Chapter 2: Late walks and Early Talks

"Hi…."

Steve said softly as he held her eyes with his own. Her face had fear and panic on it as if she was in an elevator with her worst nightmare.

He watched as she took a deep soothing breath and looked from his eyes to Bucky's and back.

"Hi back" She whispered softly. "Is this your floor?"

He and Bucky looked at the gym, where they had planned to go and back to her. Steve went to answer but Bucky spoke up first.

"Not anymore. Where are you off to this late?" She gulped and looked at Bucky as he restarted the elevator. "Home. I live outside of the tower."

"Wait, you do? I thought you moved into the apartment that was offered" Steve said with a frown.

"I turned it down. I didn't know it was free and I didn't want to live so close to… well, I had reasons that seem stupid now. Typical me, do first, think later" She said with a scoff. "I need to feed my pets and sleep. It's been a long first day.

The elevator dinged open and she released herself from Steve's grip and walked towards the front door. Both he and Bucky followed.

"Why are you two following?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

Steve opened the door for her as Bucky eased her out the door. "We find out our soulmate is about to walk home alone in New York late at night and you're asking why we are following? Doll, we are going to see you safely home. There is no way we would make you walk alone. It's dangerous."

She muttered something under her breath that neither quite caught but didn't argue. She just took off down the street leaving both hurrying to catch up to her.

The walk was a bit long, but none of them complained. After a while, they reached an old looking building with a Victorian theme.

"This is me. Thank you for walking with me. I was kind of nervous about walking alone" She said as she turned to face them.

"It was our pleasure Doll." Steve said with a warm smile as Bucky kissed her cheek. "Wouldn't want anything to happen to ya Doll."

She blushed a bright red and walked up to the building. Both men watched as she disappeared inside.

"She isn't staying here Steve. We need to convince her to move into the tower where it's safe. I don't want her walking home alone each night." Steve stood there nodding in agreement.

The Next Day

Michelle was back in the office, but was taking time to unpack the bag she had brought over. This morning, as she was getting ready, Steve and Bucky had shown up with coffee and breakfast.

They told her their plans to drive her and a bag of belongings into work this morning and their hope that she could slowly move into the apartment.

Tony had apparently even offered to pay her last bit of rent to sweeten the pot. He also informed the soldiers to tell her she wasn't allowed to work until she had moved somewhat into the apartment.

So here she was, unpacking her bag of clothing while Steve and Bucky played with Lily, her Golden Retriever. Athena, her cat, was curled up on her new plushy bed, happily sleeping.

Michelle groaned softly as she unpacked. Her plan to avoid them at all costs crashed and burned in one day. She had the worst luck with men. It was only a matter of time before they left her as well, realizing what a screw-up she was.

She hung up the last shirt in the closet and sat on the bed beside Athena. For most of her life, all she had known was that she was different. Having two soulmates instead of the standard one and the gift she'd had since birth guaranteed that she would be an outsider. Only her parents and her brother thought differently in their small town. They were always supportive of her, even if they didn't understand her.

She was so deep in her thoughts that she didn't hear Bucky walk up to her. It wasn't until he laid his hand on her shoulder that she jerked out of her thoughts.

"You ok doll?" he asked as he knelt down to be at eye level with her.

"I'm fine. Just a bit much in one day is all." Bucky looked her over, not really believing her, but nodding all the same.

"I'd like to stay here with you today if you don't mind. Steve has to go with Nat and Tony to some meeting and he doesn't want me to be alone."

Michelle looked at Bucky and nodded softly. "Ok, sure. I'll be working but I don't mind if you stay. Honestly, it would be nice to have someone else in the apartment besides just me. Yesterday was a bit daunting."

"Daunting? How so?"

"Well, first day in a tower full of superheroes that saves the world. A new apartment free of charge, a large filing room filled with classified material that I am in charge of and to top it off, my soulmates who I was actively hoping to avoid, find me my first night." she said before freezing. She could feel the tension coming off Bucky as he stood.

"You were avoiding us? Why?" He said in a more demanding tone than he had planned. She shrank back slightly.

"Because I'm terrified." She said softly looking at the ground. "I don't want to be hurt anymore and men always hurt me. I didn't want to find you because I didn't want to get hurt."

"We would never hurt you Doll…."

A/N:

Hey everyone! Sorry for the late update, going through some personal issues. I don't really have a set schedule, but I will try to update more often. Thanks for being awesome!

To those who reviewed, thank you! I love hearing from my readers! Message me if you have any ideas for this story that you would like to see happen and I'll try to integrate them in! Always love feedback!

-Shell