Chapter 35

Tony hadn't told Raven that her two best friends were in the Tower. It felt like too much after what happened yesterday. Instead he was planning the best surprise ever. Eun Gi had no clue either, he wondered if she would be equally happy to see her brother despite them not exactly being close. Tony noticed Eun Gi wasn't acting like herself since Ilya showed up. She was more subdued and surrendered Raven's attention to the child sleeping upstairs. The main hint was the fact she was dressed in workout clothes, her long hair was in a ponytail and her expression grim and tight. Tony was finally meeting the assassin, after getting used to the crazy girlfriend. Not even Pepper could open her mouth to say anything to her when she came downstairs.

As Eun Gi drank her coffee he heard Raven come out of her room. She barely lifted her eyes while he immediately looked up unable to contain himself, premonitions of Eun Gi forgotten. This was going to be amazing. His inner glee was halted by Raven carrying the little girl on her hip. It was startling, because until you saw Ilya's face, the pair looked like they belonged together. Tony's own mother hadn't been so maternal, she had nannies for as long as she could, along with the original Jarvis. Raven held little Ilya, who was a bit too big to be held, like it was effortless chore. The two chatted in whispers as she came to the breakfast table.

"Morning," said Raven.

"Good morning," Ilya softly parroted. Now awake and in the day time Tony studied the little girl. She was a chubby little thing, fat cheeks, crescent shaped eyes and two long braids falling over her shoulders. A few curly strands hung in her face, that she pushed back every few seconds they moved. It was hard to imagine she had almost ended up like Natasha if not for Raven.

"Did we miss breakfast?" Asked Raven as she set Ilya down at the only free chair left. Ilya feebly resisted eyeing him and Pepper like lurking snakes, ready to bite her ankles.

"No," Pepper said. "Is this Ilya?" She smiled her warmest at the little girl. "Hungry, honey?"

Ilya blinked, breathing loudly through her nose. She said nothing but looked up at Raven, who in turn winked at her. "A little…" She muttered.

"We have scrambled eggs and cereal. Which would like?"

Softly she said, "Oats…"

Raven laughed, playfully pinching Ilya's cheek. "You want oats?" Ilya nodded biting her lip to hide her grin. "My special oats?" She bobbed her head, laughing. "Cheeky baby," she teased, shaking her face by her cheeks. "You don't want eggs or cereal, you want oats."

"You make it special," she whined, voice gaining volume. "Soledad always make them yucky."

"Soledad makes good waffles, I told you that."

"But I want Raven's oats," she insisted.

Raven rolled her eyes, releasing her cheeks. "Fine, today you'll get oats. But," she added sternly. "You have to eat a banana while I make it, and a cup of tea."

"And juice," Ilya fiercely bargained.

Eun Gi the Hydra assassin sat on one side of the table, Raven the mom stood at the opposite end. Tony and Pepper watched, half-hypnotized at how easily they played out this dance. My mom was never like this, Tony couldn't help but think. The soft cooing, the light teasing, the utter warmth around them.

"And juice," Raven relented. She explained to the others, "Don't spoil her just to get her to like you. She'll wring you dry with that smile of hers."

On cue, Ilya smiled and it was the cutest smile Tony and Pepper saw. Her cheeks rose so high, her eyes shrunk endearingly. Eun Gi shook her head at their bewitchment. It was the first glimpse of her they knew.

"Little minx," Raven said fondly.

As Raven was making her way to the kitchen, Tony remembered his surprise. It couldn't wait a second longer. "Wait," he said getting up from his chair. "Before you go and play mommy, there's something you need to see." He came around the table and ushered her toward the balcony door. "It really can't wait," he explained as he saw her glance back to Ilya who wanted to trail behind them like Raven's pint sized bodyguard. "And you really need to take a look at it, it's super important."

"You're repeating yourself," Raven pointed out suspiciously. "Is this about Steve?" She guessed.

Just hearing his name threatened to ruin his morning. "No. This is about you. Go outside," he opened the door. "Go on."

