Rain pelted her umbrella as thunder rumbled in the sky, the only time the streets of Brooklyn were deserted, if she wasn't in her white nurses uniform she'd be running through the rain like a child; anything to feel like she belonged where she was even if her heart told her otherwise. Kagome had only been moved into her new residence for a week, no other place appealing to her during 1938 America than living in New York. She had seen her fair share of history in the last 450 years since the well had locked her in the past.

The priestess sighed; she was attempting to find a peaceful place to live now that the war in Europe was over. Something tickled in her mind the way it always did when she thought about the future events that could happen, Odin had done well to make sure she couldn't access the knowledge she should have possessed in the 21st century; everything had been just as surprising to her as it was to the original inhabitants of the time.

It was supposed to be a gift, the jewel had reabsorbed into her body after the battle… it felt more like a curse forced to walk alone through time. It was a constant worry, would she be exposed? How long could she stay in one place before she would have to leave again? Did anyone recognize her if she returned decades later?

'I haven't been to South America yet…' she reasoned.

"Just have to make it back to 2010," Kagome whispered. Her fingers absently played with the ends of her hair as she walked, that's when she would begin to age again… she wouldn't be stuck in the eternal 22 years old body she walked around in.

"Don't get up again."

Kagome paused, glancing down the alleyway as she tilted her head, what was going on?

"I said don't get up again!"

The sound of flesh on flesh with a grunt made her grimace, she really should stay out of it…

"Hey!"

She winced as she started down the alley did she enjoy confrontation that much? The huge man turned from the smaller body to glare at her, she could see it from the faint light that drifted down the alley from the streetlamp. The waft of alcohol mixed with the rain in the air making her wrinkle her nose, 'great a drunken bar brawl.'

"Hey what? You want some of this?"

Cerulean eyes narrowed, "leave him alone, why not go home before you get hurt?"

The man laughed, sounding more like choking on air as he stalked forward, "who's going to do that? You? Huh, little floozy… let me finish with this punk and I'll show you a good time."

He made to brush her hair over her shoulder, Kagome flung her umbrella to the side and grabbed his wrist and turned her body; her foot hitting him in his round belly causing him to double over. She moved quickly, stepping closer and tugging his arm higher in the air behind him as he began to wriggle in pain.

"I think you have something to say to that gentleman over there," she leaned over, applying more pressure to the appendage.

He remained silent, attempting to overpower her smaller body as the alcohol began to take full effect on his system, "sorry."

"Did you hear him?" Kagome snapped at the small man finally climbing to his feet. She hadn't meant for the question to come out as harshly as it had and really floozy wasn't the worst thing she had been called in her life…

He nodded, wiping at his bruised cheek, "yeah, I heard him."

Dark hair cascaded over her shoulder as she shoved his arm more, "you're lucky he did, I was going to just dislocate it for you."

Kagome released his arm, her foot pressing into his side before gently nudging him to his side as he fell into a puddle, her arms crossing over her chest, "get lost."

The man spit at her feet as he scrambled to his feet, a scathing glare sent her way before scurrying away. "I'm not done with you," he hissed over his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" she asked, turning to examine the man she inadvertently saved from more pummeling.

He nodded, his tongue tracing the cut on his lip. "Thanks… I had him."

Kagome arched a brow; she remained silent to give him whatever dignity he needed.

"Do you want me to take a look at your wounds?" she asked softly.

The man dragged his sleeve across his bruised cheek, "no thanks, I've had worse."

Kagome's eyes widened, was this a normal occurrence for him?

"Well… I guess that's that… I hope your night improves." She moved to grab her umbrella, lowering the canopy as she began to trudge through the rain.

She heard his footsteps moving behind her, her guard instantly climbing as she moved under a streetlight, she could take him if she had to… she really hoped to not have any trouble, to just live a few years in her apartment and up and leave.

"I'm sorry ma'am, I'm Steve Rogers."

Kagome froze and turned, the man holding an arm out sheepishly, why did something about him send warning bells off in her head?

She reached out, shaking his slightly, "Kagome Higurashi."

"That's an unusual name, where are you from?" he asked, sliding slightly to the side to seek shelter from the storm under an awning.

"New Hampshire… family immigrated from China. I've only been here a week."

The lies about her heritage were easy to tell, she took after her American mother while Souta favored their Japanese father, people that didn't know them found it hard to believe they were even related. A pang of pain tugged at her heart, Odin had left her with memories of her family, that was the only thing she remembered from her time...

"Steve!"

Both turned as hard steps slapped the pavement, brown shaggy hair being shaken out of warm chocolate eyes as he pulled up short next to the blonde, "Christ man, what the hell happened?"

The blonde shrugged, ruffling the back of his head, "you know me."

"Should have known better than to listen to you when you said you wouldn't go out today."

"Buck, this is Kagome." Steve gestured to the woman quickly, desperate to get the heat of his friend off of him.

Bucky turned sharply, his eyes telling him he was finished before straightening quickly, "I'm Bucky."

Kagome gripped his hand, warmth settling in her belly as he smiled at her, "Kagome."

"That's a beautiful name," his grip on her hand tightened.

Steve rolled his eyes; he knew exactly how to shift Bucky's attention his friend really did love the ladies, "his full name is James Buchanan Barnes."

Bucky spun his head quickly, his eyes widening, "Steve!"

Kagome smirked, biting her lip as a chill began to slip under her clothing, "it was very nice to meet you both; I'm going to go now."

She tucked her umbrella under her arm as she rubbed her arms, a summer cold right now would do her no good…

Bucky noticed the movement, his eyes drifting down to stare at her chest through the transparent material before shrugging off his coat and holding it out to her, "let me walk you home."

Kagome moved to protest, this was the last thing she needed, "no that's alright, I can manage. I'm only a few blocks away."

"Please miss, it's late and raining. These streets are dangerous at night." Bucky turned with a charming smile, holding his jacket up suggestively.

Kagome sighed and slipped into the garment, "are you coming as well Steve?"

The blonde shook his head, "I'm alright. I'll see you around though, it was nice to meet you."

Bucky bent down and grabbed the umbrella from under her arm and popped it open, holding it above their heads as he offered his arm to her, "no more back alley shenanigans Steve."

"Got it, Buck."

The annoyance in his voice didn't go unnoticed by his friend or the woman on his arm, Kagome's blue eyes looking over her shoulder as they walked away, "is he okay?"

"Steve will be fine, he likes to pull stunts like this all the time. His heart's in the right place though," Bucky glanced over his shoulder, squinting through the rain at his friends retreating back.

Kagome hummed as she tugged the jacket closed with her free hands, her fingers tightening in the crook of his arm. She swallowed hard and allowed her power to brush against him, reading him silently as they walked. His pure soul was riddled with nervous energy as they walked, she could sense no malicious intent from him, which was nice after what transpired in the alley…

She retracted her power, stealing a glance as her cheeks flushed, he was handsome… it wasn't hard to notice. The priestess could appreciate the opposite sex; no matter how much distance she had between her and the people she had met through time.

"Down this way," Kagome directed easily.

Bucky nodded, relaxing into Kagome's grip on his arm, "have you been in Brooklyn long?"

"Only a week, I was finishing nursing school and worked for a few years in New Hampshire." She eased into the conversation, spinning her tale more.

"Living with family?" he asked.

Kagome shook her head, finally drying after being caught in the downpour, "no family, they died a few years ago."

Bucky glanced down, sympathy shining down on her from his dark eyes, "I'm sorry to hear that. If you ever want to, you're more than welcome at my place… my mother and sister would love you."

"You don't even know me, James…"

"You've got a good heart, darling, anyone could see that. Please, call me Bucky."

Kagome released his arm, tugging her purse in front of her and digging her keys out as they neared the apartment complex, "thank you for walking me home."

Bucky inched closer, keeping the umbrella overhead as she stuck her key in the knob. She didn't normally let strangers know where she lived, but something about Bucky relaxed her… she felt a sense of peace that she hadn't felt since she couldn't even remember when.

"Anytime darling… if you're not busy tomorrow maybe I could take you out for dinner and dancing?" he blushed, he wasn't normally so shy with women but the way she innocently stared at him with her blue eyes pulled him in.

"I'm working tomorrow…"

Bucky ruffled the back of his dark head, lightning illuminating the pair as they stood closely under the upstairs balcony to avoid the rain.

"Well… maybe on your day off they have to give you one of those right?" he grinned softly down at her, he didn't usually try this hard but he had to see her again.

Kagome bit her lip hard to keep the yes from tumbling from her mouth, she released the abused flesh, turning the key and slipping inside quickly.

