STARK GIRL

New York I missed you!

When Claire arrived at the city, she was excited to be back. Her grandfather had already use of his arms, hands, and somewhat of his legs, and the feeling of guilt for not being there during her school months was no longer there. Her grandfather had told her to go back to school, something that could be done but would be hard for her to get through. Claire had to turn down her dance dream in order to stay and care for her grandfather. She wanted to be present, and having another caretaker in the loop could have probably stressed him out.
It was during his therapy that he could barely even speak that Claire received the call from the Dance stars director asking of her whereabouts Claire couldn't see herself whining and simply said she could not join and hung up. Her focus was her main courses at school and her grandfather.
"How's your grandpa?" Tony asked her as soon as she entered their apartment.
"His doing better," she smiled. She went over to hug him, and Tony smiled softly. "I kinda missed you," he said as they parted.
"I know," she shrugged and then went over to her backpack. She pulled out three jars of lemon jam. "Look what I made you," she waved the heavy jar of goodness.
Tony grinned even wider. "The delectable goodness," he had called it. He had even hoped Claire wanted to start a franchise business. "You made these, or did Hannah?" He pulled the jar up to see the delicious jam he had the first time they went over to the farmhouse. As if examining the smallest practical.
Claire laughed. "I did, and I made these for Happy and Pepper." she pulled out five more jars. "Where is Pepper?" She gazed over at Tony and then looked around the room. She had expected to see her; she did miss her as well.
Tony placed the jar down and sighted. "She needed a break," he eyed her intently, his eyes a pool of sadness.
"Oh my gosh, are you okay?" Claire asked.
"The last thing I want is to have my little sister worry about me when she is the one going through a lot right now. The Dance stars didn't call?" He wondered.
Claire walked over to the sofa and laid her head back. She was exhausted. "I couldn't, not right now,"
"Your grandfather is doing so much better; I can pull some strings,"
Claire felt appalled. "Do no such thing!" She looked over at him.
Tony walked over to the sofa and sat across from her. "I will not have you do that, now tell me what happened?" Claire asked him. Aside from everything, she missed him. And she needed to tell him.
"With what?"
"Pepper, you know what's bothering you?"
Tony grunted. "She says I'm too selfish, and I don't have enough energy for..."
"Your sex life?"
Tony glared at her.
Claire giggled. "I'm joking Tony, now aside from that, in what position did you put her in that made her feel that way?"
"Oh my God," he covered his face.
"Oh my gosh, that did not come out right because you're taking this the wrong way!" Claire laughed.
"Who didn't like what position?" Happy asked as he walked in.
"Pepper," Claire teased.
"You know what, now you're just being a child," Tony pointed at her sternly. His brows up in anger.
"Anyways, hi," she smiled over at Happy greeting him. She had missed Happy too.
Happy grinned, and his eyes widened when he saw the jars of jam giving him no time to say hello. "Are those...?"
"Yep, go right ahead," Claire told him. She turned over to Tony. "Talk to her... You know I come home to have her not here, that sucks,"
"Yeah, well, it's a little too complicated,"
"I miss her,"
"I do, too," Tony sighted. It was quiet for a second, and then he spoke. "The Avengers are now under the government law," Tony found himself telling her.
"Wait? What?" Claire said confusedly. She always thought the Avengers were under government supervision.
Tony shook his head. "We had a meeting yesterday,"
Now, she understood Steve's visit. "How did that go?" She wondered. She didn't dare tell Tony that. He would lose it.
"Half of us are not seeing eye to eye right now," he told her.
Claire could see that this was very stressful for him. "Oh,"
"I had so much sense knocked into me, and I don't know what I have to do to have them understand," Tony explained everything.
Claire could understand why he was feeling the way he was. Innocent people were getting killed accidentally. And it made him carry the burden the guilt, and this pained her.
"You can't make people change their minds, Tony; it's just impossible, especially if you try to force it on them," Claire spoke softly. "But if they can't see it the way you do, then what more do you want? You can't protect the entire world by yourself; your only one hero and one hero isn't enough, at least not without his team," she tried to hopefully have him see what she meant.
