Staring awake at the ceiling
You promised never to forgive
Tearing apart at the seams, baby
You better learn to fucking live

"So where is everyone, exactly?" She asked, striding into the compound. It was a grand building, jet planes and fancy cars and all. She entered through the glass entryway, a poor choice in the design considering it was so fragile. Knowing Tony though, it was probably some high tech bazooka proof glass. The architecture was easy on the eyes and certainly very large.

She paced backwards as she walked ahead of Tony, gesticulating to the open concept entryway. "I mean, I can't hear that many heartbeats, not much noise besides the garage. Are they on sort of mission?"

He sighed, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets as she approached her, to which he earned a frown from her.

"Is this about the Sovolia Accords still?"

He gave her a tight lip smile frown.

"Tony, why did you even ask me if you haven't made up with your precious Cap?"

"It's complicated, okay? But if it comes to saving the world, or holding a grudge against me, he'd choose the earlier."

"You really think this is going to happen, don't you?" She cocked a brow. "You really think he'll win."

"I don't know, okay?" He sighed, "All I know is that I'm not taking any chances; the Avengers were created for a reason." He slapped his palms against his thighs. "I am going to try as hard as I can, we have to try as hard as we can."

"We?" She pointed to herself, then back to Tony. "There is no we, okay?"

"Stop fighting me like the kid you look like and just listen to me." He growled. "You likely don't feel the same, because you never show ANY emotion at all, but I have a small tiny part in here," He pointed to his chest, "That is actually a little fond of you, so if you would just listen, the sooner this will all be over. Okay?"

She shook her head in frustration. He had a point, but she didn't like it.

"Okay, so why'd you bring me here, huh?"

He stepped closer to her. "Something going to happen soon, in New York. The doctor warned me."

"The one with cape and the orange spinny things?" She gestured by waving her hands in a circle.

"So you do keep up," He smiled.

She shrugged, "I have a lot of free time on my hands," she changed the subject. "So how much time do we have?"

"The doc said a day."

"What the hell Tony," She made a face, "So why'd you bring me here?"

"Because," he answered, "It's kind of a waiting game at this point and I need to test your skills. Besides, I flew Pepper somewhere safer and we are basically just sitting ducks at this point.

She frowned, crossing her arms. She could hear the echo of her footsteps in the quiet fortress, it was almost eerie. She had always thought the compound would be loud, bustling with voice of superheros, robots, and employees. "I've got a training ground outside, thought we could do a little practice."

"Ah what the hell," She shrugged, "Probably put up a better fight then half the hunters on my ass, plus I'd feel good to beat you to a pulp."

"Ah ah," He wagged his finger, "No near death experiences, I don't know if you forgot but we actually have to do shit tomorrow. And no destroying my suit. I need it tomorrow."

"Whatever," She paced away from him.

"So... telepathy?"

"No."

"Telekenisis?"

She shrugged, "Sometimes."

"Mind control?"

"Not unless I give you a potion," She smirked.

"Summoning?"

She nodded, "I haven't in a while, but yes."

"Okay," Tony removed his glasses and his sweater, placing them on a bench just before the outdoor training grounds. "What else is there? Do you just flail your wand around, bippity boppity boop? Harry Potter stuff?"

"You know, if you didn't talk about yourself so much I might've actually told you this stuff before."

He grumbled.

"Well, it all depends how strong I am, or how weak I am; rather. A lot of my 'witchy'" she finger quoted "side, doesn't pertain to a lot of the mortals I am around. Summoning, Binding, Warding, Hexing, it's all stuff that I've only applied to the supernatural or mortals. Demon Trapping, Demon Banishing, Demon exorcisms... I've never really tried most of this stuff on superhumans or alien beings."

"Gimme more." he waved his hand towards him, "What else you got."

"Chlorokenisis, Atmokeneis sometimes, summon hellfire."

"Dumb it down for me a bit, I don't know witchy talk."

She rolled her eyes, "Plants, weather, fire."

"That's better." He fist bumped his chest, striding towards her. "Now show me what you got?"

