Disclaimer: All things that are in, associated with, or based off of Marvel or the MCU in any way are NOT mine!

Chapter Five: Where the Heart Is

EviePOV

Four days had gone by since the charity event at the museum, and Evie had spent most of the time at home alone, mulling things over and wanting to give herself some time away from everyone and everything. Her phone had been ringing very often the past couple days but she didn't bother picking up, knowing exactly who was calling. She really didn't feel like speaking with Howard or Peggy, all she wanted was to be left alone. She would spend the time reading, playing her violin or flute, crocheting, or even baking, which seemed to be her go-to hobby whenever she was upset about something. She was currently on her third pie and second batch of cookies, all of them filling the apartment with such delicious smells and causing her stomach to grumble. There was faint music playing from her living room and she moved carefully as she pulled the chocolate chip cookies out out of the oven to make room for her next pie. Just as she shut the door, there was a sudden knock on her front door and she frowned, not expecting anyone to drop by today. Removing her oven mittens, she walked over to the front door and hesitated for a moment. When she looked through the peephole, she saw a familiar face on the other side and sighed, feeling her tense muscles deflate. Once she had the lock undone, she opened up the door to see Jarvis standing on the threshold, looking just as professional as ever, his hair combed, his hands behind his back and his posture almost regal.

"Hello, Jarvis," she greeted.

"Good afternoon, Miss Erskine," Jarvis greeted in return. "I hope I'm not disturbing you?"

"No, no you're not," Evie reassured as she stepped back. "Please, come in."

"Thank you," Jarvis said as he stepped into the room. "Something smells delightful."

"I've been on a bit of a baking spree," Evie said as she closed the door behind him and gestured him to follow her into the kitchen. "I've made some pies and I just took out some cookies from the oven. Would you like something to drink? Coffee, water, tea?"

"Tea would be lovely, thank you," Jarvis replied as he took a seat down at the kitchen table, where two of Evie's pies were already sitting, cooled and decorated. "These do look marvelous Miss Erskine, you truly have a gift."

"My mother was an amazing cook, I'm only doing what she taught me," Evie said modestly as she started setting up the teapot. "How was your weekend? Did you and Ana have a nice time?"

Jarvis spent the next few minutes at least talking about his trip with Ana, a happy smile on his face while the water boiled and Evie went to work with setting up their tea cups, even grabbing some saucers for cookies. Evie enjoyed listening to the stories Jarvis had to tell and soon enough they were both enjoying a soothing cup of tea and snacking on the delicious cookies that were still nice and warm. Even though Evie was happy to spend time with her friend, she had a feeling this was more than a social visit. Her theory was proven right when Jarvis spoke up after a little while after they had finished with their snack.

"Miss Erskine, I was actually hoping to discuss something with you," he said carefully. Evie sighed softly and stood up so she could place both of their saucers in the sink.

"I had a feeling you weren't just stopping by to say hello," she admitted.

"Mrs. Prescott had told me of what happened a few days ago at the museum," he explained. "When you almost ran into an old enemy from the war?"

"That's putting it mildly, I suppose," Evie confirmed as she started washing the small plates, her movements slow in the soapy water. "How much do you know of the situation?"

"Enough to understand why you feel hurt and betrayed by being kept in the dark," Jarvis answered gently. "Mrs. Prescott said that you and this scientist had bad history, and he was a former member of HYDRA. I do understand your feelings, Mr. Erskine..."

"And why do I sense a 'but' coming on?" Evie inquired without turning around to face him.

"But I also understand why Mr. Stark and Mrs. Prescott wanted to keep you oblivious," he continued.

"Did Howard put you up to this?" Evie asked.

"No. He doesn't know I'm here," Jarvis replied.

"Why Mr. Jarvis, that's such a rebellious act from you," Evie teased lightly, but her tone alone showed that her heart wasn't truly in it.

"Evie," Jarvis said quietly, causing her to pause in surprise. In all the time they've known each other, Jarvis never once called her by her first name. She placed the saucer down and rinsed her hands, wiping them off on her apron before turning around to look at him, leaning against the counter.

