Steve's POV

"Did you see the way Cap fell on his ass? I really wish i got that on camera. " Clint said laughing mockingly at me and tapping Parker who laughed as well.

"He talks like he wasn't taken out as well. Don't be so quick to judge Clint." Rhodes contributed with a smile plastered on his injured face.

"Yeah, Barton that was funny. Unlike how you went right into that ditch and couldn't get out. I wonder who saved your ass!" I said picking up a bottle of wine and a glass.

"For gosh sake, watch your language! " Tony said giving me and Barton a stupidly serious face.

It had been two days since the fight at Milwaukee and everything was back to the way they were except Ellesmere.

She went totally silent. Never saying a word to anyone even Jane. She didn't look depressed even though Tony suggested her mood was caused by depression. She hardly came out of her room if not at all.

Jane and Anne had been with us to help soothe Ellesmere but she barely paid attention to anyone or anything. She became a snob, pretending she knew no one. I guessed it was because she felt guilty for what happened to Sam.

She had brutally injured him, he had a large cut from his lower back to his neck. His kneecaps were broken and so were three of his fingers. He was in bad shape and we had sent him to Korea.

Everyone tried their best to make Elles talk but it was all pointless. The only person she would stare at was Thor.

"I wasn't stuck in a ditch. That's false." Clint protested.

"I'm a witness." Rhodes said slightly tapping his wine glass on the table.

"That's not enough. You can't make a case with just one witness." Clint said punching my left arm gently.

We both laughed then stood up to join Widow outside. She was another gloomy face around. Widow never showed her emotions, she was Natasha Romanoff.

Since she got back, she always watched Jane like a hawk. She told us Jane had the Orb and Jane didn't deny it. She confessed to have picked it up out of curiosity during the time that she had visited Asgard.

She said she'd kept it safe ever since and had been studying it. It was a formidable weapon. Capable of stilling time, taking one's will away from them, causing chaos like major natural disasters. It could also bestow great power on whoever knew how to wield it. And it seemed that this "Tigrahn " dude knew how. We best kept the Orb away from him.

"Nat, you okay?" Clint asked as we both stood at her sides. She looked disturbed not her usual poker self.

"I've just been thinking. There's something going on that we don't know about." She said without looking at any of us.

"What do you mean?" I asked folding my arms across my chest.

She turned to face me. "Do you notice any genetic similarity between Jane and Ellesmere? "

"Absolutely not. Jane's a brunette, of average height, brown eyes, weirdo but great personality. Current is Barbie doll blonde, Amazonian jungle girl stature, lovely eyes, smart, badass, cool, fearless, sarcastic, keep em coming." Tony piped in from behind us swinging his arm aimlessly as he mentioned Ellesmere's traits.

"Yet they claim to be family. But i know that's not true." Widow said then gave me an unintended sharp look. Almost threatening. That's Widow for you.

"Its not weird if family members don't look like one another." I said.

"Yes but the difference is so big." Nat stated.

"You think they're lying?" Clint asked.

"Maybe. But she's similar to her braniac friend. " Tony said trying to remember Anne's name.

"I had no idea that Jane had a niece." Clint said.

"No one did. Not even Thor." I said.

We all managed to lure Nat back in to join the small gathering that was forming. Bruce, Vision, Wanda, Thor, Jane and Anne had joined Rhodes and Parker in the living room but she was missing. . . As usual.

"How many glasses of wine can the Hulk take to get high?" Tony asked doing his diva move to go sit next to Bruce. Poor Banner.

Tony was always picking on him at the slightest chance he got.

"I don't think that's a good question Tony." Wanda said. She had recovered really fast much to everyone's surprise. She was hit on the head pretty bad enough to have a brain tumor.

"Why don't you try getting drunk sometime? It's fun and plus, i'd like to see you break stuff going grr at everyone." Tony suggested pouring Bruce a glass of wine which he oddly accepted.

"Unlike you, Stark. Not everyone prioritizes pleasure." I said but he shrugged off my statement.

"I'm a genius, He's a genius, unlike the rest of you in this room. He deserves it." Tony said cheering to Bruce who did the same and they both took a sip.

"I can hardly imagine Bruce and Tony living together during College years." Widow chirped in and earned a small uproar of laughter from Jane, Clint , Anne and Rhodes.

"I wouldn't make it through the first year with my full sanity." Bruce added chuckling softly.

"He'd get you to drink before exams. And k wonder how that'll turn out." I said making the laughter increase.

"You're just jealous of me, Cap. I mean, take a look around." Tony said unbuttoning his jacket.

"Here we go!" Rhodes said in between his teeth. Clint muffled a laugh at that.

"Who's the brains of this outfit?" Tony asked.