Eun Gi sensed whatever he had up his sleeve was harmless but only for Raven and held Ilya back with a firm glare. Eerily similar to Howard Stark before his militant grip became sour. Ilya obeyed wordlessly, pleading for Raven to come back quickly before she burst.

With a shrug Raven stepped outside and immediately squeaking at what she saw on the left. Her face light up like stadium lights and she bounced into a dash.

"Oppa!" She cried out, running into Kyung Gi, Eun Gi's big brother's arms.

Eun Gi lifted her head and gasped but unlike Raven who was overjoyed, she was more held back. She didn't run to her brother and neither did Ilya who was now very content to stand with Eun Gi. When Tony first saw Kyung GI, the resemblance was there but vaguely. Like his sister, he was tall and handsome. Unlike her, he was stoic, stiffer than Barnes's robotic arm. When Raven flew into his arms, a fraction of that ice melted and he held her close, patting her head.

"What are you doing here?" She asked him as she tugged him inside. "All this way?"

"Stupid question," he said without smiling. "I came to see you. Stupid, hard headed girl." He lightly messed her hair, smirking at its length. "You finally got to cut your hair."

"Do you like it?"

He nodded. Kyung Gi smiled like it was a foreign activity. But Raven was so elated to see him, she was emoting enough for the both of them. She reached up and messed his bangs.

"It doesn't look at cool as yours," she giggled. She pinched his stiff face, "Stone face Big Brother."

"Crazy girl," he scoffed, battling her hands lovingly away.

Raven turned to Tony, eyes shining with tears of joy. "You planned this?" She asked him. "Or was this your idea, to scare me half to death?" She asked Kyung Gi.

Tony calmly shook his head. "Me? No way, this is much too subtle. It was his idea." He pointed back outside.

Her rejoicing froze as she looked back outside, Tony expected her to run back out there but she backed away. Kyung Gi stopped her, holding her by her shoulder. And from around the right corner came Felix, walking slowing inside. The mood of the room changed drastically, no one breathed, no one said a word. Eun Gi let out a soft gasp and Ilya smiled, joy renewed. Rather underwhelming for the personal struggle it took for Tony to keep quiet about everything. He almost commented on it, until he heard the strangled sob come out of Raven's throat. Her hands flew to her mouth and nose trying to keep it together as she started to shake and tremble. Likewise Felix stared at her unable to believe she was mere feet from him. Had they changed so much the six borderline seven months they hadn't been together. Tony hadn't thought about that. Was this much too soon for everyone?

"Look at you," Felix sniffled. Hearing his voice got another strangled cry out of her. "What are you crying for?" He demanded with a smile. "That's my job. I was the one who thought you were…" He couldn't say it. "Come on Raven, don't cry," he pleaded. "Please Cuervita don't cry."

That just made it worse. With a face covered in tears she ran into him, full on bawling into her chest. Felix held onto Raven for dear life as the two fell onto the floor. Tears fell down his face as he held her tightly, rocking with her as she wept.

"I should have known," he said. "I should have known. Nothing could kill you. No fire, no explosion, not any of those Hydra bastards, no one can kill you." With a chuckle he added, "Maybe water though."

"Asshole," she sniffled without any malice. "You always gotta bring that up… That I can't swim worth a damn."

"What about you huh? You finally got to be James Dean and die young."

"Minus the car accident," she teased. "And I never actually died."

"Don't remind me," he begged roughly. "I don't want to think about it." He kissed her forehead. "No one is ever going to hurt you like that again, I kill anyone who does… I should have come looking for you, you would have done the same for any of us."

"I don't blame you. It wasn't your fault – My luck ran out, the little I had."

"Still look pretty lucky to me." He messed her hair more than Tony ever dare and the two laughed softly to themselves.

Being surrounded by her friends made Raven come alive in a way Tony and Pepper never expected. Despite the fact Avengers Tower was turning into a hostel for Hydra defectors, it was worth it to see Raven blossoming. Circling her posse like a debutante, chattering in English, Spanish and Korean. He had barely a clue what she was talking about but they all were happy to be together Tony didn't let his curiosity get the best of him. Although he did wonder if this was what the old Raven was like, if she liked to hang out, chat and gossip, having get togethers. He thought about his own youth, the crazy parties and other activities he dare not recall. Was Raven like that? They said addiction can be a hereditary trait. He drank – still drinks at times, his father drank heavily in his later years. While Raven didn't drink and was the epitome of responsible, he knew that by being his daughter, she had to have at least one of his bad traits.

