Renege // The Avengers

four.

Carmen had struggled to focus the rest of the day. Within giving orders and waiting for Banner to finish his work it became a lot harder to keep her mind from wandering to the most awkward conversation she had ever had with Steve. By the time she had ended her meeting she decided it was time to at least take a nap. Yet almost as she perfectly exited the door (by herself now) she bumped into two uniformed men. Steve and Tony.

"Hey Auntie Car" she ignored his hello as fear grew inside of her. A mothers instinct of worry if you will.

"Where's Julia?! Did you leave her alone?" he shook his head taking a bite out of an apple.

"No I brought her. She's with Coulson"

"You brought her here!" he immediately recoiled back not thinking his actions were wrong. She started running the the briefing room which was most likely where he would be.

"I can't believe you did that. We have a evil demigod on board and more than half of the people are armed with weapons" she yelled at him and the two men followed as she entered the room.

"Mom!" Steve's stomach dropped as he watched the shorter brunette run up and wrap her arms around the waist of Carmen. The 9 year old girl squeezed her tightly.

"Hi honey" she bent down and kissed the top of her head as she hugged her back.

"This place is so cool! I've never been to your work before" Julia said as Carmen dropped to her knees to be at her height. She hissed from slight pain and Julia missed her slowing with age mother and brushed her hair behind her shoulders.

"I missed you" Carmen told her and Julia smiled and wrapped her arms around her mothers neck. Tony noticed Steve watching her with the younger girl.

"Guess being frozen made you miss your chance of getting laid" Tony said and he glared at him slightly.

"Did you have fun with cousin Tony?" Carmen asked the smaller girl and she shook her head.

"No! He either makes kissy faces at his girlfriend or picks on me" the girl huffed, crossing her arms. Carmen chuckled and stood up.

"That's what cousins are for" she told her as she moved to stand beside her. This was when Julia finally noticed the extra presence in the room.

"I know you!" she jumped, her mood completely changing. She ran towards Steve and threw her arms up in the air which barely reached the height of his shoulders. At this Steve's heart slightly fluttered. Carmen told her about him.

"My cousin Phil has a poster of you in his house! You're Captain America. Phil read me one of your stories once!" she wrapped her arms around his waist just like she did to Carmen and squeezed him tightly.

"Thank you for saving so many people" she thanked him and Steve's heart turned to mush. This could've been his little girl. She was so sweet and it reminded him of the Carmen he met 70 years ago. He slowly started to hug her as well.

"You're welcome" Carmen watched as Steve lost his strong stature from the touch of her little girl.

"My Mommy has saved a lot of people to" Carmen chuckled and placed a hand on her back as she continued hugging Steve.

"She thinks Mommy is invincible"

"That's because you are" Carmen lightly cleared her throat and looked to the small girl.

"Mommy has some work to do could you maybe go with Phil for a moment. If Phil doesn't have anything going on that is" Phil went to tell her he had a meeting but Tony broke in.

"She can go with me, I have to change anyway" Carmen nodded and smiled.

"Alright Jules, say goodbye to Steve" Julia pulled back and smiled up at the tall man.