Like the last few times before, it took Ella a few moments to remember where she was when she woke up. It wasn't a bus, it wasn't in Russia… it was much nicer. It was softer, more comfortable… like she was floating in her own bliss. She wiggled her body deeper in to fluffy bed, rubbing her cheek against the soft pillows. It felt amazing.

Ella cracked her eyes open, a soft yellow light filtering through the curtains in her room. She stretched out, her spine cracking from her shoulders down to the small of her back. She worked out a few tangles from her hair before throwing the quilt off her legs. Ella padded to her window, brushing the white curtains back and peering outside. It was a bright morning, an amazing view over the city. Ella was nervous and excited all at once. She had a new start.

Her fingers trailed down the chain to the locket, resting her forehead on the glass. Bucky would have loved this. She thought.

Ella dropped the curtain and shoved the necklace into her shirt. She opened her door slowly and stepped outside. Steve wasn't awake yet, the room was dead silent.

Ella wandered into the kitchen, opening the refrigerator and peering inside. There were eggs, milk, juice, and a large amount of fruits. Ella began grabbing ingredients out and setting them up. She played around with the stove, trying to figure it out. Sure, there were a few more buttons to figure out but it was similar to what Ella knew.

Ella sliced up some fruit and placed it in a bowl on the table. She started cooking some eggs and toast; the way she knew Steve liked them. She made a lot, thinking he would probably eat them all. The eggs were sizzling on the stove when Steve finally left his room.

Instantly, the smells from the kitchen perked up right up. It smelled like home, something good and familiar. He looked up and saw Ella over the stove, oblivious that he had woken up. Steve rubbed his eyes and leaned on the counter.

"Morning."

Ella peered over her shoulder, hands still on the pan. Her face broke out into a smile. "Morning, Steve. How'd you sleep?"

He shrugged. "Not too bad. You?"

"Wonderfully." She jerked her head towards the table where two plates sat. "Sit down, I have breakfast."

Steve followed her orders and sat down at the table. He waited patiently and watched as Ella brought over the pan and dumped a large pile of eggs onto his plate before giving herself a much smaller portion. She sat down across from her brother and grabbed a few pieces of toast for herself before digging in. Steve wasted no time before doing the same.

"How does it taste?" Ella asked, tossing a grape into her mouth.

Steve swallowed before answering. "Great. Tastes like home."

Ella beamed and began shoveling eggs into her own mouth. It felt good that things weren't rationed anymore, and now Ella doubted anyone would ever let them go hungry. It was a blessing. They spoke lightly as they ate, finished every last piece of their food like they always did. Afterwards, Ella dragged Steve towards the TV and tried to show him everything Kate had shown her. Once Steve got the hang of it, they watched the news channel for a little. Steve only paid a little attention, eyes flickering up and down to the TV to his book.

The person on the TV began to mention Captain America. Ella slapped her brother's arm and pointed.

"Look! They're talking about you!"

The pretty news anchor spoke about the effects of Steve coming out of the ice, showing people all donned in red, white and blue cheering. They interviewed a few people, all having good things to say about him. People were thrilled that he was back.

"They love you!" Ella said, a grin slowly crawling across her face.

Steve didn't know what to say, so he stayed silent. He never thought that he would make this much of a difference. It blew his mind.

At 10 o' clock, Ella got up and started to get ready. She got dressed in her meager amount of clothes and cleaned up in the bathroom. There was even a small amount of makeup ready for her. These people were thorough. Ella didn't do a lot, simply applying a single coat of mascara to her eyelashes.

Before she knew it, it was eleven. She knew Kate would be here soon. She walked out of her room, seeing Steve slowly figuring out the TV. She watched as he flicked through a few channels, grinning at his accomplishment.

"Looks like you're figuring it out."

Steve looked up from the remote and smiled. "Yeah, slowly."

There was a knock on the door. Ella went for it, hearing Kate on the other side of the door.

"You better be awake! You slept for 70 years, I only had 8 hours!"

A laugh bubbled from Ella's lips as she unlocked the door. Kate stood out there, dressed in a casual purple shirt and light jeans. She looked up from her phone and smiled. "Glad you're awake. I just texted you."

Just then, Ella felt the phone in her pocket buzz. She pulled it out of her pocket, seeing the screen lit up with a message from Kate flashing. You better have your phone. It read.

Ella raised a brow. "Why would I need the phone so badly?"

"It's an essential!" Kate said as though it were obvious, which to her it was. "What if I lost you in the store- which totally wouldn't happen!" she added, looking at Steve. She turned back to Ella. "I would have to call you to find out where you are. It's super useful."

