Hallo folks. Chaos has struck again. I'm heading to an emergency doctor's appointment as I have a sudden and unexpected health issue. So as to de-stress, I decided to update a new chapter for Hiraeth in celebration of 2,000 reads! Wish me luck, hope I don't have to have surgery but it definitely looks like it might happen. :')


Lorelei stood next to Howard, gaze on the HYDRA technology. focusing on not flying apart.

She watched Howard manipulate the hands of the machine, carefully taking out a small piece.

The sense of disruption to Lorelei's atoms became worse. Gritting her teeth to the point they ground, she continued to monitor.

The object glowed an ethereal blue, mirroring the look of the tesseract, as Lorelei recalled.

"Emission signature is unusual. Alpha and beta rays are neutral." Howard glanced at the attendant beside him, "though I doubt Rogers picked up on that."

Howard leaned closer, "seems harmless enough. Hard to see what all the fuss is about." He moved the other hand closer.

A spark arced across from the stone to the metal tongs, creating a shockwave that launched everyone back.

Lorelei slid across the floor, glass cutting her arms. She impacted the wall with a groan, black smoke curling off of her as she concentrated on pulling herself together.

"You alright Lorelei?" Howard asked in the accompanying silence.

"Peachy." She groaned, pushing herself up with her hands.

"You're not going to do that again, are you?" She asked.

"Not anytime soon." Howard said with a chuckle.

"Good. Don't do it when I'm around." Lorelei said.

Later that day, Howard straightened from the shields he had been examining.

"Where's Rogers?" He asked.

"I'm not sure." Lorelei shrugged.

"Don't you have a homing beacon attached to him somewhere?" He asked.

"No. I use magic." Lorelei said.

"Magic?" Howard asked, skeptical.

"Physics." Lorelei simplified.

"Really?" Howard stared at Lorelei.

"The sort of physics I use looks like magic." Lorelei shrugged.

"Couldn't you…" Howard made a weird hand gesture, "magic him here?"

"I am trying to stay under the radar. He shouldn't be far."

"Could you go find him, then?"

"Fine." Lorelei sighed, pushing herself up and turning to leave.

"Quickly? No flirting now, I need him." Howard said.

Lorelei rolled her eyes, leaving to search for Steve, Howard impatiently waiting for the soldier. Lorelei rounded the corner, gaze scanning the room.

She spotted Steve, moving to approach but froze. Some… blonde woman was kissing Steve. Her stomach dropped, remembering the scene.

With her replacing Peggy.

Lorelei felt… Angry. A surge of possessiveness. In a moment of realization she recognized it as jealousy.

They had just kissed yesterday! Yesterday!!

The short time seemed to stretch out as she watched as Blondie was practically all over him, and Steve wasn't pushing her off. Her heart did a sort of painful squeeze.

"Excuse me, Captain!" Lorelei snapped, her voice cutting through the air like a whip.

The occupants of the room fell silent, turning to Lorelei.

Steve pushed the woman off of him, visibly flustered as he wiped the red lipstick off his lips.

Little-miss-kiss-a-lot shot Lorelei a smug side-eye, but Lorelei refused to back down, her eyes flashing with fury.

"If you're not too busy kissing the local barracks bunny," Lorelei said, her voice dripping with disdain, she glaring at said 'bunny' silently conveying her disgust, "Mister Stark would like to see you."

Without waiting for Steve, she turned on her heel and began walking.

"Lorelei wait!"

"Howard has been waiting for you." Lorelei said, refusing to entertain his attempts to clear up the misunderstanding.

"Lorelei, it's not what it looked like."

"What?" Lorelei whirled, standing toe to toe with Steve, "a desperate woman trying to get cozy with you? And you doing nothing? Maybe you enjoyed it? Did you? Did you like all the attention?" Lorelei was lashing out. She was upset, upset at herself for allowing herself to think he was hers.

"No! She just grabbed me, I didn't expect it!"

Lorelei scoffed.

Steve watched as the wall that had come down was quickly placed back up.

"Well, Captain. You're a real soldier now. Congratulations." Lorelei said, pointing at the lab door.

"Lorelei, please!" Steve said, reaching for her arm.

Lorelei grabbed the handle and wrenched the door open.

"Found your Soldier, Stark!" Lorelei shouted into the room, drowning out Steve's attempts to speak to her.

She forced Steve through, slamming the door shut.

Lorelei stewed, glaring at the door and ignoring the curious gazes that watched.

Time stretched, and Lorelei's anger grew.

The whispers fell silent as Lorelei's gaze turned to the curious few hovering nearby.

Lorelei huffed, turning and tugging the door open and sweeping in.

Lorelei approached Howard and Steve, gazing at the assortment of shields on the table.

"What do you think?" Steve asked, drawing Lorelei's gaze to him. He had a cute little smile, holding out the silver shield.

Lorelei eyed it, grabbing the pistol off the table and turning her gaze downwards still silent. She pulled the top back, seeing a bullet chambered.

