Steve Rogers had been utterly tormented by the affirmation of love between his once best friend and former sweetheart. Now he stood across from her, tearful and heartsick in her kitchen. He was unsure how to proceed, was it right for him to hug her? He really wanted to hold her, and steal her pain away, pain he knew was still entirely his fault. He could offer his comfort at the very even though he was terrified that one touch could make him undone.

Steve cautiously stepped forward as if he were diffusing a violent situation like a bomb threat or a hostile.

Vera was trying to hide it, biding her tears away but they fell far too fast to keep up.

"I'm sorry."

Was all he could say. All he could muster at this moment, comfort wasn't his strong suit. When they were together the best he could do when she was troubled was hold her so he offered the only relief he could with outstretched arms.

Vera was weary. She was angry, bitter and heartbroken in this moment. Probably the only woman in the world that held onto resentment for the handsome Captain, but she was more irate with herself. Furious at the small tingle in the pit of her stomach when he came close, outraged at her own body for sinking into his offered arms.

She cursed herself, immersed in the luxury of his warmth but she resolved it to be that of a friend seeking comfort in another friend. Vera couldn't lose herself like this, not after everything, not after she had given herself so completely to James. Fresh tears fell, nothing could ever be normal, she gave that up five years ago when she fell in love with a stranger. Someone that was far more complicated than he let on to be.

Steve would hold onto her for as long as she needed and ever the gentleman, he kept his arms around her shoulder. In this moment, he wished that he wasn't chivalrous. He wanted to soothe her the way he used to, caressing the sides of he body, tracing every curve, kissing the top of her head while inhaling the sweetness of her. He couldn't not now, not ever again. The task would prove difficult with having her in such close proximity again and given the way his heart fluttered when he saw her again. It felt like the first time all over again, he relished in the familiarity of it all.

He found an apartment just a block up the road from his childhood home in Brooklyn and spent most of his days either working out at the gym or reading up on the past seven decades. Brooklyn was like an alternate universe now, trendy and cutting edge filled with little designer boutiques and nightlife hotspots,so far removed from the city he called home. Steve couldn't bare the thought of living life without Brooklyn so he put up with the obscure changes. Everyday he would walk down the block and around the corner to have a bite and read the thick books borrowed from the library. His diner of choice was a family owned joint named 'Hal's'. It had passed into the very hardworking hands of a 30 something man named Oscar and his nitpicking wife Donna. Despite their constant battles in the kitchen, the couple always made a point to welcome patrons as if they were one of their own.

Steve sat in a red cushioned booth with his mind immersed in a book written about the 60's, The sexual liberation, the bra burnings and technical advancements were enough to make his eyes go fuzzy and his brain hazy. He placed the book down, pinching the bridge of his nose before taking a sip of steaming black coffee.

His eyes darted to the doors as the bell rang and she walked in.

His heart beat quickened, his palms became sweaty and his nerves were shaky.

She was a walking pinup caught in the wrong decade. Tall with dark hair that was curled just so and parted deep on the left side. Even underneath the grey bundle of wool Steve could that she had a body that could stop traffic. His eyes travelled up towards a face that blew him away, it seemed impossible that in 2011 someone like this was walking around without him noticing. A soft olive complexion , defined rosy cheeks and big scarlet lips pursed ever so gently, breathing in the warm heat that melted the cold from outside. She was holding the hand of a scrawny little blonde boy that seemed to quiver with fear the moment he walked in with her.

"Aunty Vera, I don't wanna." He pouted.

She only smiled warmly, big, beautiful, golden brown eyes made Steves insides flutter more. She knelt down to his level wiping away what seemed to be a tiny trace of blood on his small little mouth.

"Now listen here Marcus, you have to tell them sooner or later." She reasoned with the small boy.

Oscar hadn't even noticed their entrance as he was off arguing with his wife about something trivial once again.

"My mom's just gonna get mad again, and my dad is gonna call me a sissy." He snivelled.

Steve couldn't help but feel a slight tug at his heart when the boy mentioned that part. He had been pummelled on these streets, beaten, broken, spit on but in the end he was granted the last laugh.

Without skipping a beat his aunt was already soothing him.

"Hey hey now. Don't ever let me catch you saying that word again okay. Your not a sissy bud, you stood up to those boys and you know what?"

"What?" he shook.

