Chapter Twenty-Five

Madeline sat in the back of the limo. Tony was sitting beside her on the phone with Pepper. Her eyes were unfocused as she watched the capital fly by the tinted window. She thought of Bucky. She wondered what he was doing. She glanced at Tony, he seemed very preoccupied. She picked up her clutch from beside them on the bench seat and opened it. Her heart dropped. There was only one cell phone, her everyday cell.

She scanned the floor of the limo, even though she knew she hadn't even looked in her clutch since they left the hotel. She looked under herself.

"Uh, hang on, I think Maddy is having some sort of fit..." Tony looked over at her raising an eyebrow. She leaned over shoving Tony so she could make sure he wasn't sitting on it. "Jesus Maddy! Hang on Pep, I'll call you back." He hung up the phone, without waiting for her response. "Sooo...whatcha looking for?"

"My cell," Madeline snapped. She sat back putting a hand over her eyes.

"I take it you mean your other cell?" Her uncle asked casually.

"Yes, I left it at the hotel after checking my messages, we have to go back." She looked at her uncle.

He chuckled, "No dice, señorita."

"Uncle Tony, I have-"

He fixed her with a look, "Your dad knows your with me tonight right?"

"Well, yes," Madeline answered, she had after all told her dad about the evening.

"Then you'll survive. He will be fine," Madeline sat back glaring out the window, she wasn't worried about her dad. "Look, sorry Maddy, but we are already making our entrance fashionably late."

She looked at her uncle, "Yeah, well that wasn't my fault."

Tony shrugged, "Cufflinks are a hard decision, they make the whole outfit." Madeline rolled her eyes. "So, were you being serious about there being no romantic interest in your life right now?" Tony made a show of inspecting his perfectly manicured nails.

Madeline looked over at him, "Why?" She asked, narrowing her eyes.

Tony shrugged, not meeting her eyes, "Just wanted to know how my favourite niece is doing, feel like we don't get the chance to talk much anymore."

"First off, I am your only niece,"

"Killjoy,"

"And secondly," Madeline continued, ignoring Tony, "You seem pretty busy, flying all over the place, saving the world, going through black holes and having your house blown to bits."

Tony shrugged, "That was pretty amazing huh?"

Madeline shook her head, "Maybe just worry about looking after yourself," She fixed her uncle with a serious gaze, "We aren't exactly flush when it comes to family, ya know,"

"Awww, Mads," Tony through an arm around her, pulling her in close, "Didn't know you cared so much!" He kissed her on the top of her head. Instead of pushing him away, Madeline wrapped her arms around him. "You know I will look after myself." He said more seriously, hugging her back. Madeline sat back and actually found she had tears in her eyes, good lord, this whole being in love business was making her extremely emotional. Tony looked at his niece and his eyebrows shot up, "Madeline, what's wrong?" He put a hand on her shoulder looking extremely concerned.

Madeline chuckled, "I read mom's letter,"

Tony swallowed and nodded, "Ah, my dear baby sister, any words of wisdom for you?"

Maddy smiled through pursed lips, "I was pretty stupid huh?"

Tony shook his head, "No, you were angry, you had every right to be,"

Maddy absentmindedly wiped the tears from under her lashes before they could leave tracks down her face, "I wasted a lot of time,"

Tony reached out and took her hand, she looked at her uncle, "Your mother knew how much you loved her, no questions asked. I know what it is to have regrets on something you can't change, don't let it eat away at you Madeline, that is the last thing your mother would have wanted." She nodded, taking a deep breath, "Hug?" Tony asked.

Madeline nodded and they embraced again just as the limo pulled up to the line of idling luxury vehicles. Tony sat back eventually, "Well that is enough affection for our 'wasp' sensibilities until Christmas."

Madeline chuckled, "I thought we were supposed to be Catholic?"

Tony glared at his wrist straightening his cuffs, "Oh, well, it all come out in the wash." Tony sat back and fixed his niece with a serious gaze, "You sure you feel like this right now?"

Madeline nodded, "And leave you arm-candyless? Never!"

"Right on!" Tony said straightening his tux, before the door was opened to the awaiting paparazzi.

Madeline stood in the middle of the room, looking around herself. So many people she had seen in the paper, on the news, heard her uncle talk about casually. And most of them were in this room with her.

There was Nick Fury, looking very dapper in an all black tuxedo and bolo tie. Natasha Romanov was over by the champagne fountain with Clint Barton, they seemed joined at the hip. Rhodey was over by the appetizers chatting up some very fine ladies, Madeline had thought he was going to pop her out of her dress by the rib crushing hug he had given her, barely taking a breath to go off to the closest dignitary that he had known her when she was yeah big. She had extracted herself from that as quickly as humanly possible.

Madeline took a breath and looked around the room, the room filled with advanced people. Half of whom she was sure were looking for Bucky. Her heart kept feeling tighter and tighter. She made a decision. She reached in her bag and pulled out her phone. She flipped through her rather short list of contacts until she found the name, she clicked on a text message and hurriedly typed, "It's Maddy, You available? I need to make an order..."

