DESTRUCTION.
( chapter twelve. )

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Edited 12/27/2015 @3:35 AM
Edited 05/08/2019 @2:58 PM

ANDREA FELT HER GUT TWIST. "Why are you showing me these?" She demanded, turning l to look at Tony. Her throat felt tight and she wasn't sure if the Stark man could hear the way her voice shook.

  Andy was so desperate to feel strong, but how was strength possible when even the smallest things still triggered her? Why was it that everything she did still made her feel like a failure?

Andrea swallowed back her sorrow and inhaled deeply. She knew better. She couldn't give in like she had in DC, she had to be strong, even if it was the last thing she truly felt.

  Andrea looked back at the monitors. For Tony's sake, she hoped that whatever he had planned it was worth it. From the sigil, it was clear that they'd acquired the files during their raid earlier that day.

  Andy felt annoyed as she recalled another one of her many losses. She glanced at the information on the screen, focusing only on the words she saw and not on the sigil that marked HYDRA's belongings.

Tony didn't say much in-between the time it took for Andy to get herself together. He seemed to be making his own attempt to decipher something. Though, unlike JARVIS, it wasn't code he was trying to understand— it was her.

  Andrea resisted a scoff as she steeled herself from his eyes. She told them that she was ready to return to the field and it hadn't been a lie. But, that win should have been at her hands and it weighed on her for a stubborn reason she didn't care to admit.

  How could they not understand the importance it had to her?

  "I know what they took from you, Andy." The sound of Tony's soft voice was sudden, but the Jones woman didn't tense as she was pulled from her thoughts. She was still too busy clinging to her composure, even as her heart ached and writhed in her chest.

  Andrea allowed her eyes to meet Tony's and his gaze─ full of an endless concern─ seemed to shatter her right there. Andy felt her breath shake as she tried to conjure a reply.

However, upon coming to the realization that she had no words, Andrea pursed her lips and let the Stark man continue, "I know you wanted that win today. But, we care about your wellbeing more than your bruised ego."

  Tony smiled then, humour in his eyes as he reached over to gently flick Andy's forehead. It wasn't unkind, but rather a comforting action meant to scold her. The female smiled half-heartedly, eyes beginning to sting because she knew in her heart that he was right. She was blaming people who weren't at fault, and that made her feel all the more worse.

Tony reached out, rubbing Andrea's arms in a comforting manner. "You don't have to blame yourself either, you know. Nobody saw those kids coming, and I know it hurts to think that HYDRA holds something over you." Andy felt her stomach churn.

However, the Stark man wasn't done. "But, they don't. Not anymore─ and you can prove it." He tapped her nose with a smile before beckoning her further into the room.

As they walked, Andrea felt her brow furrow with confusion. They passed more screens, working rapidly through encrypted data and further delving into HYDRA's work. Tony waved his hand and a screen appeared just as they came to a stop. "Alright, JARVIS. Are those files ready?"

"Yes, sir." More screens lit up and Andrea let out a huff of surprise. HYDRA had years of work, research, and more right here before her. It was all at her fingertips, and she was too overwhelmed to know what to do. She wondered, then, if they still had files on her. Who she had been, and what she'd been forced to do.

Tony looked over at Andy, just as she looked at him. "I've had JARVIS work through all their files, records, everything we can get our hands on. Anything he deemed as un-flag worthy is right here, but dangerous if it gets in the hands of anyone else..." he didn't have to continue, Andy already knew.

The female glanced back at the open files. "JARVIS, bring up all files including the code name Reaper." The AI quickly worded his agreement, and the screens began to load numerous pages, full of documents and paperwork; all of it tracing right back to her. There were mission reports, standard profiles, and even files documenting the process of her experimentation, missing only the formula.

"Delete all documentation." She commanded, speaking without hesitation. This was already out there for the world to see. It wouldn't change anything, she knew that. But, knowing that she could do this was enthralling in a sense that she felt freed. They no longer had her, not in documents, not in files, not in records.

There was nothing, absolutely nothing tying her to them anymore.

"Why stop there?" Andrea turned her head at Tony's words, her eyes earnest as she met his gaze. She was asking him a question she already knew the answer to, and yet he still nodded his permission. This was her choice. Her decision. And, for once in her life, she could finally feel like she'd made the right one.

"Delete all un-flagged files. Permanently."

