While two years may seem insignificant to Asgardians, it didn't mean that a lot couldn't happen.

A lot of travelling, a lot of disguises, a lot of fake names, a lot of shabby hotels or abandoned warehouses...life on the run wasn't an easy time. Being a fugitive wasn't much better.

Our latest hideout was an abandoned warehouse, mostly dark except for the dim lighting that really didn't do much for anyone. These were pit stops, as they didn't provide the true care we needed like motels could. We didn't stop at nearly as many motels, mostly because we were still in possession of the quinjet. That's certain to get us noticed in big, populated areas. Finding hiding places for it was hard at times.

Currently, our number held firm at five: Steve, myself, Natasha, Todd, and Sam. Scott Lang and Clint had taken plea deals in the wake of the Sokovia Accords. I knew why Clint had, he had a wife and children. Scott had to have something like that to not want to risk running from the law. Wanda had been with us on and off, she was currently away. She was to keep contact at all times, if nothing else to check in with us.

Lately, we hadn't heard anything from her.

Todd and Natasha spent their downtime training, more so for Todd's benefit. He loved training with Natasha, he put her on such a high pedestal you'd think she was an immortal god. I kept watch of their training. Though I knew neither would really hurt each other, a protective part of me was ready to rush to Todd's aid if he got severely injured.

"Maybe today's the day I best you, Tash," said Todd. His dark bangs fell over his eyes, bouncing as he did. Though he trained with Natasha, he sometimes held his boxing stance. Though a stance didn't mean much, it reminded me of simpler times. Of a time where we shared an apartment and he taught me the ways of Earth.

Like everyone else, Nat had adopted a slight different appearance to throw off authority eyes looking for us. Her red hair had changed to platinum blonde, cut into a bob. It was a startling change to say the least, I'd only known her as a redhead.

"Even if she were wounded, she'd still kick your ass," came Sam's quip.

"Whose side are you on, Wilson?" was Todd's retort.

I took a look around the warehouse. Steve was nowhere in sight. Probably doing unnecessary patrol work. I sighed. My husband, the ever watchful.

"What do you guys think? Better or worse than our last spot?" I asked nonchalantly.

"You serious there, hot hands?" asked Sam. "We were in a motel before. That good enough of an answer?"

The elephant in the room was a question nobody had the answer to. How long could this go on? How much longer did we have to evade authority? I hope not for the rest of our days. I don't want to spend my future like this.

As I turned to head out for some air, I heard Todd's grunt of disappointment. I smiled. Natasha had bested him yet again.

"Someday you'll beat me, but not today," said Natasha. The smile in her voice was evident.

The air was cool as I stepped out to meet Steve. There was such a hard transition from the man I met all those years ago. He'd been clean-shaved, stiff as a soldier when standing. He still held the soldier stance, but his appearance had changed. While we had our gear and suits in the quinjet, most days we opted for civilian clothes. He was missing his trademark shield, he'd left it in Siberia after the fallout with Tony. I could've taken it back to Steve, but in the end it didn't feel worth it.

"You're missing out on a show," I said as I stood on his right. "Todd's trying to beat Nat again."

"There's few people who can do that. He's not quite there yet."

"Definitely not." I looped my arm through one of his. "Nothing from Wanda?"

"No."

"Anything from the burner phone?"

A sigh came from his lips. "Nothing."

It was my turn to exhale a sigh. Once our group had gathered themselves and headed out, Steve had let me in on his unfinished business. Aside from breaking our friends out of jail, he had written Tony a letter and shipped him a burner phone. If Tony ever needed us, we were just a call away.

In two years, the thing never even beeped, except when the battery was dying. No phone calls. Not even a text message. Tony's message was loud and clear: the wedge was still too big to overcome.

I'd tried to reach out to him via thoughts after some time, but he never answered. Either our connection was weakened or he outright refused to talk to me. I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss him. Despite how childish he could be, he reminded me that life didn't have to be taken so seriously all the time. The door is completely shut now. He's chosen to slam it in my face, even after he left it open.

"Another night in a warehouse, and then it's back to moving tomorrow," I said sadly. "I'd ask when this will ever stop, but I don't think either of us have the answer to that."

