Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel, Agents of SHIELD, Captain America: Winter Solder, etc.

Chapter 5
Escape: Part II

Jamie hadn't necessarily forgotten how much of a hellhole being trapped as Cerberus' experiment felt like, but being there again just brought everything back, reminding her just how horribly physically and mentally painful and exhausting it was. She supposed that this time around wasn't necessarily worse, seeing as she hadn't been there as long, and even though she was being used as a living energy source (which was excruciatingly painful), it wasn't as bad as watching soldier after soldier being killed to create what she was.

She wasn't left much time to dwell on the comparison with all of the pain she went through though. The machines wasn't left on all day. Jamie's energy never really drained or went away completely, nor did it stop like when the neutralizers were used, but it did get low,making the quality of the "batteries" decrease. And in order to keep the quality up, as well as to keep up with the demand for the product, Aaron was forced to give her something to drink and eat.

Feeding time would be the worst part of the day, if anybody asked her. It wasn't necessarily the pain she went through (though she really supposed that was the worst part), it was the anger that was building towards her ex-best friend. As the week went on, Jamie had gone through several stages: Denial, justification and anger.

She tried to tell herself that all of this wasn't real. She was dreaming and that she'd hopefully wake up on her couch while she and Steve watched movies. Jamie sympathized with him, feeling guilty for what she had done. Perhaps this really was her fault. Maybe there could have been more she could have done in that fight right before the explosion that she could have done differently. But there really wasn't anything else Jamie could have done differently. She had done her best, she went back to save him and she did what anybody, including him, would have done: she left.
And that made her angry. He blamed her? It was her fault for all this? How could he say that? He had been her best friend! They were family! How could he possibly subject her to something like that? And how could he take pleasure in doing so?

And better yet, how could he go and kill a soldier that he had served with? How could he do that to Patrick? A good man that was still fighting for the same because Aaron had joined the United States Marines for? He murdered Patrick! How could she possible forgive or justify that?

She wished it was simpler than just hating what he was doing. He wasn't her Aaron anymore, but maybe he still part of him in there. Maybe he still could stand for something like freedom, and everything he joined the Marines for. Maybe he was still the guy that would talk sports with her, and who would have shooting competitions with, or who dreamed of sending his brother to college, though his brother was a genius to begin with.

So it was rather hart to hate him as he beat the shit out of her during some of those breaks. He justified his actions by saying it was just part of the payback he had in store for her. The end result being death by that machine. But until she no longer had use, Aaron had to put up with only beating the shit out of her.

So far, she had a fractured eye socket that was broken open with a stream of blood running down the side of her face, a concussion, several broken ribs threatening to puncture her lungs or cause internal bleeding. Her lip was split; all she could taste in her mouth was blood. She was pretty sure one of her shoulders was dislocated, and something was wrong with her nose.

"Y-You don't have to do this," Jamie muttered, spitting out a clump of blood. "You don't have to be a gun."

"Oh, like you?" Aaron retorted, sending a hit to her stomach again, breaking another rib. "You're just as much SHIELD's gun as I am Cerberus'."

"I choose to stay there and do good," Jamie asid. "You could too, you know. Or you could just go him and be with Andy. He misses you. We all-"
"Shut up!" He yelled, hitting her on her fractured eye. He had a satisfied smirk at her cry of pain. "How dare you bring up Andy. You have no ri-"

Both froze, though that wasn't exactly something new for Jamie as she was contained, as an alarm blared throughout the compound. Aaron looked over to the door, which several of the other scientists entered through looking frantic. Two ran to the machine's controls and flipped switches and putting in commands while the rest went to where the batteries produced were dropped. They were shoving them into bags, but it seemed they didn't have enough storage for them. Once what they had was filled they left, never entering back in.

"Hey, what's going on?" Aaron asked one guy at the controls.

"Code Red," he told him. "We have intruders. Dr. Hull instructed self destruct by overload."