"That man is nothing more than a monster," she stated. "You can't make me see him as anything else."

"I'm not asking you to," Jarvis said. "I am only requesting that you try and look at this from Mr. Stark's point of view."

"And what view is that, exactly?"

"Try to look at this as a different kind of irony. After using his skill and knowledge to do so much damage in Europe, Zola is now being ordered to put his genius into helping SHIELD and all the good it can do. I have it on good authority that because of Zola, quite a few of SHIELD's recent missions would not have succeeded, and Mr. Stark has admittedly been able to progress further with some of his designs due to Zola's insights. He may be useful now, but that doesn't mean he is forgiven."

"If SHIELD trusts Zola enough to allow him to even step one foot on the inside, than why is Howard so hell bent on keeping me away?" Evie asked.

"Besides the fact that you proved you'd rather shoot first and ask questions later?" Jarvis reminded with a somewhat amused raised eyebrow. "I would think it was obvious. He loves you and would never forgive himself if you had gotten hurt in any way from a chance encounter with Zola, physical or emotional. Mr. stark is very well aware of the part this man played in any pain from your past, and you have been doing so well with moving on that everything that had happened in the last world war, he couldn't bear the idea of you relapsing. Yes, he should have informed you from the start, but believe me when I say he cared too much to cause you any sort of grief, and kept waiting for the right time. I'm not suggesting that you forget, but please, for his sake, do your best to forgive and understand."

For all the anger and hurt that Evie felt for the last few days, Jarvis' words had an almost immediate effect on her. She could feel herself quickly deflate, her shoulders slumping and her annoyed expression softening against her will.

"I understand why he didn't want to tell me," she admitted. "I would be perfectly happy if I never saw Zola's face ever again. But it's been years, Jarvis. Years."

"It may not be a good topic to bring up through a letter when you're at war in a different country," Jarvis pointed out.

"I was home from Europe for almost seven months before I enlisted with Will, and I've been back from Korea since the end of July," Evie reminded. "He still could have-he just...he's so damn frustrating."

"Would you rather have him any other way?" Jarvis asked.

"Yes," Evie replied instantly, but after another pointed look from Jarvis, she sighed heavily, the corners of her mouth pulling up into a reluctant smile. "Fine, I suppose not. I'm just not sure of anything right now, Jarvis. I need time to think, but...I will definitely think about it. Is that fair?"

"More than fair, I'd say," Jarvis agreed. "Although I do request that it not be too long. The man can barely get through the day without forgetting to tie his shoes, and he's been burying himself more in his work than normal. He's hardly left the lab or had any decent sleep for days, and Miss Prescott's been terribly distraught, although she won't admit it."

Evie could only let out a small huff of amusement right before her timer went off for her pie in the oven. Straightening up, she carefully pulled out her pie, smiling at the sight of the sugar crystals having melted into the crust and she placed it on the counter top to cool down. In the meantime, she searched through her cabinets until she found a spare pie carrier she had received as a house warming present and placed one of her finished pies inside.

"Take this," she said to Jarvis as she placed the carrier in front of him, smiling. "As my thanks for coming over to talk and listen. And just so you know, I expect you to call me Evie from now on, now that I have finally gotten you to say it."

"I don't recall these events," Jarvis denied, a mischievous look in his eye. "I would never push past the boundaries of our relationship-"

"It's too late, you've already stepped over the line into the friendship zone," Evie stated, half joking and half sincere. "I consider you to be a very good, close friend already, Jarvis. I think I speak for Howard, Peggy and myself when we say we feel very lucky."

"Thank you," the man said quietly, looking touched at her words. "I think of you as a cherished friend as well."

