"Alright, let's push the essay on North Windham back a few days and I'll explain it on Monday. Remember to finish up your journal entries, I'll be checking them on Tuesday, have a great weekend and I'll see you all bright and early!" Sarah rushed out as her class practically vibrated with excitement. The final bell rang, and the group ran out like a stampede of elephants, a few lone stragglers remaining to slowly chat and gather their things.

"Mrs. Aldridge?" Sarah looked up from her papers, and smiled at the student before her.

"It's Miss Aldridge, Sammy" the girl blushed and Sarah chuckled.

"Are-I was wondering if...Can I write my paper on Captain America?"

"What do you mean?" She sat down, looking expectantly at the girl.

"Well, I looked ahead in the online guide, and the essays going to be on different figures and wether or not certain ones are actual people or merely people upholding the symbol, and I thought "Why not Captain America?""

"Why don't you wait and ask me this on Tuesday?" Sarah guided her to the door way, "that way you have a free weekend and I can explain it to everyone?"

"Okay" Sammy shouldered her backpack and grinned to Sarah as she left.

"Have a good weekend!" Sarah grabbed her own bag, having packed it before 6th period, and did a small dance, "its the weeeeeekend, I'm gonna sleeeeeeep."

"Sarah?"

She nearly landed on her ass, and looked over at her doorway, where Stephanie, the Algebra I math teacher stood.

"Hey Steph...how much did you see?" She righted herself and checked to make sure she had her keys and badge.

"All of it," Steph stepped aside so Sarah could close the door and lock it, "nice moves, by the way."

"Funny, really funny. What're your plans for the weekend?" The two women walked with one another past the already empty lockers and dark rooms.

"The usual. You should come with us this week, we're meeting at Evan's on 6th." Stephanie was your typical high school beauty queen post-college. She was tall and blonde, with blemish free skin and piercing blue eyes. She always looked like she was watching everyone, observing, judging. She was nearly 6 foot and always wore a pair of sky high Louboutins. All in all, she made Sarah want to hate her, but the two women had become partial friends instead. They were polar opposites though, which made it all the worse. Where Steph was tall as a tree, Sarah was more like a blade of grass, barely clearing 5'2. Steph was blonde with natural beach waves, while Sarah had limp brown hair that sometimes, SOMETIMES had some shape to it. Stephanie was a model, and Sarah had curves in all the wrong places and liked her ice cream. Steph had a different date every night, Sarah hadn't been touched by anyone in nearly 4 years.

"Sarah, you in?" Steph looked down at her expectantly, her expensive shades already masking her eyes.

"Ah, uh, no. Thea wants to watch Beauty and the Beast tonight and I promised her Mac and Cheese" Sarah cringed internally at saying the entire sentence out loud.

"Thea's your kid right? She's like 2?" Steph waved her badge and stepped through the doors, holding them open for Sarah.

"Four. Legally, yeah, biologically, she's my niece. It's a story for a different time tho" she recognized the question about to come from Steph's mouth.

"Hmmmm you really should come, though. It'd be nice to get to know you outside of here" Sarah wanted to go, but Thea couldn't be left by herself and Mrs. Wallace was a heart attack waiting to happen.

"Ah well, next time. Have a good weekend!" Sarah quickly turned and left, the previous pep in her step returning.

"Afternoon, Sarah!" Called one of the old ladies who liked to play cards outside of Wendle's.

"Hi, Mrs. Udano." She called back, waving to the ladies and twirling lightly under the falling leaves.

"How's the husband?" Mrs. Wiley looked over her hand, a knowing smile on her face.

"Nonexistent, Mrs. Wiley." She gave the old woman a large smile and turned on her heel.

"Sarah! I have a son you know! He's single..."Sarah tuned her out, humming a song under her breath. A few more blocks, she told herself.

"Somewhere onl-" she failed to see the pitch black SUV pull out of the alley between her street and the other.

"Watch where you're going, asshole!" She shook her fist, and fixed her scarf, walking past the hood and grabbing her keys out of her bag, taking the steps nearly two at a time.

A few more steps found Sarah outside of Mrs. Wallace's pale yellow door, decorated with some bird doodles Thea had made.

"AUNT SARAH!" Thea giggled as the door crept open to the small, scarce, apartment. A few photos lined the cream walls, a few paintings here and there.

"Ooomph! Hey, lovey!" She picked Thea up, using the momentum to swing her above her head and then nestle her onto her hip, planting a large kiss on her cheek.

"Ew, Aunt Saaaaaarrrraaaaaahhhhh" Thea scrubbed at her cheek, giggling at the face Sarah made.

