The time Theresa had in her cell was more than enough to spend time thinking. 

Since the last time Bruce came by to give her a shot and gave her his promise to get her Carfentanyl, approximately one and a half days have passed.

With nothing to do, Theresa had no other choice but to sit in her cell and think about everything. About her life, about her loved ones, about James.

Theresa couldn't quite remember what had happened in the World Security Council's bureau, but judging by Natasha's appearance the first couple of times she had been here interviewing the Stark, whatever the agent had seen that day had seriously shaken her. And Theresa knew that that wasn't even her using her full abilities. For that, there had been too few people in the room.

And without knowing what happened there, only knowing from stories how the ultimate result looked like, she had no idea where James was. She could only hope he was safe from these people, living somewhere undercover, not causing any uproar.

Theresa's thoughts were quick to wander to the subject of her nephew.

Since Bruce's last visit, nobody had come to see her, except the guards who brought her food. 

No Natasha.

No righteous Captain America.

No Anthony Edward Stark.

She couldn't help but wonder if he had heard when she had asked about him. If he had stood somewhere, watching on a screen as she spoke to Bruce, opening up one of her darkest secrets to a man she felt like she could trust, asking about her nephew.

Was he alright? How was his life, now that he knew of her existence, of her still being alive, even though the world was convinced of her death. 

Then again, the world had thought Captain America was dead, and here comes the year 2011 where he pops out of the ice.

Some people better stay dead. It is moments like these, when Theresa is able to overthink her entire life, that she wishes she were six feet underground.

A sound coming from the cell door startled her to attention and Theresa wasn't sure if her eyes were deceiving her or if Anthony was really standing there to see her.

A soft smile formed on her lips, as she was finally able to face her nephew after forty-four years of watching him grow up from afar.

The Stark woman brought herself to stand and slowly cross the cell floor to stand before the door, face to face with her nephew.

Standing before him, she found him to be just half an inch taller than her, but still on eye level.

"Hello, Anthony."

Her voice came out soft, so soft, it sounded like it would have broken, had she said a word more.

Tony looked at the woman before him and he couldn't deny the resemblance she bore. She owned the same brown eyes and locks his father had, the same smile.

Theresa could tell that Tony had a hard time finding the right words. She could see the turmoil in his eyes, the hesitation, the confusion. 

A minute or two must have gone by, when Tony finally opened his mouth to say "Hello, Theresa."

The smile on his aunt's lips widened and he could swear that her eyes started shining, as if she were about to cry.

For Theresa, it felt too good to be true.

"You don't know how long I have waited to finally meet you in person."

Tony tilted his head a little at her words.

"I'm sorry, Anthony, for everything. I should've been there for you and for your father, but I couldn't. I failed as a sister and aunt and I apologize for it all."

Tony shook his head slowly, his brows furrowing.

"You know I'm having a hard time believing all of this is real, right?"

Theresa nodded in return, her smile now a thin line, her eyes still glimmering with nearing tears.

"I know. I can tell how hard this must be, but I had my reasons for all of it. I don't know how much you know-"

"I know a lot. Though your files are quite encrypted, I know a lot already. Still have a lot to figure out, but what I know so far is enough."

"You say that, but I can tell you have a lot of open questions. And what's bothering me is that you think you can hide them, but I have learned to read you like an open book, Anthony. I've had a lot of time on my hands to study you. Even though I wasn't allowed to, I spent a lot of time doing my research and you have turned out to be more and more like your father."

"If you spent so much time looking me up, why not come visit me for real?"

"You know I couldn't-"

"Oh, you couldn't, but you could look me up. Which, might I remind you, you just said you weren't allowed to."

The doctor let out a low sigh and nodded with his words.

"I know. You have all the rights to be angry, but you need to understand my side of this."

"And what is your side in all of this?"

"That I did this to protect you."

The words shot out faster than either of them expected.

"You said to Banner that you did whatever you did to protect the ones you love. And that didn't include my father?"

Theresa felt all air leave her lungs. It felt like whenever someone else would address the death of her brother, she couldn't breathe, like someone ripped her lungs out.

