Hey everyone! Okay, so I'm back. This is the first actual chapter. It's not a very exciting one, but the first few of a new story should be more about background information about characters or basic plot builders in my opinion. It'll pick up though, because drama makes the Earth go round.
I'm well aware that some people think that Elizabeth is just way too powerful and that she'll outshine the rest of the Avengers should she become one, but this is all for good reason. As of right now, Elizabeth will not be gaining anymore abilities and all will be explained. So if you guys'll stick around for atleast five chapters and still think she's a God-Mode Mary Sue character, I'll try my best to fix it. Plus, I never said she'd be joining the Avengers, all I said was that Fury would realize that he needs her help. I'm about halfway through with the second chapter, and I know I'll finish it before I get to five reviews total, but I decided that as long as I'm halfway through with the third chapter by the time I get four more reviews, I'll try to post the second chapter immediately. There are going to be Halloween mentions in the next chapter, and so is Marley. I don't know if that's that much of an incentive to ya'll, buuuuut, I figure I'd give it a try.

Disclaimer: I, ashesxtoxashes, do not, and will never, own any Marvel related mentions, nor anything from Heroes - which happens to be quite a bit of Elizabeth's past -. I own Elizabeth Merrit, Marleen "Marley" Merrit, and canine Thor. Not Norse God of Thunder Thor, but the Rottweiler.

Growling in frustration from tossing and turning all night, Elizabeth Merrit, formerly Grey, threw back the dark purple comforter covering her body and stood from the queen sized bed inhabiting her bedroom. Glancing at the clock on her mahogany nightstand only made her groan; 3:29 a.m. The brunette knew exactly what kept her up; the noises of the city – bearable to normal people; magnified to her ears – mixed with the nightmares she'd been experiencing lately, the combination resulted in sleeplessness. Elizabeth was proud to say she wasn't a nosy landlady by any means, but with her enhanced hearing, no tenant of hers could keep secrets from her. More often than not, Elizabeth would create a sound barrier around her ears, not only to prevent migraines, but to atleast try to give the building's occupants the privacy they deserved. That method, however, requiring concentration, was useless when she slept. Sighing, she left her room and entered the rest of the apartment, walking barefoot into the updated, partially open kitchen. Noticing the lift of a canine head in the living room, Elizabeth flicked a light on so the large dog wouldn't bark.

"It's only me Thor." She told the black and rust colored animal, causing him to huff and lay back down. The green eyed woman grabbed a small tea kettle from a low cabinet and began the process of making herbal tea, while memories of how she had come across the two-year old Rottweiler flooded her mind. The poor puppy had been abandoned and ventured into her newly opened bakery just short of two years ago. Elizabeth's daughter, Marley, absolutely adored Thor, and even suggested that the puppy's bark sounded like thunder rolling; inspiring the name Thor. Even as a pup his bark was fierce, which is why the brunette needed to make sure he didn't. The Rottweiler could probably wake the entire building if he wanted to.

With her cup of tea made, Elizabeth found her way to the living room and settled on the beige sofa, Thor soon joined her resting his head on her folded legs. Sighing softly again, the woman rubbed her companion's furry head and listened to the building. Thankfully, most of the noise was outside, few tenants got up for work this early and all others were asleep, except for one. The new man across the hall wasn't asleep; he was down on the first floor in the old boxing gym. Every night he was down there punching away since he moved in a couple months back. The two would occasionally pass each other in the halls, but no real communication was ever exchanged between them. Glancing at the cable box under the wall mounted television elicited another soft sigh from her lips; 3:42 a.m. Moving Thor's large head, Elizabeth got to her feet and walked to her kitchen once again. Pulling a blue glass plate from a cabinet over her head, Elizabeth removed the lid to a storage bowl on the marble countertop. Reaching into said bowl, she grabbed a handful of its contents – gingerbread cookies – and placed the man-shaped goodies on the plate. After replacing the sealing lid, she moved to her stainless steel refrigerator, grabbing two bottled waters.

"Thor, I'll be back in a little bit. Go lay with Marmar." As soon as the command left her mouth, the canine was getting up and walking off down the hallway, on his way to the three year old's room. Elizabeth grabbed her keys and jacket, slipping on a pair of black ballet flats before grabbing the plate of cookies and the waters. After confirming Thor was in her daughter's bedroom, she left the apartment, locking the door behind her. Making her way to the end of the hall where the elevators were located, the brunette placed her keys in the pocket of her jacket.

The ride to the ground floor was a short one, Elizabeth could still hear the man's punches over the classical music wafting in the elevator. Once the doors opened, she walked out into the lobby.

"Ms. Merrit." The building's night receptionist, for lack of a better term, called out. "What are you doing down here at this time of night?" The young man's name was Timothy, a sweet kid, only nineteen. Elizabeth knew his mother, and his job was helping pay for college. Timothy had short black hair and brown eyes, with a very curious personality.

"This lovely young man in 513 is having trouble sleeping. I figured a gingerbread man might help." Holding the plate in view, she continued. "Would you like one, Timothy?" His eyes lit up as he grabbed a man cookie.

