t h e    n e x t    d a y

The next morning was a rush, Ana had decided she would take Chloe to all of the events, including lunch with her Aunt. Choosing a yellow Shirt Dress with a belt and a pair of black heels, curling her hair to reach her shoulders and plastering a fair amount of make-up. She woke up Chloe, as she was showing she choose a red red. Chloe put on her clothes and Ana decided to lend her a red jacket, helping to curl her hair. 

She rushed her out of the door with her bags of the other outfits that she needed to change in, locking the door behind her. Chloe sat in the front seat next to Ana as she started the car up.

"As i said last night we have a very busy day today." Pulling out of the driveway as Chloe clicked in her seat belt.

"At the breakfast is with a group of my friends, they will probably spoil you until you leave. Just say no if they ask if you want anything with chicken, we have a shortage and it costs a fortune."

She could see Chloe nodding her head, "later on, I am seeing my Aunt. She may be a bit rude, after all it is your side of the family that attempted to kill me. You are to only speak of your mother, she knows mother of her. If she starts being far too rude, just ask to go to the bathroom, i will give her a yelling."

A smile appeared on Chloe's face, she heard from her father that his sisters husbands family was rather strict and did not like the idea that he married a 'lorenz' it was no secret that they had family issues.

"Then at the dinner, i need you on your best behaviour. You will not speak of Germany or your family and please even if you don't agree praise the American troops. This dinner is a 'celebration' but i know better. They are testing me."

The rest of the drive was silent, until near the end of if when Chloe spoke the first time that day.

"Will i see my mother again?"

"War is unpredictable, Chloe. If you do, lucky you. If you don't you still have myself."

Parking the car, she stopped the car and got out. Locking it after Chloe got out, she quickly checked using the window that her dress had no creases. Walking over to Chloe, she grabbed her hand and walked into the restaurant. Like always, it was easy to find the table as they were always the loudest. Walking towards them, her friend Guinevere was the first to see her.

"Anneliese! How are you and who is this little one" She hugged Ana, bringing the rest of the girls attention to Ana.

"My cousin, her parents are unavailable so i will be taking care of her.  If you don't mind, i would need to cut this breakfast short at ten. Need to get ready to see my Aunt after"

Guinevere nodded, showing them to their seats, Ana grabbed another seat on the way for Chloe. Seating down she listened into the conversation of one of her friends husband had been severely injured at war while another friend claimed that their husband had captured footage of Captain America at work. Laughing was loud, until a waitress came to ask for their breakfast meals.

Many of her friends asked for expensive meals, which included many different types of meat, or they ordered toast, egg, toasted English muffins, or fruits. Ana had just got peaches, and egg on toast while Chloe looked mildly confused at the written menu. The book burning, she did not know how to read english.

"Was würdest du gerne essen?"

"Bauernfrühstück?"

Her sudden use of German turned the heads of many of her friends, many Germans in the city she lived in stopped talking german in public to stop beatings. Bauernfrühstück was meal in Germany for the wealthy, known commonly as a 'famers breakfast'. She knew if she was to ask for a farmers breakfast, that she would not eat it all. The Americans and english had changed it into a massive meal, unlike what she is probably used to. So she offered eggs and bacon.

"Was ist mit Ei und Speck?"

She nodded, she ordered for and egg and bacon for Chloe while the group of girls stayed silent. Looking at them, they all stopped at they started asking to see what everyone was going to drink. Many of them were asking for alcoholic drinks.

"Fanta?" Chloe asked, quickly she hushed her. Fanta was a nazi creation, she did not want her friends thinking her cousin supported the Nazi's.

"Nein. Kaffee?" She nodded.

She asked for two coffees. As she predicted after they ate their lunch Chloe was being offered ice-cream, chocolates and sweets. All of them were names she had never heard off, laughing as she attempted a few english words. She turned to face Guinevere. 

"So how is Howard?" she wriggled her eyebrows.

"Working, he is as addicted to work as you are with secrets." Ana received a swift kick under the table.

"What side of the family is Chloe on?" she asked curiously. Ana looked at the time, ten o'clock.

