Give Up Your Heart Left Broken

"I think everyone needs a break from home every once and a while." Aubree laughed softly. In her case, the break from home hadn't been a decision that she had made though. After the death of her parents, she left Chicago to go live with her grandparents in sunny Florida. The bright sunshine and near constant beach weather wasn't enough to keep her there after she graduated high school though. And, after college now, she didn't go back very often. "What exactly do you do now then?" She asked, merely curious. She could see why he would want a break from all that. And she was sure that he'd helped people in the two tours that he had served. Most people weren't the same after going through something like that. She knew firsthand since her best friend's older brother had served in Afghanistan. When he come home when she and his sister were seniors in high school, she was still the same person that everyone remembered, but there was something about him that was different too.

---

Steve chuckled. "Well, you don't have to worry about making that sort of an impression on me." He assured her. "Quirky isn't crazy." They were two completely different things, though he supposed that, with how some people were today, some might consider them to be one in the same. He honestly didn't understand why people were the way that they were today. He really didn't think that he would ever understand them though. Not without giving himself a major migraine. "I normally embarrass myself too, so we can embarrass ourselves together." He wasn't afraid to admit that he wasn't the smoothest talker out there. He knew that he wasn't, so he wasn't going to deny the truth. "I'm alright. It's nice out today." It's nice out today? Really? You're talking about the weather now?

James nodded in agreement, and listened to Aubree talk for a moment before answering her question. "To be honest nothing really I was thinking of moving out of New Yotk to elsewhere not sure where though" James really thought about not going back to New York he's miss Steve but couldn't face him at the moment. He was so conflicted and needed to figure himself out first. James yawned into his hand and thought about ordering another coffee but didn't, "I was thinking of settling somewhere and getting a dog or something for company" he chuckled at the thought maybe he should do that and forget about his past friendships. James knew deep down that Steve would keep searching for Bucly until he found him. That's one thing he could count on that as stubborn as his friend was he wouldn't give up on him. even after James tried to kill him.

Evelyn giggled at the thought, "that sounds lovely, because I'll be honest I the clumsiest person you will ever meet." She took a seat on her sofa to listen to him, she was glad he called even if it was just to talk about the weather she did enjoy hearing him speak. Now if she'd get the nerve to ask him out, the good thing about the 21sr century was that girls didn't have to wait until a guy asked them out they could easily asked them out too. "It's really nice out I agree. Do you have any plans?" She asked biting her lower lip she was already quivering. Evelyn wondered where she would go if he did decide on going out with her. She also needed to get some food and cleaning supplies she would put those off til later.

Aubree laughed softly. "I've found that animals can be better company than humans sometimes." She said. And, to be completely honest, she really did mean that when she said it. People were so superficial nowadays. They were constantly passing judgements when they had no right, and so many of them were living a lie. And that was really one thing that she couldn't quite stand: liars. She would rather someone be completely up front with her even if the truth hurt. Because sometimes the truth did hurt, but she felt that finding out someone had lied to her face hurt more in most cases. "I've been moving around for a couple of years now. I left pretty much as soon as I finished high school, I went to college for two years in Virginia, and I've sort of just been moving around ever since."

---

Steve chuckled. "I'm sure you can't be that bad." He said. He never really allowed what a person said about themselves, or other people for that matter, stick with him until he witnessed it firsthand. For all he knew she could really be as clumsy as she claimed she was, but he didn't know that firsthand, so he really wouldn't believe it until he saw it. "For today? Nope. Nothing at all actually. I visited one of my friends at work earlier, but that was all I really had planned for today." He left out the part where he'd went to visit said friend to get advice about calling her.

James nodded agreeing with what Aubree had said, "I agree, they don't back talk, most of the time anyway, they're loyal and they'll love you forever" he chuckled, "well, dogs do anyway" He had noticed a change in people between the 40's and the now. It was different often felt vacant like no one really cares or most of the population did it's just some didn't. He'd never understand that. James nodded as he listened to Aubree talk about herself, he smiled, "do you enjoy traveling? I enjoyed it, different cultures teach us different things and it's a nice change. I do get homesick every so often mostly because of my friend. Most of my family is gone" he said quietly. It was true he didn't have much family they were all either dead or out of New York, he wasn't even sure anymore it's been 70 years so he wasn't exactly knowledgeable about his family tree.

