Ironically enough, the first Avenger to meet her was… The First Avenger.

Steve Rogers stood at a corner of Times Square with his motorbike, gazing out into the seething mass of people. People passing by, people milling about… the Square was teeming with the life and bustle that was the signature of the city that never sleeps. It seemed as if not even an alien invasion could kill the spirit of the city.

For a man who still remembered it as an open space with stone buildings and no ground-to-sky video screens, it was completely overwhelming.

Steve sighed and shook his head. This was why he needed to leave the city. He needed some time to think, to adjust. It had just been a month since he had awoken in the 21st century, and three weeks since the Chitauri attack. Time after that was spent healing, learning, and finding information on his old teammates.

Fury had allowed him to find his old team and visit them. Already there was a car waiting for him back at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, ready to take him to see… to see Peggy.

He needed to find his place in this new world he'd awoken to. For that, he needed to say goodbye to his old one.

He couldn't run away from it anymore.

A voice spoke up by his elbow, jolting him out of his thoughts. "Hey, mister."

Steve turned, wondering who it could be. He found himself looking down at a small, thin girl, not looking a day over thirteen, with straw-blonde hair and inquisitive blue eyes. She stared openly at him, her eyebrows meeting in a little frown, like he was a puzzle she couldn't solve. "Are you lost?" she asked, tilting her head and peering up at his face.

He smiled a little wryly. "I guess you could say that," he replied. "What's a little gal like you doing out here all alone?" He raised his head and searched the crowds, but no one looked like they were missing a kid.

"I'm fifteen," the girl replied flatly, her cool blue eyes unimpressed. "I can walk around New York by myself, thanks."

Steve had to hide a smile at her confidence. "Still, you have to be careful, little miss," he said seriously. "It hasn't been that long since the aliens attacked the city after all. And that doesn't include the regular, everyday goons the city seems to attract," he added.

The girl rolled her eyes. "Yes dad, I'll be careful," she replied, her voice full of sarcasm. There was a little twinkle in her eyes though, as though she found something funny in what he had said. Steve wondered what could be so funny about people waiting for victims in a dark alley.

Something buzzed against his thigh. He didn't need to look to know that it was his phone ringing. (He didn't want to look. He had enough trouble trying to navigate the damn thing.) He sighed softly. It was time to go.

"Go home, kid," he advised, getting on his bike. "This isn't the kind of day to spend outside on your own."

"And you, mister?" Blue eyes stared into blue. "Are you going home?"

His smile was sad as he shook his head. "I'm going to visit a friend," he told her. "Besides… I'm not sure where home is anymore," he murmured to himself.

"Me neither."

He turned towards the girl in surprise, not quite sure if he'd heard her right over the sea of noise that was Times Square. She merely smiled at him and waved. "See you around, mister." Then she turned and melted back into the crowd.

Steve stared after her a little while longer, then shook his head. "It's none of my business," he decided.

It would be months before he would realize how mistaken he was.

Okay, I just got an idea and it blossomed on a whim and now I am writing it. This won't be as serious or as long or as complicated as Fragments of Memory, so expect shorter chapters. Can't say if the updates will be more regular or more erratic than FoM though, hahaha!

If anyone wants to get to know my OC better, she's actually a modified version of an OC I use to RP. I won't say her name so as not to spoil anything, but if you're the curious type, just go over to www .under-the-lonely-stars. tumblr. com (without the spaces). The cover picture is a picture I photoshopped myself, with my OC's face claim Elle Fanning. (She has the same face claim in tumblr.)

Next update should be in a few days, then after that, who knows? C: