TORI

"Will you be my wife?"

That question, that inquiry, has been in my mind for ages. When will the handsomest, most wonderful man ask me that question? I used to ask myself as a child. How could I have the privilege of meeting someone who loves me so much? I would ask myself as a teenager, locking myself in my bathroom to bleed my thoughts away. All of these question will forever remain unanswered, but only because it's happening to me now is the single reason why these questions are draining my thoughts.

I just stand there in the snow, staring at Steve who remains on one knee and holding the small box in front of himself to show me. It's just as I would have imagined — simple with just the silver band and a flawless diamond on the top. And I love it.

Everything from there just seems to freeze. Steve doesn't flinch, all sounds of the buzzing city nearby are suddenly silent, and I just stand there, waiting for the next thing to happen — for me to say yes. Nothing can come out of my mouth though. Not a breath, let alone one word. I just stand there, my mouth gaping open. I feel tears streaming down my face again, signaling that I'm back in reality. I think that I say yes because I barely feel my lips move, causing Steve's face to light up with delight.

This man, in the four years that I've known him and the thirty years that I've been alive, has made my day unlike anyone else has before. I used to think that no one would ever want me, let alone need me. I used to think that I was a huge disappointment and had ruined everyone's lives that I was a part of. Then this man, this man takes all of that despair and regret away with just a few paragraphs. People could write books with just compliments, but none of it could affect me like Steve just did.

I actually do think that I said yes now because Steve begins to take the ring out of its box with a grin on his face. Before he can get too far, I fall onto the ground and throw my arms around him. I sob into his shirt and he cries into my dress, but it's all because of the happiness. Steve pulls away, tears still falling down his face.

"Yes," I say again for good measure now that I'm back in control. "Yes, Steve."

Steve reopens the box, taking the ring out with one hand and taking my left hand with the other, and slowly sliding the ring onto my finger.

I laugh, staring down at it in awe. "I-It's perfect, Steve."

He smiles, pressing his lips on mine. It's one of the more intimate ones, but I'm the one encouraging it. It didn't fully register until now, and my heart skips a beat when I do — I am engaged with Steven Rogers. We both just sit in the snow for a while, crying, hugging, kissing. We're both just having so many emotions right now, so we need to let them off our chests in one way or another.

"I love you so much, Victoria," Steve says, his forehead pressed against mine.

"And I love you, Steven."

•••

"Tony, could you at least pick up the damn phone?" I shout across the apartment towards my arrogant brother. The afternoon sun passes through the thin curtains in the kitchen, illuminating the entire apartment.

"No, I had company," he retorts. "Now lemme see the ring!"

I hold my left hand out for my ecstatic big brother to admire. He seizes my wrist and pulls it up towards the bridge of his nose, getting a closer look at the sparkling diamond. A grin spreads across his face, and he tangles me into a hug.

"I'm so proud of you," he squeaks, squeezing me tightly.

"Thank Steve," I wheeze, unraveling myself from his arms.

"I heard my name?" My fiancé strides out of our bedroom, a book in his hand. Despite it being two o'clock in the middle of the day, his hair is tousled and his voice is still deep and husky. Thankfully, he is wearing jeans and a gray t-shirt, so he's presentable.

Tony squeals with delight, throwing himself on top of Steve in an embrace. Steve glances at me, clearly terrified. It's cool, I mouth, giving him a thumbs up. He gives me one back, smiling uncomfortably. Tony takes Steve's bulky shoulders in his hands, still shaking his head at him.

"God, I don't know if I should kiss you, punch you, or all of the above," Tony breathes.

"No, that's my job," I remark, setting a hand on my hip.

Tony eventually releases Steve, instantly goggling me. "Have you told anybody yet?"

"N-No," I shrug, eyeing Steve. "Been kind of deciding the order in which to tell everyone."

"Oh, well," Tony guiltily laughs. "I kinda told everyone last night after you guys had left that Steve was gonna propose."

"So you're saying that everyone knew that I was engaged before I did?" I ask him, clenching my jaw in frustration.

"Don't blame me!" he howls, throwing his arms up innocently. "Steve is the one who asked for permission, meaning that I knew he was gonna ask. Then it was kinda brought up and I spoke...."

"See that's the problem. You need to keep your big mouth shut!"

"I'm sorry! Anyways, you should have seen everyone's reactions. Pepper fainted and Natasha got a little too excited. But Sam! Ha! That poor guy had Pepper on top of him, so I'm guessing that a certain somebody had already told him based on his blank reaction." Tony points at Steve.

I stare at Steve, debating on whether or not to yell at him.

"Okay, it might have slipped out," Steve confesses. "But I was panicking! I needed help and I surely wasn't going to ask Tony, no offense."

"None taken," Tony shrugs.

"Anyways," I exclaim, clasping my hands together. "Let's go to a different topic."

"Like the planning?" my brother asks.

I raise an eyebrow. I hadn't necessarily thought about that. Steve seems to be thinking the same thing because he stares at the floor, pressing his lips into a thin line.

Tony's jaw drops, and his eyes dart back and forth from each of us with disappointment. "I hope that you now realize that with this whole engagement thing, you have to actually tie the knot. You know, at a wedding?"

My heart skips a beat. No way I'm going to survive a whole ceremony with everyone gazing at me. I'm becoming anxious just by thinking about it.

"I, uh, have to give you guys a serious talk though," Tony murmurs.

"About?" Steve asks defensively, setting his book down on the kitchen island.

Tony bites his bottom lip, trying to figure out the correct words to say. Now I'm kind of scared. It can only be bad news. When something good happens, only something bad can come after. That's just how it is, and nothing else. Bad after good and good after bad, it's just getting old at this point. Finally getting back on track and getting engaged means that there has to be some kind of twist, right?

"It looks like you guys might have to go on a mission soon," Tony informs us. Steve and I instantly tense up, nervous for what else he has to say. "That place where we fought, where Zemo met us in person, we're gonna have to go back there."

That's it. I've had enough.

I storm out of the room, slamming the bedroom door behind me. Not a second after does Steve instantly follow, opening the door carefully. I pace across the floor, running my hands through my hair. Steve just leans against the doorframe, but he seems sad while doing so. He should know damn well why I don't want to go back there.

"You don't want to go back, I know," Steve says, his voice still deep and abnormally dead with seriousness. "I don't either, but it's for the greater good."

"What 'greater good?'" I shout. I pinch my lips together, softening my tone. "I almost killed you — all of you — there. I'm not risking it again. Zemo might be gone, but I don't want there to be the slightest possibility of anything like that happening again."

"I know," he whispers, setting a hand on my arm, stopping me from moving. "But clearly there's something out there that needs to be stopped. If it was easy, Tony wouldn't be asking anyone for help, especially not us. We have to stop whatever's out there, and you know it."

I gulp. He's right, but I don't want to go back there. There are too many dark memories, too many recent memories, that I have there. I can't let those enraged thoughts come back and result in horrible actions, which will indefinitely happen if I go there. However, I just give in, nodding my head.

Tony quietly steps in, his arms crossed across his chest. I nod at him too, telling him that I'm willing to risk everyone's lives again.