Chapter 10

                                    

                                          
Steve watched Victoria asleep next to him a few days after the chip removal. She slept every night in his bed, naked. He couldn't get enough of her, of her body, of her presence. He loved her, but he didn't know how to tell her. And she still was in love with Bucky. He brought his hand gently to her, brushing some hair out of her face as she slept. He trailed his fingers down her face, her neck, her collarbone. His fingers softly circled around her areola, causing her to stir.
 
"Captain Rogers, what are you doing?"

She opened her green eyes into his, a smile spreading across her face. She was so beautiful, he wanted her. She seemed to know what he was thinking because she pushed him away, "you have recruits that still need to be whipped into shape. You need to get dressed."

Steve laughs and stands up, displaying himself for her, "do you really want me to get dressed? And leave you?"

Victoria stood up next to him, letting the sheet fall to the floor. "I certainly don't Captain." She pushed him against the wall and kissed him, teasing him. She trailed her hand down his chest and stomach. He moaned and closed his eyes as she took him in her hand with long, slow strokes. Steve groaned as she let go suddenly and he opened his eyes to hers. "You need to get dressed Captain. We can continue this later."

He grabbed the back of her head, pulling her to him, "you're so mean. And we will continue this later."

He lets go and starts getting dressed, making her laugh. "Is that a promise or a threat Captain?"

Steve leaned down to her, kissing her aggressively, biting her lip as he pulled away. "Threat. Definitely a threat." 

"What can you tell me about that agent I sparred with the other day? Anthony."

Steve turned back to her, "why? Should I be jealous?" 

Victoria laughed, "No no. There's just something about him. He seems familiar, but I can't figure it out."

Steve shrugged. "I don't really know. I don't know much about him, not even his last name. Fury said I would find out when the time was right. He's good though, better trained than the others. I don't even know why I'm training him."

She saw his military tags hanging on the wall of his closet as she found a shirt of his to wear. Steven G. Rogers. "What's the G for Steve?"

He turned back to her from the door, "It's Grant. My middle name is Grant. I'll see you later." 

She didn't seem to hear him as he left. Grant? What was it about that name that sounded familiar? She found her clothes and threw them on as she made it to her own room. She thought about what Bucky had said about there still being something missing as she let the warm water of the shower wash over her. Grant. How did she not know Steve's middle name before? She could have sworn she knew that already. Grant.

Victoria braided her hair behind her head and got dressed quickly, still thinking about Steve's name. "Oh my god!" She ran out of the room to Bucky's room, but it was empty. She found him downstairs in the kitchen. "Bucky! I remember!" 

He stood up from the table, "remember what doll?"

"Follow me." She led him to the training room where Steve was sparring with Anthony. She felt the rest of the team follow them as well. They stopped and Anthony smiled at them. "I'm sorry Steve, I need to interrupt your training."

Anthony started to walk towards them, "finally." 

Steve looked at them, confused as he followed Anthony to Victoria and Bucky. He stood in front of Victoria as she placed her hands on his face, "I remember Buck." She looked at Steve, "Steve's middle name is Grant. My brother's name is Tony, Anthony." She looked back at the agent, "Anthony Grant Barnes." She saw it now, Bucky's eyes, her soft brown hair.

"Mom. Finally." He wrapped her in a hug as all of her memories came flooding back. Her being pregnant, having Grant. Even Bucky taking him from her, someplace safe. 

She pulled away, "did you just do that?"

Grant nodded. He grabbed Bucky in a hug and did the same to him, making Bucky fall to his knees. He wasn't used to the projection as well as Victoria was. Victoria guided them all to the kitchen to sit down.

Victoria saw Steve standing behind Grant, looking at her confused. She looked back at Grant. "What are you doing here? How did you know to come here? I have so many questions. Do you go by Tony or Grant?" She felt Steve move to her side, placing his hand on her back. She sat down at the table, motioning for him to do the same. They all looked at Grant, and waited for him to offer them an explanation.

Grant smirked, "well, which did you intend for me to go by?" 

Victoria looked at Steve, "Grant. We intended for you to go by Grant. We just thought Anthony Grant sounded better."

