Okinowa, Japan
Sasha
"You can do better than that." I teased as Kyler dodged her opponent's strike. She shot me a glare before returning her attention to the task at hand.
An insistent beeping came from the device at my wrist. Please don't be Mom and Dad. I tapped the screen, accepting the video call. "Liam."
"Hey, Sasha! How's Japan?" He asked, giving me one of his stupid, adorable grins. "Where are you guys?" He asked, looking behind me. His face fell into an annoyed expression. "You guys are fighting aren't you?"
"No." I lied. My sister's opponent hit the ground with a loud thud. "Maybe."
"Sasha, this was supposed to be a vacation. You promised your parents you wouldn't train. You know they don't want you guys getting into all of this."
"Come on, Rogers. You didn't really think we would go on vacation to the birthplace of karate and not brush up on our skills, did you?"
He was right, of course. Our parents didn't want this life for us — this life of secrets and danger. But I think that made us want it all the more. We fought harder, learned more, dispersed ourselves across the globe to prove to them that we were never meant for the "normal" life they thought they had deprived us of.
"Well, I hope you've had your fill because we need you guys to come home." He replied. "The jet should be there at 12:00 your time. All the files and documents that you need have been sent to your tablet. Once you pick up Isabelle you can fill her in on everything."
"What? Why are we being sent back home?" I asked, blowing a stray lock of copper hair out of my face.
"I'm just the messenger." Liam shrugged. "Once you get on the jet you can access the files that have been sent to you. They'll explain this whole thing."
"Liam, what aren't you te-" I started.
"Bye Sash. Fly safe." And with that the screen went black.
"Dammit, Liam." I mumbled at the blank screen.
"Trouble in paradise?" Kyler teased, walking towards me. As she brushed aside her honey-blonde curls to towel off the back of her neck I could see a brief flash of the arrow tattoo she had received two weeks earlier.
"You know as well as I do that Liam Rogers is as interested in me as you are in Nolan Stark." I could see Kyler falter. If she wanted to continue teasing me she was going to have to own up to her feelings for Tony Stark's youngest son.
"I'm going to take a shower." She said, ending the conversation.
"Don't be too long, we leave in less than two hours!" I called after her.
Ludhiana, India
Isabelle
It felt like I had only been asleep for minutes when a pinging noise from my tablet woke me up. Still half asleep, I accepted the video call. "Daddy, I told you I'd call when I woke up." I said rubbing the sleep from my eyes. When I looked back I realized that it was not my father looking back at me from the screen, but Andrew Stark.
"Sorry Isabelle, I figured you'd be awake by now. It's about 6:30 there isn't it?" He asked, running a hand through his rust colored hair.
"I sort of had a late night." I said quietly, trying not to wake the elderly couple I was staying with.
Andrew's face fell for a second. "Oh."
"I got to help one of the women from the clinic deliver a baby." I gushed. "It was… exciting. But, I didn't get back until a couple of hours ago."
My heart started fluttering in my chest when he smiled at me and shook his head. "Isabelle Banner, you are going to run yourself ragged trying to save the world."
"Assisting at a medical clinic for women is hardly saving the world." I said. "But, I just have to get through two more years of school and I'll be able to start making a real dent." I inwardly debated whether or not I wanted to get up yet.
"You are making a real difference Izzy. You don't need a PhD for that." He said.
"Well, Doctor Stark, maybe next time you can come with me. We can make a dent in the world's problems together." I said, making my mind up and placing my feet on the floor. I set the tablet down and switched it to hologram mode.
"I don't think a degree in psychology really lends itself to your line of work." Drew replied. "I promise I'll try to make the next one more useful."
I splashed water on my face and dried it with the hem of my tank top. "Do you actually plan on having a career, or are you just going to live at Cornell for the rest of your life?" I asked, referencing our shared alma mater.
"I'm a 22 year-old with an advanced degree and heir to a substantial inheritance. I'm not really all that concerned with starting a career just yet." He said, averting his eyes as I removed my pajamas and slipped into a green sundress.
"Maybe you should be." I said, sitting down. Slowly, I started brushing out my long brown hair and arranging it into a braid. "Your parents could leave everything to Nolan or Sophie, then what would you do?"
"I really doubt that my parents would leave billions of dollars and one of the most powerful companies in the world to my 14 year-old sister."
"Your dad would if she asked nicely enough."
"My dad would buy her the moon if she asked him to. Thank goodness for my mom; I'm convinced she's the only reason Sophie isn't spoiled rotten."
"How is Sophie? I miss her." I said, tying off the end of my braid.
"Sophie is fine. Listen, Izzy, we're bringing everyone home."
Andrew's sudden shift in tone caught me off guard. "Andrew, what's wrong?"
"The ninja twins are picking you up in about seven hours; you'll be briefed on the jet." I rolled my eyes at his nickname for the Barton twins.
"Just tell me what's going on." I insisted, picking the tablet back up.
"Sorry, I can't. The coordinates for the rendezvous point will be sent to your tablet. I'll see you when you get home, okay?"
