AN: So guys because you've asked for an update I'm feeling generous, but seeing as I haven't quite storyboarded everything out yet… You get an Eli/Kate side story chapter (see this is the reason Kate got a chapter- I am doing things with everyone… eventually)

Chapter 7: Same old routine- or not

Living in Brooklyn wasn't perfect, living with my grandparents wasn't ideal, putting up with punk white boys who thought they were the shit was frustrating, but hey nobody's life is perfect- right?

Grandpa didn't like me going out after dark, grandma didn't know I snuck out, but at least I wasn't doing drugs- I was trying to help people. School didn't always make sense to me, and history often aggravated me because everyone went on about Captain America, Captain White as hell America, but nobody ever mentioned the first Captain America- the early trials, the black men. Now I don't hate white people, I just think some of them are stuck on a high horse and need to be knocked down… after all everyone's human at the end of the day (almost everyone).

Xxx

When I snuck out at night, just after dinner while there was still a little light left in the day, I took the back alleys and patrolled for danger. I did this all the way to the sub-station, then I hoped on the subway and patrolled the cars till we hit downtown New York. Once I was in NY I started patrolling the parks and the streets with bad lighting. Most nights I didn't find anything, or I was too late to stop something, but some nights I'd hear something- I'd get to be the hero. It was one of those nights when I met her, it started normally enough: regular patrol, almost ready to get back to the sub-station when suddenly I heard something.

She hadn't been loud, the sounds from them hadn't been loud either, but it only took a small amount of noise for me to hear it. A few years back I'd been in a car accident, with my parents, I had needed a blood transfusion and my grandpa gave me what he could. Oddly enough at first I hadn't felt any different, but it seems that whatever made Captain America who he was it was in his blood. Now's probably a good time to mention that my grandpa was one of the first Captain Americas.

Anyway the change had made me a little stronger, my senses a little more refined, and when I heard that gasp of shock I ran to the alley. It was after I'd saved her that I got a chance to look at her, she was a white girl but that didn't catch my eye, it was how composed she was after it all. Only for a minute does she display a hint of worry, but the minute I agree to walk her home she's calm and collected… nothing like any other girl I've ever helped before. It also sticks in my mind that she doesn't seem to care that my skin is black and that whilst she's clearly upper-class I'm just lower-class.

Xxx

That night I got home a little later than normal, and I got to sleep a lot later than normal. When I awoke it seemed like her image was burned into my mind, that image stayed stuck there for the whole weekend and only started fading when I got to school on Monday. School had this sort of sobering effect on my mind, once I stepped through those doors I was just a target like everyone else.

My skin didn't matter in school but my heritage, my mouth, my temper, all made me stand out as bully bait. Teachers would say I asked for the bullying, asked to have quarter backs and other jocks slamming me into lockers- after all if you stood up for what you believed in, that was bad. At first I had retaliated to bullying, I had let my temper get the better of me, but after my accident… after I started doing patrols, I took it as training. Not all heroes have to be super, and even those who are super have to control themselves.

School became a game, do the work and see how much punishment I can take- build a threshold and work to make it stronger. The real trouble was getting home from school, I didn't live in a good neighbourhood and my school wasn't in any better of a neighbourhood. Often when I walked home I would be jeered at by druggies, it happened that when I was younger they'd insult my grandpa to get a reaction from me, I suppose to them it seemed like I was seated on some high horse. When insults were thrown it was fine, I was more worried about the times when they'd rush me with knives.

Today was lucky though and everything seemed to go smoothly.

Xxx

On school nights I try to get out patrolling early, making some fuss to grandma about studying at the library. And from home I head straight to the subway, hop on and start the night in downtown NY. Tonight is a quiet night, I'm keeping my head down combing the streets when "BLAM" it's a full on collision. "Damn man, I'm sorry, I was just running and I didn't see you there. Ahh, you okay?"

I slowly rise to my feet, rubbing the back of my head, I take a look at the guy- white, lean, 'bout my height, silver hair. "Yeah man, I'm fine." I reply before starting to walk away,

"Ok." I hear him say behind me, I look back but all of a sudden he's gone.

"Weirdo." I mumble under my breath, as I walk further down the street a figure catches my eye and before I realise it I'm running towards this person and just as I approach my mind catches up with my body- it's her.

"Uh, hey snow white," Mentally I'm kicking myself as she turns around,

"Who the hell said… Eli?" Her eyes land on me, it takes her a moment but she recognises me.

"Yeah, uh… Kate right? I was just umm walking down the street when I saw you and (think Eli how do you make yourself not sound like a stalker) thought I'd say hi."

She chuckles to herself, "yeah. I thought you said I'd only see you again if I needed saving? I'm not really in trouble right now."

"Well I should of specified, if you were in trouble or in a bad part of downtown." I rub the back of my neck; I must seem like a real odd-ball.

"Yeah well, I'm church finding… uh- that must sound really weird." She seems to lose her composure for a second, "My um sister is getting married and apparently I have to scope out all of New York's churches to find the perfect wedding venue… not that I seriously think she'll go for anything in one of these neighbourhoods but if I…" slowly I tune out as to what she's saying, I become engrossed in her eyes… and to be honest in her body.

"So that's why I'm here." I snap back to attention as she finishes,

"cool." It's a nonchalant thing to say but we're teenagers what else am I supposed to say?

"And you? Do you live near here? I mean because this is around the area where we met before."

"Well um not really, I live in Brooklyn. I just come here to make sure there is a little less crime on the streets… and now you're going to think I'm one of those weird wanabee avengers." I smile a little because she laughs.

"No, not at all." She smiles, "Umm, I'd better be going… but it was nice meeting you again."

"Yeah, me too. See ya." And with that we part, but this time her image is burning even more brightly in my mind and for some reason I'm sure I'll meet her again.

xxx

AN: Everything will tie in together eventually. I realise this chapter may be dissatisfactory for you guys but I really wanted to try doing Eli. Plus writing this chapter has given me some insight onto were things are going to go from here, like how the whole story will begin to evolve. Stay tuned for next time will probably be about Billy again.