The next few days went by like a total blure. Most of his time Stephanie was in the Lab with Dr. Cho. They tested every single thing that can be tested, from hair thickness over speed running test even to an IQ-test. She went through all of them as patienctly, as he could. He didn't like it much but it gave him a task and a purpose and that was something Steven was familiar with. It also shortened the time when his head started spin to things he didn't want to think about so he burried them far far away. Out of sight out of mind. The other reason was that Stephanie really liked Helen. She was the only one where she didn't have the feeling that she wanted more than she was willing to give. She observed over the last few days that she was a very intelligent woman, who didn't take shit from anyone. She remembered him of Peggy, reserved, friendly and kind of funny if she wanted. She also were te first person where Steve didn't feel uncomfortable. It still felt weird to becalled him new name. But when Helen called him Stephanie it neither freaked him out nor did it felt unnatrual.
The only parts she didn't find very pleasant when she was with Helen, were the ones, when she tryed to educate him about female cycles, sex and contraception and such things. Tecnically agent Hill would have been the one who originally was planned to be the one explaining everything in this matter, but the agent managed it to roll this task up on Helen, who totally got her kick out of it when Stephanie blushed from one ear to the other. This hole blushing thing got slowly but certainly on her nerves. It wasn't so that Steve was a total prudish person, but in his new form every time something slightly embarassing is sayed or happend she blushes like a 13 year old girl. Technically that wasn't so far from the truth because he couldn't quiet regulate this body like his old once, but still it was very embarrassing to talk about those things.
His biggest problem with this ... this talks was his little knowledge about women. It's not just that he never really knew how to talk to women, even now, but also his lack of knowledge of their atonomy and that was pretty devastating. Of course he knew how babys were made and that they had there period but thats really it. On the other side she really like the gain of this new knowledge over her boddy, because she wanna know what's going on down there even if she could die in embarrassment.
Aside of her time with the Doc, the other parts of the day, she was either in the gym to let out some of his steam or with Rumlow how set her in the picture of all the mayor history events and damm in these past 67 years were a lot of history incidents to catch up on. From the civil-rights act to the Kennedy execution, the moon landing, the cold war not even beginning to count everything thst happened out side of the us. The German splitting and reuniting, the spitting of the UdSSR, the Korean war, the Israel founding and conflicts following that, the middle east conflict are just the iceberg of everythingthat happend.
Steve wasn't quit sure if he liked the time he spend with Rumlow, or Brock since yesterday. He couldn't tell if the other man was flirting with her or if he just was friendly. Stephanie know that she was a eye candy from the one time she looked at herself. It may sound stupid but since that day where she broke down I front of it he hasn't looked in a mirrow again. It even went so far that she had thrown a blanket over her own reflection. It was terrifying to dress herself but with the motto, what I cann't see, isn't there and haven't changed, things might work out.
One day after one of her history lessons with Brock, he asked, "So Captain can I get your phonenumber?"
"Ehmm no, I mean I don't have one, like why would I? According to shield filles everyone I know is dead except Peggy and she has defnitelly no phone with her dementia and all the people I get in contect with are part of shield so I see them nearly daily, so why would I need one?" Steve reasoned and shrugged with her shoulders. It seemed like a waist of money when he wouldn't necessary need it.
Brock starred at her for a moment in disbelief before he shock his head, "Yes, but a phone is so much more than that. You can go in the internet, chat with people all around the world."
Stephanie interrupted quickly "Yes, but I don't need that, I mean if I need to go in the internet I just could just use a computer."
"Yes but it isn't the same. How about we go in a mall and buy you a phone I even pay for it if you don't want to waist money on it allright?", by the word waist the darker man drew quotation marks in the air.
Stephanie wanted to argue at first but to be honest where was the point in fighting. All that fighting ever did to him was pain and destruction. His thoughts started to boil so he exhailed deep to push everything down and nodded defeated, "Sure, why not. Even if I would say no you would just drag me along."
Brock smiled winning and pulled her on the hand with himto his car, "Exactually, you already know me so well Darling, now come on.".
Stephanie froze for a moment internally when Brock just took her hand and calledher Darling. She felt very uncomfortable to be called and touched like that. Of course she could easily pull her hand away but what was the point in that? Pushing away one of the only person she knew in this century? No definitely not. If Steve tought about it. It was actually nice to touched another person just because of feeling the connection of skin. And the Darling thing is maybe just a nice nickname? So Steve just gave him a soft smile like one you give a little puppy how chased his own tail, "Yes, yes, already following big guy." and followed him without mising a beat.
In the mall they went directly to a phone shop. While steve gave his full attention to the flip phones section, Brock went straight for the smart phones with though screen, "Come on Stevie, you can't be serious. Your 25 not 90"
His heart stopped for a moment as he heared his old nickname without further do a warm feeling formed in her chest because of that and smirk escaped her lips; "Well, tecnically I'm 92 so yeah that is exactlly the kind of phone I'm looking for. And before you saw I need a way in the internet, I already have a computer from shield so I'm fine with the cheaper version."
