Time mocks me with fair promises;
A blooming future grows a barren past,
Like rain my fair full-blossomed trees
Unburden in the blast.
The harvest fails on grain and tree,
Nor comes to me, nor comes to me.
- Laurence Dunbar
One Life
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Chaper Nine
Scene One
[The Avengers base 10:57am]
"Take this," Natasha says, motioning a cold canned beverage toward Sage in an attempt to soothe her nerves. "No, thank you." She waves it aside, not in the mood for anything right now. "Jeez, that's one way to tell when you're really upset," Natasha sighs, dropping the can on the table where they're sitting. Huffing, she looks at the woman, taking in her distraught expression for a short instant. "Are you just going to stare? Or do you have something to say?" Sage speaks up, irked by her perpetual stare. "You do realize Tony didn't really mean what he said, right? He was just mad... You know how he gets," She attempts to console her in some way. "That's no justification for what he said," she insists unequivocally. "Being upset is one thing; yelling at me for making poor choices is quite another... But insinuating that he regrets having taken me in and raising me after all these years..." Her voice trailed off, her pain palpable. " That's not what you insinuate."
"You're right, it's messed up," Natasha openly realizes, displeased by Tony's actions herself. "But do you know what else is messed up?" She asks, reclining in her chair and turning her head to look at the woman. "What?" Sage practically scoffs through gritted teeth, already preempting the outcome. "You, running away like that," Natasha eventually says, eliciting a deep sigh from the woman. "He was really worried about you Sage, and so was I," Natasha confesses. "Well, I'm sorry for my ignominious exit, but I didn't really have much of a choice," Sage defends. "Yeah, you said that," Natasha points out... "Did I lie?" Sage retorts sarcastically. "I suppose not, life was a little suffocating for you wasn't it?" She eventually agrees. "You could have talked to me... Told me about your feelings and thoughts. I might have been able to help you," Natasha implies. "I doubt it," Sage denies. "What could the black widow have done for me in that situation without jeopardizing herself?"
"Perhaps the widow couldn't have helped, but Natasha could have, you never know kid," The woman sighs. "I didn't need motivation, Natasha; I needed intervention." Sage contends, "I needed to get away." "And you chose Steve to carry out your plan?" With her brows raised, the redhead inquires. "Not that it was incredibly dumb, but he was a good opportunity to carry out your plans," she admits forthrightly.
"I don't know Natasha!" Sage groans in frustration. "It wasn't planned, I didn't meditate on it; it just happened!"
"I had no intention of fleeing, especially in the middle of the goddamn night! But it appeared to be the only option I had for myself. With the way things are going with Tony, I'm on my way to becoming a government attack dog. I'm already struggling to live a normal life under everyone's scrutiny; I'm sure the government would love to have me at their disposal. I'd be surprised if they didn't take me into their labs and turn me into a test subject for whatever experiments they require."
"So, Steve and his cause were your best bet for carrying out your plans?" Natasha tries to speak up but is cut off. "I don't care about Steve or his plans!" In frustration, the girl shouts and slams her fists against the table. "I'm not interested in Tony's side, or Steve's side! I'm only concerned with myself! For God's sake. My sanity and security!" She protests.
"I didn't leave with Steve because I wanted to accompany him on his moral mission to save humanity or whatever the hell he's up to!" "I left for myself," she emphasizes. "If Tony got one thing right, it's that I'm selfish! As bad as it may sound, my decision was based solely on what was best for me, not Steve or Tony. What's best for Sage, because she hasn't felt very secure in her life with the people in charge!"
Sucking in a sharp breath, the girl finds herself breathing heavily, attempting to regain her composure after her upsurge, leaving Natasha to quietly grasp her words.
"I understand how you feel Sage, I've been an object of control before in my life, and I still live with permanent reminders of it," Natasha empathizes. "I understand how suffocating and infuriating it can feel to feel like your life isn't yours. As if you were a puppet used to do the work of others, to obey their every command. It can really get under your skin..." She continues, hoping to reach an understanding with the younger woman, "I've lived like that before." "I used to have nothing. Then I got this. This job, this family, and got better because of it," She says calmly and sentimentally. "Everything that is currently happening, the Sokovia Accords, the disagreements, the alliances, the fighting." "I don't want it," she admits.
"If you ask me, both Tony and Steve are being excessively stubborn and stuck in their own ideas of what should be, rather than finding the best solution for what could be."
"Yet you chose Tony," Sage retorts, raising the woman's brows. "And you went with Steve," She fires back. "I didn't-"
"Have a choice, I know," Natasha interrupts Sage. "What made you choose Tony?" Sage inquires, her curiosity consuming her. "Having one hand on the wheel is better than none; we could still steer the ship somehow." She affirms solidly, despite a worried expression on her face. "Although I'm starting to doubt that as well..." She mutters to herself more than Sage.
