Requisite and Sensibility

Chapter 20 - Clashing Leader Personas

Megan yelled, her willpower crumbling as the electromagnetic waves shocked through her brain, trying to grasp any memories they could from her hippocampus. She struggled with the bonds, pulling against them, finally shattered and tired, she shook violently as she sobbed. "Please... these memories are the only thing I have left of my family... please..." the HYDRA doctor flinched, so she didn't know that the Avengers were still alive, searching for her. On the other side of the double sided mirror, Die Spinne leaned her head against the cool glass, Jurgen beside her. He glanced at her through his peripheral vision.

"Don't let your motherly emotions fool you into alleviating her stress... she will only stab you in the back." His thick German accent accentuated his point even further. Die Spinne looked at him, "Help me..." she begged. To anyone else, they dare suggest something like that and she would have a bullet through their head. Jurgen and her had history though, and although they decided to separate for HYDRA's best interests they still loved one another. Suddenly Die Spinne pressed a button on the comm and spoke through, letting Megan her, "They're not dead..." Megan stopped struggling, momentarily confused allowing the doctor a few moments to get into her memories.

Megan gasped as they went through her and disappeared like Steve and her children when they dusted away.

"Ok, so you hop on the squares until you reach the end and then do it again." Megan explained to her four-year olds, gesturing towards the chalk-drawn hopscotch template. Brooklyn glared down at the game, "This is boring..." Megan chuckled, looking towards her Dad for help, he simply shrugged, "They're your children, if it was up to me I would buy them the newest gaming station, what was it? A PS5?" James grinned and nodded his head enthusiastically, "This is why I don't let you get them presents except for special occasions, Dad." Tony grinned at Megan.

Megan sobbed as slowly, one by one, the memories of her children were first stripped away. All 10 of them, all 8 that were alive.

Megan laughed at Wade who was glaring at her, "Seriously Meg, Sam's refusing to talk to me about it and I know he's been having problems..." "Erecting problems... maybe he's not interested in you anymore." Megan teasingly responded and Wade intook a harsh breath, "We've only been dating for 2 months. You think so? Am I that boring?" Megan shook her head, "You are anything but boring Wilson, trust me on that." Wade grumbled, "Than what?" Suddenly Sam burst through the doors, holding up a purple box, Magnum as its title. "Maximum Pleasure, baby." He looked towards Megan, noticing her for the first time, "Oh, hey Meg..." Megan winked at Wade, leaving the two be.

Slowly, the memories of her friends seeped from her brain, the slow churning of the waves making her brain seem like oatmeal.

"Dad, I wanna know the truth..." Tony paused, his spoon lifted halfway to his mouth as he stared at Megan. "Ok... the truth..." he nodded, "How much did Bucky killing your parents hurt?" Tony sighed, "If I'm being honest..." he paused, looking at the bags underneath Megan's eyes, he couldn't do that to her... he couldn't hurt her more. "It doesn't matter, don't do this to yourself." Megan sighed, "I have to, I hope you know I haven't let neither him nor Steve off the hook for that." Tony had noticed the distance Megan had put between herself, Steve and Bucky, he slowly nodded. "Yeah, but I've forgiven Hot Tub, we're all good. So you should be too."

Another memory of her father washed to the surface as it was slowly drained from her, this time from when she was younger.

"So then Kaitlyn said, "There's no way Tony Stark is your dad" and I told her, "He is so." So now you have to come to my parent-teacher interview." Tony sighed, looking over at his 6 year old daughter, "Meg... I'm working." The little girl huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, "Seems to me like you're ALWAYS working Dad." Tony bit his lip, trying to find a way out of this. He looked over at Happy who was trying to hide his laughter as he watched father and daughter. "Hey, I know... I'll get Pepper to take you." Megan scrunched her nose, "Your assistant? Really? I told Kaitlyn that MY dad, Tony Stark would be there."