A/N: I'm having so much fun writing this I hope you are enjoying it as much as I am. Little titbit, the titles for each chapter if you haven't caught on yet are songs pertinent to each chapter the version of I want to hold your hand is from Across the Universe check it out. Gives me all the feels.

Anyhow, I hope you love this chapter.

*~*~*~*

"Honestly, I will be fine I don't need you to follow me around all day," I said stalking away from him, "Don't you have more important things to do?" I huffed frustrated as he followed me out of my apartment.

Steve grumbled, "Yes I do but Bucky has an appointment that he can't break, and someone needs to keep an eye on you."

"I am not a child Rogers," I frowned.

He was silent but continued to follow me.

"Can't we get out of here?" I asked knowing that I couldn't spend the rest of the day locked up with him. James had left for this appointment after breakfast and Steve had entered the shared apartment space minutes before he had to leave.

I moved towards the door that led to the elevators and when he didn't stop me the tension lifted from me if only a fraction. I pressed the call button to take us down, "You know," I began, "if you have Captain America stuff to do, don't let me stop you." I bit my lip waiting for his reply. The doors opened and he ushered me into the elevator.

"There is no Captain America stuff," he said his tone clipped suggesting otherwise.

I rose my brows and smirked shaking my head. The elevator doors opened.

"What?" He asked folding his arms over his expansive chest once he entered.

"Nothing." I said mimicking his stance.

He narrowed his eyes then turned to me dropping his arms down to his sides, "If you have something to say, just say it."

I shook my head chuckling because I knew I was getting under his skin.

"Say it." His voice had gone deep, demanding.

A thrill slid up my spine as I followed him into the elevator and I turned to him my arms still folded, "It's just you forget that I know that there is always Captain America stuff."

He blinked surprised.

I turned back to the elevator doors watching the numbers on the display as we descended, "Like right now, I know that you've received no less than six text messages and two phone calls since you relieved James to go to therapy."

Again, he blinked in surprise.

"I was not just a trophy wife Rogers. I have more than a few abilities of my own, I have kept myself alive for a hundred years after all." I took a step closer to the metal doors as we approached. The M lit up crimson and the doors sprung open. I was met with a wide expansive area. It looked expensive, large potted jungle plants decorated the foyer and a burly security guard sat behind a desk with Stark branded upon the front of it. I stepped out onto the grey slate floor. My boots were silent as I stepped. Today my wardrobe had expanded by the return of my boots and a thin black bomber jacket to wear over the same clothes from the day before. I was eager to get outside, to feel the sunshine, to smell the city air, to walk around more than just the roof top. I desperately wanted to get away from this building and see New York in a way that I hadn't been unable to do in so long. I, however, didn't make it very far before Steve's large hand encircled my bicep.

I stopped looking down at his hand before letting my eyes move up his body, and for the briefest moment I allowed myself to take him in. My eyes trailed up his well-muscled arms covered by a navy-blue long-sleeved shirt that stretched in an appealing way over his chest. I knew I was looking longer than I should have. I bit my lip as my eyes slowly found their way to his face falling to his mouth where they lingered before I finally tore them away to meet his eyes.

There I found those vivid blue eyes examining me, just as I was him. His gaze snagging on my mouth before they flashed up to my own eyes, I did not miss how they darkened for a moment before he steeled himself. I felt my heart skip a beat. "You can't go out there alone." He said finally coming to himself.

"I'm not," I arched a brow, "You are right here." I pulled my arm from his grasp and made for the door.

"I said wait Evelyn."

"No, you didn't," I shook my head, "You grabbed my arm like a barbarian, and forbid me from going out by myself."

There was that tick in his jaw again, "Can we not fight?"

"I'm not fighting Rogers, believe me if I was you would know." I put my hand on the door and pushed it open. I was met with the cool spring air, even after so many years of being away from this place, I knew I could smell the oncoming summer in the air, by later this afternoon I would be regretting bringing my jacket.

"Are you always such a- a," the paused to think of the word, "brat?"

The hairs rose at the back of my neck as I grinned like a devil, "It might end up being one of your favourite qualities. Just give it some time. I'm sure I will grow on you."

He offered me yet another bland look, and I couldn't help but chuckle. Yet as quickly as the light smile spread across my face it was wiped away because I had to remind myself that this man was not mine. No matter how much he looked like him and sounded like him or even how much the banter was familiar, he was not him.

And it hurt.

It hurt a lot.