She clicked her phone off and put it back in her purse and looked up in time to see Tony weaving through the crowd towards her with someone tall behind him. Her heart sunk when she realised who it was. "Ah there she is, been looking everywhere for you! Cap'n this is my niece Madeline, Maddy, this is the one and only Steve Rogers." Tony beamed back and forth between the two of them, looking distinctly like a cat who had gotten into the cream.

Steve had the grace to glare at Tony, but he smiled at Madeline as he shook her hand. She smiled back at him, "Pleasure to meet you Steve, my uncle has told me great things."

He was a nice looking man, almost like the opposite of Bucky, light versus dark. "Ha, I'm not so sure about that, but it's nice of you to say." He said chuckling. He looked good in his very classic style tux. Very appropriate.

"Oh, Cap, yee of little faith." Tony staggered like he had been hit. Madeline rolled her eyes at his antics.

"Your uncle, on the other hand, has not stopped singing your praises." Madeline looked at her uncle who was smiling mischievously.

"Really? How 'bout that."

"Oh," Tony suddenly burst out. "Is that Natasha calling me? Crying out about her undying love for me? Gotta go guys, keep talking, joking, generally having a great time." He nudged Steve with his elbow as he walked away.

Madeline watched her uncle walk away, her brow furrowed. She looked back at Steve who was also watching her uncle walk away. Steve's head swivelled around to look at Madeline, "I'm sorry Dr. Wayne, it would seem you are the latest victim of finding me a date, the newest mission for the Avengers evidently." He looked awkward.

Madeline blinked, Tony's sudden intense interest in her dating life suddenly made sense. Instantly Madeline went beet red, "Oh, oh god. Sorry. My Uncle is completely clueless." She shrugged awkwardly unsure of what else to say.

"Oh, don't worry about it. It would seem my team mates are springing women on me, when ever I least expect it. Have to say, I am pretty flattered I have been raised to relative clearence." He chuckled and Madeline giggled.

"Honestly that is flattering, when I was seven I told my uncle I had a boyfriend in my grade two class. He flew to the poor guys birthday party and made a big show of blowing up the bouncy castle while holding eye contact with the kid." Madeline sighed, "Oh and please call me Madeline."

Steve smiled, "Thanks, I will." He looked around the room, at all the glitz and glamour. "So I guess you are used to all this..." Steve waved the glass of champagne he was holding at the full room. "Being a Stark and all."

Madeline shrugged, "Honestly, this isn't usually my kind of thing. Work takes up pretty much all of my time."

Steve chuckled, "Huh, a Stark who likes to work?" Madeline laughed, "Never met one who wasn't a fan of a party though." He shook his head, watching her.

Madeline felt uncomfortable under his gaze, like spending time with Steve, enjoying time with Steve was somehow betraying Bucky. She took a deep breath trying to clear her head. Suddenly a thought struck her. She looked at Steve, who was smiling politely at her. "Of course, you knew my grandfather."

Steve's smile broadened, "Yes, yes I did." He nodded, "Interesting fellow, bit eccentric. Also knew your grandmother." Madeline felt her eyebrows shoot up, Steve shrugged, "Only breifly, she sure did leave an impression though. Heh, they were probably a force to be reckoned with once they got together."

Madeline nodded, "Well, all you have to do to look at Tony to know that's true,"

Steve nodded, "And your mother?" He asked more gently.

Madeline sighed, "My mother was her own person. I don't know how much of a 'Stark' she was, but she was definitely a force."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry-"

"No, no, no," Madeline shook her head at Steve's concerned look, maybe she wasn't as good at hiding her emotions as she though, "It isn't anything to do with you, I just. Um, had a complicated relationship with my mother."

Steve nodded, "Ah," Madeline felt like she had successfully managed to fit her entire foot into her mouth.

"Steve! STEVE!" They both turned to see Sam Wilson waving at Steve, he mouthed, 'Vice-President' at them. Steve turned back to Madeline.

"Do you want to meet the vice-president?" He asked, his face as open as if he said did she want to meet his old war buddy Bill or something totally casual.

Madeline smiled, "No, no you go. Boggle his mind, get the government grants rolling in for the Avengers. I am just gonna look around at the exhibits. Haven't had a chance yet."

Steve smiled and nodded, "Don't wonder to far."

She swallowed against the lump in her throat as she watched him walk away. What did that mean? Geez, was he actually interested in her? She thought they had established the fact that the Tony set-up was insane but maybe they hadn't. God. How did you let a superhero down gently. She looked around the room and suddenly felt very claustrophobic. Maddy turned around, she needed some air.

Madeline wove through the people until eventually she stepped through a doorway. This was obviously not supposed to be part of the party arena. The lights were low, like they were simply meant for security reasons but she could still see the exhibits well. This was obviously the original Captain America section of the Smithsonian. She swallowed and looked behind her. No one seemed to have noticed or cared she had wondered in here, so curiousity getting the better of her Madeline walked further in.

Her eyes glanced over the footage of Steve from before the serum, geez, he was about as tall as her, and she watched him transform into the hulk he is now. Madeline thought of all the Avengers in the other room. Maybe Hulk wasn't the right word. Her head turned and her eyes caught on the biggest display. Her heart skipped a beat.