Evelyn smiled, biting on her lower lip ask him, do it. Say something, don't just babble. I'm sure he wants to date you, otherwise he wouldn't of called. Wwait... what if he just wanted to be nice? Evelyn shook her train of thoughts away, "oh did you? that's nice. actually I haven't made many friends since I've been here." she thought about it for a moment, "I mean my job keeps me busy and my co-workers are nice enough they just... they party too much and that's not my scene I guess that's why I lack friends and social skills for that matter" she laughed, "would you like to maybe... since you don't have much going on... spend the day with me?" dude! That sounded so weird. Wait... he's one of those nice guys! He won't take it the wrong way. Not him anyway.

Aubree laughed softly. "Exactly. With people, there are so many things that you have to worry about." She said. With animals, dogs in particular, you didn't have to worry about them talking back or stabbing you in the back or anything like that. People could just be so shallow and cruel now. It was a terrible thing to say, but it was the truth. She nodded, a small smile on her face. "Yeah, I do actually. I always knew that I wanted to travel, and I'm glad that I've gotten the chance to do it." She said. She left out her reason for traveling. It wasn't like it was something that she went around broadcasting to the world or anything. "I think everyone gets homesick sometimes. I've been traveling for a couple of years now, and I still do. Most of my family is gone too. It's really just me and my grandparents, so I usually visit them a few times a year."

---

"How long have you lived here?" Steve asked her curiously. He wondered if she was from around here, or if she'd moved here within the last couple of years. Really, there were a lot of things that he wondered about Evelyn. He hardly knew her. After all, they had only met the day before, so he really didn't know a lot about her. "You don't seem to lack any social skills to me." He chuckled. Her next words sort of surprised him, partially because he still wasn't used to certain aspects of society yet. And he really hadn't expected for her to ask if he wanted to spend the day with her, although he had been planning on asking her a similar question anyway. "That sounds great actually." He smiled.

James nodded as he watched her as she talked about people, she was right about everything. James had lost some faith in humanity over the years, the way the acted towards one another, their morals, it all had changed and he didn't really like it. James took another sip of water and smiled, "do you ever stay put in one place or are you constantly moving?' he was curious to know more about this girl. He checked the time and shook his head, he's been sitting in this diner for two hours now, "can't believe I've been sitting here for a couple of hours" he chuckled. He didn't really want to leave but knew that he had to leave eventually, "so where you ahead after this?" James asked out of curiosity.

Evelyn thought for a moment and answered, "four years now, I've moved here back when I was 18, I was so eager to be independent in the big city, you know that kind of thing, I am originally from Florida" Evelyn grinned, "I guess I had some practice, I used to be really awkward when I first got up here" Evelyn bit down on her lip something she always did when nervous, "really? that's great, hmm.. you want to meet me somewhere like a park or something?" she didn't want to suggest her place because that would be weird.

Aubree shook her head. "Not really, no." She told him honestly, taking a sip of her coffee. "I think the longest I've really ever stayed in one place was about two months in Arizona. Usually I stay somewhere for a couple of days or a few weeks tops." She knew that eventually she would have to just give up on this whole search and stay in one place, but she didn't have to yet. She still had time. "It's been a few hours already? I guess it's better than time drubbing. That's the worst." She was sure that, if she hadn't ended up talking to him, time would have probably passed by much more slowly. "I'm honestly not too sure. I don't always know where I'm headed. Sometimes I just wait for something to jump out at me and I take that as a sign." Or I wait for a lead on the man who killed my parents nearly twenty years ago. Yeah, that too.

---

"A place like this can be pretty overwhelming at first." Steve said. And he was speaking from personal experience. It took him a while to adjust to everything once he'd woken up. Everything was so different. Of course, he had some help, and he did start to get the hang of everything, but every once and a while something would catch him completely off guard and surprise him. Normally it was nothing that he couldn't handle though. "Whatever works for you." He wasn't picky. He didn't care where they met up. If there was someplace that was easier for her to get to, he'd go there. Whatever was convenient for her.

