A/N: SURPRISE! I'm literally so sick and waiting to get a PCR done tomorrow. I've finished all my assessments early because I had yesterday off and now I have nothing to do (so much for big uni week 🙄) anyway, here's a chapter 💜
—
Millie clutched her cardboard cup of coffee as Steve drove Tony's Audi through the streets of New York City, ready for an early morning start on Monday morning.
She spent the majority of Sunday asleep, lounging in Steve's arms, which wasn't a complaint of either of them. The crisp autumn air, still fresh with dew, kept them rugged up all day, much to Bucky's jealousy.
"So," Millie started, sipping her coffee. "What do you guys think you'll be doing all day?"
Steve shrugged. "Honestly, you never know. I could be training or I could be doing paperwork."
Bucky stretched in the back seat. "Probably both, but I bet there is a lot of paperwork for him today, since he's got to file everything about you."
"Hm?" Millie looked back at Bucky in confusion.
"SHIELD can be very particular, even though you're a human, you're still seen as part of the mission."
Millie nodded curtly. "I guess that makes sense."
Steve's hand came across to her thighs and gently squeezed. She was still wearing the grey sweats that SHIELD gave her, which she felt were dreadfully unflattering, but Steve didn't mind. In fact, he made it a point to tell her how beautiful she was at any moment.
"I wonder what I'll be doing..." Millie muttered half to herself and half to the others.
"Honestly, baby, whatever you want. I know you want to be useful, but don't push yourself. I only hope you can keep busy while I'm working, I don't want you to be bored."
Millie smiled and placed her hand on top of Steve's. "Worst comes to worst, I'll just find and pester Bucky."
"Hey!" Bucky cried. "What if I'm busy?"
Millie turned around with a sly smirk. "Well, that sucks for you now, doesn't it?"
Steve laughed as Bucky rolled his eyes and grumbled into his morning coffee. The view of Stark tower came into view and Millie gazed up at it with wonderous eyes.
"You guys lived her?"
"Yep," Bucky popped the 'p'. "Sometimes I wonder why we left..."
Steve groaned as he pulled past security into the underground garage. "Privacy, Buck. We moved out for privacy."
"Hm, yeah, the privacy is nice. But honestly, I miss the free food."
"We can more than afford our own food, pal."
"Yeah, but we don't have anyone to cook it for us." He frowned. "And believe it or not, I didn't exactly have many cooking lessons while being used as a killing machine. Wasn't any room in my schedule between that and being frozen."
Millie turned around with a soft smile. "I can cook for you guys."
"No–" Steve started.
"You know," Bucky cut in and squinted. "The lazy part of me is saying 'hell yeah' but the modern man I'm trying to become is telling me this is a test."
Millie laughed her beautiful melodic laugh and shook her head. "It's not a test, I used to cook for you guys all the time! I'd like to, when I'm around of course."
"You sure that's not a little, I don't know, sexist?" Bucky asked.
"It's only sexist if you think I belong in the kitchen."
Steve chuckled and parked the car near the lower ground entrance. "I think you belong on a throne, personally."
Millie felt herself blush as she stared into Steve's eyes, but their sweet moment was ruined by Bucky's gagging.
"Gross," he climbed out of the car. "I forgot how cheesy you two were."
Steve rolled his eyes with a smile, finally feeling that for the first time in a while, everything was how it should be– or at least as close to it as possible.
Millie stared at her surroundings as everyone walked into the building, the modern look was still something Millie hadn't gotten used to, and Tony's tower was completely full of it.
Even the elevators were decked out with high tech screens and such for whatever reason, and the high speed rate at which they zoomed up nearly gave Millie vertigo.
As soon as the doors opened, Millie could hear a range of voices echoing throughout the halls. Suddenly, she started to feel quite nervous, clinging to Steve like a puppy.
Steve wrapped an arm around her and welcomed the cling, letting Bucky walk ahead of them. He wasn't sure if Millie was ready for all this yet, but he knew his girl, and she would never be left alone in an apartment with nothing to do–unless it was with Steve there.
