The group continued to watch Disney movies throughout the rest of the day. Tony tried to turn it off after the third movie but Clint, Natasha, and Juliet gave him a death glare. Tony took that incident as an excuse to go grab everyone some pizza and to get away from hearing more Disney showtimes. Juliet couldn't get enough of all the Disney movies, the animation just amazed her in so many different ways.
Steve continued to steal glances of Juliet's face, she had a look of amazement the whole time. Sometimes Juliet would look so much like her mother that Steve would have to take a double take. The group noticed how Steve would constantly look at Juliet but they didn't say anything, it didn't seem like the young girl noticed so there was no reason to point it out. After the fifth movie the group started to leave the living area. First went Thor and Banner, they said something about a scepter but Juliet wasn't paying attention. Then Clint got a call in the middle of Hercules and he left the room in kinda a rush. And last was Natasha, there wasn't really a reason but she gave Juliet and Steve both a look before she winked at Steve and walked to the elevator. Then there was three, Tony, Steve, and Juliet.
Juliet noticed that Tony got up from his seat to go to the bar and looked over at her dad, Steve had his head tilted back and his mouth was slightly ajar, he had fallen asleep only a few minutes into Emperor's New Groove. Juliet took this time to get up and talk to Tony who had zoned out at the bar.
"Hey Tony."
"Hey kid, what's up?"
"Nothing I just thought we could, you know, talk." Juliet got nervous and started to fiddle with the bottom of her shirt. Tony noticed this and gave the young girl a smile, he didn't realize that the person he is most nervous around is nervous to be around him.
"Well, what do you wanna talk about kid?"
"I don't know, anything really like when were you born. When did you graduate highschool and college. Pretty much anything that you will tell me."
Tony looked at her with a confused face.
"Why do you wanna know all of that information?"
"Well I am like your aunt or godmother. So I personally think these are things I should know. Just saying."
"Ok, calm down little Rogers. Since you wanna know so badly I was born May 29th 1970, I don't even remember when I graduated highschool but I graduated MIT at 17."
"Wow, isn't that school like a supper competitive science school?"
"I mean you could call it that. It wasn't that hard truly."
"Well you're a Stark so everything comes easy to you. Plus we have the same birthday month." Juliet smiles brightly up at Tony while he just stares at the girl. He never put two and two together about the month of May for his dad but now it all makes sense. Why he was hardly around in the month of May, because he was mourning the girl that was pretty much his daughter.
"What about you Juliet? Where did you go to school?" Juliet looked at him and laughed. 'Her going to school! That was hilarious.'
"I never went to school. I was homeschooled by mom and sometimes Uncle Howard when mom went out for work." Tony guesses that it makes sense, no one knew about the young girl and his dad and Peggy made sure that no one even shield wouldn't know of her existence. Tong opened his mouth to ask something but decided against it. Juleit noticed his hesitancy to ask her something and she tilted her head and furrowed her eyebrows.
"What's wrong Tony."
"Oh nothing, I'm fine."
"No you're not. You were going to say something. What was it?"
"Oh it's not that big of a deal."
"You don't have to worry about offending me Tony. You can truly ask me anything, I owe you that."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course, so what's wrong?"
Tony notices how much she acts like her mother in this moment. Peggy always knew when something was wrong with Tony and wouldn't leave until he told her exactly how he was feeling. Most of the time she would yell at his father after he had told her how he feels but nothing would ever change. Juliet can tell he has zoned out again and is thinking his words over carefully before he asks her his question. I'm the short time that she has known him she can tell this isn't a normal occurrence.
"What was my dad like with you?"
"What do you mean by that Tony?"
"My father wasn't always the nicest man when I was little. He was always so cold and calculating whenever he was around me. He never said I love you or anything affectionate. I know he cared about me because he left this company for me but with the way you were explaining things he just seemed so different." At the end of Tony's little rant Juliet had tears in her eyes, she was trying not to let them fall but one did.
Tony unconsciously wiped the tear off of her face and smiled at the girl. "What's wrong Jules? That wasn't even the sad part of my story." Juliet quietly chuckles at that statement but the tears continue to come out of her eyes.
"I'm sorry."
"Why are you sorry, it's not your fault."
"But Anthony it is! If I hadn't been taken, if I had just gone to that stupid party with my mom he could have been different. Maybe he wouldn't be so stressed about leaving a legacy and not paying attention to you! If I hadn't been so stupid maybe things would have been different." Tony couldn't bear seeing Juliet breaking down again so he grabbed her and just held her.
Steve stirred on the couch and blinked his eyes slowly adjusting to the light. Glancing next to him to check on Juliet he sits up wide awake noticing she isn't next to him. 'No, No, No, where is she.' Frantically looking around he doesn't see her or Tony anywhere. The movie credits are rolling so he had only been sleeping for about 2 hours. A noise breaks him out of his frantic thoughts and Steve looks into the bar/kitchen area where he heard the noise.