James nodded, "seems like a few hours I can see the sky getting a little orange" he chuckled, 'I'm going to regret not sleeping later in the day I'm sure" he wasn't quite sure where he was going to go next but he was sure it be farther out west. The farther away from Steve the better, or so he thought, "yeah time drubbing isn't exactly the best thing" he laughed quietly and then nodded, "yeah me either, I'm thinking though I head out west" he rubbed the back of his neck and then stood up to stretch. He was numb just sitting there, though talking to Aubree was making time fly.

Evelyn agreed with him, "yeah, I've gotten used to the city' she looked at the time, "I suppose we can meet up where we met yesterday" she chuckled, "I like being out doors when I can unless I'm too tired" she nodded as she walked over to get her shoes. I don't think this is considered a date... Evelyn pulled her hair into a neat braid before grabbing her purse, of course she didn't know what would be considered a date. "I suppose I should head out now'

"That makes two of us." Aubree laughed softly. She was sure that she would regret not getting a couple more hours of sleep later in the day. She always did when something like this happened. It wasn't like she would have been able to fall back asleep though anyway. She would have probably laid in that uncomfortable motel bed, staring up at the ceiling for a couple of hours before she finally got up and headed out. At least she'd used her time productively and gotten herself something to eat, and well, she'd enjoyed talking to James. He wasn't anything like she'd initially expected him to be. "It's the absolutely worst." She laughed again. "I haven't been out west in a while." She'd been strictly along the eastern seaboard for the last couple of months.

---

"That's fine by me." Steve chuckled. As aforementioned, he didn't really care where they met up. And, as he'd mentioned earlier, awkwardly but he'd mentioned it, it was a nice day, so meeting up at the same place they'd met up at the day before sounded great. He was actually really looking forward to seeing her again. He liked talking to Evelyn, and he was glad that he'd taken Sam's advice and called her today. If he hadn't, well, he really didn't know when he would have called her or if he would have just chickened out or something. "I'll see you soon, Evelyn."

James smiled at her and thought about what he would be doing if he was still at the motel, probably on lying on his back staring at the ceiling, moping and thinking about his pal. He also thought about not once since talking to Aubree had he had any flashbacks or guilt. It was nice for a change instead of being haunted by t he guilt of what he had done in New York and the past few years. "I'm sure I'll past out at some motel later and sleep for hours" he laughed. "Why not? if you don't mind me asking, maybe you should think about it" he suggested.

Evelyn smiled, "all right, I will see you soon then" Evelyn hung up after saying bye and was on her way. Evelyn walked to the park she was at the other day, thinking about how this was not a date, or maybe it is? you did ask him to spend the day with you. So technically it's a date. Maybe he'll be as awkward as you? She shook her thoughts away as she walked to park she thought of what she was going to say, at least she wasn't a hot mess this time around.

"Yeah, me too." Aubree laughed softly. She was sure that, after driving for a couple of hours, she would find some motel in whatever town or city she was in so that she could get some sleep. She shrugged her shoulders. "Haven't had anything jump out at me that took me there." None of the leads I had led me there. Lying sort of came easy to her. No one knew her reason for traveling. No one knew that there was source of motivation for her. No one knew that she had seen the man who killed her parents. No one knew that she'd been home. And she didn't know if anyone ever would.

---

Steve smiled and said goodbye before hanging up the phone. Once he had done so, he wasted no time in heading on over to the park he'd met Evelyn at the day prior. He was looking forward to the rest of the day. As he walked, he realized that he had no idea what he was supposed to consider this. Was it just two friends spending time together? Was it a date? Evelyn hadn't really specified what it was, and he didn't want to assume that it was a date or anything like that. Just in case it wasn't. But what if it was? Should he assume that it was without actually letting it be known that he'd made an assumption? He had absolutely no idea.

James nodded, "understandable, you should stop by San Diego if you get the chance, it's nice out there" he wondered if there were other motives to why she was traveling so much, but he wasn't going to pry. Everyone had their stories on why they did something or where they went and it was none of his business why she was moving about so much, it was nice getting to know her though and he wasn't sure he wanted to leave just yet.