Aaron seemed pleased by that. Jamie, on the other hand, was anything but happy to hear that. She didn't know exactly what he meant, but she had a pretty good idea that it meant they were going to overload the machine she was in, killing her and blowing the facility in the process.

"Well, I guess this is it," Aaron said.

"You can still change the outcome of this, Aaron," Jamie tried to reason. "You don't have to do this."

"No, I don't have to," he pointed out with a shrug. He backed away without turning to look at her, waving over his shoulder. "But I sure as hell want to. Have a painful death, Jameson."

"Aaron!" The scientist shut the door, enclosing her in there by herself. The machine whirred to life, and a couple minutes later, Jamie was gritting her teeth as she tried to bare the pain. And not long after that, Jamie was screaming; the machine was louder than her cries of pain.

The pain grew even more, more so than any of the other times, just as the machine kept getting louder and louder. The heat inside her small chamber was growing too. Her energy had a natural heat to it that made her warmer than most in general. Using her powers admitted warmer area right around her body. And with the pain that temperature increased.

Jamie thrashed about as much as she could with both her legs and her arms clasped into the machine. This just caused her even more pain. The machine, bullet wound, the dislocated shoulder from trying to break free, her broken ribs and everything else combined was a melting pot of blue boiling pain. She was going to die a very painful death, just like Aaron said.

The alarms blared, catching the three agents attention. Agent Coulson was standing with Agents Ward and Fitz as they made their way through the Cerberus compound.

"Why exactly are we here again?" Ward asked, his gun in hand as he made sure the hallway in front of them was clear.

"The energy signature is similar to the one of what occurred in New Mexico," Coulson answered. "Obviously the same thing isn't happening here, but finding out that this was Cerberus almost makes it just as important. After all, they have been known for very unethical practices."

"Why haven't I ever heard of them then?" Ward asked.

"Because we really don't know much about them," Coulson said.

"Then how do we know that there are unethical practices then?" Fitz asked.

"And how can SHIELD not know anything about them? We know something about everything?" Ward asked.

"Well, they keep under the radar and move around every couple of years. What we really know about them is all from Solace," Coulson said. "How do you think she got her powers?"

"Solace? As in the Avenger?" Fitz gaped.

"Kinda thought she was an alien," Ward admitted.

"Didn't I say not to talk once we were in here?" Coulson muttered. "We have to find what's causing the energy surge."

The alarms blared overhead, causing Fitx to cover his ears as best he could with one hand, as the other was looking down at the device he held.

"Seems like they finally noticed we were here," Ward muttered.

"Uh, Sir, the readings are increasing rather rapidly…" Fitz stated. "With levels increasing at this rate, the system is going to overheat and overload; the place is going to be destroyed."

"Which means we need to get out of here," Ward said.

"No, we need to find the machine and reverse it," Fitz corrected. "We won't get out in time…"

"Turn the machine off it is…." Coulson muttered. "And what's causing the surge."

After about ten minutes of the pain increasing by the second, the machine slowly started to die down. Whoever was intruding had to have made their way towards her location to shut the machine now. All Jamie had to do now was try and get their attention.

That was much easier said than done. Jamie was breathing so heavily, and her limbs felt so heavy that she was just handing down from her arms. She couldn't move, let alone speak. The door opened and Jamie was barely able to exhaustedly lifted her head to see what was going on.

Her one good eye met with a pair of pretty blue eyes. He was just taller than her at 5'8" with light brown, nearly blond curly hair. "Oh my God," he muttered in a soft Scottish accent. "Y-You're...You're a person...in there…."

Another man stepped forward, looking at the Scott rather oddly as he asked. "What's got you so freaked, Fitz? It can't be th-" the dark haired man stopped mid sentence, his light brown eyes also landing on Jamie as well. This man was taller than all of them at 6'2". "Whoa…."

"What are you too doing? Finish your jobs!"