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The next day, Evie found herself walking up the steps to the front door of Howard's mansion, a slight frown on her face but her resolve firm. The two of them really needed to talk because if she was being honest with herself, she was starting to hate the tense silence they currently found themselves in. A part of her just wanted to remain angry and not speak with him or with Peggy, but she knew that was childish and there was no way anything would be handled if someone didn't make the first move soon. Talking with Jarvis yesterday made her takes things from a different perspective, and after spending a near sleepless night thinking it over, she decided to git her teeth and at least try. Once she reached the door, she hesitated only for a brief second before ringing the doorbell, figuring she may as well be polite instead of just barging in. She waited a couple minutes before trying again, and there was still no answer. Sighing to herself, Evie dug her spare key out of her pocket and easily opened the door. Howard had given the key to her years ago, and she had a feeling that he was shut up down in his basement working on a new project. Today was Jarvis' day off, and whenever Howard didn't want to be bothered by anyone, he usually didn't come to the door when someone rang the bell. When she stepped inside, Evie glanced around before shutting it behind her, heading straight to the staircase that would lead downstairs.

As she descended, she heard the soft music that was more than likely playing from Howard's radio, the sound echoing against the walls. The engineer didn't like working without some sort of background noise. When she finally reached the last step, she looked around the mini-lab that Howard had created out of his furnished basement until her eyes settled on the man in particular, who was currently hunched over his work station, some strange, multi-functional gadget in his hand and a small glass of what looked suspiciously like whiskey in the other. Evie frowned as she sighed, shaking her head.

"The afternoon's not even over yet, you know," she stated as she walked over towards him.

"It's five o'clock somewhere," Howard muttered, his words slightly slurred as he took another sip of his drink, not seeming fazed or surprised that she was there. "Didn't expect to see you here. You come over to yell at me some more?"

"Nag, yes, but maybe not yell until you're sober," Evie replied with a shrug. "That way it'll make your inevitable hangover ten times worse."

Howard scoffed quietly before he spun his seat around to face her, his hair completely disheveled and dark circles under his red eyes. His clothes looked very rumpled and there was even a pale tint to his usual olive skin. He looked terrible to say the least, and Evie felt herself deflate a bit.

"You're exhausted," she commented gently. "You really shouldn't be drunk on top of it."

"Why do you care?" Howard mumbled, draining the last of what was in his glass and immediately reaching for the nearly empty bottle sitting to his left. "Figured you didn't give a damn."

"Enough," Evie said, walking over and smacking his hand away from the bottle, grabbing it herself and proceeding to throw it away in the nearest trash bin. "You've had enough, Howard."

"Oh, so it's Howard again?" he slurred, his eyes narrowed and he staggered to his feet. "What happened to Stark? Why are you even here?"

"I wanted to talk."

"Now you want to talk after you've been ignoring me for days?"

"Yes, because someone had to be the adult here, since you obviously are not up for the task," Evie snapped, narrowing her own eyes. "And don't act as though my reaction isn't justified here."

"You're not even giving me a chance to explain," Howard grunted. "You never listen-"

"That's why I'm here, you idiot!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "I came over to talk to you because believe it or not, I miss you! Believe me, I'm still very angry with you and hurt because of you lying to me, but guess what? You're still my best friend and heaven forbid I actually show that I give a damn and don't want you drowning in self pity and alcohol! Now, you're going to go upstairs, take a shower and drink some water. If you even think of arguing with me I will knock you out faster than you can blink."

Thankfully, Howard was silent after her small rant and before his foggy brain had time to take in everything she said, she grabbed the glass out of his hand and slammed it down on the desk before taking his arm and marching him up the staircase, making sure to go slow enough so he wouldn't trip over his feet in his drunken state. Howard made noises of irritability and protest but that was really it was she practically dragged him out of the basement, through the living room, and up the stairs to his master bedroom, with him whining the whole way of having too many steps in the mansion. By the time they reached the room, Howard was swaying a bit where he stood and Evie suddenly didn't trust him to be able to stand in the shower by himself. She carefully led him to the bed and set him down, ordering him to stay still while she got hi a small drink of water from the bathroom. She spent the next couple minutes holding the glass to his lips as though he were a small child, urging him to sip until it was all gone. After he was done, she removed his shoes for him when his own attempt failed. Howard was surprisingly still mostly quiet as she worked and when he finally did speak again, it was so soft Evie almost had to strain her ears to pick it up.

