Hoo boy! It's been a while y'all! I'm sorry about that. Life got hectic.
VERY. HECTIC.
I'm working on creating a buffer in case things get wild again. Getting stuck on how i wanted it to go certainly didn't help. But here is the next update!!!!! I hope you enjoy! I do not own the Marvel Cinematic Universe or their characters! I do own my OC's! :)
WARNING! Mentions of assault! I will add a gap to make it easier for those with triggers to skip the section!
Lorelei was agitated. It had been a weeks since she had decided to step back.
Lorelei had become cold and distant to Bucky, much to Dolly's dismay and Bucky's confusion.
Lorelei didn't look for Steve.
She decided she needed a change. She had packed up what little things she had and had rented a little apartment. It was a good way away from the floral shop, but she didn't mind, she enjoyed the walking. It helped to get rid of some of the pent up energy she had inside.
It was a nice little place, a place she could decorate to her liking.
After another day at the shop, Lorelei found herself walking home in the fading light.
Her mind was preoccupied, still struggling to distance herself emotionally from the two men she had become attached to.
They struck then.
With a shove, Lorelei found herself stumbling back into a dim alley with her exit blocked.
(WARNING: Mentions of sexual harassment/ physical assault!)
"Hey sweetheart! Didn't you hear us callin?" One of the men asked.
Lorelei froze.
There were four men lined in such a way that if she tried to squeeze by they would be able to grab her.
Her stomach churned, fear throwing all her knowledge out the window, bringing her back to that night at the college party.
One of the men spoke up, a suggestive grin plastered on his face, "you lost, sweetheart? Maybe we can help you find your way."
Another man spoke up with a snicker, "yeah, we're real good at guiding lost dames."
Finding her voice, Lorelei replied. "I know my way perfectly fine, thanks."
She hated that her voice wavered.
"Don't be like that, sugar, we're only being gentlemen."
"What's so gentlemanly about cornering a woman in an alleyway?" Lorelei snapped.
The men chuckled with amusement.
"Let's see what's under that dress, huh?" one of the men approached, hand outstretched.
"No thanks." Lorelei said, backing up.
The man on the right lost his patience, lunging forward and grabbing the neckline of Lorelei's dress.
Lorelei went from fearful to a raging panic.
Her hand snapped forward, impacting into the man's chest sending him flying backwards.
Another man leapt forward, knife drawn from a pocket as he attacked her.
"You little tease! That's gonna cost you!" He snarled as he swung his knife.
Lorelei blocked the knife with her arm, the blade cuting deep.
Lorelei's panic reached a fever pitch, and she fought blindly, without coordination, which gave one of the men the opportunity to strike her in the face several times.
The blows grounded her in the moment, helping her to recall her training.
The sense of danger heighting as her advantage in the fight diminished made her focus, her blows going from wildly inaccurate to deadly precision. She regretted not bringing her sling-ring, but she made do with what she had on hand.
Two of the men already out for the count, Lorelei caught the glint of metal on the ground.
She kicked up the metal pipe into her hand and swung the men, using the pipe as a club.
She dodged a swing, returning the attack with a strike of her own, downing him.
The other man screamed out in rage, trying to land a hit, but Lorelei knocked him out.
(End of scene!)
Silence finally fell in the alley.
Lorelei was gasping, trembling with adrenaline as she concentrated on keeping her atoms together.
"What the hell is going on here?"
Lorelei's head snapped up, eyes wide as she raised the pipe, ready to defend herself again.
Bucky raised his hands in a non-threatening manner. "Easy, I'm not here to hurt you."
Lorelei's grip loosened on the pipe. It slid out of her hand and landed on the stone with a clatter.
Bucky approached her, shedding his jacket, and Lorelei numbly noticed he was in a military suit.
He halted, spotting the knife wound.
He cursed, fumbling for something to staunch the bleeding.
"Hold on, let me help." Bucky said, something is wrapped around Lorelei's wrist. The makeshift bandage began to turn red with Lorelei's blood.
"You're gonna be okay, Lorelei. I'm going to get you help."
Lorelei stared blankly at Bucky. It took a moment for her to process his words.
Blinking, she nodded.
Bucky gingerly places his jacket around Lorelei, providing modesty that she didn't know she needed.
The bodice was torn, leaving little to be covered.
Lorelei tried to stop Bucky, saying something about the uniform, but his scathing look silenced her.
"That doesn't matter now. Let's go."
Bucky placed a hand behind Lorelei, he tried not to touch her more than he had to as he guided her.
They climbed a metal staircase, arriving in front of a door.
Bucky knocked on it, urgency in his quick raps.
