Disclaimer: I don't own – I'm just borrowing the Avengers to satisfy my muse that needs to vent at times. So enjoy!
Chapter 15:
Emma got out of the car and stretched. After spending two hours crammed in the backseat of the SUV that Stark had for them to use, the idea of riding on the back of Steve's motorcycle was sounding better and better. Then again she knew that if she did that then there would be hell to pay later. They still hadn't officially told everyone on the team that they were married, but most everyone got the hint – everyone except Steve.
Emma couldn't understand for the life of her why Steve Rogers posed such a threat to Clint. Perhaps it was something like why Natasha had posed a threat to her in the beginning, but not so much any more. She couldn't explain it – maybe it was the fact that Clint told her first that he and Emma were together or even that Natasha actually wasn't as bad as Emma had originally thought her to be. It had to be the fact that Natasha got to spend more time with Clint then Emma did that made her not like her in the first place, but now things were changed.
As for Steve Rogers that was an entirely different story. She knew that he still wanted to talk to her about her aunt, but with Clint and Natasha keeping her training damn near all day – she swears that Fury and Coulson were in on that, perhaps Clint as well – Emma had very little time to actually think for herself. And if she did have time to herself, she typically was not in a very talkative mood. She had been having more and more occurrences of childhood memories over the last few days. Not full fledged memories, but more like images -
A silly, yet loving older brother.
Her father upset with her for creating something for him with the help of her brother.
Her mother brushing her hair.
Small things that were coming back to her. Clint tried to help her make sense of them, but it didn't help much. Instead she was left to think on her own. Hopefully this weekend could help. Maybe talking to Steve about her aunt could open up some more memories as well.
"So here we are!" Tony said as he and Pepper walked up to the group that had piled out of the SUV. Steve had just pulled up on his motorcycle. "Since today is Thursday, we have tonight and tomorrow to sit back and relax until the party on Saturday. Besides its time for some group bonding anyways."
"Probably means that the men can drink and the women can stay out of the way," Emma muttered.
"Yeah that's about right," Tony said with a smirk before Pepper threw him a nasty glare and turned to head into the house. "What did I do? She said it!"
Emma and Natasha chuckled as the rest of them followed Tony and Pepper inside.
The house itself was magnificent, but barely furnished. "I typically don't come here often except for parties. But I promise that there are more than enough bedrooms for everyone and even a bed big enough for you big guy," Tony said patting Thor on the shoulder, after he had made amends with his fiancée. "Now everyone just kick back and relax. There's a pool out back then if you want to drive a bit, you can hit the beach. It doesn't matter. I think Pepper and I are going to run into town to pick up some things for the next few days, so if you want something special let us know."
Before she and Tony left to go into town, Pepper showed everyone the way to the various bedrooms that they would be staying in, while Tony made sure that JARVIS was online at the house – just in case the Avengers were needed.
"Here we go," Pepper said, showing Clint a bedroom with a queen sized bed. "I think the two of you will be comfortable in here. I would have given you the one with the King bed, but Thor needed that one."
"This is fine," Clint said turning to look at Emma, who should have been behind him but instead she was back down the hallways they had just come down. She was staring at a picture hanging on the wall. Clint went ahead and went into the room to set down their bags, while Pepper walked back towards Emma.
"Who are these people with Tony?" Emma asked pointing to the man and the woman behind a very young Tony Stark.
"His parents, Howard and Maria." Pepper said. "They died in a car accident when Tony was 17."
"Oh," was all Emma could say before turning and walking into the bedroom where Clint was and gently shutting the door behind her. Pepper turned back and looked at the photo. It had to be of Tony about the time that his sister was born. Perhaps Tony had been right the night before in thinking that all Emma needed was a chance to come home.
Surveying the situation out by the pool later that afternoon, Emma and Natasha came to the conclusion that the rest of the Avengers were a bunch of dysfunctional idiots. Neither Thor nor Steve knew what to make of swim trunks, while Bruce and Clint couldn't stop laughing at them. Then Tony, being Tony had proceeded to drink his way to relaxation.
"What is it again, women mature faster then men do?" Natasha asked Emma as they sat down on lounge chairs next to Pepper, who was yelling at Tony not to tease Bruce about what would happen to his swim trunks if he became the Hulk.
"I think they never mature." Emma said.
"I agree," Pepper said. "This is also why I suggested one piece swimsuits for the weekend."
Both S.H.E.I.L.D. agents agreed with Pepper on that call. "Oh before I forget, I did invite that list of people you suggested to the party this weekend. Something for your assignment from Fury?" Pepper said turning to look at Emma.
"Something along those lines."
Natasha looked at Emma for an answer. "I just figured that Fury said use our assets to get what we needed so I thought why not invite some of them to this party. Kill two birds with one stone. Besides we're going to be looking fabulous in the dresses we bought, so why not put them to a bit of good use."
"Now that's my kind of thinking." Natasha said.
After a few more hours in the sun, Emma was beginning to feel a bit light headed. It was either that or the lack of sleep was finally catching up with her. She excused herself from the rousing game of water volleyball and headed back into the house after slipping back on her shorts and t-shirt over her swimsuit. Besides Thor and Steve were beginning to take the game a bit too seriously for her liking.
