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

57

Thank you to @sportyritz who had given me some ideas on writing this book. I loved her ideas, but I tweaked them slightly. Thank you again and I loved writing this chapter! Also, I've been writing writing new chapters every day, not in hopes to rush it, but because I have exams next week and I don't know how much I can write then. So, next week here will only be maybe a chapter or two released depending on how everything goes. Love you all 3000!

~57~

     Clara couldn't sleep that night. Not only was she overjoyed by her and Tony's discovery, she wasn't used to sleeping alone. Since the snap, Clara and Steve had slept in the same bed. At first, it was a sort of reminder that they had each other. They had woken up too many times because of dreams that they had lost each other. She tossed and turned that night, debating on calling Steve. She eventually fell asleep as she tried to decide what to do.

In the morning, she helped Pepper cook breakfast. After they ate, she had convinced Tony to drive to her house so she could grab a clean pair of clothes. Tony hadn't been to her house since her and Steve bought it, so he thought 'why not?' "I'll only be a minute," Clara said as she quickly went to her room. She noticed the bed was made and there was no trace of Steve in the house. As she was brushing her teeth, she noticed a sticky note on the mirror.

     Left early to help Bruce and Nat. I'm in charge of dinner tonight, planning on a surprise. Love you.

Clara chuckled softly before putting her hair up  in a messy bun and getting a change of clothes. She slipped on a pair of blue jeans and a black t-shirt. Over that, she pulled on of Steve's many flannel shirts, a red one, due to the chill in the October weather. She slipped on her black boots and washed her face while Tony wondered through the house.

As she was getting ready, Tony walked around his sister's living room. Framed pictures of their friends, both living and passed, sat on the mantle of their fireplace. One of Natasha, Wanda, and Clara smiling into the camera as they leaned on each other. Another one of Steve and Sam smiling at one of their team picnics. Tony smiled softly as he lifted up a framed picture of him and Clara with wide smiles on their faces. He remembered when Pepper took it, saying that it was the happiest they had been in a long time and they needed to remember it. Beside that was a family picture of them and their parents.

Howard stood formally along with his wife, both dressed in formal attire. Beside them was a much younger Tony, wearing a suit he had refused multiple times to put on. In front of their father, Clara with her father's hand on her shoulder. It may not have meant something to them then, but that photo had been taken only a month before their parent's passing.

Beside that photo was another one of Clara, Pepper, and Morgan. The last picture was one of the whole team. Before the whole Accords thing tore the friends apart, they had been inseparable. Clara had somehow convinced the team to take a group picture, and after ten failed attempts they finally got one where they were all smiling.

After putting the picture frame back down, he let out a huff and dropped down on the couch. He was shocked when a dog jumped up beside him and laid his head on his lap. He looked around the room once again, taking everything in. "You ready?" Clara asked as she grabbed her leather jacket and put it on.

"When did you get a dog?" Tony asked.

"A couple months after Steve and I got married. Why?" She asked, Miles jumping off the couch and making his way towards her. She kneeled down and pet him.

"I didn't know you got a dog." Tony shrugged.

"Well, you also moved two hours away and didn't pick up any of my calls." Clara smirked as she pet Miles' head. She didn't dwell on the moment as she laughed at Miles while he licked her. Tony on the other hand watched his sister with sadness in his eyes. He knew what he had done in the last five years, distancing himself from his sister and her husband because of his feelings towards Steve. He blamed himself for never putting his ego and pride aside to make amends with his old friend.

"Okay well we've got to go." Tony coughed as he looked down at his watch.

"Bye Miles." She said before brushing the dog hair off her jeans and following Tony out the door.

***

Tony and Clara pulled up to the compound, Steve waiting outside to greet them. Clara got out and closed the door before making her way to her husband and kissing his cheek. "Wearing my clothes now?" Steve smirked as he noticed his flannel. Clara smiled as he wrapped his arms around her waist as she wrapped hers around his neck.

"You just have better clothes." Clara smiled. Tony coughed, making them turn towards him.

"As much as I love the fact that you're a couple, can you try not to make me puke for five seconds." Clara rolled her eyes as Tony continued. "Why the long face? Let me guess: He turned into a baby."

"Among other things, yeah. What are you doing here?" Steve asked.

"That's the EPR paradox. Instead of pushing Lang through time, you might've wound up pushing time through Lang. It's tricky. Dangerous. Somebody shoulda cautioned you against it." Tony said smugly.

"You did." Steve sighed.

"Oh, did I? Thank god I'm here." Tony said, opening the trunk. "Regardless, I fixed it." He held up his hand to show their device. Clara had one just like it in her right hand. "They are fully functioning Time-Space GPS'. I just want peace. Turns out, resentment is corrosive, and I hate it." Tony finished.

"Me too."

"We got a shot at getting these stones, but I gotta tell you my priorities: Bring back everyone? I hope, yes. Keep what I got? I have to, at all costs. And maybe not die trying will be nice." Tony said.

"Sounds like a deal." Steve reached out his hand to shake and Tony did. He went back to the trunk and pulled out Steve's Captain America Shield. "Tony, I don't know..."

"Why? He made it for you." Tony said, referring to their dad. "Plus, honestly I have to get it out of the garage before Morgan takes it sledding." Clara chuckled, already imagining it.

Steve put it on, the shield bringing back old memories for Clara. "Thank you, Tony."

"Will you keep that a little quiet? Didn't bring one for the whole team. We are getting the whole team, yeah?" Tony asked.

"We're working on that right now." Steve said.
Steve and Tony turned when they heard the sound of a click. Clara cheekily put her phone back in her pocket with a wide grin.

"Really?" Tony asks, giving Clara and annoyed look. "I'm making peace with an old friend and you're taking pictures?"

"Im making memories," Clara sighed. "Besides, I'm just happy my second and third favorite boys are finally getting along again." She said, trying to hold in a laugh.

"Who's first?" Steve asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Miles." Clara smirked before turning on her heel and strutting back inside to show Natasha and Bruce their new invention.

Tony and Steve looked at each other, not knowing exactly what to say, until Tony patted Steve's shoulder. "I'm second." He said before following his sister. Steve shook his head, happy that the two of them seemed like nothing ever happened between them.