The door swung open, revealing a shocked Steve.
"What's going on, Buck? Who is she?"
Steve took in the rapidly darkening bruise that was quickly swelling Lorelei's eye shut, the split lip and jacket around Lorelei's frame.
Wordlessly he opened the door wider allowing Bucky to guide Lorelei through the apartment.
He placed her on the couch.
Steve was unnerved.
She just… Sat there.
Unblinking, eyes fixed firmly on her feet.
She didn't even move. It was like she was a statue.
"Steve, she's been through a lot. We need to patch her up." Bucky's voice was hushed.
Steve nodded, grabbing first aid and a glass of water.
Bucky took the water, pressing the glass into Lorelei's hands, "You're gonna be okay, Lorelei. Steve's here to help too."
Steve watched as Lorelei fumbled with the glass.
"Easy now. Take a sip, it'll help." Bucky said.
He began to patch Lorelei up.
The knife wound was quite deep, leaving Bucky worried as it slowly oozed blood.
He cleaned the wound, Lorelei barely flinching at the pain.
Steve approached Bucky, Lorelei wholly unaware of her surroundings.
"I'll see if I can find some of my ma's old clothes for her to wear. Bucky, talk to me. What the hell happened out there? Who is she?"
"Her name's Lorelei. It looks like a few thugs surrounded her, probably not with good intentions. She fought back, practically wiping out the guys. She was about to start in on me too, until she recognized me. She's been through hell."
Steve felt shock and anger, the information flooring him.
He opened his mouth, ready to launch into an angry rant.
Bucky's pointed look stopped him right in his tracks.
Gaze landing on the woman in front of him, he nodded, letting it pass.
The woman was slouched over on the couch, quickly falling into an exhausted sleep.
As he took a closer look at Lorelei he paused.
Something was… familiar about her.
Something about her curls, about the odd smudge on her wrist.
Taking a closer look, he took in the mark on her wrist.
Realizing what it was, he looked away quickly, embarrassed.
Soul Marks were a very private and intimate part of a relationship, and to have snooped like he did…
Steve turned and went to find a suitable attire for Lorelei.
Steve found a blanket and some clothes that might fit Lorelei.
Returning to the living room, Steve found Lorelei fast asleep, Bucky standing a distance away as he watched her.
Bucky turned to Steve.
"These might fit." Steve said, his voice a hushed whisper.
Lorelei jolted awake when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
She grabbed the wrist, her eyes flying open.
"Don't worry, you're safe." Bucky said, holding out the clothes to her, "we thought you'd like to change."
Lorelei took the clothes, limping out of the room to change.
Bucky turned to Steve.
"It's strange. Doesn't she remind you of someone?"
Steve looked at Bucky.
"What are you getting at, Buck?"
"That person who would always swoop in and keep you from getting your ass handed to you? That's her."
"That's impossible." Steve said, gaze on where Lorelei had last been seen.
She looked so… frail.
But the Mark…
He recalled his savior. He has caught glimpses of a smudge on their wrist whenever she fought.
"I caught a glimpse of her fighting. She packs a wallop. Plus she's got the same fighting style.
Even got the same stance, wak and everything."
(Mentions of assault!)
Lorelei changed into the clothes provided, her movements wooden and jerky.
Lorelei felt sick, angry she had let the men do that to her.
Like what had almost happened in college.
She could feel herself slipping mentally, knew she had to ground herself.
She could feel their touch-
Stop. Don't think about that!
The deep thumping of the base echoing through the basement, suffocated by the fellow party goers that crowded into her space-
(End of mentions!)
Lorelei buried her nails into her palms, focusing on the pain that lit her nerves on fire.
She was stuck between two places, the memories haunting and too vivid not to be real.
Blood seeping out between her fingers, Lorelei reminded herself of where she was.
She focused on her senses, her hearing.
Lorelei's head snapped up, catching the conversation happening in the living room.
The jig was up. She had gotten too close. Too attached.
She wanted to run, to escape.
She eyed the small window in the bathroom, tempted to crawl out of the tiny window high above.
Lorelei jumped at the knock on the door, all thoughts of wiggling through the window leaving.
Heart pounding in her chest, Lorelei whirled and faced the door.
"Are you alright?" Steve's question came through the door.
Lorelei relaxed slightly.
"I'll be fine. I just need a moment." She called back.
"Are you sure?"
Lorelei sighed. "Yes, I'll be fine, thanks."
Steve's footsteps faded.
Lorelei ran a finger through her hair, taking a look at herself in the mirror.
She could barely recognize herself.
She poked the blackening eye, taking in the split lip and the bandage on her chest and arm.
