was no place for such a thing as love in her life. She knew that growing too attached to someone would make her vulnerable, it would provide her enemies surface on which to attack. She could not allow herself such luxury as it could easily mean the death of her or of her friend. No matter how much she yearned for someone to care about like Steve cared about Peggy, she had given that up long ago. She still hoped though that maybe in another life she would get the chance.

Natasha wanted to say something, but her throat became dry. She felt a sudden urge to cry, something she was unfamiliar with. She had never sympathized so deeply with anyone's sorrow, and it scared her.

For the first time during their conversation Steve looked up to meet her eyes, and his reflected such pain that Natasha had to collect all her strength to not look away.

"I promised her a dance." He paused, hearing his own distant voice echoing in his head. His heart ached with every word. "I promised her a dance, but then I had to leave on a mission and we never had the chance after that. All she wanted was a dance and now she's gone and I failed to keep my promise. It was just a dance. Was it too much to ask?"

He looked at Natasha with pleading eyes, hoping for her to justify his words. She knew there was nothing worthy she could say, so she remained silent and Steve turned his gaze back to his shoes. Natasha had never seen Steve so defenseless and fragile; it broke her heart. She suddenly stood up and walked over to the couch. She stopped right in front of Steve and held out her arm toward him.

"Dance with me."

Steve looked up at her, the pain in his eyes now mixed with confusion.

"Come on." Natasha tried to encourage him with a friendly smile.

Steve was still hesitant but gave her his hand, letting her pull him up from the couch. Without her high-heel shoes there was a significant difference in height between them. Natasha reached up, entwining her fingers behind Steve's neck.

"It's okay," she said softly, sensing that Steve felt uncomfortable with the situation.

Her words seemed to have soothed him as he laid his hands on her waist and they started their slow waltz, moving to the silence around them. Their eyes were locked on each other's, and for the first time Natasha felt an intimacy with Steve that she hadn't felt with anybody before.

"Close your eyes," Natasha whispered and pulled herself up to him, resting her head against his chest.

Steve did as she asked and as soon as the world turned to darkness around him, he was back in 1943 with Peggy. He could see her vermilion dress, her rose red lips, the hazel locks of her hair gently falling onto her shoulder. He could feel her against his body as they were moving to a silent rhythm only the two of them could hear. He let the moment fully take him in and wished that time would stop, keeping him forever there with Peggy.

"Thank you." Natasha heard Steve's whisper. They were two simple words, but it that moment they meant the world to her. For the first time in a long time she felt as though she had done something for someone that mattered. A subtle, soft smile appeared on her face and she closed her eyes too, enjoying the moment they were sharing. A moment they had both desired for a long time.

To be continued hopefully :) If you could just drop your opinion in the review box, I'd be very very thankful.