~9 years ago~

Ava wore an emerald full-sleeved dress that stopped just above her knees. Her hair pulled into an elegant chignon. The front of the dress plunged to the start of her ample bosom showing a bit of her cleavage but not too revealing. It had a slit running on the right side for easy movement. She stepped into the nude pumps. She put on the hat which had a thick veil ending just above her bright red lips. A brunette came in dressed in a suit. He held out the holster as she slipped her leg into it. He tightened the holster around her thigh and put the gun into it.

She cheekily said, "You are taking your own sweet time putting on the holster, Mr. Hawthorne."

He stood up and bent down near her ear and whispered, "You wound me, Rose Anne."

His face turned serious and the playfulness vanished. He said, "Please be careful out there. Don't hesitate to pull the gun."

They walked out to Ava's 67 Chevy Impala. He helped her into the backseat and closed the door. He got in the front.

They drove out to the abandoned warehouse west of Kent. He pulled the door open as the Lady walked in. In the warehouse waiting for her was Mike Simmons. He stood up as the Lady in Black walked in. Julian pulled out the chair for her. He stood behind her after she sat down. Mike was a small, stout, and balding man.

His eyes glinted with lust and darkness as he observed the Lady.

He spoke, "Lady, I heard you were looking to invest in Kent. I assure you. I am the leader out here."

Ava looked at the man who looked abashedly at her chest. His shoulders were tense and his right hand rested on the elm table but his left hand was below the table. Quite possibly near the gun.

Ava spoke in a calm and commanding manner.

She said, "Mr. Simmons, I want to invest in Kent but I need to meet with your boss."

Mike's head snapped up to look at her. He tried to intimidate her.

He sneered, "You will only talk to me, Lady. I am the boss."

Mera Vancroft feared her taking over the Kent underworld mafia. She had already toppled the London underworld mafia. Their leader was one of the most feared mob bosses in Europe. A girl no less a barely legal one overthrew one of the most complicated webs of death, deceit, and drugs. Mike Simmons her right-hand man or the more expendable one was trying to sway the Lady away from Miss Vancroft.

Julian and Ava tensed. Her right hand was on her gun.

She commanded, "I was not requesting you, Mr. Simmons. I am telling you."

Julian moved forward with his hand on his gun. Mike Simmons pulled out the gun and pointed it at the Lady.

But Ava was faster. In the middle of an abandoned warehouse sat Mike Simmons in all his bloody glory and hole through his head. His bodyguard tried to attack her but Julian finished him off.

Julian said, "Well, that went well."

Ava said, "Well, I am knackered. I have an early shift tomorrow."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Miss Vancroft was considerably off her rocker Ava supposed. That daft woman had gone crazy after the death of her lover/right-hand man Mike Simmons. Open shot at a bunch of civilians at the famous Second Sister's Pub. Ava and Steve were enjoying beers at the bar. Both dressed in their casuals. She spied the handsome blonde beside her. The beard made him look damn sexy. Her glass of red wine was shot through.

Ava froze. Never in her life, she did. Not even while she picked up the scalpel for the first time. Steve pulled her behind the bar.

"Steve."

"Ava."

They both ducked underneath the bar counter. Both pulled their guns simultaneously. They looked at each other. The people ran off. There was just the click of Mera's heels.

"Lady. I know you are here somewhere. Come on now. Don't keep me waiting."

Steve signaled to Ava his plan.

Steve rose. "I am alone. Ma'am, can you please drop the gun? There is no one here."

He walked forward as Mera Vancroft pointed the gun at him. Ava came up from behind and knocked her out with her gun. A series of sirens were heard.

"Bollocks! Blues and Twos will be here. Come on."

Steve stood and watched her. "Oh, bloody hell! I don't wanna be nicked."

She grabbed his hand and pulls him. They run together they reach St. Bartholomew's Hospital.

Steve looks at the beautiful brunette. She looks up and smiles. They look at each other smirking and then they both burst out laughing. Steve had a slight gash due to the broken bottles.

"I am a surgical intern at Barts" She pointed towards the hospital. "I can help you."

After the bandaging is done, "Welcome to London, Captain Rogers." His eyes widened.

Ava smiled and said, "The broad shoulders and the princess's waist are a dead giveaway. No one has that ratio unless you are the Captain. The beard suits you. You look sexy. You should keep it."

Steve looked a bit flustered. "Thank you, Miss..." "Ava Rosen." "Rose." He smiled. There was an obvious platonic connection.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The blonde and brunette spent all their free time gallivanting through the streets of London. Practically attached to the hip.

Cue a montage of cute scenes of them visiting shops, pubs, etc.

"Why are you in Mafia, Rose," Steve asked curiously.

"My parents were murdered because they refused to be a part of it. I watched them die in front of my eyes. My extended family hates me coz I am bisexual. So, I was 16 stuck in London alone." Her voice choked a little.

"I joined hands with Scotland Yard and MI6 to topple the London underworld. "

"I am sorry, Rose. But why, Kent." His comforting touch on her hand.

"The London underworld had its connections in Kent. The Scotland Yard received intel from an anonymous source to indict them. In return Lady in the Black received a beautiful apartment in London and a huge paycheck."

"That's awesome, Rose."

" I want you to promise me that we will keep in touch. You will not revert to your previous state. And do not mention anything to your wife about me"

"Why not?"

"I am on the radar of mafiosos, I will be at risk. I will meet her after everything here is settled."

Steve lightly glared at her. She smirked. "Fine. Deal?" "Deal." She pulled him to watch the River Thames.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They were at the airport. Ava was crying. She hugged Steve. "Rember to call every day. If not I will hunt you down. You know You are my Person, and You will always be my person." "I will, Rose. Take care." He kissed the crown of her head.

The London trip had changed everything. The story was rewritten,