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Devon paced around the lab. She could feel the doctor's eyes following her. In her current state, she could hardly concentrate and for that reason, she knew she was distracting her lab companion. She sighed again, for what might have been the hundredth time that afternoon.

Giving up on his work, Bruce took off his glasses, folding them up and setting them on the desk. "What's bothering you?" he asked quietly.

"Sorry," Devon sighed again. As she passed by the doctor's workstation, he caught her by the arm. She did not meet his eyes but she stopped pacing, instead putting her hands flat on the desk. After staring at her hands trying to calm down, she finally spoke again, "I don't know what to do."

"I'm going to need a little more than that to be able to help," the doctor said tipping his head to look at her face.

Devon shook her head in frustration. It was times like this when she remembered why she usually kept herself closed off from others.

"I've been trying to find a solution to the problem of a hyper stimulated amygdala."

"So you're looking for a solution to our anger issues."

"Not quite," she said softly. She thought maybe it would be useful to block their anger issues but that was just a secondary reason. Her primary goal was for a much more selfish reason. "The amygdala takes care of more than just anger. We are more susceptible to fear but when stimulated it can affect other primal urges."

She looked up finally to see Bruce's eyes go wide with understanding.

"Bruce, I need help. I knew about this problem so I have kept my distance, but…" her voice trailed with the uncomfortable topic.

"Steve?" the scientist asked reading her issues written across her face.

Swallowing hard, Devon nodded slightly. "I don't want to hurt him."

"I think Steve can handle anything you throw at him."

"I'm not talking physically," she said rolling her eye, "emotionally." There was a whiney tone to her voice that annoyed her. Devon began pacing again. She was torn between what the different parts of her brain were telling her. "He's from the 40s where there was romance and courtship. Part of me wants that needs that. However there is the other part that has issues and may not be able to handle a slow relationship."

Bruce nodded making his way around the desk, blocking her path. "Well why don't you just give it a try if you're honest with him everything may turn out alright."

"I've never been in a relationship because I was worried about my condition. I barely know how to talk about all of this."

"Okay," Bruce said putting a hand on her shoulder. "We'll work on this. I'm sure we can come up with something."

"Stark."

At his name, Tony looked up from the repulsor that he was working on. Jarvis had alerted him that the Captain was coming this way. He was not sure why but it must be a big deal if the super soldier was actually coming to see him.

Tony did know from watching the video feeds that Devon and Steve continued to skirt around the issues. Those issues being their feelings for each other. Both of them were uncomfortable and awkward around the other. There was obviously something there and Tony had no problem poking the beehive.

"What can I do for ya Capt'," Tony said with a smirk.

The tall blonde stared at him frowning before he turned and began walking out of the lab. For a moment the soldier paused, glancing over his shoulder before continuing to the door

"Capt'… Steve wait," Tony called out. He had hoped to make a joke of Steve's intrusion into his personal lab but the whole demeanor of the other man stopped him short. "I'm serious. You look like you need help, so how can I help you."

The words hung heavily between them. A hand out stretched between them in an offering. Turning back blue eyes squinted at him as if he was trying to decide if he could trust Tony.

Tony knew that they had their share of disagreements and even more arguments but even through it all, Tony had Steve's back. Not for the first time, Tony wanted to help someone else be happy. He smile thinking about Pepper. However, this was the first time he could put aside the part of him that was jealous of his father's obsession with the super soldier. He actually wanted Steve to be happy.

Frowning the bigger man said, "I need your help with and issue."

"Yeah, I got that," Tony said before he could stop the snarky comment. "Sorry," he said raising his hands to placate the other man, "why don't you tell me what the problem is."

"So much has changed," Steve started slowly looking down at the ground, embarrassed by admitting his confusion. "I was wondering if you could help me understand how to court someone in this time."

Surprised by the request, Tony laughed aloud. He had not intended to crack up at that but of all the requests he had not expected this. He instantly knew who the object of Steve's affection was. When he laughed Steve turned to leave again.

"Hey, wait. I didn't mean…" Tony growled under his breath. How was it that this was becoming such a convoluted mess, he thought. "You just surprised me."

Tony walked around his workbench coming closer to the super soldier. The other man stiffened as he neared. It had cost him much to ask for his help.

"Steve, I'm not sure how much help I can be. My own record with women is not great. But I'll help catch you up to speed."

