Two years and six months . I've been hiding, stealing, and hunting for two years and six months. I have been stealing medicine to slow my deadly condition. I'm being poisoned by the very mutation in my cells that is responsible for my powers. Stark may have the cure, and I desperately need it to stay alive. To keep my baby alive. Our baby, to be exact.

I'm in the process of packing my bag when James walks over. He's been on his own, as well. He takes my hand, our 'rings' shining in the moonlight. They're from a gumball machine, but who cares? It means we're together, and that's all that matters. He kisses me before lifting my shirt and kisses my stomach.

"Do it for us." He says. "Do it for little Jamie."

"Or Astra." I add. He kisses me again and says, "or Astra."

I finish packing the bag before I depart. When I reach the tower, I think through my points of entry. Going through the front door will most certainly alert my father, and father-in-law. If I am to go on a ladder, it may be too hard on the baby. I take a deep breath before walking up to the front door. I push it open and walk into the lobby, my beat up tennis shoes barely making a sound. As I get in the elevator, it seems like the building has finally woken up.

"Miss Marshall, a pleasure to see you again." FRIDAY greets. I shake my head. "Mr. Stark will be pleased to know you've returned."

"About that," I begin, "I don't want him to know."

"As you wish." The AI stays silent for a moment. "Is Captain Rogers' son with you?"

"James didn't want to come." I fiddle with my ring. "Could you tell me where Dad keeps the antihistamines and other antiemetics?"

"Why do you ask?" FRIDAY questions. I shake my head.

"I can't say." Before the cameras can catch it, I pull my sleeve to cover the layer of ice around my wrist. "Where are the other Avengers?"

"Agents Romanoff and Barton are on a S.H.I.E.L.D. mission, Thor is off world, Doctor Banner is working late in the lab, and Captain Rogers and Mr. Stark are asleep. If you wish for them to be alerted to your return, I can-"

"No!" I exclaim. The floor has almost been reached. "No. I'll be okay. Thank you."

As the doors open, I place my hands on and under my abdomen. I just started showing a week ago. Maybe it would be better to wait, or let- no! I have to do this. For the baby. I walk down the halls in silence, my shoes barely even making a sound. The lights in the lab are on. I sigh. Banner.

"FRIDAY," I whisper, "tell Doctor Banner that there has been a disturbance in the kitchen."

I hide behind a wall and watch the AI work her magic. Soon, Brucie is scrambling to the kitchen. That gives me five minutes to find the medicine. I sneakily catch the door before it closes, slipping inside. The lights are still on, which gives me the advantage of seeing what the labels are. I pull a plastic bag from the waistband of my leggings, shoveling as many of the needed medications as possible in before the door opens. I don't make a sound.

"Cassie?" It's Cap. He's going to tell Tony. He's going to see the ring. He's going to figure out about the baby. Before I can react, the ice covers another part of my arm. I cry out in pain. "Cassie!"

"I'm fine." I growl. He doesn't believe me as he turns me around. "Easy! Easy."

"Cassandra, you don't have to steal. Tell me what's going on." He tells me. He looks down at my abdominal region. He sees the bump. "Are you-"

"No." I quickly cut him off. He raises an eyebrow. He slowly lifts my sleeve up, revealing the coat of ice over my arm.

"You're freezing to death." He observes. The room begins spinning. I stumble. Black dots begin obstructing my vision. "Stay with me, Cassie!"

I collapse in his arms. He's going to notice the baby. When I wake up, Tony is standing in the corner. I want to say something to him, to curse him for leaving my mother and I alone for all those years, but I don't at the same time.

As I prepare to speak, a vile substance rises up my throat. I quickly get up and run to the bathroom, barely making it before the substance forces its way out. Morning sickness.

"You didn't call me for over two years, and then you come back pregnant." He states. I throw up again. "Is that a ring on your- you're married, too?!"

"I tried to hate you, Tony, I really did." I explain. "So I ran, and I met James. It was like opening my eyes for the first time when we met. He loves me, Tony. He loves me, and he loves our child."

"Your child is killing you!" He shouts. I cough before wiping my face on a piece of folded toilet paper and stand.

"You think I don't know that? I scream. "It's my daughter or son! If I would've wanted to just curl up and die with it in me, I wouldn't be here!"

"I'm not saying you should die!" He shouts. He takes a deep breath before saying, "I just want to help you."

"Then reverse this." I growl. He sighs.

"The only way is to remove your powers." He explains. "If the mutation is dormant, it may save you both."

"Would it be permanent?" I ask. He shakes his head.

"Rendering it dormant could lead to it violently reawakening during delivery, which could kill the baby." He sadly adds. "However, medication could slow the effects, but that kind of medicine could take weeks to make."

"I don't have weeks, Stark! It's sped up!" I exclaim. He pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs again.

"Then, what else have you found that slows the effects?" He asks.

"Heat. It's one of the only things that melts the ice." I tell him. He nods before I feel another dizzy spell overtake me. I pass out on the bathroom floor. Is this going to affect the baby?

When I wake up again, the ice is gone. James is by my bedside, with a heating pad wrapped around my arm. Luxuries like electricity are something in short supply for us. I'm surprised he's decided to use it so quickly. We're in the house. Our house. Our baby's crib is in the corner, if you can even call it that. It's a dresser drawer with an end table supporting it.

The ice is gone when he removes the heating pad. I look over at him. Blood stained bandages are wrapped around his abdomen. When did that happen?

"James? What- what happened to you?" He places his finger to my lips.

"A parting gift from our parents' friends. Don't worry, Cass. I'll be okay." He assures me. I sit up. Is the baby okay? Was it hurt? "Oh, and they found out what gender it is. Say hello to little Astra in there."

He places his hand on my baby bump, and I smile. The moment is short lived, however, when the door breaks open. I get up, still dressed, as he hands me the car keys. Agents flood the dilapidated apartment, their guns trained on James. He slowly slides his ring off and takes the chain from his neck, placing both in my hand before closing it.

"Save yourself." He whispers. "Save Astra."

"James, don't do this!" I plead. He shakes his head. He opens the window and helps me onto the fire escape. "James!"

"I have to." He tells me. "Til death do us part."

He closes the window as the bedroom door breaks open. He stands in front of the window before charging at the agents. Blood hits the window. His body crumbles to the floor. He weakly turns his head to me and smiles before closing his eyes. They don't reopen.

As agents make their way to the window, I climb down the escape, running to the old truck. I frantically start the engine and drive off. They murdered my husband. They would've killed me. James Rogers saved my life. James Rogers saved his daughter's life.

He saved his family's lives by sacrificing his own.