"Thank you again Bucky, good night." The door shut softly behind her, the lock shifting through the wood.

Bucky pouted slightly and glanced up at the canopy of her still opened umbrella in his hand, she still had his jacket too. He brought his fist up before lowering it and stepping back, he'd see her again, he was sure of it.

"Good night," he whispered before turning and walking away, shoving his free hand in the pocket of his slacks.

Kagome re-pinned her hair in place as she stood in front of the mirror of the hospital bathroom, reapplying her lipstick as she nodded approvingly at herself. She had never thought herself overly beautiful, but something about these men from this time had her finally appreciating what she did have. Shoving the tube back in her purse before fluffing her hair once more and heading back to her station.

"Here you are, this guy's going to be a fun one." Kagome smiled at the receptionist as she was handed the admittance paper, before walking to the door and popping her head into the waiting room.

"James Buchanan Barnes…" blue eyes closed briefly, it had been a full month since she had met the man and with how persistent he was initially, she was surprised he wasn't on her doorstep the next morning.

Bucky grinned at her, a growing bruise on his cheekbone and holding his wrist, "hello again, darling."

Kagome gestured for him to come back, glancing at the paper in her hands, "so… you had a mishap in a boxing ring?"

"Yeah, I told my coach I was fine but he insisted I get it looked at. I'm glad I did."

The priestess blushed and blew a strand of hair from her face that escaped her bobby pin, zeroing the scale and adjusting it and writing down the numbers, before beckoning for him to follow her down the hall, "how tall are you?"

"5'7""

Kagome brought him into an exam room, watching as he climbed the exam table as she shut the door, "and it's your wrist?"

"And my heart."

Cerulean eyes looked alarmed at his answer, reaching for the stethoscope she hung on the wall quickly.

"Not like that, just that I've been distracted since you turned me down for a date. I can't stop thinking about it." he elaborated quickly.

"I can't be the first girl that's turned you down," Kagome rolled her eyes as she stepped between his open legs. She leaned over and settled the paper behind him as her soft hands cradled his face gently and ran a thumb over the bruise, a shallow cut in the center she hadn't noticed before.

His brown eyes watched her carefully as she moved to look at his wrist, he could smell the faint scent of Chantilly in the air as her head moved closer to him, turning his arm this way and that to judge the damage he obtained.

"I think it's just a strain on the muscle… probably from an incorrectly thrown hook if I had to guess. The doctor will have a better answer for you though," Kagome straightened and stepped back.

Bucky's eyebrows rose in surprise, not many women knew much about fighting but from what Steve had told him Kagome had judged the easiest way to take out the punk in the alley. He wasn't surprised at her assessment on his injury; he felt the slip he made when his fist connected with the bag.

She made a note on the paper and smiled, "I'll be back with him."

Twenty minutes later, Kagome was clocking out after the doctor gave Bucky strict orders of icing and no strenuous exercising for the next week, smiling at the brunette as he leaned against the wall as though he was waiting for her.

"Hello."

"It's so nice out, I couldn't let a pretty thing like you walk home alone now could I?" he glanced up at the blue sky, "it matches your eyes."

Kagome cocked an eyebrow and glanced up, 'what's the harm in a simple walk home?'

"I do still have your jacket," she tapped her chin softly, she had wanted to see him again.

Truthfully she had starved herself for so long of any kind of contact outside of common curtsey that work and basic living allowed that the second he walked her home she craved it. She wanted to touch him again; even a brush against his arm would hold her over… She had fallen asleep in his jacket that night after tossing and turning, breathing in his male scent and imaging it was him—a man she barley knew sound asleep beside her. Had going this long made her crazy? Was she even going to make it back to 2010 mentally intact?

"Well, I happen to have your umbrella at home as well, how about I pick you up in an hour and we grab a bite?" he flashed a charming smile at her again, tilting his head slightly.

Kagome nodded, "I think that would be fine."

"You're not spoken for already? I'm not trying to step on another fella's toes when it comes to his girl," Bucky explained quickly.

"No, nothing like that... I'm-I don't have anyone."

Bucky brushed a strand of hair from his face, "well, lucky me then. I'll swing by your place in an hour or so if that's alright?"

Kagome nodded, a genuine smile playing at her lips as she moved to walk past, "I'll see you then."