"Ready?"

Harper was grinning as she leaned against the door frame of Ange's office. For the first time in as long as she could remember she was out of her office and ready to leave at five pm on the dot and it was all down to Riley Watson.

"Wow," Ange replied as she shut down her computer and got to her feet "I knew my boy was pushy but getting Harper Rhodes to leave work on time? I'm actually proud."

"You're hilarious," she replied rolling her eyes as Ange slipped her jacket on. She had been invited to the Watson household every Friday night since she had started at the museum and it was definitely one of the highlights of her week "I did make it worth his while though," she added with a smirk as she tapped her bag with her right hand. Though she normally ended up arriving late to dinner she always made sure to bring gifts to make up for it and Ange was pretty adamant Harper was Captain America superfan Riley's favourite person.

"You spoil him," Ange tutted as the duo ventured into the hallway and she locked her office door behind them.

Harper shrugged as she smiled shyly and shifted the strap of her bag further onto her shoulder "Wouldn't want to be demoted now would I?" she said in reply, her eyes dropping to the floor for a few seconds. As a girl not entirely used to having family around her she was forever grateful that Ange had let her into her life.

Plus she kind of enjoyed being someone's favourite person.

"Like that would ever happen!" Ange snorted in amusement. Once Harper paid a visit it was difficult to get her son to stop talking about her, he'd repeat stories she told him, hang posters she gifted him and constantly asked how long it was until Friday "Anyone would swear he had a little cru-ush!" she added nudging Harper's arm with her elbow.

"Oh shush you," Harper glared "Riley would kill you if he heard you saying things like that!"

"And Georgie would never stop teasing I know, I know," Ange chuckled as they scanned their passes and walked through to the museum car park "You really don't realise how hot you actually are though y'know Harps!"

She rolled her eyes and ignored the comment as she climbed into the passenger side of Ange's car, only living a block away from the museum she had no use for a car of her own so catching a ride was a bit of a luxury "I suppose if I did exhibits on One Direction or Justin Bieber I'd be right in there with Georgie," she mused letting out her own chuckle, Ange's fourteen year old daughter had reached the age where 'superheroes' had been replaced with boy bands and celebrities so the gifts Harper could bring for Riley were a bit lost on her.

"I wish you would, I could use my own personal spy," Ange smirked as she started the engine. Georgina had definitely entered the more secretive part of her life, hiding up in her room on her computer instead of joining in with the family "I am impressed you remembered those names though! You never stop surprising me Harper Rhodes!"

As the two women laughed, Harper leaning forward to turn on the radio, neither noticed the man watching them from the shadows. The headlights of Ange's car glinting against the cold silver metal on his left.

"Harper!" Riley exclaimed racing down the stairs and practically leaping into Harper's arms, not taking into consideration that she was midway through taking her coat off.

"Whoaaa little man," she said with a chuckle as she allowed the coat to drop to the floor so she was able to return his welcoming hug "We talked about this," she continued with a fake look of irritation on her face before she pressed a loud smack of a kiss onto his cheek.

"Sorry H," Ange's husband, Jack, said breathlessly as he followed his son's path in a jog, leaning over to drop a quick and welcoming kiss onto her cheekbone "Come over for food and leave with a broken rib," he said as he tickled Riley's side before lifting him up out of Harper's way.

"He knows I don't mind," she replied with a smile as she lifted her coat from the floor and hung it up on the rack beside the front door "Georgie still up in her room?"

"Where else would she be," Jack answered with a roll of his eyes "Gina?!" he lowered his voice and turned away from where he had shouted up the stairs "That's what she calls herself now," he said before turning back to call to his daughter "Harper's here and food will be ready in a half hour!"

"Hi Harper!"

Sharing a glance with Jack Harper raised her eyebrows "Well at least I got a hello!" she exclaimed before allowing her hand to be taken by Riley, letting out a laugh as he dragged her into the living room "Alright then," she said as they both sat down on the sofa and she pulled her bag up between them "Are you ready for your presents?"

The look on his face when she handed over the poster and old Captain America action figure made her heart melt. She had been alone for as long as she could remember - for what part of her life she could remember that is - and to be able to do something that made another person so happy just warmed her right up.