"Your designer? "Parker answered for the first time since and everyone burst out laughing.

Tony rolled his eyes at Parker. "I mean literally, the Tower was my idea and so is everything else here."

"Including the wine!!" Clint said punching fists with Nat. Everyone laughed again.

"We all know you thought everything out. But i wonder if you ever think of giving your suit a wash yourself." Thor said.

"I wonder if you give your suit a wash." Tony fired back.

"Oh, I do." Thor replied sipping his wine.

"Why wash with your hands when you've got the Iron Legion to do it?" Nat said causing another uproar of laughter.

Tony kissed his teeth. "The Iron Legion don't do laundry."

"They cook then. I hear they make good omelettes!" Bruce joked quietly earning another uproar. It was becoming a fun showdown - Tony against the rest of us.

"I'm starting to think that this is a gang up." Tony said faking a sad face.

"Oh, we love you Tony but i think you love yourself more than we do." Nat said and Tony nodded.

"Quite true. Thanks, Widow! "

"It wasn't a compliment! " She said.

Everyone suddenly erupted into different discussions with one another and didn't notice a presence amongst us.

Only when Peter stood up that every head turned towards the door at the far end of the room. It was Elles. She looked Raggedy Ann .Okay, I did not just say that , did I?

Her hair was unbelievably long forming a tangle below her waist and around her arm, she wore a clean white sleeved shirt and Blue Jeans with white splatters on each pocket. She was barefoot and looked around wide eyed. It was as if she didn't recognize anyone or anything.

Tony was the first to walk up to her. He seemed to care a lot about her and he didn't deny it when anyone asked him. I was proud, at least he cared for someone other than himself.

He placed a hand on her cheek but her eyes scanned him thoroughly as if looking for anything familiar.

"You okay, Kid?" He asked and everyone heard because of how quiet the room had gotten.

Jane and Anne were the next to stand up. I didn't want to judge her for what she did, no one did. She wasn't in her right mind then but i knew something was off with her. I shared Widow's suspicions but i didn't want to show it. Not yet.

"Elles, how are you feeling?"Anne asked going to hold her hand. She looked at her the same way she did Tony.

"What's the matter, dear? "Jane asked walking towards her. Even from the distance between us, i could tell she stared at Thor for a while before her gaze flickered back to the threesome in front of her.

What was it between them anyway?

"I think she needs to rest again." Anne suggested making Elles shake her head.

"I don't want to rest anymore." She objected then after a long pause, asked a surprising question.

"Can I join you guys?"

"Of course. You're my successor. I mean, after me, you're next in line to inherit the Tower. If, Friday decides to evolve like Vision here." Tony said mumbling the last sentence while gently pulling Elles towards the sofa.

Again her eyes shot to Thor then back to Bruce. An apologetic look formed on her face when she saw him. She sat next to him. "I'm sorry, Bruce!"

He put his arm around her, "It's fine. Everyone gets a chance to lose their mind once in a while!" He said and she smiled for the first time in two days.

"And i'm going to lose mine, if Tony doesn't get his red metal mannequin off my front door." Anne warned out of frustration.

The Iron Man suit always stood in front of Anne's door giving her a good fright each time she comes out.

"It's in Sentry mode. Besides, i'm sure Friday likes you." Tony said sitting next to me with his left hand securely around Ellesmere's.

"Who's Friday?" Anne asked looking puzzled probably because she knew no one in the room bore the name.

"His AI system. The one that controls everything in his life including bathroom breaks." Nat said making everyone laugh again.

"I feel an unusual discomfort at that statement." Tony said cocking his head towards Nat. She ducked slightly in a pretend fright.

"You mean to say he actually,... " Anne started but was interrupted by Tony.

"Yeah, yeah, it's official. I'm more privileged than the rest of you. I can actually take a whiz during battles. No one else can. "

"Poor Friday. I thought i was the only one cleaning up after you boys." Nat said sipping her wine.

"She said you boys. That boils down to everyone now." Tony said pointing at every man in the room.

"You're just looking for someone to go down with you." Rhodes added dragging the word "down" slowly.

"Who's in for a game?." Tony said. A show of hands went up.

"Tryna change the subject now, huh?" Wanda asked.

"No, but i don't want you poisoning Current's mind." Tony answered. I saw him give Elles' hand a gentle squeeze and she smiled in return.

I felt something unusual jabbing inside me.

Jealousy!!.

**Cap's jealous. Oh Bother!! ** well, makes sense since he's usually the one to give the encouragement and not Stark.

Anyway, i hope y'all have been enjoying my book and I'm pretty sure i haven't disappointed so far. So, Yay me!!

Keep voting okay, it gives me a lot of encouragement to go on..

Lots of love.... ❤❤❤

DuchessRI