Chapter 20

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     The clouds swirled above, as dark and unrelenting as her mood. She'd left early that morning. When she'd awoken, Cassie had a terrible, splitting headache, and she just wanted time by herself. Somehow, she felt embarrassed by her actions the previous night. In the light of day, she realized how silly she must have looked to Steve.

     So now she took the familiar route, her feet moving of their own accord, her hands stuffed into the pockets of Steve's jacket. She'd failed to give it back, her own still at Stephen's.

     The sound of a incessant beeping cause her to look up. Trucks were lining the street, men in orange hard hats above her on beams, placing new windows onto the buildings. Realization dawned on her. This was her wreckage.

     Cassie stood rooted to the spot, her lips parted in shock. A man brushed past her with a briefcase, and she stepped backwards onto the street. One lane was closed for construction, and Cassie felt her heart thumping loudly. People had died here. Closing her eyes, she balled her hands into fists. With a deep breath, she moved forward. Her feet climbed the familiar steps, and she knocked hesitantly on the door. There was no answer.

     Cassie began to sigh frustratedly. She just wanted more of her stuff back.

     "Stephen, please!" she called out loudly.

     Suddenly, she heard a scuffling behind the door, and it was flung open. Her heart soared, and she smiled. His cape floated there, and upon seeing her, it slammed the door. It must have recognized her voice.

     "Hey!" she cried out angrily. "Wait! Just...just let me get my stuff."

     The door creaked open.

     "Please..." she pleaded, sliding her hand in between the door and the frame.

     The cape opened the door, and she swore that if it had ever been mad at her, it certainly was now. As she stepped inside, it slammed the door again and rapped her on the back of the head.

     "Ow! I know, I know..."

     With a smile, she tried to win its favor. Instead, it turn on her, floating down the hall.

     "Come on! I've tried to apologize to him!"

     The cape stopped, unwilling to turn.

     She creeped behind it. "Please? It was a mistake. Don't be mad..."

     Its shoulder turned slightly, and she approached, trying to smile.

     "Is he here?"

     The cape just fluttered to the side, leaving the entryway open.

     "I'm just gonna grab the rest of my stuff, okay?" She moved past and walked toward her room.

     There was a deep comfort she felt in just being back here. She pushed the door of her room open and found it just as she'd left it. Grabbing her duffel bag from under her bed, she pushed in the rest of her clothes, shoes, and books. She pulled her own jacket out of the closet, though she liked Steve's more.

     Finally, she sat on the bed, hands clasped together in her lap. Slowly, the cape slipped inside her room and went limp on her bed. She smiled down at it.

     "Let him know somehow...that...that I miss him. Please?" Shouldering the bag, Cassie sighed. "Guess I'd better go teach."

     **********

     "How was school? Do you have any homework? You just let us know if you need any help! We have milk and cookies waiting for you at home," Tony teased as she slid into the passenger seat.

     "Oh shut up..." She rolled her eyes, placing her bag in the back seat.

     "You look tired." He glanced over at her.

     "No, I'm fine..."

     Somehow, she couldn't keep her thoughts from Steve during that car ride. Cassie was just so embarrassed. She'd spent all day refusing to think about him, until she'd gotten a phone call on her break, that is.

     "Hey, Cassie. Listen, I have some good news. An apartment opened up in my building. I can take you by to see it this afternoon if you want. It's in your price range, and you're...well, you're down the hall from my place...and I just thought...well, I can show it to you if you want. Um...just call me back. Okay...bye."

     Cassie had listened to it three times, trying to decide what to tell him. He was so nice, and so was Wanda, but truthfully, she didn't want to live down the hall from them. They weren't even really friends. She wanted Stephen.

     "Cassie?"

     Her head snapped toward Tony, and he grinned, amused. "What?"

     "I tried to get your attention. Your phone--it's ringing."

     She glanced down and saw Steve's name across the front of her screen.

     "H-hello?" She cleared her throat, uncomfortable with Tony sitting so close. "Yeah, Steve, I-"

     Suddenly, the car jerked forward, and Cassie glanced over, shocked to see Tony's face paled with wide eyes. He continued driving, pretending as though he wasn't listening.

     "I was thinking I could pick you up from school on my bike, and we could-"

     "I can't," she interrupted.