Georgina on the other hand was a whole other kettle of fish. Harper didn't know how to handle the much younger girl's newly found attitude, she didn't understand her teenage lingo and side-eye glances.

There was no bribing her into liking her now she was officially 'over' superheroes.

"But do you have to go?"

Harper chuckled as Riley stared up to her, puppy dog eyes turned on to the max and his hands linked behind his back "It's way past my bedtime bud," she smiled reaching across to ruffle his sandy coloured hair.

"And definitely way past yours," Jack spoke up as he patted his son on the shoulder.

"I'll be back next week I promise," she grinned as Riley gave her a quick and very tight hug.

"And you promise not to be late?"

Harper caught Jack's eye and they shared a smirk before Riley pulled out of the hug "Depends how good you are in school," she winked as Jack sent her a thumbs up and Riley rolled his eyes "Bye Gina!" she called up the stairs to where the teenage girl had disappeared almost immediately after pudding, laughing quietly to herself when she received no response "Teenagers hey."

Ange rolled her eyes as the two of them headed back over to her car "I remember a time when I couldn't stop her talking! She'd be running around the museum hallways causing havoc!"

Harper chuckled at the memory of attempting to control the over excited siblings way back when she was Ange's assistant "They gotta grow up sometime Angie."

Sending her friend a narrow eyed glare Ange was unable to hold back a laugh of her own "I suppose the silent phase is kind of better than the phase which lead her to tearing up my research papers!"

The short ride to Harper's place was filled with giggle worthy memory sharing from the years when Georgina and Riley were younger until, pulling to a stop outside her building, Ange sent Harper her usual glance. Chewing on her bottom lip and looking to the smiling girl sat in the passenger seat the redhead reached across to squeeze her hand "You know you're welcome anytime?" she asked the same question on her lips each and every time she gave Harper a lift back home.

Harper nodded as she reached for the bag at her feet "Of course," she smiled softly "You make sure I'm not late next week okay?"

It was Ange's turn to nod as Harper wandered around the car, stepping beside the rolled down driver's window "Of course."

Grinning Harper shifted her bag on her shoulder before she turned on her heel calling "Whatever it takes!" over her shoulder.

Ange laughed loudly "You're going to regret saying that!"

Taking in a deep breath Harper sent one last look toward Ange's car before buzzing herself into her building. She paused to collect her mail – a couple of bills and a magazine – before she bypassed the broken down elevator with her usual eye roll toward it and began the trek up to the fourth floor.

She was yawning loudly and widely when she finally reached her door. Dropping her keys into their regular bowl and dumping her bag beside the cabinet it was placed on she yawned once more. Stretching her arms out in front of her she reached up to switch on the light.

A gasp burned at her throat as she turned, her heart pounding harshly against her ribcage "Y-you scared me," she stuttered. Sat in her chair, expression stony, was James Barnes. He wasn't wearing his cap this time and his long hair fell messily around his face "How did you get in?" she asked quietly staying frozen on the spot she was seemingly rooted to. Eyes flickering over his emotionless expression she fiddled at the zip of her hoodie with shaking, nervous fingers.

He shrugged.

"W-why are you here?"

Glancing up to her through his curtain of brunette hair he regarded her with darkened blue eyes "I need your help."

She relaxed upon hearing his voice; Bucky's voice. Dropping her hands to her side she slowly crossed the room, his eyes trained on her before she sat on the couch. Perching on the edge of the cushion farthest away from him, closest to the door, she chewed on her bottom lip "What do you need to know?"

He sat up (she attempted to hide her slight jump at his movement), moving to the edge of his seat he leaned with his elbows on his thighs. Lacing his fingers he placed his chin on his fists and his features fell into an almost saddened expression "Everything."

She stared at him with wide eyes, her mouth slightly agape as she thought over the situation. The envelope from earlier, remaining unopened, still lay in the forefront of her mind as though it were teasing her for being too chicken to read whatever was inside.

He was staring right back. He had settled in his seat once again, his left arm hidden by his side while his right elbow rested on the arm of the chair. His eyebrows were arched expectantly as he rested his chin on the palm of his hand "I've scared you," he said quietly as he drew his lips into a straight line and allowed his eyes to lower to the floor "I can go."

