For the Love of a Father ✓

We Talk About My Past

"You did really good in training today." I tell Wanda as we walk back to the living quarters side of the compound. "You're really getting the hang of flying."

"Thanks to you. Is it weird... the two of us having the same powers?"

"I don't think so. I think of it as fate doing it so we wouldn't have to be alone." She smiles at that.

"It appears that someone is here for you." She says and points towards the door. I follow her line of sight and smile slightly when I see Steve there. "Have fun."

"Are you ready?" he asks.

"Yeah. Are we actually off for the night?"

"I've been assured that we will not be called away this time. Sam is pulling double duty."

"Well, I'll make sure to tell Sam thank you." I giggle.

...

We're in the media room a couple of hours later, watching reruns of Gilmore Girls on Netflix and laughing at some bit that Lorelai is doing. "I can't believe you haven't watched this yet. Mom and I used to watch this all the time."

"What was she like, your mom?"

"She was my best friend. We didn't get a bunch of time together because she was still an active agent but when she was home, she was with me."

"How exactly did she meet Tony?"

"From what Fury told me, he had her assigned to Dad for protection. Weird things were happening around SHIELD at that time. An Airforce pilot had disappeared who was helping a SHIELD operative with some super-secret mission and the founders were beginning to close ranks. Howard and Maria were under constant surveillance, always with an armed guard. And Dad... well to my understanding he wasn't as... open to the idea of a guard. So Fury sent Mom to watch over him. She didn't prepare for what would transpire and after she got too close, she got pulled. It wasn't until a month or so later that she found out she got pregnant with me."

"And you were raised inside SHIELD?"

"Mom would've rather died than give up what she worked so hard for. So Fury made her a deal. SHIELD would protect me while she was gone, and in-between missions, she'd be with me. And in the safety of the SHIELD compound we lived in, she could do that."

"What do you mean?"

"No one could know I was her daughter. My mother's past wasn't always... squeaky clean. And she didn't need to have any attachments. So, like Clint, they kept me off of any system, and my very existence was on the strictest of need-to-know protocols."

"And now?"

"When Nat dumped that intel, she dumped my existence too. Or at least 50% of my existence. Only my father was listed so only Tony's enemies could do something about it. And I was trained at that point. So Fury thought it was as good a time as any to make my presence known to him." Before I could continue further, Steve's phone is going off, followed shortly thereafter by my own.

"Hey, are you ok?" I ask when I answer, seeing that it's Dad.

"Yeah. I just need you to join me at this thing for MIT tomorrow."

"This is kind of late notice." I grumble.

"I know but Pepper..."

"She left again, didn't she?"

"I really don't like how easily you can read me, even over the phone."

"Yeah, well, I share more than just 50% of my DNA with you. I got your stellar personality."

"I need you to be in Boston tomorrow."

"I'll be there. Please don't do anything stupid until I get there."

"I make no promises."

"I'm starting to understand why Pepper was always so uptight. Alright, I'll see you tomorrow." I say before hanging up.

"I have to go." Both Steve and I say at the same time.

"Where are you of to?" I ask.

"Lagos. That was Sam. Rumlow was spotted in the area."

"Please be careful." I whisper.

"I always am."

"You and I both know that's not true."

He chuckles. "I'll try by hardest."

"I guess that's all I can ask for."