"You," Tony Stark asked me poking my forehead as if that was the real test to see if I was who I claimed to be. "You are Florence Elliot?"
I nodded slowly confused, "How do you know who I am? I only spoke with Howard for a short period of time." I sighed not thinking that I could possibly have had such an impact on Howard.
"Oh, he remembered you, and quite fondly. There are some old pictures of the two of you in his old study." He smiled but it was an unfriendly smile, he had some sort of ulterior motive behind his smile.
I nodded my head slightly and smiled at the memory of working with Howard. It was like a rush, thinking about him, thinking about everything Howard and I had done during the aftermath of the war. I was in charge of observing interrogations, and that was the best Agent Carter could do for the me, and I had the opportunity to aid during the interrogations of criminals. I assumed they were criminals at least, I knew that I watched these interrogations, but had no memory of them.
"He's mentioned you in a couple of the videos, said you are some kind of emotion whiz." Tony's voice was coated in a mocking tone and I did trust it. He looked exactly like his father, and though Howard often had a condescending view of people, especially the soldiers that we worked with, and especially those who tried to flirt with me, however Tony was worse. He treated everyone like they were beneath him.
"The term is profiling, I believe." I smile a little turning to face Steve, "But your friend is right. I read people's facial expression, what the way they move and conduct themselves, and I use the small details to learn the big picture about them." I explained to Tony without looking at him. It hurt to talk to Tony, to look at him and be reminded of Howard every second.
"So how is it that you don't speak like Steve did?" Tony asked me crossing his arms over his chest.
"Because she was not frozen in a block of ice." Steve had a joking tone but I could hear how the words stung him, "She was under the control of H.Y.D.R.A." He continued and glanced over to me, attempting to read me like I read everyone else.
"You're a member of H.Y.D.R.A.?" Tony yelled
"Not what he said." I replied, "He said I was under the control of H.Y.D.R.A. not that I was a member." I continued a little insulted
"Okay then, so please explain to me the difference between being under the control of H.Y.D.R.A. and being an agent of H.Y.D.R.A.?" Tony asked me and I flinched back at his accusatory tone and Steve put his hand back on my shoulder.
"I can…I cannot tell you. I have no idea what I did when I was under control because I cannot remember anything that has to do with H.Y.D.R.A." As I got more and more upset my voice rose, "I was held at a hospital for some period of time in a coma and I do not know why I was held there, or why I am still alive! I want answers, and I want to go home to my family and only one of those things can happen! All I want is to figure out who I am and you are treating as if I am a H.Y.D.R.A. agent." I yell at Tony clenching my fists ready to hit him. Everyone stood speechless and Tony looked completely shocked, "I hope that your father did not teach you to act like this, he was a good friend of mine and would unever /u treat someone like this!" I was shaking and tears were welling up in my eyes.
"Florence, come with me." Steve grabbed my arm and though his touch was controlling and forceful, his face was calm and sympathetic. We quickly walked away from the others into the building and up an elevator. "Florence, you have to understand, we've been having a lot of issues lately here. A robot that could think for itself destroyed an entire city, aliens, two gods, and S.H.I.E.L.D. was taken over by H.Y.D.R.A." Steve put his hands on my shoulders and sighed.
"So you simply do not trust me?" I asked smiling but fighting back the tears.
"They do not trust you." Steve responded softly, "I trust you, Bucky trusts you, they'll learn eventually." He smiles and I smile as well then my face drops
"Bucky?" I demand, "Is he here?" I stand up a little straighter excitedly
"Not at the moment, but later today." Steve explained and I nodded
"Okay." I nodded disappointed but understanding. I remember the three of us, Steve, Bucky and I, always being together, the two boys were always getting into trouble and I was doing everything that I could to avoid following suit, often spending full days at the university or a lab never coming home for a week at a time, only to avoid getting into more trouble, or fall more in love with Bucky. As memories trickled into my mind, I felt tears well up in my eyes. Memories of my family from when I was a child, then school as I grew older, and then falling in love with Bucky.
"More memories?" Steve asked me glancing over at me and I simply nodded not wanting to betray any other emotions, "Good or bad?" Steve was always the one that was concerned about us, Bucky never let him worry about him but I found it more endearing and I laughed a little.
"Both, mostly good though. I miss my family," I look down at the shining floors, immaculately cleaned, "I miss my friends." I continued quietly
"Well it's good that you have Bucky and I then." Steve smiled and rubbed the top of my head messing up my hair.
"Stop that." I laugh knocking his hand off my head with the back of my hand. I look up at Steve, however slowly I stopped looking at him and began looking past him, at a wall that was covered in names, names of those who had died. "That's my name…my name is on there. Why is my name on that wall! Who thought I was dead!?" I scream shaking tears falling from my eyes. I turned around facing Steve, seeing Tony had walked up behind him, followed by the other people who we met when Steve first took me to the tower.
"My father," Tony began, "He was the one who reported you dead. He couldn't…couldn't handle any other answer, it was easier for him to accept that you were dead rather than think of what could have happened to you." He explained as he walked slowly over to me
"Howard, was the one that had me declared dead?" I asked through the tears and Tony nodded, "Well, I'm obviously not." I take a deep breath trying to calm myself down, "Sorry for the mental lapse there, I am still, not use to being awake."
Steve hugs me lightly and rubs the top of my head again, "Let's focus on getting you adjusted to this era," Tony laughed and both Steve and I turned and glared at him, "Then we can worry about the memories."
"All I want, is to know whether or not I killed people when I was under the control of H.Y.D.R.A. and to know what happened to cause me to lose my memories." I sighed rubbing my arm and leaning into Steve's side a little, something I would always do when I was scared of something, or usually someone.
"The Avengers will help you with that." Tony smirked and I smiled a little.