Chapter Six

The shower and new clothes felt good after being covered in red ectoplasm. Albeit, fatigues weren't really her style, but who was she to complain as long as she was warm, clean, non goo covered. Not like she had fancy silks anymore. Wanda handed her a towel and a brush for her immensely long hair as she walked out of her bathroom, "how long does it take to comb that everyday?"

"I keep it braided most of the time," she replied as she sat down on the woman's bed to easily comb it. It was a hassle, and she had entertained the possibility of cutting it several times, but it was the only thing that remained of her ancient identity. "You're an Oracle."

"Is that what I was called in your time?"

"So its not just one way."

"No, unfortunately, not always," she said with a frown. She was a gorgeous woman with dark auburn hair and dark eyes. Kayura was almost reminded of her friend and savior Anubis in some strange way. "You and Cap have a lot in common."

"Yeah, sort of," she paused quietly, "a thousand years is a lot different than sixty though."

The woman nodded, she seemed to understand all of it oddly enough, "you should probably go before Fury wants all of the details. Maria says you are of no harm and ordered Cap to let you go."

She finished combing out her hair and quickly braided it and pulled it up. It amazed Wanda how quickly she did it but remembered a thousand years is long enough time for anyone to memorize anything with ease. Kayura replied, "thank you for not saying anything, may I ask did you see what I did?"

She shook her head, "no."

"Good," she answered and Wanda could see that she was deeply concerned.

"Let me know if you need anything," she said giving her a hug.

Kayura hugged the woman back, she had a feeling that she wasn't necessarily a hugger but it was nice that the woman felt she needed one. She opened her door, "thanks a bunch."

"We'll meet again," Wanda smiled and Kayura hoped under better circumstances but knew better.

She quickly walked down the hall towards and turned down a hall bumping into Steve and falling back. He caught her and she shoved him off, "you have got to stop doing that."

"Old habits die hard," he said again to her, it was unintentional but she always seemed so lost in thought. She was giving him that blank doll look again. "Look, I'm sure you have to go before Fury gets back and wants to talk with you but I wanted to give this back to you."

She smiled as he handed her the Bibranium dagger, "thank you, Rogers-san."

"Please, call me Steve."

"You can call me Kay," she replied the corners of her mouth barely turning up into a smile. "It was nice to meet you..."

"Can I ask one thing before you go?"

She nodded, she owed the American God at least that, "as long as you don't ask where I'm going."

"Next time you're put on a mission to 'save me' let me know first," he teased and she couldn't help but smile for real.

She stood on tip toe and kissed his cheek and then patted his shoulder, "don't worry, I think you can handle yourself."

He watched her vanish into the shadows of the base and groaned as he thought about the other monsters she must chase. Such a mysterious small thing. He almost jumped out of his skin as Natasha elbowed him as she came to his side. "Fury wants to see you."

"I figured as much."

"You should go after her, Fury can wait."

He scowled at the red haired woman, "don't read into it that way. It's not like we're compatible."

"Steve, the war is over," she replied with a roll of the eyes. "Sometimes I think you're stuck in the forties still."

"No, it has nothing to do with her nationality," he paused as he turned to walk away, "it has everything to do with her being more secretive than you are."

She pursed her lips and followed him, "secrets are only secrets til you find them out. Have you asked out that other agent yet?"

"No," he groaned. It was going to be one of those days where everything had gone wrong and Natasha still insisting that he go out with someone. He had to admit that he thought Kayura was unique beauty with unique talents but she wasn't his ideal woman. Perhaps if he saw her again but he doubted that would ever happen. He wondered why Maria didn't want him to go after her, even after he protested, she insisted that he was to remain on the base and let her go. He walked past the lab where the beast had been and he saw her with a flash drive at the console she had been working on. Something struck him as odd as he walked past, she looked scarred for the first time he had ever seen.