Steve followed Natasha Romanoff's footprints back to the highway, where they finally disappeared as she reached the road. Whether she continued walking or found a ride in a car was a mystery to the soldier, but what he couldn't deny was she was gone. He walked about ten miles in the afternoon sun until he finally stopped, placing his hands on his hips as he looked around, squinting into the light.
He finally pulled out his phone and sent another text to Natasha, knowing full well she wouldn't respond.
Where'd you go, Nat? I've followed your tracks all the way to the road. Let me help you.
Steve hit send on the small flip phone, but as he suspected, he didn't hear a reply. After a few minutes, he felt the sweat drip down his forehead to his cheek, and he knew he needed to get out of the sun eventually. He shoved his hands in his pockets and put his head down, staring at the road ahead of him as he continued on his way toward civilization.
Natasha, on the other hand, was already far ahead of him. She sat in a booth in a coffee shop somewhere in upstate New York. She'd been here before, back when she was an Avenger. They had a great dark roast and the prices were cheap. It was also somewhere inside that she could collect her thoughts.
She could keep running and disappear, but every police station in New York was looking for her. Her best bet would be to flee into Canada and lay low long enough for the situation to blow over. That being said, she knew the situation would probably never blow over, because President Ellis wanted his grandson back, by any means necessary. Natasha's other option though was to come clean, to admit that she'd taken James and she no longer had him. She'd have to face the consequences of losing the boy, but at least they'd stop coming after her. It was the right thing to do.
She pulled out her phone and dialed a familiar number, listening as the phone rang until the deep voice finally answered on the other side.
"You ready to come back home?"
Natasha grinned, hearing a smidgen of relief in Sam Wilson's voice. "Not really ready, but it's time."
"Where can I meet you?" Sam asked quietly, and Natasha almost felt safe in the familiar sound of his voice. He didn't sound angry, he didn't sound disappointed. Sam was an honest man. A good man. He was the right man to take up the mantle of Captain America, even if that new duty meant arresting one of his best friends. "If you come in easily and bring the boy, I'll make sure nothing happens to you."
"You can't promise that." Natasha quipped back, and her voice was more sad than bitter, "I did what I did to keep him safe."
"I know you did, Nat, I know. But he belongs with his family. They want to know he's safe." Sam prodded, feeling like he had a grip on the situation for the first time in months. "Can I tell President Ellis that you're coming in?"
"Not yet. I talk to you first. Alone. Then you can talk to the President." Natasha negotiated, knowing Sam would never forgive her for not bringing James. He wouldn't understand.
Sam clenched his fist, looking up at the team of FBI agents who were already contacting Mathew and Sandra Ellis. "Alright. I'll come alone."
"Don't even bring Barnes. Just you and me. I'll bring the kid."
"Tomorrow night. Six o'clock-"
"Meet me outside the old Avengers Compound." Natasha interrupted, setting the terms of her surrender, "See you then." Then she hung up and the line clicked dead. She knew that Sam wouldn't come alone. She only hoped that she could say her peace and escape before they could catch her.
Sam pushed himself away from the table and stood next to Bucky, who stared ahead at the wall with a stiff jaw. He knew Natasha didn't have James. She was turning herself in empty-handed. Sam stared along with Barnes, leaning his head toward the Winter Soldier slightly as he spoke, "These guys aren't going to let me go alone."
"They'll kill her," Bucky muttered under the guise of a deep breath. "Go tonight. Find her before they do."
"I don't know where she is Barnes, how the hell am I supposed to find her?" Sam hissed as an agent handed him his shield. He gave the woman a firm nod and turned on his heels, leading Bucky out of the FBI headquarters in New York.
"I'll make a few calls, pull a few threads. I'll let you know if anything pans out." Bucky mumbled, pulling his black jacket over his broad shoulders. Sam shot him a curious look, but Barnes didn't respond. He just pushed his hand through his long hair and left Sam behind.
