Deception || Steve Rogers Daughter

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Peter hadn't left his room in four days, even with all of May's attempted convincing. He couldn't pull himself to do it. He closes his eyes as a new wave of pain fills his veins, the tears gathering in his eyes once again. How could there be more tears? Hadn't he cried for days now?

Steve punches the bag harder, slamming his fist into it as he pictured his ex-wife's face. Normally, Steve wouldn't condone hitting a woman but this time, he was going to make the exception. Steve swings again, sending the punching bag across the room with a loud crash. He hadn't even noticed that he was crying again. 

A sob racks through his body as Steve's knees give out for the second time that night. He hadn't slept in days, could barely force himself to eat, and he sure as hell hadn't given his location to the other Avengers. He couldn't face them now, he couldn't see their sympathy filled expressions or the pity they shoved towards him. 

"Anything?" Natasha questions while looking over Tony's shoulder, they'd been working together for days to try and track down the Captain. 

"No." Tony sighs while rubbing his chin. "It's like he's jumped off the face of the earth, which I don't understand because it's Steve."

"What about the kid?" Clint questions from across the room. "Have you talked to him?"

"No, I'm talking with his aunt," Tony admits while pushing his chair to the other end of the desk, checking a different monitor as if it'd changed in the past five minutes. "He isn't doing well either but he at least hasn't disappeared." 

"His daughter died because of his ex-wife." Bruce scoffs while looking at Tony from the other side of the desk that they both occupied. "You would react the same way, Tony." 

"We're not talking about me," Tony grumbles and rests his head on his fist. He was worried about Steve, he shouldn't have to go through this one his own. He was also worried that Steve would try to take on Jean on his own.

Peter rolls over, his body stiff from not moving in a couple of days. His head felt cloudy and his eyes were heavy from crying, he missed her so much. Peter weakly punches his pillow and curls into himself again, life seemed so empty without her.

Everyone kept telling him that he'd eventually move on, that they were teenagers, he'd find someone else. Peter didn't want anyone else. Emma was someone he could talk to, vent to, and she could do the same to him. They fit together perfectly and understood one another. She even trusted him enough to talk about the nightmares, which he'd been helping her through before everything had gone to shit. 

May opens the door and sticks her head in, a sandwich in her hand. "Peter, you have to eat." Peter doesn't reply and continues to stare at the wall, she'd leave eventually. She always did. May sighs and places the plate next to the untouched one from the last meal she'd dropped off. Slowly, she sits on the bed next to him. Peter immediately turns around to hug her, a new wave of tears falling on his cheeks. "I know it hurts." 

"How did you do it?" Peter sobs as she pulls him closer. "How?" 

"I had you," May whispers and kisses his forehead. "And you have me, okay? We'll get through this, together." 

Steve stood on the balcony of whatever building he'd taken refuge in with the sunset glowing around him. His body shuddered with the sobs that he was trying to hold in. Originally, Steve had planned to find Jean and kill her himself. He wanted nothing more than to see her suffer like he had been the past couple of days. 

He was alone as his eyes overlooked the mountains before him, his mind racing. Though one question stood out from the rest, what the hell was he supposed to do now? His daughter was dead, his ex-wife lived, and the world felt like complete shit. 

"Dad?" Her voice was quiet and reserved like she was scared to shock him. Steve shakes his head, he'd been hearing her voice since Jean had stabbed her. He was going crazy. "Dad, turn around please." 

Slowly, Steve turns to see her standing there. She was dressed in a sweater, leggings, and tennis shoes. Her hair was loose around her shoulders and her eyes were behind a pair of glasses. She looked normal, despite the brace on her knee and the bruises on her face. Steve stands there, his eyes not knowing what to focus on. 

"I'm dead," Steve whispers.

"No, you're not." Emma chuckles while slowly walking forward. "And I'm sorry I made you think I was." 

"What?" He demands, this had happened twice now.

"Jean had to think I was dead so I could get inside and stop her once and for all." Emma shakes her head. "Fury planned it since I came to that fight, I've been hiding in SHIELD for weeks." 

"That son of a-"

"We were going to tell you." Emma interrupts before he could continue. "We were going to tell everyone but Jean had eyes on you all, if you weren't upset enough...she would've known." 

"Where is she now?" Steve questions, still in awe that Emma was there, right in front of him. 

"SHIELD custody, awaiting the death penalty." Emma shrugs. "As is most of her accomplices, we were able to get them all." 

"So you're here? Really here?" Steve inquires while slowly placing his hand on her shoulder, scared that she might disappear at his touch. 

"I'm here." Emma smiles as tears gather in her eyes. "And I'd really like to get to know you." 

Steve lets out a small sob before pulling her into his arms, she hugs him back with the same intensity. This had been long overdue, they both knew it. "Oh my god, the kid." 

"What kid?" Emma demands while pulling away from him. "You have another kid?!"

"No, that guy you liked? The Spider?!" Steve elaborates. Emma sighs and runs a hand through her hair. 

"Shit." She whispers. "I totally forgot to meet Peter at the movies!"

"What?" Steve furrows his eyebrows in confusion. "I meant the part where you died."

"Oh, he knew about that." Emma waves him off with a small chuckle. "I couldn't have him moving on! I made it up to him by promising a date a few days ago and I totally blew him off!"

"So the updates that Tony's been sending me...?" He trails off.

"Acting and probably the sadness of me ditching him." Emma sighs. "I'll have to make it up to him later, for right now, you and I have a lot of catching up to do. Without Hydra interrupting us." 

"I'd like that." Steve chuckles while running a hand through his hair. "But I should probably call the Avengers, they uh...I probably worried them." 

"You did much more than that," Emma grumbles under her breath. "Fury has been pissed, it took a lot to track you down. Props, by the way." 

"Thank you?" Steve whispers.

"You're welcome, come on, I have lunch waiting in your room." 

=======================

I tricked you, didn't I? 

Not sure how much I like this 'cause I REALLY wanted to rip your hearts out but I decided since it's the holidays, I'll be nice. Though I couldn't be nice without a little hurt hehe.

Anywho, hope you all had a lovely holiday/upcoming new year!

-Author Out

PS. sorry this took so long, I was debating how to write this for EVER