The Man My Father Always Talked About • A CAPTAIN AMERICA STORY

37

~37~

Clara charged at the person directly in front of her, Clint. She quickly shot a stun blast at him as he shot an arrow at her. After they both dodged the other's attack, Clara threw her metal fist at him only to be blocked. They stated at each other as they held their fists up in defense. "Long time no see Stark," Clint smirked.

"How's Laura and the kids?" Clara asked. She threw a punch at him, but he caught it in his first and wrapped his arm around her neck, not choking her, but trying to get her to back down.

"They're good, kids are in school," he grunted and Clara fought under his grasp. She stomped her foot down onto his which caused him to let go and stumble back. She raised her fist to fire a stun, but her hand suddenly felt heavy as she had no control of it. She turned over to see Wanda holding her arms out and using her magic. She flung Clara away from Clint, but she was able to land on her feet rather than on her back. She caught her breath only to be almost destroyed by flying debris as Ant-Man became a giant.

"Holy shit!" She mumbled to herself as she looked at the giant in amazement. She tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear and caught her breath as she looked around to see who needed her help.

"Okay, tiny dude is big now. He's big now." Rhodey said, sounding confused at the situation. She watched at Rhodey tried to fly out of his grip, but ultimately failed.

"Give me back my Rhodey." Tony demanded.
Clara shot a blast at Sam while he was in the air, though her aim was off and Sam dodged it.
"Okay, anybody on our side hiding any shocking and fantastic abilities they'd like to disclose, I'm open to suggestions."

Clara aimed her arms down to give her a boost that shot her up in the air. While in the air, she swung out her leg and kicked Sam out of balance, sending him falling to the ground. "Nice one!" Tony couldn't help but cheer over the comms. Clara looked over at the hanger when something caught her eye. She glanced at Steve, who had been hiding behind a crate.

Clara snuck away from the fight and to the hanger before Steve and Bucky could notice. She entered the hanger the back way only to see debris of a tower crashing down in front of the entrance. When the dust cleared, Steve and Bucky emerged, Steve's eyes widening with fear as he met Clara's stare.

"You're not gonna stop, are you?" She asked, already knowing the answer. She lifted up her blaster and aimed it at the figure behind Steve, though Steve thought it was for him.

"You know I can't," Steve started. "There's soldiers more dangerous than him that we need to stop. You have to believe me."

"I do." She said, still aiming her blaster.

"Please..." Steve said, his voice full of desperation. "I don't want to fight you." He pleaded for her to lower her weapon. He loved he with all of his heart, but he would have to do hers he would have to do in order to prevent more soldiers like Bucky falling into the wrong hands.

"I know," She said, igniting her blaster. Steve's eyes fell as he gripped onto his shield tighter. "I'm gonna pay for this," Steve's eyes squinted with confusion before she fired at the unknown figure behind him. He turned to see a stunned T'Challa kneeling due to the impact of her blast. "Go," she pleaded. Steve and Bucky walked past her, Steve grabbing her arm before continuing to the jet.

"Come with us," Steve pleaded. Bucky aimed his gun at T'Challa while Steve made them stay behind.

"You know I can't do that." Clara whispered to him. She placed her hand over his that gripped her arm before whispering again, "Go." Steve nodded as he slowly backed away. Once his hand left her arm, Clara felt her heart leave with him. She didn't feel the same as she watched him walk backwards towards the jet, trying to keep his gaze on her before he finally had to turn and board the jet. Once Clara heard the jet start up, she turned to face T'Challa, who stood upright again as he gripped his side. "It wasn't personal," she huffed, already knowing she had just given herself time in prison. T'Challa leaped off the debris to try and catch the jet while Clara found her way back out to the airport. As she inched herself through the debris, she noticed a yellow beam shoot up in the sky. She looked up to see that Sam dodged Vision's blast, the blast hitting Rhodey in his reactor,  and sending him plummeting back to earth. "No!" Clara watched in horror as her friend fall down to the earth with little to no chance of surviving.