Hidden Memories - A Steve Rogers Lovestory

Tony?

I can't believe Tony's standing here in front of me. I run up to him and hug him and put all my despair into that hug. For a moment, Tony seems surprised by my reaction, but then he wraps his arms around me and rubs my back soothingly. At some point I break up and look at him, tearful. "What are you doing here? How did you find me?" Tony hesitates shortly before answering. "Well, Fury equipped your cell phone with a special GPS tracker before you came to us. All of our cell phones are equipped with it. However, I couldn't track it until yesterday." I laugh derogatory - it was clear, Fury already said that he will always keep an eye on me. "I turned off my cell phone until last night." I wipe tears from my cheeks. "But that still doesn't explain why you're here." We go to my bed together where we sit down. Tony takes my hands in his. "We're all worried about you. You can't just leave like that." He squeezes my hands gently and looks into my eyes. "Are you going to tell me what's going on here?" "I don't know if I can do that. I'm afraid of what you might think of me afterwards" my voice breaks and I feel new tears form in my eyes. "Hey ... we all have our pasts - good and bad. Just know that I will listen to you if you want to talk. We Avengers, we are family." Even without those last words, I already knew I was going to tell Tony everything. I can't and don't want to run away anymore. I no longer want to lie to people who appear to be genuinely worried about me. I want to finally find peace. "It's just ... my past is about the worst you've ever heard of." My voice is cold and emotionless when I say this. I slide to the head of the bed, lean against the wooden headboard and grab one of the large pillows. I hold it tight as I slowly tell Tony everything that has happened in Brookly since I was a child. I tell him all about Bucky and Steve, about that hideous guy Quentin and about Klaus, what I am and how I became what I am. Tears run down my cheeks almost non-stop, but I only notice that in passing. Tony listens to me without interrupting me even once. His face shows a whole range of emotions - sadness, shock, anger, despair. He begins to cry too. When I'm done, the room is dead quiet for a moment. "I'm so sorry for all of this," Tony whispers into the silence. "Can you understand now why I didn't want to let anyone approach me? Why I always behaved so bitchy? Why I couldn't possibly stay with you? That was just self-protection. Even if I never really knew the reasons for it." I look at my clasped hands. "I'm a monster Tony. I wiped out an entire race just to avenge the loss of a lover." "Amilia you are not a monster. You are broken - there is a big difference." I laugh bitterly. "I killed Quentin when I was still human." "You only did what you had to do to survive." I give him a weak smile. For once I read his mind and know that he means everything exactly as he says it is. Tony sits down next to me at the head of the bed and I lean my head on his shoulder. "I am an absolute disaster." "Together we can do it all, little one. You are no longer alone." I don't even know how long we sit there without saying anything. Having him here actually makes me believe that everything could be fine. "Are you coming home now, please? Everyone there misses you - especially Steve and Bucky - and I think you should tell them the truth too. They will understand." "How ... how are they both?" I have a guilty conscience at the thought that the two of them are doing badly because of me. "Bucky is holding up a bit. But he's really pissed off that you just ran away. But Steve - he hasn't left his room since you left." My poor Steve - I never meant to hurt him. And now I'm the reason he's been avoiding his family for days. "Do you really think it's a good idea to come back?" "I wouldn't be here if I thought otherwise." He kisses me lightly on the top of the head and stands up. "Ok, let's pack your things. Where's your bag?" Infected by Tony's euphoria, I get up and get my bag out of the closet. I ask Tony to get my things from the bathroom while I am packing up my things in the bedroom. Tony carries my bag and together we go to the kitchen where Caroline is already waiting for us. I know she overheard everything Tony and I discussed. I go to her and we hug goodbye. "Thanks for everything, Caroline." "Oh honey, you know I'm always there for you. The two of us against the rest of the world." Caroline accompanies us both out to Tony's car. While Tony is stowing my bag in the trunk, I am already getting in. Through the window I can see Caroline holding Tony up. Like Caroline before, I decide to listen to their conversation. "It was nice to meet you, Mr. Stark. You take care of her, yes? She always thinks that she has to do everything and forgets that it is okay to take help." Tony nods and Caroline pulls him into a grateful hug. Tony hesitantly returns the hug before getting into the car. "Ready to go home?" asks Tony and looks at me sideways. "Yes" I say. Home, that sounds wonderful.