The Captain and Stark's Sister (Avengers/Captain America Fanfiction)

Awake

It took them over eight hours to get Clara stable.

Eight hours of Tony pacing in the corridor as he waited for Pepper to arrive as he silently cussed out his sister for being a God damned idiot. The rest of the Avengers (except for Steve, who was no where to be found) just watched him. Pepper finally arrived and made him sit down as she gave him some coffee and held his hand as silent tears rolled down his face.

Eight hours of Natasha gripping Clint's hand as she tapped her foot against the ground, murmuring something in Russian that only Clint understood. The Archer soothingly rubbed circles into her palm with his thumb, trying not to worry over Clara. Occasionly, he would nod and respond.

Eight hours of Bruce working on Clara with some SHIELD doctors. He pushed the thought of the chances of her dying as he worked and worked. He was the one who pulled the bullet out of her shoulder and stitched up her wounds. He was the one, all bloody, who came out and told Tony, Pepper, Natasha, and Clint that Clara was finally stable. Tony rushed into the room and inhaled sharply.

His baby sister was laying on the bed, tubes coming in and out of her body. Her has cut short, barely going past her ears. Clara's skin blended in with white sheets. Her hands were at her sides and were bandaged up. She had a bandage around her head that was already stained with blood. He couldn't move as if his shoes were filled with cement. Pepper came in after him and gasped softly. Tony gripped the hospital bed and clenched his jaw.

"Pepper can you give us a miunute?" Tony asks, his eyes not leaving his sister. Pepper frowned and looked at the floor. She couldn't imagine how Tony felt at the moment so she just nodded and walked out of the room, stuffing the door behind her.

"Why did you do that?" His voice was thick with emotion as he sat on her bed. "You know we could've helped. I know you wanted to kill him yourself and, Hell, I wanted to kill him for hurting you, but what you did, that's not you. The Clara I know wouldn't have killed all those innocent people. She would've just taken out Jace," He put his hand ontop on her bandaged one. "And gotten out of there. What's going on with you, sis?"

-

Why did she had to be so stupid?

Steve punched the punching bag hard as thoughts ran through his head. He was the only one in this gym he found on base. The Captain hit the bag again and again, each time it swung a bit more.

Punch. Punch. Punch.

Steve had dreamed about them occasionally. Him and Clara. Clara and him. He thought about the future they might have together, if there was a future.

Punch. Punch.

He could see them getting married, living together in a house in New York with a few kids with blonde hair and blue eyes running around. Steve could imagine Clara telling stories to their children as Steve leaned against the doorway and listened. He imagined Clara sleeping next him, curled up in his arms as they slept without a nightmare.

Punch.

But he could also imagine a coffin. He could imagine Clara dead and cold in a wooden box. Her death ranging from suicide to her powers consuming her or her dying on a mission she had to take. He could see Tony crying at he laid a white rose on his sister's coffin.

Punch. Punch. Punch. Punch.

He could see him with those kids, holding them as they all watched her getting lowered into the ground, his children whimpering as their mother disappeared.

Punch. Punch. Pun-

The punching bag flew across the room and opened up as it hit the wall, sand pouring out onto the floor. The Captain panted and picked up another punching bag.

-

Tony sat next to Clara's bed, his hand still holding hers as he states at the wall across from him. The room was quite. The only noises were Tony's breathing, the machines keeping Clara alive, and her forced breathing. Tony shifted in the chair, his free hand running through his hair, pushing it back. Their fellow teammates had already come in briefly to check on their fellow member, but left the two siblings alone. Even Pepper had gone back to the tower after she saw Clara in her current state. No one wanted to see her like that, especially Tony, but he needed to stay next to his sister. He couldn't lose her. Not now.

She was too young to....to die.

Tony listened to his sister's breathing. His thumb rubbed circles into the back of her hand. The older Stark stayed quiet and just listened to her. He had been in this seat so many times. Sitting next to his sister as she laid in a hospital bed. He hated next to her like this, not being able to help her, but it had taught to notice some things.

Like the change in her breathing when she was awake.

"You are an idiot, Clara Juliette Stark." He murmured. The woman in the bed next to him smiled weakly.

"Takes one to know one, Anthony Edward Stark."