"No!" she exclaimed almost having to stop herself from jumping to her feet. Noticing his bewildered expression she cleared her throat, shaking her head to take a second to calm herself "I mean; that won't be necessary," she shrugged pursing her own lips to keep herself from smiling "Just another surr-never mind."

"I just need the information," he informed her shortly, his shoulders tense as he shifted his metallic left arm even further out of sight "I can go through it myself."

She snorted, covering her mouth almost as soon as the amused sounding noise was let out into the open "I'm sorry," she rushed when he sent her a questioning look "You just don't have to act like the big bad guy around me of course I'll help you; one person can't go through all of this alone. Where are you even staying?"

He (she was still unsure of what to call him) shifted almost awkwardly on his seat "I, um," his right hand rubbed at the slight stubble dotted along his jaw.

She was frowning at him as she drew her lips into a more severe line. Squaring her shoulders she folded her arms tightly over her stomach, shifting back on her seat she rested her right leg over her left thigh as she turned to face him properly "You're homeless?"

A muscle tensed in his jaw at her words "You don't understand."

"Oh really?" her tone was sharp and it shocked him. He may have only known her a few days (from bumping into her at the Captain America exhibit to watching her from afar over the following nights) but he had assumed he'd managed to get the measure of her.

She was a workaholic, a loner apart from the older redhead who continually visited her office. She was shy and quiet but driven and stubborn. She stuttered when she was nervous and chewed on her lip or picked at her fingernails when she didn't know what to say. She stayed out of the way of others, especially the men who leered after her when she walked past. Her glasses gave her eyes some trouble around mid-afternoon and her back ached almost as soon as the clock ticked over to six pm.

But he'd never had her down as snappy.

"Being homeless is nothing to be ashamed of," she said sounding as though she was convincing herself as well as him. The lip chewing and fingernail picking were on full display as her eyes focussed on his shoulder rather than his face "You can stay here," she continued as she got to her feet, purposefully going the longer way around so she had to step over his outstretched legs, she headed over to the open plan kitchen "Tea?"

He looked up to her with wide eyes, his lips parted slightly, as he ran his fingers through his hair "I should go."

She scoffed "I don't think so."

"I'm dangerous Miss Rhodes!"

"And yet here you are," she replied spinning away from the counter to send him a look "Breaking into my place to sit in my chair and welcome me home from work."

Her over confident act was put to the test as he practically jumped to his feet. She squared her shoulders in a stubborn manner as he crossed the room, his strides long and footsteps heavy. A gasp passed her lips as she backed up against the kitchen counter, jumping slightly when he quickly reached forward to grasp onto the countertop with his metal hand "I don't want to hurt you," he said almost pleadingly, his grip on the marble surface tightening. As though trying to regain control of himself he screwed his eyes tightly shut.

She was holding her breath as she watched him relax in front of her very eyes. Bucky Barnes taking control of The Winter Soldier's urges "I don't believe that you will hurt me," she said quietly as he glanced up to her, his metal arm relaxing and falling to rest at his side "What is the point of getting better if you have nowhere to sleep?"

He was looking at her in disbelief as he backed away. Ever since he had been woken for his latest mission and had come face to face with Captain America he had received more kindness than he could ever remember. All of his memories contained violence and hatred yet here he was being invited to stay in someone's home out of nothing but kindness.

"Seriously," he jumped as Harper began to speak again "If it weren't for the kindness of strangers I wouldn't be anywhere near where I am now."

"You were…"

She shook her head as she took a sip out of her mug "I don't talk about it," she said as she tapped at the abstract pattern beneath her fingers. Raising her eyes she locked them with his and sent him a glare "Well?"

But he had tensed up again. His silver fingers had curled up into a fist as his breath came out in short, sharp bursts. Shaking his head he turned away from her and, with his eyes squeezed shut, he pushed his hair from his face "I'm sorry," he said before swinging her front door open and disappearing from her life once more.

Thank you for all the lovely comments! I'm so happy people are enjoying Harper's story so far! Just as a little addition - the name she has is nothing to do with the background she doesn't remember.

I'm also siriussblackx on tumblr as well :)