𝐔𝐏𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐒 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐏𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐎𝐒.

Charlie followed the noise of gunshots and smashing objects, shouts and screams, up the staircase and through the flashing alarms, gauntlet outstretched.

The pesky front strands of her hair were too short to fit in her ponytail, so they stayed tucked behind her ears.

She felt like some sort of action movie as she sprinted past empty meeting rooms, clearing hallways, arms pumping and heart racing-

A man was suddenly flung into a wall, right in front of her.

Charlie shrieked and stumbled to a stop. The man in front of her was laying on the ground, completely knocked out- and judging by the purple bruises on his neck, he'd been choked by something- or someone- remarkably strong.

Someone with a metal arm.

The Winter Soldier was somewhere around this corner, and all Charlie had to defend herself and her family was a single gauntlet.

Ah, well. She'd fought him before with less.

She rounded the corner towards the brightly lit cafeteria.

Where... Tony was charging at the Winter Soldier, dressed in his three-piece suit?

"Dad!" Charlie shrieked, watching as he fired at Bucky with a stun-burst from his gauntlet. Bucky- who hadn't been looking at him- whirled around, hair hanging in his face, and snarled.

Where was Becca? She was supposed to be stopping him!

And where the hell was Steve?!

Tony rushed him again, firing even as Bucky dodged the blast easily. Charlie watched in horror as Bucky raised a gun to her Dad's forehead, whose eyes were wide and panicked.

"DAD!" She screamed again, running forward.

There was the undeniable bang of a gun going off, and Charlie froze where she was.

No.

She closed her eyes, gasping.

Panic made her heart beat so hard that she could practically feel it moving below her shirt.

She couldn't look. She couldn't open her eyes.

Because if she opened her eyes, she was going to see her father's brains splatted across the room, and she... she couldn't handle that. Nope.

But there was a small gasp of awe and relief, and Charlie knew that voice.

She opened her eyes and saw Tony gripping the head of the gun pointed at his forehead, his gauntlet covering the barrel.

Tony had caught the bullet.

"Oh my God," Charlie said weakly. She gripped a table next to her, relief crashing down so hard that her knees had gone weak.

Until Tony yanked the gun from Bucky's hands and Bucky smacked him, sending him flying across the room-

Where he lay, crumpled against the wall.

He wasn't moving.

Charlie clamped her hands over her mouth and whimpered.

Bucky slowly turned towards her- hair hanging in his face and absolutely no humanity in his eyes- and suddenly, Charlie was hit with the realization that it was now just her and the most dangerous man in the world.

She was the only thing between the him and Tony.

Then Bucky was charging towards her like a man on a mission, and Charlie had to move-

She fired her gauntlet, panicked tears burning her eyes, and ducked as he swiped at her head with his metal arm.

She was whimpering- she knew she was, it was pathetic- but Tony was across the room, and he wasn't moving, and she had to keep Bucky away from him.

She ducked and rolled away from the metal arm inches from her neck, catching herself with her gauntlet in a three-point landing. Bucky turned, coming after her again, and she sobbed, because how was she supposed to protect her Dad when she couldn't even protect herself-

"Bucky!" Her voice cracked; she knew it wasn't going work. "Bucky, come on!"

She fired her gauntlet, distracting him long enough for her to duck under a table without him seeing.

There was a sudden dead silence. Charlie's fingertips were white as she clamped her hand over her mouth, desperately trying not to make a noise.

She desperately searched the room and finally found him. Tony was motionless against the wall, mouth slack. His eyes were closed.

She was hit with horrible realization that just a few weeks ago, these roles had been reversed.

She wanted nothing more than to run to him, make sure he was okay-

Suddenly the table was lifted above her, and thrown across the room.

The Winter Soldier stared down at her.

This time, Charlie was out of options, and she knew it. Pops was nowhere to be found, and she had literally no idea where Becca had run off to. So she pulled the last card she had, and screamed at the top of her lungs. "NATASH-!"

Bucky's metal hand reached down and grabbed her by the neck, cutting her off.

Charlie wheezed, hands clawing uselessly at his clenching fingers.

He pulled, forcing her to stand, until she was standing on her tiptoes.

With terrified panic, she realized she was choking.

The men with coarse fingertips, cutting off her airway, to force her to be quiet as they took advantage of her.

Fingers digging into her skin. Bruising her soft brown skin. Squeezing, making it impossible to beg for her Dad, or for them to leave her alone-

Black dots were blurring her vision, blurring the line between past and reality.

She stared at Bucky through tear-filled eyes.

"Please," She mouthed, hands tugging weakly at his metal grip.

