Jess had managed to hide away for a few days in her apartment after that night. She had to stop at the hospital on the way home after discovering a cut on her head from her run in with the men, needing stitches and some medication to help with her concussion. It wasn't her best idea to interfere with them that night, but at least now she had some answers, however confusing they were.

Pierce was running something within SHIELD that no one else knew about. Pierce had access to everything, he was the highest ranking person in the organization, he had the most power over everything. Jess always knew SHIELD wasn't honest or trustworthy, but she didn't expect something like this.

Looking over files and trying to hack into a database to identify the men she saw that night, Jess didn't mind being cooped up in her apartment. She had even more time off work which she was sure would annoy her boss, but she couldn't go out with stitches running down to the top of her forehead. She'd managed to tell Steve she'd been sick and had been sleeping through the days, but she knew she couldn't hide from him forever. Just long enough to figure out what to tell him.

There had been so many time she wanted to tell him everything, the truth. Explain to him who she was and why she was doing all of this, but she just didn't know how. Steve was a loyal man, he wouldn't understand or agree with her method of getting information from SHIELD, and he'd never trust her again.

Jess was pulled from her thoughts as her phone began ringing, making her groan as she reached across the couch to grab it.

''Jess, it's Zac,'' he told her hurriedly as she answered. ''You have to listen to me real quick, okay?''

''What's going on?'' Jess asked. ''I've been trying to call you for days-''

''They know, Jess. They know someone got into the system and they got security footage of you and they face traced you,''

''They can't, I cleared my records,'' Jess sat up, alert.

''Well they found your real records and probably every other record you've wiped. They questioned me but I swear I didn't tell them anything, not that I could anyway because I don't know what you're looking for. They're coming for you Jess, I don't know when but they are. I needed to let you know, you have to get away before they find you,''

Jess kicked against the couch angrily, standing up and rushing over to her laptop to shut down the files she was looking at. Not only did they find out she'd hacked into SHIELD's system, but they knew her real name and her real history.

''Who even found out about me getting into the system? It was weeks ago!''

''A few days ago Secretary Pierce starting looking into things, said he had a description of who he was looking for and that they were trying to infiltrate SHIELD or something, I don't know, that's what we were told when they started scanning over everything in our computers and their systems with some new software to detect something, look I don't know all of that Jess, I just know that they know it was you and if Pierce was the one who organized this whole thing, this search for you or whatever, then I'd get out of town,''

''Getting out of town won't stop SHIELD finding me,'' Jess shook her head.

''Maybe not, but consider this your head start,''

Jess was silent for a moment, going over in her head what was going on. This was bad. This was worse than bad. Everything she'd worked for to get to this point meant nothing. Her motives, her identity, what she'd been doing, it was all laid out for SHIELD to see and they were coming for her. Pierce ordered the whole thing. She should have been more careful when dealing with those men, she had no idea they'd go as far as to begin a search for her.

Pierce knew that she knew. Whatever he was trying to hide, he was coming after her to protect it.

''Thank you Zac, I can take it from here,''

''Good luck,''

Jess put her phone down, taking a deep breath before she started with the first part of her impromptu plan. Getting out of here.

There wasn't enough time for another bag. There wasn't even enough time for one, but if Jess was going to run, she was going to make sure she took whatever she could. Flash drives of information she'd collected over the years, documents she would need if leaving the country or travelling, a few clothes, weapons in case she ran into trouble and any piece of personal information she could find.

She changed from her comfortable clothes and into the clothing she'd wear if following a mission. Easy to run in and easy to escape in. SHIELD would chase her anywhere she went and she didn't plan of stopping.

''Hey Jess?''

Jess turned her head quick, eyes wide with worry as she heard the voice at the door. Steve.

''I know you're in there, I could hear you mumbling to yourself,'' he chuckled. ''Come on, I brought you some food to help you feel better,''

He didn't sound like he was coming to take her back to Pierce. He wasn't on a mission. He didn't know.

''Uh,'' she looked around. ''I'm still pretty sick Steve,''

''That's why I brought you some food. Come on, I haven't seen you for days,''

She couldn't leave like this. It would be easier, but she just couldn't do it. He didn't know about what was going on. Pierce was being secretive as always, he didn't want questions raised as to why he was looking for her. But if she told Steve, they'd come after him also. This was her problem, it always was, that's why she didn't tell him who she really was.

