Hello again! I apologize for not updating in so long! I will not give any excuses, just allow you to continue on to the story. I'll try to update more regularly now, but I need to plan the next few scenes out. I have a vague idea of what happens but it's time to give it more of a skeleton. With all that being said, this chapter is shorter than I like to publish but I figured you guys deserved a chapter. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed, and favorited! Every notification I get brings joy to my day :D Thank you and enjoy!

Steve rubbed his eyes and stretched. Sarge gave a discontented growl and hopped off Steve's chest, but not before embedding his claws. Steve flinched but was too tired to do much of anything to reprimand the cat. He settled on a glare, which Sarge won easily.

He'd gotten back to his apartment late last night and found Sarge waiting for him by the door. He should probably find a pet sitter for the grumpy cat rather than leaving him on the streets when Steve left on a mission. Sarge followed him upstairs where Steve had promptly collapsed and fallen into fitful sleep. The whole ordeal had taken more out of him than he liked to admit. This was supposed to be his job, and yet here he was, the morning after everything had finally settled and he was completely drained.

After picking Amy up from the hospital, they'd flown to DC in Stark's plane. His conversation with Bucky had been…interesting. It had left him feeling hopeful and despondent all at the same time. It was obvious that Bucky hadn't wanted to leave Amy. He didn't want to go after HYDRA, which had surprised Steve a little. He'd expected Bucky to want to enact revenge for what he'd been through, what they'd put Amy through. Instead, Bucky seemed the most reluctant to go. Even Sam was on board – hesitant, but on board. But maybe it was because of Amy he didn't want to go? Steve had thought Stark's job offer would seal the deal, but it seemed to make Bucky more sour towards the idea. He had agreed, with a frustrated sigh and jab at how Steve always picked fights he couldn't win. That had felt more like the old Bucky than Steve had seen in a long time.

Steve rubbed his face again, finally getting up. He put on a pot of coffee and leaned against the counter, listening to the humming of his apartment. Had he said the wrong thing? Was he thinking too much like a captain, only concerned about fighting? Amy would be valuable to their team, so would Bucky – so why didn't Bucky want to go? Steve wanted this ordeal to be over, well and truly over. He was tired of things haunting him from his past, never dying. It was time to end HYDRA, no matter what.

Charlie sank on to the couch and let out a shaky breath. She looked around the empty, mostly bare apartment. Bentley had bought her the essentials. A bed, a couch, a foldable chair and table, a few groceries that would last a while until she started her job. She'd actually been lucky with that. Charlie and Bentley were walking next to a cute café when Bentley noticed the Help Wanted sign. He'd ushered her into the café and she'd walked out with a job, starting three days from now. Bentley had smiled and nodded his head, like it was all planned. Charlie couldn't get rid of the churning in her gut. She'd never worked for anyone besides her guardians. What if things didn't work out?

They had to work out, because she was on her own now. On her own in another city, miles away from the places she'd known all her life. Away from the people who had made her feel at home.

Charlie's vision blurred and her breath hitched.

"What have I done?"

The question echoed in the apartment, surrounding her and making her panic increase tenfold.

"What have I done?" Charlie breathed, descending into sobs.

She hadn't cried this hard for as long as she could remember. Not unless it was a panic attack or nightmare episode. But now, she cried to fill the space.

The empty space that held no Nattie, no Nana.

The quiet space that had no grumpy, morning customers needing coffee.

She cried to fill the silence and allowed the gravity that comes with being alone to envelope her.

After a time, Charlie's breathing steadied. Her breath continued to hitch but it was the after effects of a storm, rather than the preliminary rain. She slowly sat up – when had she laid down? – wiped her eyes, and looked around the room again.

Yes, she was alone.

Yes, she was in a new place.

But she had endured worse.

She had changed homes before. Maybe it was overdue for her to strike out on her own.

Charlie took a few deep breaths, clinging to that thought. Yes, this was where she needed to be. The circumstances that led her here may not have been pretty or ideal, but that was then. This is now.

Now, she needed something to do.

Charlie stood up and went to the kitchen. She started the coffee pot – bless Bentley for buying her this appliance – and grabbed a pen and paper. Lists were easy to do and would help her focus on something other than the silence, empty space –

Charlie shook her head and pushed back her tears. She could do this. Taking the paper, she began her list. One of the first things to do was to buy work clothes, which meant she had to talk to her new boss and find out the dress code. Then she would need…

Charlie was halfway through her list, when her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and her stomach dropped.

Steve.

She'd forgotten about him for a while, too consumed with the rapid change of events. But he needed to know. Even if it hurt. Charlie closed her eyes, breathed in, and steeled her courage.

She opened her phone and texted him back.

"Hey, I'm back in DC. We need to talk."