a/n: Hello all! Thanks for reading/following/favorite-ing this story after such a short time! It means a lot. Just a quick fyi, I will probably be updating about once a week. Now, onto reviews!

Searece: Thank you for your review! And yeah, I don't blame you for hesitating. Honestly, I cringe so bad when I think about my first draft. I like the idea, I just was a bad writer and I needed to flesh out the story more. Hopefully, I've done so with this draft. Glad you enjoyed the first chapter and I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much!

September 1994

Clara had been having nightmares. Nightmares about her husband. He was going to be coming after her, she was sure of it. He wouldn't be happy that she had changed her mind about everything: their marriage, their kind of work, and most importantly, their child.

Clara had found out, after their marriage, that Nick worked for a secret organization called Hydra. They were basically the Nazis reincarnated. Looking back, Clara felt stupid for how easily she had been fooled into believing their lies. Luckily, she had come to her senses and had left her husband before her daughter was born.

Nick had convinced her that they should give their child to Hydra, so that she could be the next in a new generation of super soldiers just like the Winter Soldier.

But nearly four months before she had given birth, she had gotten the news that her best friend, Jessie, had died in childbirth. In wondering what was going to happen to little Guinevere, she started to think about what would happen to her own child in Hydra. Would her daughter be safe?

The answer was a definite no. The child would most likely be tortured and abused in Hydra. Clara knew she couldn't let that happen to her child.

So, as soon as she made the necessary arrangements, she left her husband and went into hiding. She gave birth in July to a baby girl that she named Paige. She kept herself and Paige as well concealed as she could, trying to avoid any detection. So far, she had succeeded in doing so. No one had found them. They were safe.

Paige was sitting in her high chair, waiting for a bottle to be prepared by Clara. Clara was humming to herself, looking at her daughter happily. She was so sure that they were safe here. That they were far out of Nick and Hydra's grasp.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Clara put the bottle down and went to answer it, checking to see who it was before she did so. It was two young men with kind looking faces that she had never seen before. Missionaries. Slowly, she opened the door. He gave her a smile. "Hello ma'am, my name is Elder Richards. This is my companion Elder Oster. We were wondering if we could share a message with you?"

She nodded her head. "Alright." She let him inside, dropping her guard for a few moments. In that one moment, it became apparent that these men were imposters because they suddenly attacked her.

Clara tried to scream. She knew right away what was going on. They had found her. Hydra had caught up to her. She was pinned to the ground by the taller of the two men. "Get the kid!" he snarled at the other.

"No! Leave her alone!" Clara tried to shout. The man pinning her down slapped her harshly and covered her mouth. Tears were streaming down her face.

Paige was wailing loudly. The other man grabbed her and muffled her cries in his shoulder. "Get her out of here!" He took Paige out of the room as Clara struggled harder than ever.

The man grinned. "Hail Hydra," he whispered and the next thing Clara knew, she had passed out.

When she woke up, she was still lying on the floor of her apartment. The door was shut, but Paige was gone. They had taken her.

For a long while, Clara just cried on the floor. She felt so helpless. Hydra had so many hiding places, and she knew about none of them. She would never be able to find her daughter again.

Then, when she had cried herself out, she sat up with a determined look on her face. She would find Paige. She would get her daughter back if it killed her.

May 2012

"David Archuleta is going on his mission."

Gwen turned to look at her friend, Alexandria Martinez, who looked more than a little put out. Alex had always been a little boy crazy especially when it came to famous singers and actors. Her latest obsession had become David Archuleta, who was handsome enough, Gwen supposed, but she could never really understand Alex's love for the guy.

The two of them were riding the subway. School had just gotten out. The two of them attended Midtown High School of Science and Technology. It was the best high school by far in New York. It was in Queens, which was maybe a little far from Manhattan, but Stephen Strange would have nothing but the best for his daughter. They had both agreed that the commute would be well worth the education value.

The two friends were heading for their after school job, which only occurred on Fridays. They went to one of the elementary schools in Queens and did some after school tutoring to fifth and sixth graders. This job gave them extra credits for their high school graduation, and it looked good on college applications.

"Mission?" Gwen echoed, repeating her friend's words. "I didn't realize they sent Jehovah's Witnesses out that young."