"Alright," She shrugged, "But you asked for it." With her quick speed, she flashed over to the other side of the courtyard.

"You're quicker then I remember!" He commented, laughing.

Again, she rolled her eyes at him.

She watched as the armor of iron encompassed him, and he flew into the air, orange beams and air expelling from his palms and soles. He shot the beams of light towards her, and she dodged them. She could feel the heat radiating from them, telling her how painful it would be if she came into contact with it. Beam after beam, he shot it out of his suit but she zoomed around each one of them.

She could hear his frustration as she sped around him. She looked up at him with a triumphant smile, to which he let out a low growl. He lowered to the floor, his feet planting on the cement.

She wasted no time in darting towards him, raising her arms to start her attack. She threw punch after punch, slamming her arms against the shield that Tony was now equipped with. She took one long breath, and grabbed the shield to use it against him. She spun around a few times, ignoring his then released him once she had enough power.

He had landed with a loud metal scrape, letting out an exasperated laugh. "Not bad, Ms. Stark."

"Neither yourself," She complimented.

He went above her again, shooting beams of light from his palms once again, and she did her best to avoid most of them, but they came quicker and stronger now Every so often the side of her face or her arm would skim them, and she felt the sizzle of flesh, but then it sewed itself back together as she healed.

She clenched her fists together, outstretching them as she prepared to summon hellfire. her head whipped around, trying to find Tony above her, and when she had watched him land, giving her a good chance, she touched the ground. She felt the palms of her hands heat up, and the ground beneath her start to warm. It started as a small flame in front of her, and then it grew in a thin line. It was like she lined a stripe of gasoline in front of her and lit it with a match. It chased towards Tony and transformed into a T, blocking Tony from her.

The small line of fire blew out, but the wall of flames still separated them.

"Good one! That's new."

"What can I say," She commented, yelling over the noise of the flames. "I taught myself." It wasn't like there were any other heretics to teach her.

"Conceited much?" He commented, while flying higher so she could just see the top half of his suit. He expelled a cold mist of water from his suit, the flames diminishing into small patches.

"This is where I'd say 'I take after you' but I'm like- quadruple your age."

She loved the snarky remarks, Tony being possibly the only one that thought the same way as she did. It was as if their brain was wired the same way, which is why they bashed heads so much. When he would visit her, he would have a glass of whiskey, and she would watch the nightlife, and he would just drone on about his life. She listened, considering she had nothing better two, and she was possibly the only person on earth that wasn't offended by Tony Stark's comments.

He planted himself on the ground, clawed feet emerging and digging into the cement. His arms turned into two shield defending himself as Tatum kicked and punched her way through the air. He was pretty well trained in self defense, and she truly did her best to attack him.

"This a little hard for you hey?" He asked, "I must be putting up a good fight."

She grabbed his right arm, halting him from hitting her exposed skin.

They paused for a moment, the iron man mask peering into her soul as she formed a maniacal smile.

She closed her grasp, squeezing the metal and deforming the arm piece.

"I said no ruining suits." The suit opened up and he stepped out of it, like it was an elevator. "I had one condition."

She grinned, releasing the metal arm.

He lifted a finger as she laughed. "You know, I actually think that's the first time I've seen you smile."

"Mhm," She nodded sarcastically.

"So, Tie?"

"If that's what makes you happy,"

"What?" he asked, his arms outstretched. He rubbed his goatee. "What do you mean 'if that makes me happy'. I think that was pretty even. Friday?" he turned towards his suit, speaking to the AI.

"Yes Mr. Stark?" She heard the robotic response.

"That was pretty even, wasn't it?"

"Yes, sir."

"See," He clapped his hands together, "Settled". He started walking towards the back doors of the compound.

"Whatever makes you happy," She repeated under her breath while following him back to the building.

"I'm gonna pretend you didn't say that." Swiftly, he span around and tried to karate chop her throat.

She grabbed his arm and chuckled, squeezing it tight until she could hear his knuckles start to crack.

