The man lands a solid slap to her face and the weight of the blow throws her off her feet. She doesn't have the courage nor strength to get up again and instead leans against the dingy brick wall behind her. She tastes iron in her mouth and her eyes sting with terrified tears, and even though it hasn't worked the last five times she's called; she opens her mouth anyway.

"HELP", she screams it with all the power in her lungs and it breaks at the end with a sob.

The man grins cruelly and starts towards her again and then suddenly he is there. Her knight in shining armor. Well… maybe not 'shining armor'. No the man that jumps in to her rescue her wears a thick jacket and clothes that are much too big for him. He's short and wiry and maybe just a little bit sickly in appearance. He's punched almost immediately and gets knocked to the ground at her feet; proving that in this case his looks are not deceiving. However, he stands up. And she can't really pay attention to his thin, frail wrists when she's busy starring at his big blue eyes which shine with such utter determination and goodness that she can't seem to look away.

So 'knight in shining armor' it is.

The knight doesn't stay down and he's getting the mess beat out of him while she tries to gain her wits until another boy barrels into the alleyway. He is far taller and more built than the first and he knocks straight into the attacker. The fight doesn't last too much longer after that and the knight seems to have trouble not wobbling on his feet, yet he still makes his way to her side and kneels down to make sure she's okay.

"You alright ma'am?" And she is still captivated by those blue, kind eyes, but now she also notices his ruffled blonde hair and the bruises and bumps forming across his pale skin.

"Yes", she croaks when she finally finds her voice, "thanks to you that is. What's your name?"

He looks slightly startled by the acquisition and he looks to his friend before turning back to the girl, "Steve Rogers, ma'am. And my friend is Bucky Barnes."

"It's nice to meet you Steve Rogers", she says with a slightly swollen smile and she turns to his brunette friend as well, "and Bucky Barnes. My name is Ruth Kenneth, can you help me up?"

And they do, but it's mostly Bucky because Steve can't seem to pull her up quite right. She notices now that she's standing that she's about two inches taller than Steve whereas his friend Bucky is quite a bit taller than either of them. While she gives them a once over they both return her greeting. Before either of them can offer to walk her home; she jumps in with a different proposition.

"Will you two come with me so I can fix you both up? It's the least I can do for your help", she smiles polite and sweet.

"Oh no ma'am we couldn't impose on your time like that", Bucky rushes to say and it seems that Steve agrees with him but Ruth will have none of it.

"You aren't imposing", she insists and grabs at Steve's hand which is still red from landing a punch on Ruth's attacker. "I don't mind and like I said; if you two hadn't come I- I don't even know what he would have done. Please let me help you now."

How can Steve refuse when it's put like that and Bucky can't help thinking that even with a busted lip and a cheek which is beginning to look a little purple; Ruth is fairly pretty. So Steve gives a nod of his head, "If you're sure."

Her earthy green eyes light up with joy and she tugs on Steve's hand as she moves towards the exit of the alleyway and lets go once he starts walking too, "You both follow me then! I don't live too far from here so it won't be long."

They walk together in relative quiet and Steve can't help but stare in wonderment at the back of the girl's head. Not a moment in this entire ordeal has she left him behind. She hasn't overlooked him and the fact that she didn't run when he threw off her attacker spoke volumes of her own bravery. Bucky walked in stride with him and the blonde glanced over at his best friend. Bucky barely received any injury at all; at worst the red mark to the right of his forehead would make a noticeable bruise. Ruth was right when she said the walk wouldn't be long. She soon stopped at an apartment that was on street level and ushered the two in with a smile.

"You two take a seat on the couch and I'll be right back", she instructed. A hallway branched off from the apparent living room and she paused and leaned out from the opening, "Oh I almost forgot! Is there anything I can get you two? Water, coffee, milk?"

"A glass of water would be fine, ma'am", Bucky answered with a charming smile.

"Thank you, but I'm fine Ms. Kenneth", Steve answered.

