Her Time To Shine (May 2000)

The SSBs commitment in to getting another sample of Steve's DNA had not diminished. And Tatiana had decided to give Natalya another crack at it. They developed a medium range stun gun that could put down an elephant. The plan was not to kill Steve only get the sample. Natalya had to get it from his spine and the SSB had also developed a device that could extract it quickly. They had spotters watching the tower around the clock.

Steve had wanted to do something special for Kate. He being who he was had a certain amount of pull. He had procured 2 horses and he had them delivered at the tower. He and Kate were going to ride them around town. Or at least, he hoped she would. She had said she missed horse back riding. His horse was a bay mare named Charlie and her horse was a brown, black gelding named Brownie. The last Saturday it was nice seeing her outside. She had enjoyed the Ice Cream and the sunshine. Today the sun was shining once again and he really wanted to get her out again.

Once again he knocked on her door. Once she said to come in he opened it and stepped inside. "Hey, its pretty sunny out, I gotta little surprise for you," He said as he smiled and rubbed his hands together excitedly.

Kate had had a particularly rough session with Dr. Munroe that week. Something Lauren had said had set Kate off and Kate had yelled at her and then had refused to speak for the rest of the session. She had not even come out for dinner that night. For the last few days she had been agitated and anxious. 

When Steve entered Kate's room, he would find her laying on her bed. She looked at Steve and then sighed and turned over so her back was to him. "I don't feel like going out."

No one was privy to the sessions Kate had with Dr. Monroe but sound carried. Steve knew Kate just needed to get out of these walls. Even he felt it sometimes and so he decided, this once to persist.

"It's a beautiful day," Steve said as he decided to come in. And then he decided to go sit on the edge of her bed. The door was ajar though.

"I promise, you're going to like what we're going to do," Steve said.

If it had been anyone other than Steve, Kate would have told them to leave. However, Kate trusted Steve and his presence could help to calm her down. She laid there for a moment before she turned over so she was facing him again. "What are we going to do?"

Steve chuckled slightly and smiled over at her. He leaned over her legs and rested on his arm above her. He wanted to touch her leg and rub it but he wasn't certain how that would have been received. He wanted to console her is what he really wanted to do but how to do that and keep a respectful distance as well?

"Well, that's a surprise and I won't say unless you agree to join me," Steve said. He bit his bottom lip in anticipation and twerked his eyebrows to allude to the excitement he was feeling.

Steve's feeling of excitement was infectious and she couldn't help but smile at him. His eyes seemed to sparkle in anticipation and she thought they were the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen. 

"Alright," she said with a small laugh. "I'll go."

Steve's smile persisted and he got up off of her bed. He waited outside of her room for her to get ready and then together they went down in the elevator. Once they made it to security a few of the men and women there gave Steve a knowing look. He didn't see it ofcourse, he was too into Kate. There was a bit of a breeze but it was fairly warm in the sunlight. The moment Kate and Steve stepped outside she smelled the distinct smell of horses. Once they stepped toward the parking lot she was a truck, a horse trailer, 2 men and 1 woman and 2 horses all saddled and ready to go.

"Aren't they beautiful?" Steve asked as they stepped up to the horses. "They're all ready for ya Mr. Rogers," The older man said. A woman that was there, she could be his daughter chuckled at what the older man said. "This here is Brownie Miss Blackwell. He's attentive and has a nice, easy gate," He said as he handed her 2 small apples. "Feed em them and he'll be a friend for life," The older man said.

Kate got changed into some jeans and a tee-shirt. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and then was ready to go out. She walked with Steve to the elevator and they took it down. As soon as they stepped outside a familiar smell hit her nose. When she saw the horses she couldn't believe that Steve had arranged this for her. Not even Matt would have done something like that for her. She couldn't help but smile happily as she stepped up to Brownie. She took the apples from the older man and held one in the palm of her hand. She kept her hand flat and fingers together as Brownie took the apple from her. She stroked his neck a little as she fed him the second apple. 

She smiled over at Steve. "I can't believe you did this for me."

"Well I love horse too and hadn't gone in a long while. This is for both of us,' Steve said with a pleased smile. His eyes lingered on hers for a few moments longer than he spoke. "You...look nice today Kate," He said and the younger girl snickered at that. "Well, the mornin's not gettin away from you folks," The older man said. "You remember how to mount Mr. Rogers?" He asked. The younger girl had dark hair and freckles. She wore brown corduroy pants and a tan and white checkered shirt. "Brownie's a sweetheart," she began than lower her voice. "God he's even hotter in real life. Did you see how he looked at you? I think I'd die if he looked at me that way," she whispered with a grin. She cleared her throat. "So you get your foot into the stirrup first than swing up onto him," she said outloud.