"Right away, Miss." Andy watched on, chest seeming to feel tight as she watched the files begin to disappear. She waited─ fists clenched at her sides─ until the last file was gone and only then could Andrea finally breathe. She blinked, not unaware of the way warm tears slid and fell. She felt unchained, un-burdened with another's weight─ and it was exhilarating.

Tony wrapped an arm around her, pulling the Jones woman into a hug as her body was wracked with sobs. Andy easily accepted the embrace, gripping him tight. Her tears were a mixture of gratitude and pain. She'd carried so much of this heaviness in her heart for so long, that it was too overwhelming to control.

And she had Tony to give credit for it. "Thank you," she whispered, pulling back to look the Stark man in the eyes. He smiled, happy for her and yet pained by her tears.

"You deserve this. There's no need to thank me for it," he told her, pushing Andy's hair out of her face. She grinned, and shook her head. Only heaven knew what she'd done to deserve a friend like him.

Tony looked down at his imaginary watch, "Well, if you want to look well-rested for the party, you'd better dry your tears." Swiping beneath her eyes, Andrea furrowed her brow. She'd never heard anything about a party, but that more than likely had to do with her spending the entire trip wallowing in her own self-pity.

Tony gave her a pointed look, "Did you really think we weren't going celebrate this? It's the event of the century!" Andrea laughed as he made a wild gesture with his hand. He wrapped his arm around the female once more, leading the brunette out of the room and back towards her own.

As they came to a stop at her door, the Jones woman turned to face him. "Really, Tony. I can't tell you enough how much this means to me." Tony smiled, patting her hair in a comforting gesture. "Well, you know what they say, there is no team without Andy." She chuckled.

"Right." She told him, nodding her head in mild agreement, and he wasn't wrong. This was where she belonged; fighting alongside her friends─ celebrating their victories with them. Andy felt her chest tighten as she realized she had a lot of apologizing to do. Though, first and foremost, she would have to start with Steve.

"Before you head in, I would suggest checking out the closet for a quick second. After all, you're going to need something to wear for Saturday." Tony grinned, sneaking away before Andrea could form a response. "Pepper helped!" He called over his shoulder, just before he disappeared around the corner.

The female gave a huff of disbelief, fighting a smile as she entered her room. Upon reaching the closet, the Jones woman slowly opened the door, sliding it to the side to reveal a near-bare clothing room. There wasn't much she kept in here, save for the few pairs of spare clothes and a suit.

However, nestled in the corner with a note adorning it was a small selection of dresses. They ranged from long to short, glamorous to simple, and everywhere in-between. Andy laughed, unable to help herself as she picked up the note stuck to the fabric of a royal blue, knee-length dress.

Don't say I wouldn't do anything for you.
─ Your favourite Avenger, Tony.

Andy grinned, looking back to the dress she'd plucked the note from. It was a simple, pretty little thing. Nothing more than stretchy fabric, tight bodice, and a V-neckline. She'd made her choice long before she'd looked through the rest of the dresses, and knew that it wasn't just mere coincidence.

Tony Stark knew her all too well.

Andy picked up her phone, finding that she had an hour left before she would have to go in for her therapy appointment. She knew that she was better off leaving now instead of later, especially considering the traffic. But, now that she'd relieved of the weight on her chest, she wondered on whether or not it was worth it.

Andrea heaved a gentle sigh, pressing the phone to her chest. She knew better than to postpone now, even as much as she wanted to. Andy had promised Tony and, after everything he'd done for her, this was the least she could do for him. He wanted the best for her.

Though, Andrea knew it wasn't just a choice she made for him. She wanted to be better than what the media and the world expected of her. Sure, she could have easily ignored their opinions and their thoughts. They didn't truly matter. But, Andy had been a hero to the people once, and she wanted to be that for them again.

And if not for them, then she'd be a hero for her friends.

So, she would pull it together and do this, because healing was where it began. Because, just like Tony Stark, there was nothing that Andrea Claire Jones wouldn't do for those she considered family.

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Phew! It sure has been a while, whoops. I'm super sorry, I've been incredibly busy with school AND editing Demons for what I hope is the final time. It's been updated in some areas with a few new scenes as well and some new memories for Andy and Bucky. I hope you like the improved version, because it took a long while and hopefully now I can put my focus into bringing a proper story to you about Bucky and Andrea. Thank you for your patience and all your support, ILY! ♡