No, Jamie thought. No, not again. She turned her head as the last figure came into view. His jaw tightened as he finally saw what his two agents were gaping at. His suit and overall look was exactly as she remembered last seeing him, except for the lack of blood seeping out of his chest wound.

"Phil?" Jamie asked.

"Jamie…." Phil muttered. "Get her out of there. Now! Ward, help him get her down." he ordered quickly. Ward moved in closer to her as Fitz tried to unlock the holds. Jamie just watched Phil over Ward's shoulder though. "Simmons, get the medical room ready and have Agent May contact Dr. Amir Asaafa. Get medical records for a Private Jameson Roe."

"P-Phil?" Jamie asked as Ward helped set her to her feet.

"You two know each other?" Ward asked.

"Yes, now we have to get out of here," Coulson said. "Can you walk out, Private?"

"So we're back to Private and Agent? After everything that happened?" Jamie asked.

"Were you two like a thing?" Fitz asked. "Because that's what it soun….I'll be quiet. Forget I said that…"

"Jamie, this really isn't the time," Phil muttered.

"I watched you die! You died in my hands!" Jamie yelled. "When were you going to tell me? Huh? Were you going to tell me? Any of us?"

"Oh boy," Ward muttered primarily to Fitz. "Definitely sounds like an ex girlfriend…"

"Jamie, the place was going to go down, and they were evacuating. Pretty sure they're going to notice it isn't!" Coulson said. "We have to mo-"

The door opened and in came two guards, though before they could get five steps into the room, Jamie grabbed Ward's gun from his belt holster and took them out, even with just one good eye and her injuries. "Oh, you don't think I didn't know that?" she muttered. "Dr. Hull was here," she told him. "And Aaron…"

"Aaron?" Coulson asked. "Wait, Aaron was de-"

"Nope," Jamie interrupted, walking to the wall. "He's Cerberus now. And he's got powers. And he wants to kill me so there's that." She turned to

"Did you just pop your shoulder back into place?" Fitz asked. "Thats….disgusting…"

Jamie just rolled her eyes. "Know the way out?" Jamie asked.

"In here," Coulson instructed, helping her onto the medical bed.

"Are we gonna talk about any of this?" Jamie asked, wincing as she moved pack.

"Let's get you patched up first," Phil said.

"Eh, I've had worse," Jamie muttered.

"You always say that," Phil huffed, leaning back against the wall, crossing his arms as a young woman walked in. "Jamie, this is-"

The woman had a familiar face that Jamie recalled seeing not too long again, though she really didn't know the woman personally. She had only seen and heard the English woman talking briefly at the Hub.

"Jemma…" Jamie said before Phil could. "Right?"

"Oh uh, yes!" Jemma said. "Jemma Simmons, at your service, Ms. Solace-Private Roe...Uh…" Oh, she was very nervous, that was for sure.

"You two know each other?" Phil asked.

"No," Jamie said.

"Right…" Phil muttered skeptically.

"No, she's telling the truth, Sir," Jemma said. "When we were at the Hub, Skye and I saw her. You must have overheard us talking…"

"Whispering isn't exactly your strong suit, is it?' Jamie teased lightly.

"No, I suppose it isn't," she said, almost as an apology. "Though I assure you I am much better at patch you up than I am at whispering."

"That's good," Jamie chuckled before groaning at the pain in her stomach.

"Broken ribs," Jemma deduced. "I shall get your eye and shoulder taken care of first, then you ribs…."she muttered as she worked. "So, you know do know each other, then?" Jemma asked.

"I don't know, Phil. Are we?" Jamie asked. "I mean, I thought we were before you ded. If you really did die. Are we still friends?"

"Don't play that game, Jamie."

"I don't know what game you're talking about, Phil," Jamie said. "I'm not playing a game. I'm being completely honest here!"

"Jemma, could you step out for a second?" Coulson asked.

"Sir, her injuries need to be tended to as soon as possible. I have to insist," Jemma tried to say.