Kate glanced over at Steve after she heard what the girl said. She began to think that perhaps something much more than friendship was developing between them. Something about that both excited and frightened her and once again she remembered what Isabella had made her promise. She mounted Brownie easily and once they both were ready they headed over to the park that was nearby. 

Kate was quiet for a while before she looked over at Steve. "Thank you for doing this for me."

Steve was enjoying the ride. But more importantly, he enjoyed just making Kate smile. For some reason, that was just what he needed right then. She was gorgeous sitting on the dark horse. "It's my pleasure Miss Blackwell," He said formerly and smiled at her as if he were teasing her a little.

It was early so there weren't too many people in the park. They had a slow gallop going for a bit then they slowed and came closer together as they walked the horses side by side. "Don't get me wrong, I like being an Avenger and helping people. And training, but sometimes...I just think there is more to life than just that. I mean, what are we doing it all for if we, ourselves don't get to benefit from the freedoms we help to defend?" He said.

Natalya had been alerted as soon as Steve stepped a foot out of the Tower. She had seen a horse before but had never ridden one. How odd to be doing that, in New York no less? No matter, she was dressed as a jogger and the weapon was strapped to her back. The problem had been that the horses moved too fast but now that they were just walking them...well, she was able to catch up. Tatiana identified the woman. Kate Blackwall, a SHIELD agent but her file said little more than that. Natalya wasn't worried about her though. Not really. Get Steve down, deal with the woman, get the sample and gone.

Natalya got herself into position so she was behind them. She didn't want Steve to possibly see her. The horses were walking at a slow pace away from her. No one else was around as Natalya got out the stun gun. She took aim at the back of Steve's neck...and squeezed the trigger...

It had been a very long time since Kate had enjoyed herself as much as she was today. She loved being with Steve. They just seemed to click. No one else at the Tower was able to put her at ease like he could. As they walked their horses side by side she looked over at him and listened to what he said. She was quiet for a moment before speaking. "What do you want?" she asked him as her eyes met his. However, before Steve could respond the expression on Kate's face suddenly changed and she threw herself at Steve. "Get down!" They fell off the horses onto the ground just in time.

Steve really enjoyed Kate's company. She was a good listener and they just seemed to go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly. He was about to answer her, to tell her that right then...he just wanted to spend time with her but before he knew what was happening they were on the ground and she was on top of him. From his peripheral vision he saw a figure. He thought it was a woman and she brandished an odd looking weapon. He had heard...something a moment ago but it didn't sound like any weapon he had ever seen.

"Shit!" Natalya growled as she reloaded another stun cartridge into the weapon. The weapon looked kind of like a grenade launcher but smaller. It had a barrel but the weapon was wire guided like a tiny missile. She snapped the chamber in place then pointed at them again. Steve rolled one way while Kate rolled another. By how the woman aimed the weapon, it was obvious who she was after and it wasn't her. Natalya feinted with her intention to fire and Steve unfortunately had anticipated. He jerked but Natalya had paused and then fired. She hit Steve right in the chest. His entire body seemed to jolt as bolts of electricity moved through his body. He fell back onto his side and didn't move a muscle and his eyes were closed. Natalya tossed the weapon aside as the woman came in at her.

"Steve!" Kate yelled as she saw him get hit. It was clearly a stun gun and within seconds he was unconscious. Now Kate was angry...very angry. She stood up and looked at the woman as she tossed aside her weapon. Kate immediately recognized her as Natalya Sokolova from the SSB. Anyone who worked at SHIELD knew who this woman was and knew how dangerous she was. Kate didn't know why she was after Steve, but she had no intention of letting her get anywhere near him. She moved towards Natalya and she saw a confident little smile tug at the corner of her lips. Natalya was underestimating Kate and did not view her as a real threat. That is until Kate attacked...

Kate came in hard and fast. Natalya deflected her first strike but then was surprised by the next 2 that had struck her. One in the cheek, the other in the jaw. She feinted back and tasted blood as it trickled down the corner of her mouth. Kate stood there between her and Steve in a defensive stance and Natalya wiped the blood from her mouth.

"No one at SHIELD fights like this...who are you?" Natalya asked. She needed to stall just long enough for the two SSB agents to catch up.

Kate had pressed a button on her wrist communicator that sent an S.O.S alert to the rest of the team and gave them her location. She had a feeling Natalya wasn't alone and she didn't want to take any chances on them getting Steve. She planned to protect Steve with her life if she needed to. 

"You're stalling," Kate said and then lunged at her again. Natalya fought back, but she had never fought anyone with skills like Kate. Natalya was a strong fighter herself, but Kate seemed to be able to anticipate her moves, although Natalya did get in a strike or two.

