Retribution ★ Avengers

You're A Real Bitch

"What do you mean Charlie has abilities?"

Marlena rolled her eyes and plopped down on the couch beside Bucky, careful not to spill her glass of champagne on her clothes. She took a sip and looked at Steve, who held a rather perturbed expression on his face. This was the reason Marlena decided to wait until after dinner to break the news to all of them. Of course, she only planned on informing Wanda of the matter, but as Bucky reminded her earlier, Sam, Tony, and Steve deserved to know as well, as the three of them were incredibly important to each member of the Barnes family. She just wasn't sure if she would be looking to them for help as she originally planned to, however.

"How many more times do I need to repeat myself?" Marlena scoffed and took another sip of champagne. "My three-year-old daughter is capable of reading minds and telekinesis. I don't know how or why it's happening, but it is, and I am incredibly alarmed because of it."

"As am I," Bucky followed.

Sam furrowed his brows at this information. "So, what you're saying is that little Claire is developing a set of abilities similar to yours and Wanda's?"

Marlena nodded. "As they continue to develop, I believe you'll find them to be a bit more than similar. I don't trust that within the next few weeks she won't be trying to hex me out of existence."

"What have you done about this so far?" Steve asked the couple.

"Marlena gave her a suppressor," Bucky breathed out and looked at Tony. "Apparently Tony sends them to her, and apparently they come in the form of a tablet now."

"It was a good idea at the time," Tony defended himself.

Steve was slightly taken back by this information. He was a witness during the time in which Marlena was forced on the suppressors. He remembered everything effected during that time, and he worried the suppressors would have the same effect on his niece as they did on Marlena.

Marlena, however, could not ignore her closest friend's thoughts. If anything, they only annoyed her. Steve knew Marlena better than to think she would ever put her daughter at risk that way.

"Before you get too out-of-sorts about the situation, Steve, stop and take the time to think that you know me, and you know me better than to believe I would ever put my daughter at risk the way I was all those years ago," Marlena said to him. "The tablets contain a trace amount of Tony's suppression compound, so they don't have the same effect on the body as they used to. Tony constructed them specifically to make sure Wanda and I could be our normal, functional selves after taking them. The worst they'll do is put you to sleep for a few hours."

"I didn't know," Steve defended himself.

Marlena rolled her eyes and finished off her drink. "Clearly."

"You're a real bitch when you drink, did you know that?" Sam chimed in.

"No, but thank you for pointing it out," Marlena replied sarcastically. "Now, if you guys wouldn't mind helping me figure out how this is even possible, I would really appreciate it."

"DNA."

Marlena looked over at Tony with furrowed brows, but wasn't allowed the chance to respond before Bucky spoke.

"It makes sense," he started. "I remember you saying the reason Marlena couldn't get rid of her abilities in the first place had to do with the fact they were ingrained into her DNA. Your abilities are part of your biological makeup, Marlena."

"How the hell did I forget that?" Marlena grumbled.

Steve chuckled and looked at Bucky. "Don't forget your abilities are as well, Buck. You may have a lot more to be worried about than just Charlie."