"I'm sorry, Evie. I know I should have told you, I really do. You just lost so much, and were finally starting to move on...I didn't want to make it harder for you, knowing he was so close. There just never seemed like a right time, what with you and Will leaving, and me not wanting you to hate me for not saying anything after you came home. But please believe me, I would never, ever let anyone hurt you or even look at you the wrong way. If you never want to see him that's fine, I can arrange that, and I swear, you won't have to be afraid of him, ever. I care for you too much to let anyone hurt you, and I'm sorry I messed up. I'm a terrible friend..."

While Howard was talking, Evie placed his shoes off to the side, made him lay back and drew his blankets up to his chest. He was staring up at her with such sadness shining in his brown eyes, looking utterly sincere and guilty, and even-dare she even say it-vulnerable. It was really not like him to be so emotionally open, even if he did have too much to drink, and Evie knew that he truly was sorry for not telling her the truth. Even if she was still annoyed with him, she knew that there was no way she would be able to stay mad at him forever. Over the next couple days at least, possibly, but definitely not forever. When he said he would not let Zola harm her, he spoke with such quiet conviction that she couldn't help but believe him. Howard Stark may be many things to many different people, but Evie was one of the few people he would rage war over if it came down to keeping them safe. And that touched her more than he could possibly imagine. Feeling her eyes burn a little, Evie, sniffed and gave him a small smile as she reached over towards the bedside lamp.

"You're not a terrible friend," Evie reassured him. "You just care a lot, even though you don't like showing it to others. Get some rest Howard, we'll talk some more later, okay?"

"Okay," Howard agreed, closing his eyes and sighing as he settled himself under his blankets. It seemed like he was asleep in mere seconds and Evie breathed her own sigh of relief. It would be best to let him sleep for a while, and maybe later on tonight she can see if he's up for some food. However, there was something she needed to take care of first. She quietly left the room, heading back downstairs and over towards the phone in the living room, dialing a number she knew by heart and patiently waited while it rang. When the person on the other end answered, Evie smiled a little more.

"Hi Peggy," she said. "Are you free to talk?"

Evie and Peggy spent the next fifteen minutes at least on the phone, and during their conversation, a small part of Evie already knew that she had already started to forgive her friends.

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April 18th, 1956

Long Island, New York

"Higher! Higher, Natty, higher!"

Evie grinned as she kept hoisting Michael into the air, his shrieks of laughter lifting her spirits every time. They were currently standing outside of the apartment complex, where there was a big truck parked along the door leading to her building, which was very close to being completely packed with everything Evie was taking with her. Today was the day she and her friends were not looking forward to...moving day. Evie's time at her employment in SI, as well as her time in New York, had reached it's end. She managed to do six years since Howard gave her the fake identification documents before she decided it was time for a change, before people started to get suspicious. Even though to others, she was close to thirty years old, she didn't want to take any chances. Therefore, she had found a place in a small town in Oklahoma, much to Howard and Peggy's displeasure. Neither one of them liked the idea of Evie being so far away, but they also understood why she decided to go so far. The farther away, the less likely anyone would recognize her or raise any questions. Just like it was when she had moved in, her fellow Commandos came over to help her move her things into the truck while Peggy and Will brought over some snacks for the road, with Michael and his adorable two year old sister, Maddie, at their sides. Michael was proving to be a pleasant distraction for Evie since she couldn't really focus on moving the boxes into the truck herself as long as he was around. They had a fun game of hide and seek as well as tag before he begged her to throw him up into the sky like a rocket. Evie happily complied and they had been at it for the past ten minutes or so, when Gabe came through the door with the last two boxes in his hand, informing them all that it was the last of it. Evie set Michael down on his feet, feeling the sadness already start creeping into her chest as she bent down to be face-to-face with him.

"All right buddy, I have to go now," she said, kissing his cheek. "You be a good boy, listen to your mommy and daddy, and take care of Maddie."

"I will," the small boy promised before wrapping his arms around her neck in a tight hug which Evie gladly returned. "Love you, Natty."

"I love you too, sweetie," Evie whispered, giving him an extra squeeze before letting him go so she could straighten up. Will gave her a slightly awkward one-armed hug since he was holding Maddie and Evie made sure to poke the toddler's nose, making her giggle.

