Disclaiming, here.


Being stuck in the Stark Tower while recovering wasn't something that Steve had been anticipating when he was told he was moving to a more secure location, but it did come with the perks of Stark. For one, a whole floor was dedicated to a housing area with plenty of extra rooms big enough to be considered apartments, in Steve's eyes anyways. He was also the patient of a very few, trusted and expert doctors that Stark had hired on full time.

Steve healed exceptionally fast, but not fast enough for field work yet. Which is how he found himself sighing every few minuets while flipping through television channels, searching for signs of his long lost friend, Bucky Barnes.

Having not seen Tony in a matter of hours, he assumed the man was busy re-building his arsenal of Suits when the AI Jarvis' voice rang throughout his spacious room.

"Captain Rogers, Agent Romanoff is on line two for you."

Throwing his pillows to the floor and grunting, Steve tried to pull himself off the bed, towards the desk to answer the phone, eventually giving up as pain shot through his abdomen again.

"Answer over speaker, Jarvis. Thank you." He sighed out, leaning back against the headboard as Natasha's voice filled the room.

"Rogers, you'll never believe what we found lurking around the Smithsonian earlier. Turns out you're not the only old timer interested in the past anymore.." She drawled out, a smirk evident through her voice.

Sitting bolt up, Steve gasped at the pain and all but shouted, "Bucky!?"

"Sit still, Steve. Sam and I are on it," feeling guilty at the worry in her voice, he leaned back and clutched at his blankets as she explained that she and Sam had stayed in D.C. monitoring surveillance cameras around the city, looking for any sign of the wayward soldier.

Much to a disgruntled Tony Stark, they had finally picked his face up outside of the old museum, before he was escorted into a van and whisked away.

"Well get him back, Steve. Just rest."

The dial tone was all he heard as Jarvis empowered the locks on the housing level and rang out to Tony.

Steve went from recovering friend to prisoner in three minuets.


Focusing on the distant sound of a car speeding away, Amaris grabbed for a knife when a bullet tore through her left forearm, causing her to drop the knife and stumble back. Natasha was quick, putting two through the Hydra Agent before he could move towards her.

Spinning around, she ducked behind the dumpster again as she waited to see what the other woman had in plan. The sound of rapid gun fire would draw police soon, and they needed to get away before they were either killed on spot, or locked away.

"We gotta go!" Amaris yelled, grabbing the arm of an advancing assailant and twisting them, his gun falling away as her knee came into his groin, then chest.

Firing until the clip was empty, Amaris backed to the end of the alley, wondering if the other woman was going to follow when she turned and ran for her.

Spraying out cover, Natasha rolled two more explosives towards the men in black as she ran towards the smaller girl. Grabbing her arm, the two turned left and ran down the street, disappearing before the smoke settled and the men could stumble from the alley as the police began to pile around.

xxx

Coming to a slow speed in front of an entrance to a train tunnel, Amaris reached down and ripped more fabric from the dirty dress, wrapping it around her bleeding arm as pained rocked her body.

"We need to get out of the city." The red haired woman spoke, hushed in voice and looking around wildly.

"How? Where did he take James? Where's the Captain?"

"Just keep moving, you're bleeding everywhere."

"So are you."

Sighing, Amaris pushed past an old couple and wished that she had grabbed the odd burgundy jacket from the ground before they'd fled.

Turning the corner, the two moved towards an abundance of apartment looking buildings, the sounds of sirens behind them as they walked with a slow pace. Running her hands through her dark hair, Amaris hoped she'd made the right call, sending James with Sam Wilson.

"This one,"

The accent less voice of the other woman broke her from her thoughts, looking around them Amaris noticed they where in a neighborhood and currently standing in front of an old brown station wagon, one that had definitely seen better days.

Watching for any on lookers, Amaris leaned against the side of the car, cradling her bleeding arm to her chest as the other woman moved to the back window.

Glass shattering and sound of a small 'pop' told her it was time to get going; pulling the handle, she dropped inside and gently closed the door as the woman pulled herself up and the car purred to life.

"Where to?" Amaris breathed out, putting her boot clad foot against the dashboard. "Away. Get your foot of the dash, were borrowing."

Amaris didn't miss the smirk that played at the woman's lips as they turned out of the neighborhood and began towards the freeway, it was going to be a long night.

Xxx

One hour into the drive, they pulled off the highway and into a small hotel where they left the car. Circling the parking lot, the two stayed in the shadows as they looked for another car.

Driving for two hours, Amaris had only gotten a name that she'd already known, Natasha Romanoff. Natasha had gotten only questions about the Captains location and why the where heading to far from D.C.

"This? Are you joking?" Natasha groaned, looking at the bright yellow Volkswagen Bug in front of Amaris, who was frowning as she nodded.

"It's completely inconspicuous. I'd never drive this."

"This...this you can put your feet all over."

Smirking, Amaris watched as the same ritual was repeated. Natasha did not trust her enough to drive, didn't trust her enough to let her do anything other than wrap her upper arm once they'd stopped.

Pulling onto the highway again, Natasha pushed a dial button on and let the radio fill the car as she stared into the night.

The moon hung bright over them for the next two hours as Natasha clutched the wheel tight and Amaris looked over the head rest for following cars.

There were none, but the night was still looking to be a long one as they abandoned the obnoxious car and decided to walk thought the city of New York.

"You're getting too many stares.."

"No shit."

Pulling her hands through her red hair, Natasha pulled a sweater from a dozing old lady's bag at a bus stop and handed it to the girl next to her.

Finally in light, she saw how the girls skin was pale and spotted with dirt and blood and her dark eyes had circles under them. She remembered being so young and so tired of the life, while Amaris pulled the dull grey sweater around her, Natasha weaved them to the subway.


The sounds of locks clicking was enough for Steve to rush from his bed to the door, from the door to the lounge area and towards the elevator. Just as the doors blinded open, Stark stepped out, grinning as he held out a phone to Steve.

"Hey, Cap...baby proof the house, I'm coming up." Sam said, disconnecting the phone call before Steve could say anything in return.

Leaning against the wall, he watched Tony move towards him and felt him clap a hand on his shoulder as he turned to watch the elevator, too.

The night was far from over.