Shadow of the Past (Captain America) // ✔️ //

Chapter 7: Freezing Loneliness

It was a very cold day and Antonia was learning this the hard way. Yes, when Agent Carter escorted her out, she knew it was cold, but she didn't expect it would be this cold. She could see her breath. She wished she had a coat, because this sweater wasn't keeping her warm at all. Though she knew, she should be grateful that they let her keep it as she did steal it from a nurse. It did provide her some protection that her regular clothes would not have given at all. Her simple black shirt wouldn't do anything but draw attention.

Antonia couldn't guess what day or month this was, because one, she didn't know how long she had been out and two, she wasn't sure how time travel worked or how far she back. She could have gone back 75 years or 75.23 years, and she had no clue how to find out without looking like an idiot, not that she didn't already look at one. Right now, she looks like a chicken without a head. Normally, she knew New York like the back of her hand, but now, she was completely lost. The whole city was different and she couldn't find her away around to save her life, but more importantly, she was unable to locate her father's building. Maybe that was for the best, because there was no way for her to sneak into that company.

Antonia glanced down at her broken arm, as it was useless. Even if she was able to hack into that company, the cast would only slow her down and probably get her caught, which was something she couldn't afford. It would also be very stupid to rush in without a second thought, and Antonia Stark was not stupid. There was no telling what kind of defenses her father had, but they had to be excellent for the time even if they couldn't compare to her time; however, she knew her father would probably fight her on that.

"I don't even know if Peggy was telling me the truth. It could be a trap," she reasoned. If they wanted to catch her in the act and have a reason to hold her, that would be the way to go. "And how would I even know if he's in New York?" Stark Industries had offices across the country (even the world) and Howard had hidden labs that Antonia couldn't begin to locate even with the future knowledge she had. So she could be risking her future to break in for a device that wasn't even there, and she wasn't sure she wanted to do that.

She needed a plan and she would come up with a plan before she tried anything. Or at least, wait until her broken arm wasn't so useless.... That could be months, she thought to herself. Could she wait that long? The longer she waited the more damage she could be doing to the timeline, which she couldn't have. She would like to be born and the tiniest thing could change that. However, she had other more practical things to worry about like where she was going to stay. It was freezing and she wouldn't last long out here for long, but she had nowhere to go. She had no money on her to rent a room and there was no one she could turn too. She had no friends in this time that could take her in.

Antonia paused as she thought about her situation, which had never happened to her before. Antonia Stark was never without means or opportunities, and now, she had nothing. She was stuck with no money, and it pissed her off. How did anyone get along in life with no money? She couldn't even afford to buy something to eat and food was so much cheaper in the 1940's. "Stupid Stomach," she muttered to herself as it was growling. "Come to think about it, I don't remember the last time I ate." Sure, she had gone days without eating, but she always had the ability to get food. Now, she couldn't. She didn't like that feeling, and she didn't know how anyone could deal with that feeling.

She would admit that she was a spoil brat going up (Some would say still), although she would deny that to Rogers. Every desire (besides her desire to feel her father's love) she had was fulfilled, and every worry she had been taken care of. She didn't have to worry about how she would pay her rent, put food on the table, or last the week. She was very lucky to be born a Stark, and she was relearning how lucky she was. For that, she was very thankful for her father.