Steve Rogers sighed and rubbed his eyes. He really didn't like signing autographs, but here he was. Captain America did have to keep up appearances, after all.

To tell the truth, he had signed so many things, his arm was about to fall off. Not to mention that he wasn't really paying attention anymore. 'Thank you so much for serving.' 'I'm a huge fan.' 'I can't believe you're here, in Los Angeles.' 'Thank you for fighting those horrible Nazis.' 'With you on our side, we'll be sure to win.'

And on and on and on.

"Excuse me? Captain America, sir?"

A small voice snapped him out of his trance. He looked up to see a girl of about fourteen years of age. He was about to fall back into the habit of smiling without really meaning it, but then he noticed her eyes.

She had long black hair, so black it was almost purple. She had full red lips and high cheek bones. But her eyes... her eyes were silver like the moon with flecks of gold around her pupil. Tinges of sea green ran through, overall giving her eyes the unnerving look of being able to see into your soul.

Steve was curious to see what she looked like when she grew up. She was beautiful now, imagine what she would look like in a few years.

She smiled, revealing pearly white, even teeth. "I know you probably have heard everything by now, so I'll spare you the pain. I was wondering if you could do something for me?"

Steve smiled back. "I'm afraid that depends on what you want me to do, Miss...?"

"Eveningstar," she supplied and held out her hand to shake. "Amurni Eveningstar. You see, my dad was a solider. He was taken as a prisoner of war and died last week under questioning. He wouldn't give them the answers they wanted." "I'm very sorry-"

"Please save me your apologies, Captain," she cut him off politely. "You've probably said that to countless others, I'm not the first and I won't be the last. I know you'll probably forget me anyway. But if you could, would you please try and find his body? He always wanted to be buried on American soil. He was an immigrant, you see. From Britain. I don't even care if he's buried in the town's cemetery. he just wanted his body to be here, in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. That's all I ask, Captain."

He looked into her piercing eyes and found himself nodding in agreement. "Of course, Miss. Eveningstar," he could hear his voice saying. "I'll do the best I can."

She smiled softly and left the table. Only then did he realize she had left behind a small plate of fresh chocolate chip cookies.

...

I tried not to scream as Melissa, my stepmother, dragged me away from the building where the signing was being held. "Brat," she hissed. "I specifically told you not go and bother Captain America with your silly daddy issues."

"Then why did you marry him if you won't respect his last request?" I spat out. "People get married for love, not because they want money."

Melissa yanked me into the alleyway and smacked me. I sucked in a sharp breath of air, my cheek stinging. Her grip on my wrist tightened and I knew that there would be bruises there tomorrow. "Let me go," I told her lowly. "Let me go right now unless you want to find out what the inside of a jail cell looks like."

"And who would believe you?" she laughed darkly. "I'm rich, thanks to your idiot father conveniently leaving everything to me. I could tell them you're clumsy. I could bribe them off. I could do anything to you and no one would care. Because no one cares about you, you insufferable little whelp. Your precious father did, but then he went and got himself captured, didn't he?" She pushed me to the ground and towered over me.

"Hey," a voice called.

A tall boy with kind blue eyes and dark hair stood in the entrance to the alley. "Get lost, kid," Melissa ordered. He crossed his arms. "I don't think I will. From what I heard, you've done things worth jail time. I'd suggest you let the girl go."

"You have no authority over me," Melissa chuckled. "You have no hold."

"Yes I do," the boy said confidently. "Because I'm Ben Logan."

A flash of fear crossed Melissa's face. Because of course the mayor's son would be the one to find her abusing her stepdaughter.

Melissa let go of me and ran out of the alley.

Ben walked over to where I was on the ground and offered me his hand. I looked hesitantly at it before grabbing it. He helped me off and I brushed the dirt off my skirt. "Thanks," I mumbled, not meeting his eyes. "Of course," I could hear him smile. "Anything for a damsel in distress."

I guess it was supposed to be a line that had girls swooning all over him. But not me. My gaze snapped up to his face and I scowled. I turned on my heel and stalked out of the alleyway.

"Hey!" he caught up to me. "What did I say?" "I don't need saving," I growled. "I'm not helpless."

That was true. Dad had owned a very well known dojo and taught self defense. He had taught me. He didn't want me to be caught defenseless. My heart squeezed at the thought of Dad, but I kept walking. I could cry once I was-

I stopped short, Ben running into me. Where would I go? Melissa would certainly not be letting me go back to the small mansion I had called home my entire life. I would probably go to my tree house, I decided. It was in the woods, far away from my horrible stepmother. It also had a few things stocked up just in case. I had spent most nights that Dad wasn't home there anyways. It had most of my belongings there. I kept walking.

"Hey," Ben called again. "I'm sorry, I really am. I just thought you were one of those kinds of girls. I mean, you're wearing a skirt."

I whirled around and gave him the evil eye. "How often do you put your foot in your mouth, Ben?" I asked incredulously. "Or am I just special?" "Of course you're special," he told me.

That was the wrong answer once again, because I turned my back on him and kept walking. "At least let me buy you an ice cream." Dear Lord, he was back again. "As a thank you for me saving you from that woman." I absolutely hated this boy.

"No," I growled out. "Not in a million years. I'd rather kiss a pig."

I finally left him in the dust. "I don't even know your name!" he hollered.

I turned at the end of the street and glared. "Do I look like I care?"

Hey guys! Review please! This fiction might not be updated regularly, I'm really sorry about that, but reviews make me want to write.

-mirasecret