"Okay! Okay." He pulled away from her, to which she allowed. "Ow," He shook his hand. "Point proven." They were quiet for a moment, Tony typing in the password to enter through the back entrance. She could see the reflection of the sunset flash back at them from the glass doors. "I almost got you there though, didn't I?"

The night had passed without sleep. To be frank, she was nervous. What would the world be like with only half it's members occupying it? She had never thought about her fate... but what if she was left behind? What if she was left to pick up the pieces of those around her? What if Tony was gone?

She spent the night gathering belongings from Tony for a spell. It started out with a few strands of hair, and then swab of his spit.

"Why are you doing this?" He had asked her, "Planning to clone me after I'm gone?"

She huffed a laugh "Just listen to me. I'll explain later."

She had then grabbed a lock of her own hair, her own swab of spit. She had grabbed frog's eyes, and a few bones of a bird she had found outside, and pricked her thumb before letting it drip into the concoction. She wrapped it in a burlap pouch, tying a knot with the strings.

When morning came, and the both of them exited the building, she handed him the small pouch.

"What's this?" He asked, holding it and shaking it like a present on Christmas morning.

"It's a binding spell, sorta. More like a hex... or a potion, without the whole drinking part." It'll work on you, I've tried it on mortals before.

"What am I supposed to do with it?" He cocked a brow, holding it palm up in his hand like it was a dead mouse.

She closed her eyes and hovered her hand palm down over it. "Ut curabit nos. Ut ubi ego sum et vado eorum ubi ipse morietur".

She opened her eyes to see him frowning, and he tossed the bag in the air. "What'd you do and what the hell is in this bag?"

"Just keep it in your suit, okay? It'll bind us so if you need me or something, you just say the spell and I'll come to you, or if I say it you return to me." She closed his palm, clutching his hand, and he held the pouch tighter. He exhaled through his nostrils and placed it in his pocket.

"Well how the hell am I supposed to remember the words?"

"I wrote a little sticky note," she added, tapping her left temple. "Always thinking ahead."

"Now let's go, little one." She teased, placing her hand on his back, and they exited the Avenger's building.

"Don't call me that."

She waited in the park. She was told to wait for his command. She hated waiting, she hated being ordered around. She hated being in such a public area. She hated a lot of things.

When they had made it into the main part of the city, Bruce Banner had approached him with the doctor and another fellow, and they had to go MIA for a bit. She was offered to join, but she saw no point in joining them inside the orange spinny thingy.

All was quiet for a long time. She watched joggers run with dogs, parents walk with children, teenagers playing frisbee. There was even a yoga group. She liked people watching, it was usually a task completed at the bar, but still; she enjoyed it.

Nearly an hour had passed, and there was no sign of Tony. Calling him felt weird at a time like this, and she doubted he would even answer.

She reveled in the tranquility, even closing her eyes for a moment.

It started with sirens. First there were few, then there were many. She didn't begin to think twice, until she felt the rumble of the earth. She stood from the bench, her head scanning her surroundings.

In all her years of living, she had never seen anything quote like what was before her eyes. There was a vertical donut shaped thing.. what she only assumed to be a space ship.

"What in Unholy hell is that.." she whispered to herself.

Movement started happening around her. Screaming, wailing, crying. She could see objects flying from the street the ship was on. She could see parts of building fly off, glass shatter, car's sailing through the air. Whatever battle was happening, it was too close for comfot.

She watched as a cement block came crashing down like a meteor, towards a car stuck in traffic. She could see two little boys in the backseat, and a father screaming in the front.

She would never understand mortal logic of being in shock and not moving, but she tried to diminish the thought as she ran towards the car. Just as it was about to collide, she pushed the car to the side, crashing it into the adjacent car next to it. She moved out of the way of the rock, pushed it aside when it landed, and then opened the back passenger seat to allow the family to get out. "Come on, come on," She waved them, helping the first little boy get out. "I think they're evacuating everything North of the bridge.

She helped the last two members out and then pointed to where they should run.

"Thank you," he called back, picking up both toddlers and sprinting it down the sidewalk.

