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

Chapter 13: The Unbelievable Truth

Antonia knew the perfect time to break into Stark Industries, and it was during the Stark Expo, while her father was on stage showing off like he always did. While he was making a fool out of himself, she would be sneaking into his company and stealing back her device. Hopefully by the time he found out, she would be long gone... though she still had no idea of how to power it without another arc reactor.

Taking a deep breath, she walked out of Barnes' room and looked around the apartment for Steve, but he was nowhere to be found. He's probably trying to enlist again, she thought. She knew he would get in eventually, though she wasn't sure when that would be and how that would be. Her mind wandered a bit, as she thought about Captain America. How did the sweet little Steve turn into the asshole Captain Rogers? Was it the serum? It changed his body. Maybe, it changed his mind.

A part of her didn't want him to change. She wanted him to stay the same tiny Steve, but it wasn't her choice. What she wanted didn't matter. The world needed the Asshole, and no matter how attached (a fact that she hated and would deny) she was to the Shrimp, Antonia Stark did not need him. She liked him but she did not need him. She could get along without him just she always did, because she did not need anyone.

Shaking her head, she grabbed a jacket and headed out to look for Steve, because he needed her. He needed her for support, as she seemed to be the only thing in his life at the moment, which annoyed her slightly. Why was it her job to cheer him up? She barely knew him, really. She didn't know him in the future and she didn't know the past him either. So why did she try? She knew she didn't have to, but she didn't like him depressed and it wasn't because she cared (she refused to care). It was because he was annoying to be around when he was that.

*O*O*

It had taken her quite a while to find him as Steve had gone to multiple recruitment centers under different names to enlist, and she didn't know which one he went to. When she finally found Steve, he was walking out of an army recruitment center. He was behind a few other men, who looked like they had been rejected as well. They looked tired and small as well, but compared to Steve, they were giants. Even with him right in front of her, it was hard to believe that there was someone as small as Steve in the world. How did he survive being that small? Even now, the other small men were making fun of him.

Trying to calm herself before she walked over there, she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Steve didn't like it when she defended him, and though she really didn't care if he liked it or not, she didn't want to irritate him on their last day together. After the other men were gone, Antonia crossed to him wearing a big smile. "Hey! No sad face!" she cheered. "Turn that frown upside down!"

Steve looked at her. "Why should I smile? I got rejected again."

Antonia took a deep breath. "Maybe, it isn't right, yet? Maybe, God has a plan for you." That statement felt weird on her tongue. She didn't really believe in God, but she knew Steve was a firm believer in God. He found peace in God's name, while she found annoyance. If there was a God, how could he allow so much pain in the world? If there was a God, he must be a heartless God with no care to what happened, and he must really hate her... Not that she blamed him. So many deaths were on her head.

He looked at her. "A plan for me?"

"Yes," Antonia responded as they started to walk. "Think about it!" She smiled, weakly. "And don't be so down on yourself." She took a deep breath but she didn't want to reveal too much.

"Do you believe in God, Antonia?" Steve asked.

Antonia stopped and exhaled slowly. "Does it matter?" She dug her hands into her pockets as she stared down at the ground. She didn't want to ask that question, even if she already knew the answer. It would be a no.