JanaDowneyEvans- I can't wait to get Steve back home, I'm writing faster than usual because I'm also just as excited as you! Thanks again for the review, I am happy to be able to give you this next chapter super early!

They are the hunters, we are the foxes

And we run

Just grab my hand and don't ever drop it

My love

Baby I know places we won't be found and they'll be

Chasing their tails tryin' to track us down

'Cause I, I know places we can hide, I know places

-"I Know Places" by Taylor Swift

March 2, 2017

I was frantically throwing Steve's clothes behind me after bringing each one up to my nose when Tony walked into my room.

"What on earth is going on here?" He asked.

"They don't smell like him. I've been wearing Steve's shirts sometimes when holding Margaret so that she could maybe feel him that way, in the way they smell, but none of them smell like him anymore. I've used every shirt multiple times and now they probably all smell like me and it's not gonna work anymore. She's not gonna know they're Steve's. And when he comes back, she's gonna have an even harder time recognizing him." By the time I finished, I was crying as I continued to look for any shirt that still had his scent.

"Hey, hey, hey," Tony said as he took my hands away from the pile of Steve clothes I had made on my bed. "Maddi, it's okay," he started but I cut him off.

"No it's not okay!" I said. "It's not fair that Steve doesn't even know she exists. I don't know how long it'll be until he comes back and whenever that happens, I didn't want him to be like a total stranger to her. I want her to know her dad, to feel comfortable around her dad! Steve's going to be heartbroken to have missed what he missed and I just want to make it better for him when he comes back."

"Okay, okay," Tony responded. "I know you're trying really hard to make sure that Magaret knows who her dad is. You're doing the best you can, but no matter how hard you try at this, it's going to be hard when he gets back. But it's gonna be okay because kids are insanely adaptive. She'll figure it out, and you'll get to be a happy little family together even if it does take her some time. Even if she doesn't recognize what he smells like, she'll get it eventually. It's not going to affect her, I promise."

I took a few deep breaths before nodding while looking down at my hands. I tried to calm down my tears as I thought over what he said. "I just…" I thought for a moment before continuing. "I just want her to know her dad, you know? I want her to know how much I love him, what kind of a man he is. What kind of man he really is, not what she'll hear from other people. I don't want her to feel like she's unloved by him, and the longer it's been since he's left, the less hope I have that he'll be back anytime soon. What happens when he's still gone in a year? In five years? Ten? I can't keep her hidden here forever."

"if that time comes, I know you'll be able to figure something out because you always do. For now, just worry about the things you need to do right now. Take pictures and videos of her to show Steve later, and stick to showing her pictures and videos of Steve. Talk to her about Steve like you talk to her about literally everything. I know she's your favorite person to talk to now," he joked and I let out a laugh. "She'll know who he is as she starts learning about the world around her."

"Thank you, Tony," I told him as I pulled him into a hug. "I'm so glad I have you to help me. I don't think I could do this alone. And I know how you feel about Steve still," he cut me off before I could finish.

"Hey, for you and for little miss blondie, I'd do anything."

June 2, 2017

"Tony are you kidding me? Next time you bring an army of press to the compound, you need to warn me." I had been taking Margaret for a walk outside when I saw the news vans around the corner. I had to make a quick turn in the opposite direction to make sure none of them saw me or Margaret. I took us to a clearing in the woods nearby that was along the river. We were waiting there while I had Tony on the phone.

"I know, I'm sorry! I was going to tell you and then you were already gone on your walk. We finished the new wing of the building and they wanted shots of the place. I promise they'll be gone soon and you can safely come back inside." He responded.

"Okay yeah, it better be quick, I didn't bring any food out here."

"I'll text you when it's safe." We hung up and I turned to Margaret who was sitting patiently in her stroller.

"Well it looks like we're gonna have to stay hiding out here for a bit. Is that alright with you?" she looked up at me and I smiled.

