Alice stood and watched as the two Helicarriers collided with the Triskelion, the sky had been filled with metal and fire and as people ran around her or watched as she did she could only hope that the people on board could be saved somehow.

"Look!" somebody shouted as a figure fell from the sky. Alice began walking, why she didn't know but her feet took on a mind of their own and as she made her way towards the river she could hear sirens. Her shoes slipped in the grass and mud and on more than one occasion she slipped and landed on her backside, her mac now covered in dirt but she continued on. Seeing a figure in the distance walk away from the river Alice shouted out,

"Do you need help?" picking up her pace she could now see that there was somebody on the ground. Others had done what she had, running and making their way towards the river in the hopes of helping people. As she got closer her eyes widened when she saw the lifeless body of Captain America.

"Oh God," she whispered as she fell to her knees and felt for a pulse. Bending and placing her cheek near his lips she watched as his chest slowly rose and fell. "Thank goodness," Alice felt his cheek, he was stone cold. Shaking his shoulders gently she called out his name and when she heard rustling behind her and saw that another man was making his way towards them, she shouted for him to call for an ambulance.

"Is he alive?!" the man asked her and she nodded furiously. Turning back to Steve Alice rubbed his arms and shirked off her mac, covering him with it and tucking her cardigan under his head. As he stirred she checked for any visible injuries. Her first aid training kicking in.

"You're alright, you're going to be alright. Help is on the way," she cooed as his eyes fluttered open. Smiling Alice cupped his cheeks with her warm hands. "You're safe, you're going to be okay." She said again as his eyes focussed on her momentarily and then fluttered shut once more. "Steve?" she shook his shoulder. "Steve, stay with me alright?" turning around she could see EMT's quickly making their way towards them. "Steve, help is here. You just stay with me alright?" As she was pulled away and the EMT''s took over she was surrounded by people and press. All wanting to catch a glimpse of the fallen Captain.

"Is he alive?"

"What did he say?"

"Did you give him the kiss of life?"

Alice pushed through the crowd and wandered, her feet carrying her home. It was only when she was stood in her hallway that she realised she'd left her cardigan and mac. Her purse and key was in the coat! Pulling the spare from behind the fire extinguisher Alice let herself in and then slid down her door until her legs were splayed out in front of her. Every time she closed her eyes she could see all the fire in the sky, his face, his skin almost translucent and his searching blue eyes full of fear and sadness. Why was this man in her life?

Steve turned the driving licence over in his hand, Alice Thomas. One of the Nurses had told him that the coat had been wrapped round him, a vague recollection of a face and a hand on his cheek made him run his thumb over the photo on the ID.

The devastation across the city had been difficult to fathom, Alice had stayed home for a number of weeks and stayed away from watching the news. It didn't help when trying to write people's obituaries to think about all the sadness in the world, especially when the number she had been asked to write had so sadly increased. But that morning she had finally ventured out and thankful that her favourite bench hadn't been destroyed or occupied she sat down as she always did. It wasn't long until her eye wandered towards the pavement that surrounded the water. A small smile appeared at the corner of her lips when she thought back to Steve introducing himself to her. She'd really liked that, well until she'd seen him get into a car with another woman. She could have been a friend she supposed but it was all a moot point anyway, she hadn't been out since and she was sure he hadn't thought of it since.

Closing her eyes she tilted her head up to the sun, letting the light bleed through her eyelids and warm her cheeks. It was a gorgeous morning, one of the best she seen for a while.

"Hello," quickly opening her eyes Alice could only see the silhouette of the man stood in front of her. Shielding her eyes from the sun she squinted as he turned slightly.

"Well hello," she replied beaming. "How are you?" She asked thinking he looked a little sadder than before. Steve looked around as if searching for someone to tell him what to say, how was he? How did he feel? Finally he looked back at Alice and when he watched her look at him expectantly and with so much warmth he felt good for the first time in a long time.

"I'm good," he told her. "Better for seeing you, you haven't been here for so long?" He had to admit that once he was out of hospital he had taken up running again around the mall on the off chance of seeing her. He wanted to apologise for standing her up the way he had.

"Well I didn't think it was safe, after what happened you know and we didn't know if that was the end?" Steve nodded solemnly and then quietly took the seat beside her.

"You did the right thing," he said. "That day, I think I saw you?" Steve internally chastised himself for being chicken. "I was meant to meet you wasn't I? I'm afraid something came up and who you saw me with, that's a work colleague… I got called in to work." Alice could tell he was struggling, placing her hand on his forearm gently she gave him a smile.

"It's alright Steve, I'm just glad you... well." Steve creased his brow and tightened his lips. When Alice widened her eyes he couldn't think of what to say. "You were alright weren't you? I hope none of your family or friends were hurt!" Alice scooted closer, she'd sat with enough grieving widows and family members to see the tell-tale signs of hurt. Steve took a minute and then looked back up at her, her blue eyes glistened and the tiny scar by her lips made her smile slightly wonky.

"I haven't properly introduced myself have I?" He said lightly. "Can I take you for a coffee?" He asked her as Alice nodded enthusiastically.

"That would be lovely," she answered. Steve swung one leg unconsciously and after they had set a date and she had went on her way he couldn't really focus on his run anymore.

"This is yours," Steve said as he slid the ID and purse across the table in the small coffee shop. "I'm afraid the coat didn't make it!" he added as he watched Alice slowly pick up the ID and then look up at him.

"Thank you," she whispered as she turned it over in her hand.

"I should be the one thanking you," he told her with a small smile. "You were there?" he asked and she nodded. "You saved me?" he asked and Alice shook her head.

"I saw someone, I don't know who walking away from the embankment just before I got to you," Steve creased his brow.

"Did you see what they looked like?" he asked, his mind swirling.

