Don't You Worry Child

Tightrope

Chapter Summary: Samantha and Steve take on new responsibilities when a little girl shows up at Stark Tower; Coulson has an announcement about S.H.I.E.L.D's future.

Soundtrack: Tightrope by Janelle Monae Featuring Big Boii

Home – which was still Stark Tower for a few more weeks – was looking more and more appealing the closer Samantha got to it. It was the place where she didn't have to interrogate suspects or deal with her unreasonable boss. The taxi – she didn't want to draw attention to her by getting in her father's town car (the one he was way too willing to lend her) and her silver Audi was still at the mechanics being fixed – had been ordered to drop her and Steve off two blocks away from the tower, there wasn't any real reason for it except for the fact that she liked the walk, it allowed her to gather her thoughts, and after her trip to D.C. she had a lot of them. Clambering out of the taxi, she allowed Steve to pay for the taxi, since he always insisted upon it, and waited for him, her carry-on bag resting in the crook of her elbow, working for S.H.I.E.L.D. had taught her to travel light, that applied even when she was dealing with court dates and a funeral all in one trip.

By the time she and Steve had reached Stark Tower, they were laughing and joking again, as if nothing had happened. They still didn't talk about the video that had been shown in court just as they ignored Samantha's breakdown the morning of the funeral, like they ignored Samantha's decision to yell at Coulson. Inside the lobby, they were greeted by a woman, one Samantha didn't recognise. She seemed tall, an authority-figure type judging by the way her hair was done up but one smile from her gave her away as someone who dealt with children on a daily basis – social worker then. Samantha saw that behind her, was a young child – no older than five – with black wavy hair and piercing green eyes. This seemed odd, but all the same she went on with it, introducing herself and Steve to the social worker but still smiling a kind, gentle smile to the little girl "My name is Jennifer Bridges, I'm the social worker assigned to your case," Samantha looked at her confused "This little girl is Emma Montgomery, your niece," Jennifer stated and Samantha's eyes bulged, how on earth could her niece be here? "Somebody called us with concerns about her, and it's either you two or foster care," Samantha nodded in response, slyly looking up at Steve, wondering whether he had anything to do with this. She looked up at Steve, this time more obviously, could they really look after a five-year-old? With work being the way it was? Steve just nodded, as though he knew all of her worries for this young child off bat.

"Emma?" Samantha said, crouching down to the child's level, the way Jennifer approached her stated that it would be better that Emma go with Samantha and Steve than into foster care, Samantha knew it would be better "I'm Samantha, your aunt, would you like to come live with me?" she asked and the little girl nodded repeatedly, almost excitedly. Samantha smiled to the girl and Jennifer smiled gratefully to her – as though this were some big stress off of her shoulders. Jennifer told her about the forms she would have to sign – she'd pop by the office the next day – and handed over Emma's bag – a small, pink backpack that didn't appear to have much in, probably a few clothes – and Emma was allowed to wander off with Samantha and Steve into the elevator, clutching onto her pink bunny as though it were a lifeline "What's her name?" Samantha asked in reference to the bunny – she assumed it was a girl, pink wasn't something younger children tended to associate with a boy.

"Susan," Emma replied, her voice barely a whisper but Samantha didn't mind, she understood the nervousness that came with being dumped on the doorstep of someone she barely knew. She examined the girl closer, there wasn't much denying that they could have been related, Emma had Audrey's mouth and the shape of her eyes weren't too dissimilar from Audrey's either. She could see hints of Ward in there too – the black hair and sharp nose were similar to his.