56-You Are My Sunshine

More than Five Years Ago

When Steve Rogers first laid his blue eyes on Peyton Stark, he didn't know what to think. His mind was a jumble of thoughts as he watched the blonde saunter towards him and Agent Coulson. She was the prettiest girl he's laid his eyes on since Peggy. Peyton's lips were such a vibrant red that he had no choice but to look at them. She lowered her sunglasses, her green eyes studying the Captain as she smirks.

"Hello Captain Rogers." She says with a grin, pulling her hand out of the pocket of her leather jacket. Steve doesn't realize that she means to shake his hand and a blush covers his cheeks. Her hand was so much smaller than his, so much softer.

"Captain Rogers, this is Agent St-" Couslon starts to introduce her, but the blonde cuts him off just as Steve awkwardly shakes her hand. The much older man worries that his hand might be too sweaty-Oh God save him. Steve knows Bucky is somewhere, cussing him out.

"My name is Peyton." The Agent says with the prettiest smile that makes Steve all weak.He smiles back as they pull their hands apart. The three of them walk back to the Jet, Steve stealing glances at Peyton when its appropriate. Oh my God, Steve Rogers you are a creep.

"Peyton is one of our best agents, Captain. In fact she just got off a mission not too long ago." Couslon informs him, obviously noticing that Steve can't stop looking at the woman. Steve uses this to look curiously at Peyton, who has a smirk on her face. Why was her shirt cut so low? Oh my, was it get warm? Steve rugged at the collar of his button up. Suddenly it felt too tight.

"I was just retrieving something that belonged to SHIELD. No biggie." She tells Steve causally with a shrug. The Captain nods in response just as Coulson hands him a tablet. He wants to talk more with Peyton, but she's fast asleep. There's a smile on her face. You could imagine how shocked Steve was to learn how absolutely deadly and destructive that sleeping angel was.

Hours or so later, when Loki attacked the Helicarrier, Steve, Tony and Peyton were tasked with fixing the huge hole in the ship. Steve almost shits himself because the blonde woman simply jumps out into the missing part of the Helicarrier, seemingly falling to her death. The old man almost had a heart attack when she flew up, covered completely in flames.

-

Captain Steve Rogers is of course hurt by the fact that his wartime sweetheart is sick and had a disease eating at her mind, but the fact that there was a beautiful blonde woman driving him did help slightly. There's a huge smile on her face as she talks about her childhood with Peggy. It makes him so happy to hear Peyton talk about her childhood. Her blonde hair was pulled away from her face and into a ponytail. A pair of sunglasses covered her face. Her lips weren't bright red for once, no today they were her natural pink color. The only thing that was on it was the cherry smelling balm she kept putting on.

"There's two people I love most in the world and it's Tony and Auntie Peggy." She tells Steve, almost proudly. Steve laughs, his eyes on her as Peyton drives them to Peggy's care facility.

"I can't imagine you being a child around her." Steve responds and Peyton laughs, turning his head to look at him momentarily. A huge smile is on her face. God, her laugh is beautiful-Steve, she has a boyfriend. She is someone else's girl.

"Believe it or not, I was a child, Rogers. Got the pictures to prove it." She says, a huge smile on her face. He chuckles, shaking his head. Suddenly, she squeals and turns up the music that was quietly playing in the background.

"Now here you go again, you say you want your freedom. Well, who am I to keep you down? It's only right that you should" Peyton singing along, making Steve grin. As she continued to sing loudly, Steve felt a swelling in his chest. Her huge smile and her happiness made Steve realize that he didn't really just like her.

Steve Rogers was hopelessly in love with Peyton Stark.

-

Steve has seen Peyton Stark go through two relationships, both of them not ending good. After seeing Peyton overdosing in her claw foot bathtub, he only wanted the best for her-Well he always wanted the best for her. So when Peyton decided she was going to live upstate at the base, Steve wanted to make sure she always doing good. He'd make Sam go on runs with him earlier than usual so he would be back to make breakfast for everyone (but mainly just for Peyton).

She was always smiling around Steve, which made Steve feel so damn happy. Neither of those two happy idiots knew it, but they were so stupidly in love with each other. Well, Steve knew he had some type of feelings for Peyton but he didn't do anything. She just got of a shitty relationship and had attempted suicide. Peyton needed to focus on herself for the time being.