The annoyed look on his face faltered too when he saw my expression sober. "Evelyn?" He started.

"Please don't apologize to me, ok?" I said unwilling to glance in his direction. "Just take me somewhere that you like. I just want-" my voice cracked, and I cleared my throat, "I just don't want to think about the shitty time I'm having right now. Even if the bogey man is after me and I don't know how to stop it and the man who looks so much like the love of my life hates me, I just want to pretend for the rest of the afternoon at least that my life isn't on shambles."

Steve didn't reply, he just started walking down the sidewalk without a word. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes for a moment to try and centre myself.

"Are you coming or not?" He asked.

*~*~*

I took a deep breath. The air smelled of fried meat and deep-fried foods, I hadn't smelled anything so good in longer than I could remember. I slid into the empty booth Rogers had motioned to, the red vinyl of the booth made it easy for me to do so. The wooden table was worn and well loved; initials carved into the edges by some horny teenagers no doubt. I let my fingers trace along the shabby varnish, and I closed my eyes.

"It smells like Coney Island in here," I said breathlessly a true smile spreading across my face, "It has been so long Steve..."

I opened my eyes to find him sitting across from me with a tight smile of his own. "It does."

I sighed, "I can see why you like this place already."

The waitress came to our table passing us a pair of laminated menus with red fabric edges. Her face was friendly, she must have been in her fifties, her brown hair streaked with grey her brown eyes soft and welcoming. Her uniform was tidy, the red and white checkers of her apron were tied neatly around her waist. It matched the checkered paper liners that filled the red plastic baskets that held mountains of deep-fried goods, french fries, onion rings, corn dogs and so much more. The music in the background felt loud suddenly, none of it was familiar, it was just static in my ears. A little boy in the corner was laughing loudly at something his grandmother had said. I could hear the crackling of the oil in the deep fryer and the hiss of burgers cooking on the grill. Then there was sound of the bell as the cook called for an order up.

I was a little breathless and overwhelmed. My heart began to beat in time with the waitress behind the counter tapping her nails while she waited for a new pot of coffee.

My eyes watered a bit as I stared down at the menu.

"Can you hear me honey?" The waitress had asked me a question, but what was it? I was certain it wasn't for the first time she had asked it either.

Steve spoke before I could, "Get her a chocolate shake Leslie and a glass of water. Then give us a few minutes with the menus."

"You going to be alright?" He asked genuine concern flashed across his expression.

I looked down to the menu, which I was gripping so hard the heavy plastic crinkled in my hands. I took a deep breath and set it down. "I- I thought I was, I thought I would be." The sound of the blender made me jump.

Steve reached across the table and put his hand over mine where I had a death grip on the menu again. I tried not to react to his touch, but my breath caught, his hand felt hot over top mine, heavy and familiar. "Try to relax Evelyn." He said his voice was so smooth.

I nodded.

"Take a deep breath and just concentrate on me." His eyes didn't leave mine, "just concentrate on hearing only my voice."

So, I did, because it wasn't a hard ask.

"When I first came out of the ice, I couldn't believe the size New York had grown, I felt like a small-town boy in the big city," he slid the menu from beneath my hand placing it between the napkin dispenser and the window. "I was overwhelmed all the time."

I took another breath, my eyes never leaving his, I concentrated on only hearing his voice.

"I can't imagine what it must be like for you after spending so long with only two other people in the whole world." He paused when Leslie set down our drinks.

He slid the water in front of me removing his hand from mine to unwrap my straw, "take a drink."

I obeyed. The water was cold on my throat, but I continued to drink until he slid the glass away pushing the chocolate shake in front of me, "You don't have to drink it, but they're my favourite."

The tears were blurring my vision. This was too much. My shoulders tensed and my eyes flashed to the door.

"Stay," he said, "Bucky will be here any minute."

I blinked. "Okay." I nodded after a minute, blinking away my tears and leaning into take a sip of the shake I knew I would love.

After a minute I looked up to him, his brows were drawn together.

"I'm ok Steve, thank you." I said.

  He nodded but frowned as I stood.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

 "Ladies room," I replied, "If Leslie comes back, order me whatever you're having I'm sure I'll love that too."

*~*~*

I stood in front of the mirror looking at myself loosing track of time, I looked so long that I wasn't sure if I knew for sure the person looking back at me was not merely my reflection. I sighed and splashed water on my hot cheeks. My heart had calmed but my chest ached uncomfortably. Steve meant well but he was making it hard for me to separate him from my husband. I took another deep breath before I stepped back from the mirror and dried my face on some rough brown paper towels. I crumpled them up and opened the door only to come face to face with James.