"What are you thinking about?" Pepper teased.

"She's a little social butterfly," Tony remarked. "Look at her go…"

"You sound a little disappointed." She read him like a book. "I told you she reminds me of you. I wasn't just talking about her smile. And," she added, "not to spoil the mood, she did get Steve to go along with her scheme. Only a slick mouthed Stark could have done that."

"Maybe I got attached to the idea of a wallflower little princess."

"You are so lucky Raven doesn't try to wrap you around her finger." Pepper giggled, "She would have an R on this tower within the week."

"Excuse you? I would never."

"She batted her eyes on you and you stopped from shoving your foot further up Steve's ass." Pepper shot him a taunting smirk. "And she is a wallflower, who has episodes of Stark charm and extrorevtism. As if you don't have moments where you go into your own world."

Tony fluttered at the idea of him Raven being near parallels. "I get focused on my work Pep."

"You like your alone time and so does Raven." She caressed his beard. "You two are so alike, but so clueless about it. It's adorable."

"And how are we alike again?" He grinned.

"Your smile for one. You two make the same faces, the twinkle in your eyes when you get a horrible idea. The way you can win people over, how you get an idea, perfect it and plan a design within a minute… Your big, bright, brown eyes."

Tony pulled her close. "What about my big, brown, eyes?"

Pepper playfully shut him down, wary of the house guests in the kitchen. "We are not having a Raven of our own until we get used to the first one."

"Would you?" He asked softly, vulnerably sincere. "I mean, we never talked about it but, someday? God knows Raven might steal it and raise it herself."

"… Seriously?" She laughed nervously, "I mean, we never – discussed anything."

"I know, but I'm open to having a discussion." He glanced back to Raven, who was in the living room having a reunion with her friends. In a split moment she glanced back, face ready to tear from smiling. He clung to that warmth. "I'm new to this, but I wouldn't mind adding some more dysfunctional geniuses to the world… With big bright brown eyes."

"Not too many I hope."

"Nah," he agreed. "Maybe one more."

"Maybe," Pepper echoed.

"Yeah maybe. At least we know if another bill gets passed, Raven will level ground in like a day."

"Tony!" Pepper swatted his arm, hushing him. "That's not funny."

"Raven would have had Steve sniped and shot a tranq' dart in Barnes' butt cheek," he mused with wicked amusement. "Not even Ross would twitch his mustache at her because she'd probably rip it off his face."

"We shouldn't be laughing about Raven singlehandedly overthrowing a government."

"But, she like, could, hypothetically speaking."

"Tony, stop." Pepper buried her laughter into his neck.

"Despite having my last name, she is a bit of a Lannister. We shouldn't attend any weddings of anyone we don't like."

"Tony, I swear to god."

"And she'd use her bare hands. Twice as intimidating. Instead of a suit, she'd show up on a high powered skateboard with a shotgun, in a leather jacket. And a toothpick between her teeth," he added with a good natured smirk.

Felix had already vented most of his frustration to Tony about Raven. Now he found himself bubbling up with a whole other set of questions for Raven. While they all were in the kitchen cooking a breakfast feast for themselves he found himself blurting everything out. The moment he heard Raven was Tony Stark's daughter his only response was humor. Well this makes perfect sense, he kept saying to himself. Of course her father would be the most arrogant and dickheaded of all the Avengers. It makes perfect sense. He laughed about it to himself when he drank and sobered up, it made things easier. That's why Raven's always right, why she can get anyone to like her, why she can't keep her mouth shut and herself out of trouble. Now the panic was hitting in.

She always knew this man was her father. The man they cheered to hit the ground as he free fell from a closing wormhole, booed when he gasped with life. The man they applauded for his womanizing. Took bets against when the Avengers fought themselves. They spoke of him brutally and without a care, and Raven never said a word. Felix replayed all the horrible things he and others said around Raven, about her father, the man she was stolen and being trained to surpass. He felt like throwing himself off the Tower with shame. Raven never badmouthed his father and he was a monster. Some friends they were.

