Lyra Redfield has been pushed around ever since she cut ties with the famous Anthony Stark. When fate happens to bring them together again, she realizes just how little her life meant to her. She wanted to make a difference-be better and do better...
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"THE government wants you arrested—along with your new children," Sam said with a laugh. Lyra looked back at her phone with a mischievous smile as she eyed Sam on the video chat they were having. He rolled his eyes. "You think this is funny?"
"Hilarious," Lyra commented as Charlotte called for her to look at the drawing she did. "He's already tried arresting me twenty times now. Tony and I have a count." She turned the camera. "Look, Sam! She drew you!"
Sam scoffed at the bird-looking man on the page. Lyra turned the camera back to show Charlotte's smiling face. "It's you, Falcon!"
"Yeah, it's me, kid. You're pretty good with a crayon," Sam teased. Charlotte laughed. "Say, you draw your other aunts and uncles?"
Charlotte's eyes widened. "I have a book!" She ran off to get it.
Lyra sniggered. "She calls it her family book. It's drawings of all you guys. I show her pictures of us fighting. She thinks we're the shit."
"We are the shit," Sam agreed just as Tony walked into the kitchen. Tony quickly covered his eyes. "Hey, man."
"Nope. I don't see you. If I don't see you, I'm not lying to the government!" Tony called before turning and walking back out.
Charlotte ran back in with a grin. "Look! There's Auntie Nat and Uncle Hawk! Auntie Laura. Capsicle! Hulky! Pietro and Wanda. She's holding hands with Vision! There's Mommy and Daddy. Happy. There's Petey. Ooh! There's Bucky! Thor, too! Rhodey. Pep Pep. Panther! Even Mr. Ant Man!"
"You got us all in there, kid?" Sam asked.
"Family," Charlotte gestured to the photos she drew.
"Right. Family. We're one heck of a family," Sam decided. Lyra smiled softly before she saw Sam look away. He glanced back down with a frown. "I have to go."
"Is that Steve?" Lyra asked quietly. Sam hesitated. "Sam... come on. Let me talk to him. Let her talk to him."
Sam glanced back up again before sighing and handing his phone off. A man with a beard and tired eyes narrowed his eyes as he said, "Still not sure how this works."
"CAPSICLE!" Charlotte screamed. Lyra saw Tony perk up from the couch but didn't move to stand.
Steve smiled tiredly. "Hey, Charlotte. How's my favorite girl?"
Charlotte grabbed the phone. "Did you see my drawings!?"
"Your mommy sends them to me all the time. Your gonna be an artists one day, huh?" he asked.
"I want to! When are you coming home?" Charlotte asked, almost pushing her face into the camera.
"Soon," Steve lied. "You're being good for your Mom and Dad?"
"Nope!" Charlotte quipped. Lyra noticed Tony's lips twitch. "Daddy said I'm hard-headed like him. Mommy says I'm just like Daddy."
Steve and Sam's laughter could be heard. "God help us," Sam remarked from behind the phone. Steve rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you're an angel," Steve said seriously.
"All right, baby. Capsicle has to go. Give me the phone," Lyra said when she noticed Tony become uncomfortable.
Charlotte pouted. "Love you, Cap'n!"
"Love you Mini Stark!" Sam called with a laugh.
Lyra smiled at Steve with sad eyes. "Stay safe," she whispered.
"Always am. Stop getting arrested," Steve said with a smirk.
"Not getting, almost getting," Lyra corrected.
"Whatever. Just be careful. Tell Tony I hope he's all right," Steve said, and Lyra's eyes flickered to Tony's sad ones. "Keep sending Charlotte's drawings. I like to make fun of Sam."
Lyra laughed as Steve ended the call with Sam's protests in the background. Charlotte resumed coloring as Lyra held the phone to her lips as tears began to fall from her eyes. She averted her eyes to look out the window as she thought of the hell they were going through on the run. And here she was in her nice home living her normal life.
She felt Tony's arms wrap around her waist as he rested his chin on her shoulder. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "I'll never forgive myself for all of this."
"Don't be so hard on yourself. It wasn't started by you. It was just a whole shit show," Lyra choked out, wiping her eyes before resting her hands on his. "It'll all work itself out in the end."
"Daddy, are you mad at Capsicle?" Charlotte asked curiously.
Tony left his head on Lyra's shoulder as he turned to stare at Charlotte. "No, honey. Not anymore."
"So why can't he come home?" she pouted.
"Other people are mad at him right now," was all Tony said. "He'll come home to see you one day. I'll make sure it happens, okay?"
Charlotte nodded. "Okay."
Lyra leaned back on Tony's body as she sighed, thinking of how rough they looked. She hoped Bucky was all right, wherever he was in Wakanda. Tony kissed her neck with sigh before asking, "Do you want to order something or go out for dinner?"
"Can we go out?" Lyra asked. "Maybe that diner on between First and Second St.?"
Tony clapped his hands. "Sounds perfect. Doesn't that sound perfect, Charlie?"
Charlotte nodded but her hands were busy coloring a new photo. This one was of Tony and Lyra, holding hands with big smiles on their face. Charlotte protested when Lyra picked her up to get her shoes on, but once Tony threatened to take away her colors, she shut her mouth and ran to help Lyra with the shoes.
Lyra glanced down at her phone with a smile before lifting it to take a photo of herself. Her eyes were tinged red with tears, but she smiled brightly. She simply sent it to the groupchat with I miss you guys as the message with it.
She laughed as more tears fell when every person in that chat responded how much they missed each other as well.
