We're Still Here - Captain America Fanfic

19. Worthy

"What the hell is that thing?" Lucy questioned in a whisper causing her cousin to glance over at her. Tony looked back to the sentient when he heard it laugh.

"I will show you something beautiful. The whole world screaming for mercy. Everyone tangled in strings... I know you mean well. You want to protect the world, but you don't want it to change." The sentient began to back out of the room. "There's only one path to peace – Your extinction." Tony walked down the stairs and over to the sentient half lying on the floor inspecting it.

"Shit," he whispered to himself running a hand through his hair.

"Tony?" Lucy asked in concern.

"I'm going to have to excuse myself from this little party we're having." Tony began pulling the sentient half out of the room going toward the lab. Everyone sat down and stayed silent while Lucy continued standing.

"Don't worry about Tony, Lucy," Rhodey said.

Lucy sighed before walking down the stairs of the platform, "I'm going to bed." She left the room. Everyone looked to Steve who was staring at the floor, a beer bottle in hand. He looked up to meet everyone's gazes. He placed the bottle on the table before walking out following Lucy. Steve walked into the shared bedroom and saw Lucy sitting on the bed changed into a pair of cotton shorts and a tank top, a light sweater covering her shoulders. The Super Soldier walked over to the bed and sat down in front of Lucy.

"What's up?" Steve questioned as he pulled his shoes off.

"I feel bad for Tony," Lucy quietly replied.

"But you know what he would say if I asked him about what just happened?"

"What?"

"It's going to be okay. It's all going to be okay." Lucy's voice cracked when she said the last sentence. "But it's not okay... Sometimes I feel like everything would've been better for us if none of this had happened. Us not being who we are today." Lucy never made eye contact with Steve. He sighed as he took her hand.

"Let me ask you: do you know why I still fight? Why I won't give up or stop especially after fighting Bucky? Want to know my answer? I have to protect the one thing that I care for the most - you."

"Once upon a time, I had- have, someone I care about. But you know what I learned from that? In this world it's a one way trip to getting you killed. Why did you want to fight Steve? Why did you want to be a hero?"

"I never asked to become a hero. I only asked to fight."

"You're the first person I've ever heard say that."

"I don't like bullies, Lucy. I fight to protect people."

"That's a way of getting yourself killed, Steve... I almost lost you two months ago because you wanted to fight. I don't think I can stand that if our new enemy happens to be that robot thing we just saw a few minutes ago." Steve pulled Lucy over into his lap as she began crying. Steve stood up picking up the brunette as he sat against the wall on the bed.

"Shh... Everything will b-" Steve stopped himself remembering what Lucy had said Tony would tell her. "I pro- swear you won't lose me."

Lucy woke up in the middle of the night in a slight panic from a dream she just had. She looked over to see Steve asleep before she got up and left the room to grab a drink of water. She took a sip from the glass filled with water before hearing a loud sort of crash noise. Taking the glass of water with her, Lucy followed the direction the noise came from and found herself in the lab. Unsurprisingly, Tony and Bruce were there. Lucy walked in.

"What happened?" She questioned causing the two to look in her direction.

"Good, you're here," Tony spoke sounding relieved.

"Uh, yeah I'm here. You should expect someone to be here if they hear a loud crash."

"No, no, no, that's not it. I need help with this and need you to write down some notes for me. Before you ask, Bruce is too busy to help."

"I wasn't going to ask." Lucy walked over to the table and sat down as Tony threw a notebook down in front of her. Lucy began writing notes until her mind went to the dream she had. Her hand began a little shaky causing a dark line to be drawn down from the end of the letter she wrote. Tony noticed this and watched as she threw the pencil down, placing her head in her hands.

"What's wrong, Lucy?" Bruce asked in a concerned tone as Tony walked over to where she sat. He placed a hand on her shoulder as he looked at the notes.

"I've seen this before," he said.

"Seen what?"

"Anxiety. Fear. It happened to me last year." Tony began to rub the females back. "Honey, is there anything we can help you with? Do you want to talk about anything?" Lucy shook her head and stood up walking over to a table the sentient half was placed on.

"Tony, what is this supposed to be?" she questioned.

He sighed before answering, "The end of a path I started us on. I thought this would be the beginning of a peacekeeping program... Guess I was wrong." Lucy looked over to Bruce before looking at Tony.

She pulled her sweater tighter around her, "You're not the only one. Think about it – Project Insight? Fury thought the same as you do now."

"But that you stopped."

"Because we did what was best."

"Lucy, that sentient from earlier, he could kill thousands of people if we don't stop him."

"Oh, like those Helicarriers couldn't? I hate to blame you since you're family, Tony, but you will be responsible for people's death."

"Sure, I built the things, but I didn't know the whole project would go awry."

"Wel-"

"Can both of you stop fighting?" Bruce questioned sounding angry but staying physically calm. Lucy left the room without saying another word. Tony quietly went back to what he was working on causing Bruce to watch his friend.

"Tony?"

"What?" Tony snapped turning to face his friend.

"Don't be mad at her."

"And why not?"

"Like you said – Anxiety. Anxiety leads to anger and outbursts. She doesn't mean it." Tony's expression softened.

"...I know..."

"She's a part of your family, Stark. Just remember that."