The Widows Daughter

Part one-hundred and twenty-three

(Chloe's POV)

Sam looked back at us before picking up the shield. Steve's shield. Sam and the old man shook hands and I smiled. Sam glanced back again and walked towards us. "You should go," I whispered to Bucky but he shook his head. "Go, you deserve an explanation."

"I already have one,"

"Bucky, go talk to him," I pushed his back gently and he walked forward.

"Did you know?" Sam asked as Bucky sat next to Steve.

"I wasn't sure until right before, but I had a feeling he'd do something." I looked behind me at Bruce who was still standing next to his computer.

He seemed frozen.

"Doesn't mean I don't hate it, but he deserves to live a life," I said before looking at the shield. "How's it feel?"

"Weird. Heavy, but also light." Sam chuckled as he lifted the shield in show.

"Welcome to the new world, Captain America." I smiled but felt a twinge of pain.

"How are you feeling?" Sam asked as I watched Bucky hug Steve.

"I'm okay. I do think though, that my superhero days are behind me. I think after everything, I want a normal teenage life." I told him.

"You deserve it. But I actually meant the other thing." Sam laughed.

"Oh, well after the last one, I haven't used my powers much. But I think that as long as I don't do too much I should be okay." I explained. "Bruce said I'm doing slightly better but I shouldn't push it."

Sam nodded as Bucky looked back and waved me over. "Go," Sam smiled.

"You got old," I said as I approached Steve. He looked like his actual age.

"Well, I thought that it might be nice," Steve smiled. His hands were shaking slightly from age.

"And how'd that go?" I asked as Bucky left us.

"It's horrible, don't ever get old." Steve winked and I laughed.

"How long has it been for you?"

"Seventy-four years." Steve smiled but I couldn't tell if it was happy or sad. "Thought I would get some of that life that Tony told me to get."

"Did you?" I asked him noticing the ring on his hand.

"I did, yes." This smile was definitely happy.

"Good, I'm glad. You deserve it." I smiled before frowning. "What you did though, it was selfish. It wasn't fair. Not to me, or Sam, or Bucky. Especially Bucky."

Steve sighed. "I know, I'm sorry."

That was it. No big explanation, no reason, just an apology. One, that Steve probably didn't realize would do very little for people like me and Bucky.

I looked at his face. It was full of wrinkles and sunspots. But there was something in his eyes that made it seem like he was content with his life. Both the one he had had with us and the one he went back to.

I sighed. "How was it?"

"Better than I would have ever thought." Steve smiled.

                               ———————
I brushed a few leaves off of the headstone and moved a few flowers around it. There were notes and pictures sitting around from friends, old co-workers, family, and people that loved her and cared about her.

I smiled as I glanced over the words written on some notes. I placed them all in a bag so they wouldn't get ruined. I grabbed the old dead flowers and set them aside to throw away later. I wanted the words on the stone to be visible but I also wanted the gifts to stay.

"It looks nice," A woman said behind me. I spun on my heel. A dark-haired woman in a purple trench coat and purple-tinted glasses stood a few feet behind me.

"Who are you?" Hostility laced my voice as I caught glimpses of her mind.

I had no idea who this lady was, but I could tell she wasn't someone I should like very much.

"Who I am, doesn't matter very much. Who you are, however, matters very much," The woman said cryptically. "What you can do,"

"Who are you?" I asked again, this time more forcefully. I stood in front of Mom's headline protectively.

Like I could protect her even if her body wasn't here and she was already dead.

"My name is Countessa Valentina de Allegro Fontaine. My friends call me Val. Don't call me Val." I snorted at her. Like I wanted to be friends with her.

"What kind of a name is that?" 'Val' gave me a funny look.

"Chloe, I have a proposition for you. I'm putting together a team, and I'd like you to be a part of it." I full-out laughed at that.

"A team? Like the Avengers?"

"No, my team would work under the radar, doing special assignments given by me." She said. "I'm offering you a place on the team."

"Val, was it? No offense, but I'm not some pawn in a game. I don't know who you think you are, but you need to leave. Now." I told her stone-faced.

"I understand that-"

"You understand nothing, lady! You don't know me, or what I've been through, or who I am! So shut up, and do us both a favor and leave." I felt a surge of power run down my spine and Valentina took a step back from me.

"I know that you've been through lots of trauma at such a young age. I know that you've lost your mother. And I also know that I can give you revenge on the person responsible." I tilted my head and frowned.

"What?"

"You can have revenge on the person responsible for your mother's death. If you join my team, I can give you that." Val smiled pulling an iPad out of her bag.

"And who would that be?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

"Clint Barton," A picture of Clint was on the iPad. My eyes widened at the picture as I looked at it.

Then I laughed.

Valentina looked at me confused. "You think Clint got my mom killed? Wow, you really are stupid. Now, is greatly appreciate it, if you left me alone. Forever. Because if I ever see you again, I'll kill you."

"Ms. Romanoff, I-"

"Leave now. Before I make you. And trust me, that won't be pretty." I told her, my hand now glowing.

"Very well. I can see you have no interest in my proposal."

Pft, you think?

"This is my card if you every want to contact me." She set the small piece of paper on a headstone.

As if.

"Have a good day, Ms. Romanoff," I glanced up from the card and she was gone. I looked around and couldn't find her. I let out a huff of semi-annoyance.

I had a weird feeling about Valentina whatever her name was. Something about her presence, her voice, her entire being, set me on edge. There wasn't a single thing I like about her.

Wow, so I'm almost done with this book believe it or not. Also, I couldn't help but throw Val in here. If you've seen any of the recent Marvel stuff, you know vaguely who she is. I personally really don't like her already.

Anyways, I think I have at least one last chapter before I'm going to end this book. Either that or the next chapter will be the last one. I'm not sure.

As always, thank you for reading, and let me know what you thought.