Saving Grace

Chapter XXVIII

Steve, weary, sore, and filthy from their mission, sat in the back of the quinjet with Sam as Nat piloted the craft. It had not been a terribly difficult mission, but they had had a small window to make a lot happen in.

Suddenly, the sound of an old-fashioned telephone softly rang out from the compartment where Steve had stuffed his personal items before the mission began. As he dug his cellphone out of his bag, Sam shook his head at the ring tone.

Steve caught his eye. "What?"

"Only you, Cap, only you..."

"Actually, Bucky's makes the same sound if I call him," Steve answered, unlocking his phone. He opened the text message Clint had sent him. He was surprised to be getting a message this late at night, but then, the Avengers tended to keep odd hours.

When he saw the picture the archer sent, he couldn't keep a grin off his face.

"What did Stark do now?" Sam asked.

"Nothing."

"Oh, no! That is not a 'nothing' face! Don't you be keeping me in the dark!"

Just then, Nat announced that the jet was on autopilot and wandered up behind Steve. Before he could react, she snatched the phone from his hand.

Her lips quirked into a sly smirk. "Aww, that's so sweet." Her eyes flicked up to Steve. "Can I have a front row seat for the big brother talk?"

Sam frowned. "Big brother talk?"

Steve tried to snatch his phone back, but Nat had already tossed it Sam.

He took one look. "And you're okay with this, Cap?"

"Yes."

"Falling to sleep together not too forward for your sensibilities?" Nat teased.

Steve gave her a firm look. "They clearly didn't do it on purpose, and it's obviously not like...that." He blushed faintly despite trying not to.

"Conspiracy!" Sam cried, pointing dramatically. "You wouldn't let me even have a shot with her, because you're conspiring to get her and Barnes together! Why does he get a chance with your totally hot sister first? I called dibs!"

"Steve Rogers, playing matchmaker. Stark will never believe me," Nat smirked.

Steve sighed heavily. "You guys promise not to tell Grace and Bucky?"

"Promise." Nat held up her pinky, indicating a "pinky promise."

Sam reluctantly gave a boy scout salute. "Scout's honor."

"I'm serious, guys." Steve said sternly.

"We promise, Rogers," Nat replied impatiently.

"Well, it's more like the match was made a long time ago, and I'm not going to discourage them from remembering it."

"You mean Grace and Barnes were a thing back in the 40's?" Nat asked.

"Kind of. It's kinda hard to court a girl when you're so far apart you don't even know exactly where she is."

"But they had feelings for each other?"

Steve could not stop the grin from blossoming on his face. "Definitely."

"That means your 'dibs' is null and void, Wilson," she said. "So, Cap, how do you want to play this?"

"What? You, Black Widow, are getting involved in a matchmaking case?" Sam gasped.

"Like he said, it's more a case of them helping remember than matching them."

"And the whole "Love is for children" thing?" Steve asked.

"There are some people in the world who deserve to find love; those two definitely fall in that category."

"I still think it's a conspiracy," Sam grumbled, crossing his arms.

Nat rolled her eyes at the pouting soldier and looked to the Captain. "Steve?"

"Well, I don't want them trying...for...something...just because we tell them they're supposed to," he answered. "I don't want anyone to tell them they had feelings for each other; I'd rather them remember it and act on memories."

"You want them to know they love each other because they feel it and remember feeling it rather than because we said to," Nat nodded. Steve nodded. "So don't obviously set them up, but don't discourage them either?" He nodded again. She grinned slyly. "That I think we can do, Rogers."