"Just call me Ruth; 'Ms. Kenneth' makes me sound like I'm your teacher", she smiled and disappeared into the hallway.

There was rustling and the sounds of cupboards opening and closing and a glass clinking. While they waited Steve took in his surroundings. The apartment isn't very large and it's strangely quiet. Ruth doesn't appear to be any older than either him or Bucky and yet there doesn't seem to be any immediate family in the home. The walls in the living room are mostly bare, but a framed picture sits on a little side table to the right of the couch which depicts Ruth and a younger boy. On another note the apartment gives this feeling of being run down despite the fact that it's immaculate.

Ruth returns carrying the glass of water that Bucky requested and a metal box. She hands Bucky the glass and he gives her a grateful smile along with a 'thank you ma'am' in return. She busies herself with opening the box and pulling out various over-the-counter first aid. Steve notes how familiar Ruth is with the box's contents and wonders if she's had a lot of nasty run-ins. The thought makes him a bit angry; people shouldn't be attacking ladies on the street. Or anyone really. Once Ruth has pulled out quite a few things; including bandages, rubbing alcohol, some liquid medicine, and gauze, she stands and places her hands on her hips looking rather satisfied.

"Alright", she started and grabbed a cotton ball and the rubbing alcohol, "let's get started yes? Steve this will probably sting a little."

It does sting; a lot. She rubs the first cotton ball and several more over the cut across his cheek, his skinned palms, the cuts on his stomach, and the scrapes on his knees where his jeans had torn. She runs to the kitchen and comes back with three small bags of ice. Two of which go to Steve; held against his stomach and eye, while the third is pressed to Bucky's temple. She has Steve drink what is apparently pain medicine and wipes up any leaking blood from his scrapes. As she is bandaging the cut on his cheek he finally speaks up.

"You seem very familiar with stuff like this", he starts, "where did you learn it?"

"Oh", she exclaims as if maybe she should have told them this earlier. "My baby brother. You see he has a weak constitution and ends up sick quite often. My mother passed away about two years ago and I don't remember my father much so I have to take care of him. He's at the neighbor's house right now though."

"It's just you and your brother?" Bucky sounds a little stunned, "How old are you?"

"I'm seventeen", she answers. "He's fourteen. We're not completely on our own; our neighbor does help with the rent sometimes. I work at a diner not far from here."

Steve can't help the pang in his chest when he hears about her mother and feels a sense of connection in understanding; having so recently lost his own mother to TB. "Then you're only a year younger than us", Steve mentions with a friendly grin. "What's the name of the diner?"

"Sun's Up Diner", she replies while putting on the final bandage and leaning back to look over her work. "It's a small place, but they've got the best pancakes in New York. And now you're all patched up."

"Maybe we should visit you at the diner", Bucky suggested with that ever-charming grin of his.

"That would be wonderful", she smiled brightly. "Steve, do you wish to visit the diner as well?"

"I- uh well", Steve stammered. He just was so unused to being a wanted person by anyone other than Bucky. "Of course ma'am. It sounds lovely."

"Well, I'm going to hold you two to that", she said with a wink. She glanced towards her blinds then and gasped, "It's already getting dark. I guess that means you boys have to go?"

"Yeah", the boys agreed in unison.

She walked them to the door and as she opened it she gave one more calculating look to Steve's injuries. She stood on her toes and planted a small kiss to Bucky's cheek before leaning down slightly to do the same to Steve.

"Thanks for saving me boys", her grin was so bright, "I better see you at the diner someday."

Alright! So this is the beginning of a new story! Obviously it's going to start a few years before Captain America: The First Avenger but it's going to carry on into the Avengers story line which means it's going to be a slow burn. I've already got quite a lot of this story written out (about half-way into The First Avenger movie) but I'm still going to be editing and writing more in on the parts I've already got down so the updates won't be super fast. Anyway I hope you guys enjoyed this first chapter; it's a bit of a teaser yes? I appreciate any praise or criticism! - Kue