Alex rolled her eyes at Gwen. "He's Mormon, not a Jehovah's Witness," she explained. Gwen didn't really see the difference, nor did she care to know.

"Well, what a tragedy," she said sarcastically. "Now how are you supposed to marry him, Alex? I know it must be hard for you, but try not to cry too much in front of the kids today."

The Hispanic girl scowled at Gwen, who grinned, having successfully goaded her friend. "You're such a jerk," she said, shoving her shoulder a little.

Gwen shrugged. "And yet you still hang around with me," she answered.

"Because you're the only one who can help me pass anatomy class," Alex said. Gwen grinned again. It was true that that was how they had become friends, but recently, their friendship had grown into something more. They were actually getting close. It had never happened to Gwen before. She didn't exactly have a sunny personality. She was a lot like her father that way. She could be charming when she needed to be, but that was rarely. For the most part, she was sarcastic, arrogant, and even a bit of a jerk. Few people knew that beneath that harsh exterior lay a person who cared deeply about others, though she would never admit it. The only person she ever showed open affection to was her father.

"Exactly. You would still be in freshman year without me," Gwen told her.

"I would not!" protested Alex. "I'm not stupid, you know."

"Really?" Gwen asked mildly. "That's news."

Alex punched her shoulder. "Shut up," she mumbled.

The train pulled into their station. The two girls hurried off the subway and towards the elementary school. It was crowded by parents picking up their kids and school buses ushering the other kids out of the school. Gwen and Alex squeezed through the crowd and into the school building. They found room number thirteen with ease, since they had been coming here since the beginning of the school year. The same group of children was there: Peter Parker, Ned Leeds, Michelle Jones, Eugene Thompson, and Betty Brant. They were a good group of kids who were already pretty serious about their education. They came every Friday without fail.

"Hey guys!" Alex greeted enthusiastically. Gwen always let Alex take the lead. She was better with children and being friendly. The kids smiled up at the two of them and murmured back hellos. "Well, you all know the drill. I'll be helping out with English and social studies homework. Gwen will help you with science and math homework." The two of them took tables that were on opposite sides of the room. Eugene, Betty and Ned all drifted towards Alex's table. Peter and Michelle, however, came over to Gwen's table.

"Hey guys," she said, trying to imitate Alex. She didn't want to scare the kids away with her usual harsh tone. "So, what kind of homework are we working on today?"

Michelle wordlessly pulled out a science worksheet on matter and mass. They were just learning how to calculate density. "Well, Michelle, this is really simple." Gwen hoped she didn't sound condescending. "Do you know what the formula for density is?"

"Density equals mass over volume," she recited automatically.

Gwen nodded. "Exactly. So, look here at the first problem. 'A box has a volume of 33 centimeters cubed and a mass of 66 grams. Calculate the density.'" Gwen looked up at Michelle. "You try filling out the equation yourself while I help Peter get started."

Peter had math homework, in which he had to multiply decimals. The kid was already really smart and he barely needed Gwen's help. Gwen really just felt that he came there just because he liked doing homework. He was a little bit of a nerd. He wore glasses, he was small and scrawny, and he wore a Star Wars t-shirt most of the time. Gwen noticed he got picked on by Eugene a lot. Once she caught him at it and Gwen had given Eugene a glare so evil that he now avoided Gwen at all costs, which made her smirk. What a wimp.

Slowly, the kids started to disappear as their parents picked them up, until only Ned and Peter were left. Peter had now finished his math homework and was working on his science homework (which he needed zero assistance with). Ned and Alex were talking over a little essay that the class was working on and how best to write a conclusion.

Then, there was a gentle knock on the door frame. A man, probably in his late twenties, was standing in the doorway, smiling. Gwen recognized him as Ben, Peter's uncle. "Hey, sport," he greeted the kid. "Ready to go?"

"Yep!" Peter said right away, stuffing his homework in his R2D2 backpack. He swung it on his shoulders. "Thanks, Gwen," he told the girl.

"Anytime," Gwen replied, also packing up her things.

"Ned, I'm taking you home, too," Ben told the kid. Ned grabbed his backpack and joined Peter at his side. The two were best friends. Ben waved at the two teenagers. "Have a good night, girls."