So they just trained together and watched movies together and well did everything together. Steve didn't push her and Peyton focused on building herself back up from the ground.

Steve felt very guilty as well. He knew the truth of how Peyton lost her chance at having parents for the second time. Sometimes when he looked at her, he remembered that Bucky killed her parents.

Steve just couldn't bring himself to tell her.

-

Four-ish Years Ago

Steve was going to have a heart attack with the way she was looking tonight. It was their first true date since they had practically made out in the training room and Peyton was looking like she always did: drop dead gorgeous. Her jeans were so skin tight that Steve thought they were painted on her skin. Captain Rogers didn't know she had suede heeled boots that went almost higher than her knees. Her black leather jacket didn't hide the tight red shirt that she was wearing. The jacket certainly didn't hide how much her shirt showed. It caused Steve to blush bright red, which was exactly what Peyton wanted.

Her red lipped smirk had him weak in the knees. Like it always did.

He tried to focus on something else, but there's a large picture of Peyton in some black lingerie, fire surrounding her hanging on wall. It immediately catches his eye because how could it not. Oh God, this woman was going to be the death of him. Steve felt like he was going to explode into flames.

"You okay, Stevie?" Peyton teased him, her green eyes sparkling with mischief. She knew he was looking at the large picture behind her. It was something that she had taken for some magazine and it was her favorite picture of herself. Steve was completely tongue tied, so he just offered his arm to her. She took it with a smile on her face, wrapping his arm in his and letting Steve lead her to the garage.

"I'm perfect, doll." He finally got out when he caught him breath. This woman on his arm was going to be the death of him and Steve was perfectly okay with it. He turned his head towards her as they walked into the garage, "You okay with riding on my bike to the restaurant?"

"Steve, I'm more than okay with it." Peyton says with a smile, taking the helmet Steve hands her. He climbs onto the bike first and she settled behind him after putting the helmet on. Steve felt like he was going to explode when she wrapped her warm arms around his middle. He revved the engine and over the loud noise, he could hear her giggle.

As soon as they stopped in the city and Steve parked, he got off and helped Peyton off the bike even through he knew she didn't need it. They were right outside a little Brooklyn pizzeria that looked like it's been there forever. Peyton grinned, setting down her helmet. Steve turned to her, almost excited.

"I used to go here all the time with Buck. I realize you've probably have had a lot of fancier dates but you said causal so-" Steve was rambling and he was glad when Peyton cut him off.

"It's all good, handsome. Let's get inside yeah?" She says with a smile, offering him her hand. He hadn't noticed until now, but her nails were painted a bright red color. Steve smiled at her and took her hand, following her into the small building. The restaurant was warm inside and Peyton held his hand the whole time they ordered. He could tell how in awe the staff working the restaurant was to see the two of them. It was crazy.

"God, I love pizza." Peyton told him happily as the waiter set the huge pepperoni pizza down in front of them, "Some guys just try too hard. They think I want to be flown to Italy for some overpriced pasta. It's horrible."

"You've been flown to places just got a date?" Steve asks, actually wondering if that was just a thing rich people did. Steve still couldn't comprehend how much money Tony and Peyton had. It was almost comical. He remembered how shock he was in when Natasha had told him how much the heels Peyton was wearing one day were. $695. Steve had grew up poor and Peyton had that much money to just spend on shoes. Peyton chuckled, sipping her Coke.

"More than I like to admit and it's usually with guys that I really didn't want to date. They just saw my net worth and decided that's what I must want." She explains, taking a bite of her pizza. Steve drank some of his Coke, smiling at her.

"Luckily for the both of us, I don't have the money for that." He jokes and she laughs, "I think this might be the only date I've been on that's actually gone well." Peyton grinned at his comment, swirling her drink with her straw.

"Oh really? I didn't peg you for someone that has gone out a lot on dates." The blonde woman responded. The fact that her green eyes were only focused on Steve like he was the only man in the world made his thoughts clouded with happiness.

"Bucky used to drag me on these double dates with girls that didn't want to go with me. I was horrible. I was really awkward so that didn't help." Steve responds and Peyton giggles and God, Steve feels like it's the most beautiful noise he's ever heard.

