Chapter Ten

A/N: Sorry for all the Frozen love in this chapter. I don't have kids and can't think of another popular movie from 2013ish era.

-One Week Later-

Steve's POV

The team sat around the briefing table listening to the latest mission instructions. It was pretty standard, the same as the last few Hydra bases we had searched. It was hard to believe how many Hydra bases there were. A lot of files to sort through, but so far, no scepter.

"Everyone, get ready to go and then we'll assemble at the jet." I say when the briefing is over.

Natasha comes to me, "are you sure leaving Elena here by herself is a good idea?"

"Happy's downstairs. And there's JARVIS." I say.

She rolls her eyes. "Sure, trained assassin against a computer… and Happy."

"Come on, she's been fine all week." I do think to myself that perhaps she's been extremely quiet and a little aimless, but not bad.

"Yeah, but we haven't even let her leave the tower yet, and now you want to leave her all alone here. What if she leaves?"

"It'll be okay." I leave the conversation at that.

We take the elevator to the living area. Elena is sitting on the couch when we enter. "Hey." I greet.

She gives a little smile, and says "hi."

Part of me feels a little bad for keeping her cooped up here, but I guess I still wasn't sure how going out would be. It has only been a week, but she still hasn't opened up to anyone. She keeps to herself and her eyes down. I know she doesn't trust us and I'm not sure how to get her to.

I sit down next to her, not too close.

The whole week, she's probably said four sentences and she usually only speaks when spoken to. She actually talked more when she was in a cell.

"Elena, we're going on the mission now. You can read or watch TV, there's food in the kitchen, and if you need anything ask JARVIS. Happy is downstairs too."

She nods.

As I'm thinking of anything else, I need to add, the elevator pings and the doors open. Scott, Pepper, and Scott's 7-year-old daughter, Cassie, enters.

"Hey guys, what are you doing here?"

"Sorry," Sam starts. "but Maggie needed me to watch Cassie, and since we have a mission, Pepper offered to watch her."

"Hope you don't mind if we hang out here." Pepper says.

Cassie interjects, "we're going to watch Frozen on the big TV."

I hesitate for a moment, is it a good idea to let Elena stay with Pepper and Cassie? I look to Natasha. She shrugs, giving me the "it's up to you" look.

I take a deep breath. "Okay, you all have fun." Natasha, Scott, and I leave for our mission.

Tony's POV

Several Hours Later.

The mission was ultimately a failure. Still no scepter. Just Hydra guards and more useless files. Well, probably not completely useless, but it will take a while for some intern to skim through.

Scott, Steve and I went up to check on the girls. I didn't really expect anything bad, and yet there was a little nervousness in my stomach.

The elevator landed on the floor and opened with blaring noise.

We entered from behind the couch. Pepper had headphones in and was lying on the couch. Elena and Cassie were sitting on the floor. Cassie sang at the top of her lungs to some song. Elena, for the first time, looked happy and relaxed, watching the screen intently. Cassie had a blue dress on and a microphone. Elena had some toy crown on.

I was shocked to see such a normal scene.

Scott went up to get his daughter's attention. "Cassie!" He shouted over the music. All three stop to look who entered.

"Daddy!" Cassie shouts jumping on the couch to reach Scott.

Elena, suddenly solemn, takes off the tiara and sits on the small armchair.

"Hello, how was the mission?" Pepper asks us, getting up and getting a hug and kiss from me.

"Ultimately, a failure," I stated, "I'm sure something useful will turn up. What were you guys up to all day?"

"We watched Frozen, then Frozen, and then more Frozen." Pepper laughed. "We watched it 3 times in total."

"It's my favorite movie." Cassie announced in Scott's arms.

"How'd you like it Elena?" Steve asked, turning my attention to her. She looked tense, nowhere near that happy girl we walked in on, humming along with Cassie.

"It was good." She said, not looking up.

Scott looked to Cassie, "Are you ready to go home?"

"Wait," she says practically jumping out of his arms. "I didn't get a chance to show Elena my room here."

Scott sighed, "but we were gone all day."

Cassie ignored him and went up to Elena, pulling her by the arm. Elena didn't resist, letting the girl pull her away, talking, "my room is here in case there needs to be a sleepover. It's pink AND purple…

The two girls disappeared down the hallway.

"That was weird." I said.

"Uh, yeah," Steve agreed.

"I thought it was going to be bad leaving my daughter with a trained Hydra agent, but it looks like it went well- Cassie seems to like her." Scott said, heading over to the kitchen.

"We all got along really well." Pepper informed us.

"Tell us everything." I say, taking a seat next to her.

"There's not too much to tell. You left, and she was quiet. Then, Cassie started talking to her and she looked, well, happy. Cassie asked if she had ever seen Frozen and Elena said no." Pepper explained. "So, Cassie grabbed the dress and tiara and they watched it while I listened to my audiobook. Then, they watched it again. They both love the movie, I enjoyed it too… the first time."

"Frozen? Three times?" Scott questioned. "It isn't THAT good."

A Little While Later

Elena's POV

I sat in a small chair in my room, reading, when I heard a knock on the door. I put the book down and braced myself, worried about who was there. "Come in," I say.

It was Steve. "Hey." He said, leaning on the doorframe.

I nervously rubbed my arm. "hello."

"So, how was your day?"

"Good." It was, it was great hanging with Cassie and Pepper.

There was a brief pause as though he wanted me to say more, but I didn't really know what to say. I couldn't explain the feeling that I should be in trouble.

"It seemed like you were having a good time when we came in."

I swallowed hard and look down, whispering, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have—"

"Wait. What do you mean?" He sounded surprised and I look up.

"I- I just thought you'd be mad."

"Why?" Again, sounding surprised.

"I-" I put my head in my hands. "Um, it was unprofessional and I- I don't know. I guess since Hydra was always mad, that maybe-"

Steve walked towards me and I flinched, for a moment missing the glass wall that stood in the way between me and a beating.

He doesn't hit me though, he sits on the floor in front of me, looking me in the eye. "We are not Hydra and it's okay to be happy and have fun."

I nod silently.

There's a brief pause before he asks, "what made you so calm around Cassie and Pepper?"

"It's just-" I pause, looking down. I hate that I'm weak and pathetic. I can't meet his eyes. "I know that they're not interested in using me. They're not in that kind of- line of work."

"I get that," He says in a comforting way. "But I want you to know that here, you'll never have to do anything you don't want to do."

I look up at him. "Thank you."

Although, I do wonder if he would feel the same if- well, if he knew more about me.