Natasha POV
A flicker of recognition. That’s what I’m feeling. She looks so achingly familiar, but it’s probably just me projecting. “So, Clint, why are you flipping through a magazine of models?” I would have snapped a photo of his face right now, if I had my phone. It was completely crimson with embarrassment. “Because I’m a guy and I like top models,” he muttered. Yeah, you do, Clint. You really do.
Casandra Stark. The name itself feels like a question mark. If that’s really her—and I think it is—she has a lot of explaining to do, to me, and to Tony. I can only hope it’s Cat, because if it is, I have my little sister back, in a way. Not literally, of course, but the person I’d give my life to protect. Casandra does bear some of the same mannerisms as Cat, but it’s been a year since I last saw her. Everything changes in that amount of time. Clint walked over, his voice barely a whisper in my ear. “She looks like her, Nat. She looks like Cat.”
We approached the information desk at the hospital. “Hi, my name is Natasha. Could you tell me where we can find Casandra Stark?” The receptionist typed the name into her computer, then looked up at me. “I’m sorry, we don’t have a patient by that name. We do have a Casandra Quin, if that’s who you’re looking for?” I glanced at Tony, then back to the receptionist. “Are you…” I started, but Tony cut me off. “Yes, that’s her. Which room?” The woman typed again. “Room number 25, on the tenth floor.” Tony mumbled a thanks. We headed to the elevator, ascending to the tenth floor. ‘Ding.’ The doors opened, and, unbelievably, her room was right beside the elevator.
I stepped inside, and I *knew* it was Cat. I couldn’t help but rush to her side, desperate to beg her to wake up from this coma. “Oh, Cat, I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to protect you! If I had just been there… Why Cat, why did we suddenly disappear from each other’s worlds? Oh, Cat, I’ve missed you so much. And to think that you, who I called my little sister, was actually Stark’s little sister all along. We could have seen each other more often if we wanted!” A cough from behind me pulled me back to reality. I turned to see the others, their faces a mixture of shock and concern. Clint, especially, looked stricken. We’d saved her together, once, back in the old days. They’d been a trio, the best, before she vanished.
Tony POV
The room was bathed in soft, pastel colors. In the center, my sister lay in a hospital bed, her eyes closed. The equipment monitoring her was the only thing that hinted at the severity of her condition. It was easy to mistake her for simply sleeping.
Natasha rushed to her side, whispering, “Oh, Cat, I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to protect you! If I had just been there… Why Cat, why did we suddenly disappear from each other’s worlds? Oh, Cat, I’ve missed you so much. And to think that you, who I called my little sister, was actually Stark’s little sister all along. We could have seen each other more often if we wanted!” Her words surprised me. I coughed, drawing their attention. We were all shocked, but Natasha… Natasha’s eyes were brimming with tears. I’d never seen Natasha cry, not even a flicker of emotion. She keeps her feelings locked down tighter than anyone I’ve ever known.
I walked over, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Natasha, how do you know her? And why do you call her Cat?” I asked, curiosity piqued. I didn’t know Cas had any friends, let alone a ‘sister.’ That realization hit me—I don’t really *know* my sister. I’ve always pushed her away, trying to shield her from the chaos, from myself. But she’s my greatest weakness, and I won’t deny it any longer. “When I was with her, I knew her as Catherine. She had just started high school and already had the world’s largest and best hacking business going,” Natasha said, a wistful smile playing on her lips. “Okay, wait… what?” My sister, a hacker? Oh, no. If that business has hacked into my systems, I should be proud. She was barely out of high school when she was already making a name for herself. Natasha continued, “It was right after Clint decided to spare my life and bring me into S.H.I.E.L.D. On the first missions, I’d still do things my way—hire a hacker to help me. That’s what I did…”