Ok, so I know that I haven't uploaded anything for my other stories in a REALLY long time,
but I've been on a Captain America kick.
I decided to upload this to see if there was any interest.
I promise I will add more to my others stories as soon as I can.

I own nothing! I wish though!

Don't forget to review!

~ Rachel

Andromeda moved down the street slowly. The wind was bitter cold and made Andy draw her thin coat closer around her. She knew she should have listened to Howard when he told her it would get cold quickly. Ducking her head against the wind, she picked up her pace.

Andy had just passed a small diner when she heard something in the alley beside it. She stopped and listened. The sound of flesh hitting flesh came to her ears and she immediately broke into a run. At the back of the alley, she found a large man throw a mean punch into the face of a smaller man.

"Hey!" Andy yelled as she rushed toward the two men. "Pick on someone your own size, meathead!"

The man turned just in time for Andy's fist to meet with his jaw. He reeled back slightly, clutching his face. Andy pushed him hard in the chest and sent him into a metal trashcan. She turned to the smaller man and noticed the gash above his right eyebrow.

"You're hurt," she said softly, her Irish accent peeking through. She pulled out a kerchief and placed it on the cut. "I really hope you didn't start this fight. You should be careful."

Andy was just about to turn when a strong hand gripped her shoulder and pulled her backward. A yelp escaped her lips as she was harshly pulled away from the smaller man.

"You need to mind your own business," the brute snarled as his hand met her face with a resounding slap. Andy cringed and waited for another blow but was surprised when none came. She opened her eyes to find another man had entered the alley. The new man had grabbed the attacker by the collar and repeatedly punched his face.

As soon as the first man had a chance, he broke the newcomer's hold on his shirt and ran out of the alley. Andy watched him run and couldn't help the smirk that crossed her lips. She was slightly startled, however, when the newcomer knelt in front of her and moved her head to get a better view of her stinging cheek.

"Are you alright?" he asked in a low voice that sent shivers up Andy's spine.

"I'm fine," she said with a smile. "Only my pride was hurt and that will recover quickly."

The man flashed her a grin before looking down at the smaller man. "Have you been picking fights again, Steve?" he asked with a slight shake of his head.

"Actually," the man named Steve said, "I was completely innocent this time." He turned to face Andy and said, "Thank you for what you did. I'm Steve, by the way, Steve Rogers."

Andy smiled and shook his proffered arm. "I'm Andromeda O'Malley," she offered, "but you can call me Andy. It's a pleasure to meet you, Steve."

"The pleasure is all mine, " Steve said before motioning to the other man. "This is my friend Bucky Barnes."

Andy turned to the other man and took a moment to study him. He was tall with dark hair and soft blue eyes. By the way he smirked at Steve, she assumed that they had been friends for quite some time. She offered him her hand and said, "It appears that I am in your debt, Mr. Barnes."

Bucky shook her hand firmly and said, "Not at all, ma'am. I could never leave a beautiful woman like you to fend for herself."

Andy ducked her head to hide her blush and caught sight of her thin watch. A gasp escaped her lips when she noticed the time. "I am so sorry," she said quickly, "but I am really late for a very important meeting. I really have to go. It was a pleasure meeting you both, although I might have wished for more pleasurable circumstances. Good day, Mister Rogers, Mister Barnes."

Quickly turning on her heel, Andy hurried back down the alley and onto the street. She ran as fast as her heels would allow her until she reached the building where the meeting was to be held. She answered the woman behind a counter with the passcode and hurried through the secret part of the building.

Andy made it to the meeting room just as the meeting started and quietly slid into her seat beside Howard. He turned to look at her when she sat down and immediately saw the red mark on her cheek.

"What happened to you?" he hissed softly as he reached out to touch her cheek.

"I'm fine," Andy whispered as she slapped his hand away. "I ran into a little trouble on my way over, but it was taken care of. I brought over the schematics for your flying car that's for the Expo. It won't work, Stark."

"Of course it will work," Howard scoffed.

Andy shook her head and softly said, "Your numbers are off. You are going to cause it to short out."

"Excuse me," a voice said, drawing Andy's and Howard's attention back to the meeting, "is there something you wish to add, Miss O'Malley or Mr. Stark?"