She finished changing, the clothes fitting, albeit a little loosely.
Lorelei rinsed her mouth out, eager to get rid of the disgusting taste that lingered.
Lorelei rolled her shoulders, opening the door and facing the two men.
The two men halted their hushed conversation, looking somewhat guilty.
Rolling her shoulders, Lorelei braced herself.
"You have questions?" Lorelei asked.
"We didn't-"
Lorelei held up a hand, "I can hear better than you think." She said, silencing Steve.
The two men looked away guiltily.
"I can't tell you everything. That would affect too much."
"Affect what?" Steve blurted.
"The flow of things." Lorelei said, giving him a long look.
"I'm a sort of… Bystander of sorts. I'm not supposed to meddle."
"Bystander?" Bucky asked.
Lorelei sighed again, running her hand through her hair in agitation.
"Listen, I don't really know how much I can tell, hell, I don't know what I can say. The more you know, the more it can affect how you behave, the more you behave differently, the more it can change things, making things hang in the balance."
"What things?" Steve pressed.
Lorelei pressed her lips together, turning her gaze upwards, towards whatever deity may be above.
"You know what? This was a mistake. I'm sorry. I can't answer." Lorelei said, clutching her things to her chest. She had to go. This was risking too much.
She went for the door.
Lorelei felt a hand on her arm, a jolt run up her arm as she felt her Mark burn.
She turned back, seeing Steve gape in wonder.
It was all too much.
Pulling her arm out of his grasp Lorelei dissipated into smoke, relying on instinct.
She could hear people calling, could hear them asking to wait, but she needed to leave.
She fled through the shadows, reaching her home quite quickly in the darkness.
Her head was a mess, she rematerialized in her home, standing as she took in the dim room.
Why? Why?! Why her?! In what world was this fair?
Why was life such an asshole to have her try to preserve the timeline, to not get attached and try to have a peaceful life because she knew she would fade out of existence and be absolutely nothing to history, having to watch Bucky go into the hands of HYDRA, doing who knows what to him for years and Steve to go into the ice, and not being able to have a peaceful life?
And now-
Now with this new information, knowing that Steve was her fucking Soulmate?
That changed things.
It felt like whatever had dropped her there was a smug little shit that was eager to create some sort of drama! It was just teasing her to take action!
She grabbed a pillow and screamed in frustration.
She didn't feel better. She felt livid, enraged at everyone and everything.
Lorelei paused, turning to her easel, taking in the painting of Earth, her Earth.
She had had that mark since she was sixteen!
How could they be linked? Two different universes! Two different timelines!
It didn't make any sense!
She looked at her Sling-ring.
Yes, maybe the Ancient One would know.
Maybe she had an answer.
Before she realized, she had already grabbed her sling-ring and began creating a portal.
Arthur looked up from his reading, surprised at the visitor before standing in shock at the state Lorelei was in.
"Lorelei! Are you alright?" He asked.
"Got jumped by four men. I'll be fine. I need to speak to the Ancient One."
Sensing there was more than she was saying, Arthur guided her to sit and went to fetch the Ancient One.
The Ancient One paused as she took in Lorelei's injuries.
"What happened?"
"I found my Soulmate." Lorelei blurted.
"Who is it?" The Ancient One asked.
"Steve Rogers." Lorelei said.
The Ancient One didn't look surprised.
She paused, realizing the implication.
"You knew." Lorelei accused.
"You had to discover it for yourself." The Ancient One said with a tilt of her head.
Lorelei felt hurt.
"What point would it have made?"
"It would have changed things, you know that yourself, Lorelei."
"So what, am I supposed to stand back and do nothing?" Lorelei snapped, her words dripping with bitterness.
"Not do nothing. You are entwined in this story, your fate and Steve's are bound together," the Ancient One nodded at Lorelei's Mark, "as long as certain events come to fruition, there is no harm in staying in their lives. You had to come to the decision yourself."
Lorelei felt torn, upset at the thought of letting things run their course.
"You must not interfere in their important events."
"Like hell I won't!" Lorelei gritted out, standing.
The Ancient One did not move, patiently watching as Lorelei paced.
"You know you won't, Lorelei. The fate of the universe hangs in the balance. Your influence here has changed things, yes, but that does not mean you can stop them going into the future."
Lorelei deflated, falling into the seat in exhaustion.
"I know. It's just-" Lorelei struggled with the words, shoulders hunched as she raised her hands, "it doesn't feel fair."
"Everything isn't supposed to be fair, Lorelei."
Lorelei sighed, breaking the silence in the room.
Her lips parted.
"What do I do now?"
"What you feel you must." The Ancient One replied.