"Well you have certainly come out of your shell, Rogers." She tells him, the smile never leaving her face. Their date continues on just like Steve hoped. Everything was fine and it made Steve so excited for things to come. Before they had left, Peyton left the owners a more than generous tip. They walked around Brooklyn, Steve explaining little things he had enjoyed about his neck of the woods.

"And right there, I got in 'nother fight." Steve told her, pointing to an alley. Peyton smiles, streetlights lighting their path.

"You certainly can't say no to a fight, huh?" She asks, bumping into him on purpose. He chuckles and turns to look at her. She was looking at him, her hands clasped in front of her. Her blonde hair was painted red by an overhead sign. Peyton's red lips were slightly parted as she looks up at him, the corners of her mouth moving upward. Somewhere, Bucky Barnes from the 40's was screaming at him to kiss her.

So he did.

Steve leaned down and kissed her, pulling her close to him. His large hands rested on her hip and the small of her back. Peyton wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing her even closer as they kissed. Unhappy New Yorkers walked past them, although a few of them recognized who was exactly sucking face right in front of them. Cameras flashed just as Steve and Peyton pulled apart, a red blush covering Steve's cheeks. She grinned at him and took his hand, leading him back to the bike. The whole ride back his heart was signing in his chest.

"Thank you for tonight, Steve. It was great." Peyton told him as she took off her helmet, shaking her hair. Steve look it from her and hung it up with the others. She was smiling at him. Steve smiles back, shoving his hands in his pockets as she continues to talk, "Next date, I plan okay?"

"So there is going to be another date?" Steve asks, a grin growing on his face as she walks to the door, her hips swinging. She laughs, turning her head to look at him.

"I'm not letting go you that easy, Cap." Peyton says before walking through the door into the compound. A few days later, they found themselves at Coney Island.

"What I'm saying, Rogers, is you're going down." Peyton tells him, as she aims her BB gun at the little piece of paper at the end of the booth. A carnie stood, watching both of the Avengers as they got into position. Steve chuckles, knowing damn well that he was a piss poor shot. At the same time, they both fired their guns. Steve missed a lot, but he was more than impressed that she only hit the black target on the paper.

"Miss, what prize do you want?" The carnie asks and Peyton grins, pointing at this ridiculous large white teddy bear. The man hands it to her and she carries it happily, smiling at Steve.

"I told you I was going to kick your ass." She told him excitedly as he wrapped his arm around her. Peyton had drove them to Coney Island and he was over the damn moon. They had eaten disgustingly unhealthy fair food and ridden the Cyclone (Steve didn't throw up for once).

"I didn't doubt it." Steve teases back, looking at her. This time, she was dressed in a flannel shirt, jeans, and some sneakers but she still looked like a queen, "You're a great shooter. Why don't you ever use it on missions?"

"Because bullets are traceable, fire isn't. When I first started with SHIELD, my powers were practically unimaginable. They always wanted to use it. I got to use my gun skills only when they didn't want my fire for that mission." She says with a shrug as they walked towards an ice cream stand.

"I gotta say, I was pretty scared when I saw you use your power." Steve admits and Peyton chuckles as they wait in line. They sit down after both getting a vanilla ice cream cone. The noise of the amusement park around then almost droned out as they sit and licked at their cones.

"I mean, it's weird. You being pumped full of super steroids is all chill but when it comes to me, people are scared. Being born with powers makes people terrified of you." Peyton comments, her eyes looking down at her ice cream. Steve realize that might've hit a nerve and he can almost hear Bucky screaming at him for being an idiot.

"Look I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought that up-"

"Oh! Let's go take pictures!" Peyton exclaims excitedly, pointing at a photo booth. Steve is grateful for how fast she changed the subject and quickly finished his overpriced ice cream before following the blonde to the photo booth. She placed her giant bear outside and slid inside the booth. Steve followed her inside as she did all the things she needed to do. The camera started up. The first picture was them smiling, the next was was Peyton kissing his cheek. The third, Peyton grabbed his face and kissed him and that lasted until the fourth. They both got a copy of the strip of photos. Steve pinned his to his wall and Peyton did the same, although she did post a picture of strip of the pictures to confirm their relationship on Instagram.

It broke the damn internet.

Not every date night they went out.