"You too," they both answered at the same time. And with that, they were free to go home. They walked back to the subway station, where they would art ways. Alex lived in Queens, so she would be taking a different train home.

"You're staying Saturday night, right?" she asked Gwen as they waited for their trains.

Gwen nodded. Her father was going out of town on a weekend long business retreat. She was allowed to stay in the house alone, but she never slept well alone. So whenever her dad went away on business trips, she often stayed with the Matrinezs, who were always willing to accommodate her. "Yeah. I'll come over after my shift." She also worked most days at the hospital, as a CNA. She worked at the same hospital her father worked at, where she was already showing promise. While she was only supposed to be doing little jobs like changing bedpans and things, Christine Palmer often had her do bigger tasks like take someone's pulse or look over a file for her. It was breaking the rules and if anyone found out, they'd be in trouble, but no one at the hospital seemed to mind. Especially since Gwen had been learning the trade from her father ever since she could walk and talk. Obviously, she was not going to be a doctor anytime soon, but she did know more than someone completely new to medicine would.

"Good. We can plan a graduation party," Alex said excitedly. Gwen merely grunted. Parties weren't really her thing. Unless lots of food and Dr. Pepper were provided, she couldn't see herself attending any party, even her own. She hadn't had a birthday party since she was six. "We can throw it at my place. Out in the backyard with the pool."

"As long as Dr. Pepper is provided, I don't care where it is," Gwen said flatly. The truth was, she really did not want to think about graduation. Graduation meant leaving home. It meant leaving her father. Possibly forever. She wasn't sure she was ready for such a possibility.

"Of course," Alex said, rolling her eyes slightly. Her train pulled into the station. "See you Saturday, Gwenny!"

Gwen pulled a disgusted face. "Don't ever call me that again or I'll never help you with homework again," she said. Alex just snickered as the subway doors closed and her train zoomed off. Not long after, Gwen's train arrived. She boarded with ease and took a seat far from anyone else (or as far as she could get from someone, in New York).

Several minutes later, she arrived at her penthouse home. The view of New York was rather pretty. She dropped her bag off by the door and stripped off her black boots. She wore a black ruffled skirt that reached just above her knees and a white shirt with The Rolling Stones logo on it. Her lengthy blonde hair was straightened and lay flat on her back. She had a round face, full lips, blue eyes, and a small nose. She wasn't particularly tall, reaching only five door five. From what pictures she had seen, Gwen knew she looked a lot like her mom. However, he mom was somewhat more… adult looking. One would describe Jessie as beautiful whereas one would describe Gwen as cute. She still looked very young, afterall, though she certainly didn't act it.

The blonde wandered over to her father's record collection that he kept near the kitchen. He prided himself on collecting old fashioned things. Gwen enjoyed his collection too. She ran her fingers along the spines of the vinyls and found the one she was looking for: A Night at the Opera, Queen's best album (in her opinion). Carefully, she put it on the record player and placed the needle in the first groove. Death On Two Legs rang out over the apartment.

Sighing in satisfaction, Gwen turned back into the kitchen. She browsed the fridge for ingredients and settled on making something simple: grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup. She fired up the stove tops, getting out a pan and a pot for the sandwiches and soup, respectively. She retrieved a can of tomato soup and poured its contents into the pot, adding some milk to it. While the soup warmed up, she prepared two sandwiches each for herself and her father.

As she hummed along to the music and cooked, she heard the sound of the door opening. Her father had returned from work. A rare smile fell on Gwen's face, the kind only her father could draw out of her. "Gwen, I'm home!" he called out.

"In here, dad," she replied. He entered the kitchen, looking a little tired, but his eyes lightened at the smell of food and the sight of his daughter. "How was work?"

"Long, but good," said Stephen with a shrug. "How about you? How was school?"

"Fine," she answered. "Finals are next week, and then I'll be free from high school forever." Stephen chuckled a little. Despite her protests, he knew that Gwen actually enjoyed school. She passed all her classes, she was on the honor roll, and she worked hard to get into Cornell University, where she would be attending in the fall. He was extremely proud of his only daughter and often bragged about her to coworkers, despite their disinterest.