"Come on, I know a great place they won't find us and you can look at whatever pretty animals that might be on the river." I pushed her stroller against a tree and lifted her out of her stroller so I could carry her to a small dock I asked Tony to build nearby. It was built when this entire complex was first built. I asked him to do so because I knew a lot of people would be coming and going from the place and I wanted somewhere outdoors that I could still have some privacy at. Steve and I had gone there a few times, it was a great place to watch the sun set. I sat us down at the bench with her in my lap and we looked out at the river together.

Everyday Margaret seemed to become more of a calm baby. Of course she had her fair share of crying, but she was just such an observant child. She was curious in that she wanted to watch everything but she didn't have as much of a desire to be grabbing at everything. It was so much fun to play with her sometimes, but it was also equally nice to sit with her like this and I just talked to her.

"Mamamama," Margaret had started saying mama in mid May. it was the cutest thing when I first heard her. She didn't seem to connect the sound with the fact that I am her Mama yet, but it still made me happy to hear.

"Do you like how pretty it is here, Margaret? Your daddy and I used to come here sometimes. We'd sit at this bench and just enjoy the sounds and smells. I hope you like it, being outside is one of my favorite places to be. When daddy gets back, we'll go on lots of walks together. He can carry you when you get tired, he never gets tired. I think he likes to be outside too, it reminds him of the parks we used to go to when we were young." I stood up and let Margaret stand on the ground in front of me. She couldn't stand on her own, but she could if I were holding her hands for support. She giggled as she looked at the water in front of her. Even if we were hiding from a group of people who could easily destroy what we had, I was glad to have these little experiences with her while doing it.

August 13, 2017

"Come on Margaret! Walk to mama, you can do it!" She was holding on to Tony's hands and Pepper and Rhodey were sitting next to him on the sofa. Pepper was recording with her phone just in case so she could get her first steps on video. I sat on the floor a few steps from Tony. She had been standing up on her own, but still hadn't made any steps yet. We spent time encouraging her like this.

This time, she did finally take her first steps. We all cheered as she fell into my arms in her last step.

"Look at that, she'll be running as fast as Steve by the end of the year!" Tony exclaimed. I had tears in my eyes as I gave her a hug.

"You did it Margaret! You did it, you walked to mama. I'm so proud of you, baby." I gave her a big kiss on her cheek and she let out a happy laugh. "Wave to Aunt Pepper! Say 'yay, I can walk now!'" She waved towards Pepper when I told her to. She had been understanding more words and recognizing more of us than before. She wasn't much of a talker yet, but it was clear that she could understand us more than she could talk herself.

"Now can you walk back to Uncle Tony?" Rhodey asked with a smile and I gave her a questioning look.

"Did you hear that Margaret, can you walk back to Uncle Tony? Or how about Uncle Rhodey?" I pointed to each of them and she fixated on Rhodey and I helped her stand as she tried again to walk. He caught her about halfway to the sofa and we all cheered again.

We spent some more time encouraging her and celebrating her walking to each other. It was a beautiful moment that I would always cherish. I tried my best to not let the sadness of Steve missing it get to me too much. I knew some of my tears were due to my sadness of not being there, but I tried to focus on the tears that were brought on by the happiness my daughter brought me and everyone else who lived in the compound. She was a blessing to us all, I knew that it would be harder to stay positive and happy on some days if she hadn't been there. I was so grateful to have her in my life.

A/N: I got a lot of wonderful feedback from the last chapter, and I couldn't help myself, I really wanted to update again this week! I hope you liked it! Thank you to those who have been reviewing/commenting on my updates! I have only one more chapter I plan to write before Steve comes back. I'm really excited to write that part, so hopefully it'll come soon!

This TS song was one I thought would be kinda appropriate because of its theme in hiding from the press and just the eyes of the world. TS wrote it in having to hide her relationship because of how often the cameras were on her, but I thought this part I included could work with Maddi and Margaret.