"Jemma, step out please," Coulson ordered.

"Of course, Sir," she muttered, nodding her head as she left.

The room was left in silence for a moment, as if both were waiting for the other to say something. In the end, Jamie was the one to break the silence.

"I got your cards signed, you know," Jamie said. "I've practically got a shrine dedicated to them on a fucking shelf in my apartment because that's what you would want. That's what a friend would do, right? Just like a good friend would tell their friends they weren't dead. Especially the ones that tried to save their lives! I mean, I was covered in your blood, Phil!"

"Jamie…"

"Don't Jamie me!" she yelled, tears welling up in her eyes. "I mourned you! I cried, and I-I got the Avengers going because that's what you wanted. I died because I wanted to do what was right, because that's what you would have wanted! I help Steve because you would want it! I joined SHIELD and do good work because I knew they could be trusted because you were one of them! You believed in them!

"But I guess you didn't think that well of me though, because here you are, alive. And I never knew. I wouldn't have known, would I? It was just a freak accident! You would have been perfectly fine not telling me, wouldn't you!"

"No, I wouldn't!" he yelled back, finally snapping. "I wanted to tell you! I was ordered not to! I follow my orders, but I sure as hell wasn't happy with them. I wanted to tell you. If I couldn't tell the others, I wanted to tell you, okay? You were the one there when I got stabbed. You were the one that tried to save my life. Natasha and I know each other, and we're friends, but we never got personal. That's how she is. And Clint's got his own business. I mean, Captain America thought I was just a fanboy and Tony's just cocky and he wasn't my friend. But you were my friend, Jamie! I wanted to tell you!"

Jamie stared at Phil for a moment. Seeing him that worked up got to her. She was venting and being selfish, she deserved that, but she also had to take into consideration him and his story and feelings. She slid off the bed and moved in front of him, dropping her head to his chest while her hands gripped his suit jacket tightly. "I'm sorry," she muttered against his chest. "I just...I'm glad you're alive."

"I'm glad we got there in time to save you too," he told her, cautiously wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "And, for what it's worth, I'm glad you know now."

"Me too," she admitted. "A friendly face is appreciated after the week I've had."

"So Aaron?" Phil asked.

Jamie sighed. "Yeah, that was a shock," she muttered. "Apparently Cerberus got him before I went back for him, James, and Amir. He, uh, blames me. He's actually willingly working for them."

"Wow, that's….definitely a surprise," Phil admitted.

"And he's the one that killed Patrick," Jamie said. "He's trying to take out all of us, the ones that got out."

"That's something to be reported in," he said. "While Jemma finishes patching you up, I'll report into Fury for you. After, we'll get you something to eat. I know you, you've gotta be starving."

"It's like you never left."

Jamie sat down in the little booth like area, a plate of tacos sitting in front of her. She dug in immediately, Phil, Skye, Ward and the others stood around her, watching her as if she was an animal at the zoo.

"What would Captain Rogers think of your horrible manners?" Phil asked.

Jamie acted as if that question wasn't weird for anybody. After all, Steve was a normal thing for her. "Steve would sold me on my horrible table manners but then he'd let me continue because I haven't eaten the right proportions in a week, thank you very much." She swallowed what was in her mouth before adding, "And for your information, Steve says I'm classy so suck it, Fanboy."

"Really?" Phil asked. "You're going there?"

"Oh, I went there!" Jamie teased back.

"So you really know Captain America?" Skye asked.

"Uh, yeah," Jamie nodded. "We have dinner together, like, three times a week."

"Really? What's he like?" Jemma asked, taking the seat across from her.

"Uh, he's funnier than you'd think?" Jamie offered, not really sure what to say. "Uh, he's taller than he looks on TV?"

"Are you two dating?" Skye asked.

"Skye," Ward warned.

"What? Everybody wants to know," she muttered.

"Why does everybody ask me that!" Jamie huffed, though she had a smirk and a blush gracing her face.

