Helena Stark: A WWII Survivor

chapter fourteen: Sorrow

"Where is your lesser half?" Peggy asked, and I rolled my eyes. Steve and I have been going steady for many months now, and it has been quite the whirlwind.

"He's my better half," I responded.

"Men," Peggy said with an eye-roll.

"He's away on a mission," I explained. "Something to do with a man named Rumlow, but that's all they would tell me."

"Why don't they bring you with?" Peggy questioned. 

"Tony said that I was too valuable to risk in a fire-fight," I said.

"I don't know about you, but that doesn't sound as flattering as he thinks it sounds," Peggy said with a knowing look. 

"I'm not a superhero, Peg," I told her.

"No, you're even better," Peggy said.

"Oh, really?"

"You're a mother." 

"For some reason, I don't think that would help my wanting to help more than just make cool toys," I told with a wry smile. 

"Why won't Steve let you help?" Peggy asked, and I gave her a look. "He doesn't want to risk your safety, does he? What, does he think you're made of glass?" 

"I'm a mechanic," I said.

"Most mechanics don't have excellent marksmanship," Peggy reminded.

"Just because I'm good with a gun doesn't mean I'm suited for their team," I replied.

"You're bored," Peggy said dryly. 

"What gives you that idea?" 

"You've already made more Iron suits for your nephew than they know what to do with," Peggy began. "You've already improved all of the Avengers' 'toys' as you call them. Not to mention, designed three Iron suits for women."

"Two of which blew up."

"One works."

"It's pink!" 

"It only blew up a little bit." 

"Why don't you design another Iron Lady suit?" Peggy asked.

"Iron Lady?" I questioned.

"Sounds better than Iron Woman," Peggy said. 

"It sounds like rubbish."

"Both are better than Iron Girl."

"You're being ridiculous!" I said while trying not to laugh, Peggy started laughing though, and that just sent me over the edge. We both ended up laughing hysterically, at least until Peggy had an episode. I quickly got her some water, but by then, she was already gone.

"Helena!" Peggy said as she grasped my hand tightly. "I knew you were alive! I was just telling your little Rosemary yesterday that her Mama would be coming home before she knew it. Howard was so angry with me, but I was right! That man owes me one-hundred pounds." 

"It's so good to see you, Peg," I said gently as I smiled at her sadly. "You have no idea how much I missed you."

"If only you could bring back Steve," Peggy said sadly. "But, I have another young man you should meet!"

"It better not be Agent Thompson," I said brightly. 

Peggy made a face, "Howard would faint if you dated that idiot. Shame that Mr. Jarvis is married, Mrs. Jarvis is a lucky lady. They will both be so happy that you're alive and well." Our conversation continued in the past, little did I know that the conversation about Howard's new lady Maria would be the last conversation I ever had with Peggy. 

~*~

"Hey," I whispered to Steve over the new video that Tony had introduced to us. "I saw the news, are you guys alright?" 

"We're alive," Steve said bitterly.

"How is Wanda?" I asked gently. I had grown very close with the young woman, she was like the daughter I never had the opportunity to raise. And Vision was like a little boy in a grown man's body. 

"She's asleep," Steve said. "I think. She didn't handle it well."

"It's not her fault," I said fiercely. "The news are blaming her for a terrorist attack. The casualties would have been far higher if she hadn't stepped in. You would have been one of them."

"The media doesn't care about that," Steve said.

"They just want a scapegoat," I said angrily. 

"How was your afternoon with Peggy?" Steve asked as he quickly changed the topic.

"Alright, until she had one of her episodes," I said.

"When did she go to?" Steve asked, already knowing.

"A few years after I was captured," I said softly. "We talked about Maria and Howard, until visiting hours were over. She was so happy, she said that she had gotten her best friend back."

"We both did," Steve said sweetly.

"You are rather cheesy," I said blushing. 

"We just lost so much," Steve said as he began to get serious again. 

"But it looks like things worked out," I said gently. 

"Some days I wonder if they really did," Steve said bitterly. 

"Hey, don't be talking like that now," I told him. "We both know what it's like to have things happen you couldn't predict. People die, and I think what you're going through now is just temporary."

"It doesn't feel like that for Wanda," Steve said. 

"I saw the videos, before they got taken down," I told Steve. "That man, his entire goal was to take you out, and everyone with him. He didn't have the weapon, Steve, but he knew you would follow him to a very public place."

"People died, Helena," Steve said. 

"I did the calculations," I said gently. "Wanda contained a large part of that blast, it would've taken out everyone around you guys, plus the surrounding buildings."

"You're telling me it could've been worse," Steve said. 

"I'm telling you that what you all do, it's worth it."

"I wish you'd accept Tony's offer," Steve said.

I rolled my eyes, "I'm no superhero."

"You could be."

~*~

I knelt down in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C. The first mass of the day was at seven a.m., and they let people in early to pray. I gazed at the golden domes, and found comfort in the beauty. Whenever I had the chance, I would visit this church before I went to see Peggy. 

Sharon Carter had tried to call me right as I entered the church, but I figured I could call her back after mass. The news was frantic this morning with what had happened, and the things they were saying about the Avengers, it made me glad I never joined like Tony wanted. 

Mass proceeded as it does now, so vastly different than what it was like during the war. I found out many things changed after the Second Vatican Council, so much that this Ordinary Form, as they call it, seemed foreign to me. At least compared to what I grew to love. 

Usually, I attend what people call the Extraordinary Form, but it was hard to find. Not to mention, very few of the churches were as beautiful as the Basilica. Mass went by quickly, far faster than I remembered. When I stepped outside into the brightness of a new day, I checked my phone to see ten calls from Sharon. 

Dread filled my body as I quickly called the woman back, it didn't even finish ringing when she picked up, "Helena?"

"Sharon, what's wrong? You've called me ten times," I said with concern.

"It's Aunt Peggy," Sharon said. 

"Is she okay?" 

"She's gone." 

~*~