"So… You and Stark?" He fumbled with his words. "He seems nice. Looks a lot like you."

"You think?" Raven replied in her practiced conversation tone. Softer and more honestly she said, "He tells me I remind him of his mum."

"Yeah?" Felix had even thought of Stark's parents, who had been assassinated by the Winter Soldier. That had to awkward at team meetings. Hydra had messed up both of their lives, Tony's more than Raven's. Killing your parents and kidnapping your daughter all to have a piece of that Stark legacy. The first weeks they spent together must have been tense. Again her comically pictured this chatty extrovert trying to befriend the occasional mute Raven could be. She was a hard person to read, she rarely lets people in without secretly testing them over and over. "You talk about his parents?"

"His mum mostly. I think Howard Stark was a bit of an asshole to Tony."

Felix quickly changed the subject. The last thing he wanted to talk about was asshole fathers. When he found out Janos had left Raven to die he wanted to hunt him down and skin him but the snake had fled the garden. And he yet to tell her that Janos murdered his own father, as a messed up apology to Raven. Felix had no idea how to break it to her, nothing he or Stark could say would tenderize the news.

"You like him? Stark?"

Raven answered unusually fast. "Yeah, I do." It wasn't up for discussion.

Felix didn't expect that. Typically loudmouths and overly extroverted people tired her out. She like people who gave her space, Stark came off as the type to materialize behind you like a debonaire mother hen. Raven hated being fussed over and spoiled. He must have charmed her the same way Raven did others.

"That's nice," he muttered, taken back. "He likes you a whole lot too."

Raven paused, suddenly jittery. "Y-Yeah, I picked up on that."

And there it was; she didn't think Stark would like her. This was unfortunately the Raven he knew. Being abandoned by two adoptive fathers would make anyone skeptical about themselves. Felix knew Raven did horrendous things, he had been there beside her for most of them. Did she think that Stark would be disgusted with her? Not to mention all those years Janos must have thrown that back into her face. How they all nagged her for Playing Hero, they all made her think Stark wouldn't like her. Shit, he thought. Fix it Valquez. Fix it Valquez.

"Why wouldn't he like you?" Felix scoffed. "Sure you're a pain in the ass, but so is he, you two can talk about all the people you piss off."

Raven giggled at that thought. "At least you and I never fought in an airport."

"Are you comparing me to Captain America?" He teased. "It's because I'm the sexy one between us?"

"Nah, it's because you're the thick one," she sassed.

He playfully swatted her with a kitchen towel. "Brat. The only thing thick about me is my ass." He said smacking said rear proudly to get a laugh out of Raven. "But why not? You're a sweetheart when you're not trying to pick a fight. I would know."

Raven wasn't convinced but didn't argue. "You know, he was a nickname for me? Already?"

"Yeah?"

"Princess," she nearly whispered. "He messes me hair and give pretty shit hugs."

"Sounds like a dad," he said.

"He's just trying to be nice," she dismissed. "I did look pretty pitiful when we met."

Her low self esteem is still intact, he thought suppressing a sigh. Felix had a first row seat to all of Raven secret insecurities so he knew how to respond precisely. "You always look pitiful, it's how you stab people in the neck. With those big Bambi eyes and freckly face. Besides, if he was only doing this for charity, he'd give you a whole floor, away from him. He's practically got you on his hip."

That stalled her. "You got a point there."

"See?" He rolled his eyes, scolding her coolly, "Turn your brain off for five minutes when analyzing people."

Instead of relaxing her Raven became tense. Oh no, was that too much?

"I forgot to do that." She took his deep breath. "I made Tony fight with Steve last night."

"Without meaning to?" He wondered. Raven nodded furiously, and he could tell how troubled she was. Her free hand flew into her mouth and her gnawed on her knuckles, within seconds her skin went red and irritated.

