Chapter 2
”Awww come on Stevie, one dance?” A smile Painting their Face.
A light laugh. “I don’t wanna step on your toes.” A wrinkle of the nose.
A smile melting to a light frown. “At Home in our socks?”
A wet laugh now, “Yeah Buck... At Home.”
A loud clamp of glasses hitting tables, laughter of drunken men.
Soldiers lingered around.
They watched, not one said a word.
Not the small blonde beauty, who had a gun strapped to her thigh.
She tucked her fingers around the top of the bottom.
She chunked it across the room, it shattered against the wall.
Alcohol darkening the green walls.
She tucked her fingers in her brownish-red stained hair.
Stephany rolled her Shield back and forth between her thighs. Half listening to the press conference going on, half watching her team mates.
Natasha was sitting a little too crooked,
Clint was clutching his arm to his chest to tightly,
Tony was trying his hardest to keep his front up,
Bruce looked to out of it to make much sense of what was going on,
Thor looked worse for wear he shifted in his chair too much.
“Captain Rogers! How does it feel to be on the same team as you Past Lovers Son?” Stephany went ridged, as did Tony, no one seemed to notice.
“Excuse you?” Her tone chilling.
Stark Stared at her with wide as, he hadn’t expected that.
The Journalist floundered. “Well the world know you where in love with Howard Sta-” Stephany’s hand around her glass went a bit to tight.
Shattering it, completely cutting off the woman.
The Avengers all stared at her.
“We’ll be leaving now.” Natasha said sharply, as Stephany pushed her chair back so hard it plummeted to the floor with a loud bang and stalked off.
The gathered crowd yelled and protested.
The five Avengers scrambled to follow their leader.
Who was leaning on a slightly bent light poll. A Cigarette hanging from her lips, her shield lay abandoned on the rubble covered street.
Her cowl lay at her feet as if she threw it.
A sharp scowl painting across her features.
She barely cast them a glance as she dropped the cigarette, and squashed it with the heal of her boot.
“Tradition?” Clint asked softly, trying to hide a groan of pain. Stephany didn’t say anything, just huffed out a short puff of air.
Walking over to snatch of the Shield off the ground where she had dropped it.
She dragged it down the street the Avengers followed after looking at each other.
“Are we getting food?”
“Hell if I know.” They jumped at the gruff repose.
Stephany stood in the street, scanning buildings.
Her tone was light and angry.
“Their might still be that Chinese place that’s two blocks from the tower...” Tony offered, the Avengers nodded that would work.
They ended up getting takeout, and going back to the tower
Stephany picked at her food, more moving it around then eating it.
Thoughts running rampage in her mind, plowing through anything and everything.
She had know in a way that the world thought she was in love with Howard.... and that alone made her want to curl into a ball and fucking sob.
Howard?
Howard...
Oh
God
Stephany tried to pretend that she didn’t notice the teams eyes on her.
Pretend that she couldn’t feel Tony’s gaze trying to burn holes into her head.
“Can someone explain what the Fuck happened at the Conference? Or what ever the hell that was...” Tony asked, Stephany tightened her grip on the chop sticks she held.
She scowled at her container. Shoving it in the Demigods direction.
She stood, walking around the bar and throwing her cardboard cup in the trash.
“Rogers, could you enlighten us please on why you didn’t answer the question.” Stephany tensed, as she reached for the small bottle of Chocolate milk in the fridge.
“I don’t have to answer anything I don’t want to Stark.” She put the mild back, to tired and sore to deal with this now.
Now
now.
Stark began talking, rambling mostly.
She glared at the fridge.
Her eyes stung, she hated this
hated it all.
Noise over lapped noise, yelling and patronizing voices, only she could hear.
Her hands tucked around her wrists, fingers digging into the scarred skin.
shut up
shut up
shut up
She felt tears drip down her face, nails scrapping to get a purchase on her wrists.
Stop talking
stop it.
I don’t want
please
just
Sh-
“SHUT UP!” Stephany hit the wall,
once.
Twice.
Three times.
Her already raw knuckles spilting.
“JUST STOP TALKING, LIKE YOU KNOW WHAT ALL HAPPENED THEN, BECAUSE YOU DONT KNOW ANYTHING!” A hush fell over the room.
“I don’t know why you all think I was in love with Stark.” Her lips curled and snarled the last name.
“I fucking Hated your father.” Tony stared wide eyed at the blonde, who just put a whole in his wall.
“Wha-” Stephany’s hands tugged at her hair, eyes Wild.
“Oh god, I hated him.
Don’t do anything stupid Stevie.... How could I? You’re talking all the stupid with you, Buck.
God I was wrong.
And I’m sorry!”
She sunk to the floor, babbling nonsense.
”I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.
Just please stop.”
The avengers jumped to action...
Tony more than the others. He slide down on the floor next to her,
“stop it. Stop it, stop it.
im sorry!
I’m sorry!
I just want to go HOME!” Her hands pulling her hair, and scrapping at her scalp.
Tony gently spoke, remembering the night weeks ago when he found her sitting on the floor sobbing.
He gently gripped her wrists, pulling them away from her hair. “I know you do Stephany. I know.” He whispered, rolling her slim fingers into fists.
Keeping her from hurting herself,
“i just wanna go home.” She hiccuped, fingers curling around Tony’s fingers.
Pressing her face to her knees.
“Why’d they pull me out?
I was-
now I’m-
I- I ca-
I just wa-”
She sucked in a deep breath and choked out another sob.
Tony really didn’t know what to do from here.
And it Seemed no one else did either.
Stephany curled in on herself, “I wanna go home.” She whispered again.
“I wasn’t alone then
wasnt alone
don’t wanna be alone
I’ve always been alone.”
Stephany, tried to uncurl her hands.
Tony, rubbed his thumbs on the backs of her hands.
“Shhhh,Sweetheart, I know.”
Tony looked up Natasha met his eyes.
The burning green eyes where glassy.
“I’m sorry,” Stephany whispered again.
And again
and again
and again
“Don’t you apologize Stephany Sarah Grace Rogers, Don’t you dare.”
“Bar-”
”Shut up, Punk.” He drew her close, tucking his nose into her short blonde hair.
“Jerk.” She whispered into his shirt, tears rolling down her cheeks. “I’m sorry.”
“I know.”
“I’m so sorry, Bucky.”
”I know, Stevie, I know.”