"Look, all I'm saying is if Bucky didn't have that metal arm, I could easily take him! He doesn't seem that tough without it." A voice said and Millie pricked her ears.
She watched Bucky falter slightly before clenching his fists and speeding up, rounding the corner. "What'd you say about me, Sam?"
"Uh oh..." Steve chuckled.
"Oh no, are they not friends?" Millie didn't want the first day at the tower to start with a fight.
"They are, don't worry." Steve laughed. "They just like to wind each other up."
As Steve and Millie came closer to the kitchen, where everyone's voices were coming from, the bickering grew louder, along with laughter. Steve pulled her even closer into him and gave her a reassuring look.
"Ready?" He asked and Millie nodded.
As soon as the pair stepped into the kitchen, everyone went silent, staring at Millie with wide eyes and many with smiles.
She wasn't used to being the main attraction in a room, but despite all the stares, she didn't feel judged, she actually felt welcome.
"Millie," Steve started. "Meet the Avengers."
"Hi..." she waved tentatively.
"Avengers, meet Millie Mae Elliot...my girl."
Immediately, a red headed girl with long, slender legs stood up and put a comforting hand on Millie's shoulder. "It's so nice to meet you properly. I'm Nat, I was on the mission the day you were found."
"Oh, thank you for helping me." Millie smiled.
Nat looked at Steve and smirked. "Those drawings don't do her justice..."
Steve's face went red and everyone giggled.
"What drawings, Stevie?"
"Uh, nothing...anyway," he changed the subject. "Let me introduce you properly."
"You've met Tony and of course you know Bucky, and over there is Clint and Bruce, then Wanda, Rhodey..." they all smiled and waved. "Sam, who was also on the mission and I think that's all for today–"
"Sorry I'm late, Mr Stark!" A young boy came running into the room clumsily.
Tony chuckled. "And this is Peter, our newest recruit."
"Nice to meet you, Peter." Millie nodded and watched the boy open his mouth in shock.
"Woah! You're the girl from the forties, I've heard so much about you. It's so cool that you're here now, I mean not that The captain and Mr Sergeant Bucky aren't cool–they are! I just mean–"
"Kid," Tony cut him off. "Stop it."
Bucky turned to look at Steve with a confused look. "Mr Sergeant Bucky?" He mouthed rhetorically and Steve had to refrain from laughing, not wanting to embarrass the poor boy who seemed incredibly intimidated by the two super soldiers.
"So...there's more of you, though?"
"Oh yeah, not to mention our friends that aren't technically one of us, but they help us out, like a guardians." Tony said.
"Yeah, and Thor is currently is Asgard but I'm sure you'll meet him eventually." Nat added.
"...Asgard?" Millie looked at Steve for an explanation.
"Jesus, Cap, have you not told her anything?" Tony pushed.
"I'm trying to ease her into it, okay?" He said with a frown. "And look who's talking, considering you and Fury did the same thing."
Tony put his hands up defensively. "Hey, that was Fury's idea, not mine. Anyway, you hungry Millie?" He gestured to the table full of breakfast food.
Millie looked at the spread longingly, but even though she was desperate to stuff her face with crispy bacon and scrambled eggs, she knew it would make her sick so she shook her head. "No, thank you though."
"We're still working on her appetite, it's going to take some time." Steve squeezed her hand again.
"Oh, it's likely going to take a while." Bruce pushed up his glasses after finishing his final bite. "But trust me, don't force it because it will come back, or else you'll probably be very sick."
"Noted..." Millie nodded. "Bruce, right? You were one of my doctors, weren't you?"
Bruce held his hand out for Millie to shake. "I was, and I'm actually glad you're here. If you don't mind, I wanted to give you a check up today and do some tests."
"Sure, I haven't got anything else to do yet."
"I'll find you something," Tony's words were muffled with food. "Even if Steve would rather you rest, I'm sure you want to stay busy. I'm the exact same."
Millie chuckled. "Yeah, I gotta earn my keep somehow, don't I?"