She had no motive when it came to Steve. She didn't use him for information, she didn't tell him who she was to get anything from him. He was like her best friend, she couldn't drag him into it.

''Not now Steve,'' she called out in a more annoyed tone, trying to make him leave.

''Hey, are you okay?''

''Just go and eat your food. I'm not in the mood, I'm sorry,''

There was a moment of silence.

''What's going on?''

Jess groaned when she tried to slip a photo of her parents into her bag, dropping the photo frame onto the ground and smashing it.

''Nothing!'' she shouted.

Before she could even say any more, Steve opened the door which apparently she hadn't locked like she thought and walked in. He looked worried at first until he saw the bag in her hand, bursting with her belongings and how fast she was rushing around the living room. There was no point stopping what she was doing. Whether Steve knew or not, she still had to go.

''You're leaving,'' he spoke in a low voice.

Jess looked up to him sadly, disappointed in herself.

''I have to,''

''No you don't,'' he argued. ''Tell me what's going on?''

''I can't,'' she shook her head, putting her bag on her back.

Steve noticed the stitches on her head then.

''How'd that happen?''

''Steve,'' she looked at him, a calm voice. ''Let it go. I have to get out of here now, I'm sorry,''

Jess tried to walk past him, but he grabbed her arm tight and stopped her.

''What is going on?'' he asked with a serious tone.

''I can't tell you what's going on,'' she shook her head. ''I want to, but it's too complicated for right now. I have to go-''

''You can't just leave. Not after everything that's happened. I told you I'd be here for you, you promised you wouldn't leave again. Just because you think you're alone and you're not-''

''That's not why I'm leaving. I know I promised you and here, take the keys,'' she tossed them to him.

Steve put his hands on his hip, trying to understand why she was doing this.

''What are you mixed up in?'' he asked. ''I can help you, just tell me what's going on,''

Jess shook her head and looked at him, tears welling in her eyes. He'd been such a good friend to her, he'd been there through everything and she was just going to walk away and leave, go right back on the promise she made him only days ago.

''You can't help me Steve, not this time,'' she looked to him. ''All you've ever done was help me and I've lied to you,''

Steve took a step closer.

''About what?''

''About me. About who I am. I can't explain it to you now, it's...it's complicated and I want to tell you, just not now. But Steve, whatever they tell you, I did it all for a good reason and I hope I can explain that all to you one day. I'd hate for you to believe what they're going to say about me and the person I am and they're going to make me out to be someone I'm not, just please don't believe them,''

Steve was even more worried now.

''Who?'' he asked, but Jess just shook her head. ''Jess, you gotta tell me what's going on, I can't let you go when I don't know what you're running from,''

''I'm running from the past I brought on myself,'' she shrugged. ''Somehow I'll explain everything to you when I can, but for now...I'm sorry,'' she began walking to the door.

Steve watched, knowing she wasn't going to tell him what was going on. At least not yet. Whatever she was running from, it was coming soon and she had to get away. He could only narrow it down to a family matter. She'd been going from place to place since she was a kid, maybe he should have stayed out of it. But he worried about her.

''Jess, wait,'' he called out as she reached the door, pulling on the hood of her jacket to cover her face. ''Take it,''

Jess watched the keys fly through the air as Steve tossed them to her.

''It's yours anyway. If you need to go, I trust you, just be careful,''

She looked down at the keys, realizing just how much Steve did trust her. Jess was running away again after promising she wouldn't and yet he was still allowing her to take the car he'd bought for her. She was a horrible person in comparison to him.

Jess looked up, knowing she owed Steve something, she owed him everything actually. But if she didn't get to run far, if SHIELD got to her or something worse, she wanted him to know who she really was. Even if it raised a million questions she wouldn't be here to answer, she wanted him to know something she'd been keeping from him.

''My name isn't Jessica Bennett,''

Steve stared at her, his eyes focusing on hers as he listened.

''It's Jessica Barnes,'' she nodded. ''That's my name, that's who my family is,''

Steve's eyes widened as he thought over in his head if he was hearing her right or if he was drawing the right conclusion. Barnes. The only name coming to his mind was Bucky, but it couldn't be possible. Then again, he couldn't be sure. When he blinked, he looked over to the now wide open door and saw that Jess was gone.