The Avengers, Steve's Little Secret

Ch. 22 "Meltdown"

Steve POV

I was looking out the window in the living room sipping on my coffee, I can see my reflection in the window, multiple love bites on my neck and collar bone,

Me and Bucky Finally crossed the line we were both afraid to cross last night, after a very heated argument about Brooke, one thing led to another and I woke up in Bucky's bed,

But I'm glad we both finally took that step, after years of denying it, I thought

I hear a long yawn, I look over my shoulder to see Tony,

"Morning Cap," Tony said pouring some coffee,

"Mmm," I said

"Did someone finally have a good night?" Tony said I could hear the smirk in his voice,

"I guess you could say that," I said

Tony was looking at me,

"Well those love bites say other wise or I need to hire an exterminator for a very large bug problem," Tony said

I rolled my eyes,

"Well glad you decided to take my advice... for once," He said

"Thank you Tony," I said

He gasped,

"Did the great captain America just thank me?" He said smirking

I just rolled my eyes,

Bucky walked in the room,

"Morning," He said his hair a mess, the sleep still in his eyes,

Just as me and Tony were about to greet him we all heard a high pitch scream,

"Brooke!" I said taking off, hearing the footsteps behind, me

"Brooke!" I said running in her room

she was crying hysterically, tears falling down her cheeks, she was holding the giant head of her Iron man Toy in one hand and the smaller body of the Iron Man toy in the other,

Oh no, I thought

Her lip was quivering

"Daddy... It... it..." She said not getting the words out,

Her chest was heaving,

I could see the panic on everyone's face,

"It... It," She said

Okay this isn't good, when she can't get the words out that means she's on the verge of a melt down,

Next thing I know she falls on her bottom and starts crying hard,

"I.. I can fix it," Wanda said in a panic,

I was kneeling in front of her,

"Why don't we give this to Wanda to fix okay little Star," I said taking the broken plushie

I handed the pieces to Wanda,

Brooke sniffled calming down, but only a little bit, I picked her up, she wrapped her tiny arms around my neck and burred her face in the crook of my neck,

It broke my heart to see her this upset, I knew it was only a matter of time before the stuffed toy broke, but watching this I don't want to see that again,

"Come on Shorty it's alright Wanda will have it good as new," Bucky said

"Besides the real Iron man is right here," Tony said

Still I don't understand I didn't think she would be this upset, I expected her to be upset but not to this extent, I thought

We got to the living room I went to pull her away from me but she wouldn't budge,

"Umm, Brooke," I said chuckling,

I tried again and she still wouldn't budge,

She shook her head no,

I looked at Bucky worried

Brooke POV

Okay sure I was really upset when my toy broke, but it seemed when that happened everything came to the surface all at once,

And I just couldn't take it anymore, that's why I am clinging to daddy like a spider monkey, I don't want him to leave again, I want him close, I want how things used to be, when it was just me and him, when he would do things with me,

It seems like he doesn't do any of that anymore, so I clung to him, and I didn't want to let him go, I squeezed my eyes shut as I clung to him, as I sniffled

Then i felt daddy rub my back and rock me like he used to, and I slowly started to calm down, and I started to relax,

Steve POV

When I knew I couldn't pull Brooke away, I did the one thing I knew that would help calm her down, I stood up, Bucky watched with concern,

I rubbed her back and rocked her, I felt her relax, and she finally let go, and I was able to look at her looking her in the eyes, the eyes that mirror mine, the sadness in them,

This isn't over a stuffed toy,

"Little Star what's wrong?" I said