"Ahhhhhhh!" Wanda screamed out as she jumped up and down. "I'm so happy to see you!" She reached out for a hug.

Natasha laughed. "I can see you've had your Wheaties this morning!" Natasha took a step back and looked at Wanda. "Hi! I'm glad to see you too!"

They started walking into the mall to do a little shopping.

"What is new with you, girl? You look amazing, by the way," Natasha said.

"Ohhhh, so much. Soooo much, Natasha," Wanda smiled. "I'm seeing someone," she said cryptically. "You know him..."

"Please don't say Tony," she joked. She knew who Wanda was going to say.

"I've been dating Viz." Wanda's eyes widened as she tried to contain herself.

"Aww, Wanda, that's great. How's it going? I can tell you're excited."

"He's so nice to me, Natasha. He's just so thoughtful and does all these nice things for me." Wanda's face was beaming.

Natasha threw an arm around Wanda's shoulder as they walked. "I'm so happy for you, you absolutely deserve this."

They detoured into a shop that Wanda pointed out. She started throwing clothes over her arm like she was on a mission. Natasha followed her, casually looking through clothes racks but not committing to anything. Thankfully the mall was not crowded because it was the middle of a weekday, Wanda was all over the place. Natasha followed her back to the dressing room and sat in a chair in the waiting area.

Wanda started talking through the dressing room door. "So, Nat, tell me... have you called Steve back yet?"

"How did you know?" Natasha played stupid.

Wanda stuck her head out the door and gave Natasha a "come on" look. "You know I talk to Steve all the time, right?"

"Yes, I called him back."

"You have to be kidding me... is that it?" Wanda called out. "That's all you're giving me?"

"Well, I did move in with him..."

Wanda busted out of the dressing room in her bra and jeans. "Holy hell! How did you not tell me this sooner? I had a feeling you were dating but ...what?"

Natasha laughed her head off.

"Uh, yeah, I moved in there with him. It's temporary though."

Wanda looked at her sideways. "Temporary... mmm hmmm."

"What?" Natasha laughed. "Why does no one believe me when I say that?"

"Because that man loves you - and you're going to fall for him," Wanda said confidently... then remembering maybe she shouldn't have said that as her eyes widened.

Natasha's brow furrowed a bit. "He loves me?"

"Oh, come on..." Wanda hummed.

"Do you mean he told you this?" Natasha asked.

"No, I don't think he's ever said it out loud. But he loves you, okay? I know." Wanda raised an eyebrow at her.

Natasha looked down as butterflies moved through her stomach.

"Natasha?"

No response except a long exhale...

"Nat? What? - It's not that strange to hear, is it?"

"Well..." Natasha tilted her head.

"What?" Wanda pleaded.

"Yeah, it's a little strange to hear," she admitted. "I don't think anyone's ever said that to me before," she said slowly.

"Aww, Natasha," Wanda knelt down on the floor in front of her and put her hand overtop of hers. "You know we all love you, right?"

"I mean, yeah... I know. That's like a different kind of thing. Although, truthfully, I've never heard it that way before either." She got quiet. "He loves me?"

"Yes, he does. I am positive of it," Wanda said softly. "How do you feel?"

"I... uh... I.... wow... you really took me by surprise there." Natasha sighed.

"You can't be serious. Haven't you seen the way he looks at you?" Wanda reached inside the dressing room for her shirt and pulled it over her head. "Come on, let me buy a couple of things and then we'll sit down and have lunch."

***

Natasha and Wanda sat down in a booth across from each other as Wanda picked up a menu. "Okay, first things first," she said, "we get you a drink."

"Yeah, okay," Natasha said, looking bewildered.

"Hi ladies, can I get you something to drink?" the waiter said.

"Dirty martini," Natasha said, looking straight ahead like a zombie.

"Lemonade," Wanda said and smiled at him. "Thank you."

Wanda patted Natasha's hand and smiled, "Come on, girl. Snap out of it."

"Sorry," Natasha said and looked at her, "just processing I guess."

"He's head over heels for you, Natasha. And I think he has been for a long time." Wanda was being as gentle as possible. "There's a lot he hasn't said but... I know he wants to take care of you."

Natasha thought about all the times they had been in battle and he'd covered her with his shield. "Yeah, he always does take care of me..." she looked a little choked up. "He's the sweetest. He bought a new bed for the room I'm staying in, sheets and everything."

Wanda smiled at her. "You have nothing to worry about with him. Steve will never hurt you."

"I know he wouldn't. I feel that pretty deep in my bones. Everyone seems to think I need convincing though."

"Do you know how you feel?" Wanda asked.

"Well, I know there is some type of love between us - definitely as friends. I don't know what I would do without him. I missed him unbelievably for the past few months. I don't really want to have a life that he's not in. He really makes me laugh. He makes me want to take care of him, too."