"She's right," Nat walked in, greeting both siblings.
Tony sat up. "Nat's, what's going on?"
"Hey," Claire said.
"We have a problem, hey," she said.
Nat turned on the news and Claire and Tony watched as it replayed on every screen.
"You were there," Tony cleared, remembering why she had gone.
"I'm fine," Nat told him. "But we have bigger problems,"
Tony sighted. Didn't they always? "What?" he asked.
"I don't know much about this, but I just came upon it," Nat said. She placed the files down so that they could see them. "There was a rumor going on during my days in the red room about a solider known to be strong and mighty, he was controlled I don't know by who, but he caused destruction...hence why I'm showing you this," she eyed the t.v. "His back and he caused this,"
"Who is this guy?" Tony asked curiosity lingered. "And I'm sorry, but what does this have to do with us? Last I read," he pointed at the screen. "German police would be the one to take care of it,"
"Because it's our job," Nat told him. "And the prince of Wakanda is out for a kill," reminding him of their duty. She didn't mention why she was persistent. 
Tony nodded. "Call the gang up well and have a meeting."
After Nat had finished the calls, she took a deep breath and saw Claire standing outside near the doors. she looked out into the view, but she didn't go further to the ledge or anywhere near the rails; there was still a massive room for her to reach it.
"Are you afraid of heights?"
"Yup," she nodded.
"You look worried?" Nat told her.
"Tony," was all Claire said.
"You know, it's hard when you get in line with someone you barely even know, and then they mean the world to you like it's meant to be,as if you were never apart in the first place," Nat walked over to the high rails.
"Oh God," Claire choked. "Don't go any further,"
Nat laughed. "If you only knew Claire,"
"Well, I don't right now," Claire breathed out. She could not stand to watch Tony stand there, so he didn't when she was around. "Nat!"
"Okay," Nat jumped off the rail.
That evening, the girls sat around and watched vampire slayers on t.v
"What is this crap?" Claire found herself saying. While putting popcorn in her mouth.
Nat laughed. "What? I love this show!"
"No way," Claire laughed now.
Nat rolled her eyes. "It's fun, and Jack is super sexy,"
Tony walked into the living room, where Nat and Claire both sat in their pj's watching the television while eating popcorn, and then the doorbell rang. Tony turned around and walked toward the door.
A pizza delivery guy was on the other side. "Woah, this is the Stark tower?"
"Can you get that?" Claire yelled. "Thanks!"
"Happy!" Tony called him.
"You know, I like extra pepperoni," he said as he opened a box of cheese pizza that Happy place in the middle of the coffee table. Happy grabbed a slice and left.
"This," Nat said as she took a slice.
Claire did the same and began eating. "I don't understand why...he tries to kill her, and then he wants to make out with her?"
Claire hated, mushy crap like this.
"It's called the dramatic toxic nature of a show," Tony pointed out.
"It's love...in its own twisted way?" Nat pointed.
"It's sad," Claire teased her.
"Anyways..." Nat said, taking a bite out of her pizza, not pleased at all.
"So, what is going on here?" Tony wondered, eyeing both ladies.
Claire said nothing.
"We made a deal," Tony informed her, taking a bite from a slice of pizza. He preferred a big burger right now. So, he tossed it back in and cleaned his hands. It was too greasy, and he would rather be with Pepper right now.
Nat rolled her eyes. "Not today,"
"Yeah," Claire voiced with a long chew.
Tony let out a sight.
"We need time to unwind," Claire grinned plainly yet sarcastically.
Nat turned to the TV. "Oh!" She snapped. "Look!" She ordered Claire. "He kissed her!"
Claire ignored Tony's eyes and urged her eyes to the screen.
"Tomorrow, I promise," she mouthed with a grumble. Oh my, that Jack, he looked like a good kisser, and the pizza was so good. Oh, tomorrow would be torture, and oh, how Claire missed New York!