"That's what I normally go by. I only went by Anthony here because I didn't want to draw attention to myself. I was recruited by Fury, and when I showed him who I was, I made him promise he wouldn't say anything until you remembered. I've been here all week, waiting." He looked at Bucky, "you were very clear on the fact that I had to wait until you guys pieced it together yourselves."

Bucky leaned forward, seemingly putting pieces together. He looked at Victoria, "that's why I left you there, I couldn't go back. I couldn't risk them finding him."

Grant continued, looking at Victoria, "Yes. You guys were very clear. You had me wipe her of all memories of me. And then you," he turned back to his father, "you had me wipe all memories of her from you."

She felt Steve tense up beside her. She looked at him, but he wouldn't look back at her. He was shutting her out, and she didn't know why. But she couldn't focus on it right then, so she looked back at her son. "That explains why they didn't activate the kill chip, they were still hoping I could lead them to you." 

He nodded. "Well yeah, the spawn of their two favorite assets. I left in little clues. I knew when you got your chip removed. Dad was the only one that knew about it. And with you being here at the compound with him," he pointed at Steve, "I knew it wouldn't be long before you remembered. So I've been here, training. Waiting."

"How did you know we had it removed?" Victoria placed a hand on Steve's leg, trying to send him calm to reassure him.

Grant shrugged. "My powers are a bit different than yours. We are connected, so I just felt you. You can bring up past memories and project new ones onto people. I can feel what people are feeling like you can." He looked at Steve and seemed a little sad, "I can erase them and I can project too. I can convince you of something that isn't true. That's how I was able to stay hidden." He turned back to his father, "you left me with family of your sister's. I was able to project onto them that I was always their kid."

"This is a lot." Victoria gets up to hug Grant as she feels Steve leave the room. 

Grant whispers in her ear, "don't worry, he loves you. He'll come around." 

She pulled back and looked at him, "how do you know that?"

He continues to speak softly, only for her to hear. "I've seen it. Sometimes I see things from the future." 

She smiled and placed her hand on his face again, "you have your father's eyes. I'm so sorry I forgot about you. How old are you?"

Grant laughed, "how old am I? How old are you? Why are we the same age?" He points to Bucky, "while he looks old."

Everyone in the room laughed as Bucky scowled. Victoria looked at the empty spot Steve previously occupied. She heard Grant in her head, "go. It's fine."

She turned back to him and he just winked at her. "Can you do that with everyone?"

He just shrugged and smiled as everyone looked at them confused. "I haven't had a lot of practice." 

Wanda stepped forward to Grant, "don't worry, I will help you."

Grant smiled at her, "Oh, I know you will." His smile and confidence made Wanda blush. 

Victoria starts to walk away but turns back to Grant, "wait, so did you do that on purpose the other day? At the party. You distracted Sharon so I could dance with Steve?"

Grant laughed and nodded his head. "I did. She needed to leave him alone, and you needed to repair what you have with him. Like you need to do now. So go."
                          
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Victoria left them all and went in search for Steve. She found him back in the training room, alone. He was punching a bag, angry. She wanted to calm him down, but she knew using her powers on him would only make him more angry. "Why are you angry Steve?"

"Stay out of my emotions." He didn't look at her as he continued his assault on the bag.

She made her way to him. "I can't help it with you. We're connected, I always feel you."

He hit the bag so hard it flew across the room and her turned to face her, "well don't."

"Steve." She reached out to him, but he pulled away from her.

"I don't think we should do this anymore. I'm sorry. You should be with your family." He still wouldn't look at her.

She didn't need to touch him to enter his mind. She felt anger, and jealousy. She watched from his perspective as he watched her interact with Grant and Bucky.

"Stay out of my head!" He shut her out of his head, blocking her. He was the only one that had ever been able to do that. She knew it was because they were so close.

"His name is Grant for a reason Steve." She started to leave, but walked back to him, placing herself in front of him, "I want to be with you Steve, nothing can change that." She put her hands on his chest, trying to get him to look at her. "Please Steve."

He looked down at her, tears in his eyes, "this was a mistake, I'm sorry." He pulled away and walked away from her as she stood there and cried.