"I suppose we all have our own perspectives," the woman murmurs. "While I don't completely disagree with either of them, I would have preferred my liberty over anything else." "If I'm not thrown into prison, I doubt I'll ever be able to leave the base again," Sage grumbles, disillusionment taking over her mind. "I doubt it, Sage, Tony wouldn't let that happen," Natasha tries to reassure her, but it only results in trepidation and an eye roll. "I'm not certain that I believe that statement," she complains. "Well, if not Tony, I'm sure T'Challa would do his best to keep you safe," Natasha says, her voice implying only one thing. "What exactly does that mean?" Sage inquires, somewhat perplexed, raising her brows at the woman.
"Come on, Sage, don't be such an idiot," Natasha suggests. "Stay with me," she lightheartedly mocks his words. "He looks like he'd start a war for you," she chimes playfully nudging the woman, her words sending a wave of heat across Sage's face, causing a light blush to taint her cheeks. "Stop it, it was just a formality, it didn't mean anything," she protests, prompting Natasha to scoff. "You sound like you're trying to persuade yourself."
"Can we please stop talking about the prince?" she huffs, trying to push the conversation aside, but it only serves to entertain Natasha more. "The prince?" She chuckles softly. "Are you still not on a first-name basis?" She investigates. "He is..." She pauses awkwardly, realizing that she's never addressed him by his first name. "It's not strange, he abducted me for God's sake," she argues. "I get the impression you enjoyed being abducted more than you let on," Natasha mumbles, giving the woman a sly grin. "Can we please stop Natasha, this is your workplace!" Sage criticizes in embarrassment, further amusing the woman.
"It's like a teen love faze, it's so cute," The woman continues to mock the girl. "Stooop," Sage keeps complaining, trying to hide her heated face as the woman continues her onslaught without relenting. "Stop with the mushy love stuff, Nat," From behind them both came the dreaded voice of none other than the person Sage would rather not hear from, seizing conversation entirely.
Tony stood in the room's doorway, carefully watching as Natasha and Sage separated, and the room fell morbidly silent upon his entrance. Awkward but telling glances were exchanged between him and Natasha, and she promptly started excusing herself. "I'll give you two a minute," Natasha declares, rising from her chair beside Sage. "I'll go find the prince; I'm sure there's something we need to talk about," he says with a sly grin, casting a knowing glance at Sage. "I'll see you around," she reaffirms with a light reassuring smile before slipping out from beside the woman and quickly exiting. Not before giving Tony a more than threatening look, to which he awkwardly smiles, before closing the door behind her.
The tension was palpable as if it were weighing down on them both, but Sage wasn't keen on budding first. Stubbornness was a trait she inherited solely from him. Tony sighs and removes his trademark glasses, tucking them into the pocket of his shirt before taking cautious steps forward. "I know things got a little heated in there... But given some time apart, I believe we'd both be capable of communicating effectively like two mature adults," he begins to rationalize, but seeing the dirty look she's giving him makes him reconsider. "At the very least, I believe we should be able to," he adds timidly. Sage finally speaks up, huffing at his futile attempts to soften her. "Say what you need to say, Stark; I have no choice but to listen."
"Stark...'' Tony repeats softly, his chest clenching slightly at the use of his surname by none other than her, even though he supposes it's merited. "Don't be like that kid, come on. I didn't mean it," he tries to convince her.
"Yet you said it," Sage bites back instantly, her voice irritated. "When people are angry, they say a lot of things they don't mean."
"Not that Tony," she snarls. "You don't say that to people who care..."
"I know, and I'm sorry, profoundly kid, I mean it," he insists as he approaches her. "I know words don't always mean anything, but all I can give you is the truth, and the truth is I love you a lot," he huffs, coming to a halt in front of her.
Sage crosses her arms firmly across her chest in an attempt to ignore his stern stare. "I know I occasionally hurt your feelings by saying the most idiotic things that don't reflect my innermost feelings. Sometimes I get so worked up that I say or do things that aren't right, and it's not justifiable, but they're never how I truly feel, especially when it comes to you," he sighs out, authenticity infused within his tonality and his characteristics matching.
"I guess another source of my rage is the fact that I thought you chose Steve over me... Which you sort of did... But it felt like you would have preferred if he had taken you in all those years ago, that he was a better fit as your guardian in your eyes," Tony confesses, a touch of jealousy and unhappiness coating his speech. Sage scoffs forthrightly, drawing his confused attention.
"For a Billionaire genius, you're not all that clever are you?" she mocks, finally looking up to meet his stunned expression. "I didn't, and I don't currently wish Steve Rogers had raised me," she clarifies. "But you two always seemed so close, and you were always asking him for advice... You ran away with him," Tony points out, irritating the woman.
