Chapter Six

Home With You

James left as quickly as possible, taking all traces of what had happened with him. Elizabeth knew that it was for the best; he wasn't ready for this yet. Still, she felt a pang in her heart as she listened to Carol and Rogers talk about how they met.

The two of them had accidentally bumped into each other in the hallway. Carol was in a foul mood and Steve Rogers was in a hurry. She smiled as she listened to her best friend recount how they had said each other's words.

Carol spoke first, saying, "Why don't you just push me into a moat, jerk?"

Steve, apparently, had responded by saying, "There are no moats nearby."

It seemed a bit silly to her, but then again, who was she to judge? Her soulmate had almost killed her, so she was in no position to do so.

"So, you're staying here for a while?" she asked them.

The two of them nodded and she noted how they seemed to be in sync. It was as if she was observing a pair from a fairytale. A princess and a prince, meant to be together.

The thought made her think about James. She hoped that, wherever he may be, he was alright. She knew that his life would never be easy, but she wanted to keep hoping despite that. Someone had to.

"Lizzie, you there?" Carol waved a hand over her eyes.

"Sorry," she apologized. "I was thinking. You know what, I'm really tired so I'll go to bed early tonight."

They bid each other goodnight and Elizabeth walked back to her room. There, she got dressed and packed up everything she thought was necessary. Mainly clothes, money and some food and water, all stuffed into two bags.

She locked the door and propped up a chair against it. Heading to her window, she saw her old favorite books on the table beside her bed. She picked up her favorite one and stuffed it into her sling bag. Then, she opened the window.

"Bye, Kitty Cat," she whispered as she climbed down the fire escape.

Gripping her jacket tightly, she wandered throughout the streets, looking for where James might have gone. They had agreed to meet up outside, but they hadn't specified where.

"You actually did it," whispered a voice in her ear.

She squeaked as she turned around to face James. Giving him a small punch that she knew had no effect, she whispered angrily, "You scared me, you jerk."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked her, looking her in the eye. "I can get by alone. You have a life here, and I don't want to ruin that."

"My place in life," she told him. "Is with you. Now, let's go."

He gripped the bag he already held and took one of the bags she had brought. He glanced at her and saw her staring at him. He inhaled before nodding. "If you're so sure, then."

Elizabeth knew that life with James would never be easy, but she knew she had to try. If he wanted her around, she would stick around. It scared her, to her core, but she felt different around him. She knew she would always be there for him if he needed her.

Panic.

That's what Caroline felt when she finally burst into Elizabeth's room. She was gone, along with some of her belongings. The window was closed, but it wasn't locked like always.

"Someone took her away," she told Steve.

"Why? Why her?" he asked, still looking around.

"I don't know," she confessed.

"Maybe it was her boyfriend," he said, holding up a shirt that could fit him. "Who did she associate with?"

"She has no boyfriend, and she would tell me if she met her soulmate," stated Carol, trying to think before an idea hit her. "She published an article on HYDRA a few years back, and she was a witness to the incident in Chicago. You don't think…?"

"HYDRA doesn't like loose ends," he said.

She felt all the blood drain from her face. Her grip loosened and she felt her knees go weak. If something were to happen to her… No, she couldn't afford to think that way.

She looked around again before she realized something painfully obvious, "There's no sign of her putting up a fight. She did this willingly. Why? Why wouldn't she tell me?"

Neither of them had an answer.