His steel blue eyes were angry as they bore into hers, squeezing and squeezing. There was no humanity in them.

Her mind started going blank and her jaw went slack, sinking into Bucky's hand with nowhere else to go. Suddenly there was a loud noise and a shout, and then she was being dropped unceremoniously onto the ground.

Air rushed back into her lungs- sweet and beautiful and so, so painful. Like knives tearing through her skin, as if it had been bruised inside and out.

"Charlie, run!" It was Natasha's voice, loud and urgent.

But Charlie was choking on the oxygen that had been granted back to her- as if her body had forgotten what to do with it. Rattling gasps, her face pressed against the floor as she tried to force her limbs to move.

There were grunts and tables clattering as Natasha and Bucky fought, and Charlie tried to focus on those, willing herself not to pass out.

She weakly lifted her head, finally getting an elbow beneath her to prop her up.

Her eyes were watering too much to really see much of anything, but the panicked thought of get to Tony, get to Tony was echoing inside her brain.

"Dad," she croaked, but no noise came out. She coughed harder and forced herself to her knees, holding up a hand and gingerly touching the bruised skin of her neck.

She ignored the flashes of red and metal across the room, blurry vision tunneling towards her dad's figure, only a few feet away.

"Dad," she repeated. A mantra.

Then she was crawling towards him, across the cold marble floor.

His face was pale when she finally got to him. His eyes were still beneath the lids, and one of them was blooming black and purple. There was a thin trail of blood trickling from his slack mouth.

No.

"Dad," She said louder. Hands shaking, she touched his cheek.

His skin was warm and clammy beneath her.

He was alive.

"Thank God," she whimpered. She cupped his cheek a bit urgently, rubbing her thumb along his temple. "Dad, please wake up."

There was a flash of dark red in the corner of her eye. She spun around quickly; she was completely unprepared to get up and run if Nat and Bucky were moving the fight back her towards her.

But the girl standing there was much smaller, dressed in baggy clothes, a pant leg drenched in blood.

Brown eyes looked into hers, flickering back and forth between her Tony.

"Where were you?" Charlie breathed, fists clenching. "You kissed me, and then you just run off?"

Becca just stared at her. Charlie noticed the doll with red yarn hair she'd had earlier, sticking out of her jacket pocket.

"Really?" Charlie demanded quietly. Her voice was so very hoarse; it hurt to get the words out. "The doll? That was more important than this?"

Her hands were shaking. She was holding fists of Tony's suit jacket, Becca's blood still staining her hands.

"The book," Becca said in response. She walked a bit closer, staring at the ring of bruising blooming around Charlie's neck. She had a strange look on her face, as if she didn't know how to react to it.

"What book?" Charlie spat hoarsely. "Becca, Bucky almost killed me! He... he threw my Dad into a wall, and now he's not waking up!"

"He is alive," Becca's eyes were pensive. "I can... I can hear his heartbeat."

Charlie looked down at her Dad, breath shaking. She stroked his hair gently.

"The book has the words," Becca said.

"Girl, if you don't start making sense," Charlie snarled up at her.

"The words that can make us the Winter Soldier and the Asset," Becca said sharply.

Charlie blinked. She stared at Becca for a moment- but it wasn't like Becca would- or ever had- lied to her. "What? It's- it's a book?"

"The man who had it," Becca's eyes were narrowed. "He knows the words. He had the book. He has a plan. My brother and I did not hurt people."

"I believe you," Charlie said.

They stared at each other for a moment.

"Find your brother," Charlie said finally. "You... you can't be here. They'll come for you."

Becca nodded. "I know."

Then she shifted her feet, and took off in the other direction- towards Bucky and Natasha, and the rest of the guards.

Charlie's heart was beating so hard she could feel it through her shirt.

Her hands were stiff, curled around Tony's suit jacket. Her throat ached and the skin around it burned- and there was a deep, indescribable feeling in her chest as she watched Becca go.

She think she understood it a bit more, now. The fierce urge to protect a chaos magnet of a super-soldier from the forties.

Understanding Steve made it so much more difficult to be angry at him.

Suddenly Tony shifted, just slightly beneath her grip, and Charlie's eyes darted down.

"Dad?"

Tony let out a small groan, his eyelids fluttering weakly.

"Dad," she repeated. She placed her hands on his face again, patting gently. Her voice cracked, "Please, please, please wake up."

Tony's hand flopped against hers as he groaned louder this time, eyes opening fully. He looked disoriented, for sure- and he had one killer bruise of a black eye- but as he stared at her for a couple moments, he seemed to be finally walking up.

