Cap's Twin (Howard Stark x OC)

Chapter Twenty: It's Slow... Until it's not.

"The news is loving you guys. Nobody else is." Maria told the Starks. Amelia looked down at her hands and swallowed hard. 

"Stark Relief Foundation?" Tony asked as he rubbed Amelia's back.

"Already on the scene. How's the team?" Maria said as she took in the state of one of the strongest women she has ever met.

"Everyone's...we took a hit. We'll shake it off." Amelia said as she said as she rubbed her neck. 

"Well for now I'd stay in stealth mode, and stay away from here." Maria said softly.

"So, run and hide?" Tony asked making both women nod.

"Until we can find Ultron, I don't have a lot else to offer." Maria said with a shrug.

"Neither do we." Amelia said as she stared at Bruce. She looked back at Maria. "Are the kids around?" 

"Yeah hold on." Maria said leaving the picture Amelia turned the video feed from the monitor to the iPad. She walked over to Bruce and sat down next to him unplugging his headphones from his music. His head snapped up to look at her. 

"If I can get through Howard's birthday with you. We can get you through post Hulk with some help." Amelia said softly. She set the iPad in his lap. The empty screen just annoyed him more than anything.

"Amelia I don't think-" Bruce was cut off by the sound of the kids. 

"Daddy!" Ava and Noah yelled as they came into view. 

"Hey Dad. Maria said you were feeling down. You feeling any better?" MJ asked. Tears filled Bruce's eyes and he happily smiled. 

"Yes, baby." Bruce said as Amelia leaned her head on his shoulder. "I feeling so much better." 

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"What is this place?" Thor asked looking around the farm. Amelia pulled Bruce off the Quinjet making him laugh at her antics. 

"A safe house?" Tony asked watching as his mom and Bruce walked near the front of the group. 

"Let's hope." Clint said as they walked up the stairs of the house. "Honey, I'm home. Hi. Company. Sorry I didn't call ahead." Clint's wife came around the corner and looked at the group. 

"Hey." Laura said as she smiled at everyone. Clint kissed his wife. 

"This is an agent of some kind." Tony said as Amelia stepped up and hugged Laura. 

"Gentleman, this is Laura." Clint said as Laura smiled at Amelia. Laura turned her attention to the others.

"I know all your names." Laura said. Clint's kids started to come down when Amelia started to feel overwhelmed. She smiled at Bruce who rubbed her back lightly seeming to sense something was wrong. 

"I'm okay. I'll be right back." She whispered as she moved towards the door. Steve stopped Amelia before she could leave and looked at the two men standing there looking worried. "I'm fine. I just need some air." Amelia brushed Steve's hand off and walked outside. Amelia sat down on the stairs and rubbed her neck. 

"Lia, life is going to kick you down and try and keep you there. You have to fight back you have to stand strong and remember who you are and where you are from." Her mother's voice rang in her ears as a wave of nausea hit her again. "Fighting may be all you have left when everything is going wrong be the reason everything starts going right. Swim against the stream and be different." Amelia stood up when she heard the door open.