"Make sure you give your daddy hell for me, young lady," Evie said softly with a grin.

"Gee, thanks," Will muttered with a roll of his eyes. "She's going to make that her personal mission now."

"And I expect full reports too," Evie added. When she turned to Peggy, she was instantly drawn into a fierce hug and it was difficult for Evie to keep her tears at bay, holding onto her dear friend tightly.

"You be sure to keep in touch, do you hear me?" Peggy said, trying to sound stern even though Evie knew she was trying her best to keep her own tears at bay.

"Yes, Agent Thirteen," Evie murmured in her ear, smiling when Peggy huffed out a laugh. When they released each other, Evie turned around to say goodbye to her boys, all of which were lined up beside the truck. Thankfully, Jacques offered to drive her since he had some time off from SHIELD and was currently the only one out of the group who wasn't married, engaged or in a relationship with anyone. Evie had a hunch that despite their encouraging words, Jacques may never end up with anyone again, not after Odette.

"You write to us, darlin'," Dum Dum said as he squeezed her and lifted her off of her feet. "We're sure gonna miss you."

"I'm going to miss you too," Evie said. "All of you, so very much. I promise, I'll come to visit whenever I can, and I'll make sure to bring treats for everyone."

"We're holding you to that, love," Falsworth told her with a grin when it was his turn for a hug. "And remember, enjoy yourself but not too much."

"Any potential significant others need our stamp of approval," Jim added with a serious look. "All five of them."

"Make that six," Howard said, adding his two cents in.

"Seven," Will corrected. "Plus a background check."

"Really guys, there are definitely no potential significant others anytime in the near future," Evie laughed, shaking her head at them all as she pulled away from Jim to wrap up Gabe in her embrace. "And I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself, so no calling secret connections in Oklahoma to tail me, Howard."

"You're taking the fun out of this, Mon Cherie," Howard chuckled before he pulled Evie close to him in a tender embrace. "Call us when you get there, I don't care what time it is. I'm...I'm really going to miss you."

"I'll miss you too, Howard," Evie whispered back, hiding her face in his shoulder. "Remember, I have Jarvis keeping an eye on you, so you better behave yourself."

She heard him scoff quietly when she spoke and he gave her an extra squeeze before letting her go. After the truck was loaded, last minute hugs and kisses were exchanged while Jacques started up the engine and Evie could feel her eyes begin to well with tears. No matter how long she knew this day would eventually come, she didn't think it was going to be this hard. This place and all these people were her home, and now she has to leave it behind. So many fond memories were made here, relationships were forged and bonds created that could never, ever be broken. She knew without a doubt that this would not be the last time she saw any of them, not while she could help it, but it didn't make the departure any easier. Her entire life was rooted in New York City, and that was something she would always hold onto, for as long as she lived. She memorized every smile on every face as she went over to the passenger side of the truck. When she was inside, Jacques carefully pulled away from the building and started driving out towards the road, with everyone waving behind them, and Michael had even started running after the truck, waving his entire arm frantically and making Evie giggle. Soon enough, they all fell out of sight and Evie could feel tears making their way down her face.

"It will be all right, Evie," Jacques said reassuringly.

"I know it will," Evie sniffed as she wiped her eyes. "It feels ironic though. The first time I ever came to New York, I never thought I would ever hate having to leave it. It's been my home for so long."

"Home is where the heart is," Jacques stated wisely. "And I'm pretty sure you've got us tucked in there pretty tight. If you're ever feeling lonely, all you have to do is look for us. By the way, I have a little present for you, it's in the glove compartment."

"Jacques, you didn't have to get me anything," Evie told him, looking inside the compartment to see a small, light gift wrapped in green paper. It only took seconds for Evie to open it and when she did, she felt her tears speed up. Nestled in her hands was a small, oval shaped picture that was laminated, and it was a close up of Evie, Steve, and Bucky. This picture was taken after one of their raids, in front of an ambulance truck, and it wasn't too long before Steve confessed his feelings for her. This picture displayed them from their shoulders and up, standing close by one another with the sun shining down on them, even in the black and white photograph.