"Look at the time! It's ten o'clock, time for me to go." She started getting up, pulling out Chloes chair for her to get up. "Goodbye ladies, say goodbye Chloe"

She whispered it, and many of her friends laughed at how pink she was going. Rushing her into the car, she unlocked it and undid her belt making it into a summer summer dress, changing her heels for slips. Chloe watched in amusement as she struggled to shove her heels into the bag, starting the car as she put on her seat belt. She reversed and drove done the road, it was a thirty minute drive.

"Chloe, how much english do you know?"

"A know a bit, not very good at it."

"Can you read english?"

"I can not read english, my mother doesn't know how to read english either."

Nodding her head, she turn on the stereo for some simple jazz music, the rest of the trip was spoken in German. Mainly Chloe telling her about the fun holiday she had with her parents in Austria, her mothers country land. They arrived, an hour later as the traffic was unbelievably busy. Doing the same as earlier, she got out, waited for Chloe to get out and locked her car.

She quickly ran over to Chloe, kneeling down to her height. Making sure everything on Chloe was to near perfection, she did not want her Aunty to find any imperfects to criticise about.

"If it gets to much, remember to ask to go to the bathroom. And then if it gets worst just remind me that i have an important meeting, yes?" She nodded.

Knocking on the door, her Uncle opened the door, she smiled and hugged him while he kissed her cheek. "Who is this?" he mouthed, she gave him a pleading look to stay quiet.

She could hear her Aunty to yell for them to come in, the house was pure luxury. The walls were painted with floral patterns by a high end German painter and all the furniture was at the top of its class and the fabric was all imported from Austria. If she though Howard's home would sell to be expensive, her Aunts would sell for double the price and quarter the size of his home.

Her Aunt was just putting together three Bauernfrühstück when she saw Ana, she took off her mittens and apron and hugged her. She could see Chloe was hiding behind her uncle. Inviting her to sit down, that lunch was made.

"Um Aunty, is there enough to make a fourth plate?"

"Is a lover coming?"

"Well no," she said, she looked down, "i am doing a favour for a Uncle, i am currently looking after there daughter, my cousin."

She nodded, she turned her head to see her uncle was giving a stern look, the only person to keep her Aunt in line and the only one alive to get her to do as she is told. She could be a scary women, very much like her father but she could also be as jolly and kind as her father - well when she wasn't being a brainwashed wife.

"Well come on little one, let Aunty K give you a kiss on the cheek, ta?"

Chloe came out from behind her uncle and walked nervously to her Aunt, her Aunt kissed her cheek and went on to make another plate, excluding an egg. With the help of Anneliese, she got all the plates across to the small dinning table, Chloe was between herself and her uncle. They all said their thanks, and started eatings.

"Uncle, when did you get back from war?" she asked curiously

"Your boss, Mr Stark pulled a few strings, sadly i will be heading back to war next week." She nodded her head.

They continued to eat with small talk, after finishing the meal. Her uncle elected to take Chloe on a walk as he was the first person that she had started speaking full english to. Leaving the house to Anneliese and her Aunt, honestly she try rejecting it but her Uncle heard none of it, telling Chloe to wait at the door as he got a coat on. They left minutes later.

Her Aunty made a cup of coffee, and walked back out with her stern face on, Anneliese took a quick breath before she saw the storm explode.

"which uncle was it" she asked quietly.

"Noah Carl"

The silence was killing her, her Aunt had only ever sounded like this when Ana went and got herself drunk over the grief of her fathers death. She was caught with a hang over when she went over to check on her.

"Why Anneliese to you continue to get yourself involved with that side of the family, surely myself and your uncle is enough?"

"Aunt it isn't like that"

"Then what is it like!" she snapped, "your family attempted to assassinate you, they didn't ask to look after you when your father died, then why are you looking after this child!"

"I did a trade, her protection for an ingredient for an experiment. Father was always hungry for knowledge and i am hungry to create super beings for the greater good. Captain America, my doing. The rumour of lady liberty my doing and i want to do the same for Chloe. I could use her to get close to Johann and get rid of him."

"Stop thinking like that." she snapped again, "you are starting to sound like a man hungry for war"

Gulping down the entire cup of coffee, she got up as she heard the door open. "Look at that, i am finished. Better not keep you waiting, Chloe are you ready to leave?"