She wandered over to the enormous platform containing the original uniforms of the Howling Commando's, behind each of them was an enormous mural depicting each of them and there to the right of Steve was Bucky. Bucky as he used to be. Madeline walked forward until she bumped into something, only to look down to see a velvet rope partition. She looked back up at the picture. It was like that picture on the internet. He looked so shockingly different.

His hair was short, slicked back. His chin was clean shaven. His eyes looked bright, open, excited, brave. He wasn't as big as he was now, from the perspective against Steve, assuming it was correct of course, it looked like he had been shorter, before Hydra had taken him, maybe five foot ten or eleven?

Her eyes gave a cursory glance around the room and they caught again on a frosted glass display with Bucky's face on it. He looked more haggard in that picture. Madeline wandered over to it. She couldn't help herself, her hand made its way up and her fingertips brushed against the cold glass where his jaw line was etched. She looked up at the title, letting her hand drop away, A Fallen Comrade... how right they were.

Her eyes dropped to a Video stand in front of it. It was on an endless loop, showing Steve in his Captain America uniform, standing beside Bucky, he looked dishevled to say the least. He laughing with Steve like it was the most normal thing in the word. It was like looking at a completely different person. It almost made Madeline uncomfortable to look at. Like a reality that just simply didn't quite match up.

"Here you are,"

"Oh god," Madeline nearly jumped out of her skin. She turned to see Steve walking up behind her holding two glasses of champagne. He stopped putting his hands up looking bashful. It really was a trick for him to be so big and good looking and look so ... well, there wasn't a better term for it, bashful all at the same time.

"Sorry, didn't mean to spook you," He apologized giving her a half smile.

"No, no it's fine, I have just been on edge all day. Stress with... work." Madeline smiled back at him, "I just needed a break from the people."

Steve handed her a glass and she took it even though she had no intention of drinking it. "Tell me about it." Steve looked at the display she was standing in front of. He didn't say anything he just looked at it.

Her uncle Tony's words from dinner earlier that even floated through her mind, 'If you get talking to Steve, don't bring up Washington, uh uh uh, don't ask me why, just don't ask him.' Of course now Madeline knew why Tony had a vested interest in their conversation going well. But Madeline didn't need to be told, she had already promised someone and had no intention of dancing on a fine line of honesty and deception.

She looked at Bucky's face, "Do you miss him?" She asked quietly.

Steve looked down at his shiny shoes, "Uh, heh, yeah. Yeah I do." Madeline looked at Steve. "He was my best friend," He looked at her and shrugged, "Had him when I had no one else."

Madeline felt her heart flip flop. She had a solid core of people, her father, her uncle, Alfred, Lucius but they were never really there or they were only as accessible as the world allowed them to be. With Bucky, even with everything hanging over him, and all his warnings, she felt he was really there with her. In spite of it all, and though it may have sounded ridiculous to anyone else she felt exactly the same way as Steve. "Madeline? Are you alright?" Steve asked stepping towards her putting a steadying hand on her arm.

Madeline blinked shaking her head, "Oh yes, I'm fine, I just-" She was saved from coming up with anything when her phone beeped. She looked bashfully up at Steve, "Im sorry, it might be work."

Steve smiled at her letting his hand drop, "By all means,"

Madeline got out her phone and read the text;

Maddy! Fabulous! Can't wait! Feeling pensive, lets meet at the Lincoln Memorial, twenty minutes! See you then gorgeous!

She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding in. Madeline looked up at Steve. "I'm so sorry, but it's my lab. One of our formula's we are developing is literally degrading as we speak, I have to get back to the hotel, and link in with them."

Steve smiled nicely at her, in a genuine manner. Madeline thought back to when Bucky had said he had a friend for the chivallry part. She was willing to bet he meant Steve. God, that felt like a life time ago. "No problem. You are trying to save the worlds brains, who knows when I am gonna need your help." Madeline swallowed but chuckled at his joke anyway, trying to remain somewhat normal. "Do you want me to go get Tony for you?"

"No!" Steve raised an eyebrow, "No, thanks, but he will honestly just get in the way. Biomechanics was never his strong suit, but somehow when it comes to me he seems to assume he knows all."

Steve nodded knowingly, "Yeah, that isn't just with you." They both laughed. "It was a pleasure to meet you Madeline," Steve offered a hand.

Madeline looked at it. Then back at up Steve. He had sacrificed everything to save Bucky. Even almost his life on that Helicarrier. Oh god, Madeline could feel the beginning of tears burning the back of her eyes, goddamn emotions. And in an instant, without really thinking about what she was doing she lifted herself up, hugging the slightly stunned Rogers. "No, it was my pleasure," He hugged her back and just before she stepped back out of the hug the words just slipped out of her mouth, "I'm sorry,"

Steve looked at her questioningly as she stepped back from him, "Sorry about what?"

Madeline didn't even hesitiate, "Your friend," She looked at Bucky portrayed in glass.

Steve nodded, "Yeah, me too. Can you get back to the hotel safely?"

Madeline smiled at him, "Oh yeah, I got that covered."