As she walked back into the house, something caught her eye. Heading down onto the ground was a tiny rock stairway. The memory of herself as a child falling down a set a similar stairs came flowing back to her. Then she really began to wonder.
When she entered the house, instead of heading back to the room that she and Clint were sharing to lie down, she began to wander around the house. They had been given a tour earlier and during it one room had caught her attention. Its door was shut, but around the doorknob were painted faded pink flowers. If only she could remember where that room was.
After a few minutes of walking around, she finally stumbled upon the curious door. Glancing all around to make sure that she was still the only one in the house, she slowly twisted the doorknob and pushed opened the door. Briefly dust swirled then settled as the fresh air entered the room before Emma stepped in.
Light poured into the room from various stained glass windows, casting rainbow lighting around the room. As Emma looked around, it was obvious that this had been a little girl's room at one time. The room was filled with stuffed animals and dolls ranging from stuff to porcelain – large and small. Over in the corner sat an elaborate dollhouse and in another corner next to a canopy bed was a small table with several drawings on it. She slowly made her way over to the table and gingerly picked up one of the pieces of paper. It was a drawing of a family – there was a dad, mom, brother, sister and even a Jarvis all drawn and named on the paper. But what caught Emma's attention were the names of the brother and sister – Tony and Emma.
Moving to the bed, she sat down and stared at the drawing as tears welled up in the corners of her eyes. Without thinking about it, she reached for the old teddy bear that was sitting on the bed and hugged it close to her chest and began to sob.
Was she a Stark? Was that who were parents really were? Was she actually related to Tony Stark? Why had she been lied to for so long?
"You know you always cried with that bear when you younger."
Emma gasped as she looked up. Standing in the doorway was Tony.
She quickly stood up from the bed, setting the bear back down and wiping the tears from her cheeks. "I wasn't crying. It was just a bit of dust."
"That looked like crying to me," he said moving into the room.
Emma shrugged it off and glanced away from him as she set the drawing back down on the table. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude if this room has special meaning."
She tried to leave the room, but he caught her wrist and held her back. "I'm not letting you get away that easily." Tony said stopping her.
"Excuse me?"
"There are just some things that you are going to have to learn to accept about yourself."
"Oh that is rich coming from the habitual drunk."
"I'm working on that. But what I've noticed about you, Agent Carter, is that you have anger issues. Not so much at any of us but at the world. Like you were dealt a shitty hand. Well welcome to the club!"
"I do not have anger issues."
"Then why have you always been picking fights with me since you got to the tower? Think about it. There has to be a reason behind it. Before then we've never met each other that I can recall."
"What are you trying to say?"
"Isn't it obvious? You're my little sister!"
Without even thinking or hesitation, Emma pulled back and sunk her free fist into Tony's eye. It was her first reaction to get away from a situation that she didn't want to be in. Sure she had just come to that conclusion herself, but she really didn't want to be confronted by Tony or anyone else for that matter at the moment. She had to let it all sink in first.
Tony stumble back and let go of her wrist. "Oh shit! I'm sorry!" she said before taking off in a sprint down the hallway. She skidded around a corner and almost crashed into Pepper.
"Umm, I accidentally punched Tony. You might want to go check on him. I'm sorry!" Emma quickly said walking past Pepper back outside.
Pepper watched her retreating form then turned her attention to Tony who was stumbling down the hallway holding his right eye.
"Let me guess, she didn't take the news too well?" Pepper asked.
"I'm really not sure."
"Come on," she said leading him towards the kitchen. "Let's get you something for that before it turns all black and blue."
Emma walked past the pool and everyone without glancing at them and down the small stairs that she remembered from her childhood. Once she was out of sight, she took of in a run towards the edge of the property. She just needed to get away from everyone for a while and get her head on straight. It was all a bit much for her to handle at the moment.
No one had paid any attention to Emma as she had walked by – that was except for Clint. She had been so quiet most of the day and that had him worried. He quickly got out of the pool, grabbed his shirt and shoes before taking off after his wife.
After a few minutes, he found her at the edge of the Starks' property that was a good half-mile a way from the house. She was standing on the edge of the bay watching the birds fly across the sky. Just by watching her back, he could tell that she was crying.
"What is it Emma?" he gently asked walking up next to her. He had learned a long time ago that it sometimes wasn't a good idea to surprise her with a touch unless you wanted to end up on the ground.
She didn't say anything as she began to cry harder. That was when Clint took his wife in his arms and held her as she sobbed.
"You figured everything out didn't you?" he eventually asked once she had stopped crying.
She nodded against his shoulder.
"You're a Stark aren't you?"
She nodded again.
"At least I got the best one of the bunch," he said trying to make her smile. She sighed and smiled a bit. Thankfully Clint knew how to make her smile.
AN: So I think that is enough for tonight! I will bring you more sibling discussion later! So enjoy! And feedback is always appreciated! Please…oh and I do know that Clint is a tad OOC but its only because Emma is with him so he is happy. Just wait until I have her go on a mission in a few chapters…moodiness returns!
