Fight Like A Girl

CHAPTER TWO

Brooklyn, New York. 2012. One Month before Avengers Assemble.

He had no concept of time at the moment, his breath heavy, his skin sweaty, and his hair weighted down and sticking to the back of his neck and his forehead. He felt cold, colder then he ever remembered feeling in his entire life, he felt anger beyond his comprehension, he felt sad, so sad in fact that it made his still chilled bones feel as if they were made of metal weighing him down. Making him sluggish. His heart wouldn't stop racing. His mind, rattled. He saw the bag go sailing across the room and only then did he falter, only then did he stop, his breath was ragged he felt shaky and tired. God he felt old, he felt like he had aged over night and in some ways he had in fact.

Yesterday it was the 40s. The Second World War was coming to a close, and he had date to go dancing with the woman of his dreams who liked him even as a little guy.

He felt his knees buckle and he crashed hard onto the wood flooring of the old gym, Peggy. God he missed her. Her voice rang in his ears begging him to please tell her his location. Bossing him around and smiling prettily at him her kissable lips coated smoothly in a sinful bright red. Her voice demanding he meet her at the Storke Club, for their dance.

For their dance. A dance they would never share, a dance he could imagine and damn near feel but one he would never see in reality. His heart felt like it was being crushed in someone's bare fist.

Like he was dying all over again.

"You alright there Soldier?" A soft feminine voice called to him, softly accented just the slightest in a way he couldn't place.

Looking up through blurry eyes the woman who stood before him was unlike any he had ever set eyes on before, she stood towering even in her bright white and dark pink running sneakers she had to have been every bit of 6'0 she had a distinct hourglass shape to her that was built of lean strong muscles and thick supple womanly curves. Her hair reminded him of freshly split ink and was pulled back in a loose stylish braid that hung over her shoulder with random wisp of curls framing her gorgeous face. Her rounded high cheek bones gave her an elegant and sultry look and her eyes were unlike anything he had ever seen in his life, her eyes were a bright brilliant yellow around the pupil that blended smoothly with a rich vibrant brown that gave a swirling effect of duel color to her kind and warm eyes.

She was dressed in a white T-shirt similar to his own with a baggy grey hoodie zip up jacket and matching form fitting yoga pants. Her pouty lips pulled back in a warm smile and were a natural healthy pink that went well with her snow white complexion. Her beauty and natural sense of warmth left him dazed...

"No, no I don't think I am." Steve answered with a humorless chuckle that made her frown and instantly made him wanna take his words back, he didn't like the fact she frowned. It didn't sit well with him and made a protectiveness surge through his core in a way he hadn't felt since his fighting days.

"That's ok, no one should expect you to be perfect after all that you've faced." The mysterious woman's face was netural but her eyes held understanding and kindness "Did Fury tell you about me?"

Steve looked at her for a moment before it hit him "Agent Kane?"

She smirked amused "So they call me, but between you and me I much preferred when my title was Colonial instead of Agent."

Steve stood at those words his mind clearing of the destress slightly, and his body snapping to attention if by instinct. She smiled a beaming grin at him and respectfully returned his salute "At ease Captain."

He relaxed but his mind was racing even more then he could get up with again but on a different subject , the woman in front of him "Call me Steve,please ma'am."

Her eyes twinkled at him knowingly "Then only if you call me Tayla." She held out her hand which he didn't hesitate to shake firmly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Tayla."

"Trust me Steve the pleasure is all mine."