Gwen poured the hot soup into two bowls and set them on the marble bar. They sat down and ate their cheese sandwiches and soup, discussing the events of the day. Stephen told her about the surgeries he had had to perform. Gwen was listening intently to every detail, curious about techniques and tools used. Stephen shared as much as he could without breaking doctor/patient confidentiality. Gwen told him about her classes and her preparations to enter college in September. She had earned a scholarship that would pay for a good part of it, but she would be paying for the rest of it with a little help from her father. Gwen pretended as though the prospect of college excited her, but in reality, she was terrified. Alex was her only friend and she was going to NYU. Cornell was in Ithaca, New York. She knew no one there. It was four hours from Ithaca to Manhattan. There would be next to no weekend visits to see her father.

She tried to be independent, but she wasn't sure she was completely ready yet.

Stephen finished his sandwiches and stood up. "I'd better go change," he said, leaning over to kiss the top of Gwen's head. A ghost of a smile shone on her face before she quickly masked it with her usual unpleasant expression. True smiles from Gwen were rare, reserved only for her father. Oh, she could be charming when she wanted to be. How else could she have gotten so far in job interviews and college interviews? Yet, that wasn't her real self. Gwen didn't really show her real self to anyone, except her father.

While Gwen gathered up the dishes and put them in the dishwasher, Stephen came out of his bedroom, wearing a fancy black and white tuxedo. He wandered over to a drawer filled with expensive watches and selected one. He fastened it to his wrist and then looked in the mirror to make sure he looked presentable. He caught Gwen watching him out of the corner of the mirror and he smiled somewhat sadly at her reflection. She looked so very much like her mother. It was like looking at a clone. But the cloner had messed up the eyes and given her glassy blue ones instead of warm brown ones.

He turned to face her. "How do I look?" he asked, holding out his arms a little.

Her eyes swept him up and down. She straightened his tie which was just a little askew. "Well, you're not my type, but you'll do," she replied. Stephen snorted and rolled his eyes. "Drive safely."

"I always do," he told her, pulling her into an embrace. Gwen returned his embrace lightly. "I'll be back on Monday. Stay safe."

"Text me when you get there," was her answer. He nodded and kissed the top of her head once again before letting her go. "See you on Monday."

"See you on Monday," he echoed. "Call Christine if you need anything."

Christine and her father used to date, but remained good friends after they split. She was always willing to keep an eye on Gwen for Stephen.

With one final goodbye, Stephen was out the door. Gwen watched at the window as her father's car zoomed away. She couldn't help but smile and shake her head. He was always such a speed demon when driving. He had gotten a fair amount of tickets for it. Gwen supposed that they were lucky that he hadn't had his license revoked yet.

The empty house was far too quiet for Gwen's liking. She wandered into her room and changed into more comfortable clothes before settling on the couch in front of the tv. She browsed through her options of movies and tv shows before deciding to watch That '70s Show. She was currently on the third season of the show, on the episode where Donna and Fez go on a fake date.

The young blonde was hardly paying attention to the show. She was staring out the window, watching the rain gently patter on the glass. The lights of New York were shining brightly outside, distorted somewhat by the moisture on the window. Gwen was used to the sounds and sights of the big city they lived in. On the few occasions that she and her father had gone on camping trips, she had found the eerie silence unsettling. She just needed some sort of sound going on in the background if she was going to sleep.

She made it to the fourth season by the time ten o'clock rolled around. She had curled up on the couch in a warm blue comforter. The sound of falling rain and the laughter from the tv was slowly rocking her into a dreamless sleep….

It felt like seconds later that Gwen was awakened by the ringing of the doorbell. She rubbed her tired eyes and sat up slowly. The tv was still going, but the rain had stopped falling. The doorbell rang again and she pushed the blanket off of her. She glanced at her phone and saw that it was eleven thirty at night. Groaning tiredly, she ran a hand through her messy hair to see who was trying to see her at this late hour. She had a sick feeling in her stomach, but she couldn't think why.

