Chapter Seven: The Price Of Being A Carter
Steve sat consumed by the mystery of Sarah's sudden return,
absently twirling a pen between his fingers. The conference room had emptied,
but he remained, surrounded by scattered papers and half-empty coffee cups. His
mind replayed the moment she had walked into the compound. The shock of seeing
her in person after so long still reverberated through him.
He stared unseeing at the smartboard, its scrawled notes and
diagrams blurring into meaningless shapes. How many times over the years had he
imagined her walking through those doors again? And now here she was, in the
suite adjacent to his, as if the past five years had never happened.
A sudden snap inches from his face jolted Steve back to
reality. He blinked rapidly, focusing on Nat’s suspicious disposition.
"Hey! Earth to Rogers," she said, lowering her
hand. "I've been talking to you for the past 20 minutes. What's up with
you today?"
Steve straightened, clearing his throat. "Right, sorry.
Just... reviewing the notes."
Nat’s eyes flicked to the untouched notepad in front of him,
then back to his face. Her lips quirked knowingly. "Sure you were. Not
like the two Carters are running through your mind at dizzying speed."
Heat crept up Steve’s neck. He busied himself gathering his
things, avoiding Nat’s too-perceptive gaze. "No, it’s not like that. I
just…”
She arched an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "Alright,
out with it," she prodded, leaning in closer. "You already told me
about the whole legal team thing. You may as well tell me what’s eating at
you."
"Sarah said she came home because she couldn't miss the
wedding..."
Nat nodded. "Right, as far as we know."
"Natasha, she only found out about the wedding the day
she returned. An invitation was sent to her hotel room. The timing doesn't add
up. She's lying… Why would she lie to me?"
Before Natasha could respond, Tony entered the room, his
usual swagger slightly subdued as he glanced between the two of them.
"What are you two talking about so seriously?"
Steve seized the opportunity to address Tony. "Tony! I
think it's safe to assume you and Fury discussed Sarah's return?”
“We did.”
“Well, did he say why? 'Cause it for damn sure isn't about
the wedding."
Tony's expression faltered for a moment, guilt flickering
across his features before he quickly composed himself. He turned away
slightly, attempting to conceal his reaction from Steve and Natasha, but Nat,
observant as ever, caught the telltale signs of Tony's discomfort.
************************
Meanwhile, in the heart of the Upper East Side, Sarah found
herself ensnared in a heated debate with her formidable aunt and manager, Lily.
The surroundings of Lily's office exuded power and prestige, with walls adorned
with glamorous photographs capturing moments of triumph and glory… Like the day
Sharon received her Medal of Honour.
"I've patched things up with pretty much everyone back
home, just as I said I would," Sarah asserted, her calm exterior almost
giving way to her frustration.
But Lily's expression remained as unyielding as the marble
statues adorning the building. "And what about your sister? I've yet to
see a single photo op of the Carter sisters reunited."
"You can't be serious!" Sarah scoffed.
"Oh, as a heart attack, dear child. This was your choice.
Remember that. You denied our family's legacy to pursue this career… But
remember, you still carry the Carter name. So you'll do whatever it takes to
succeed in this industry," Lily admonished, slamming Sarah with
generations' worth of expectation.
Sarah winced at Lily's words, the far-too-familiar sting of
inadequacy eating at her. Doubt and insecurity paraded through her mind,
taunting her with questions of whether she’d ever live up to the Carter name.
"Aunt Lily, I'm giving this my all," she pleaded,
unintentionally using the honorific.
But Lily showed no signs of backing down, delivering yet
another blow to Sarah's already fragile confidence. "You may want to try
harder, dear. We wouldn't want people thinking you're content to coast on your
looks."
Sarah felt a surge of indignation rise within her, unable to
remain silent in the face of Lily's criticism. "Hey! I have worked hard to
get to where I am right now!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling.
"…And yet, you're typecast as nothing but a ditzy
blonde. You're rom-com fodder, Sarah," Lily stated bluntly, pushing Sarah
to the brink of tears. "This is the only way to be taken seriously."