"Because even before the Avengers you two were chummy," Phil told her.

"Wait, you two knew each other before New York?" Fitz asked.

"Yeah, we met at the gym," Jamie said. "Though we didn't' know each other then, really. Just that we were soldiers and whatnot."
"Don't all of you have work you should be doing instead of patronizing our guest?" Phil asked.

The group dispersed except for Phil. "Wow, that was weird," Jamie muttered. "Kind of rude too. They were just curious."

"Though you might like some time to eat instead of talk," Phil said.

"Thanks."

"If you want to answer their questions you're more than welcome too. Tell them whatever you want. Level doesn't matter on my team. We share our information."

"Okay, sounds good," Jamie said.

The small quinjet attached to the top of the what Phil called the Bus. Phil was the only one with her as they said their good-byes, while the others stood off to the side, still watching curiously.

"Get some rest, all right?" Phil asked her. "Take it easy for a few days. I know you heal faster than normal people, but don't overwork yourself."

"Well, you know me," Jamie muttered. "Maybe a day or so, but bedrest makes me antsy."

"I guess I have to tell you that it's best my, well, state should stay between us," Phil said.

"No Steve?" she asked.

"No Captain," Phil answered.

"All right, well. Take care, okay? And if you ever need a little backup, don't be afraid to call," she offtered, giving him a one armed hug, with a kiss to the cheek.

"Will do. Take care, Jamie," he said.

Jamie hobbled off the quinjet, one arm wrapped around her very bruised stomach while the other was in the sling because of her shoulder and the bullet hole. All she wanted to do was sleep, but she knew Fury was going to walk to talk to her, even though she had already spoken to Phil about everything that had happened, and Phil obviously relayed all of it to the Director from the Bus.

The instant she was off the jet a large figure engulfed her into a hug. "Oh my god! Jamie!" Steve breathed, as if having run miles to meet her,

"Ow," she managed to get out. "Steve-owowow! Too hard. Too hard!"

"Sorry! Sorry sorry sorry!" He apologized as he loosened his grip but didn't let go. "God you're gone for a few hours and this happens. Are you trying to kill me? Do you like seeing me freak out?" he asked but not mad, just exhausted.

Normally Jamie would have smiled, reassuring him that she was sorry, that no, she didn't like freaking him out, and that she'd make it up to him. But after everything that happened? Jamie just simply didn't have the energy to even think about wanting to try. "Sorry," she muttered.

"What happened?" Steve asked as he pulled away and started leading her to the car he borrowed from SHIELD to take her home in.

"Cerberus," she muttered, as if it should explain everything, though it probably didn't for someone that hadn't been briefed on the group.

"What? Why wasn't I called to help you? Why didn't I lead the mission?" Steve asked anger entering his voice.

"They didn't know…." she said. "I-I was found on accident. The team stumbled on it, but they didn't know I was there…"

"Then...how..okay...no," Steve sighed. "We'll go home and then you can explain it to me. You need your rest." he said as he opened the car door for her.

The longer she waited though, the less she'd want to talk about it. And she really didn't want to now. So when Steve moved to the drivers side with her in the messenger's, she bit her lip, tears streaming down her face. "It was Aaron," she said.

Steve's hand almost broke the gear shift with the way he jerked. "You mean...but he was...Okay...so we'll talk now." Steve said as he turned on the car to get the air going for her.

"Dr. Hull got to him first," Jamie said. "Or some of the guards did. In the end, it doesn't really matter. They got him so... Took him out of the facility before it blew. Before I got there first. They kept him, continued the experiment. But...He wanted them to."

"Wait wait wait, after all they did? He still wanted them to work on him?" Steve asked.

"H-He was awake when I left," Jamie said. "With the others. He thought I abandoned them to save myself."

"But even if that was the case they still tortured you guys!" Steve shook his head. "And what about having faith in your team? In your friends?"

