Chapter 4

Melinda had been lucky with several of her missions being undetected by Tony and the Avengers. Tony was finally too fed up with not finding and catching the new hero in town that he decided to bait a trap.

Tony felt that the bait was just perfect. They used a fake child in trouble and sure enough Melinda was summoned to help. However, when she realized the child was fake was when the Avengers struck.

It wasn't until after Steve arrived as Captain America not knowing the full story about what was going on did things get a bit dodgy.

"What the hell are you doing?" Captain America demanded as he saw War Machine hit Melinda with a sonic blast. "She's not bad!" he yelled as he threw his shield at War Machine knocking him away from Melinda.

"Ah no, Cap please get away from our captive." Ironman said.

"I will not," Captain America replied as hulk growled and roared. "Keep him away from her." Captain ordered.

Nick Fury drove up then and got out of the car.

"You need to back off, Rogers, we need to know whose side she is truly on." Fury remarked.

Vision hoovered over Melinda studying her and reading her.

"Perhaps unmasking her should be done now." Vision said as Captain America narrowed his eyes at Vision.

"No, stay away from her." Captain America ordered as Bucky got there too.

Tony who had long since removed his helmet had glared at Captain America.

"Aren't you being just a tad bit overprotective of this girl?" Black Widow asked.

"That's my business, now I am telling you back off!" Captain America ordered as Bucky held a weapon on the others as Melinda started to come too.

"Now see, you have two Avengers falling all over you I can't have that sorry." Fury remarked as he used something to knock her out. "See, nice and tidy." Fury stated as Tony walked up to where Melinda was laying unconscious on the ground.

"I want to know sorry I don't like waiting." Tony said as he reached down and pulled her mask off revealing who she truly was.

Silence filled the area as Tony felt like someone punched him in the stomach.

"Is that?" Black Widow started to ask.

"Yeah, it's Tony's kid sister Melinda." War Machine remarked.

"Did you know about this?" Tony demanded from Steve.

"Yes, she told me she was called to do this that it was her destiny." Steve said.

"And it didn't occur to you to fill me in on this I am her brother, Cap!" Tony roared.

"Boys, perhaps it might be better to get to our headquarters." Black Widow suggested as Tony knelt by his sister and reached down and picked her up.

"Let's go." Was all Tony snarled as he took off with War Machine following him and the others as Captain America glanced over at Bucky who shook his head.

"This isn't good." Bucky said.

"And, it's only going to get worse." Steve remarked with a sigh.

At the Avengers headquarters...

Tony laid his sister on one of the sofas for the time being.

"I can't believe this she kept this from me I'm her brother for crying out loud." He growled. "And naturally, Rogers has to keep it to himself." Tony said and then he fell silent. "What's he doing with my sister anyway that he'd know about her little hero escapades?" Tony asked.

No one said anything but everyone was thinking the same thing.

"Naw, she wouldn't date him, she couldn't he's robbing the cradle." Tony remarked.

"Someone like your sister would find him you know..." War Machine started to say until he saw his friend's express. "Just saying."

"Whatever the circumstances I want her taken off the radar like immediately." Tony said his tone showing just how furious he was.

Everyone glanced up when Steve and Bucky arrived and Tony wasted no time grilling Steve.

"What are you to my sister?" Tony demanded.

Silence...

"We're together and been together for a while. I care deeply for her. However, you need to respect her life now, Tony she's not a child." Steve said.

"Really? You know, Rogers I considered you a slight friend but then you go and hide two things from me. One is not quite as bad as the other the one that upsets me the most is how you didn't come to me about this superhero stuff. I don't want her involved in the type of stuff I do don't you get it? If she can't handle something it could cost her everything and by everything, I mean her life." Tony said as he glanced down at his sister.

Silence...

"She's all that's left after our parents were killed so yeah call me overprotective." Tony remarked as he reached down removing a stray piece of hair from her face. "It stops now even if she has to come here to live." Tony remarked.

"And Steve and your sister's relationship?" Bucky asked.

Tony glanced up at Steve then.

"I'll see about that after she talks to me about exactly what happened." Tony replied as Steve's expressions hardened then.

"If you do this you might just push her away, if you break us up plus take away whatever was given to her to be a hero." Steve replied.

"I am her brother!" Tony shouted. "It's my job to keep her safe." Tony replied. "I could protect our parents you better damn sure realize I will make sure she is safe with or without her liking my motives."

Melinda started to wake up. She groaned as her eyes locked with her brother's.

"Tony, where am I?" she whispered.

"Avengers headquarters/my digs." He answered as she frowned.

"What am I doing here?" she asked.

She glanced around and spotted Steve and her smile warmed.

Steve went to her immediately.

"Steve?" she said softly.

"Yeah I know about you two and guess what I know about your other activity which is finished and done as of now." Tony said firmly.

Melinda glared at her brother then.

"You can't just forbid this I was given these powers." Melinda replied.

"And it didn't dawn on you what the reasons were why these beings gave you these powers?" Tony remarked angrily.

"What is the difference you're a hero all of you are so, why can't I be one too?" she demanded.

"Everyone of us is different how we got our powers, Melinda." Bruce responded.

"If we can't find these beings we will find a way to remove these powers between Thor, Banner, your brother and Vision I am sure we can come up with something." Fury said. "I have made arrangements for someone to pick up your things and cats from the apartment your brother got you." Fury answered as Melinda felt tears trail down her face.

"So, I'm a prisoner now and experiment. Let me guess, you are stopping me and Steve's relationship too?" she asked acidly.

"I haven't made up my mind totally about that yet." Tony said.

Melinda tried to get up but found whatever Fury gave her made her light headed and sick to her stomach.

"I'm going to be sick," she whispered as Wanda got her a bucket.

Steve felt so badly. This wrong in every sense of the word. She deserved a chance to live her life out her way not what her brother wanted for her.