The Avengers: A Change of Fate

Chapter 16

Stella awoke from a nightmare. Tony was by her side, rescuing her from the darkness. He soothed her as she sobbed into his arms. When Stella finally went silent, Tony spoke.

"I know you don't like it much, but I have a treat for you tomorrow."

"What is it?" her voice was hoarse and quiet from crying.

"A date. You'll like this one. You know him. You had a crush on him."

"I did?"

"Don't you remember? The beach?"

"Aaron??"

Tony smiled, "That's the one. Turns out he's not too bad."

"I don't know, Tony. I'm such a wreck."

"Don't worry about it. Just go out and have some fun."

Tony put her down and kissed her as he got out of bed, "And get some sleep. You need it."

They tried to be extra cheerful, but that didn't seem to help her one bit. They ate breakfast with her, but she didn't seem to want it. Tony drank the last of his coffee as she played with her food. He put his mug down loud enough to get her attention.

"Come on, Kid, you're coming with me."

"Where are we going?"

"To the lab. We got to fix that suit you broke."

Tony had to practically drag her to the lab. She sat on her stool at the table and stared absently at the stainless steel while Tony set up the suit.

"What's gotten into you, Kid?" he paused to look at her.

"Tony, how am I an Avenger?"

"You know that story," Tony said as he got back to work.

"No, Tony, how am I still one? How did I even become one? A few days ago, I almost turned on you, and I've killed countless of innocents."

"You were defending yourself, or protecting us. Besides all you need is a little work like the rest of us. We don't give up on our causes."

"I'm a lost cause," Stella insisted.

"We especially don't give up on those."

"Yeah, but those lost causes are in prisons or mental institutions where they belong. Where am I?"

"Where you belong."

Stella shook her head in frustration, "Stop beating yourself up, Kid. You got the rest of the world to do that for you."

Stella sighed, "Come over here. You're supposed to be helping," Tony commanded.

Stella got up from her stool and went over to Tony. She mostly watched him and handed him tools when he asked her to. They took a break at lunch. When they finished eating, Stella took their dishes to the sink. When she turned around Tony had pulled out two thin white boxes and set them on the counter.

"These are for you," Tony informed, pushing them forward.

Stella approached the counter, "What are they?"

"One is the outfit you lost on Tuesday. I figured you wouldn't get the one you tore through back, so I bought you another set. The other is for your date tonight."

Stella set aside the first box and opened the other. An angel wing necklace with a long chain sat on top of a white cotton sweater. A pair of pale skinny jeans were folded underneath the top and a new pair of brown leather boots had been tucked into the box as well.