As soon as he saw me, I could see the relief calm the worry on his face, "Steve said you were upset."

I stood in front of him, "I'm ok now, it's just more than I thought it would be."

He nodded as if he understood completely and I was sure that he did, "Come and sit down, food's arrived."

"Why are you here?" I asked as we headed towards the table

"Steve sent me a message." He said looking over his shoulder, "Said you were overwhelmed, and he thought," he stopped and stepped closer keeping his voice low, "He had never been good with this kind of stuff, as much as he struggled when he came out of the ice, he adjusted to it pretty quickly. I just think he thought I could help."

I nodded and started walking, part of me relieved James was here, another part of me was annoyed Steve had pawned me off on his friend. I slid into the booth in front of an enormous plate piled high with french fries and a giant cheeseburger, James slid beside me.

My mouth watered.

I looked around to find that both he and James had a duplicate of the same plate in front of them. Neither of them took a bite they just turned to me. I took note that Bucky slid his metal hand out of site under the table. I wanted to reach for it and bring it back in sight because I hate that he was ashamed of it.

"Go ahead," I nodded towards them, and they dug in. I did too and I couldn't help the moan that fell from my lips as the bite of burger hit my tongue. I had to close my eyes as the flavours burst over my tongue because this was my first taste of heaven in years. I opened my eyes and immediately took another bite another moan leaving my mouth as I did so, reaching for a few fries and stuffing those into my mouth too.

"God," I moaned, "This is so good."

I looked up to find that both Steve and James had been frozen their burgers halfway to their mouths. A slice of tomato slid from Steve's burger and landed with a splat onto his lap.

A grin slid onto James' mouth, "You need Steve and I to move to give you two a few moments," his eyes flashed down to the burger I currently had in my death grip then back to my eyes.

I felt my cheeks heat and I put the burger down on the plate reaching for a napkin to pass to Steve who had suddenly unfrozen the wet tomato soaking though his jeans, "Sorry, it's just so good."

"So, you've said," Steve said accepting the napkin and wiping at his pant leg, he seemed annoyed.

I turned to James who was clearly amused. He lifted a finger and pointed to the corner of his mouth, "You've got a little mayonnaise..."

I tried to lick it away, but I felt it slide down my chin when to my surprise, James reached out and wiped it away with his thumb. I found that although I was surprised by the action it wasn't all that unwelcome. He did not look away from me, his eyes the colour of gun metal.

I swallowed thickly.

"Ahem," Steve cleared his throat causing me to jump his eyes were hard as he glared at his friend, "Eat up before it gets cold."

Steve POV

I watched to two of them from across the table and as angry as I had been yesterday that I thought she was making a claim on me, I couldn't help the wave of anger that washed over me when Bucky wiped her mouth with his thumb.

I fantasized reaching across the table and slamming his face into his burger. For a minute I thought I was going to have to tear him off of her because I had seen that look in Bucky's eyes before. Granted, I hadn't seen it since the forties' but back then he'd been a huge ladies' man. Since being freed from Hydra, he'd such a hard time even making a friend I honestly didn't think he was interested in any kind of relationship. I hadn't seen him look at anyone like that in a very long time.

I didn't like it.

And I didn't like that I didn't like it.

It would not have been a lie that the noises she made when she first bit into her burger went right through me and made every part of me burn in the most exquisite way. But that was as far as it would ever go because she was another man's wife.

Period.

I sat silently the rest of the meal watching her and Bucky chat animatedly. Though I didn't see a true smile reach her eyes once. Not like the one she had given me when she first sat down across from me, a smile that had felt like a punch to the gut.

I shook myself and concentrated on eating my burger.

I watched them. I was glad she was able to open up to him, and Bucky opened up more to her than I'd seen him with anyone else other than me.

I shifted uncomfortably.

I didn't like that either.

By the end of the meal, I was seething with anger again and I was doing my best to swallow it back.

"Steve,"

I looked up from the bottom of my milkshake glass when she called my name.

"Are you ok?"

The concern in her eyes was debilitating. She took that god damned lip between her teeth again and I felt emotions that I was unwilling to acknowledge burn in my chest. And I was furious, mostly with myself.

Mostly.

"I'm fine," I snapped and instantly wished I hadn't because the hurt that flashed in her eyes was unmistakable even if she masked it right away with feigned annoyance.

