Captain America: Age of Chaos

MIA

Weeks went by.

Natasha was barely herself anymore. You could barely get her to talk. She was growing more and more numb to the shocks.

Her mind was getting more and more blank, but somehow she held onto her identity. But that grip was about to give way.

Madam pulled her onto the chair. Madam met her gaze. "Oh my darling zima..."

"Natasha..." the captain mumbled.

"Not for long."

The contraption was lowered onto her head. Natasha didn't fight her restraints. She closed her eyes and saw the blurry faces she loved. She assumed some were her father...

She assumed the others were her team and the one alone was.. Clara.

The shocked started. Natasha cried out as she felt everything going blank.

Natasha's fists relaxed. Madam turned off the machine. She stepped in front of Natasha. "Name..."

Natasha looked madam blankly. She didn't say a word. Madam smiled. "Perfect. My darling Zima."

Natasha felt empty. Madam helped her sit up. "My beautiful... beautiful Zima."

Clara walked out the steps to her apartment. Since Hydra was gone, she was able to go back. She adjusted her skirt as she came in.

She took her coat off and felt her phone buzz. "This is Carter?"

"Hey honey. I'm downstairs. Wanna get some dinner?" Steve said.

"Oh, of course. Come on up! I'm just about to get a shower. What's the dress code?" She asked as she unlocked her door for him.

"Uh formal. We're going out for dinner with the Barnes- Wilson's." Steve said as he entered her building.

"Got it!"

Steve eventually got upstairs and saw her apartment. It was still cozy as always. He sat on the couch.

Clara got dressed and got into a formalish outfit. She stepped out as she put her earrings in.

Steve stood up. "You look very nice!" He said with a chuckle.

"Why thank you! What's the occasion for today?" She said as she pulled her jacket on.

"I'll let Sam and Buck tell you." He said.
Clara noticed the slight change in his expression. "What's with the happy sad expression?" She said gesturing to his face.

"Ah nothing. Come on let's go." He said as he went out the door, holding it for her. He closed it, and she locked it.

She sensed something was off.

She got to the dinner. She waved to Sam and Bucky. Sam stood up with a faint smile. Bucky just nodded. Under his eyes were red. Clara paused, but then sat down.

She pushed on with a smile. She took her jacket off when she caught a glimpse of two girls on a date. One looked similar to Natasha. She just shook the thought away and smiled at Sam and Bucky.

"What's the occasion? I love eating with you all, but such a nice restaurant?" She said with a chuckle.

"Oh nothing. Just wanted to hangout with you and your dad." Sam said. Clara didn't believe that at all.

"Thank you." She said as she saw Bucky adjust himself in his seat. She sensed unease.

Going further into the dinner. Everyone is eating. Clara felt the tension at the table, the soft touches between Sam and Bucky, Bucky's eyes were still red, Sam looked downcast.

Her father was dead silent. She had enough.

"What's going on..." she said. They all looked at her. "Why do you ask?" Sam said.

"You two are silent. All of you are. Bucky's eyes are red, as if he's been crying, you look downcast and keep exchanging glances with Bucky, and no one will tell me what the occasion is." She said sitting back in her chair.

"So what's going on..."

Sam sighed.

He scooted his chair back as he pulled out a bag from under his seat. He pulled out a file.

Immediately Clara did not like this. He just handed it over to her.

Clara took it into her hands. She didn't want to open it. It took all her strength to open it.

She saw Natasha's photo grayed out.

Missing In Action/ Killed in Combat

She shook her head as she read through it. "W-what do you mean MIA/ KIA?" She said as she looked at them.

Sam sighed. "The FBI, CIA, Shield, Department of Defense, Homeland Security, the navy, army, Air Force, marines and coast guard, everyone. None of them can find her." Clara closed the file and shook her head.

"No. I refuse." She said as she wiped her eyes with a towel.

"Even I've gone and looked for her." Bucky said. Clara looked at him heartbroken.

"We check all of the Hydra bases that we can find... she's not there. We even checked the red room." He said.

She gripped her skirt.

"So you're telling me... she's most likely dead?" She said with tears threatening to fall. Sam couldn't look her In the eye.

"I'm sorry..."

Clara looked to the side. Everything in her world just went silent. She stood up and held the file.

"She's not gone." She said as she looked back at them.

"She's somewhere in this world... and I don't care if anyone tells me otherwise." She said as she took a deep breath as she left the table.

She walked outside as Steve followed her. "Clara!"

She ignored him as she walked down the street. Someone bumped into her causing her to fall and drop Natasha's file. She started to gather it up, giving Steve time to catch up to her.

"Clara..." he said as he stood behind her. He held her up as he saw the tears falling down her face. "S-she doesn't deserve this..."

Clara covered her face with her hand and started to cry. Sam and Bucky started to make their way over.

"I know..." Steve said.

She just started to cry. Steve didn't know what to do. Suddenly Bucky walked over and hugged her tightly. He had tears in his eyes as he did.

Clara held onto him. "I know it's hard..." Bucky said with a soft voice.

"I want to find her so bad... I want to have here with me again. All of us do..." he blinked his tears away.

"But for now... she's missing okay?" He pulled from the hug and held her face. She just sobbed as he did.

"She doesn't deserve this." She said almost pleading.

Bucky just nodded as a tear went down his face. "I know..."

"We know." Sam said as he looked at her.

"But this is how the stories going to go until something different happens."