STARK GIRL

Divided

Claire stared at the picture she always carried with her. "I feel like I know them," she whispered.
Tony was standing right behind her.
"You did, you just don't remember," he took a deep breath.
"It's not the same," she looked over at her brother.
"I know," Tony took a seat across from her. They were nearly close to their destination.
"I think about them all the time," Tony said. He chuckled. "Mom would have been on my back right now, especially with me dragging you here,"
Claire grinned. "What about dad?"
"Oh, he would kill me," he assured, lifting his brows to make a point. Tony looked at his sister. "Claire...I will repeat this for the rest of my life if I have to...but mom and dad loved you so much that day they left...Dad even considered staying home, he wanted to cancel everything, "
"Why didn't he?" She wondered. A part of Claire had always hoped that they did. But another part of her loved her other life.
"I don't know," Tony told her. He asked himself the same thing all the damn time.
"We're landing, Mr. Stark," Peter called out.
As soon as they landed, Claire did was she was told. She ran toward the security room and began to inform them that they had to leave and evacuate everyone. She was surprised at how good her Romanian sounded she had only repeated what Nat had told her to say. After she did that, and the airport started evacuating, Claire ran toward the C gate when she felt someone pull her backward.
"Claire," Steve breathed.
Claire breathed nervously, yet angrily spoke. She didn't know his intentions. But then again, he was Steve. He wouldn't hurt her.
"Steve!" She hissed. "What do you think you're doing?" Though a part of her was glad to see him, another part wasn't. Maybe she could talk him out of this?
Steve didn't say anything but then nodded softly. "I can't fight you out there. Promise me you won't get in my way?"
"Steve," she shook her head. "Let's stop this. Let's all just talk this through, yeah?" She needed to try.
Steve grimaced softly. "You and I both know,"
Claire stared into his blue eyes and turned to leave. She wasn't going to beg anyone, and she definitely wasn't going to turn her back on her brother. They were inside the cleaning supply closet for goodness sake.
A knock was heard.
Claire saw him then. It was the winter soldier. Was this a trap? She reacted the only possible way she could, and that was to defend herself. she high kicked him out of the entrance, sending him backward, and made a run for it.
"Claire," Steve called out her name.
Claire stopped on her feet. "I don't understand what you are doing!" She snapped. "What do you want me to do? Abandon Tony? His my brother!"
Steve didn't want to argue. Earlier, when Peggy's niece, Sharon kissed him, all he could think about was Peggy's last words. "Make the most of your new life and fall in love again, and this time, don't leave her waiting seventy years later, will you?" She whispered.
Steve didn't answer right away.
"Do it for what we could have had," she breathed. "Promise,"
Steve promised. "I will."
When Steve and Tony spoke inside the glass room, he remembered staring over at Claire. He wasn't okay with the way his heart reacted when he saw her. He knew then that that was going to be a problem.
"Can you not look at my little sister?" Tony had caught him.
"I was thinking," Steve turned it around. "How would you feel if Claire had the same powers as Wanda? Would you put her away, too?"
Tony grinned softly but not enough to reach his eyes. "She would be under my order Roger's,"
"Damn it, Tony!" Steve got on his feet. "I would fight for you and everyone in the Avengers, and if it means that I have to fight against the wrong reasons to those who see it that way, then so be it!"
Tony shook his head. 'There is a choice,'
"Not anymore," Steve had said. But there was a choice.
"Tony's going to hate me for this," Steve told her. He pulled her close, and so quickly, Claire had no chance of reacting. She felt Steve's lips on hers.
His warm lips moved gently against hers. For a moment, Claire returned the kiss.
But quickly, reality reminded her what she was doing. She pulled away from Steve and slapped him hard across the face. Steve stepped back.
"Claire, I'm sorry," he breathed. He couldn't believe what he had just done. But God did he not regret it.
"Did you think you could kiss me?" She tried shoving him. "And make it okay?"
Steve shook his head. "Claire, I would never do anything to hurt you. I didn't mean to, I-I don't know where that came from," he sighted. "Especially wouldn't hurt Tony," He paused. "I can see that this was a mistake," He walked right past her.
"Hurt?" Claire told him. "You already broke his heart,"
"I'm sorry, Claire," Steve said. The door closed behind her.
"No, you're not," she whispered. Claire took a deep breath. "Claire?" She could hear Tony through her earpiece. "Head back," Tony ordered.
Claire nodded. "Alright, I'm heading to the jets,"
Claire began to make her way down the main hallway and ran toward the stairs. Through the large tall glass windows Thats when she saw from the third floor above, the avengers talking amongst themselves face to face where the airplanes loaded and unloaded the luggage.
Claire stopped for a moment. Could they possibly stop all this now? She wondered. Maybe they just needed to talk? She may have not know them long, but she could tell how much they cared for one another. But she knew they were done talking.
Claire watched as they began to run at one another from each side. Great! She thought running down the stairs as quickly as possible. Already on the second floor, Claire slipped and fell. She got up and looked down at her knees. She felt no pain. Wow, this suit was good!
Getting on her feet, Claire was already outside, Claire made a run for the jet. The fight had already unfolded. She was to avoid conflict that was the plan. Claire had gone through the back and made it to the jet in time. Only to see half of the building begin to fall slowly. Oh no! Panic grew within her. She wouldn't make it out alive even if she tried.
Claire yelled as someone shoved her out of the way, pulling her toward them as the building fell apart.
"Woah!" She breathed.
Looking down at her was Steve. "Are you okay?" he held her in his arms.
Claire couldn't find her tongue, let alone words. He eyed her for the longest second of both their lives. "Yes," she finally whispered.
