LEGACY (T.Stark's Daughter)

CHAPTER TWELVE

Rekindling.

Stevie felt oddly nostalgic when she was stood on the front porch of a house she'd never been to with her hand raised, about to knock. It had only been a few days since she'd been doing the same at Scott Lang's house, and she subconsciously wondered if she was crazy to be even hoping for the door to open.

She'd gone straight to Morgan's boyfriend's house from Wanda's, not quite being ready to face her mother yet. The weather didn't seem to be on her side (nothing did anymore) and the rain was hammering down, drenching her from head to toe. Stevie so badly wanted to turn around, get back into Wanda's car and drive anywhere – anywhere but here – yet she knew that wasn't an option.

Just to be sure of herself, she spun around to look back at Wanda who was parked in front of the house, giving Stevie a nod of encouragement. The window rolled down slowly, "You're soaked!" She yelled.

"That's what she said!" Stevie turned back around and hammered her fist against the door, suddenly becoming very aware of her socks squelching in her shoes. It took only a few moments for the man himself to open the door. Bradley stared at her as though she were an alien and then slammed it closed again. "Hey!" She hissed, "open the door, dickhead!" She pounded at the door again as she spat a mouthful of rainwater out. 

Fortunately – or, perhaps, unfortunately – the door swung open to reveal her sister. She was wearing sweatpants and a stained T-shirt and her hair was matted as though she hadn't washed it in days. "How did you find Bradley's address?" She had a bowl of cereal clutched in her hands and slowly lifted the spoon to her mouth, shoving far too many Froot Loops down her throat.

"I'm a Stark." Was Stevie's only response.

"Right." They stood in a strange quiet for a while, staring at one another periodically before their gazes drifted elsewhere. "So... uh..." continued Morgan, "are you here for any reason other than to gawk at me silently?"

"Yes." Snapped Stevie, "can I come in?"

"You better make this quick. Bradley and I are watching 50 Shades of Grey."

There was a subtle eye roll from the youngest sister as she stepped inside, shaking herself off like a wet dog. In all honesty, she had no clue as to what she would say and was therefore trying to stall as much as possible. Her feet shuffled across the floor as they made their way into the basement and sat themselves down across from one another.

After a dangerously awkward silence, Stevie began, "I don't really know a way to start this other than by saying that- that I'm sorry." She sighed, "for everything. I've been an isotopic bitch and the only real reason behind my behaviour was jealousy. I was jealous of you knowing dad and jealous of how well you've moved on, and jealous that you're older and bolder and braver and smarter- well, not smarter- but you're just so... you're so Potts. A mommy's girl. And me? I'm everything but it."

They sat quietly again.

The TV beside them made a low humming noise and Bradley's fish tank that stood idly in the corner of the room was leaking, causing a sporadic dripping noise to fill the silence.

"Okay." Muttered Morgan.

Furrowing her brows, Stevie leaned forwards in her chair, "Okay?" She asked. "I pour my heart out and open up to you for the first time in my entire fucking life and all that I get in response is a half-hearted, deflated, meaningless Okay?"

"No, Stevie." Her head dropped, "that's not what I meant-"

"You know, I was willing to give you a chance. I stood on that porch for thirty minutes, drenched head to toe for an Okay?"

"Stevie-"

"This is bullshit! And to think that I was going to forgive you, let alone-"

"STEVIE!" Morgan had now risen to her feet and was staring down at her rambling sister frustratedly, "I meant that it's okay. It's okay that you were bitchy and gave me attitude. It's okay that you weren't the best sister, because, let's be real, neither was I! In fact, I was even more of an isotopic bitch." She caught her breath and sat down again. "What does isotopic mean?"

"I used it in reference to isotopes. They, y'know, differ in their proton numbers, so I was basically saying that I was being two-faced. It was a dumb comparison. Sorry."

Morgan stifled a smile, "you're so smart. You know that?" And then, when Stevie met her eyes, it seemed almost as though her sister's pupils were glossy and tear-filled. She must've imagined it. There was no way that Morgan was crying. "God. You know that every day I would hide myself away from you because you were so much like Tony that it would hurt to be with you and not think about him?"

"You remember him?"

"Of course I do, Stevie. I just put on my brave face for you. Blocked it all out... Lately, though, it's been getting harder and harder. Every day I see more of him in you. Every day you grow smarter and more sarcastic and witty and-" And then Stevie hugged her. 

They were hugging. 

Morgan and Stevie. Sister and sister. Enemy and enemy. They were enveloped in one another's arms in bitchy Bradley's parents' basement.

"You don't really like Bradley, do you?" Stevie muttered into the crook of Morgan's neck.

"No. No, God, I hate him. Can we get out of here so that I can dump him and we can eat ice-cream in the living room and watch reruns of Gossip Girl like we used to?"

"Okay."

"Okay."