"Illie was in trouble, he and Bucky were babysitting me and Eun Gi and I bullied them into helping me. Tony was so cross when I got home, I heard him shouting at them. I had no clue they were still at odds," she rambled. "He gave Steve a chance when he let him pick me up from therapy and I ruined it. I thought everything was fine after the Sokovia Accords but it was barely healing and I divided them." She added woefully, "I spoiled everything and I don't know how to fix it."

Stark told him Raven and Captain America were similar but from Raven's perspective they sounded rather close. That was very new. He understood her feeling protective of the Winter Soldier – who he assumed was this Bucky she mentioned – she risked her life for him. Whether he liked it or not Raven would fight anyone who messed with him. But Steve Rogers, America's Goody-Two Shoes superhero? Those types used to make her grind her teeth in annoyance. It baffled him, she was more distressed at causing strife for Steve than Stark.

"Are you and Captain America friends? I thought, we thought he was a hotheaded prick."

"He is!" She clicked her tongue in aggravation. "But he's not a complete arse so come off it!"

"Okay, okay, take it easy. I thought brunettes with dark pasts and killer instincts were more your type," he muttered. "Not idealistic, buff, blondes."

She knew what he was also hinting at and she shut down, shrinking right beside him. "Stop it."

Right, she's off her meds, so she's more sensitive. No, he mentally corrected himself, Raven was always sensitive. She's now letting it show. "Sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean it like that, I swear. You should have told me."

"So you would have told Madame Lee and have her transfer Eun Gi to some distant base, away from me. Yeah right." Her accusatory tone stung but she was right, he might have done that.

"Fair enough. But you might have convinced me not to."

"I didn't want to risk it. What did Kyung Gi say?" She quietly asked.

His ears were never far when anything was about him. "I blame my sister," Kyung Gi remarked from across the room. "We'll discuss it among ourselves."

The mood shifted from casual to suffocating. Everyone was staring at each other, even mostly oblivious Ilya stuffing her face with oats perched on the kitchen island. There wasn't any fighting or swearing, and the only open hostility was the Shin siblings glaring at each other. Raven and Eun Gi met eyes but then broke away sensing the disapproval from both sides. Before Felix could even contemplate whether to throw the wooden spoon in his hand at Kyung Gi for disrupting the serenity of the room, Raven walked out.

"You couldn't have, oh I don't know, lie?" Felix hissed.

"I blamed her," Kyung Gi stated tightly, pointing to his sister. Eun Gi huffed indignantly muttering colorful Korean curses under her breath. "It was the truth, and lying to Raven is never a good idea."

Felix groaned. "Well you could have tried! Today she needed a lie!"

Steve was composing himself by the window in his room. The whole discussion had him fired up. This was the first time he felt completely against everyone. Bucky didn't trust him, Tony hated him again and his remaining team mates were questioning his judgement. For once he wanted Raven's blunt conflict resolution skills. She would have whipped everyone in line with her dagger-like remarks and everything would be settled.

Just as he thought of her, she appeared like a daytime boogeyman. The sight made him jump back falling gracelessly onto the floor. Raven was swinging on something from the outside, contently hanging eleven stories above ground. He near ripped the glass off the frame to open the window.

"Are you crazy?" He thundered. "You're gonna fall!"

"Can I come in?" She shouted back.

Without another word he stepped onto the frame, took her into one arm and ushered her inside. Steve was panting furiously already riled up from the discussion he had with his teammates, now this.

Arms folded he snapped, "Are you trying to be funny?"

Raven looked up at him without an ounce of her usual fire. "My friends are upstairs," she said monotonously. "Felix and Kyung Gi, from Hydra. We're all happy to see each other but I think everyone's mad at me for lying to them. About Tony and Eun Gi."

The last part put out Steve's annoyance like a bucket of water. The same fear he had for himself and Bucky, was happening upstairs. He went to his bed and sat down, silently beckoning Raven to join him. Taking several calming breaths before he spoke, he asked, "They don't approve because it's her or because it's a girl you like?"

"The first one, which is worst to be honest."

She sat unusually close but Steve didn't move away, if she wanted to sit close so be it. He couldn't help but think why she was here and not talking to a certain someone. "And about Tony?"