She wiped the pieces of glass that had embedded themselves into her hands, and she sighed.

She heard twangs of metal, she heard people getting hurt, and she heard loud alien like sounds from the next block over.

"Watch out!"

She spun around to see a yellow taxi near collision with her body. With so many explosive sounds it was hard to detect the noise of the car. Just as she saw the taxi appear only a few feet before her face, she shielded her eyes; knowing that the impact wouldn't truly kill her, but if it did cause her to be out for a few hours, that meant that she couldn't help. She had promised Tony she would help, and she wan't good on breaking oaths.

She felt something attach to her waist, something sticky and springy, and before she knew it she was flying through the air.

"What the f-" She landed on the ground, somersaulting as she saw a blur of blue and red.

She was left on the ground, groaning as the back of her head hit a rock.

"Oh shoot!" She heard her savior mutter, "Sorry, sorry. Are you okay?" She felt fingers on the back of her head, and she swatted them away as she grunted. She saw Spider-Man, who she recognized in the news and from Tony's countless reminiscence about him.

"Dandy," She grumbled. He stood over her, legs outstretched while she laid on the ground. An awkward situation to be in, to say the least. She had just met him, but she thought nothing of it as he hovered over her, a little to close to comfort. His eyes were inches from her angry green ones, showing irritation at his lack of attempt to move.

"Wow you have nice eyes! Hah.." He said quickly, giving an awkward laugh.

"Yeah," She groaned, "Little too close for comfort, my friend."

"Do you know Mr. Stark?" he ignored her

"Unfortunately." She tried to push him off of her. She shielded her eyes as an explosion of glass happened to her left. "Now's not really the time to start a conversation Spider-boy."

"It's Spider-man." He corrected with annoyance.

"You're voice tells me otherwise."

"You're like... the same age as me." He argued.

"Plus 200 years." She pushed him away, using her elbow to press against his shoulder. "Where's Tony?"

"How do you know Tony?"

"Stop asking questions."

"Right, right. Sorry. In the middle of a fight. Yeah. I forgot." He scratched the back of his head. "We're on the same side, right?"

"Jesus..." She shook her head. How did Tony put up with him? He was like a toddler.

"Hey I just saved you from a near death experience! You don't have to be so rude."

She cocked her head, licking her lips as she spoke. "Wouldn't be the first time I've died Spider-boy."

"Spider-Man." He corrected through gritted teeth.

"Yeah yeah." She took a moment to analyze her surroundings. The somersault through the air threw her off, and she had already wasted time by talking to the kid.

"There" she pointed towards the larger child of Thanos, and watched as he windmilled his weapon around, spinning in circles as Tony flew in spirals around him. He shot bolts of lasers at him, but it did nothing to slow down the beast and his armor.

"Tony!" She yelled, cupping her mouth as she stood erect. "Watch your-"

Before she could even finish her sentence, the monster had switched his position and clamored down on Tony and his suit, causing him to shoot towards the grass and leave a trail of mud.

She bounced up and down for a bit, preparing herself to enter the fight. She shook her head, exhaling like a runner before a triathlon. "Hey big guy!" She screamed, "Over here." At an unfathomable speed, Tatum blurred towards the alien, colliding with it's armored legs. She had managed to dent the metal with her strength, and it was enough to distract him for a moment, even cause him to stumble slightly, but then he just grew angry and tried to swat her away.

He grew even more irritated when the smile crept up on her face, dodging every grasp he tried to make as her agility was heightened more than that of a mortal. He growled at her, muttering something in his alien language. "Catch me if you can!" She badgered, moving around him in circles, between his legs and in front and behind him.

"Hey Mr Stark!" She heard Spider man speak, and watched him web over to him using a pair of trees that were a fair distance apart. It didn't appear that he had heard the boy, because he made no effort to reply.

The ground rumbled with his angry roar. He lifted his weapon in the air, almost anticipating Tatum's next flutter around his feet, and it came crashing down. She was sure it was going to hit her, and she'd rather not die halfway through battle if she had a choice, but she didn't have enough time to move. It would take her a few hours to come back to life, and they didn't really have that time right now.

