Cold Revenge (A Star Wars Avengers Crossover)

Chapter Five "Trust Issues"

Riley sat on the floor, her chin resting on her knees as she stared out the window of Avengers Tower. She didn't understand why her uncle was with the Avengers, or even what was happening right now. There was too much going on in the room for her to think clearly.

She could hear the adults whispering, although the volume of Tony's voice could hardly be considered whispering. He didn't seem to care who heard him. He was also making a nuisance of himself as he tried to get his hands on Obi-Wan's lightsaber.

Her Uncle Clint was talking to Director Fury at the moment. He seemed concerned. Or something. It was hard to decipher what emotion played on his face. Fury threw a one-eyed glance her way and then crossed his arms. He seemed to be opposed to something her uncle was saying, but Riley had no idea what.

Finally, her uncle, if he was even her uncle, came over and sat down next to her, resting his right arm on his raised knee. "You okay?"

Riley shrugged. "I don't know."

"You must have some questions."

Riley bit her lower lip. "You're not my uncle, are you?"

"No. I'm sorry."

She looked over at him. "Is that why you never came back after Dad died?"

"It's not that I didn't want to. I just couldn't."

"I don't understand."

"You've heard of SHIELD?"

"Yeah."

"Well, your dad...worked for SHIELD. He was undercover investigating your grandfather."

"Oh." Riley's tone sounded distant. "I guess that would explain some things. Why did Dad say you were his brother?"

"I was his contact. He gathered information and passed it onto me. And since we had similar backgrounds it was easy to pass us off as brothers. That's why I didn't come back. If I had shown my face after his cover was blown, I would have been dead too."

Riley nodded as she tried to sort things out in her head. "My grandfather had him killed?" Riley could tell Clint was hesitant to confirm her suspicion, which was answer enough for her, but she needed to hear him say it. "I need to know."

"Your grandfather found out. We're still not sure how." He paused, contemplating what to say next. "It all happened so fast, and then I got caught up in the New York invasion... If there was anything I could have done..."

Riley rocked back and forth, trying to calm herself. "My mom doesn't know then."

Clint shook his head. "She had no idea who your dad really was. As far as we know she thinks he died in an accident just like your grandfather said."

"So why are you telling me all this? Isn't it top secret or something?'

Clint glanced toward the guy with the patch and then looked Riley in the eye. "You needed to know. Your dad would have wanted it that way." With that he stood up and walked away.

A chill swept over Riley as she watched him go. She suddenly felt very small and alone. Her mother was completely clueless, her grandfather was a murderer, and the uncle she thought she had turned out to be an agent of some government organization. Her own father wasn't even who he said he was, but somehow out of everyone that didn't matter as much. She didn't think that being her dad was just part of his cover because it wouldn't have felt so right whenever she was with him.

Despite her efforts to avoid it, the familiar ache returned, starting in the pit of her stomach and radiating outward. She missed her dad more than she let herself feel most of the time, but when she did it was overwhelming. She bit her lip and held her head between her hands as she breathed deeply waiting for the moment to pass.