Unbreakable Friendship

Sapphire Stark is Tony's younger sister, from unexplained circumstances she got powers that allow her to control fire and water. Stark is very protective of his sister even though she is basically an adult now (23). She started working with Shield several years before the events of The Avengers takes place in New York. She is very high up, a respectable official. Marie Romanoff is the famous black widow younger sister. For Marie, she had a drowning experience and can now breathe underwater. She came to the Avengers after Steve Rogers taught her how to fight.

It's the morning of the debriefing from the events, in Sarcovia, everyone is sitting around the conference table. Sapphire walks in really late. "Your Late" Nick Furry says in a tone that no one ever forgets. "Whatever just get on with it, Fury" Sapphire says sitting down next to Rogers with obvious tension between them. Marie sits across from Clint, obviously staring at each other. "The crap you guys pulled in Sarcovia is gonna have the government down our backs," Fury says with obvious disappointment in his voice. "I really think the team should all lay low for a while. No missions. Stay at the compound" Sapphire says with some authority in her voice. Fury nods at sapphire in agreement. Steve Rogers..questioning everything as he always does. "What the hell was that? he says. "What are you talking about, Rogers" Sapphire snaps back. "Uhh well first of all Fury just agreed with you, which he doesn't do with anyone. Second, you taking charge? Over Fury?" Rogers says. Sapphire rolls her eyes in preparation for the secret getting out. "This is nothing Sapphire, since day one you have always run point on just about every mission and always had the intel before Fury ever did," Rogers says questioning Sapphires' existence in this organization. "Rogers, back off my little sister" Tony says protective of Sapphire. Sapphire nods at Fury. "Right...I think it's time you all knew the actual truth of Sapphire Starks's place at Shield." Fury stands up and places his hands on the table and lets out a sigh. "What truth are you talking about?" Rogers says.

Meanwhile, in the hallway before the conference room, Marie was trying to come to join the mission debriefing but as she makes her way to the conference room, someone grabs her and pulls her away. Clint pulls Marie in for a kiss on the lips. "I couldn't stop thinking about you" Clint says brushing his lips over her neck. "Oh really?" Marie says with a breath. "Yes, and I want to do more than kiss you" Clint says pushing her up against the wall with a kiss. "We can't do this, not right after what happened in Sarcovia. Everyone is so tense right now." Marie says slightly pushing Clint away from her but not at her full strength. "That isn't a complete no..." Clint says pulling her in closer. "I got to go Clint" Marie says not wanting to leave his hold but knowing she had to before the team got suspicious of them.

Back in the conference room... "Sapphire Stark is the real director of Shield, and she has been for the past five years now. It wasn't until her mission in Australia that went south that I took over being Director for her..but she is the one still calling the shots" Fury says with some sympathy. Sapphire looks down at the table relieving parts of her mission in her head. Steve puts his hand on Sapphire thigh in concern. "What happened on that mission?" he says. Sapphire slides back in her chair and leaves the room and goes to work out in the gym. "It's a really sensitive subject for her Rogers...I would drop it before you get burned" Fury says as he leaves the conference room to go back to work. A couple of hours pass and everyone has been really uncharacteristically quiet and distant. Marie goes to have lunch with Nat and Steve goes downstairs to the gym to check on Sapphire who is punching the punching bag, he has a seat on the bench just behind her. "Saph.." he says trying not to scare her but in a concerning voice. "what do you want Rogers...I'm busy" Sapphire says punching the bag harder and visibly getting angrier. "I want you to talk to me...please" he says with sympathy. Sapphire grabs onto the punching bag on either side and rests her forehead against it. "Fine...Rogers. You really want to know what happened to me in Australia?" Sapphire says with anger in her voice, her eyes light up in flames but she blinks it away.

While at lunch, Natasha and Marie are having a conversation, Nat is doing most of the talking. Marie is visibly lost in her thoughts about Barton. "Marie! Marie! Earth to Marie!!" Natasha says trying to get her sister's attention. "What do you want Nat," Marie says obviously annoyed. "Did you hear anything I was saying?" she says back at her sister. "Umm yeah," Marie quickly says. "No you definitely didn't...where is your mind?" Natasha says. "Somewhere..." Marie replies. Natasha places her hand on Marie's in that concerned sister look. " Are you okay? You have been very distant lately..." Nat says. "I'm fine...I got to go, I'll talk to you later okay? Bye loves you" Marie says as she walks away from Nat before she can answer.

In the gym with the tension between Sapphire and Steve. Sapphire is facing the punching bag, her back to Rogers. Sapphire pulls off her tank top, with her black sports bra being revealed. She stays face away from Rogers revealing scars and burns all over her body. Two scars along her back in an "X" formation. A raised scar extending from her shoulder down to her side and several smaller ones all over her body. Steve stands with tears in his eyes. "Saph," he says with empathy. Sapphire continues to punch at the punching bag. Steve starts to say he is sorry but sapphire quickly cuts him off, she punches the bag after each thing that happened to her is said. "I was kidnapped, I was beaten, I was tortured, Starved, Drained of my most of my blood so I was too weak to bend any water or fire, and then I was ra..." She can't finish the last word, she punches the so bag so hard it bursts into flames from her fist and goes flying against the wall slamming against the lockers. Steve winces at the noise, he walks over to Sapphire, her back still to him, he puts a hand on her side of her waist and runs his hand lightly over a raised scar, but before he could finish, she turns around so quickly grabbing his wrist with pain in her eyes* "Sapphire...I would never dream of hurting you..." Steve says with that special look in his eyes. Sapphire turns back around, Steve places his hand on her waist and runs his other hand along her back, tracing every scar and burn lightly. "I am so sorry this happened to you...If I would have been there.." he says. "No. don't do that. This is not your fault. It's not anyone but my own" she replies back. Steve puts his hand that was gliding over her scars on her other hip and turns her around to face him. He searches her eyes. "This is not your fault either...Sapphire, I am so sorry you felt like you couldn't tell me about this but I'm glad you finally did" He puts his hand on her cheek wiping away her tears. "You mean more to me than you know" he says as he places his lips on hers.