"I'm sorry, no." tearing himself from his thoughts Steve smiled once more. "Well, thank you Alice." Alice blushed and shook her head once more, she didn't know what to say. "So, Alice Thomas? What do you do? Besides saving people's lives?" laughing Alice took a sip of her coffee.

"I write obituaries, for the paper?" raising his brow Steve watched her smirk. "Not really much you can say to that is there?" she laughed.

"I guess not, I suppose though you give solace to the loved ones who have lost somebody in their lives?" His eyes were so dark and full of understanding that Alice found herself lost for words, when he tilted his head she realised she hadn't answered his question and smiled quickly.

"That's the way I look at it yes," she replied. "And I know what you do!" she said with a shrug of her shoulders. "I thought you were just a fitness junkie! I can't believe I didn't recognise you!" blushing from embarrassment Alice looked at him through her lashes. Now that he was sat in front of her it was obvious, she felt like an idiot.

"I'm glad that you hadn't, it was nice to speak to somebody who didn't know who I was for a change." The sadness in his voice made Alice feel sorry for him.

"What do you like to do Steve, apart from run and fall from the sky?!" the way her eyes sparkled made Steve's shoulders relax. Sitting back he took a sip of his own coffee.

"Catch up on movies, I like to draw…"

"Draw?!" she interrupted excitedly.

"Yeah," he answered scratching the back of his neck nervously. "It's a hobby…"

"It's good to have a hobby," Alice interrupted once more seeing that he was nervous.

"It is, what do you do when you're not writing?" he asked her.

"I don't really have any hobbies, I bake sometimes, read. I like to go to the library." Fidgeting with her fringe and pushing her glasses up her nose Alice shifted her weight.

"I didn't think people did that anymore?" Steve asked.

"Bake?" Alice questioned.

"No," Steve laughed liking the way she pushed her glasses up her nose. "Go to the library," he clarified. Alice laughed and nodded, feeling herself relax a little more at the easy way Steve sat and listened to her.

"There's still some of us left," she told him. "Never quite got my head around the world wide web," she added. "Don't get me wrong, it's fantastic!"

"That's the internet right?" Steve said and for a second Alice was about to explain but seeing the twinkle in his eyes realised he was joking.

"Yeah, that's the internet!" she answered sarcastically. "I've enjoyed this," she suddenly said as she took a deep breath. Alice steeled herself and then taking another sip of her coffee opened her mouth to speak, not before the coffee got stuck in her throat and she started to splutter.

"Are you alight?" Steve asked concerned as Alice went red in the face and struggled to breath. She was mortified! Holding up her forefinger Steve waited for Alice to compose herself, when she started laughing he asked her what was wrong. "I was about to say would you like to have dinner with me?" Steve grinned, he could tell it had taken her a lot to ask.

"That would be great," he answered.

Sokovia

The Avengers, Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Thor, Bruce Banner, Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton were currently raiding a Hydra facility commanded by Baron Wolfgang von Strucker, who they had been told had experimented on humans using the sceptre previously wielded by Loki.

"You okay?" Natasha asked Steve as he stood back, the twins Pietro and Wanda standing nearby. Steve looked at her quickly and snapped himself from his thoughts.

"Me? Yeah!" he answered a little too quickly. Natasha narrowed her eyes and looked at him for a moment before walking away, she knew when to give him some space.

"You look down?" Steve said as he walked around the Mall next to Alice, adjusting her glasses Alice looked up at him and huffed.

"Sorry, I've been busy. Sometimes it seems like deaths come like buses you know?" she answered as she skipped a couple of steps to keep up with him.

"Like buses?" Steve replied as he slowed down his pace. Alice giggled and stopped walking, pulling her large cardigan around herself she looked up and down the Mall.

"You wait all day for one and then suddenly three come at once," she explained. "It's an old saying…" trailing off she ran her hands through her hair and took in a deep breath. "Anyway, sorry! I'm good really, I'm glad you rang actually, very glad. Are you glad?" cringing Alice blushed as Steve laughed at her.

"I thought I was bad at this!" he teased.

"Bad!" Alice exclaimed as she swotted his arm, "I'm not bad!"

"Oh, yes you are!" he told her as he gently swotted her arm back. "I mean, I was a skinny kid, always in fights and never got the girl but you!"

"I don't think I like this side of you Steve Rogers!" Alice told him in mock offence. "I'll have you know I was not a skinny kid, was never in a fight and Richard Pearson kissed me at the school disco!" bursting out laughing Steve held his hands up in surrender.

"You got me there!" he told her as he flipped a strand of her hair back into place. "You're very funny you know that," he said as she looked him. "And beautiful," he added as her eyes widened slightly. "You are Alice, I like you a lot it's just…" Alice lost her smile, she could see him pulling away. They had only met a handle of times, had coffee and gone for walks. They'd talked about their lives and interests, sometimes they'd argued over the merits of mixed nuts versus just buying a big bag of cashews. They liked one another and there was certainly a mutual attraction but neither one of them was bold enough to make a move. Well that may have been the case for Alice but for Steve there was also a fear there, a fear of pulling somebody into his world that was full of risk and uncertainty and Steve was torn. "I haven't even kissed you yet!" he exclaimed. Alice widened her eyes at him and for a second Steve wondered if he had actually said it out loud.

"You haven't," Alice replied. "Were you thinking about it?" she asked as Steve grinned.

"I was actually," taking a step towards her he couldn't help but laugh when she pushed her glasses back up her nose. Alice noticed and apologised and as the 'y' left her lips Steve pressed his against hers.

Stark stood and watched as Banner stared at the sceptre's gem, both men had already discussed the possibility of using it to complete Stark's "Ultron" global defence program.

"Are we doing this?" Stark asked.

"I don't know Tony…" Stark held a hand up.

"What could go wrong?"