Wanda smirked. "So you're in love with him..."

"Well, I..." Natasha drifted off.

"Yes, that's love. You're in love, Natasha."

The waiter came back to set their drinks down and Natasha took a swig immediately.

"Holy shit," she uttered.

The waiter gave her a strange look. "Do you ladies want to order now?"

***

Natasha pulled in the driveway after a few hours of driving. It was dinnertime. She'd had hours to think about her conversation with Wanda.

Hours to think about Steve.

And sometimes, when he was in her head and she thought about what Wanda had told her, her eyes started to glisten and her chest felt tight. She felt something different for him now but she couldn't determine what that was. She knew it wasn't a bad feeling. In fact, she was definitely leaning towards sentimental and happy feelings.

...Like she couldn't imagine being without him now.

She walked in the front door and it smelled like food. "I'm home," she called out.

"Is that my girlfriend?" Steve laughed. She walked into the kitchen and he was standing at the stove, browning beef. "Hi, baby," he said as he leaned down to give her a kiss. "You're just in time for tacos."

She looked over at the table, which was already set. "Wanda says hello. She was pretty excited to find out what's been going on."

"Did you have a good time?" he asked.

"Yeah, it was good to see her. Good to have a little girl time."

***

After dinner, Steve said "Come on, let's go for a walk. I missed you today." It was getting chilly outside but it was still pretty comfortable wearing a jacket. They walked and talked and looked at the last of the trees that were still orange and yellow. The sun was getting low and the air was crisp as he led her up the hill behind the house. She hadn't been up there yet.

At the top of the hill, she saw two adirondack chairs and behind them was a spectacular view of a pond. "I didn't know this was back here," she said. "This is beautiful."

"Have a seat," he said.

"Did you do this for me?" she asked.

"For my best girl, yes," he smiled. "It's a nice place to sit. I thought I might put a gazebo up here eventually."

"That would be great," she said. As she sat there watching the pond, she couldn't help but go back to what Wanda had told her before. He loves me.

She sat there knowing this but Steve didn't know what she was thinking.

Whenever she looked at him, she knew her face was different.

When it got too chilly to sit outside, they walked back to the house. "I'm going to go get comfortable," she said and headed up the stairs. After about 15 minutes, Steve started to wonder if she was coming back. He went in the kitchen to clean up a little.

Natasha had already changed into pajamas and was sitting on the edge of the bed texting with Wanda.

Wanda: Are you okay? I hope I didn't upset you today.

Natasha: No, you didn't upset me. I'm glad you told me.

Wanda: Good because I was thinking about this song I like, it reminds me of the two of you.

Natasha: What is it?

Wanda: It's called Mercy and it is by Shawn Mendes. You have to listen to the first verse especially. It just really reminds me of you and Steve. I'm really happy you two got together. I'm always here for you.

Natasha: Thanks, girl. You're the best. I have heard that song but never paid attention to it before. I am going to go find it.

Natasha looked for the song online.

You've got a hold of me

Don't even know your power

I stand a hundred feet

But I fall when I'm around you

She smiled because she could see what Wanda was getting at. Just then, Steve appeared in the doorway looking happy to see her. "Whatcha doing?" he asked.

She patted the bed for him to come sit down. "I was just talking to Wanda," she said as he sat down next to her. Natasha laid her hand on his thigh and leaned on him, putting her head on his shoulder. "You're nice and warm. I'm chilly - can't get warmed up from being outside, I guess." Steve was unusually quiet but he started to put his arm around her. But Natasha was already up off the bed. She'd been thinking about him all day and feeling deeper feelings for him by the minute since Wanda had pointed some things out to her. All she wanted to do at this moment was show him how she felt.

Natasha stood right in front of Steve and laid her hand on his shoulders, moving herself in between his knees. She was moving slowly and purposefully and Steve started to realize what was going down. He leaned his head back and she moved in to kiss him.