Evelyn walked to the park and looked around it was such a lovely day and she hoped that he would enjoy his time with her, she was nervous. It's been too long since she's been out with a man, the last few times she tried dating they always failed. The guy was either coming onto strong to her or they were a real jackass, she knew though that Steve was different. He wasn't like the average guy around here and he was sweet. Evelyn took a seat on the same bench she was sitting at the other day, waiting for Steve.

Aubree smiled. "Maybe I will." She said. She left out the part where it really all depended on whether or not she had any leads. Of course, she wasn't expecting to get anywhere with any of them, and sometimes she felt as though she should really just give up altogether. She'd been searching for this man for years and still had come up with nothing. It didn't matter how soon she acted on the leads she found, because no matter what, she always ended up being too late. This man, whoever he was, was practically a ghost.

---

It didn't take Steve very long to reach the park. It actually wasn't that far from his apartment, and he smiled when he spotted a familiar brunette seat on a familiar bench. He was glad to see Evelyn in a much better state than she'd been the day before. It appeared as though the talk that she'd had with him had really helped, and really that was one of the only outcomes he could have really hoped for. He was glad that he'd been able to help her. "So, how much of the city have you actually seen since you've been here?" He asked her curiously once he reached her.

James was in profound thought again, thinking that maybe he should get going and say good bye to Aubree. He could see that the sunrise was coming in, "well, I see that the sun is finally coming out" he chuckled softly. "I suppose I should get going, I'm not really sure where I'm headed you'd think I would have figured this out last night" he laughed, "I leave things until the last minute" James stood and stretched his arms and looked at Aubree. "It was nice officially meeting you"

Evelyn hummed quietly thinking about how much better she felt and it was because Steve sat and listened to, of course he didn't have to but he was kind enough to. Evelyn stood when she saw Steve walked up to her and smiled. "Actually I don't think I've seen the entire city now that I think about it I haven't seen much" she laughed quietly. She looked at Steve and smiled brightly at him, she wasn't sure why she was so happier today than she had been the past few weeks.

"Finally." Aubree laughed softly. Sometimes, she felt like the early hours of the morning before dawn were practically endless. There was just something about those last couple of hours of darkness that always seemed to last longer than the earlier hours of the evening. "So your destination is unknown. Do you have any way of getting to this unknown destination of yours?" She asked curiously, raising an eyebrow. She smiled at his later words. "Likewise." And it really had been nice meeting him officially. She wasn't lying about that at all.

---

"Well, there are certain parts of the city that I haven't seen in years, I left for a while, so today can be an eye-opening experience for both of us." Steve chuckled. He obviously left out the part where he'd been asleep for nearly seventy years and how he'd only woken up two or so years before. He still didn't know if she recognized him, or knew who he was. He was sort of enjoying the fact that she hadn't mentioned anything about him being Captain America or anything like that. Maybe she'd been working so much that she hadn't really noticed what had been going on, and maybe she just had never been to the Smithsonian and seen the whole exhibit they now had set up there.

James looked at Aubree and shook his head, "not really I'm going to either ride a bus, a cab, or I might walk if I have to" he chuckled, it wasn't like he would get mugged, he would like to see them try. He smiled at her, "what about you? anyway of getting to your unknown destination?" He heard the door opened as people started piling into the small restaurant, it was starting to get a little loud too, something he didn't enjoy. Loud noises like people talking so loud, he shook his head, "you want to go outside?"

Evelyn smiled and nodded "that sounds wonderful" she hadn't mean to grab his arm but she did it without thinking it. Her face was a little pink once she had realized and she wanted to drop it but she didn't want to be rude. So she didn't. Evelyn kept walking looking forward, you're holding his arm. It's a date. she metally kicked herself for even making the smallest of moves. "I've often thought about moving out of New York, because of the last few years, scary just to think about" she nodded.