Brock only grumbled something to himself about no cameras and that Nokias indestructible and with a head shake only say, "What ever you say cap."
And with that they got Stev her first pensioner cellphone. Brock immediatly typed in his own number and then gave it back with a smug grind, "Now I'm officially the first person in Captain Americas first cellphone"
Stevie couldn't hold back a eye rolling while boxing him lightly in the arm, "Oh stop it Brock! Your not funny!"
The dark hair man just laught at that and layed his punshed arm around Stephanies shoulders and peaked her in one of her check now defnitelly invading her private space. She wanted to step back, but the thought of offending tge other stopped her from doing so.
"Your smile speaks another language, Darling. And just to be clear. Did you just roll your eyes on me? I'm deeply heart", he layed his hands melodramatic on his chest like he had a heart attack. Now Steven couldn't hold back a grind as she thought about a similar situation with her best friend and shook her head, "Oh, just stop it. You're as terrible as Bucky!" After she sad the name of her best friend the grind died down a bit as she couldn't hold herself back to think about the last moments he had with him but he immediately pushed his thoughts away so nobody could have noticed it like she does all the time since she woke up. "It's always a pleasure, Miss Rogers."
The next few hours Stephanie spent with Rumlow at the mall. The longer the two spent together the more comfortable he got with the other and things like touching her and calling her here and there Darling didn't seem as uncomfortable as before that. She didn't even notice how much time had passed. When they left, it was already quite dark.
"Oh man, it's already dark. How long have we been in there?"
"We'll have been in there at least three hours. Come on, let me bring you home"
"Oh no, it's okay. I can go home on my own"
"No. No! Even if you can go home on your own, I insist that I take you there. I can't let a woman go home alone. Even if I know she can take care of herself, it wouldn't be appropriate behavior."
Stephanie couldn't help herself but blush by this nice and decent gesture, "Fine, but only this one time", with that she got in Rumlows car. On the drive home Steve thought more about the other when the realization dawned on him that this hole evening was a date. He didn'tknow what to think about it as he looked to the driver. On one hand, he definitely wasn't interested in any relationship now, nor for the near future, on the other hand he really didn't want to offend him by rejecting him and possibly destroyng the thin friendship they have. Her thoughts traveled on to the thought that she might have no one left when she rejected him and the thought alone to be left alone let his trought tighten immediately. She couldn't do it, or atleast not now. His thoughts spin in a direction he didn'twanna engage so he startedto tell Brock about his visit by Peggy in London.
The first Saturday since she awoke out of the ice. Steve found himself in front of the Peggys retirement home. It was less than 5 days ago for him to wake up, but everything is still so surreal. Technically today would have been his date with Peggy so here he was. He stood in front of the retirement building for a few minutes before he got his gotts together and entered the house. With the help of a nurse he found Peggy's room fast. As she entered the room he emediatlly know that it was the right decision to come here. It was like seeiing his old life closing in front of his eyes. To see Peggy in her late 90s it was like coming to peace with the fact that she and everyone he loved had a full and fulfilling life. It hurt. Of course, Steve wasn't happy about it that he couldn't see them get older, but to know that they were happy gave Steve a kind of peace he didn't even know he desperately wanted since the moment he woke up. Peggy seemed to know that the strange young lady was Steve and she didn't question it, she just was happy that she was alive. Dementia had something good, for her Stephanie was Steve no confusion just accepting and she was just in her 30's not 90's. He spent his time talking with Peggy over all the things she remembered about her life and the two even got a very slow dance together, which literally was just slightly swaying. It was more that Stephanie expected when she arrived. She finally left hours later. As she stepped out of the retirement home it was like a invisible weight falls of and she just know everything will be alright. Maybe not now. Maybe not in the not few weeks. But maybe, maybe in the end everything will be alright. Peggy was a happy woman, Helen and Hill seemed also pretty happy so maybe Steve will also be a happy Stephanie.
While she told Brock of her visit she got so lost in the rehearsal she didn't noticed when they arrived at her apartment. She snapped out of her trance-like narration as his hand came down on hers and squeezed it lightly. She didn't even noticed that she was shaking.
"Your right. It's gone be okay. I know I'm not a woman and I can't even imagen what your going through but I'm here for you. If you want, I'll help go through this. I'm sure I can help you become a pretty decent 21st century girl if you let me help. I would love to help you with this Stevie. You're not on your own".
A tremble went through her boddy and she gave Brock a wobbly smile back, "Thanks. That's a lot your offering and I'm not sure if I could repay you that help."
He dismissed it with a hand gesture, "You don't have to repay me anything. But if you want to you could go on a date with me. I know, I know. Before you say anything we don't know each other longer than a few days, but I like you and I think I could be you ancer in this new world and if it doesn't work out we just go on with our life's just like that. So what do you think?"
Stephanie didn't know what to say. She knew that she shouldn't be so desperate, but the spark of hope and fore one time be not the one who leads seemed never more appealing than in this moment. With that she bit herself in the bottom lip and nodded, "Yeah, okay. What could happen? It couldn't get any worse, right?"