My eyes start to fill with tears and I look back out my balcony and try to dry them. He has changed from the small sweet guy I remember, but then it hit me he's right. He's just telling me the truth, and I hurt him. I turn and run to my door when I open it I see Steve standing there in front of me, his back facing me. "Steve?" I say reaching up and touching his back. "Steve, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." He slowly turns around to face me, his face unreadable. "Steve please, say something?"
He looks into my eyes and says, "Maddy, I'm sorry too. I don't know what came over me." I stand aside and to invite him back into my room. As he walks past me I look down the hall to Howard's door and I take a deep breath. I close my door and walk over to my bed and sit down. I pat the seat next to me and he sits down. "Steve, there is something you should know about me; but Howard must never know."
Steve looked up into my eyes with a confused look on his face and says, "What is it Maddy?" I walk over to my dresser and pull out a throwing knife from my top drawer and walk back over to him.
"What are you doing Maddy?" I grasp the hilt of the knife in one hand and grasp the blade in the other. "Maddy," Steve says as he stands up.
"It's ok Steve," I say as I jerk the hilt down and slice my hand.
"Maddy, What the hell!" he says jumping up and rushing to my side. He takes my hand and looks down at it.
"Steve its fine, just watch." He looks back down at my hand. The blood starts to make its way back to my wound and it closes up leaving not a scratch on my skin. Steve looks up into my eyes and I see a sense of panic. "Steve, this is why I didn't want to say anything about me loving you. I'm not normal."
He takes a few steps back and says, "I... I don't know what to say." I look away as I walk back over to my dresser and replace the knife. I turn back to face him. "So earlier, you weren't dying?"
I shook my head and said, "No, I was. At least I was trying to."
Steve walks over and takes my hand and says, "Maddy, how long have you known?"
I look up into his eyes and say, "I guess you can say since I was a child."
He nods, "And how long ago was that might I ask?"
I walked over to my balcony and turned around as I said, "I was born in the 1700's Steve."
Steve shook his head, "You've been alive for over two hundred years?" I nod and look down at my hands.
"My brother and I share the same regenerating powers. Only I age at a much slower rate than him." he walks back over to my bed and sits down.
"How? How have you lived for so long without anyone finding out?" I walk back over to the bed and sit down beside him.
"Along the way only a few close friends have found out. Helen, Bucky, and of course now you know."
Steve clenched his jaw then said, "Bucky knew?"
I nod and said, "Ever since the day we met he knew, because if I was normal I would have died."
Steve takes my hands in his and says, "I am sorry for everything Maddy."
I lean up and kiss his cheek. "You have to promise me you won't tell Howard. I don't want to worry him about this."
Steve tightens his grip on my hands and says, "You should tell him Maddy, he deserves to know."
I nod, "I know, I'll tell him. I just don't know when, but I'll figure it out." Then he wraps his arms around me and holds me close to him.
"Maddy," he says and I look up into his eyes just in time to feel his lips touch mine. His sweet kisses make my mouth start to water. I reach up my hands and wrap them around his neck and deepen our kiss. Then I let one hand down to venture over his chest and abs. they feel hard and warm beneath my touch.
"Maddy?" I hear Howard say from the other side of my door and I pull away from Steve. I stand up and leave him sitting on the bed as I shake my head clear.
"Yes?" I say back and he opens the door.
When he sees Steve his face turns from a smile to a quizzical look. "Rogers?"
Steve stands and walks over to him and says, "Sorry, I was just worried about her."
Howard relaxes as he says, "Understandable."
Then he looks at me and says, "What are you doing standing? Get into bed now before you get even sicker." I smile and nod as I make my way over to my bed and climb in. "Rogers, I have a room all prepared for you. Since we are going to the same place tomorrow I figured we could just ride there together." Steve nods and looks back at Maddy, he walks over and kneels down beside her and kisses her on the forehead and slips something into her hand as he says, "Goodnight Maddy." I smile hiding my hand from Howard as I say, "Goodnight Steve." Then Steve turns and walks out of the room leaving me and Howard together.