"Right," she drawled rolling her eyes in Bucky's direction, "Tell me James, does The Captain here think he's a brilliant liar? Because if that is the case than someone needs to tell him that he is most definitely not."

James tilted his head to the side cocking his chin towards the window a self-assured grin on his face, "I think he knows he's crap at it, but it never stops him from trying."

I narrowed my eyes and stood from my seat pulling my wallet from my pocket. I filtered quickly through it and threw enough money down on the table to cover the bill and the tip. "I will see you both later." I had to get out of there.

"Come on Steve," Bucky stood from his seat, "Don't be like that."

"Like what?" I looked over my shoulder as I walked away. "By all means don't let me interrupt."

I left with a strange burning sensation low in my guts.

Evelyn POV

I was stunned as I watched the door close behind Steve. "What was that all about?" I looked back at James who looked helplessly between where Steve had just left and to where I was sliding from my seat.

"I don't know." he said, "He's been on edge lately with the trip but now with it indefinitely postponed..."

I nodded knowing what James was saying without saying. "Go after him, I will head right back to the apartment."

His brow furrowed.

"I'm ok I swear." I said offering him a smile. I needed some time apart from the pair of them to do the protection spell Strange had asked me to do the night before anyway.

"Be careful, ok?" He said before he took off after his friend.

I moved back towards the restroom, looking once over my shoulder to see Leslie collect the money Steve left on the table before I entered the ladies room. I ensured that it was empty before I locked the door from the inside. Once I was locked in, I collected the items I had placed in my pockets before I'd left the apartment with Seve. A stone from one of the pieces of décor in the apartment and a black marker.  First, I placed the stone in the sink filling it halfway with water washing the stone whispering the incantation under my breath. I was not well versed in the mistic arts, except for what Strange had deemed to teach me in the last five years. Once the stone was washed, I dried it off with the brown paper towels. I set the stone on the counter before carefully drawing the spell on the stones face. A complicated diagram that took an unnecessarily long time to draw out. I had somehow managed to burn it into my memory upon the good Doctor's request. "I hope I'm doing this right Steven." I whispered to myself wishing I had his condescending tone in my ear telling me what I was doing wrong.

Once the spell was clearly marked, I picked up the stone and held it to my chest speaking the remainder of the words aloud.

"With the divine eyes of the Seraphim turned towards me. With the power I wield that heals me. I call upon power of the universe in coalition with harmony and creation allow me. I command bind this spell to my mortal form, just as it is bound to the seraphim and I their foresworn."

An orange glow rose from where I'd marked the stone and I watched as it rose from my palm to cast that same orange glow over the entire room. The porcelain toilets shone in with the power of the mistic arts. The magic exploded around in sparks that bounced harmlessly upon the outdated tile floor. The room began to scent of incense, indicating the spell was working. My relief building as a warm rush traveled over my body. With rapt attention I watched as each spark moved towards me surrounding me in a cocoon of magic.  The embers glowed around me for a moment more before they seeped into my flesh. The stone felt warm in my hand, and I jumped as someone on the other side of the door started pounding.

"Open up we have an emergency!" It was the grandmother from the other side of the diner.

"Grams I'm bustin'!" A small voice called.

I quickly put the rock in my pocket and opened the door.

"I'm so sorry," I lied, "I don't know how the door got locked."

She offered me a tight-lipped smile as her grandchild sprinted for a stall.  I nodded to her once more before I fled the restroom and made my way to the exit. I hustled out the door and started walking down the street, no longer interested in heading back to the apartments quite yet. I set myself a slow pace as I strolled the streets milling about with the people all around me. The outside fresh air doing wonders to calm my nerves even as I milled though the large crowds of people.

Unknown POV

He felt the burst of power blast outwards tainting the air with the only magic that would not allow him to get to her and his rage explode along with it. He would have to double down on his efforts to get to her now. He would not be able to find her until the spell was released. Strange had prepared her more than he had expected him too.

Damn him.

She had what he needed to complete his purpose and there was nothing that would stop him. He would not be denied his right not when he was so close to getting it. Even if it meant going through the two super soldiers that stood in front of her. He thought he might like destroying them as much as destroying her.

How Strange would have never seen any of this coming...

He felt his smile gleam from the shadows as he watched her stroll unassumingly down the street the power radiating from her was all incumbent, he could practically taste it.

It would become his no matter what it took.