"I know the back of your necklace can come off, so you can clean the inside," Jacques explained. "You can slip it behind the lining that separates the back and the pressed flower. It's not much, but I thought, this way they will always be close to your heart."

Evie was left utterly speechless as she continued to cry, and if it weren't for the fact that he was driving, she probably would have crushed the very life out of him in gratitude. She sniffed again, holding the picture close to her chest as she let out a shaky breath.

At least I will still have my Brooklyn Boys.

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August 13th, 1961

Sunset District, San Francisco

Evie huffed as she placed the last of her boxes up against the far wall, blowing her bangs out of her face and straightening up, placing her hands on her hips as she looked around her brand new apartment. It was a quaint, simple setup but still very spacious and it had the most spectacular view. She walked over towards the large double window that faced west and once she had it unlocked, she threw it open, allowing a in a warm gust of wind that made her sigh in relief. The sun was hanging bright in the sky this afternoon, and the hustle and bustle below was very welcoming background noise. There were groups of friends and families heading on out towards the beach, which was less than a ten minute walk from where she was, and Evie found herself smiling widely at the thought of going there once she was settled in. Stepping back, Evie looked around the space cluttered with boxes that would soon become her living room and was already mapping out how she wanted everything to look. She knew one of the first things she had to make sure was set up was her telephone, because she could only imagine what would happen if she didn't call Howard by the end of the day. While she stood there thinking to herself, Evie's stomach suddenly started grumbling and she frowned.

I should probably get something to eat before anything else, she thought to herself. It would give her a good opportunity to explore the neighborhood for a little while and to enjoy the sunshine. Within the next ten minutes, Evie was locking the front door of her apartment and almost hopping down the steps onto the sidewalk, beginning her random path to find a nice place to eat, and maybe even pick up some basics from the grocery store as well to put in her refrigerator. As she walked through the streets, she took in all the sights with intrigued, eager eyes, taking in all the sights, sounds, and colors that surrounded her. It was much different to any other place she had lived in before, and the idea was refreshing, in a way. Boys and young men strolled past with surfboards in hand, and girls were giggling with each other while wearing their bathing suits or beach dresses. The smell of sea salt was everywhere along with the sounds of seagulls, and if Evie listened closely enough through the chatter, she could faintly hear the sound of the waves crashing from the nearby beach. Ever since her exploration back when she lived in Queens so many years ago, this had become an activity she liked to do whenever she moved somewhere new.

Evie continued walking around until she found a rather nice bistro to eat lunch in, and the woman who served her was very polite and helpful when Evie asked about the nearest food market. Once she was done eating, she set off to find this market and her eyes widened in excitement when she discovered it. It was placed in the middle of a long shopping strip close to the center of town, and she passed by all the produce and seafood items that were on display outside before walking in, making sure to stay out of the way of the delivery men who looked to be carting in the fresh catch of the day. She took her time walking around, only grabbing the essentials that she needed to get herself throughout the next couple of days until she could get more of her things unpacked. By the time she went through the checkout line and had her items bagged, she was eager to get back home and put everything away. Her bag was nearly filled to the top but considering her strength, it was as light as a feather to her. Just as she went through the door to merge back onto the sidewalk, she didn't notice that one delivery man was coming at her from the side, carrying a crate full of fish that partially obscured his vision. In the next moment the two of them ran headlong into one another, with Evie gasping in surprise as she lost her grip on her bag. It fell to the ground with a soft thump, her apples and a couple cans rolling out towards the street. The man cursed softly as he almost lost his crates but was able to steady himself.

"Oh no, are you all right, miss?" he asked as he quickly set down the crates beside him. "Are you hurt?"

"No, I-I'm fine," Evie replied, quickly stooping down to stop the rest of her food from falling out of her bag. "It's my fault, I should have watched where I was going."

"No, I should have been more-more...careful..."

Once Evie got a hold of her runaway groceries, she looked over to see that the man was staring openly at her, as though he had just been smacked across the face and wasn't sure how to react, and he seemed speechless for a moment, completely astonished. It was starting to become awkward and Evie could feel her cheeks go slightly pink when his stare didn't let up.

