Written in the Stars: Bucky Barnes

19. Little Brother

On May 29th, 1970 Stella sat in the hospital waiting room her knee bouncing excitedly when Howard burst through the door with a huge smile on his face. "He's here, want to come meet your little brother Ella?"

Stella nodded and followed him into the room where Maria was holding a baby bundled up in a small blue blanket. A smile spread widely across Stella's face "He's beautiful."

"Do you want to hold him?" Maria offered.

Stella nodded and walked over to take him looking down tears filling her eyes. "Hi there, Tony I'm your big sister Stella, and we are going to be best friends." 

After visiting for about an hour Stella decided to go home as she had school in the morning she had missed learning and re-enrolled taking a double major in Bio-Engineering and Medical Engineering, she hoped one day she might be able to learn something that could fix whatever had stopped her aging.

***

The years continued to pass and the other Starks aged while Stella stayed stagnant. Most would say they'd love to be forever stuck in their twenties, but Stella only saw that she would lose people over and over. She had finished her double major and was approaching finishing her medical degree. She visited home often seeing Tony grow was one of the great joys of her life. He was already showing that he was a Stark through and through as he excelled at anything you threw his way. She didn't need the Ph.D. so she left school when Howard suggested she come home so he could help her. They ran test after test, but nothing brought them any closer to answers. All scans were blown out and impossible to read, the technology just wasn't there yet. She'd have to wait, and waiting was something Stella had never enjoyed. Within the next ten years, Tony had gone to school himself at MIT and Stella noticed a strain in his relationship with Howard. It frustrated her to no end and she had many fights with Howard about how hard he was on Tony, but he never seemed to listen. Not that Tony was any better, he was just as stubborn as Howard they were cut from the same cloth. Christmas was approaching and Tony was home from school, in between parties, of course, Stella spent the entire week shopping for Christmas presents and was quite content with everything she had gotten. She stashed everything where she knew Tony wouldn't find them. Since he was a kid he always hunted down Stella's hiding spots and spoiled the surprise of his gifts. She entered the living room to say goodbye to Howard and Maria they were going on a trip and would be gone for a while. Tony was being his usual smartass self and Stella came up from behind him flicking him on the back of the head.

"Ow, the hell was that for Ella?" Tony said whipping around to look at her rubbing the back of his head.

"You're being an ass you deserve to flicked, say goodbye to mom and dad and be jolly St. Nick"

Tony rolled his eyes and said his goodbyes.

"Stella, can I talk to you?" Howard asked pulling her to the side.

"Yeah," she followed him to his study turning around to face him "what's up you're acting weird."

"I need you to make me a promise."

"After all you've done for me, anything."

"I need you to promise that no matter what happens you'll keep your brother safe. Always be at his side and protect him."

"What do you mean? Of course, I'll do that, but why are you saying all this?"

"My meddling with things may eventually catch up to me Ella, I figured out the serum I'm taking it to the pentagon tonight. I know you can take care of yourself. Tony would protect you the best he can, but he still has a lot of maturing and growing to do. I know you yell at me all the time for not showing him how much I care, but we both know how much he means to me. How much you both mean to me."

"Dad, you're scaring me, let me go with you. I can protect both of you, you know I can." Stella said tears brimming in her eyes.

"Just promise me, Stella, you may not be mine by blood, but one day I'll be gone and you'll be all each other has. You're both my kids as far as I'm concerned I want to know you'll be okay."

"I promise," Stella said nodding.

Howard pulled her into a hug kissing the top of her head "Love you kiddo,"

"Love you too dad."

They went back to the living room Stella drying her tears and doing her best to make sure no one picked up on anything. She hugged Maria goodbye and turned to Tony when they had left.

"So whatcha say Ella, how about a big party to celebrate Christmas," Tony said smirking at Stella.

"Oh hell no, last time you threw a party I took the fall for you and mom didn't talk to me for weeks."

"Please Ella just one little party a few friends I promise."

"Tony, I said no quit being a brat we're going to hang out watch bad movies and I'm going to cook dinner. Brother sister bonding time no getting out of it."

Tony groaned and threw his head back resembling a small child throwing a fit.

Stella got started in the kitchen and made her and Tony's favorite meal from when he was a kid. She called for Tony and had him set the table while she plated everything.

"Your homemade Mac N' Cheese Ella, did I ever tell you, that you're the best big sister ever?"

"I'm not giving you your present early so can it and eat Anthony," Stella chuckled shaking her head.

"Spoilsport."

The pair ate in silence and Stella forced Tony to help her clean up. After that, they went to the living room and planted themselves in front of the tv with a tub of ice cream sitting between them. The phone rang halfway into their second movie, Stella answered it and her knees buckled beneath her. Tony rushed over to her as painful sobs wracked her body, he knew how serious it was when Stella lost control of her powers and water started pouring on the two of them.

"Ella! Ella! You have to pull it together tell me what's wrong mom will kill us for the water damage."

Stella sobbed even harder and she pulled her powers back into her before whispering "they're dead."

"I'm sorry what, who's dead?"

"Mom and dad Tony, they're dead. I tried to make him let me go with them, but he wouldn't and now they're gone. I'm sorry this is all my fault."

Tony pulled away from Stella and fell back taking in the news. He looked over to his sister and could basically read the thoughts going through her head. He could see her blaming herself and grabbed her in a tight hug. All they had was each other now.

AN: To the other person voting on this story that isn't my best friend I see you, thank you it makes my day.