I sighed, knowing I wouldn't get anything else out of him. "Alright."
He smiled. "And Isabelle… be careful."
"I always am." I said before ending the video chat.
Eight hours later, somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean
Kyler
"So we've been called back for a party?" Isabelle asked.
"A gala." I corrected "To bid adieu to our dear Director."
"I didn't even know he was retiring." Sasha said.
"I think that's the point. I suppose it makes sense if you think about it. If you wanted to destroy SHIELD, you'd wait for it to be at its weakest before enacting anything." Isabelle said. "A change in power presents the perfect opportunity for SHIELD's enemies to try to take it down."
"Well that does make a lot of sense strategically, but it's still annoying." Sasha said. "I was really looking forward to scuba diving."
"You know, now that I think about it, that explains why Andrew was being so cryptic about the whole thing." Isabelle added.
"And how is ?" I asked, emphasizing his newly acquired title.
I could see Isabelle trying to hide a blush. "Drew's fine. Although, he didn't mention his brother… have you heard from Nolan, Kyler?" Andrew and Isabelle had been hopelessly and obviously in love for years (although neither of them was brave enough to actually admit it to the other), and yet my relationship -or lack thereof-with Nolan Stark was one of Isabelle's favorite topics of conversation.
"I haven't, actually. Lover boy Liam is the one who called us in." I said pointedly looking in Sasha's direction.
Sasha pointed an accusing finger at Izzy. "Don't even try to tell me that he's into me, because he isn't."
Isabelle just sighed and shook her head in that older sisterly way that she had. "One day you two are going to have to swallow your pride and admit that I was right this whole time. It just might be the most satisfying day of my life."
"Well, second most satisfying, after the day you finally let Stark screw you senseless like you've wanted to for the past four years." Sasha's grey-blue eyes glinted mischievously.
"Sasha Renée!" I scolded, feigning indignation. Sasha just laughed, while Isabelle's tanned skin grew more scarlet by the moment.
"Why don't we put in a movie?" She asked, finally recovering herself, and hoping to shift the focus of the conversation.
We settled into the comfy seats of the private Stark Industries jet and dimmed the lights as we discussed our options.
Although the jet was faster than a commercial flight, it was still several hours before we landed at LaGuardia and got onto the helicopter that would take us home.
The evening sun glinted off the buildings of New York as we rose higher into the air. The Tower, as we called it, had been offered up by Tony Stark as a sort of home base for the Avengers when Nick Fury had suggested that everyone have a place to reconvene. It worked out well, especially once everyone started having kids. They say it takes a village, but in our case it took a tower full of superheroes.
Finally I could see it, standing sentry over the surrounding buildings. As we flew closer I could make out my parents and Dr. Banner standing on the roof near the landing pad. Subconsciously, I smoothed the back of my hair down to cover the new tattoo on the back of my neck, before reveling in the idea of a nice hot shower before dinner. I couldn't deny it was nice to be home.
Sophie
I was about to leave my room and head down to the kitchen when I heard the helicopter. "Jarvis, is that our helicopter?"
"Yes, Miss Stark. Estimated time of arrival is two minutes." The AI system replied.
I raced down the hall and into the elevator, punching the button for the common area. As soon as the doors slid open I was running into the kitchen where my mom and two older brothers were already working on dinner.
"They're here! Can I go up to the landing pad?" I asked my mom with pleading eyes.
"They just got back from half way around the world, Sophie. Let's give the girls some time to breathe. They'll come down when they're ready." She handed me a knife. "Why don't you help me out with these vegetables while we wait?"
"Okay." I said, chopping up some carrots. I should've asked Dad. He was completely susceptible to my pleading eyes. But, Dad was in the lab and Mom was not so easily persuaded, so I stood in front of the cutting board and carried on with the rhythmic sound of cutting up the vegetables in front of me.
"Need any help?" Liam and his younger sister, Ella, where standing in the doorway awaiting instruction from the woman who made our home function.
"Of course. Ella, why don't you help Sophie? Liam and Andrew can go set the table." She said, taking over for Andrew so he could help Liam.
Ella and I started talking about a movie she wanted to see while the boys shuttled plates and silverware between the kitchen and the table. Over the sounds of cooking and the dishes being stacked and moved, I heard the elevator doors sliding open in the living room. I had assumed it was my dad, but when I looked up Isabelle was standing in the doorway. She looked pretty with her hair down and a yellow sundress accentuating her tanned skin.
"Shit!" Andrew swore, nearly dropping the glass he was holding.
"Izzy!" I squealed, throwing down my knife and running towards the girl who was practically my sister.
"There's my Soph!" She said, wrapping her arms around my shoulders. "Movie night in my room at eight, ok?" She whispered in my ear before releasing me from our hug.
"Isabelle, it's wonderful to have you home." My mom said, taking her turn hugging Izzy. "How was India?"
"India was fantastic, as usual." She replied, now wrapping her arms around Ella and Liam.
"Well, I can't wait to hear all about it." Andrew had set down the glass he'd been holding and was leaning against the counter.