"Um, is something wrong?" she asked. Her voice seemed to bring him out of whatever revere he was in because he gave a little start and blinked a few times, as though trying to make sense of what he was seeing in front of him.

"No, I'm sorry," he said slowly. "I don't mean to stare. You just..."

"Ackerman!" a voice suddenly snapped and the awkward tension was broken by the voice of a short, plump, balding redheaded man with a thick beard trudging his way out of the market, wearing an apron and furrowed eyebrows as he glanced over the scene before him. "What's going on here? You're supposed to take that fish around to the back."

"I'm sorry sir, the door was locked, I was coming around front to get the key from you," the delivery man-Ackerman-explained as he held out a hand and helped Evie to her feet. "I just-"

"It was my fault sir," Evie cut in, not wanting to get Ackerman into trouble. "I was clumsy and dropped my bag on my way out, he was kind enough to help me."

"Well, all right, as long as he's not bothering you, ma'am," the man said, giving Ackerman a stern glare. "You just make sure you get these fish around back and on ice, before they start stinkin' up the place."

"Yes, sir," Ackerman said as the man disappeared back into the store. For a moment it was quiet and the atmosphere was easily becoming awkward again. When Evie glanced back at Ackerman, she saw that he was once again staring at her, his expression borderline awestruck, making something squirm in her stomach. Clearing her throat, Evie tightened her grip on her bag and then muttered her thanks to him before she turned and started walking down the sidewalk, leaving him standing next to his crate of fish, with her head ducked and her cheeks still pink. What in the world was that? Why was Ackerman looking at her like that? It definitely was weird, there was no doubt about that, but something told Evie there was nothing dangerous or threatening behind it. If that was the case, then what was it? If Peggy were here with her, she would probably say that Ackerman was smitten with her, and of course, Evie would simply wave it off. She wasn't much to look at, and the man wasn't very subtle in his staring either, only making it uncomfortable. Shaking her head, Evie drove thoughts of Ackerman out of her head as she made her way home, thinking back on her original plan of putting away her groceries and starting to unpack her boxes.

It took Evie a solid week for her to have everything unpacked and put in its proper place in her apartment. When all was said and done, she felt quite proud of herself for sprucing this place up to be her very own, although she did miss the cozy little abode she lived in back in Oklahoma. It was somewhat secluded and comforting, but she wanted to try something a little new, while still being able to keep a low profile. After a very long seven days of putting things together, lifting, stacking, organizing and decorating, Evie was glad to finally have a nice break where she could just relax. She did have to make another trip to the market for some more food, but that was minimal compared to all the other work she got done. On the following Sunday morning, Evie got showered and dressed before she set out to head to the market, thankful that Howard had provided her with enough funds so she can get settled in and until she finds a job so she could start supporting herself. With that being said, she was only going to take care of the bare necessities, seeing no need for any supplies for a big meal since it was only her. With a basket in her hand, she scanned the isles and easily filled it with everything she needed, including ingredients she needed for a chocolate cake. Howard's 44th birthday was in just 2 days, and the man decided to take a few days off to come and visit her at her new home. Therefore, Evie decided to make him a cake and she even managed to make him a small present. It wasn't anything big or spectacular, just a white silk handkerchief with his initials sewed along the edge, so he could place it in the pocket of his suits. There was no way she was going to go out and buy him a present with his own money.

While Evie was still shopping around, there was a sudden shift in the air and she had a strange feeling that she was being watched. The hairs on the back of her neck seemed to prickle and she took a slow breath, her grip tightening on the handle of her basket. She made sure her steps were slow as she walked along the isle, her sense on high alert and just as she was nearing the end of the isle, she saw sudden movement out of the corner of her eye. There was enough time for her to register that a large hand was coming at her from the side and that was all that flashed through her mind before she dropped her basket, grabbed the hand and twisted it. The hand's owner cried out in shock and pain as Evie whipped around to shove him against the nearest shelf, her mind immediately going through all the potential enemies that may have followed her there, but to her own surprise, she was facing the delivery man from last week, Ackerman.

