Lancea Longini #14
Summary: Modern-day AU where Steve is a college professor whose specialty is WWII. You work for Stark Industries and after leading an excavation of Hitler’s secret bunker, you find an object that was thought to be a legend.
Characters: Clint Barton, Steve Rogers, Female Reader, Nick Fury, & Ellie (Original Child Character)
Word Count: 1,812
Warnings: Language, fluff, talk of parent dying
Author’s Note: I know, I’m horrible. It’s been months since I’ve written Professor Steve. But fear not, here is a chapter. Miss the beginning? Other images found on Google. GIF credit [x][x]
If you hadn’t been leaning against the counter, you would have fallen to the floor. “Ok… yeah. So she, umm, she did… is she -,” you choked on your words.
Steve disconnected with Clint and ran over. “What’s going on, baby?” he whispered as he kissed your forehead. All you could do was shake your head, listening to the man on the phone.
“I’m sorry, ma’am. We did everything we could, but we were unable to save her.”
You swallowed thickly, able to rid your voice of just enough emotion to finish the conversation. “What do you need to release the body?”
“We will need an identification and some forms signed.”
“Send me a picture and if I’ve identified her, I’ll give you my email to send the forms. Once signed, I’ll send them back. Does that work?” You grabbed Steve’s shirt, scraping your nails on his side as you fisted the cotton blend shirt.
“Yes ma’am. I will send a picture. I am sorry for your loss,” genuine concern was thick on his tongue.
“Thank you,” you barely got the words out before the realization of your sister’s death hit you like a fucking freight train.
The next couple of weeks were emotional and stressful, and by far, the hardest thing you’ve endured since your father died, but with the help of Steve, Nat, and Bucky, you and Ellie got through it. Without them, you don’t know how you would have made it. Your own grief threatened to consume you, but you had no choice but to get through it; because of Ellie.
Ellie handled the loss of her mother as you had expected; a lot of tears, confusion, and anger. She even asked if that meant she had to live with another family.
Her grip on your hand was so tight, you wouldn’t have been surprised to see bruises. “Those families that take in kids that aren’t theirs, the ones nobody wants anymore.”
Your chest went tight with a barely contained sob. “Baby, no. You’re not going anywhere, I promise.”
“How do you know?” she implored, tears dripping off her cheeks and chin.
Sniffling and biting the inside of your cheek, you cupped her wet face in your hands and kissed her forehead. “Do you know what a Last Will and Testament is?” When she shook her head, you pulled in a shuddering breath. “A will is a legal document that someone puts together for when they-” the word got stuck in your throat, threatening to choke you.
“You can say it, Y/N,” her voice was tiny and tremulous.
Tears pricked your eyes and you smiled sadly. “For when they die.”
Dark chocolate eyes bored into yours. “Did mommy have one?”
“Yeah, bug, she did,” you answered, stroking her cheek with the back of your hand.
Ellie nodded and furrowed her brows as she thought, her eyes darting around the room. “Who get’s me?”
“El, it’s not like that.” She nodded once, biting her bottom lip in anticipation for your answer to her question. You tried answering in a way that wouldn’t make it sound like she was an object, that she was a human being, but all you could think of was, “You’re not some thing to give away, ok? How would you like to come and stay with me?”
Red-rimmed eyes went wide and she gasped. “Forever?”
“As long as you want to, bug.”
Ellie launched herself into your arms and started crying again. Small fingers tangled in your hair as you rocked side to side on her bed, your arms tight around her, crying almost as much as she was.
Along with becoming Ellie’s legal guardian -paperwork had been signed by you, your lawyer, and a judge- Brenda left you everything. From the house in the Hamptons to the engagement ring Ellie’s father had presented when asking for her hand in marriage. There was also a sizable inheritance in Ellie’s name, one she couldn’t access until she was 21.
The entire estate was now in your name. No pressure.