Each time, the burden of her knowing the truth weighed down on her shoulders, harder and harder.

"Was my father not worthy for you to love and protect him? Even though it was a car crash, I bet all of HYDRA knew it'd be coming."

Theresa shook her head and took a step back.

"Oh wait, there's more to the car crash, wasn't there? Why don't you tell me?"

Theresa shook her head more violently and turned from him, unable to look him in the eye.

"Why do you still love that asshole who's responsible for my father's, your brother's, death? What do you see in the murderer of your family?"

"No."

Theresa's voice was weak as she closed her eyes and seemed to shrink into herself, her arms coming up to hug herself tightly.

"Did you think you could hide this? That you knew of my father's death, were there when it was planned and didn't do anything to stop it? Didn't you say you've done everything you have to protect your family?"

The Stark woman shook her head, another "No," leaving her lips, this time louder than before.

"Does he not belong to your family? Isn't he worthy to be your loved one? He searched for you when you went missing! He didn't believe that you were dead! And you don't give a damn if he dies or not, otherwise you would've done something to stop your beloved James Buchanan Barnes!"

"Stop!"

Theresa felt her legs give out beneath her, her crumbling to the floor, hands now pressing against her ears.

As if that would block out the taunting voice of her subconscious.

"You let your brother die! You did nothing to stop his death! You're a disgrace to our family name! He did everything he could to get you back and you did nothing in return to save him!"

"Stop!"

A painful scream rippled through her throat, piercing through the voice in her head, blocking out the vision of her own nephew blaming her for her brother's death.

Suddenly, a hand grasped her shoulder tightly and Theresa spun to fend off the intruder.

Her nails dug into the arm of the agent's. She didn't know his name. She didn't know what he wanted to do to her, but she felt threatened.

So, she yanked her hand back, pulling his blood with her.

The agent watched with widened eyes as his blood flew effortlessly through the air, far too much of it, considering there were only five small spots where Theresa had dug her nails in.

Theresa watched the agent turn pale slowly, her hand shaking.

"Theresa, no!"

With that, her attention was pulled to the other side of the cell, towards the door. Her other hand was quick to fly up and grab hold of Bruce Banner's heart.

She watched Bruce gulp, his movement stilling in the door, making it unable for anyone else to come past him into the cell.

The agent behind her was at her mercy.

Bruce could see the fear in Theresa's eyes, just like she could see the same in his. 

"Theresa, you don't want to do this. So, do me a favor, give the man his blood back and let him go."

The agents behind Bruce were conversing with each other quietly, most likely contemplating on how to move now.

"Theresa."

Bruce pulled her gaze back to him with the simple call of her name. He wanted her focus to lie on him and try to get her to let them go.

"Let us go. Please. I know you're not like this."

Theresa slowly turned her gaze back towards the agent, whose blood she still held in the air for him to look at. The horror in his eyes was the last shove into the right direction.

The Stark dropped to her knees, her grip on Banner gone, her sole focus laying on the poor man before her.

She gently took his wrist into her free hand and slowly sent his blood back into his veins, not meeting his eyes as his blood returned to where it belonged and she closed his wounds.

The man was quick to stand up, shakily, and leave the cell, leaving Theresa behind, her shoulders shaking.

The doctor heard footsteps coming closer, accompanied by Bruce Banner's voice.

"Don't worry, Theresa. It's just me, Bruce. Everything is okay. You will be fine."

Bruce knelt down before Theresa and showed her what he held in his hands.

"I got you your dose of Carfentanyl."

Theresa looked up at him and into his eyes. Bruce could see the remorse in them, clear as day.

"I'm so sorry, Bruce. I didn't mean for this to happen."

Her voice was frail and upon closer inspection, Bruce noticed tear stains on her cheeks.

Bruce nodded slowly and sent her a weak smile, replying in a low voice "It's fine."

After another short glance at the agents waiting by the door, he turned his attention back at Theresa to quietly add the following.

"I'm getting you out of here tonight."