A Love Out of Time

Chapter 3

Captain America looked at me with those beautiful eyes and sighed.

"I need to apologize. I-"

"You ran into me. Well, fell into me."

He winced. "I am so sorry."

"What happened?"

He pulled up a chair. "I got thrown off one of those alien speeders."

I blinked. Should I play dumb? I'd already watched the movie in my own reality. 

"Alien speeders?"

His eyes widened. "Oh,  of course! You've been asleep. New York City was attacked by aliens." He ran his hand across the back of his neck. "I know how weird that must sound."

I chuckled. "Not as weird as you think. How did they manage to get into the city?"

He looked nervously over his shoulder. "I'm not sure I'm allowed to tell you. But it's all taken care of, and we're repairing the damage right now."

"How bad is it? The destruction, I mean."

"It's pretty bad. Clean up could take many more months. Maybe even years. We're able to help out now, but we don't know when we'll be called into action again."

"Who do you mean by we?"

The cap sat up a little straighter. "The Avengers. The government has formed a group to stop threats to the United States and I guess,well, the world."

I wanted to sit up so badly. I felt like I was looking up at him from a weird angle. "That's amazing! I feel a lot safer knowing that you're doing that! Thank you."

He seemed to curl up at the praise. "It-it wasn't my idea, I-I just-um-"

I smiled softly. "Agatha. My name is Agatha."

"Steve. You can call me Steve."

His eyes were sucking me in. They were so clear, strong, but innocent. I couldn't stop looking. This was not a good sign.

"I like that. It's a good name. A Bible name."

His eyes took on a new light. "You've read the Bible?"

I chuckled. It looked like I'd hit the nail on the head. "Yeah, I try to do it often, whenever I get a chance."

He smiled, a little sadly. "You're the first person I've met, since I got back I mean, who-" 

This would have been when I reached out and touched his hand. Curse this useless body.

"I know. It's terrible." I bit my lip. "Do you go to church?"

"I did. I haven't been since I-um-"

"Since you woke up?"

"Yeah."

I smiled. "I know a really good church in Brooklyn. It's been around since 1890."

"Brooklyn?" He smiled again, and his gaze dropped shyly to the floor. "That's my home!" He winced. "It was my home."

"Then you might know my church! You should go. I would go with you, but I-I can't really move."

He leaned forward. There was an intensity in his eyes. "No, we'll go together. It won't be difficult to get a wheelchair, or-"

"No!" I hadn't been sent across realities to go to church. "My church doesn't have a ramp or anything!"

There was a desperate sort of longing in his eyes. I'd broken through. That had been surprisingly easy. He was far too innocent for his own good.

He swallowed. "I'll carry you if I have to, I can do that."

"I-" 

I didn't know what to say to that. It sounded like fun, to be perfectly honest. I felt my cheeks heating up. Grr, useless body. I needed to get rid of him before I slipped up. I needed to think. To figure things out.

"Um, I don't want to cause you problems."

"You wouldn't be a problem. Don't think that. I want to help you as much as I can. If you need anything, just let me know."

"So I'll see you again?" I knew I would.

He looked confused at the question. "I-of course!"

My brow furrowed. He'd walked right into the firing line. So I fired.

"But you-you're a hero! You're a celebrity! You don't know me; you barely know my name!" I grimaced at the sound of my own voice.

"I'm flattered that you would offer to help me, but when you walk out that door, I know I'll never see you again, and I-" My eyes watered and tears flowed down my cheeks. "I don't want you to make a promise you won't keep."

His jaw had tightened. Had I made him angry? I closed my eyes and felt the last of the water drip down my chin. Ah, now my eyes were going to be sore.

"I don't make promises I won't keep."

I heard footsteps cross the room, and the door creaked open and back shut. I kept my eyes closed. Peace and quiet. My first chance to think.