"Ow, ow, ow, okay, you got me!" he hissed. "Please, let go."

"What the..." Evie muttered as she released his arm and he let out a breath of relief. "Why are you sneaking up on me? I could have seriously hurt you."

"You're telling me," Ackerman said, twisting his arm around and rubbing his wrist where Evie grabbed him. "You are a lot stronger than you look. I didn't mean to startle you like that."

"Are you spying on me?" Evie demanded, furrowing her eyebrows. "How did you know I would be here?"

"I deliver fish here, remember?" Akerman reminded with an amused smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Every weekend. I saw you a couple isles over and I wanted to approach you, I just wasn't sure how."

"So you have been following me for two isles?" Evie asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You make it seem a lot more weird when you put it that way," Ackerman chuckled as he nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "It's not easy approaching a pretty girl to apologize again for nearly running her over with smelly fish."

At Ackerman's words, Evie could feel her tense muscles deflate a little when she gave him a hard stare and saw he seemed to be sincere. There was also a slight burn in her face at his compliment and she cleared her throat as she crossed her arms.

"There's no need to apologize, it was an accident," she told him.

"Even so, I'm sorry that I ran into you and made you drop your groceries," Ackerman said before his eyes trailed to the basket on the floor. "And it looks like I've done it again."

This comment was able to draw a ghost of a smile to Evie's face as she bent down to pick up her basket.

"Don't worry, it's all right," she said as she straightened up. "At least my fruit didn't try to escape this time."

"Yeah, there's always that," Ackerman agreed, a tiny embarrassed smile of his own making its way over his face. "I don't think I've seen you around the neighborhood before, miss..."

"Collins, Julie Collins," Evie introduced. "I actually just moved here, just trying to stock up on some food for the refrigerator."

"Julie," Ackerman repeated, an odd expression falling over his face. "You really don't look like a Julie."

"I was named after my grandmother," Evie said, trying to appear as though his comment didn't cause an unpleasant twinge in her stomach. "Well, it was kind of you to come forward, Mr. Ackermann, and I do apologize for hurting your arm, but I really must be getting back home, there's still a lot that I need to unpack. It was nice seeing you though."

Nodding at him with a polite smile, Evie turned and started to head back towards the end of the isle, forcing herself to remain calm and not take Ackerman's words to heart. He was making a simple observation, that was all. He didn't mean anything by it, and Peggy always told her to be careful with choosing alias' anyway. This just proved she needs to be more careful the next time she has to move, maybe trying something very common, like Mary, Susan, or-

"Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf

Der Vater hüt die Schaf

Die Mutter schüttelts Bäumelein..."

Evie stopped dead in her tracks at the sound of Ackerman's voice as he sang softly, his voice smooth and the words confident, as though he had rehearsed this many times. His fluent German settled over her like an electric wave and for a moment her heart stopped, her eyes widening. Memories of this song instantly sprang to her mind and the force of it nearly took her breath away. She hasn't heard or sang this song in almost twenty years. How in the world does this man know it? It's impossible! She only ever sang it to Klause and Marlene when they were little, there's no possible way he could know that!

"...Da fällt herab ein Träumelein

Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf."

A sudden memory came back to her, making her nearly drop her basket again as she realized that wasn't entirely true. She remembered a cool night in the middle of the woods, sitting in front of a campfire with three very small bodies pressed up against her as she sang to them, trying to lull them to sleep to forget the horrors they had experienced, assuring them that they were finally safe from harm. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Evie turned back around to face Ackerman, hardly daring to believe it. As she stared, she took the time to take in his features, from his dark brown locks to his matching, almond-shaped eyes and little mouse ears she had once found adorable so many years ago. The realization hit her hard and for a minute she couldn't get any words out of her mouth. Ackerman, seeing her struggle, just smiled kindly at her as he took a few steps towards her, making sure to lower his voice as he spoke.

"I told you I would never forget you, Miss Evie."

Once he spoke, whatever was stuck in Evie's throat unclogged itself and she managed to gasp out a single word. Or rather, a single name.

"Elias?"

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