Beautiful Ruins

Chapter 70

I head down onto the forest floor, of course Clover picked this stupid forest to meet in, she knows how Scarlett hurt me in this forest.

I fold my arms as I see Clover waiting, sitting on a fallen log. I raise an eyebrow and wait for her to start talking. She looks as beautiful as ever, her blond hair is straight and glossy, her lips are pink, and her tight black bodysuit shows off how skinny she is.

"I know you're pissed or sad or whatever, but I have information that I think you'll be very interested in" Clover says.

"What makes you think I'd believe anything you to have to say?" I ask, glaring at Clover. Clover smirks, apparently finding my anger funny.

"I know I hurt you, Storm, and I lied to you, but it wasn't personal. I had a plan and a goal, and it was never going to change, no matter how much I liked or disliked you" Clover says, her tone annoyingly calm. I sit down on a tree stump; I do want to hear what Clover has to say.

"Was any of it real?" I ask Clover, hating myself for asking such a vulnerable question but I can't help myself, I need to know. "Did you kill Ashton?"

"Ashton's dead?" Clover asks, her eyes widening. Despite everything, I instantly believe this is a genuine reaction. "What the fuck happened?"

"He drowned, but there was bruising on his neck" I answer, closing my eyes as the image of Ashton's body flashes through my mind. "I'm not here to talk about Ashton."

"It wasn't real. You're nice and pretty, but I was never there because I loved you" Clover answers casually, I try to ignore the fact that I can feel my heart crack into pieces, I'm here for a reason. I'll break down when I'm back at Stark towers.

I fiddle with a loose thread on my pink sweater as I wait for Clover to keep talking. "There's a prophecy we found involving the Stark name."

"Prophecies are a legit thing?" I ask, I've never heard of a prophecy my entire life. "Who's we?" Clover was never alone but I have no idea who she's with.

"I'm with a group, they don't support the x-men or the avengers and want to rid the world of the leaders of the avengers and x-men" Clover answers. "They wanted me to bring you back, they thought your powers would help us, but I told them Tony Stark would not stop until he found his daughter." The cracked pieces of my heart sink down into my stomach and I can feel them cutting my stomach, Clover really didn't care at all.

"What's the prophecy?" I ask.

"It basically says for us to be successful the Stark name needs to die" Clover answers, I tense as I wait for her to throw a knife at me. She doesn't. Clover instead just glances down at her nails as she waits for me to process the news.

"So, you're here to kill me?" I ask, why isn't she attacking me? Killing Steve is the most important thing to her and that apparently requires the death of all Starks.

"The prophecy doesn't require you to die" Clover replies.

"But you said the Stark name needs to die, that means I have to die" I say slowly, the Stark name dying means all Starks must die. They'll come after me and then Tony. At least I assume I'll be first because they'll probably think I'm easier to kill.

"Tony Stark is the only Stark left" Clover says, she crosses her legs as she glances at me. I frown, does her 'group' not know that Tony Stark has a daughter? I don't get why Clover would keep that from them.

"You didn't tell them that I'm Tony's daughter?" I clarify, unable to see what else Clover could mean. I have no idea how the avengers will react when I mention the prophecy, I don't think Tony will take it seriously, but he should, Clover learnt her skills from someone.

"Tony Stark doesn't have a daughter. That DNA test was rigged or a lie" Clover explains, I didn't think my heart could shatter anymore tonight but unfortunately, I was wrong. I wordlessly shake my head; I swallow to try and get the lump out of my throat.

"Tony wouldn't" I say quietly, tears form in my eyes, but I fiercely blink them back. I'm not crying in front of Clover, not after everything she's done.

"Oh, I think Tony genuinely believes you are his kid. The avengers clearly lied to him, they needed your powers and your knowledge of the x-men. Fury, Steve, and Natasha probably knew Tony would be a great father and turn you to the avengers' side" Clover replies, her eyes show an ounce of sympathy as she looks at me. "I also hacked in their files and saw that they forged the DNA results. The paper was printed by Natasha Romanoff."

I open my mouth, but nothing comes out, Clover is lying, there is no way she's telling the truth. Tony and Natasha are my biological parents, I've bonded with both. Natasha said she was proud of me; she cares about me. "You're lying."

"I'm not, check your emails. Look, you are kind and compassionate and you could make the world a better place, but you trust too easily" Clover says, I don't open my phone, too afraid of what could be in my emails.

"Why would I-"

"Believe me? Because I have proof. Look, Storm, I need to leave, I won't be seeing you again" Clover says, turning and walking away. I open my emails and click in my new email; I open the attachment and my heart sinks. It shows the forged DNA test, and it states it was printed by Natasha Romanoff. My heart sinks further as I scroll to the next page which highlights details about Natasha and Steve's plan – the plan to convince everyone I'm the daughter of Natasha and Tony.

Clover said Tony didn't know but I have a hard time believing that. Tony's smart, wouldn't he be able to find these files? Wouldn't he ask to see the DNA test? Vines spring up from the ground; I force myself to breath in and out until the vines are gone.

Fire emerges at my fingertips, and I fly up from the forest floor, I need to talk to Tony and Natasha. I need them to confirm that Clover is playing some sick, twisted game, that she's just hoping I'll spiral and kill Steve.

*Author's Note* What do you think Storm will do now?