Don't You Worry Child

Better Than Revenge

Chapter Summary: After dealing with the press over Tony's condition, Samantha starts to plot her revenge against Karolina Dvoracek.

Soundtrack: Better Than Revenge by Taylor Swift

Journalists swarmed around her like bees around a hive, all wanting an update, one she didn't know how to give. Maria Hill had been kind enough to issue a statement saying "There has been an incident at Stark Tower and Mr Tony Stark was injured, his family ask for privacy at this time," her final act, she claimed, as anything close to a Personal Assistant for any of the Avengers, Samantha suspected otherwise but didn't say anything.

Now, however, the press were growing restless, wondering why only Steve Rogers – or as they knew him, Samantha Stark's civil servant boyfriend – could ever be seen entering and exiting the hospital. So, unable to escape it any longer, Samantha stood before the throng of journalists and photographers, ready to be attacked with questions. She shuffled her feet out of nervousness, wishing she had chosen a pair of flats over her black patent-leather, sky-high Jimmy Choo pumps. She smoothed out her black suit, wishing that it weren't so damn itchy. "At 4.30pm on 6th July 2018, 3 days ago, I discovered that my father had been viciously attacked in one of the labs at Stark Tower by an – as yet – unconfirmed assailant. My family and I are working with the police to understand who is responsible for this heinous act and why they have committed it," she stated, waiting for the questions that would inevitably come. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Steve, a reassuring smile on his face, and she turned back to the press, a surge of strength seeming to fill her if only for a few moments, as she readied herself for whatever the vultures had to throw at her.

Hands went up almost immediately in a Mexican wave that didn't seem to come down from its high, unusually uniform in its presence. Samantha pointed to one of the journalists, a dark-haired slip of a man with square-framed glasses resting just so on his slender nose "What injuries did your father sustain?" he asked, pen at the ready, fully prepared to take notes.

She bit her lip for a moment, breathing in, preparing herself for the answer she would ultimately be forced to give "Two major wounds to the abdomen and several shallower wounds to other areas," she answered, feeling as though she were back there in that lab, her father's bloody body lay on the ground beneath her as she attempted to stem the bleeding.

"Do you have any idea who might have done this?" A female journalist asked in a cool British accent, her long ginger hair blowing about in the cool New York breeze.

"I am not at liberty to discuss anything that may affect the current police investigation," Samantha answered calmly, her rehearsed statement delivered perfectly.

"Does your position as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent have anything to do with this attack?" another reporter asked, a smirk on her face as she leaned forward, microphone in hand. Samantha would recognise that face anywhere, of course Christine Everheart would want in on this one, she looked good; three years hadn't aged her much – although maybe that was the Botox – her blonde hair now had an ashier look to it and her lips looked plumper than Samantha remembered her being. Samantha stood, stock still, unable to say or do anything. Her work for S.H.I.E.L.D. was not common knowledge, so how did Christine Everheart know about it? Unless... no Karolina Dvoracek would not be so brazen as to reveal herself to any journalist and plant them in a press conference, nor would she have planned for such a contingency.

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Steve had ushered Samantha back inside, knowing full well that she had lost her comfort zone completely and – at this point in time – needed it back. He also knew that she was plotting to kill Fury. Not that he could blame her, were he in her position, he would have done the same. In fact, he was just as livid with Fury as she was "You okay?" he asked her, his blue-green eyes trying to reassure her.