Her Aunt stared at her, it wasn't friendly either. Her uncle could feel the tension between the two, telling Chloe to wait at the front. He quickly told Ana to say goodbye, and for her Aunt to respond and he would wave them goodbye. They did as he asked and the two walked down the hallway, neither saying anything, Opening the door, Chloe gave her uncle a big hug making him chuckle. Passing her the keys to open the car, she spoke to her uncle.

"She is only trying to look out for you"

"She never has anything good to say about that side of the family! I know they're all horrible people but she doesn't know them"

"I get you, i see Chloe is a lovely lady. Just call if you want to meet up, just the two of us. I can only imagine the stress you are going through with dealing with war and your families conflict growing bigger by the day."

He kissed her head and said goodbye, she walked into the car and started it up again. She was doing a massive loop, the drive to Howard's was merely 5 minutes, well the one he is staying in now. The drive there, Chloe couldn't shut her mouth as she told her stories of Germany before world war one that her uncle once told her. The excitement on her face was bright, as they pulled in she was quite.

"I thought we were going to your work meeting?" she asked.

"Well i need to change and we are going in the car with Howard"

Her excitement grew even bigger, she started talking about how her mother said that everyone in their small village when they moved to America dreamt of meeting Howard Stark and she was doing the very thing. Not bothered to lock the car, as someone came out to take her keys to put it in the garage, the two walked inside.

Chloe was shocked that she just barged in, yelling Howard's name. Ana's uncle had said that Howard Stark was her boss, did everyone in America yell at their bosses?

"Shut up Ana" he yelled from his office.

"Keep that language out of your tongue"

Then Howard emerged from the many doors, she felt Chloe hide behind her again. "its mouth, honey"

Rolling her eyes, she pulled Chloe out from behind her that was when she quickly said "Guten Abend, Herr Stark" Howard was mildly confused, but Ana just laughed. 

"We don't call Howard Mr Stark," she said " we call him tratschtante"

She giggled, "Why do you call Mr Stark a gossip Aunt?"

She laughed as she looked back at Howard who was even more confused.

"Jarvis" he yelled, suddenly Edwin appear.

"Yes Mr Stark?"

"Please tell me that the young one," he pointed at Ana "has an accent like Ana, jesus christ"

Ana laughed, "oh boy, i need to get changed. Is the Colonel allowing her to come?"

That was Howard's turn to laugh nervously, "I told him, that she was your child..."

She yelled at Howard as she ran up stairs to get changed.

The ride over to the dinner, Howard sat at the front with Jarvis as Ana quickly briefed Chloe of the stupid choice Howard had made. Her name for the night was Chloe Lorenz, with Ana only 26 it left her saying she was '18' when she had her. She then informed that she stayed at her Aunts and Uncles until now, and the father. Howard said he would act to be the father, never had the made out in that manner either making it rather awkward.

Everyone knew she had worked with Howard since 1940, they said that they meet at a bar. If Ana was yelling at him, Edwin was lecturing him. She grabbed a bit of make-up from her purse and told Chloe that she was sorry that Howard had got her in this position. She laughed saying it was rather funny how they made up a lie so quickly covering all the bases if they ever asked a question. She applied make - up to make her look more like herself and Howard, it was easy to say she was related to her but she did not look alike to her.

Ana reshaped her eyebrows, painted a different colour foundation, and put a lighter shade of red lip stick on. When the car was waiting in traffic, she asked Edwin and Howard what else she needed to do to make her look more like Howard and herself. She pulled some hair our of the pigtails and they said she looked enough like Ana. The car parked in front of a bar, no shock there.

Getting out the car, she quickly grabbed Chloe's hand again, checking her again to make sure she looked good, until Howard coughed. Holding Chloe's hand, she heard Edwin drive off as the three of them walked inside the bar. Music blasted across the room, holding on Chloe's hand extra tight to not lose her, they walked across the bar to a table set up for herself, Howard, Chloe, the Colonel, a few SSR agents and a fair amount of military men.

Taking a seat next to a war general, she made sure Chloe was next to herself and Howard. Sitting down and looking around realising once again, she was the only female sitting at the table - apart from Chloe. The conversation stopped as they greeted Howard with a gruff handshake, smiling she greeted the rest with a simple raise of a hand. The Colonel stood up with an alcoholic drink in hand. The music stopped, as many watched the Colonel.

"We celebrate today of the success of the defeats of many Hydra and Nazi headquarters and machinery factories." a cheer followed.