Kyler would have made a snide remark, Sasha would have hit him, and Ella would have agreed to tell him everything, but Isabelle just smiled and said "What? You wake me up at 6 am and drag me back home from halfway across the planet and I don't even get a hug?"
As if my brother would pass up an opportunity to be in close contact with Isabelle. Sure enough he pushed off the counter and walked over to where she was standing in the middle of the kitchen. "It was 6:30, and of course you get a hug."
Everyone else had gone back to their chores, but I watched out of the corner of my eye as he pulled Izzy into the circle of his arms, tucking her head under his chin. I smiled to myself at how perfectly they fit together. Isabelle had always been like an older sister to me, but if things turned out the way I thought they would, Isabelle would be my sister for real one day.
Sasha
Okay, I was hiding. But to be fair, so was Kyler. After stepping off the helicopter, I had greeted my parents then gone straight to my room with my sister close behind me. "I'm going to unpack." She'd said. "Come get me when you're out of the shower." Then she ducked into her room while I continued down the hallway. After unceremoniously dumping my suitcase on the bed, I grabbed a change of clothes and went to monopolize the bathroom between my room and my sister's.
The hot water helped clear my head and soothe my muscles, and when I stepped out of the shower I felt refreshed. After slipping into the jeans and tank top I had brought, I poked my head into Kyler's room, where she was sorting her laundry. "Bathroom's all yours."
"Thanks." She said, tossing one last garment into the darks pile and getting up. "Are you heading down now?"
"No, I want to unpack. We can go down together after you shower." We both knew that I really meant that I didn't feel like facing everyone without her, but she didn't say anything about it and I certainly wasn't going to. Long conversations had always been a rarity between us. We could say anything we wanted in eight different languages, but most of the time all we needed was a glance, a blink, a change in posture to tell us what the other was thinking. It's what made us such a good team, and such evenly matched opponents.
Kyler grabbed her things and headed for the shower while I returned to my room. It took me all of five minutes to unpack (a by-product of frequent travel), so I flopped down on my soft, black comforter and pulled my favorite knife out. I had just finished polishing the blade for the third time when Kyler walked in. "Не кажется ли вам это достаточно чисто?" She asked. (Don't you think it's clean enough?)
"Você sabe como me sinto sobre minhas facas." I said. (You know how I feel about my knives.) "It should be so clear..."
"..That the last thing your opponent sees is their own reflection." She finished with a smile. "You ready to go?"
I folded up the switchblade and rolled off my bed. "Let the interrogation begin."
"Don't be so dramatic. It's not that bad." Kyler said.
"Oh, please." I punched the down button on the elevator. "It's not that bad for you because every time we do this Nolan is there distracting you with his sexy hair and chiseled jaw line."
"No, it's not that bad for me because I actually try to answer their questions. 'The weather was beautiful. The food was delicious. The landmarks were stunning.' It's all simple diplomacy."
We stepped onto the elevator and Kyler pushed the button for the common area. "So what I'm hearing is that you think Nolan's hair is sexy and that you find his jaw line attractive."
"I didn't say that."
I cocked an eyebrow. "Refused denial is the same as admittance."
"Keep this up and you're gonna find out just how clean my knife is." The elevator doors slid open and she stalked away.
The common area was a large, open area with floor to ceiling windows looking out over the city. The different areas of the space were separated by different levels, a living area on the left was sunk into the floor, and the huge dining table on the right was raised above the kitchen next to it. I could see Pepper behind the breakfast bar, pulling serving utensils from a drawer. She smiled as she noticed Kyler walking towards her.
I made a beeline for the table where everyone else was already sitting down, most of them engaged in various animated conversations. With one last deep breath I sat down and prepared myself for the inevitable.
We had all just settled down when Pepper stood up at the head of the table. "First of all, I just want to say how wonderful it is to have everyone in the same place." She said, giving a pointed look to her sons and Izzy, who where all away at school for most of the year. "I don't think you realize how much I miss having you all home. But, I know that every time one of you leaves this home, it's with the intention of bettering yourselves, and I'm very proud of all of you for that. With that said," she smiled, "I'm very glad to have you all home. Hopefully you'll stay a little longer this time."
"Here, here." Said Izzy's dad, raising his water glass in the air. Everyone around the table echoed the sentiment before digging into their dinner and delving into conversations.
"So, tell us about Japan." Aunt Sharon said, turning her head towards me and Kyler. Here we go…
A/N:So, I hope you guys enjoyed this first chapter! I really want this story to be interactive for you guys, so if you go to tlosad . tumblr . com (there's a link to it in my bio too) you'll find a Q&A Blog dedicated to this story and its characters. You can submit questions to the character Q&A and see previews and asset profiles. Please check it out, and if you have time I would love a review.
Update: I got a request for some clarification, so here it is! The Stark kids: Andrew (22), Nolan (19), and Sophie (14). The Barton kids: Kyler and Sasha (18). The Rogers kids: Liam(17), and Ella (15). Isabelle Banner (21).