I'll Be There

Alex let out a sigh as she pulled off her covers and sat on her bed with her legs crossed. She began to fiddle with the necklace that Steve had given her two Christmases ago as her mind processed the recent events that had occurred. She became so lost in thought that she almost didn't notice the person shuffling beside her.

"Hey, are you awake?" asked a tired voice.

"Sorry, Steve," Alex apologized. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"Don't worry about it," Steve responded as he pushed the blankets off of himself and sat up next to Alex. "Is everything alright?"

"I'm fine. I was just thinking about stuff and realized that I'm going to be a mom," Alex stated plainly.

"Yeah and you're going to be a great one," Steve grinned as he leaned forward and pressed his lips against her shoulder.

"But what if I'm not?" Alex blurted. "I don't know anything about raising a child. What if I end up being the worst mother ever and our kid hates me?"

"Alex that's ridiculous."

"That's easy for you to say," Alex sighed. "You're going to be an amazing father."

"Really?" Steve questioned as he raised an eyebrow. "And why is that?"

"It's because you're kind, and patient, and sweet, but also firm and fair and overall perfect father material," Alex pointed out. "And I'm none of those things."

"That's because you're going to be a mom, not a dad," Steve chuckled. "Besides, you're caring, loving, and willing to do anything to protect the ones you love. That's what's going to make you a great mom. And remember, this parenting thing is a two person job and I'm going to be with you every step of the way so stop worrying about it."

"I guess you're right," Alex sighed. "I have nothing to worry about…except for building the crib, and setting up the nursery and—"

"Alex, don't worry. We have plenty of time for everything. Now get some rest," Steve stated as he went back to lying on the bed.

"Okay fine, but promise me you'll start working on the nursery after the wedding," Alex replied as she took her spot next to him with her back pressed against his chest.

"I promise," Steve whispered as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

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"Steve," Alex mumbled into her pillow until the sound of her cell door opening woke her.

"Breakfast time," the female guard declared as she entered the cell carrying a metal tray.

'It was only a dream,' Alex thought as the tray of food was placed in front of her.

"Eat up," the guard stated as Alex examined the cup of green liquid on the tray.

"What is this?" Alex questioned.

"It's vegetable juice. It contains a lot of the vitamins you need."

"You could have just given me vitamin pills or a V8," Alex pointed out.

"Well, you eat what I give you," the guard stated before exiting the cell.

Alex took a sip of the vegetable juice and immediately regretted it.

"Okay no," Alex mumbled as she put down the cup of juice and proceeded in poking at the scrambled egg on the plate.

"You know what. Forget it. I'm not eating," Alex said to herself as she threw the juice and eggs into the toilet.

"I'm sorry squishy. I know you need me to eat, but I can't," she sighed.

"Just wait until you're daddy comes then we can have pizza, and chicken, and anything else you want."

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"So why is it that Natasha and I are in Tennessee?" Steve asked into his cell phone.

"Apparently the person who was driving the unknown van was a twenty nine year old woman named Suzan Alverez, and according to what I found, she's just outside Nashville, Tennessee," Tony responded from the other line.

"Okay, so why aren't you here? Don't you want to find Alex too?" Steve questioned.

"Of course I want to find her and I'm going to, but someone has to be here going through nationwide surveillance in case Alex pops up anywhere," Tony replied. "Anyway, you and Natasha have to figure out what this person knows," Tony said before he hung up.

Steve grunted in frustration before he put his phone back in his pocket and approached the address Tony have given them.

"Don't worry, Steve. If this Suzan knows anything that can help us find Alex, I'll get it out of her," Natasha stated before knocking on the door.

"Just a second," responded a female from inside the house. After a few seconds, the front door opened to reveal a tall woman with blonde hair standing in front of the two.

"How can I help you?" the women asked.

"Hello Miss Alverez, I'm detective Swanson. This is my partner detective Smith. We're with the Nashville police force and we'd like to ask you some questions regarding a missing person, if you don't mind," Natasha stated plainly.

"Umm…sure. Come right in and call me Suzan," Suzan responded as she stepped aside to allow Steve and Natasha to enter.

Suzan led the two into her living room and gestured them to take a seat.

"Can I get you anything? Water? Coffee? Tea?" Suzan rambled.

"We're fine, Suzan. We'd just like to know if you've seen anything suspicious over the last week. Any new people or unfamiliar vehicles," Natasha asked authoritatively.

"No, I haven't seen anything. I've been away for a bit," Suzan stated, clearing her throat afterward.

"Oh, really? Where did you go?"

"I don't think that's of any importance," Suzan began.

"Ma'am, just answer the question," Steve interrupted, catching Suzan off guard.

"I—I went to Philadelphia to visit my brother and his wife."

"And you haven't seen this woman?" Natasha asked as she pulled out a photo from her bag and handed it to Suzan. "She was last seen in Nashville last Friday."

"Impossible," Suzan uttered as she examined the brunette woman in the photo.

"Excuse me, what was that?" Natasha asked.

"I said it's impossible for me to have seen her. I've been away— remember?" Suzan stated nervously.

Natasha examined Suzan momentarily before she asked, "Why are you lying?"

"What?" Suzan asked in confusion. "I'm not lying, detective. I told you I don't know who Alex is nor have I seen her before."

"How did you know her name if you've never seen her before?" Steve asked as he clenched his fist.

"You said her name when you introduced yourselves," Suzan lied.

"No we did not. Now tell me everything you know, or I swear I will—"

"Steve, leave." Natasha ordered.

"There's no way I'm going to—"

"Yes, you are because if you stay here you're going to end up hurting this woman and that's not going to help. Now, go wait for me outside."

"Fine," Steve said as he reluctantly got up from his seat. "But you better find out everything."

"I already told you I would," Natasha replied as she watched Steve exit the house.

"So what's the news?" Steve asked as he saw Natasha leave the house.

"She doesn't know where Alex is."

"That's impossible," Steve interrupted. "She—"

"She was just a random woman who was used to take Alex from the church to a port in Rhode Island. I already sent Tony the location of where she was dropped off and he's looking into it."

"Nat, there's got to be more than that. Did you find out who wanted Alex and why they took her?" Steve asked.

"She didn't know who she was helping. They just gave her cash to drive," Natasha replied.

"Really, Nat? You're a spy and that's all you got out of her? Look, I'm going to go back and find out—"

"Steve! I already found out everything she knows."

"You don't know that."

"Yes I do," Natasha asserted. "Look, I know you want to find Alex, but you have to be rational. You can't just come in ready to hurt someone in hopes that they'll tell you what you want to hear."

"You do it all the time," Steve pointed out.

"When the time calls for it and this wasn't one of those times."

"Look, Nat. It' not just Alex I'm worried about," begun Steve. "It's—"

"Your kid," she interrupted. "Suzan told me that whoever kidnapped Alex knew she was pregnant."

"That's not possible," Steve said in disbelief. "The only person who knew about that besides Alex and I was her doctor."

"Well then I guess we have to pay a visit to Alex's doctor."