Lorelei looked up, smiled sweetly at Steve, who relaxed slightly. Then she lifted the gun and emptied the magazine into the shield.

A stunned silence filled the room.

"The shield works just fine." She said, tossing the now empty gun on the table.

She swept out the room, leaving the two stunned men in her wake.

Lorelei sought out Peggy.

The two convened in her bedroom where she proceeded to angrily rant.

"-I mean, Steve just sat there letting that- that- barracks bunny kiss him like some desperate dog in heat! I doubt he even thought of me!" Lorelei tossed her hands up in the air, her neat braid falling out, leaving chunks to frame her face and give her a wild look.

"Barracks bunny?" Peggy asked.

"The local hussy." Lorelei supplied.

Peggy nodded, her expression sympathetic.

"I understand why you're upset, Lorelei. But you have to know that Steve cares deeply for you. Sometimes men can be…" Peggy paused, searching for the correct word, "clueless about these things."

Lorelei snorted. It definitely felt that way.

"I know, Peggy, I know. It's-" Lorelei sighed, running a hand through her hair- "seeing them like that, it kinda hurt. And then he has the nerve to smile at me with that cute little grin of his. It drives me crazy!"

"You do realize that Steve is probably just as confused and overwhelmed by all of this as you are. He's not used to all the attention he's getting now."

Lorelei sighed, sitting in the chair across from the bed, gaze down at the papers on her desk.

Lorelei looked up, meeting Peggy's gaze.

"Do you think I'm overreacting?" Lorelei's words were quiet, filled with doubt.

"No." Peggy shook her head. "No, I don't. Your feelings have as much value as Steve's. But, I also think you need to give Steve a chance to explain himself. He deserves that much."

"You're right." Lorelei said, leaning back in her chair and exhaling slowly, "I know you're right. It's just hard sometimes. This whole Soulmate thing... it's a lot to take in."

"Love is never easy, Lorelei. But it is worth fighting for."

The two fell silent at the sound of soft, hesitant knocking on the door.

The two turned to the door, Peggy giving Lorelei a pointed look.

Peggy stood, straightening her uniform.

She hugged Lorelei, leaning in close to her ear.

"Talk to him. Really talk. Remember, he's just as scared of losing you as you are of losing him." Peggy whispered, smiling and letting her go.

Peggy opened the door, greeting Steve before leaving.

Lorelei approached the door, widening it.

She was quiet, subdued. Her chest still stung at the image of Blondie and Steve.

"Hey." Steve said. "Can I come in?"

Lorelei hesitated for a moment then shifted to the side, allowing Steve to enter.

"So." Steve said, gaze on the ring Lorelei had gifted him as he turned it hand over hand.

"So," Lorelei said.

They fell silent.

"I'm sorry." Lorelei sighed, shifting a hand through her hair, releasing the remnants of the braid, "I… let my emotions control my reactions."

Lorelei was ashamed she had allowed her heart to control her mind. She was better than that. Smarter.

Steve stepped further into the room, taking a deep breath before speaking.

"No, I'm sorry. I should have pushed her away immediately. I just... I didn't expect it. It surprised me." Steve said, seeming out of place in Lorelei's small room.

"It's not your fault. *She's the one who instigated it. I took it out on you." Lorelei admitted, frustration ebbing. "There's- there's a lot on my plate. And I haven't been dealing with it in the best way."

"I understand." Steve said, stepping closer, "but, Lorelei, you need to know that you're the one I care about. You're the one I want to be with."

Lorelei's gaze dropped to the floor, "it's just hard sometimes, Steve. There was someone else for you in your cards. I'm just the substitute."

"Substitute?" Steve stared at her in disbelief, "Lorelei, there is no substitute for you. You're Lorelei. You're the one in my cards, no one else."

Lorelei looked up, doubt plain in her face. Lorelei felt her resolve crumbling again, the sincere look in his gaze piercing through her doubts. "You don't know me. I'm someone - someone who came here with… with too much knowledge that I can't tell you. Maybe not ever. Much of what I know could-" Lorelei hesitated, "could make you hate me. And I can't stop it. What I know is so important to the future. It will literally cause half life as we know it to cease to exist."

"So let me get to know you. I may not understand why you have to withhold information, but I trust you. You're important. You're important to me. To Buck. We care about you." Steve gently grasped her shoulders. "Lorelei. I understand you have hesitations, but you and I? We're Soulmates. I'm not giving up on us. Not now, not ever. I love you, Lorelei. Nothing is going to change that."

Lorelei blinked, stomach swooping at the confession. Her lips parted, a shocked breath passing her lips. His gaze dropped to her lips, seeming to anticipate her confession.

The wall crumbled at the surge of affection in her chest.

"I-'' Lorelei paused. Even if I don't deserve it; "I love you too, Steve."

A relieved smile appeared on Steve's face, and he pulled her into a tight hug.