She looked through the peephole to see two police officers standing there. Her heart gave a lurch as she unbolted the locked door and opened it up just a crack. The one closest to her swept off his hat. The other followed suit. "Good evening, miss. My name is Officer Johnson. This is my partner, Officer Ross." Gwen nodded at them, but said nothing. It was as if her tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth. Her mouth was dry and she could not form words. Did this mean what she thought it did? "Are you Guinevere Strange?" Again, Gwen nodded.

The officers' faces looked solemn. "I'm sorry to inform you, miss, that your father was in a car accident around an hour ago." As much as she tried not to, tears filled her eyes. Still, no noise came out of her mouth. She didn't cry out. She didn't sob or sniff. Her tears were silent, as was her pain. "He's still alive, and currently in surgery at the hospital where he works. He was flown there in a chopper, as he drove off a cliff. The car was completely totaled and has been taken to a junkyard…"

Gwen started to tune out the words of the officer. All she could hear was the sound of her heart screaming and the tears dripping down her face. I told you to drive safe! she screamed in her head at her father, as if he could hear her. You promised me you would! What were you thinking?

The officers finished informing her about what exactly had happened. Officer Ross looked at her pitifully. "Would you like a ride to the hospital? We can take you there now."

Yet again, Gwen nodded but made no noise. The two officers stood up. "We'll wait here while you get ready."

Gwen went into her room and got into better clothes. She wore jeans and a sweatshirt with sneakers. She ran a brush through her hair and grabbed her phone and keys. She turned off the tv and followed the officers out the door and to their car.

The drive to the hospital seemed agonizingly long. Gwen felt like they hit every red light they possibly could on the way, as well as any traffic jams.

She was forcing herself not to cry. She blinked back any tears, not willing to show such weakness in front of the cops. So she stared blankly at the passing vehicles as she was delivered to the hospital where she worked. Where her father worked. Where he was now being treated.

She went up to the floor where the officers had said he was being treated. To her surprise, Christine Palmer was waiting there, it seemed, for her. She turned expectantly when Gwen walked in, and a sad expression crossed her face. Christine held out her arms and maybe Gwen tried not to show affection to anyone openly, but she still went into her arms. Christine was the closest thing Gwen had ever had to a mother (except for maybe Flora, who had been her nanny as a kid). Christine expresses an open interest in Gwen and Gwen's hobbies and activities. When Gwen had started to blossom into womanhood, it had been Christine who had helped her through all the difficult changes. Even after she and her father split, Christine still made sure to regularly check up on her. She didn't often express it, but Gwen was beyond grateful that she had someone like Christine in her life. Someone to replace the mother she had lost.

"How is he?" asked Gwen and her voice was constricted and cracked.

"He's in surgery now," Christine said. "All the bones in both his hands were shattered. There's severe nerve damage as well."

"And the rest of him? Legs? Spine?"

"He'll walk again, that's for sure," Christine said and Gwen gave a short sigh of relief. "He has severe bruising and bleeding, but that will heal with time. His hands, though… I don't know how much he can recover from an injury like that. I…" Christine bit her lip and Gwen saw that she had tears in her eyes. "I don't know if he'll be able to do his job ever again."

Gwen nodded numbly. She was glad that Christine didn't sugar coat it. She appreciated the honesty. That didn't mean it was any easier to hear. If her father didn't have a job anymore, that made their situation a lot more complicated. She was sure they would have enough to pay for the surgery and physical therapy, but then, the money would slowly start to run out. They wouldn't be able to afford Gwen's tuition at Cornell, nor would they be able to live their normal level of comfort. That wasn't the biggest problem; they could easily live elsewhere.

He would need to get a new job. But even as she thought, she knew how her father would react to that. His work was his life. It kept him sane. He wouldn't take to getting a new job with any enthusiasm. Which put them in an even bigger predicament.

Gwen had a thought. He had an M.D. and a PhD. He could easily become a professor. With a burst of elation, she even had the idea that they could move to Ithaca and he could work at Cornell.

Then her elation died and she was filled with sadness and shame. Her father's life was ruined and she was only thinking of her own problems. What did that say about her?

"I'll keep you updated," Christine told Gwen. Gwen nodded. Christine stroked her hair gently and walked away. Gwen sat in one of the chairs and buried her face in her hands, hoping to conceal the tears that kept coming.