Ella nodded and placed her phone back into her pocket. She turned to her brother. "Alright, I'll see you later."

"Keep her out of trouble." Steve said to Kate in a way that might have sounded joking, but he was very serious. He didn't know much about this time period yet, and neither did his sister. He didn't want her getting involved in things she didn't understand yet.

Kate saluted. "Yes, Captain." She jerked her head towards the elevator at the end of the hallway. "Let's get going, before it gets too crowded."

Ella shut the door behind her and followed Kate, ready to try and learn about the world around her. She couldn't be clueless forever. Kate punched in buttons on the elevator, the pair of girls descending to the ground floor. Kate made light conversation as they walked towards the car.

Kate was informing Ella about all the wonders of the modern world as they drove. "There's TV, which I guess you had but it's much better now. Phones are awesome, there's probably a lot of new food you need to try. Just wait till you see the food court. I'll get you some of everything." She laughed and then paused, smile dissolving into pensive mask. "I guess there's a bunch of history you missed too… Cold War… civil rights movement… World War Three…"

"Three?!" Ella cried, head whipping towards Kate.

The girl giggled at her reaction. "Just kidding. Man, I just realized how easily I could teach you a bunch of wrong things… but I won't because I like you and I would probably lose my internship."

Ella shook her head softly. "Thanks."

It wasn't long until they reached their destination. Ella's lips parted as the saw the large building. There were people walking in and out, carrying bags overflowing with new clothes. She saw girls walking in large groups, all laughing and having a good time. In a way, it made Ella sad. She never really got to have that kind of life. Sure, she had fun up until her mother died, but then she had to take care of Steve, go to basic training, go to England and so on… she missed out on some of the simple things in life.

Kate nudged Ella with her elbow, jumping her out of her thoughts.

"You good?"

Ella nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. We going in?"

A smile slowly spread across Kate's face. "Yup. You're going to love it, I know already. There's going to be so many things you'll like. You like clothes, right?"

"Yes," Ella answered. "I do… I don't know a lot about clothes now a days though, only what I've seen around me."

Kate nodded thoughtfully. "Well, good thing you ended up shopping with me and not some old lady. I'm young, I'm trendy… I'll get you right back in the game."

"I'm an old lady," she murmured. "But thanks." Ella said as they strolled through the automatic doors, another wonder Ella had discovered. The cool air of the mall hit their sticky skin, whisking away at the thin layer of sweat that dotted their brows on the hot summer day. "You know, I actually used to be pretty popular back in the day… if you can believe an old lady."

Kate chuckled. "I believe you. You're pretty, even if you're old enough to be my great grandmother."

Ella scoffed out a laugh and began looking through the clothes with Kate. The store was huge, and it wasn't even half the mall. They were in a store that Kate said was called Nordstrom's. She instantly began pulling out clothes and shoes for Ella to try on until their arms were heavily weighed down with soft fabrics. It all happened so quickly, Ella didn't even have time to fully register it. Next thing she knew, Kate was ushering her towards a changing room.

Kate was very good at picking up her measurements. Most of the clothes fit her perfectly and the ones that didn't weren't really in Ella's tastes. Kate had picked a few pairs of jeans, a couple of simple shirts, and handful of shorts. She called those the necessities. She also found a few flowy dressed with bright patterns that Ella liked, reminding her of what she used to wear. They were casual enough to wear on an everyday basis, but nice enough that she didn't look homeless. Kate also picked her out a soft white blouse and a fitted black pencil skirt, a more professional look. Kate shoved a blue leather jacket and a black leather one at Ella at the end, in case it suddenly got cold. She also picked her out some athletic wear too, thinking that her brother was more than likely going to be active, so Ella should be prepared as well.

There were two pairs of sandals, a pair of black pumps, and sneakers next. Ella thought she was set. Still, Kate wasn't quite done with her yet. She dragged Ella to a part of the store where many nice dressed were hung up and displayed on mannequins.

"I don't know why we're here." Ella said, lazily looking through the sea of dresses.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Well, you aren't going to stay locked up in the apartment forever." She said. "I'm going to take you out soon, to a party or a club or whatever. Every girl needs a cute party dress."

Ella said nothing, simply looking up at the display before her. The skirts were so short and tight… her mother would have had a heart attack if she saw her donning some of these dresses. Steve probably would too.

"Oohh." Kate whispered, fishing out a dress. "This one's perfect."