She frantically brushed the hair from his eyes, leaving a red trail across his forehead.

She swore and wiped her hands on her pants, making a mental note to burn them when she got home.

"Are you okay?" Tony croaked, eyes suddenly alert. His gaze suddenly darted to the blood and he blanched, scrambling to sit up. "Is that blood?"

"It's not mine!" Charlie said quickly, but Tony wasn't listening. He grabbed her hands, nearly listing to the side with the movement.

"Where is it coming from?" He asked, voice clearly panicked. "Charlie, where are you hurt-"

"It's not mine!" Charlie insisted. "Dad, just look at me for a second!"

Tony looked up, gripping her hands like a lifeline.

"It's Becca's," Charlie said slowly. "She was shot, I helped her get the bullet out. She's stopping Bucky right now. But that's not important- are you okay?"

Tony rotated his neck, groaning. "I've definitely been better. My eye hurts like a bitch, but I don't think I'm concussed. Wait- are you hurt at all?"

She bit back a wince, not wanting Tony to freak out when he inevitably saw the bruising on her neck- but speaking hurt so fucking bad.

But Tony noticed- of course he did- and Charlie watched as his face fell into one of horror.

"Your neck," he said, in that awful voice that made Charlie want to avoid his eyes.

"It's okay," Charlie said quickly, even though words came out cracked and warbled.

Tony so, so gently ran his fingers along the marks. "Baby... what happened?"

She didn't want to tell him.

But his eyes were so pleading and so sad that she knew she had to. "It was Bucky. He- you got thrown into the wall, and you weren't waking up..."

Her voice trailed off and she cleared her throat, wincing painfully again her will. "I had to keep him away from you. I... I needed to protect you."

"Oh, Charlie," Tony whispered. "That's not- I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault-"

Tony shook his head furiously. "Nope. Bubs, we've talked about this. Extensively. Your top priority in these kinds of situations needs to be yourself. You should have run."

"You know I couldn't do that," Charlie muttered. Her Dad's calloused hands were gently rubbing her hair out of her face, and  she couldn't help but lean into the touch.

"I couldn't do that," She repeated. "I'm always going to protect you. And if you try to stop me, I'm going to find a way- with or without your help."

Tony stared at her.

"I know," he sighed, after a long pause. "I know, honey. You're too much like your parents."

"Yeah, I think I'm starting to get that." Charlie looked down.

Tony's eyes were narrowed. "Something happened."

"What?"

"Something happened. With the Barnes, there's something you're not telling me. What happened?"

"Becca said there's a book," Charlie gestured towards the hallways. She reached a hand up to try to massage her throat, but it only caused her more pain. "With trigger words, or something. She said the man with the book had a plan, to make her and Bucky and Winter Soldier and the Asset again."

Tony snorted. "Yeah, well, it worked. Clearly."

"And..." Charlie avoided Tony's eyes. "Becca kissed me."

Tony made a sputtering noise, his eyes popping out of his skull. "I- what?"

"We don't need to talk about it," Charlie said quickly, even though her heart was pounding out of her chest and her lips were still tingling.

Although that might be from the choking rather than the nerves.

"No-" Tony held his hands up, clearly trying to get his bearings. "Absolutely, we can talk about it- I'm just- are you okay?"

He was asking about Afghanistan, she knew. After her assault, something like that could be jarring.

"It was my first kiss," Charlie blurted.

I don't count the ones in Afghanistan. This one was mine.

Tony looked like he was about to combust.

"How do you feel about it?" He said, strained. His eye twitched. "I mean- did you want- was it- was it a good kiss?"

"It was entirely consensual, if that's what you're asking." Charlie assured him. Tony nodded firmly. "And... it was good, I guess, I don't know. Not like I've done it before. But...I'm starting to understand more about Pops wanting to protect the Barnes so bad."

Tony looked down at that. Then, hesitantly- "Where is Steve right now?"

Charlie felt a hitch in her bruised throat. "I don't know."

"I do."

It was Natasha.

She stood in the doorway, looking dusty and exhausted and about two seconds from collapsing- but her green eyes were as alert as ever.

Tony stood, holding her gaze. There was something pleading in it.

But Charlie knew before she even spoke.

"He ran off with Barnes," she said quietly. "I'm sorry."

Oh.

Steve had left.

Charlie felt numb.

She'd known it was coming, deep down. They'd grown apart, over the past couple of years. Ever since he'd found the Barnes he'd been looking for something.

She hadn't been enough for him.

Her father had abandoned her.

"You okay?"