"Thank you very much Ms. Merrit." Smiling, Elizabeth bade him goodnight and continued down to the old gym. Before reaching the door leading into said gym, the woman couldn't help but hear Timothy murmur about the brunette being the nicest woman he'd ever met.

Walking through the door, Elizabeth paused, watching the blonde man go at the punching bag. He sure does take that seriously. The emotions radiating off him reminded the woman of her past. She didn't know much about the man in front of her, just what was on his application. From their encounters, she learned that he was chivalrous and a little shy. "You know, normal people are usually sleeping right now." Elizabeth's statement made him stop and turn to her when it hit his ears.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I-uh, I couldn't sleep…" His cheeks tinted pink, from embarrassment Elizabeth would guess.

"Yeah," she walked the rest of the way into the gym. "I know that feeling." A few feet away from him, she stopped. "You always come down here, ever since you moved in. I thought you might like some company." He smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes.

"I appreciate that. But…how did you know I come down here?"

"It's my job to know what goes on in my building." Elizabeth shrugged. "Besides, there are security cameras in the lobby. They catch you coming down every night."

"Oh.." Was his reply before his attention was turned to the plate in Elizabeth's hand. "What are those?"

"Gingerbread cookies. Want one?" She offered holding one up; the waters now tucked in her arm. "They're super good, I know, I made them." Tentatively, he grabbed the cookie and Elizabeth grabbed one for herself. The blonde offered up a 'thank you' while Elizabeth walked over to a long bench placed out of the way, taking a bite from the head of her cookie and setting the plate down. Taking a small bite of his own edible tiny man, his blue eyes widened. "So you live across the hall from me and we've never actually officially met." She held her hand out as he walked toward her. "I'm Elizabeth Merrit." Grabbing her hand with his own in a firm handshake, he smiled a real smile.
"Steve Rogers, Ma'am."

It had only been a couple of months since Steve woke up in this same but completely different world, though personally, it felt like an eternity. Agents from S.H.I.E.L.D. had put him up in an apartment building in Brooklyn and left him alone for the most part. The blonde man had been rather impressed that the ten story building had a boxing gym that could have been from the forties. Every night, Steve would go down and let his emotions out on a bag. His memories would always flood his mind with the war, the bombs, the numerous dead soldiers; it became too much sometimes. So he released his anger, frustration, and confusion on the punching bags. When he first found the gym, there were a few punching bags in the locker room, and he'd gone through those in no time. Eventually, he had thought to himself, I'll have to replace those. Tonight had been no different than any other night, that is, until he heard a woman's voice.

"You know, normal people are usually sleeping right now." Steve stopped, looking in the direction she was. No one ever came to the gym; that was one of the reasons why Steve liked it so much. But right there she was. It was her, his neighbor. She was a beautiful woman with her long curly brown hair and her piercing green eyes. He didn't see her around very often, but they've been known to run into each other. Her attire almost matched his, both suitable for sleep, with few additions on her part. She wore light blue sweatpants, a gray tank top, a black jacket-no doubt an addition for being outside her apartment-, and some form of casual ballet shoe. When he saw her, she was usually dressed professionally; it didn't matter, she still took his breath away. This female was the kind that Steve Rogers had trouble talking to; Captain America would have no such problem.

I'm not exactly normal. He wanted to tell her, instead he settled on a safer approach. "Oh, I'm sorry. I-uh, I couldn't sleep…" Steve could feel his face warm up; he still faced his inability to speak to women like her.

"Yeah," she moved into the gym toward him. "I know that feeling." When she reached him, she stopped a few feet away. "You always come down here, ever since you moved in. I thought you might like some company." Steve forced a smile. The notion was sweet, but he would rather not have to worry about keeping his secret from her, which would be tremendously easier if he weren't in her company.

"I appreciate that." And he did, but he was an outsider in this time, it would be difficult to relate to others. Instead of asking her to leave, he once again took the safe route. "But…how did you know I come down here?" Plus he was curious. Maybe Director Fury sent her to keep an eye on him…

"It's my job to know what goes on in my building." So she owns it, she's his neighbor and landlord-or, landlady… "Besides, there are security cameras in the lobby. They catch you coming down here every night." Right, he had forgotten about the whole 'super advanced technology' thing.

"Oh.." He suddenly noticed she was holding a plate. "What are those?" They look like the gingerbread men Mom used to make.

"Gingerbread cookies. Want one?" She responded, holding one out to him. "They're super good, I know, I made them." Almost hesitantly, Steve grabbed the little man shaped cookie; when he did, she took one from the plate.

"Thank you." He told her while she started walking to the elongated bench he had his gym bag on. She sat the plate down and bit into her cookie. Following her example, Steve took a small bite and felt like his mouth was on Cloud Nine. His eyes widened, only able to think one thought: These cookies are amazing. Better than Mom's. I'm sorry Mom, I love you, but they are so good.

"So you live across the hall from me and we've never actually officially met." Steve walked closer to her and she held out her hand. "I'm Elizabeth Merrit." The blonde smiled for real this time and shook her hand; she had a strong grip for such a delicate looking woman.

"Steve Rogers, Ma'am."