"I did roll with a very anti-Avenger lot in Hydra. I guess it's all a bit awkward with all the context filled in." She drew her knees to her chest. "I was afraid of this. Everyone looking at me different."

"But they're happy to see you at least?" He double-checked.

"Felix cried," she said tightly. "I cried too. But that doesn't change the fact how complicated everything is." She groaned loudly, "Ugh, I can't catch a break, ever."

"They're not defecting," Steve summed up.

"No one's brought it up and I'm terrified to," she revealed. "Everyone's all weepy that I'm alive and all that, but no one has mentioned the danger they're in for just being here. Something is going on and I don't know what," she confessed. "It's too dangerous in New York for them. It's practically suicide." She held her head furiously. "Everything is going wrong and I can't fix it!"

Steve patted her shoulder as gently as he could. "You can't fix everything, Raven. Sometimes people do what they want and you gotta see it through."

"The anxiety is giving me a freaking rash," she hissed. "How do you not have a shit ton of crow's feet?"

Steve smiled at her heartfelt attempt to lighten the mood. "I was hurt when Tony signed the Accords, I was riled up but he decided and I wasn't going to."

"But you should have," she pointed out. "Even if you didn't mean it."

"I'm extremely old fashioned. Not everyone is good at playing both sides like you."

"I had no choice," she reminded him. "I had to clever or be complacent."

"Sure you did," he protested. "You could've left Bucky alone and let fate decide what happened to him. You stepped up and decided you were going to help. You made a choice. You saved Ilya. You saved Eun Gi. You chose to do good."

"A choice all my friends hated me for."

"They did?" He didn't know that. "They wanted you to let him die?"

She nodded her head. "Eun Gi didn't speak to me for weeks. Felix yelled at me when he heard. Why you gotta play hero. Why did you stick out your neck for the people who killed our friends. Everyone hated me."

"We killed some of your friends?" Steve never thought of the Hydra men killed when they attacked Shield. No one thinks of their enemies when they take them out.

"It's fine. After all, mine killed some of yours. We're even."

She was right but she didn't have to say it. Her maturity was touching, he almost wished she was an Avenger or at least a part of Shield. Steve nodded, offering his hand. "Thanks, for being the bigger man. Plenty of guys wouldn't have saved the enemy soaked in their friends's blood."

Raven scoffed at his poetry, but not harshly. "I couldn't leave Bucky in the dark like that. He didn't deserve it, no matter what anyone says."

Steve took his hand back without feeling insulted for its refusal. "Still… Thanks."

Raven went red at his heartfelt tone. "Oh come off it. I don't need a cookie for being decent."

For all her spikes Raven was all mush at the center. Wanda said she charmed him, but he believed she didn't mean to intentionally. She wouldn't even let him acknowledge her good deeds. Raven was humble as dirt.

"… I guess we shouldn't come upstairs then," he teased.

Raven gawked at him for uttering such nonsense. "I'm not going to let any of my friends hassle you, especially when this is your home more than theirs. Plus you helped me save Ilya, you get a pass." She huffed, "You can be a prick but I know worse, if they can shake their hands they'll damn well shake yours."

Steve smiled. "I appreciate you saying that."

"You're welcome." She took a deep breath. "And what were you doing, staring out into the sky?"

"Trying not to punch the glass. Me and Buck had a fight."

Raven's tone was absolutely heartbroken. "You and Bucky too?"

She ready to go and physically glue them back together the very next second. He stopped her before she got up. "It's not your fault, I kinda had it coming apparently."

"I'm nothing but bad luck," she said, surrendering into his bed. Making herself comfortable in his made up bed, head buried in his pillow. Steve let her get comfortable.

"No more than me," he argued. "How did you even know I was here?"

"Hacked Friday's cams, figured you would at least try and catch me if I slipped."

Steve laughed genuinely. "You just do what you want and hope for the best?"

"I make calculated risks, excuse you. That have high success rates," she added.

"Well, excuse me," he joked.

"You're excused."

I'm a few days off, but it's still technically two weeks. I had a bit of writer's block but we're gonna power through this people.

As always feedback, critique and tell me what you think. It brightens my day and it will improve the story.

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