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

66

Okay so after that tear jerker of an ending, who's ready to cry some more? I did tear up writing this chapter and the next chapter knowing that this book is so close to its ending.

~66~

     Everything was silent as Clara stayed kneeling in front her brother. She felt that if she moved even the slightest bit, she would shatter like glass. Thor and Bruce had joined them shortly after Tony took his final breath as they tried to hold back their tears and wonder about what to do next. Wanda kneeled by Clara's side, resting a hand on her shoulder and lowering her head in sadness. Wanda knew what it was like to have lost everyone, and she hated to see one of her friends having to experience the same pain.

Strange opened a portal and Clara felt Steve leave her side. He had gotten up to help carry Tony's body off the battlefield. Bruce and Thor joined him and once they could do it safely, removed the stones from his corpse. Clara looked around to see Rhodey already helping Pepper up, knowing they'd have to leave at some point as well. They entered another portal created by Wong to give the grieving widow an easy journey home. She looked back at where Tony last was before lowing her head into her hands and allowing more tears to fall. Wanda continued to comfort her as she gently rubbed her back in an attempt to calm her down. She was happy to see her old friend, but the happiness she felt at seeing her old friend didn't last long as her grief took back over.

Eventually they had to leave the rubble of what used to be their home, so Wanda slowly helped Clara onto her feet. She was going to help walk her back, but Sam joined them and quickly wrapped his arm around her waist to help her walk steady. Like Wanda did, Sam gave her a sad smile. She wanted to say something, anything to say hello to her old friends, but nothing would come out. He helped her out of the ruble, passing by everyone who had aided them in the battle. She remembered the sad and sorry looks she received from Strange, Carol, Rocket, Nebula, and some other people who she had never met. From there, everything else seemed like a blur.

The next thing she knew she was sitting on the edge of the bathtub in her and Steve's shared bathroom. Steve gently kneeled down in front of her, his hair still damp and a fresh smell following after him. He had already showed and cleaned himself up, making Clara wonder how long she had been home for. In reality, Strange creates a portal to their home and Sam and Bucky followed them. It was already the night.

Steve took a damp wash cloth and gently pressed it to her forehead, the cool water sending chills down her spine. He began to gently wipe her forehead with it, cleaning off the sweat and dried blood. She stayed still as he helped wipe away the dirt and grime left on her body before he bandaged up a cut that she had gotten on her upper arm. Clara's eyes lingered on Steve's bandaged arm, remembering the large gash he had received after being hit by Thanos' sword. Steve noticed her staring and calmly said, "I'm fine. Bucky helped stitch me back up." He let out a sad laugh before looking back at Clara and noticed she wasn't listening. His heart broke seeing her like this. "Clara?" He asked, but she only seemed to stare right through him. "Sweetie?" He tried again, placing his hand gently on her cheek.

Clara stared blankly at the floor, making Steve sigh. He knew she was in pain, so was he, but he knew his pain was nowhere near hers. He walked over to their bed and laid her down.

Around mid-night, Steve shifted in bed. He hadn't slept, not even close to it, but he did noticed the bed felt empty. He woke up and walked through the hallway, passing the guest rooms where Sam and Bucky had stayed, until he reached the living room. Facing the empty fireplace sat Clara. Steve turned the corner of the couch to see that she hadn't even noticed his presence. Her mind was somewhere else. The only thing she would see when she closed her eyes was her beloved brother's lifeless body. At first she was in denial, knowing that she had lost him so many times before and he would always come back. But she knew the truth, and the truth killed her. Steve draped a blanket over her shoulder and led her back to their bed in an attempt to get her to sleep, through they both knew it wouldn't come easy.