She didn't even give Ella a chance to see the dress before shoving her back into the dressing room and demanding she try it on. Before Ella could even shimmy the dress up her hips, Kate tossed an impossibly high pair of heels at her, saying they completed the outfit.

Ella zipped up the back, slowly working her feet into the shoes. She had never felt so tall before. It took her a few moments to keep her balance and learn how to walk in the new kinds of shoes. She wobbled out of the dressing room and stood in front of Kate feeling sheepish.

"There is no way I could ever wear this out." Ella said.

The dress was tight and black, the hem of the skirt brushing her fingertips. There were cutouts of mesh around the waist, giving a glimpse at the skin beneath. The neckline was high, but it left her arms and upper back bare. It was, as Kate said, a party dress.

"Uhm, you look hot." Kate said.

Ella raised a brow. "No, actually I feel fine."

The girl groaned and dragged a hand down her face. "Lord, I keep forgetting you don't know slang. Hot doesn't mean like temperature hot, it means you look good… you know, sexy, hot."

"Oh," Ella said, feeling her face flush. She had never had anyone describe her as sexy, it was a strange feeling.

"But you're totally getting that dress." Kate said. "And those shoes. They make your legs look great."

Ella didn't even bother arguing with Kate at this point. She simply nodded and went to change back into what she came in.

Before they left, Kate went to the men's section and decided to buy a few things for Steve. She relied on Ella's knowledge of her brother. She figured Steve would like simple things, things that reminded him of when they were younger. She got him a few button down shirts and a brown leather jacket. It was only a few things, but she wanted him to be able to pick out the things that he wanted.

Kate plucked out a few athletic shirts as well. Ella picked out up and raised a brow.

"These look a little small for Steve."

"Well," Kate said. "Guys like to show off their muscles so they buy shirts a bit smaller."

Of course, she wouldn't tell Ella that she was doing this for herself and the rest of the women in America. They would lose their minds when they spotted Captain America jogging with a well-fitted Nike shirt. She was doing them a favor.

The two girls stood in line, arms heavy with all the clothes they had picked out. Kate had a few boxes of shoes tucked under her arm.

"You know," Ella said. "I only have about 900 dollars left in cash."

Kate laughed, peeking at the girl around the mountain of clothes in her arms. "Relax, Ella. This is all on SHEILD. That's why I slipped in a few things for myself in there… but you won't tell them that, right?"

Ella shook her head, a twinkle in her eyes. "Of course not."

They paid for all the clothes, the workers behind the counter stuffing paper bags up to the brim with all the clothes that they had picked out. Kate paid for it all with a small square of plastic that she explained was called a credit card. Ella thought it was very handy.

Kate was true to her word and brought Ella to the food court afterwards. Again, like she said, bought a little bit of everything for Ella to try. She found that she liked Chinese food and waffle fries the most, but everything was really good to her. While they ate, Kate continued to reach Ella about her cell phone, showing her apps. On her own phone, Kate showed her Instagram and snapchat. Ella thought they were easy enough to understand. Kate ended up downloading a few social media apps for Ella, making her follow herself and liking all her pictures.

They left the mall, the stings on the paper bags digging into the skin of their fingers. However, Ella found that although it should feel heavy, it didn't bother her too much. They both had sodas in their hands from lunch, Ella of course with a Coca-Cola. She wondered if she would ever get tired of it.

"I think that day was really successful." Kate said, turning the car on. The air conditioning blasted, blowing a few stray hairs from Ella's face.

"Yeah," she agreed. "It was. It was a lot of fun."

Kate grinned. "We can go shopping all the time. It's always better when you're not spending your own money."

Ella tossed her head back in a laugh. "Very true."

While they drove, Kate played music that was popular. It took Ella a bit to get used to the rap, the vulgar words and provocative phrases catching her by surprise. Kate explained that she should at least try to tolerate it, because that's what they play at clubs. Ella had a sinking feeling dance clubs weren't what they used to be.

It wasn't much longer until they stopped outside her building.

"Well, you're shipping off to the middle of nowhere tomorrow." Kate said, putting the car in park. "So I guess I'll see you when you get back. You can come to my place and I can show you how to use a computer."

Ella nodded. "Sounds like a plan." She grabbed all her bags out of the back of the car. "See you then!"

"Bye grandma!" Kate called before speeding away.

Ella smiled to herself as she climbed the stairs up to her apartment. It had been a nice day, it made her feel normal. Not only that, but she had found a new friend in Kate. Maybe the future wasn't so bad after all.

Authors note:

OK, new chapter. I'm always surprised by the amount of feedback I get. It's amazing and I love you all.

Don't forget to review!