1. BEGINNINGS

                                    

                                          



Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting
 Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear
                          
Here Comes The Sun – The Beatles
                          
Steve Rogers was walking back to the Avengers tower, a baseball cap hiding his face with bright blue eyes and blonde hair from people.  Dressed in a fitted blue t-shirt and dark blue joggers, in a city like New York, it was easy to get lost. His run around Central Park had been uneventful.  The next mission wasn't even scheduled yet.  Steve was getting lost in his thoughts.  Man, I need something to do, he thought to himself. As he rounded the corner, a familiar face popped out of a cab.  
                          
Steve laughed and jogged to the man. "On your left." he said. 
                          
"It was annoying then and it's annoying now, Cap," Sam Wilson said to his friend as they shook hands. 
                          
"Glad you could make it into town, pal.  How's it going?"
                          
"Well, our missing person is still missing, so I am here to take a break and check out your new digs." 
                          
"Well, all right then.  Here is your pass to the place.  Tony will be able to get your biometrics in later so you can ditch it.  Are you sure you don't want your own room in the place?"
                          
"Nah man, Avenging is your thing, not mine.   So, what have you been up to man?"
                          
"Nothing much.  Been kinda slow around here.  So just been taking in the sights." 
                          
"Man, you need a girl in your life.  You sound so pathetic right now."
                          
"Screw you, Sam." 
                          
"Look, a lovely young lady could make your head feel better and not so 'poor me, poor sad super soldier that doesn't have a dance partner.'"
                          
"I hate you."
                          
"I love you too man."
                          
The two men head inside.  Neither of them realizing that fate was ready to hit them head on. 
                          
*~* Sophia *~*
                          
"Merde!" Sophia exclaimed as she bumped into someone as she came out of the elevator. She was distracted by her phone and wasn't paying attention as she dropped all of her papers. 
                          
The person next to her said "You could at least say excuse me or sorry" in a sarcastic tone. Sophia stopped, said "sorry," looked up and saw Sam Wilson in front of her helping her with her papers and crouching down next to him was Captain Steven Rogers
                          
Sophia Taylor had worked at Stark Industries in the Avengers tower for over a year but had never met any of the Avengers up to this point. She was intrigued by the piercing blue eyes staring back at her but found his friend's tone to be arrogant. 
                          
"My apologies Mr. Wilson," she said in an equally sarcastic, slightly French, tone. She stood up and straightened up her lab coat, pushed up her glasses and instinctively make sure she has no hair out of place from her bun. She turned on heel, looked back and said, "Excuse me Captain Rogers" and walk towards her lab 
                          
Once she reached her lab, she reached for her ID to scan into the lab. I must have dropped it at the elevator, she said to herself. As she turned around to go back to the elevator, Captain Rogers happened to be right behind her, startling her. 
                          
"Is there anything I can help you with, Captain Rogers?" she said to him.
                          
"I was just returning your ID, Miss Taylor," he said.
                          
She replied, "It's Dr. Taylor," as she spun on her heel and headed into her office. 
                          
Sophia was never one to be rude to anyone. So, it was shocking to her to hear herself be rude to the Captain. Of course, it didn't help that he was staring at her like she was a piece of art, appraising her. Sophia is slim but short with long wavy inky black hair and just as dark eyes. She looked nothing like her mother but everything like her father and brother. Except Sophia never wanted to trade on the family name. She was Dr. Taylor to everyone. 
                          
Sophia closed the door to the lab and was immediately pulled into her office by Gemma Simmons and Daisy Johnson, her fellow partners in the lab.  
                          
"Were you just talking to Steve Rogers?" Daisy asked excitedly. 
                          
"Unfortunately," she replies in a disapproving tone. 
                          
Daisy looks at Gemma in disbelief. 
                          
"Why is that a bad thing?" Gemma asks. 
                          
"He's an Avenger Gemma. And he was staring at me like a piece of meat. I don't need that in my life." 
                          
Gemma rolled her eyes. "Sophia, you need to open your eyes and see that he found you attractive."
                          
"Give me a break Gemma. No one finds me attractive until they hear my full name."
                          
*~* Steve *~*
                          
Man, who is that girl? He asks himself as he and Sam get to the Avengers floor. She seems familiar but not. She's gorgeous. Beautiful accent. And smart, he assumes by the title on her door. Dr. Sophia Taylor Director of Medical Science and Robotics
                          
"Earth to Steve!" yells Sam. 
                          
"Sorry man." Steve rubs the back of his neck. 
                          
"What are you thinking about?"
                          
"Uhhh.... nothing." Steve's cheek flush slightly.
                          
Sam shakes his head.  "Yeah right. It's the girl from the elevator." 
                          
"Man, how do you do that?"
                          
"What?"
                          
"Read my mind." 
                          
Sam chuckles. "What was her name?"
                          
"Dr. Sophia Taylor. She looks young but she a director in the lab."
                          
"Steve, man. I don't know. She seemed to hate us."
                          
"Why would you say that?"
                          
"From her tone. I mean I wasn't that rude. C'mon let's go train."
                          
"Sam, I think I need to find a way to see Dr. Taylor. Ask for forgiveness."
                          
"That's a nice gesture Steve, but why? You will probably never see her again." 
                          
Steveturned to him with a smile and a plan. "Oh, I will see her again. We are justgoing to need to go "full out" in training."