She could feel Tony's eyes on her. She was hugging her knees close to her chest, resting her chin on top of them.

"No," she whispered.

She wasn't. And she was far, far too tired to lie.

Tears had been burning her eyes for a while now, but none of them had fallen. Her throat hurt and her heart ached and her Pops had left her.

"What happens now?" She looked at him, eyes hot and lip trembling.

"I don't know," Tony said quietly. His hands were unmoving against the conference room table.

It was unnerving, how still he was.

He was angry.

"He's not coming home," Charlie said. That was obvious, and she knew it, but she still felt like she had to say it out loud.

Tony shook head his slowly, teeth gritted. "No. He's not."

Whether it would be Steve's choice or not, Charlie didn't now.

She could see him running back to them- telling Tony he was "doing the right thing" with stupid, self-righteous look on his face and reckless pride sewn into his gut.

But she also knew that Steve finally had what he wanted, and the chances of him giving it up were close to none.

A tall figure entered the doorway. Charlie didn't look up.

"I don't suppose you have any idea where they are?" Ross said.

"Go to hell," Charlie muttered, glaring at the ground.

"We'll figure out where they are," Tony interrupted her. "GSG-9's got the borders covered. Recon's flying 24/7. They'll get a hit. We'll handle it."

Fuck.

Her parent's marriage was ending, and they still had to worry about the Accords.

"You don't get it, Stark." Ross said angrily. "It's not yours to handle. It's clear you can't be objective. I'm putting Special Ops on this."

Nat sat at at the end of the room, hands clasped on the table. Her face was emotionless as she tilted her head. "What happens when the shooting starts? What, do you kill Steve Rogers?"

Charlie's head shot up.

Ross didn't seem all too bothered, the son of a bitch. "If we're provoked."

"You're not shooting my father," Charlie snarled, words muffled with her face pressed against her knee. A hot tear dripped down her cheek.

"Barnes would've been eliminated in Romania if it wasn't for Rogers," Ross said, as if that was any better. "There are dead people who would be alive now. Feel free to check my math."

Tony was sitting the way he did when he was in court, convincing the other party he was doing them a favor. "All due respect, you're not going to solve this with boys in bullets, Ross. You gotta let us bring them in."

"How would that end any differently from the last time?"

"Because this time," Tony snapped, "I won't be wearing loafers and a silk shirt. 72 hours, guaranteed."

"36 hours,"  Ross shot back. "Barnes. Rogers. Wilson."

Tony nodded stiffly. "Thank you, sir."

Ross left the room and Tony slumped in his chair, exhaling.

Natasha was standing now. Charlie watched her slowly pace across the room.

"My left arm is numb, is that normal?" Tony rubbed the arc reactor through his half-buttoned shirt.

Nat patted him on the shoulder. "You alright?"

Tony glanced at Charlie, who was looking at her curled up knees with a pinched faced and tear-filled eyes.

"Always," he said quietly, not quite looking at Natasha. "36 hours, jeez."

"We still have to bring them in?" Charlie's voice was thick.

"It's not too late for them to sign," Tony said. "If we can get them to do that, at least, the Avengers can stay together and we can start to make negotiations."

Natasha muttered, "We're seriously understaffed."

Tony laughed bitterly. "Oh, yeah. It'd be great if we had a Hulk right about now. Any shot?"

Charlie looked up at the mention of Bruce.

"No," Nat said unhappily. "You really think he'd be on our side?"

"No..."

Suddenly something flickered in Nat's eyes. "I have an idea."

Tony glanced up. "Me too. Where's yours?"

Natasha tilted her head, eyes narrowing. "Downstairs?... Where's yours?"

Tony slowly turned towards Charlie, smiling wickedly.

Charlie looked at him indignantly. "What?"

"I think it's time to pay your friend in Queens a little visit," Tony said, and why was he grinning like that?

Queens. Who was in Queens?

It only took a couple seconds for it to register, and Charlie quickly sat up, gasping. "No. How did you-"

Tony just smirked.

A/N:

AHHH PETER'S COMING OMG OMG OMGGG

On a more depressing note, Steve left, and Charlie is going to be thoroughly fucked up about it.

But Charlie is really understanding him more, because she feels that sense of urgency to protect Becca the same way Steve does with Bucky.

Next chapter is in queens, recurring Peter! I'm SO excited about it. He's gonna be all protective and Charlie's gonna be going through it and it's gonna be really funny.

On an entirely different note: have any other tiktok editors been having problems recently? my account has had pretty much no interaction for about two months now, and it's really depressing. I know a bunch of people are getting banned. Anyone else?

Drink some water and let me know what you think!