"A good thank you to the American military for their soldiers, a thank you to the SSR for their hard work of tracking down the bases, a thank you to Stark Industrials for allowing all our men go down in a fight." a another cheer followed.

"Although, a special cheer to Mr Howard Stark. His weapons and well wealth has allowed the American people to stay another day in the field, fighting to save the world from Nazi Germany"

Music started playing, many of the American Military men left to go seeking for a dance of a beer, leaving the SSR, Howard and herself. Sitting back down again, the meeting begun.

"The rumours of a Lady Liberty, saving the French men and women is true. Our Colleen Rogers, is fighting and saving lives quicker than Steven Rogers beating the hell out of Hydra soldiers. And lets drink to that."

A drink was already placed in front of her, raising it with the rest of them putting it back down, she was not interested in getting drunk as she was not a good drunk at all. Howard offered to go get Chloe and herself some water which she excepted instantly, then the eyes was on her.

"Why did you never mention that you had a daughter?"

All she could think was 'here we go' and 'curse you Howard'. She smiled, as she held Chloe's hand under the table.

"Well i didn't think it had anything to do with my job and career choice." she stated.

By then, Howard had came back with two glasses of water. Smiling she took a sip of water while Chloe just looked at it. "nur Wasser" she whispered in her head, telling her it was only water. She nodded and took a sip of the water.

"I am just curious, guessing from her appearance that you were quite young when you had the little miss"

"Its a family thing, have them young and you get more years with them"

"The father is whom?"

"I thought everyone already knew that?" she looked at Howard, trying not to laugh. "You hadn't told them?"

"Have you known one another that long?"

"Well not really, but i knew sweet Chloe here would have a better life having a wealthy American father due to the actions Nazi Germany was starting." she smiled innocently, that statement didn't make it any better.

"Colonel, a dance?"

Getting up from the chair, the Colonel followed her onto the dance floor where they danced to some jazz. Unable to say anything they just swayed, and clapping at the end of the song, seeing Howard was having a good conversation at the table she decided to start interrogating the Colonel.

"Is it true that you thought i was a Nazi Spy because of my family?" she asked,

"is it true that you lied that you had a child which looks nothing alike?" he questioned after, "but yes, after all you were with Johann for a very long time back in Italy, never less all thoughts of that is out of the window after you were bombed. I can see you shooting yourself to prove a point but not bombing."

Nodding, "well my 'daughter' is my cousin, Howard thought it would be easier to get past you if we used that as an excuse. Don't give him a yelling, i have already multiply times."

Walking back to the table, the Colonel told her that he would always have herself and Howard's back after all they have gone through plenty already. Arriving back at the table, Chloe looked petrified, giving a quick kick under the table to Howard, he looked as confused as he was.

"können wir jetzt gehen?" Chloe asked, Ana was broken to hear that she wanted to leave.

"warum Liebling?" Ana asked, it confused her why.

"Sie sagen unhöfliche Dinge über Deutsche! Nicht alle von ihnen sind schlecht!"

Howard leaned behind Chloe, mouthing what was wrong. "She is not used to people bad speaking germans, it is getting to her. Do you mind if we call it a night? You can stay"

"Nonsense" He turned to the other men, "Well, time to put little Chloe to bed, goodnight gentlemen"

The men said goodbye with the same gruff handshakes and she said goodbye with a wave, as the three hurried out, Jarvis was already waiting. Helping Chloe into the car, and getting in herself into the car, she slipped over her heels as Edwin started the car when Howard got in. She was beyond cranky that he put her in a situation where she had to lie to the people she was trying to get their trust. She was german, she was related to many Nazi and Hydra follows, she was the niece of the leading Hydra man. Everything screamed 'lies' and that dinner was her proving that she wasn't a push over and that is what it turned out to be. Something she learnt in both America and German is that being titled a mother automatically made you a push over, if you didn't have enough force.

"Howard, at the moment i want to strangle you"

"What is stopping you?" he asked.

"two witnesses" 

Author's Note:

Extra long chapter whoooo!

I didn't know where to stop!

Word count : 3 5 8 5 !

I am going to attempt 2 chapters a day!

Hopefully i will have it done soon so i can work on other stories!

Including.......

Curiosity Killed the Cat!

Lady Liberty!

Its Who We Are (Second Book)

and Magic Forbidden