The kiss started slow and soft and he moved his arms behind her back to hold her close. Her hair fell to the sides of his face to tickle him and Natasha pushed it behind her ears without skipping a beat. Natasha moved closer to him while she kissed him a little faster and wrapped her arms around his neck. In one swift, graceful move, she had moved herself on top of him, with her legs around him and she was starting to push him slowly back onto the bed. Steve's heart was beating faster now and he was holding onto her so she wouldn't roll onto the floor. Natasha opened her mouth more and he felt her start to use her tongue to explore his mouth. Steve joined in, not able to hold back his feelings for her. She pulled back slightly to catch her breath and Steve took the opportunity to kiss her neck as she let out quiet breathy noises. When he couldn't take holding back anymore, he rolled her over next to him and laid on top of her gently. They continued to kiss deeply and passionately and he started to move his hand down to her waist. Once again, he started moving his kisses down her neck but this time, more gently. He landed in the middle of her chest where the edge of her tanktop was and he tickled her skin with his nose. Natasha had her hands all over his back and up into his hair, enjoying the feeling of him roaming her body. Her pulse was faster, her body was warm and she had the lovely heavy feeling of Steve on top of her. As she looked at the top of his head while he was kissing her chest again, she saw his dark eyelashes flutter and he looked up at her with his blue eyes darker than usual. Natasha's back started to arch and she tried to shimmy back onto the bed more. Steve let her move up and he followed her, now moving onto one side of her and laying on his side, his hand on her stomach. Sensation shot through her stomach with the feel of his hot hand on her and she rolled over on top of Steve quickly, just like one of her pinning maneuvers. She planted herself firmly on his hips and flashed a smile as she reached her hands out to lay them on his abdomen. She felt him stirring beneath her and the pressure it was sending through to her core made her feel delirious. As she looked down at Steve's face to go back to kissing him, the look on his face wasn't what she expected.

"Hey," she said softly, "what is it?" She kneaded her fingers gently on his stomach overtop of his shirt. He looked up at her through his long eyelashes and Natasha started growing uncomfortable.

"I don't think," he paused and she could tell he was uneasy and trying to find the correct word. Steve wasn't the kind of person who spoke without thinking. He said what he meant and meant what he said. Every word had purpose. "...I don't think we should have sex." There was total silence in the room. "Not yet, anyway." Steve's face now looked more relieved but he was not quite back to normal. He felt like he may have hurt Natasha by saying this.

That was the last thing he wanted.

He started to sit up and he found his hands on Natasha's hips, lifting her off him and setting her down next to him. He rolled onto his side, facing her, and he propped himself up on his elbow. He paid close attention to her positioning, which was that she was sitting with her legs crossed and looking at him nervously. He made sure he was lower than her so she felt like she had the upper ground, a negotiating tactic that might help him. He put his hand on her knee and rubbed it a little. He let out a small sigh as he opened his mouth to talk. "I mean, I want to..."

Natasha's voice cracked a little as she said, "I wasn't sure if we were taking it to that point." She looked a little unsure of herself. "I got carried away... I just wanted to be close to you," she admitted.

"And I'm a giant ass," he said matter-of-factly.

They shared a little laugh as Natasha laid down to face him. "That mouth," she joked.

Steve reached out to rub her shoulder lightly. "I'm sorry," he said, " I guess it's been on my mind." He had the slightest hint of a smile on his face. When he looked back at her and raised his eyes to look at her, one eyelid trailed behind the other by just a split second. His long eyelashes accentuated when his eyelids flickered like that and it always made Natasha's heart skip a beat. He doesn't even know how handsome he is, she thought.

"You could have talked to me about it," she said.

"That's not the easiest thing to bring up," he confessed. Steve's hand trailed down her arm to rest on top of hers. "Natasha, you drive me crazy," he said slowly as he looked directly at her face.

She felt a hot flush rise in her skin again. "I'm not trying to tease you, you know."

"I know," he confirmed. "All the feelings that we've been having... everything... it's all been natural... it's been honest. You've opened yourself up to me even more," he paused. "I am loving getting to know you even better and having you here. You amaze me." Natasha watched him quietly. "I guess my point is... if you and I are going to take our relationship to the next level, I want to be sure it's right. I don't want to risk complicating things right now, we have all the time in the world." She watched him intently and waited to see if he would continue. "You're my best friend, Natasha. I don't want to rush into anything. I don't just want to have sex with you," he looked down momentarily, "If that's the direction we're going then I want it to be making love." He looked at her for a reaction and she looked back at him with her eyes wide in amazement. "I want to do things right with you and wow... you are awfully quiet right now." He smiled nervously.

Natasha's mouth raised into a grin as she started to speak. "You're good," she said, "I don't know anyone else who could push me away and make me want them more at the same time." She closed the gap between them and rested her head on Steve's forearm. He knew she was joking with him and he leaned his head down and gave her a peck on the mouth. She could feel him smile against her mouth. Steve shifted his body downward and draped his free arm over her stomach. He grinned and lifted his head up to see her face and asked "You still my girl?"

"Oh Rogers," she said, "of course. He rested his head down in the crook of her neck and listened to her breathing.

"I just want everything to be right," he said into her neck. "Losing you would tear me apart."

He had just tugged on her heart strings and she couldn't help but wrap her arms around his neck and pull him closer. They laid that way for the longest time before Steve gave her a kiss and bid her goodnight. Natasha got under the covers and it was still warm from where Steve had been laying. She let out a little sigh before snuggling into her pillow more and closing her eyes.