Thanks for reading and taking the time to review. This was something new for me, so I hope you enjoyed it. XOXO

Smolder

She guesses she does know when and how it happened. It was when SHIELD fell. It was his speech about HYDRA and urging others to join him. Sam had given him shit, but Steve definitely had a way with words.

It was that strength that put the proverbial nail in the coffin of her attraction to Steve Rogers. The faith he had in humanity was encouraging, and something she had almost lost. Hill knows it's that strength and goodness that makes him a good leader.

It's the reason she's in the new facility right now and not in Stark tower anymore.

Of course, it isn't the reason she's watching him spar with Wanda in the new facility. That's a different reason altogether. One that has more to do with how he looks in that tight blue shirt than anything else.

Hill tries not to laugh when Wanda knocks Steve flat on his back. She's gotten so much stronger, body and mind. So much so that Sam refuses to spar with her even though he has to take shit from Steve and Natasha for it.

Fortunately, Steve is laughing as he pulls himself to his feet and pats Wanda on the shoulder.

"I'll get you next time," he teases.

"You wish," she mutters as he walks away.

He laughs and makes his way to Hill, who hands him a thin file.

"You're not going to get her, you know," Hill tells him as they make their way down the hall to her office.

"Ouch!" He feigns hurt, but he's smiling as he holds the door open for her. "It must be bad when your own girl doesn't believe in you."

Hill raises her eyebrow at the term 'girl', but Steve only smiles.

"Girlfriend? Lady? Woman?" He questions. She just shakes her head as steps towards him.

"Just stop talking," Hill finally says. Steve obliges and pulls her closer, fully preparing to wrap his arms around her before he remembers the file she handed him.

"What's this?" Steve asks before pulling away and opening the folder. "It's empty."

"Oh, that? That was me luring you to this very private office."

"Huh," he says with a shrug before tossing the file over his shoulder and tugging her to him. She smiles and leans up to kiss him.

It's been a few weeks since their moment on the helicarrier, but they seem to be making it work. Their relationship isn't a secret by any means, but it's still hard to get time together. Well, time during the day together. Time at night is another thing entirely. Just thinking about makes Maria's skin warm and she has to pull away from him.

That, of course, was a mistake because the look in his eyes is nearly debilitating. It makes her weak in the knees and she mentally kicks herself for not being a credit to her gender and letting a guy make her feel like that.

Even if the guy is Captain America.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" She asks with her hands on either side of his face.

"Like what?" Steve looks confused for a moment before his lips curve into a smile and she gets that feeling all over again.

"Like you're going to do something-" she starts

"I love you, Maria," he interrupts.

"-ridiculous," she finishes lamely.

Steve grins as she tries to step away but his hands hold firm at her slim waist. He's glad he finally said it even though she's sure to think that it's too soon. It doesn't really matter to him, really. His feelings had started long before the battle with Ultron. It was only after everything happened did he realize that he needed to stop holding things in.

He had meant it when he told Tony that being at the new facility- training, practicing, creating strategies- was home. It just so happens that Maria is here, too, and that makes it all the better.

"That's just ridiculous, Steve and I- you know, it's just...okay."

"Okay?" He smiles and brushes a stray hair from her face.

"Yes. Okay. Thank you. I feel the same way," she huffs and crosses her arms over her chest while Steve holds back a laugh.

"I know," he tells her before pulling her into a hug that lifts her off her feet.

She relaxes into him, her arms around his neck and her face pressed to his skin. He smells like the gym. Like a hint of coffee from the morning and the laundry detergent that they buy in bulk for the facility.

He smells like home and, for the first time in a long time, she feels like she belongs, too.