Vanessa sat curled up in the seat of the jet starring unseeingly out the window. Pepper had come and gotten her. She had stayed with Vanessa for two weeks after she learned of her father's disappearance at the school. She had been too unstable to move before hand, being prone to episodes of telekinetic outbursts.

Loki had helped a lot spending every night holding her and giving her comforting words. He was keeping her stable, keeping her from falling apart. He had wanted to come down in person, but he just wasn't able. In her arms she clutched her journal close to her heart thinking over everything.

"Vanessa." Pepper said softly as she sat down next to her. Vanessa didn't say anything, curling up a little tighter. Pepper didn't know what to say so the just pulled Vanessa into a hug which she gratefully accepted.

They didn't speak the entire plane ride and as soon as it landed they were attacked by reporters from every angle as they tried to get to their car. Vanessa was getting angry and in a subtle release of her power a way opened up in front of them as reporters 'tripped' away and they made it to the car without further incident. Pepper called ahead and made sure that the house was clear even going so far as to set the sprinklers on them before the police got there.

That night found Vanessa unable to sleep as she starred up at the ceiling of her room still crying. She had tried to make contact with some of the other telepaths she knew, but could reach none of them, not that they'd be able to help her anyway. Only the Professor had been strong enough to use Cyrebro properly. She kicked her covers off and got out of bed.

"Is there anything I can do for you Vanessa?" JARVIS asked softly.

"No." Vanessa said emotionlessly. She walked out of her room down the hall and into her father's room. The lights turned on instantly and on his bed she saw one of his favorite ACDC shirts.

She walked over and picked it up pressing her face into it a she inhaled his scent, a mix of motor oil and sandalwood. She climbed into bed holding his shirt to her chest and curling up into a tight ball. The lights turned off as she laid there tears streaming down her face hugging the shirt to her as tightly as she could.

She spent every night in his room and refused to leave the house for anything. She had JARVIS on full alert only allowing Pepper, Rhodey, and Happy into the house anyone else fell to JARVIS's interesting methods of pest removal. Everyone wanted to know if she would take over for her father and other such things.

Her friends from school came to visit for a while, but had to return home. They did everything to try and cheer her up, but nothing pulled her out of her depression. When she was able to fall asleep Loki was always there waiting for her. He had managed to come to visit her in person as well, but even he wasn't able to bring her out of her sadness. He would hold her in his arms stroking her hair as he talked softly to her, but eventually he had to return home before he was missed. Reed, Sue, Ben, Alicia, and Johnny Storm were doing everything they could to help as did Johnny Blaze, Peter, and Matt, but nothing could bring her out of it.

Vanessa rolled out of her dad's bed groaning at the prospect of another day knowing that the others would want her to come out of the house. She walked to her room and into her bathroom taking a brief shower then pulled on a black off the shoulder tight sleeved black sweater and a pair of jeans. She put her wet hair into a messy bun to get it out of her way.

She caught sight of herself in the mirror and looked at the bags under her eyes. She could never stay asleep for long, only ever finding peace when Loki was there. Pepper had made sure that she ate regularly or she would have wasted away to nothing.

"Vanessa you are receiving a call from Rhodey." JARVIS said.

"Put him through." Vanessa said as she sat on the edge of her bed and pulled her socks on.

"Hey kiddo, miss me?" Vanessa froze her eyes going wide.

"Dad?" Vanessa said quietly then started to sob. "Oh my…dad is that…dad…"

"Hey calm down, I'm ok. I'm on my way home now." Tony said gently.

"I thought…they told me…" Vanessa said covering her mouth with her hands.

"Well I'm not and I'll be landing at the airfield soon. Pepper and Happy are on their way to pick you up now, Rhodey called them." Tony said then paused for a moment before continuing. "I missed you."

"I missed you to dad. I love you so much." Vanessa said as she ran and pulled her boots on.

"I love you to Vanessa." Tony said before he had to hang up. Vanessa ran down the hall and outside to where Happy was pulling into the drive way. She didn't even wait for him to slow down before she jumped into the back seat.

"I don't care how many laws you break Happy, get us there now." Vanessa said urgently.

"I'm on it." Happy said slamming down on the gas and peeling out of the drive way.