"No, sir, Colonel Phillips," Andy immediately said. She caught a few eyes in the room looking at her and she offered them a slight smile. She saw Doctor Erskine take note of the mark on her cheek and gave him a slight nod. The meeting ended with the decision that they would begin the final search for a proper candidate for the super-soldier experiment.

After the meeting was ended, Andy found herself talking with Doctor Erskine. "What has happened to your face, my dear?" he asked with concern.

"It's nothing, Abraham," Andy said as she placed a hand on the older man's shoulder. "I had a slight run-in with a brute, but he didn't hurt me too much. I was on my way to a meeting when I came across a fight. It was a completely unfair fight and I tried to intervene. I earned a slap across the face, but another man came along right after and saved me."

"I'm just glad that you are safe," Erskine said as he patted Andy's back. "What are your plans for this weekend?"

Andy shrugged and said, "I'll be going to the exposition. Howard has given me the time off. I'm hoping that I can relax a little."

Just then, Howard came over and draped an arm over Andy's shoulder. He smiled and said, "Little Dromie here believes that one of my newest inventions won't work. I plan on proving her wrong at the Expo. Will you be there, Doctor Erskine?"

"Oh, yes," Erskine said with a smile, "I will be searching for the proper candidate for the program. I am excited to see what happens. I expect that I will see you there." Erskine said farewell to the two geniuses and moved off to talk to Colonel Phillips.

Andy pushed Howard's arm off her shoulder and nodded to Agent Carter. She walked back toward the exit and sighed when Howard fell into step beside her.

"You should be more pleased with my attention, Dromie," he said with a smirk. "Plenty of women would be honored to have such a handsome and intelligent boss."

"You are correct," Andy said with a dramatic sigh, "but most women don't know how narcissistic you are. Oh, have you had any luck with the fabric I asked you about?"

Howard shook his head and said, "No. Do you have any idea where to even start when trying to make invisible fabric? I don't see why you need it."

"It's a preference," Andy sighed. "My ability does not apply to clothes I wear and it is slightly disconterting to be asked to go on a mission without a smidgen of clothes on. How would you like to run around without a single ounce of protection?"

"Alright," Howard said as he threw up his hands, "I understand. I'll keep working on it."

Andy shrugged and exited the building. Howard hailed a cab and the two rode in silence. Howard glanced over and saw Andy rubbing a spot on her chest. "Is it bothering you?" he asked seriously.

Andy's head snapped to look at him and she said, "Huh? Oh, no, I was just thinking about it. Do you ever wonder if we would have met if you hadn't shot me?"

Howard shook his head and said, "I have no idea. You about scared me to death when you reappeared with a gunshot in your chest and not a stitch of clothes on. I was drunk and thought there was a burglar in my house. I only fired a warning shot. You just got in the way."

"I got in the way?!" Andy scoffed. "What type of idiot decides to shoot a gun in his own house without proof someone was there?"

"I was drunk!" Howard protested. "You were trying to steal my equipment. I had every right to protect my interests. Anyway, we probably would have met at some point. Two geniuses like us are bound to cross paths at some point. You're lucky I took you under my wing and taught you everything I know."

"Keep telling yourself that," Andy mumbled under her breath. They rode in silence until they reached Howard's personal lab. After checking a few things, Andy moved to her personal space and began making plans for another experiment. Her usual notebook was opened to an empty page and she began scrawling out calculations.

Howard moved around behind Andy and peeked over her shoulder. He sighed when he noticed her words were in Irish. She only wrote in Irish when she was working on a surprise for someone or she knew he would want to work on it as well.

"Why are you writing in Irish?" he asked in exasperation.

Andy chuckled and said, "Toisc nach bhfuil mé ag iarraidh leat a fháil amach cad tá mé ag déanamh. (Because I do not want you to know what I am doing.) Why does it matter?"

Howard huffed and went back to his work. They worked in silence until night fell and Andy's stomach began to loudly grumble. She offered to get some food for both of them but Howard never heard her. He was to absorbed in his work. With a sigh, she scribbled him a quick note and grabbed her bag.