ENTROPY (marvel)

20 | a massive meltdown?

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

"a massive meltdown"

The rest of the squad were already sitting but had waited on the Stark to order. The restaurant was surrounded by rubble, but the fluorescent lights flickered above, they told the squad they were still serving food, and that was enough for them. Camryn and Tony joined the crew. Clint's legs rested in Natasha's chair, and vice versa. Camryn pulled up a metal yellow chair between Tony and Thor. Taking off the backpack she'd been lugging around Upper New York all day, she placed the straps on the back of the chair so they would support it.

Bruce squinted at her across Tony. "Who are you, again?"

The girl stretched back into the chair. "It's a long story." she drawled. "The short of it, I broke into Stark tower this morning for some reason, I honestly don't even remember." She looked him in the eyes, star-struck again.

Clint chuckled. "I think I know why."

Camryn scoffed, "Oh, do you?"

The man smiled, "Yes, you were trying to get Stark to notice you."

She gasped shortly, "I would never do such a thing." Suddenly, Tony Stark had a revelation. The girl looked so familiar the entire almost twelve hours he had known her. He turned and looked at her. She stared right back boldly.

He did a double take, concluding, "You're the one who got knocked off the contest!"

"How did-"

"I looked at all the finalists, yours was the best. But nooo, Pepper and the world had to go with a rifle target."

"So if it was up to you, I would have won?"

"Probably." She couldn't deny it, it felt great to hear validation. Wait till her father heard about this! And Sarai - Camryn gasped. Sarai! She had left her best friend, run away from her house. Her father didn't know where she was. Suddenly, she was enveloped in guilt. The other Avengers conversed about various subjects. Thor and Clint reminisced about an event that had occurred in New Mexico. Captain America looked half asleep. Meanwhile, Camryn began to panic. Her father would be so worried. She needed to contact him as soon as possible.

"You okay?" A clear voice interrupted her fretting.

"Hey, Steve." The Captain couldn't stand seeing a girl he barely knew so distraught.

"What's going on?"

She sighed and scratched her head. "Just tired, I guess." On second thought, Steve seemed like someone she could vent to, so she did just that. "Listen, my mother died last year. I ran off from my best friends house and the next morning I disappear without even a note. What is my father supposed to think?"

Steve's eyes widened. "I don't have a phone."

"Of course." She rolled her eyes.

"If you need to call him, I'm sure Clint or Stark-"

Camryn interrupted, "I've called him, and he didn't answer. I'm so scared. Mr. Stark called him, and then I tried and I don't-" She could feel tears pooling around her eyes, threatening to burst, but she wouldn't let them, she wouldn't let herself show weakness around the others. Not when Tony Stark was next to her cracking jokes with a broken arm. Not when Steve Rogers, who had exited the Arctic a week ago, was saving the world and not breaking a sweat. Not when Clint Barton, who had just been freed from horrifying mind control, was bantering with his friends. She was crying. Of course, she had to think of the one thing that would set her off. Strong people, stronger than herself and her mother and her father and just about anyone she's ever met.

They asked if she was okay, and she just nodded, and waved them off, "I'm fine." Clint recognized the effect the trauma was having on the twelve-year-old girl was too much.

He stood up and enquired gently, "Do you want to go on a walk?" She looked up at him, her face was miserable and tear-streaked. Her clothes were filthy and she looked a fright. Clint smiled, the girl looked like his young daughter. 

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final stretch territory guys! we are almost done with this story and i am absolutely not ready to let these characters go lol

 i do have plans for a new book (!!!!!!!!) that i'm currently writing so get exCITED

anyways i'll see ya later! please vote and comment and share feedback :)