The two women fought. Kate came in and Natalya blocked then kneed her in the groin. Kate riposted with a fist to the side of the head and then flipped up over Natalya's shoulders and kicked her in the back as she landed. Natalya tumbled forward to soften the kick then came up onto her feet. Kate was right there as she twisted around and the two women grappled a moment as they tried to use their feet to trip one another. Natalya head-butted Kate then Kate head-butted Natalya back and staggered her. She struck twice more but Natalya had gotten her hands up just in time to avoid a broken clavicle bone. Natalya twisted Kate's arm in a hold but Kate lashed out with a foot into one of Natalya's shins. She was forced to let go and as Kate got her balance back she elbowed at Natalya right in the left breast that sent a surge of agony through her body. The two women were almost evenly matched but Kate was just seemingly too quick. As if she knew where Natalya was going to be. Finally Kate struck her with an open palm in the nose and hit her hard in the sides of the head. Blood squirted out onto her face. Natalya fell back onto her back stunned from the assault.

"There!" Two men said as they began shooting at Kate. Kate could almost see where they were going to shoot and though they both fired in quick succession, they hit nothing but air. At the same time Tony dropped Logan down between them. His claws flashed out and the hands that held their weapons were now missing several fingers and the weapons clattered to the ground. They screamed in pain as they fell, their ruined hands clutched to their chests as blood flowed down their black jackets to the pavement. Tony landed.

"Well Kate, Steve's going to owe you one, That's Natalya Sokolova. SHIELD's been wanting to get their hands on her for years," Tony said. "Is Steve ok?" Tony asked.

Kate was a little bloodied and bruised from the fight. She looked over at Natalya as she lay unconscious on the ground. After she knew that Natalya was secure, she went over to check on Steve. Tony followed her. "She hit him with a stun gun shot. He'll be fine, but we should get him back to the Tower."

Within a few moments, SHIELD agents were on the scene. They located the horses and brought them back to the owners and then began to secure Natalya. Natalya was conscious at this point and she looked over at Logan as they handcuffed her.

Logan narrowed his eyes when he saw Natalya looking at him and he moved up to her as they bound her. "You should have stayed gone Natalya. You'll never see the sun again," Logan said coldly. She had broken his heart and he had nothing but contempt for her now. "I should have killed you when I had the chance," Logan said in an angry rasp.

Natalya said nothing in response to what Logan said. She just looked at him, but was then led away by a group of SHIELD agents. They weren't going to take any chances with her this time. She was put in the back of a transport vehicle and the doors were closed behind her. 

Back at the Tower, Isabella checked on Steve while Kate took a shower in her room. She walked in just as Steve was waking up and she walked over to him. "How are you feeling?"

While Steve was unconscious he dreamed. Dreamed of Kate and himself. Not as they were but maybe as they could be? Kate's hair fell down her shoulder and back in golden, sun-kissed waves. She sat in his lap and she was reading to him. No...there was someone else. He was holding a young boy. She was reading to him and to Steve. He smiled at the dream and then he awoke to someone...a voice. It was Isabella's voice. He opened his eyes.

"I...uh, I...like I was hit by a stun gun?" He said as he groaned. He lifted up his head then settled back down as the room began to spin. "Wow, it feels like a massive hangover," Steve said. "Is Kate alright!?" He asked and sat up quickly as he fought through the nausea. Unfortunately he also gave himself away to Isabella just then. And he looked at her. "I...I think we need to talk," Steve said.

Isabella blinked at Steve...particularly his concern about Kate. Of course she expected him to be concerned about her, but there was something deeper behind it. "Yes, she's fine. It was Natalya Sokolova who attacked you. We're guessing the SSB was after your DNA again. Kate fought her and was actually able to take her down. Natalya's in SHIELD's custody now. Kate is taking a shower in her room."

She pulled over a chair and sat down next to Steve. "What do we need to talk about?"

Steve hesitated when Isabella pulled over a chair. Should he be doing this? He really didn't think she had the right to hold a persons feelings back. He had promised but now that he thought about it. It wasn't a very fair exchange. "A promise. I really like Kate and though we're just friends, I think that maybe 'more' will come of it, in time," Steve said. "I want you to release me form my promise 'not' to get involved with her," Steve said plainly.

Isabella was an intelligent and observant woman. She had seen the way Steve looked at Kate...and the way Kate looked at Steve. There was a connection between them and Kate always seemed happier and more at ease around Steve. She wanted Steve to be happy. He deserved it after all he had been through. 

"Well, I'll be honest with you Steve. That promise was more for Logan after the whole 'Colleen'/Natalya and then Ava incidents, but I had to have you do it as well. Logan hasn't been the same after everything and we just didn't want to have relationships possibly tear the team apart. I release you from your promise Steve and wish you happiness, but if you and Kate do take things beyond friendship I think you both should have a serious discussion about how you're going to separate your feelings for each other from the missions we go on. I speak from experience here when I say its harder than it sounds. Tony and I are constantly worried about each other. I'm not saying this to discourage you, but it is something to think about."