Tony gestured to the couch and waited to see if Steve would still want his help. The soldier stiffly walked past him as he sat down, all attention on the genius. He grabbed a stool and sat as he began to explain what he knew about women in the century. Mentally he noted that he should write a book with all the knowledge he had.

Devon sat at the piano. Her fingers lightly floated over the keys the familiar notes forming the pleasant melody. It had been years since she had played. Softly she began to hum to the music. She was never one to sing but Elizabeth would sing while she played the piano but that seemed like a different life all together. This was one of the songs that her sister had written.

Since coming to the tower, Devon's life had taken a drastic and unexpected turn. The refrain of the song came automatically, pulling her back to the past. She lost herself in the memories of her family. She had worked so hard to make sure her sister had everything. She had stepped up to be a mother to her little sister. She blamed herself for their mother's death.

Closing her eyes, Devon let the rhythm of the notes cascade around her. She wanted to cry but her eyes were dry.

The song slowed as she neared the end. Instead of stopping though, she started another song. This song had been on her mind as of late. Humming along until she got to the chorus. It had been one of her mother's favorites. Her mother and sister would sing while she played. It was one of the first songs she had ever learned to play.

Humming along until she got to the chorus, she sang softly, "You don't know what you got 'til it's gone. They paved paradise and put up a parking lot."

"That's a nice song," Steve said walking closer, "but I like the first one better."

Devon tried to pretend that she that his sudden appearance had not startled her, but she really was. She had been so far in her own mind she had lost track of her surroundings, not wise given what her official job was. Since the incident in the lab, she had backed off the guys and they had not pushed to leave either. They had come to a happy truce for the moment. This was the first time she was alone with Steve since he had helped her in the lab.

She continued the current notes for a few notes then eased back into her sister's original song. She did not tell him the importance just yet. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Steve as he walked up to the piano. Again, she was surprised when the man sat down on the bench next to her.

Steve was silent for long moments and Devon could only imagine what was going through his head. She saw his eyes close as he listened to the music. A peaceful calm washed over his features. Devon had to look away as her heart squeezed tight.

Devon let the song drift off and once the last of the notes filtered out of the air, she stood. She took a couple of steps away from the piano to the large floor to ceiling windows overlooking the city. She took a shaky breath as she tried to calm down. She was far too close to the issue at hand and needed to get some distance. She needed to stay in control. If she lost control, this could go so bad. She could lose everything. Again.

There were familiar footsteps that followed her, as Devon knew he would. Her thoughts drifted to the man beside her. Would he understand if she explained the problem to him? Or would it drive a wedge between them?

"I can't even begin to imagine how hard this must all be for you," Devon said frowning at the thought. "To not only lose everyone you knew but also your way of life."

Steve shrugged but that was the only response. Devon had not really expected much, but she had wanted to give voice to her thoughts.

"There's a poem by Robert Frost that comes to mind when I think about you," she said trying to fill the silence. The poem had been one she had mesmerized when she was young. It had always ringed true to her on some fundamental level. "Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice. From what I've tasted of desire I hold with those who favor fire. But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate to say that for destruction ice is also great and would suffice."

Looking over at the man, Devon could feel the painful emotions roll off him. Steve tried so hard to be strong emotionally, just as the serum had made his body, but there were consequences to suppressing emotions too long. She knew that better than anyone.

"I'm sorry," she said quickly, "I don't know what came over me. You have so much on your mind and my comments don't help."

"No, it's true," Steve said quietly. "It's getting easier to deal with the changes now. It wasn't at first though."

The tall man put a hand on Devon's shoulder turning her to face him. She looked up into his face and knew that he was talking about her. As much trouble as she was she made his life in this strange new era a little easier.

"I'd like to go dancing with you some time," Steve said suddenly. His smile grew almost comically wide.

Devon frowned and looked away with a shrug. "I'm not that much for dancing," she said in a small voice.

"Why?" the soldier asked raising his eyebrow, all while, he tried to get her attention.

"I guess I haven't found the right person," she said uncomfortable with the topic.

Steve only smiled at her. He looked like she had missed some inside joke, but she did not press the issue letting the thought slide away. He took a step closer to her raising a hand to her cheek. Then before she could pull away, he was kissing her.

The kiss was soft but the electricity coursing through Devon's body forced her back. Panic over ran every other emotion for the moment. She rushed from the room nearly running into Bruce and Tony as she left.