Hello guys!

I know it looks like that I died but not, LOL. Only real life that got too complicated and prevented me from sitting on the computer to write this new chapter.

I also want to thank all the kind reviews about the story and several PMs saying how everyone wants me to end this story. This is what most encourages me to continue. Sincerely thank you all!

I have lots of ideas about this story and also for some timestamps along the way so I do not plan to abandon the boat okay?

I will sincerely try to be quicker in the next chapters, I also read fanfiction and I get sick when the authors I follow take forever to update their stories or simply abandon them without an end. I promise not to.

Now, let's go to have a bit of fun!

Steve was completely exhausted after his conversation with Catherine. The brunette noticed and encouraged Steve to sleep, promising she would only leave the hospital when she could take him along.

It looked childish to a man like Steve, but he managed to drift into a calmer sleep knowing that Catherine would stay with him all the time.

A few minutes after Steve fell asleep his primary care doctor arrived in the room. They had the results of some tests, Steve had a small inflammation in the liver, which was a side effect of the drugs against radiation sickness, to solve that they would change some medications and their doses. The anemia was really worrying and the low platelet count had to be resolved quickly so Steve would undergo some transfusions until the rates were normalized. The shoulder wound seemed to be going well, but it would be monitored and doctors believed that with the measures that would take the fever would recede on its own soon. Catherine sighed, no leukemia, for now at least.

The doctor promised to return soon to begin the first transfusion and intravenous medications to combat inflammation of the liver. Catherine thanked him and went back to Steve, who was still sleeping soundly.

"I'm going to take care of you this time, will be fine, I will not let you neglect your health anymore, I want many years of life with you by my side."

She was lost in thought, stroking Steve's hair when she heard someone knock on the door. It was Danny.

"Hey, is everything alright around here?" He asked as he approached his friend's bed.

"No, not yet, but it's going to be, and I'll make sure of that." Catherine said with authority and Danny frowned, she then explained the diagnosis and what would be done by Steve, Danny sighed, his friend really could not take a break.

Catherine explained in detail what she heard from the doctor. Danny nodded, still worried, but more relieved that it was not something more serious. After talking to Cath for some time, he left on the way to donate blood, knowing that his friend would need it again. The hospital's blood bank had plenty of Steve's kind, but Danny wanted to contribute to the refueling.

Catherine would still watch over Steve's sleep. She was going to make sure he followed every doctor's order this time. She could not think about losing him now that she had finally found him again.

Steve woke with Catherine shaking his good shoulder gently.

"Steve, hey, wake up."

"Mmmmm." It was the only thing he was able to verbalize and Catherine smiled.

"The nurse is here for a procedure, she wants you to be awake so she can explain everything." Upon hearing the word "procedure" he was instantly more alert.

"Hello, commander, your platelets are dangerously low, and we need to have some transfusions until the tests show more normal levels, okay?" Steve, who slept through the doctor's explanation looked startled at Catherine who just said, "I'll explain later." Even after all this time and all the trouble he still blindly trusted her, nodding he allowed the nurse to begin the procedure.

A few minutes later the nurse left the room and a new bag with a yellowish liquid was connected to his IV door. Steve closed his eyes, how could he be so tired after sleeping so much?

Catherine crossed the room as soon as the nurse finished the procedure. She took Steve's good hand in hers, kissed his knuckles, and began to explain everything the doctor had said. In the end the former SEAL seemed extremely annoyed. He had his face turned to the wall, avoiding looking at Catherine. He was swallowing as if he were avoiding the emotions that threatened to reach the surface. It was harder when you're drugged.

"Hey, it's going to be okay, I'm going to stay here with you.I'll take care of you and let's go through this together." She spoke as she stroked his hair. A tear trickled down the Steve's face, and he wiped it angrily with his good hand.

Catherine kissed Steve's forehead, knowing he needed to empty his heart, release all the anguish she imagined he'd been keeping since the transplant. She knew him well enough to know that he had certainly set a face before all his friends, even Danny. Steve rarely opened up about his feelings with anyone.

So he closed his eyes and began to sob. Catherine just hugged him, silently reaffirming that she was here for him for good.

The first platelet transfusion procedure ended. The nurse took the IV bag from the door, informed that other tests would be carried out to see if other transfusions would be necessary. She checked the machine that was controlling the antibiotics being infused into Steve's system, his saline drip, vital signs, and left them alone again.

After the emotional outburst earlier, Steve was too tired and fell asleep once more. Catherine was feeling exhausted physically and psychologically, but as she had promised, she would stay by Steve's side until he could leave the hospital and go home. And there she would continue to take care of him.

Catherine then settled into the chair beside the bed, where she could see Steve's face relaxed as he slept.

She was almost drifting off to sleep too when someone opened the door. She startled and straightened up in the chair to see who was entering the room and saw two women. They looked frightened between Steve and Catherine, as if not expecting their presence there.

One of them was older, she could guess that of Steve's age, or very close. She was tall, slim, very elegant. With her was a young woman, as handsome as, with features reminiscent of the older woman next to her, she imagined they were connected in some way.

The older woman came in, followed Catherine, held out her hand, smiled, and said:

"Hi, my name is Alicia, I'm Steve's friend."

Catherine just stared dazedly at both of them. Was this woman the love interest of Steve that Danny had mentioned?

A completely new and irrational jealousy emerged within Catherine as she rose, straightened and said much more firmly than she really did:

"Hi, my name is Catherine. I'm Steve's girlfriend."