For example, tonight's date night was a night in. Everyone had just gotten back from a mission and the two lovebirds were too exhausted to go out like they had originally planned. Because of that, they were now sitting on the couch-well Steve was sitting. Peyton was laying down, her head in her boyfriend's lap. She was scrolling through some app on her phone while Steve played with her hair

"You did really good out there today." Steve told her softly. Peyton smiled as she looked up at him. The way she looked at him made his heart beat so damn fast.

"Thanks Rogers. You some kicked ass too." She responded, which made him grin. The timer on her phone rang out loudly and she stood up, walking over to the kitchen. Steve stood and watched as Peyton stretched her arms as she walked. She opened the oven and took the probably way too hot glass tray with her bare hands, carefully setting it down on top of some hot pads.  Steve continues to watch as she moves around the kitchen, straining the pasta.

"Go sit, grab a beer. I'll get dinner." Pey says, a smile on her face as she started pulling out plates. Steve held his hands up in mock surrender and walked over to the table. Peyton moved around the kitchen, plating the spaghetti and the chicken parmigiana. Eventually, she comes around and carries both plates out to the table.  They had about five minutes before the rest of the team came in and sat down around them. Peyton kept smiling at Steve, even among the rest of their teammates.

-

Steve Rogers being a virgin was a running joke. Everyone was always teasing him and Peyton about when she was finally going to pop his cherry. Peyton, of course, didn't tease Steve. She didn't pressure him at all. Eventually, Steve told Peyton when he was ready.

That's how they found themselves in this position.

Peyton was pulling on Steve's discarded shirt, a happy smile on her face. Steve had his mind thoroughly blown and he was finding trouble making coherent sentences. Marks littered Steve's skin, courtesy of his girlfriend. She was currently putting on a pair of black lace underwear. Peyton walked back over to him, her hips swaying slightly. Steve sat up on his hands, looking at her, watching her as she climbed onto the bed. Walking on it until she drops to straddle him.

"So did I or did I not take care of you?" She asks, a smirk on her beautiful face. Steve's hands rests on her hips, his eyes on her. Her hand moves up Steve's chest, moving to cup his cheek. His heart was beating so fast.

"Yes, you did. I love you, you know that?" Steve tells her, his hand moving slightly to rest on the curve of her ass. She smiles, that beautiful laugh coming out of her mouth. Steve just had to pull her down to kiss him, holding her close to him. She held his cheek still, her other hand moving to slip into his hair.

"I love you too, Steven Grant Rogers." She responds against his mouth. God he loved her. Steve loved her so damn much. And he decided to show her by returning the favor. Steve trailed kisses down her mouth and to her neck, which made Peyton tilt her head back, that smile never fading.

-

Almost Three-ish Years Ago

Steve walked into the Smithsonian, his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket. Peyton and Steve had been dating for almost a year, so Steve was here to collect something that rightfully belonged to him. A man met him and led him into the archives.

"Thank you for letting me have my ma's ring back." Steve told the Smithsonian official who just nodded in response. Her initials were stitched onto his suit. A small little set of letters- PAS. You'd really have to be studying his suit to see them.

"Well it is your mother's wedding ring. It belongs to you. Sorry we cannot say the same for your dog tags. We did receive a very strong worded message from Miss Stark about it." The man responded and Steve knowingly chuckled. He had been there when Peyton had called the Smithsonian. It was amazing to see her that angry.

Steve had already asked both Tony and Peggy if he could have their blessings. Peggy agreed and Tony feigned annoyance but caved, saying something along the lines about how he'll never get rid of Steve now. Steve didn't take it to heart and he promised he'll take care of Peyton Stark until he dies. Tony had only nodded. Steve knows that's all Tony cared about. He just wants his sister to be safe.

When Steve gets home, he shows Sam the ring before hiding it where his lovely girlfriend will never look.

In one of his old boots.

-

"Oh I won him this huge ass teddy bear at Coney Island on our second date. Steve's a horrible shot." Peyton was telling Bucky in the backseat as they drove. Steve looked at the two of them in the rear view mirror. Both of them had huge smiles on their face. Peyton didn't know that the man she was was joking with had killed her adopted parents. Steve still hadn't told her.