Feeling defeated and frustrated by the limitations placed
upon her, Sarah struggled to find the strength to push back against Lily's
expectations. But deep down, she knew that she couldn't continue to sacrifice
her authenticity for the sake of success. Even if it meant disappointing her
family, tainting the Carter name with failure.
In a trendy little restaurant nestled in the heart of the
busiest tourist district, Sharon and Steve made a public appearance,
strategically seated in the most exposed part of the establishment.
"I feel like I haven't seen much of you since Her
Majesty arrived," Sharon remarked, her tone carrying a slight
edge as she referred to her sister.
Steve chose to brush off the jab, unwilling to engage in
their sibling rivalry. "Yeah, I guess I'm still adjusting," he
replied casually, hoping to steer the conversation away from any potential
conflict.
As Steve spoke, his mind wandered to Sarah, the woman who
had once been his closest confidante. Memories flooded back… laughter shared,
secrets exchanged, dreams discussed. But those moments felt like distant echoes
now, overshadowed by the pain of her sudden departure years ago. He couldn't
help but wonder what could have been, what they could have shared if
circumstances had been different.
"Adjusting to what, exactly?" Sharon chuckled,
attempting to sound nonchalant. "Having Sarah back or being bombarded by
constant paparazzi?"
"I don't know. Both, I guess... Nothing I can't handle
though," he offered, taking a sip of his drink to mask any unease.
"You're such a genuine soul, Steve Rogers... But let's
be honest, you're not much of a liar. So, spill. How do you really feel
about my sister's grand return? It's got to be stirring up some old emotions
and memories... We all remember how close you two were before she pulled her
vanishing act."
Steve hesitated, feeling Sharon's gaze on him as he pondered
his response. "If you really must know... I think too much time has
passed. We're on talking terms, I guess, but things feel different now. I tell
myself she's matured, grown independent... less reliant on others. But there's
something else lingering there, something I can't quite put my finger on. Or
maybe I'm just overthinking it, and we're simply two ships passing in the
night."
Sharon reclined in her seat, a soft smile on her lips. It
seemed Steve's response satisfied her curiosity, at least for now. But deep
down, Steve struggled with the persistent uncertainty that Sarah's return had
stirred within him, tugging at his heartstrings in ways he wasn’t prepared for.
After their date, Steve dutifully escorted Sharon back to
her apartment building. As they stood outside her apartment, an awkward
tension hung between them. Not the butterflies-in-the-stomach kind of tension
one would expect after a date, but rather silence-inducing tension.
Steve shuffled his feet, hands shoved deep in his pockets.
His eyes darted everywhere but at Sharon… the crack in the doorframe, the
flickering bulb in the hallway, the little bruise on Sharon’s wrist. Anywhere
to avoid confronting the elephant in the room.
And as Sharon fiddled with her keys, the metallic jingle
filling the silence between them, her fingers tightened around the edges.
"Thanks for dinner. It was... nice."
"Yeah, yeah, it was good. They chose a good spot this
time."
"And thank you, again, for opening up to me about
Sarah. I know it couldn't have been easy. I mean, I remember when–”
"Please," Steve interjected softly, his expression
pained. "Let's not dwell on the past. I've been trying my best to keep
those memories at bay."
Understanding his discomfort, Sharon reached out and
squeezed Steve's bicep reassuringly. "I appreciate you trusting me with
this, Steve."
He responded with a tender smile, his eyes reflecting
affection. "You're kinda the only one I can truly confide in about all
this, given our situation. Not that I mind, of course. After all, you are my
fiancée," he added with a playful grin, attempting to lighten the mood.
"Ah, I'm glad to know I still hold a place in that
pretty little head of yours."
Steve shuffled his feet nervously, feeling awkward under
Sharon's loving gaze.
"Steve, come on, I'm teasing you."
Despite their attempts to lighten the mood, the awkwardness
persisted between them, their conversation falling into an uneasy rhythm. They
were far from the picture-perfect, loving couple they were expected to be as
newly-engaged partners.
"So... are you coming in...?" Sharon asked
tentatively.
Steve's response was immediate. "Yeah... because that's
what couples do, right?"
Sharon chuckled softly, her grin widening. "So I'm
told..." she teased, playfully nudging him as they made their way into her
apartment, leaving behind the awkwardness of the moment outside in the hallway.
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