"Unfortunately not."

I swallowed. There were times I thought we'd have to force our hand and settle somewhere under new identities. In what time she made for it, Natasha taught us about covers and fake identities. I'd wanted to learn from no one else but her.

I quirked my mouth. Time had aged the man who went into the ice all those years ago. I could see it in his eyes most days...when I wasn't distracted by the beard he had decided to acquire. One of the things Nat coached us on about appearances was that if we altered them enough, no one would bat an eye.

I thanked her mentally almost once a week for Steve's fugitive beard. I never thought he would grow one, let alone keep it. I didn't want him to get rid of it now, not if I could help it. I hadn't realized I needed a bearded Steve in my life.

"Well, at least we're not in this alone," I said softly.

Todd had chosen willingly to become a fugitive though he hadn't done anything wrong prior. After Natasha allowed Steve, Bucky, and myself to Siberia...needless to say, the law had wanted her arrested. Her helping us out landed her on the run along with us.

I moved past Steve's right to face in front of him. "Some things don't change, do they?"

"How do you mean?"

"Ever watchful of the perimeter. Keeping a tight ship." I shrugged.

"We gotta look out for each other."

I nodded in agreement. "We've been running for two years, Steve. We can allow a little leeway."

"The second we do and the second they realize it, they'll close in."

I sighed. "That's your view of things. Everyone seems to be in my mindset, except for you."

"I just don't want anyone to get caught."

"I know, love. I know." I hugged him, pushing my head under his chin. "Not how we wanted to spend our early years of marriage, huh?"

"Not in the least."

"If anything, this has strengthened us." I pulled my head out from under him to look up.

A new noise interrupted our tender moment. At first, I thought it was the quinjet, or something inside of the warehouse going off. But the noise sounded close, like it was right on top of us...

The phone. The phone! I jumped apart from Steve as he pulled it out of his jean pocket. That phone only had one number in it—there was no way someone else could've gotten it without doing a thorough investigation.

"Is it...?" I fumbled.

Steve showed me the tiny screen. Tony's name was on it. I gestured madly for Steve to answer. Thank the gods he didn't wait until the very last second.

"Hello?" Steve's brows creased over his eyes. I strained to hear the voice on the other end. "O-okay, slow down. Run that by me again."

My heart pounded furiously in my chest. Something was wrong, Steve's tone gave that much away.

"We'll get on it. We'll meet you there when we've got him."

"Well?" I pressed the second Steve ended the call.

"It wasn't Tony, it was Bruce."

"Bruce?" We hadn't seen Bruce since the ordeal with Ultron. The man with the alter ego had been missing for three years. "Are you sure?"

"It was him, Kiara. We need to find Vision."

"Vision? Why?"

"More or less, aliens attacked New York again. It wasn't like the time Loki attacked, this was different. Bruce wasn't around for much of the fighting, but...Tony is MIA."

My lips parted. If trouble had come around to New York, no doubt Tony wouldn't let that happen without a fight. "How MIA?"

"As in more than likely whatever ship docked itself in the New York sky, he's probably on it."

I sighed. "Damn it, Tony Stark. All right, did Bruce say anything else?"

"Something about Infinity Stones, how that was what the aliens had come for. There was some sort of...wizard, I think he said...that had one of them. Vision has one—the gem in his head. The aliens will more than likely be gunning for him next. We need to beat them there."

"And there's Captain Obvious. As if there's any other option."

"Once we get Vision, we're supposed to meet Bruce back at the facility."

Things were definitely out of whack for Bruce to suggest going back to the newer facility. "Okay, well, it should be easy to track him."

"His transponder has been off for two weeks, according to Bruce. So we'll have to figure out a different way, which we might already have."

"Wanda?" It had become a known secret that when Wanda went off on her own, she would be seeing Vision. Since the fallout with the Accords, Wanda and Aria had more or less broken up. We weren't sure if Vision was her new love interest or if she was simply seeking company from a friend other than her usual group of rogues. She wasn't willing to give much information.

"Her last location is Scotland. Let's hope she hasn't made a move elsewhere in the meantime."