Bruce piled his cutlery on his empty plate neatly and got up from his seat. "Well, if you're ready, we can get it over and done with now?" Millie nodded yes. "Excellent, follow me."
Millie went to step away from Steve but was instantly pulled back into his firm body, and a swift kiss was planted on her lips which she smiled into.
The team reacted with mixed of coos and gags, but neither cared. They were just happy to be back with each other.
Eventually Steve pulled away and Millie started walking out of the kitchen with Bruce. Despite the fact that he wasn't a tall man, she struggled to keep up with him, still regaining her balance after being frozen for 75 years.
"This won't be too invasive," Bruce muttered. "But I had some questions that I figured you might not want to answer in front of everyone."
"I appreciate that, Doctor."
He turned to smile at her as he held open the door to a medical office. "Just Bruce is fine."
Bruce shut the door and motioned for Millie to sit down on a folded out doctors bed covered in paper. He wasn't a super talkative man, but Millie didn't mind. He seemed friendly enough, so far everyone did.
"So, Millie, first I'm just going to check your eyes and ask you a few questions, then I'm going to test your reflexes, and after that I'll just take some blood."
"Okay, sounds good."
He held a small light up to her eyes and had her follow it. "Have you been experiencing any dizziness or nausea?"
"Dizziness, no, but yes to nausea. It's usually after I eat though."
"Okay, and any fatigue?"
Millie laughed. "You kidding? All I do is sleep. Not as much as I did though."
He tucked away the light and started tapping below Millie's knee for her reflexes. "Okay, and how about your menstrual cycle?"
Millie sucked in a breath and cringed, not expecting such a sudden question. "I...don't know yet."
"Well, I haven't dealt with a female super soldier before, and definitely not one that has been frozen, but if you find that your cycle has become irregular or you miss any periods, please let me know as soon as possible."
"Okay..." she shifted uncomfortably in her seat and Bruce noticed.
"I understand it's a pretty forward question to be asked by me, considering we're likely going to be having more of a friendly relationship rather than just a professional one, so thank you for answering. I know in the 40s, things weren't as...open?"
"Are they open about it now? I mean, even old doctors of mine treated it like it was so taboo."
"Most people are a lot more open, yes. I'm not sure about Steve though..."
Millie snickered. "Steve's always did his best, he was definitely better than most men of those days."
"And yet my girlfriend still calls him a square."
"Who's your girlfriend?"
"Nat," he smiled. "She's...she's something special."
"I bet, and she's beautiful too."
"I know, I really lucked out with that one." He pulled up a trolley. "Okay, I just want to take some blood."
Millie rolled up her grey sweatshirt and held out her arm. "Be my guest."
"Not scared of needles?" He asked as he stuck the sharp point into her vein.
"I don't think I'd be a very good nurse if I was afraid of needles."
"Oh yeah, Steve mentioned you worked at a hospital during the war."
"Yeah nursing has always been my passion. Although, looking around this room, I have a feeling lots of things have changed..."
"Oh definitely." He withdrew the needle. "Hey, I could use some help around here. Maybe I could ask Tony if we can get you working under me?"
"Really?" Millie went wide eyed with excitement. "Oh, I'd love that! But...I don't know if I'll be any good. Like I said, so much has changed."
"That's a good point, but I'll still talk to Tony. Maybe we can have you resit some exams or something."
"Thank you, Bruce." Millie smiled warmly. "I know Steve wants me to relax and heal, but honestly I can't think of anything worse than laying in bed all day by myself while he goes off and does, well, whatever it is he does."
"I don't blame you, but if your body tells you it needs a break, you need to listen to it, okay?"
"Yes, I will. Thank you."
"Alright, well, we're all done here but I think by now everyone will be training or doing other stuff so, why don't you shadow me for the day? I'm actually studying a sample we received of your serum."
"Okay, that sounds like fun."
Millie hopped off the bed and Bruce led her over to a table with dozens of Petri dishes and microscopes. Despite the fact that she was still terrified, she felt more in her element in Bruce's office.