"Hi," Steve said. He could feel her breath against his lips. Making it harder for him to get on his feet.
Claire did the same. "Hi," Both turned to the sound of painful grunts only to see Nat throwing taser disk at a cat-like man that Claire was not familiar with.
"Steve!" Bucky yelled. "Let's go!"
"Steve," Claire whispered. Being in front of him for just this moment made her realize that the kiss was something she wanted to.
Steve got on his feet and stood Claire up so fast that she thought she might fall again. Then he ran toward the jet and jumped in.
"Wait!" Claire ran after the jet as soon as they took off through the debree. She chased after them.
Nat pulled her down. "No, you'll get killed. Now come on!"
Once in the air, Steve looked down and watched as Claire disappeared.
"Who is she?" Bucky asked.
Steve answered the only way he could. "She's Tony's sister."
When Claire glanced up. She watched as Rhodey and Tony chased after the jet. They weren't far from it. But quickly, tragedy happened.
Claire gasped loudly when Rhodey got hit by a strong light. He started to fall from the sky. "Rhodey!" She turned to Nat. "Why did you let them go?!"
"I don't expect you to understand get in," she hopped on a luggage cart. Claire did as she was told.
Claire didn't recall even arriving at the hospital. Everything was a blur. She did remember hugging Tony as he pulled her into his arms. "What they say?" She asked about Rhodey.
"Come on..." They stepped outside.
"The doctors say he shattered L4 through S1 extreme laceration to his spinal cord, probably looking at some form of paralysis..." Tony let out a sight. "God, I was too late!"
"No," Claire shook her head. "If there someone to blame it should be me...I couldn't even stop Steve from climbing on to that jet," her tears began to form.
"No," Tony shook his head, rubbing her eyes free of her tears with the tip of his thumbs. "I should have never brought you into this life...none of this is your fault, none!" He assured her. "You hear me?" He eyed at her with the most sorrowful look, his eyes deep as ever.
Claire felt hopeless, and she could barely keep her voice from cracking. "I...
"Shh," Tony held her.
Afterward, Tony had Claire taken to the Avenger base. She took a shower and dressed into clean clothes. But she must have fallen asleep afterward because what she didn't expect was Pepper waking her up.
"Claire," she whispered, shaking her a little. "Wake up,"
what time was it?
Claire awoke. Her eyes opened softly. Pepper...? She sat up really quick. Her head was spinning. "Is Tony okay?"
"His in the hospital room, here on the base," Pepper told her, her face soft and worried.
"What," Claire breathed shakingly. "Why?" her mind raced with confusion.
"He wants to see you,"
Claire made her way to the hospital room in her lounge wear and saw Tony laying down on the hospital bed. He was bruised up pretty bad. Claire could feel her sore muscles as she walked over to him and took his hand.
"Hey," she took a good look at him, all of him, and clenched her jaw. "Did they do this to you?" she whispered. Hey eyes filled with tears. How could Steve do such a thing?
Tony nodded. "I found out who killed our parents..."
Claire's heart shattered. He could barely move his head. "You know what?" Claire said, swallowing softly, "Tell me when you feel a lot better." She turned over to Pepper and then back to Tony, who stubbornly sat up. "Everything I thought I knew...isn't what I wanted it to be,"
Claire knew he was hurt. Physically, emotionally. They both were. She took a seat on the side of bed. "Sorry," she breathed. "Let's not do this now and have you rest." Her heart broke.
Pepper excused herself, deciding to give them some alone time. She went to go get some tea for them. "You look terrible," he cupped her cheek. "I feel fine," she lied.
Tony shook his head. "We don't have to lie,"
Claire closed her eyes. "You don't ever do that again, leave," she thought about Steve, and her anger got the best of her. "How could he do this to you!"
Tony was in pieces, but he knew why Steve did it. He would have done it for Claire. "I'm peachy he groaned in pain as he pulled her close. "See," Claire chuckled softy. 
A few weeks later, Tony and Claire went to go see Rhodey. He was doing physical therapy with the new legs Tony had built specifically just for him. "Hey sweetheart, mind getting me some water?" Rhodey asked Claire.
"Yes, of course," Claire went into the kitchen, filled up a glass, and went over to the men. Rhodey was laughing. "Mr. Stank..." he teased.
"You got something in the mail," Tony handed her the small FedEx package and took the glass of water to Rhodey.
Claire was slightly confused. She never received mail, at least not around these premises. She went up to Tony's office to open it and took a deep breath when she pulled a letter that read. Claire and the other that said Tony's name.
Tony walked in. Before he could ask what it was, she handed him his letter. She began to read hers silently. It read.
Dear Claire I know by now you may already know what caused all the mayhem these past couple of weeks. The truth is I did what I had, too. But while doing it, I not only hurt your brother, but I also hurt you. I hope one day you can forgive me, and if you choose not to, know that no matter what, I'll always be there for you. You're all I think about. Your friend Steve. Claire felt so many emotions. She placed her hands on her lap and bit her lip. She couldn't forgive Steve. Not yet, maybe never. She stared at the letter over and over again as if it would answer her questions. Softly, Claire looked up from the letter to the phone on Tony's desk as Friday spoke. "Priority call from secretary Ross, there's been a breach at the Raft Prison."
Claire looked over at Tony. "Breach?" She repeated. Then her heart fluttered. "Steve..." she said.
Tony placed the letter down and waited for a minute. He then turned to the phone. "Yeah, put him through,"
"Tony, we have a problem.."
"Uh, hold please,"
"No, don't...!" Secretary Ross yelled.
Tony looked over at Claire, and both chuckled at one another.
Everything was going to be different now.