"You're going to walk along the highway?" Aubree asked in disbelief. She thought it was bad that she had absolutely no idea where she was going, but at least she had a definite mode of transportation. "I don't think there are any cabs in a town like this, and I haven't seen a single bus pass through since I got here last night." She paused for a moment, glancing over to the door when she heard it open. A group of people had just walked in, and several others were heading along the sidewalk towards the place as well. "I have my car." She told him before nodding. "Yeah, sure." She smiled, pulling some money out that should cover her meal and the tip for the girl before she stood.

---

Steve was kind of surprised when she grabbed his, though he didn't say anything of it. It wasn't like it was a problem, or that he minded. It had just sort of caught him off guard. "Alright, great." He smiled at her before he started walking, heading to the left so they'd walk through to the exit for the park farthest from them. He figured that they could talk some more, maybe get to know each other better. And then they could figure out what else they were going to do. He had nothing planned for the rest of the day other than spending it with her. "Where do you think you'd go?" He asked her curiously.

James chuckled, "that or hitchhike which I think walking is safer" he thought about asking her for a ride but that would put her in a weird position and he didn't want to do that. Yet he can't really walk through the highway he would surely get 'arrested' or something along those lines. James didn't want his cover blown that's for sure, a he stepped outside after paying for his meal he looked at her and smiled, "you know I wish I could stay longer and talk to you, but I know you have to get going as well" James grinned at the girl, "I know I kind of made an ass of myself earlier with that vending my machine but I wanted to help"

Evelyn couldn't believe what she did, she didn't usually grab people like that especially guys she had an attraction to, so this came out of nowhere. She looked up at him and smiled softly, "I'm not sure, maybe California or Kansas somewhere I would feel safe" she started talking, "but then it doesn't matter where you are, there's danger everywhere, I guess what I'm saying is that I would have to live or have someone with me that makes me feel safe" she nodded as she looked forward. "I haven't always felt secure, when I lost my boyfriend the first few months were scary for me, because I kept thinking his friends would come try to attack me or something" she swallowed and continued, "I'd have anxiety attacks and I couldn't sleep, I'm not sure what changed though" Evelyn bit her lip and sighed, "I just want to be happy again"

Aubree laughed. "Yeah, walking probably would be safer." She was half tempted to offer him a ride, but she didn't know if she should or not. He seemed nice, and he wasn't really anything like how she'd originally thought he was a couple of hours ago. "You didn't make an ass of yourself. Like I said earlier, I was just in a pissy mood." She shrugged her shoulders slightly, smiling. "Are you seriously going to walk along the highway until you find a town that has a bus or cab that you can catch?" She asked, now honestly really leaning towards offering him a ride. "Because, if you want, you could always hitch a ride with me? I still have no idea where I'm going exactly, but you don't either, so it doesn't really matter, I guess?"

---

Steve nodded. "There is danger everywhere no matter how you think about it." He said. Things were different now than they had been back in the forties. Sure, there was obviously danger back then too, but there was so much more now. He doubted that kids could go out and play baseball or basketball in the street anymore without their parents worrying about something happening. A woman couldn't walk down the road at night without worrying about being attacked. Things were just different now. It was something that he had noticed rather quickly after waking up and that was before the whole thing with Loki happened. "I'm sure you can." He told her. "Be happy again, I mean. It all just takes time."

James chuckled and looked at Aubree, "which is understandable I'd be pissy too if someone were laughing at me, sorry about that by the way" he had his hands in his pocket and looked at Aubree and shrugged his shoulders. "I was thinking about walking, but if you really want to give me a ride I won't say no" he supposed they could just drive around the States trying to figure out what to do or where to go. It's not like James had anything else going on, well, avoiding Fury and his team but other than that nothing. "Did you need gas money, I've got some cash on me if you do, might as well make myself useful" he yawned stretching his arms.

Evelyn nodded, "yeah, it's been taking me quite awhile but I think I'm getting there, I guess it would help if my family was here, I miss them" she sighed. "They live in a different state, I plan to visit them soon enough though once I have everything in order" Evelyn could feel his bicep against own stringy arm, she almost laughed at that, she looked at him, "so what's your story?" she wanted to know more about him and his likes, dislikes whatever she just really had an interest in getting to know Steve.