And then we were two (Tony stark's daughter fic)

Unplanned camping trips and tearful eyes

Tony was...stuck. It was worse than any drunken night he'd had. The best he could've compared it to, if he'd had the capacity to compare anything to anything, were the flashes that haunted his dreams of that first makeshift surgery in Afghanistan. Moments even approaching lucidity didn't get any further than that, a brief flash, just long enough to be confused and afraid, and then nothing. His body was moving and running on instincts...and all his instincts were survival.

Steve had kept them moving for the last three days, searching for warmth and food, doing his best to look after them both. Tony would stare at him, like he couldn't quite make sense of him. It was an odd look, coming from the genius. "Tony," he called out, earning a glance from him. "Stay close, ok? Come here," he motioned him closer fussily and snorted at Tony's frustrated expression. "Stop being one of those chopper parents, Cap," he supplied for him. "That's what you wanna say, isn't it? Can't help it. If I don't get you home in one piece your little girl is gonna kill me. I actually think she'd succeed..."

He glanced up thoughtfully, checking the sky to be sure they were going the right direction. He missed the way Tony's head snapped up at the mention of his daughter, pupils dilating back and forth as he fought against whatever drugs theyd slipped him in that water bottle.

It was no used and by the time Steve glanced down, tugged him close to his side, he was back to their new normal.

"It's gonna rain," Steve sighed worriedly. "Come on, Genius. I can't have you freezing."

They were in the plains now, great grey sky stretching out above their heads and no shelter in sight, at least not at first. Steve wanted to hit something. They'd left the cave to find food, civilization, but there was nothing to be found beyond the fish in the river he didn't dare stray too far from. It was a rule of civilization that cities were built near sources of water. Archeologists had been proving that for longer than he'd been around. With that in mind, it stood to reason, that if he followed the river they would eventually find a town. They must've been further away from civilization than he'd realized in their panicked flight as, thus far, there'd been no luck.

Something caught his eye in the distance, shiny, barely there up a tree covered hill across the plain and Steve sighed. "Let's hope that's shelter, huh Stark?" He murmured as they headed across the tall grass.

Tony was...struggling. In other circumstances it would've almost been funny but now, when they needed to find shelter in a hurry, not so much. The grass was tall, untouched by humanity, natural, and repeatedly smacking Tony in the face as he struggled to walk beside Steve.

He'd tried to pick him up, and been snarled at. He'd tried to guide him into walking in the path he left but, even drugged, Tony was stubborn. Steve laughed slightly and tried to reach out. "Tony, please? It's just you and I...you don't have anything to prove..."

If only Steve had known how much he felt he needed to prove to him. He stumbled and latched onto Steve's arm on instinct, kicking out in annoyance at the overgrown plants he couldn't seem to trample as well at Steve.

Thunder rolled above their heads and Tony moved closer immediately, looking up to the sky like a frightened child.

"It's ok," Steve whispered. "It's ok, Tony. I'm gonna pick you up now, don't bite me," he hesitated another second before doing just that and lengthening his stride across the grassy valley. For the first time, he missed Tony's wisecracks. "Kinky, Tones. You were supposed to say kinky..."

Tony didn't say a word.

It wasn't a house, was barely a shelter, but by the time they reached the dilapidated rangers station the sky had opened above their heads, drenching them to the bone.

Steve settled Tony atop the cot in the corner and began shoving furniture out of the way, blocking off a broken window before he began searching for any supplies that might've been left behind. There was a hole riddled, likely itchy, blanket. Still, it was better than nothing given the chill and Steve shook it out, smiling softly when Tony sneezed behind him. "You're adorable when you aren't being a smart ass," he laughed. "Hopefully you won't hate me for this..."

He stripped them to their scivies and wrapped the blanket around them, pressing close. Tony didn't make a sound as he was maneuvered into his arms like a toddler. "Remind me never to let you drink water or anything else from bad guys, Tones..." he sighed. "I really need you to be alright..."

"Right," Tony mumbled with great concentration.

Steve froze. "Tony?" He leaned back far enough to look him in the eyes and froze.

If Hed thought he'd looked open, eerily so, before, it was nothing to now. Tony was struggling, visibly, but not quite in control. the balance, his mind firing rapidly, though not quite in control, was painful to watch. "It's alright, Tony," he whispered. "It's alright, I'm here, ok?"

Tony's lips twitched, as if he couldn't quite gain control. He frowned up at him helplessly and tried again to no avail.

"Hey, this is progress, alright?" Steve murmured softly. "We're safe and warm for now, and you're making progress. We'll be out of here in no time."

Tony desperately hoped he was right. Speaking, his expressions, the smart remarks...they were his shields, and just then, he was torn bare.

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Shiloh slipped out of the changing room in the empty shopping mall and smoothed down the sweater with a contented sigh. In the years since that group had trapped her she hadn't been warm and comfortable once. The sweater, soft leggings, warm socks. She sighed softly, hugging her arms around herself and blinked back tears.

"Hi there..." Natasha murmured as she approached the girl. "Easy," she held up her hands, "I'm here to help. Those men you met, they're my friends..."

The young girl shifted, toes visibly curling in docked feet against the tiles beneath her. "They ok?"

"Well, we can't really find them..." Nat admitted quietly. "Those are pretty socks, are they comfortable?"

"I left them what I could..." Shiloh whispered as she took a step backward and placed one foot atop the other. "I can't be naked..."

"No, I wasn't coming down on you...you do what you gotta do to survive. I get that...what's your name?"

"Shiloh..." she mumbled down at her feet. "You're an avenger, right?"

"That's right. I'm black widow. You've got some pretty amazing powers yourself..."

"I didn't want to do those things!" The girl blubbered as she burst into tears. "I wasn't in control! It hurt! I didn't wanna do it!"

Natasha stepped nearer, her hands held out soothingly. "Woah, woah, easy. Nobody's blaming you. We aren't blaming you...how did they control you?"

"I'm a shadow," she sniffled, rubbing her cheek to her shoulders to wipe her eyes without releasing her arms from around her middle. "Though...probably shouldn't have said so..."

Natasha knew that stance. It was defensive, broken, like the pressure of her arms could somehow hold her together, hold the pieces and shards of what was left of her into place. "I'm not interested in controlling you, дорогой..." she murmured softly and inched a little nearer. "Are you hungry?"

Shiloh nodded slowly. "Next stop..." she mumbled.

The super spy nodded and offered out a hand. "How bout I handle that stop...okay?" She offered gently.

Shiloh stared at her outstretched hand, eyes flitting side to side as another tear rolled down her cheek. "N-no tricks?" She stammered hesitantly.

"No tricks," Natasha promised. "My friends are waiting, we're going to take you somewhere safe, and order some food, alright?"

Shadows shifted across her face, enveloping and releasing her like some sort of sentient cloud before she slowly uncurled one hand and reached out. "Oh, okay," she whispered.

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*Dancing* I updated I updated oh yeah oh yeah! 😂