Jamie just shook her head. She didn't know the answer, after all. "So he agreed to stay back to get revenge," he said. "He….He killed Patrick. I knew the car crash seemed weird. Patrick was hunting down Cerberus with the military and Aaron found him. Killed him. He's going to come after all of us. Me. James and his family. Fury said he'd move them, get them protection, but….Aaron's got powers now. Just like mine…"

"What are you going to do, if your going to do something?" Steve asked. "How can I help? What do you need me to do? Name it, I'll do it for you." Steve said seriously.

Jamie shook her head. Again, she didn't really know. "Fury's already got James and his family moved out. Amir and his family were already in protective custody, and Amir works for SHIELD so I don't really have any worries about them," she said. "And he said he has a plan for the Brits so….there's only one thing left to do…"

"And that is?" Steve asked her.

"I've...I've gotta go tell Andy," she said.

"Andy?" Steve asked her.

"A-Aaron's little brother," Jamie answered. "H-He's the only family he has left. And I told him when Aaron died. He's gotta know that he's alive and that….I mean, he'll find out eventually."

"O-Oh." Steve muttered before he put the car into drive finally. "Do you want me to come with you...? For support and all? It won't be easy."

Jamie shook her head. "No," she said. "Andy's family and…I've gotta do this on my own."

"Are you sure?" Steve sighed, putting the car back in gear to drive out. "Of course you are." he said before she could answer. "Okay, but anything you want me to do?"

Jamie glanced up, biting her lip. She felt too forward asking, but she went on with saying it anyway. "C-Can you stay tonight? I just...I don't want to be alone right now…"

Steve gave her a small smile, reaching over to take her hand. He gently rubbed his thumb on the top of her knuckles comfortingly. "Yeah, of course. you didn't even have to ask." he said.

"Thanks."

"Always."

So that's how she gets out, and there'll be more Agents of SHIELD to come too. Hope you guys liked it! Not a whole lot of Steve, but I threw in a bit there. Thanks StillDoll13 for her help on this one.

Thanks got to the following for their reviews:

Jedi Jelsa777- I guess it wasn't a far stretch that Aaron was turned. Makes you wonder if he's the one sending the flowers, you know? Creep her out and whatnot. Anyway, I cried a couple times writing this chapter. Hope it hits everybody as much as it did me. Glad you liked the last chapter and I hope you liked this one!

KnowInsight- Yeah, i know, it wasn't really original having him come back. But I always love the conflict of the whole evil-best-friend bit. Plus, it gives Jamie her own bit of Story arch and villain, you know? Instead of having her just be in the movies and whatnot. And on them getting together...well, they're both too stubborn and pigheaded, like you said. It's gonna be a while.

Queen of Erebor- Lol, yeah, it wasn't really an original thing, was it?

Jo- Lol, everybody is so excited it was Aaron. I'm just glad people kind of still remember him. I know I reminded people, but there are still a lot of people that remembered before and whatnot. But I'm really glad you liked it and are excited for more.

CJ/OddBall- Yes, you had his spelling right the first time. Aaron. Not gonna answer if either are the creeper, but it makes you wonder, right? Yeah, Aaron's a bt demented now, isn't he? Guess he lost more of his mind in captivity than was originally thought. No, she doesn't relocate. She already figures there's security around her place because of SHIELD and the Avengers work. And hitting right at home isn't really Cerberus's play. I mean, they did wait for her to leave DC before taking her. DC just has too many different agencies there and whatnot. Well, wasn't Steve to save her, but I hope you liked it.
*Jamie: Uh, sure, but outside...Tony doesn't like strangers in the tower...*

TMG4899- Yeah, I always intended for people to feel that exact way about Aaron, and Hull too, but primarily Aaron. I love writing him at the beginning, and I kind of felt bad for doing what I did to him. A bit. But I love that Jamie has a villain so whatever! And feel free to do just that with Hull and Aaron...Just make sure you don't eat them, because that's cannibalism, frowned upon by most societies.