𝙍𝙀𝙈𝙀𝘿𝙔- [MAJOR EDITING]

FORTY FOUR

INDEPENDENCE DAY
.

The summer heat of Nevada lingered even with the rise of the moon and the shine of the stars. Muffled music and the pops of fireworks filtered through the air, but better than the atmosphere and celebration of Independence Day, was Sadie's company.

Better, was Steve's voice in her ear, his hands on her skin, and the view of him, so healthy and safe as they sat and watched the bursts of red, white and blue in the sky.

"They're celebrating you," Sadie had teased, earlier.

Steve had only kissed her, and smiled. "We're celebrating us."

"I don't want to move from here," Sadie sighed, the soft breeze from the open window blowing past the mesh curtains to kiss her skin. "This day has been perfect."

"I don't want to either," Steve said, softly, pulling his arms tighter around her as she leaned back into him. "But it's better if we move under dark. Staying another day isn't an option."

"You're right," Sadie sighed, but neither of them moved.

"We're going to have to be all sensible on that jet," he said, but it sounded more like a complaint than an order. "With the others there."

"Says who?" Sadie chuckled, craning her neck to get a better look at him.

"Says the next few missions lined up," Steve answered. "Are you ready to work again?"

"Are you kidding?" she grinned, finally dragging herself to her feet. "I've been ready to work for months."

"But?" he asked, attempting to pull her back, but she dodged his touch playfully.

"There's nothing else," Sadie said, pulling on a pair of sweats. He didn't seem to be very convinced, though.

"There is something else," Steve said, and she sighed.

"How do you know?" she asked, casually.

Sadie was glad she stood, because she could use the excuse of getting dressed as a way not to look at him. Because if she did look at him, there on the bed with little more than the linen and his briefs to cover him- it would be far too easy to give in.

Steve though, seemed completely unaware of the temptation he provided, far more concerned with the topic she was trying to avoid as he crossed the room to her.

"Something's bothering you."

Sadie chuckled as she buttoned up her shirt. "Absolutely nothing is-"

"Sadie," Steve said, spinning her around to face him.

He didn't say anything else then, and she knew the trick- he was waiting for her to fill the silence. It was never usually a problem, to stay in a moment's quiet with Steve. But when he was looking at her so seriously, waiting for her to speak, and when his skin was still bare, and she could feel the heat of him-

"There's no way I can say it without sounding selfish," she explained, the words tumbling out like an avalanche. "How do I phrase it? If I say I don't wanna heal anymore then that's-"

"You don't want to heal anymore?" Steve repeated, shock written all over his face. She shrunk away slightly, frowning.

"Inaccurate, and dramatic," Sadie finished, looking him up and down. She turned back to the bag on the table and pulled out a set of clothes which she threw his way, and he caught. "Get dressed."

"You're not off the hook," he insisted, but he followed her orders regardless.

"Look, of course, I want to heal," Sadie started. "But every job I've done in the past, what, two years? Almost all of them have failed, or gone badly. With Stephen, I made him worse, and now he's God knows where."