Tony and Juliet were sitting on the floor holding one another. More like Tony was sitting on the floor and Juliet was curled up on his lap. Tony's back was against the bottom cabinets and he was stroking Juliet's hair while whispering something that Steve couldn't even catch with his enhanced hearing. Juliet was taking steady breaths while keeping a tight grip on the front of Tony's shirt, she still had tear stains on her cheeks, but Steve could tell she was knocked out cold. He walked to the entrance and looked down at the two.
"Want to tell me what happened here?" Tony looked up at Steve with tired red rimmed eyes, Steve has never seen this kind of tired look sported on Tony's face ever.
"Looks like sleeping Beauty finally awoke. How was your sleep princess?" Steve gave Tony his look of disappointment and Tony rolled his eyes in responce. "She's fine just so you know. You don't have to get all over protective again."
"I'm sorry about that."
"No it's fine, I get it. You just got her so I understand."
"So do you wanna tell me what happened."
"She just feels guilty." Steve gives Juliet a quick glance and looks questionably back at Tony. In his mind he doesn't understand what Juliet has to feel guilty for. She didn't do anything so why would she feel guitly.
"I don't understand."
"I guess you wouldn't. See she was meant to go to one of my dads parties the night she was taken, but Juliet and Aunt Peggy got in a fight and she didn't go. So now she feels guilty about not going and not helping out when I was a kid. Because my dad was kind of a dick, I obviously have forgiven him but still he was a dick."
"So she blames herself for what your childhood was like?" Steve understands how Juliet feels because he also knew Howard before he had Tony. But everything that happened was definitely not his daughters fault. Juliet has nothing to feel guilty for.
"Ya, even though it's not her fault."
"You told her that right?" Steve asks with an underlying tone of desperation. He can't have his daughter beating herself up over something she didn't have control of.
"Of course I did, what kind of person do you take me for Steve."
"Well I never know with you! One moment I think you are considerate, then the next you don't care at all how you treat people and portray yourself."
"Well Steven, I'm happy to know that you think of me as a dick. That makes me feel so good, thank you Steve."
The grown men continued to grow louder causing Juliet to shift in Tony's lap. The men froze instantly as she adjusted herself to get in a more comfortable position. Steve opens his arms up in a way signaling that he will take Juliet from Tony. Tony didn't like that idea very much, he knows how to take care of a lady believe it or not. Tony readjust Juliet in his arms and stands up from the ground, it may or may not have been difficult but he won't show his struggle in front of Steve. The other man rolls his eyes at Tony's attics but doesn't say anything about it. If that's how Tony wants to act then so be it.
Steve starts to leave the kitchen and heads to the elevator with Tony not far behind him. Once the elevator opens JARVIS asks what floor and both men say Steve's floor. Juliet continues to move and grown as if she is having a nightmare. They both look at her with concern.
"Did she say anything about nightmares to you Steve?"
"No but she did move around a lot last night. I don't want to pressure her too much right now because she has some major adjustments to go through."
Tony just nods his head at that statement. It's not like he can argue against it, she just woke up in the 21st century. There is a lot to adjust too plus he can't imagine what she went through in Hydra's clutches.
"Steve, do you think they did anything to her? Like what they did to your pal Bucky, hell even Natasha." Neither one of them can imagine anything bad happening to their girl but she was with Hydra, anything could be possible.
"I don't know Tony. I don't know."
The elevator doors opened and Steve showed Tony the way to Juliet's room. He stayed in her doorway as Tony tucked her into bed and wished her a good night. Steve remembered that he had been holding her bear this entire time and later it down next to Juliet. Upon instinct she rolled over and latched onto the bear like it is her life source. The men leave the room and look at one another.
"I'm sorry Tony for earlier. I shouldn't have said what I did, this is just all so new to me and I don't know what to do."
"It's fine cap, trust me I already forgot about it. She is lucky to have you."
"Thank you."
"No problem cap."
"No not for that!"
Tony raises his eyebrow and looks at Steve questionably. "Then what for?"
"For taking care of her when I couldn't. I can tell you guys have a special kind of bond and I need to get used to that. Anyway goodnight Tony."
"Ya goodnight Steve."
Tony leaves the level and Steve gives out a big sigh. He thinks he is stressed now but wait until tomorrow, that will bring a whole new kind of stress.
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WOW I am the WORST AUTHOR EVER!!! Coronavirus hit and I just went MIA, I am so sorry!!! I promise that I will posting on a regular schedule now if once a week. This story is finally going to take off in the next chapter. Thank you all for the love and support for this story I absolutely adore it. I read all of the comments even if I don't respond to them. Also I have a question for you guys, do you want Steve and Bucky to be an item or just leave them as pals?
With much love,
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