✪ American Noise ✪ [Captain America]

Chapter 2: Liz II

* * * Author's Notes * * *

Thank you all for the comments, votes, and follows! I was not expecting to have as much as a response so early!

This next chapter took me quite a few re-writes to get right. I hope you like it! As always, reviews are very much appreciated, and constructive criticism is welcomed.

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A while later, after Catherine had picked up the twins, Liz closed up the shop and walked next door to the apartment entrance of the building her grandfather owned. She collected her mail and Pops' from their separate mailboxes and made her way to Pops' apartment, storing her own mail inside her shouldered messenger bag. Pops had the only apartment on the ground floor. The other two levels each had three separate living spaces. However, the two apartments that formerly made up the rest of the first level had been converted to suit the layout of the connecting store long before Liz had been born.

"Hey, Pops," Liz greeted as she entered the apartment where she had grown up. She now lived on the top floor, having moved up there after graduating from college. She heard the sound of some old movie playing in the living room.

"There's my girl!" Pops shuffled out of the living room to meet Liz. She was now in the kitchen area sorting through the mail. Liz had to smile at her grandfather's infectious upbeat personality.

"You've got some bills here, Pops. I'm just going to leave them here on the counter. Did you eat yet? Do you want me to make you something?" Even though Liz now lived upstairs, she made a point to make sure her grandfather had everything he needed. After all, they were all the family each other had left. She felt that she owed it to him and her late grandmother, Rose, whom Liz had called Gran. Especially since they had raised her.

"No need, Sunshine. I had the leftovers from last night about an hour ago, around six o'clock. You can stop fussing over me and get out of here." Pops said, making a shooing motion towards her with his hands.

"Are you trying to get rid of me? Got a hot date I don't know about?" Liz joked, always amused and inspired by Pops' independent nature.

"Yes I am, and no I don't!" Pops stated mildly indignant, "You spend far too much time worrying over me and tending the store than the law should allow. You're twenty-six years old and should be out with your friends on a Friday evening, trying to find a nice fella'. Not taking care of an old man!"

"Take it easy, Pops," Liz forced a half-smile. This had become an almost weekly discussion over the past couple of months, and it was beginning to get old, "You know I'm not much of a going out on the town type anymore. And I just want to make sure that you're happy and comfortable."

"I know, Lizzie, but I'm fine. Truly I am! So go on, and find yourself something else to keep you occupied. I was going to meet with my veterans' group across town, in any event," Pops insisted.

"Fine, fine. I'll get out of your hair, Pops," Liz held up her hands in surrender, "You have a good night. Stay out of trouble, and I'll see you in the morning. Love ya," she kissed her grandfather on the cheek warmly.

"Goodnight, Sunshine," Pops walked her to the door, "Do me a favor on your way up and check in on Mister... Mister What's-his-name... I can't recall it just now," he added, as if it were an afterthought, "Anyway, just make sure he has everything he needs and that he's not missing any furnishings that Miss Hill had requested."

"You mean Steve?" Liz suspected Pops had been conspiring in her absence, "Sure thing, Pops." Liz bit her lip in an effort to keep from smiling in spite of herself. The old man probably thought he was being subtly clever, thinking of what he thought was an inconspicuous way to get her to talk to her new neighbor, and it was mildly adorable. Liz shook her head as she turned and started up the stairs.