"Oh trust me I know. When we went on double dates, his dame would always go home empty handed. He had a bad throwing arm." Bucky teases his oldest friend, which makes Sam smirk in the passenger seat. Steve rolls his eyes, putting the Starks's murder out of his mind.

"In my defense, practically everything was wrong with me." Steve reminded them and Peyton laughs. God, Steve adored her laugh. His fiancée leaned forward, letting him catch a glimpse of her mischievous smile.

"What's your excuse now, Cap?" She asks and Bucky snorts. Peyton leans back in her seat, giggling. Steve shook his head. He was so glad two of the people he loved most were getting along so damn well. It made him feel so bad about what might happen to them.

Steve tried to push it out of his mind.

How was he supposed to know about what was to come?

-

Peyton wouldn't tell him, but she was upset at the fact she wouldn't be able to see her brother for awhile. His girlfriend- no his wife was sad over being apart from her adopted brother. She was also pissed at Steve for not telling her about her parents. Although, she seemed overall happy that she was with him. He'd sometimes catch her looking at him lovingly.

Natasha told him that she's never seen Pey this happy. She says that the heiress's green eyes light up every time he comes near, almost like he takes away his wife's sad thoughts immediately. Steve tries not to think of his wife's sadness and instead focuses on the good. They act like they are on a honeymoon. They were never this open about how much they loved each other back at the base, but now that they were in hiding and married, their love was on full display. Natasha, Sam, and Wanda didn't comment on it, they enjoyed seeing the couple...so in love.

Steve and Pey never strayed too far away from each other. There was always handholding, affectionate touches throughout the day, little secret smiles. Captain Steven Grant Rogers and Peyton Annemarie Stark-Rogers were hopelessly and madly in love with each other.

-

Months Before Thanos

That love only increased when three years later, a new little member joined the group of fugitives. A little tiny member.

Steve was so damn excited.

Every time he looked at his wife, he knew that there was a little person inside of her. A mixture of him and her. Steve couldn't help but smile at their little miracle. It was amazing, she was amazing. Captain Rogers couldn't help but to gently touch her stomach every now and again. Both of them would talk to the baby, even thought his ears hadn't developed.

His.

They were having a boy.

Steven Grant Rogers was going to be a father.

A damn father. Bucky wouldn't believe it when Steve told him the news. If he ever got to tell him.

-

Now

Steven Grant Rogers was an idiot.

He knew that, of course he knew that. Bucky had been telling him for years that he was an idiot. But Steve wasn't a complete idiot.

And that's why he was currently painting the walls of the baby's nursery grey. If he couldn't be actively making his wife happy, he could still make her happy by doing what she originally told him to do. Peyton had told him that he had free reigns on the nursery and that's why three walls were grey and the wall where the baby's crib was going to be. Steve had the window open, trying to release some of the paint fumes.

He hoped that the paint wouldn't make his wife sick because he'd just feel like even more of an asshole of it did. Steve just wanted everything to go back to how it was. He didn't want this uneasiness between himself and his wife. Steve didn't want Peyton to be sad. He wished that he could bring everything back together, but that isn't in his control. Steve wish he could, but he just couldn't. So he just painted and painted.

The crib was in its box in the center of the room. It was white and was just a normal crib. Wasn't too fancy or flashy, just normal. Near it, was some framed lyrics of a song that Peyton had started to sing to their little baby. One read "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine." in canary yellow script. And the other, in the same color of script said "You make me happy when skies are gray.". Steve loved it when his wife sang that song, her hands softly cradling her stomach. The song was always going through his head. Steve sighed, putting down his paint roller.

"FRIDAY, can you please play "You Are My Sunshine"? The Johnny Cash one." Steve asks, dipping his roller back in the paint.

"Yes of course." The AI responded simply and soon enough, the familiar tune started to play.

"The other night dear, as I lay sleepingI dreamed I held you in my armsWhen I awoke, dear, I was mistakenSo I bowed my head and I cried"

Steve didn't stop painting as the somber music filled the air. Johnny Cash was great, but he wanted to hear his wife singing it.

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshineYou make me happy when skies are gray"

Steve just wanted her to be happy. That's all he wanted. He wanted his wife and his child to be happy and healthy.

"You'll never know, dear, how much I love youPlease don't take my sunshine away"