"That makes you more brave than they could ever be because bullies are just a bunch of scaredy-cats."

Marcus giggled and wrapped his thin little arms around his aunt, she wiped away the last of his tears before propping him up on one of the swivel chairs at the front counter.

"Oscar?" She called in a smooth voice.

The dark haired man appeared from behind the swinging door of the kitchen and smiled at the sight of his baby sister and only child.

"There's my boy. How was school kiddo?" He asked.

Oscar filled a glass of milk and sat it in front of Marcus followed by a few fresh chocolate chip cookies.

"Okay I guess." he sniffed.

The man's brow furrowed slightly.

"Did you get beat up again? Were you crying?" he asked rather brashly.

"Oscar!" The beauty scolded her older brother.

"What?"

"Stop talking to him like that, you sound like dad. Marcus was sneezing the whole way here, the cold weather doesn't help much." she lied sending a wink in her nephews direction.

"Sorry, kiddo it's just."

"Drop it Oscar." She interrupted.

He immediately changed the subject.

"Thanks for picking him up Vivian. You got time for some grub?"

She was already in the midst of pouring a cup of coffee.

"Could you be a doll my dear brother and make me up a sandwich to go."She pleaded.

"You can't stay?"

"I have to be at the club by five. New band, we need to see how we jive."

Vera blew the hot steam above the white china mug finally satisfied with its temperature, she took a sip leaving a red tattoo along the rim.

"How are you getting home?" Donna chimed in. She flipped her over inflated golden hair back over her shoulder.

"Walking." she took another sip.

Steve couldn't take his eyes off of her. Vera caught his eye briefly and smiled at the handsome stranger. It racked her brain slightly, he seemed to be so familiar but she couldn't place it.

"Vera!" She scolded out of concern for her sister in law.

"Yeah, you gotta get a car or a boyfriend to walk you home."Oscar added. "What about Robert? He's had the hots for you since you were kids."Oscar stated bluntly.

.

"No." She sipped on her coffee hoping this overplayed conversation would be over sooner than later.

"Your so picky Vera."

"I'm not picky Oscar. I just don't think its too much to ask for a man to control his grabby hands. Maybe hold the door open once in a while and may you recall the teary eyed little girl that came home with a bloody nose at the hands of Robert."She stated.

"You were kids."

" I was 13."

"That was almost ten years ago and besides, boys pick on girls they like."

She rolled her eyes in plain view of her older brother.

"Men like Robert are all the same, bully's don't change. Do you really want me with someone like that?"She finished.

Taking one last gulp of her coffee and set the delicate cup into a bin of soapy water behind the counter.

Marcus had returned with a small paper bag in his hands and he raced over to his aunt.

"Here aunty Vera."

He proudly handed the bag towards her. She peaked inside hit instantly by the smell of wheat, fresh bananas and velvety peanut butter.

"Did you make this all by yourself?" She asked.

Marcus scuffed his sneakers and bashfully nodded.

"I know its your favourite." he added.

"Thank you Marcus. She now there's a real gentleman."

Oscar and Donna forgot momentarily what they were fighting about before and instead looked on as proud parents at their little son swelling with pride.

"Are we still getting ice cream tomorrow." he asked sweetly.

"Of course. I'm going to pick you up a little earlier if that's okay with your mum and dad."

"By all means, Saturday's are his favourite day. We'll be here as usual."

Vera had helped out with Marcus since the day he was born. As he grew older she would take him shopping or to the park, sometimes even the fair when it was in town, but Saturday was ice cream day, rain or shine.

Steve caught her eye again and she smiled before exiting the diner bundling her jacket buttons back up as she braced the cold and carried on down the street.

Steve cursed himself for not running after her but at least now he knew that he had at least a slight chance of running into her again.

Vera, even her name exuded class. In the brief few minutes she spent in the diner he could tell immediately that she had a kind heart and it was always in the right place. Vivian did not put up with any guff, she was brave and passionate about what she believed in unafraid of standing up for even the littlest creatures. Few and far between was that a common trait in mankind. As a bonus she was a stone cold knockout.

Steve felt that rush all over again and holding her in his arms once more made it all the harder to ignore the feelings he tried to push down. He didn't want to ever let go again.

It was her soft voice that pulled him back, and the emptiness of her body leaving his.

" Where are we going?"

" Back to D.C."

Anxiety flushed through her body.