She was starting to understand why Steve loved these people so much.
~
"So," Sam started, taking a punch from Steve on his mits. "You guys, you know, done the deed yet?"
"Done the deed?" Steve groaned. "Sam, it's been three days since she woke."
"I don't know, I figured you'd be desperate having gone 75 years without."
Steve looked up from beneath his lashes. "I haven't gone 75 years without sex, Sam."
Almost, but unfortunately there was that one regretful night with Sharon. If Steve was honest, it barely counted considering the fact it took about 10 minutes just for Sharon to get Steve to fit, and at that point Steve only gave a few measly thrusts before pulling out and quite literally running away in a panic.
"Does she know that?" Nat asked from across the gym, throwing a kick into Bucky's mits.
Steve turned around and put up a defensive wall. "Not yet."
"So you're going to tell her?" Sam asked.
"I-yes. Eventually."
"Eventually...meaning when?"
"God, I don't know. When it's right, okay?" Steve threw a particularly hard punch, knocking Sam back slightly.
"Woah man, I'm not trying to be rude. You and Millie have been apart for three quarters of a century, and you jumped back in immediately. I just want you to make sure you're being smart about it."
Steve let out a huff and threw his mits off, running his fingers through his hair. "I know...I know."
"Steve, if she loves you as much as it seems, she will understand." Nat added, coming over to stand next to him, followed by Bucky."
"You thought she was dead, pal." He added. "You can't be blamed for attempting to be happy, for attempting to move on."
Steve rolled his eyes. "Except I wasn't trying to move on, I was being a coward and I didn't want to be alone."
"Wait, hold on–" Nat furrowed her brows. "I thought you never got with Peggy in the end? I thought she liked you but you didn't reciprocate the feelings."
"That's true. It wasn't Peggy I slept with..."
"Then...who was it?"
"Steve!" Millie's voice rang out in the gym as she came running over clumsily, looking like bambi on ice. "Oh my gosh, it's amazing here!"
She fell into his arms with a giggle and Steve caught her, holding her close. "Careful, sweetheart. You're still all out of balance."
"I'm sorry, I just got so excited and wanted to tell you that I've been shadowing Bruce all day! He's going to see if I can get my nursing qualifications up to scratch and I can work with him!"
"Millie, that's great!" Steve cheered.
Finally, Millie noticed the three others. "Oh...sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt."
"You weren't interrupting, little Mills." Bucky scruffed up her hair.
"Bruce has been saying he wanted an assistant, this is working out perfectly." Nat added. "I think you'll fit in just fine around here... but we have to get you some better clothes."
Millie's face went bright red as she looked down at herself. "It was either this or my tattered old uniform, but I donated that to the museum."
"Wait, is this what SHIELD gave you when you left?" Nat asked and Millie nodded. "Steve!" She slapped his arm.
"Ow! What?"
"You've seriously kept your girlfriend in the same clothes for three days?"
Steve rubbed his arm, faking it as if it actually hurt. "Hey! We washed them, it's not like it's gross..."
Nat scoffed. "I'll get you some clothes, we can go shopping some time. I think Wanda wanted some new stuff anyway."
"Oh, thank you...but I haven't got any money I'm afraid."
"Neither do I," Nat shrugged. "If only we had some sort of rich, playboy, philanthropist's credit card..."
"Natasha, quit your scheming!" Tony's voice echoed ominously throughout the gym despite nobody being able to see him.
Nat simply winked at Millie and Millie found herself leaning more and more into Steve, completely comfortable about her life even if things were still shaking her up.
Even if things were different.
She figured she was so overwhelmed that she just didn't have time to think about all the sad parts of losing her previous life, like her best friends or her parents...
But that time would come.
—
A/N:
Short little chapter to help set up Millie's new life + introduce her to everyone. Not a lot of action yet, but it's coming!
Another question for you all!
So, now that Steve has changed, I was wondering if I should shake up their *cough* personal lives.
Aka...should I keep Steve vanilla in the bedroom or spice things up? 😏🌶
Peace and love,
-Lonah Lennox