Happy pulled the Mercedes-Benz into the driveway of Tony's lake cabin, and the two Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies came bounding toward the car, barking as Happy returned. When he parked the car, he carefully opened the door and yelled at the two young dogs to sit, but they jumped up onto Happy anyway.
Kayla pushed open the door and opened the one to the backseat, allowing the massive Zawadi to barrel out and begin playing with his kids, distracting them from Happy. "Yeah, go play with him, keep each other company! Away from me!" Happy yelled at the dogs as they went sprinting towards the lake.
"Kayla Dawn Rogers, aren't you a sight for sore eyes!" Tony called from the porch as Pepper descended the stairs to greet their guests.
When Pepper reached Kayla, she wrapped her arms around the woman, holding her tightly. She hadn't seen the woman since her husband's funeral. It was several days later she found out Kayla had saved him. "Thank you." She breathed into Kayla's ear as she held her close, "Thank you for saving my husband."
"I didn't expect it to work in all honesty." Kayla admitted lightly, "But I'm glad it did. And I'm glad he helped save my life so I could be with my kids."
By now, Tony was with the two women, reaching out to embrace Kayla himself, "It's good to see you. I'm glad our plan worked. You haven't had any issues with the serum?" He asked as he released her, backing away and holding her arms to get a good look at her in her tank top and jeans. She looked as she once had: tall, fit, and beautiful.
"It's been good. And you?" She asked nervously, taking in the man before her. She'd worked on a cure for Bruce, in case he ever changed his mind about the whole Professor Hulk thing. She'd found a way to prevent the damage of Gamma Radiation, and worked it into her serum. She'd never tested it, until the moment Tony Stark prepared to snap his fingers and destroy Thanos. With one small dose of super soldier serum to ensure internal healing and two shots of Gamma protection, Kayla had taken a great chance in order to save her friend.
It appeared to have worked as planned.
"I've been good. Better than ever. Although, since you're here, I wouldn't be opposed to a checkup." Tony suggested as Happy popped the trunk, allowing the billionaire to grab Kayla's duffle bag. "Let me show you guys to your room. I moved Morgan's old crib up there for your daughter.
"Thank you, Tony." Kayla began unstrapping James to release the child and let him go play. Morgan came sprinting from her tent once she realized there was another child to play with.
"Who's this?" She squeaked loudly, pointing at James as Kayla set him on the ground. The little brunette girl stared at James with his wispy blonde hair and chubby cheeks, then looked up to Kayla, remembering her from months earlier. "Auntie Kayla?"
Kayla knelt to the ground and opened her arms to see if the child would give her a hug, but James just moved into her arms and intercepted the affection, causing Kayla to laugh loudly, "It's good to see you again Morgan. Do you remember James? He was a tiny baby last time you saw him."
"I remember him! He can walk now? Can he play?" She asked as she moved closer to Kayla and James, poking the little boy with her tiny finger.
"Morgan!" Pepper scolded as James fell over onto his butt, looking up at the older girl with terror, "Just because he can walk doesn't mean you can push him around."
"Look at our kids, knocking each other out. Just like their fathers." Tony joked, but Kayla wasn't amused, sending a dirty look toward the man before pulling James back to his feet. Once standing, he took two short steps to Morgan and poked her hard against the chest, knocking her to the ground. Tony went from joking to mortified in a moment as he fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around Morgan. "Are you okay sweetheart? Did the mean boy hurt you?"
"Mean? He's ten months old, he doesn't understand." Kayla moaned, standing to her full height before wandering to the driver's side to unbuckle Sarah. "Plus!" She called over the car as James stared at Morgan sitting on the ground, eyeing him wearily, "She poked him first."
Pepper chuckled as Morgan pushed away from Tony to stand in front of the chubby baby, keeping herself a few inches away from the boy. Finally, she took a leap of faith and closed the gap, wrapping her thin arms around his shoulders. James seemed confused by the movement but knew what a hug was, so he wrapped his chubby little arms around Morgan in return. Pepper pressed her hand to her chest, tilting her head as she watched the adorable exchanged, "Look, Tony, love is in the air."