"Hey, Sarah" Mrs. Wallace, a woman of nearly 65, stood in the arch to the kitchen.

"Hey Mrs. W. Was she good for you today?" She set the girl down, so she could gather her toys.

"Of course. How're you dear?" Mathilda Wallace was kind, if that was the only word Sarah could use. She had wrinkles from laughing the years away, a heart as big as the moon, and warm brown eyes to match.

"I'm good. I had a long day trying to finish up North Windham with the kids," Sarah sat down in one of the padded chairs, stretching.

"You're making them read that book?" Mrs. Wallace crinkled her nose as she sat across from her on the small couch.

"It's a good book!" Sarah defended.

"Not really, but continue." Sarah pouted at her and blew a raspberry, which Thea mimicked from the other side of the room.

"I just want them to consider things, you know? Like sometimes your heroes aren't necessarily heroes, sometimes they're more symbolic than that."

"Well, it sounds like you've got a good idea going then. Did you hear about the new person moving in down the hall?" Mrs. Wallace said as she sipped her tea from a tiny tea cup. If there was anything to say about Matilda Wallace, it was that she was unconventionally conventional.

"No..." Sarah wracked her brain for a name or the faintest idea of what she was talking about.

"Well, I heard from Mr. Astor in 4E, that a new fellow is moving in at the end of the hall, right across from that nurse, Sherry." She set the cup down, and folded her hands.

"You mean Sharon?" Sarah was quick to correct, knowing all too well who Sharon was. They had, after all, known each other growing up. Different functions and days when her father had to bring her with him to work made sure she was acquainted with THE Peggy Carter's Great Niece.

"Yes, her. Anyways, I hear he's moving in tomorrow morning. Might not be a bad idea to introduce yourself. You never know what could happen..."

"Mrs. Wallace!" Sarah wanted the chair to swallow her up and never let her see the light of day again. First Mrs. Wiley, now Mrs. Wallace. Did everyone think she needed a man? She didn't, by the way.

"I'm just saying! You're young, pretty, can cook, obviously good with kids. I hear he's good looking. You both could be good together" Mrs. Wallace shrugged and raised an eyebrow at Sarah.

"You haven't met him" Sarah looked at Thea, praying the little girl would do something, anything, that would make them have to go home.

"Neither have you, dear. You need to get laid" She merely smiled at Sarah.

"Aaaaand thats enough of that. Nope, not having this conversation right now."

"Don't be such a baby, Sarah. I never had any daughters, let me have my fun."

"Aunt Sarah, whats laid mean?" Thea blinked, looking up at her aunt, which caused Mrs. Wallace to laugh.

"Nothing, Thea Bean, nothing at all. Come on, Aunt Lina should be home soon." Sarah stood, sticking her tongue out at Mrs. Wallace, while Thea was distracted and chanting Lina over and over again. The duo made their way to the door, Mrs. Wallace following with a knowing smile.

"I'm just saying, Sarah. You know I care" She patted Sarah's upper arm, as the brunette made her way through the door way.

"I know, I just, I can't right now. I have Thea and work and bills and absolutely..."

"Aunt Sarah, there's someone outside of the apartment." That caught Sarah and Mrs. Wallace's attention immediately. A man, imposing and stern stood with his back to the wall right next to their door, Thea staring up at him. Sarah recognized him and the cold grip of fear clenched her heart.

"Thea, love, come here for a second. I think you forgot Beary in here." Mrs. Wallace tossed the bear behind her and sent a subtle nod to Sarah.

"Beary!" Thea ran back into the apartment and Sarah let out the breath she didn't know she was holding.

"Go, I've got her." Mrs. W gave her a look and closed the door, making sure no one could get in if something occurred.

Sarah took a deep breath and walked towards her door, barely paying the agent any mind. Breathe, Sarah, just breathe. In and out, she continued her mantra, squaring her shoulders and turning the knob on the unlocked door. It gave way, under her touch, swinging open with a creak. I should have that looked at... she shook her head as she contemplated it focus, Sarah, focus. Sarah stepped past other agents and people alike, who were going through her space and invading it. It made her angry, but she knew that there was nothing she could do.

"Good evening, Miss Aldridge." The woman stood in her living room, never taking her gaze off the pictures on the wall.

"Hi mom" and the silence was deafening.

A/N: I do not, under any circumstance, own any character you recognize. If you recognize it, 9/10 experts say I do not own it (nor will I ever). Anyways, I'm excited to get this kicked off. I have a lot of plans for this series and I'll see you all at the end of this long road.