Charlie,

I'm sorry. I have to go.

Roman

Steve stared at the note on Charlie's counter top, his jaw clenched and his blood cold. Charlie came out of the bathroom using a towel to dry her hair. Holding up the paper, he said, "What is this?"

"What is what?" Charlie asked as she took the note from him. Turning, she moved quickly for the nursery but found it empty. "They're gone."

"She was here?"

"She found me at the hospital and asked for help. She had a baby with her and he was sick."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Steve took a deep breath to steady himself.

"She said she would stay a couple of days. Hunter needed the rest, he still does." Charlie spoke quickly. "Tony has surveillance for the building, right? Maybe we can see when she left."

Steve was already moving toward the door, Charlie close behind him. The pair separated at the elevator so Charlie could find Tony and get the tapes. Steve headed for the lobby and out the door; his eyes scanning the faces walking past him. Starting to move with the flow of traffic, he made it four blocks before his cell phone rang.

"She managed to sneak out unnoticed. She's gone, Steve."

-0-

Steve stared at his laptop, tapping his thumb on the desk indecisively. Finally his fingers moved to the keyboard and typed.

WhatDidIMiss: It's Steve.

WhatDidIMiss: Roman, I know you're alive.

Seconds ticked by, the sound mocking him as he waited for a reply.

WhatDidIMiss: I deserve an explanation.

WhatDidIMiss: If you're in trouble, I can help. Let me help you.

There was no reply and Steve fell asleep at his laptop waiting for an answer.

-0-

Roman was sleeping with Hunter curled up next to her when his crying jolted her awake, followed by a rough kick to her spine. "Get up, whore."

Hunter screamed as she clutched him closer while she tried to identify her assailant. Jack Jones towered over her, eyes gleaming like oil in the dim light. "Did you honestly think you could hide from us?"

The baby was snatched from her arms and Jack grabbed a fistful of her hair, yanking it back and forcing her to look up at him. "You'll learn not to mess with us."

He slapped her so hard that she tasted blood. Head reeling, she tried to shake the fog out of her brain and was rewarded with another slap. Jack released her hair and she fell forward, her palms slapping the floor as she caught herself. Using her peripheral vision, she counted two other men; one of whom was holding the squirming Hunter. She couldn't see any weapons. Clearly they had planned on their brawn to get whatever they wanted accomplished.

Spitting blood from her mouth, Roman spoke. "I know what you did to his parents."

"No, you killed his parents," Jack snarled. "When you pulled your little 'faking your death' stunt. You left us no choice but to pull you back in line."

A boot was shoved into her stomach, knocking the wind out of her. She grunted as she tried to catch her breath but managed to stand a minute later; staring her assailant in the face she growled, "Go to hell."

Charging the thug who had Hunter, she pulled the baby close to her and kicked the thug in the knee, effectively popping it out of place. Jack and the other thug were taken off guard for only a few seconds, but it was enough for Roman to shield Hunter with her jacket and dive through the window and race down the sidewalk. There had been a reason she chose the motel room closest to the street. Jack swore as he and his henchman took off after her but she disappeared into a crowd.

-0-

Roman winced as she looked at her reflection in the diner's restroom. There was a fresh gash along her hair line, matting her newly blonde hair with blood and glass glinting in the fluorescent lighting. Hunter gurgled happily as he gnawed on a cookie that a waitress had given him when they entered. Without tweezers, she only had her fingers to dig the glass out but that proved useless as she just shoved the glass deeper. Sighing as she glanced at Hunter, she knew what she had to do. She turned on her phone and turned on her online chat app. It had been a surprise when she found out Steve was her online buddy and she felt betrayed considering she bared her heart to him. The irony that she felt betrayed after what she had done to Steve was not lost on her.

MindifISlytherin: Help me.

His response was quick.

WhatDidIMiss: Where are you?

As soon as he got the address, Steve was out the door; moving as fast as he could to the diner. But by the time he got there, Roman was gone again. A middle aged waitress was holding a sleeping baby, rocking him gently as she noticed Steve. "Steve Rogers?"

"Yeah." Steve approached cautiously, regarding her carefully. "Who are you?"

"My name is Elaine. There was a girl who said you'd come for her and the baby."

"Where is she?"

Elaine smiled at the sleeping baby then offered him to Steve. "She asked that you take the baby to Charlie. Do you know who that is?"

"Yeah, she's a friend of mine." Steve took the baby gingerly. "Where is Roman?"

"I don't know." She admitted. "But she was in bad shape, sir. If I were you, I'd take this baby and get him safe."

"Thanks for the help." He headed out of the diner, shifting Hunter to one arm so he could call Natasha.

"Yes?" Natasha answered.

"I need your help finding Roman."

"She's dead, Steve."

"Good thing you're good at finding ghosts." Steve ended the call and went back to the Tower.

-0-

Freezing water splashing in Roman's face yanked her back to reality as she sputtered and tried to catch her breath. Jack's goons had grabbed her two blocks from the diner and would have gone back for Hunter had Steve not shown up. She wasn't sure where she was; she only knew the room was cold and made mostly of cement, leading her to believe she was in a basement or factory of some sort. It was too dark to see much. Currently she was handcuffed to a pipe about ten feet off the ground, leaving her hanging by her wrists. Her shoulders were screaming in protest and she coughed as she tried to get the water out of her lungs.

"Boss wants you to stay awake."

"Your boss can go to hell." Roman panted.

"I'll meet you there." Jack taunted. "Why did you have to make things difficult?"

"I won't be used in whatever sick games you have planned for Steve."

He sighed and slipped his hands in his pockets. "You understand that you have no choice. You either do as I say or you die."

"Then kill me."

He snarled at her response, bolting forward to grab her face in his hands and squeezing until she whimpered. "Make no mistake—I will kill you. And I'll make damn sure that Steve Rogers is there to watch you take your last breath."

Yanking her face free, Roman asked, "What did he do to you? Why do you want him dead?"

Wiping her blood and spit from her hand with a handkerchief, Jack shrugged. "I suppose there's no danger in telling you this now since you'll be dead soon. My daughter was in New York during the invasion. She died because Captain America was too busy saving his teammates' asses instead of civilians."

"The Avengers did the best they could."

"He should have saved her!" Jack screamed, causing her to jump then wince at the pain the movement caused. "What good is a hero if he can't save anyone?"

"Killing me won't bring your daughter back." She countered. "Neither with killing Steve."

"I don't care."

Footsteps echoed as he left the room, leaving her alone with his thugs and his permission to do what they wanted with her.

A/N: I'm sorry this chapter took so long to update. Both of my kiddos have been sick and I didn't have any time for writing. I do hope you all enjoyed this chapter though. This story has maybe 5 more chapters til the end. :)