"My daughter will never be a Rogers." Tony spat, and even though he was joking, Kayla snorted at the idea of their children ending up together. But that wasn't something they'd worry about for quite some time. "The grill's heating up. Lunch will be ready in about ten minutes if you want to get everyone settled." Tony added as he started walking back toward the house, clasping his hands together as he looked to the lake where the three dogs were splashing in the water beyond the dock. "After lunch, you can do that checkup."
Steve pulled open the glass door of the restaurant he found near the old Avenger's Compound. He'd remembered them as a little startup almost a decade ago, but they seemed to be booming after the snap. He only wished he didn't have to be there alone.
He told the hostess it was just him, and he offered to sit at the counter so he wasn't taking up a booth during the busy lunch hour. Once seated, he began to peruse the menu, finding something eat until his phone began buzzing in his jeans pocket.
"Hello?" He greeted gruffly, not recognizing the number on the screen. He ordered a water and a cheeseburger, holding his hand to the bottom of his phone as he waited for the person on the other end to speak.
"Where's Natasha? She contacted Sam this morning. Set up a meeting for him tomorrow night at the Avenger's Compound."
Steve rubbed the bridge of his nose, hearing the frustration in Bucky's voice. "I lost her. She left in the night while I was asleep. I'm still around the compound though, which means she probably is too."
"Sam is hoping to find her tonight instead of tomorrow. If he goes tomorrow, the FBI will be with him, and they won't hesitate to execute her if it comes to it. Especially if she comes without the kid." Bucky cautioned, looking at the busy street near the phone booth he found. He'd locked himself in there and kept a close eye on the security camera across the street that was zoned in on him. He was being suspicious, but as long as they didn't know who he called, Steve would stay safe.
"I'll keep looking for her. She's got to be around here somewhere. Sam's planning on coming to the compound tonight?"
"Yeah. Get her there if you can. Or get her far away. I know Ellis gave Sam the authority to get your son back by any means necessary. He's pulling all the authority he has on this. Everyone's waiting with bated breath to see Captain America bring Ellis's grandchild back home."
"I know. It'll kill him when she shows up without James." Steve mumbled, leaning his elbows against the counter as the waitress set his water down before him. He thanked the woman and took a long, slow drink without speaking. "They'll kill her if they think she hurt him. Or worse, if they think he's dead."
"Good luck Steve. Be safe okay?"
"Thanks, Buck. You too."
The line went dead and Steve shoved his phone into his pocket just as his burger arrived. He smiled grandly at the waitress and she winked at the man, not recognizing the former Captain America beneath the dark rims of his glasses. He took a bite of his burger and chewed thoughtfully, knowing he should call his wife. But if he did call her, he'd have to admit he was stranded in New York without transportation or Natasha Romanoff.
Without warning, the waitress slid him a napkin with her number in it and flirtily bit her lip. Steve's jaw dropped open a little and inhaled sharply as he prepared to take another huge bite of his burger. "Oh, umm, I-"
"You're married, that's awkward." The waitress said as she caught sight of his ring and quickly grabbed the napkin back and tossed it behind her onto the floor. "Sorry, uh, lunch is on me."
Before Steve could argue, she scurried away, and he pulled a twenty out of his wallet and left it by the plate anyway, taking a final bite of his burger before continuing his search for Natasha.
What Steve didn't realize was that Nat sat silently in a booth by the window, wearing a black baseball cap low on her head as she sipped her black coffee and ate chicken fingers. She watched Steve leave out of the corner of her eye, then followed where he went, knowing the safest place for her was near Steve Rogers.
Author's Notes: I'm loving how nervous you all are about Tessa! Don't be too worried. At least not yet.
Siobhan- They do really care about each other. Kayla needs someone "normal" in her life. It's helping her adjust in a world where she has to be separated from everyone except Steve and the kids. I'll be honest, I loved how Endgame ended, however, fan fiction can always improve it! Haha! I've loved writing Tony Stark into this, and we'll be seeing a lot more of him.