"I'm as close to Steve as I am to Thor or Bruce; I spent years getting to know them, and of course, we'd develop a close relationship. When it comes to advise, Steve is simply "old and wise," she explicates. "I'd assume he'd be able to give me morally correct guidance about certain things, nothing more to it." "And when it came to fleeing with him, I wasn't doing it to follow his righteous path; I was just trying to save my own ass," she concedes bluntly.
"I didn't follow Steve because of the mess the Sokovia Accords have created; I ran away because I didn't want to become a tool of it. Fortunately, he simply welcomed me, and no hard feelings Tony, he promised me freedom, which didn't appear to be very promising here."
"You had freedom here," Tony argues, but is ultimately shut down. "I had protection here, Tony. From you, from the Avengers, all because Nick Furry struck a deal to keep me out of government hands."
Her words rang true in his heart and mind as he reflected on the first time the proposal was brought up. Furry specially consulted him, informing him about this thirteen-year-old girl who had no parents or family. She was on his radar, and he didn't want to pass up an opportunity like her. Tony eventually agreed because it meant Furry would owe him, two because he was truly intrigued by her abilities, and three because he knew what it was like to lose his parents... he didn't want a thirteen-year-old kid to face the world alone.
He knows Sage is telling the truth, but over the past ten years, he's felt like she's become an integrated part of his family, and he'd like to believe she felt free and unchained with him.
"Let's face it: once the government has us under their control, we'll become nothing more than political attack dogs. I'm already in a gray area when it comes to what the government wants; they have the authority to take me whenever they see fit and use me for whatever they want."
"You know I'm not going to let that happen," Tony insists. "Would you even have the option, Tony?" She challenges. "I know it all seems suspicious and frightening, especially for you, but I assure you that it will not be like that; I will protect you. It's either this or nothing, kid," he asserts as he takes Natasha's seat. "It's better than nothing. This is our opportunity to make amends for the harm we've done. The Avengers haven't been particularly gracious in recent years, either. This is our opportunity to reclaim the people's trust, to demonstrate that they can rely on us to protect them rather than destroy their homes."
"You're right," Sage concurs, a sympathetic expression on her face. "A lot of damage has been done by the Avengers... For one thing, I'm well aware that I've caused significant harm to the lives of innocent civilians, hence the public's fear of me. I know I need to repent, and forgiveness isn't mine to claim." Tony thought he had her mind set on his ideas for a moment, but that bubble was quickly punctured. "But, doesn't that just make me an even bigger target?" She trailed off, looking up at him with a determined look in her eyes that quickly informed Tony of her motives.
"Perhaps my repentance isn't enough; perhaps they won't be satisfied until I'm used for their own purposes, until I'm nothing more than a hollow shell, existing only to carry out their commands."
"I won't let that happen, kid, trust me," Tony guarantees desperately, reaching out and taking her right palm, reassuringly holding onto her hand. "It'll never come to that; I'll never let anything happen to you."
Sage drops her head, smiling at his words of comfort. "I'm sure you won't... You'll do everything in your power to keep me safe... But perhaps that won't be enough this time... Tony, I'm no longer a child, and as you said, I should confront the repercussions of my actions. I won't have any other choice," she mumbles despondently.
"You want me to fight, right?" She asks, catching him off guard; he opens his mouth to suggest otherwise, but no words leave his mouth. "Otherwise, why would you go looking for that spider kid and bringing him all the way here?" She investigates. "Did you meet Peter?" Tony inquires, and she nods in agreement. "Yeah, I ran into him on my way in, he talks a lot... spilled the whole going to Germany to fight the Avengers stuff," she admits, making Tony groan. "The kid won't shut it for the life of him," the man complains. "He appears to be nice... It's unfortunate that he got dragged into this."
"I'll do it," she finally tells, her eyes serious, determination in her eyes. "I'm sorry, what? "Will you?" Tony is perplexed, taken aback by her unexpected alliance. "I'll do it," Sage asserts once more. "As long as you leave Micah and Peter out of it," she bargains abruptly. "I know I said I did this for myself, but he followed me, and I can't help but feel responsible... And Peter, well, he's just a kid; he doesn't need to be a part of this; just let him live his life."
"Even If I wanted to I don't think the kid going to want out-"
"Please Tony," Sage begs, staunchly grasping his other arm. "Don't get him involved in any of this." Tony sighs and lightly shakes his head as he finally frees his hands from Sage's grip. Her heart dropped instantly at the look on his face; she knew right then that he had already made his decision. "I'm sorry, kid, but the other kid stays because we need him," Tony eventually decides to Sage's dismay. Tony pulls a phone from his jacket pocket and places it on the table they're sitting at.
"Call your friend and tell him you're safe," he says as he rises from his seat beside her. " Keep in mind that this is for your own good, kid." He finally says before walking away from her and out of the room completely.
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ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 9.
ꜱᴄʜᴏᴏʟ ɪꜱ ᴅʀᴀɪɴɪɴɢ.
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