     He cleared his throat uncomfortably, and she squirmed in her seat.

     "Steve, it's just...I...have a date." Her face turned bright red as Tony glanced over at her, raising his eyebrow.

     "A...a date?"

     "Yes."

     "Oh."

     An awkward silence rang over the phone, and she bit her lip nervously.

     "Maybe tomorrow? Another time?" he suggested.

     "Yeah, maybe."

     "Okay...well, I'll see you tonight then." His voice sounded tight, and she nodded, forgetting he couldn't see her.

     "Yeah. I'll see you tonight."

     Again, Tony glanced over at her, confusion in his eyes. She hung up the phone and stared at her clasped hands, wishing she'd ignored the call.

     "You have a date?" he teased.

     She blushed again, not saying anything.

     "Who was that?" His voice had turned harsh, and she glanced up, surprised.

     "A friend of mine."

     "Named Steve?"

     She glanced out the window at the light rain pattering down the windows. "Yeah..."

     "Steve Rogers."

     She let her eyes pass over to him. His hands clenched the wheel tightly, and his knuckles were white. With his clenched jaw and narrowed eyes, it wasn't hard to figure out that he was angry with her.

     "Yes, Tony... You know him--don't you?"

     Suddenly, he slammed on the break and pulled to the side of the road.

     "What are you doing with him?" he demanded, leaning over in his seat to stare at her.

     Suddenly, she felt a little nervous, and her fingers clenched around her phone. "I told you I wasn't staying with Strange anymore. I-I-"

     "Steve Rogers. The Steve Rogers. Captain America?"

     She blushed and nodded, staring anywhere but his eyes.

     "Is his friend with him?" he spat angrily. "I hadn't realized he'd come back to New York."

     "What do you mean, 'back to New York'? And yeah. Wanda's there. Is that who you meant?"

     "Never mind, Cassie." He stared at the wheel for a moment, unsure how to proceed.

     "I saw that you have a picture of him," she blurted out.

     "What?" He wheeled on her again, eyes burning.

     "The first time I came to the facility... Listen, don't get angry, Tony... I don't even know why you're mad."

     Suddenly, he threw open the door and stormed into the rain. She sat in stunned silence for a second, confused by his anger. Her door was thrown open, and Tony grabbed her arm, pulling her from the car.

     "Hey!" she screamed, falling backwards into the slick grass.

     "How could you not mention that?"

     She was suddenly very wary, aware that something was happening.

     "Where is he staying?" Tony demanded.

     "I-I don't understand."

     Tony reached out his hand and pulled her to her feet.

     "Steve and I don't get along," he seethed.

     "That's not my problem!" she retorted, hands balling into fists.

     "What do you mean it's not your problem? Of course it's your problem."

     "No it's not! I like staying with Steve!"

     "Why? You should know what he is, Cassie...what he's done."

     She felt a heat rising in her chest. Cassie turned around, placing a hand on the car and taking a deep breath. With her eyes closed, she could sense something. Colors swirled around her, and she tried to block out Tony, aware that her anger was not leading her closer to where Stephen wanted her to be. She did her best to control the anger bubbling up in her throat. Her head shook, and she tried to hold onto her reality, as she had done at the facility.

     "Are you listening to me?" she heard him demand, his voice far off.

     "Tony, shut up," she retorted, her voice rising.

     His voice became deathly calm in her ear. "I need know where Steve Rogers is. And Bucky Barnes."

     Her vision snapped, and she spun around, bringing her knee up into his stomach. He did little more than grunt, stumbling backwards a few steps.

     "I don't care what the heck happened between you and Steve Rogers. But he's a safe place, and I will not let you bully me."

     She cried out in pain as her anger began to overwhelm her. Dropping to her knees, Cassie felt tears falling down her face, but she couldn't see. She clenched her fists tightly and pressed them against the sides of her head. As if reality was bending toward her, Cassie suddenly felt herself moving very quickly.

     The pain in her head was disappearing, her heart pounding like a drum. She couldn't see or hear Tony anymore, only the colors that surrounded her.

     "Focus... Focus..." she repeated to herself.

     The pain in her abdomen was steadily increasing. Things began to take shape, when suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder, pulling her to her feet. Everything shattered, and Cassie let out a shriek, falling against Tony as the pain in her gut exploded. Everything went dark.

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