She shielded herself from the impact, but it never came. She looked back at Tony, who was expressionless due to the Iron mask, and then she looked up.

Her previous savior was holding back the metal axe-like weapon, and glancing back at them in triumph.

"Mr. Stark"

"Hey, kid." He acknowledged his presence. "Where'd you come from?" He asked as he got back on his feet. Tatum did the same.

"Field trip from MoMa!" His voice faded as the alien threw him to the side.

"Ugh," She groaned; knowing that she should at least help the dude out, since he had helped her. Twice.

She fled over to him, watching him float towards the park's water fountain. She had made it before him, whizzing over before the boy had a chance to bash his skull on the cement. She stumbled at the impact, and held her arms underneath his armpits, pulling him upright as he regained himself. "Now we're even," She commented, running back to Tony.

"Thanks!" He waved at her like a citizen trying to wave down a cab in New York. "Mr. Stark, she's like... really really fast." he commented, webbing back over to them.

"Yeah," Tatum could hear their conversation through the earpieces, not needing an earpiece of her own with her advanced hearing. "I'll explain later, Pete. Just help us out."

"Right, right."

While Tony powered bolts of harmful light towards the alien, Tatum took her time focusing; closing her eyes as she tried her best to avoid the outside noise.

"What?!" She heard the 16 year old yell, "What is she doing? Why is she just standing there?"

"Just focus on us Peter!" Iron man shouted back. "Just give her a sec."

She could feel power pulse through her, and when her hands grew shaky, she knew she had summoned the Elektrokenisis power that she had desired to battle the alien with.

"Tony, I need something with power."

He flew around in circles, just as he had before while the Spider-man did his best to web up the monster's legs. "What do you mean? You're going to have to be a little bit more specific."

"I need a phone, a tablet, a power line, I need something!" She dodged a shot from the alien.

Before anyone had a chance to speak, a long cable appeared in her hand. It was a black telephone wire that had fallen due to the fight, and she clutched it the stickiness of it, she knew who had given it to her.

She could feel the electricity run through her, and she shot a few bolts of lightning towards him. it only stunned him for a few seconds, but it managed to allow a few hits.

"What's this guy's problem, Mr. Stark?"

"Uh," Tony pointed both palms towards the foe. "He's from space, he came to steal a necklace from a wizard."

"Yeah?" Spider-man grunted as the alien grabbed him with a metal claw, tossing him behind it like it was a piece of trash.

Tony took that as an opportunity, raising higher in the air as he used his orange laser to try to cut through the guys armor. The claw transformed into a shield, and Tony only managed to get a few shots towards his face. The alien roared, grabbing the taxi from earlier and tossing it away in anger.

Tatum watched as the kid attached himself to a tree, and webbed himself to the car, yanking it towards the enemy.

He growled in pain, but tossed it off.

"Does he ever stop?"

"Superhero life, Tatum," Tony commented, "Little bit of a bigger deal then witch hunters."

"I told you I am not trying to be a superhero," She yelled. She darted towards his legs again, using each arm to grab a leg and clothesline him. He fell to the ground, but grabbed her with the claw and threw her towards a tree. She hit the tree, the back of her skull cracking as she made impact. She groaned, rubbing the crown as she held her hand over the bleeding wound. She could already feel itself healing up.

This dude put up a better fight than even the Winchesters.

She felt a gush of wind fly past her, and she looked in time to see a man flying horizontally through the air.

"Kid," Tony yelled through the earpiece, "That's the wizard, get on it."

"On it Mr. Stark!"

Tatum watched as he webbed away. She glanced from him, to the flying wizard, to Tony, to the Alien, to the chaos down the street with the squidward looking alien and she exhaled. Catastrophic events exploded around her as the english-speaking alien flew after Spider-man and the unconscious wizard. They made a path of destruction as they all played tag, chasing each other towards the large starship.

She looked at Tony, and despite not being able to see his face, she was sure he was fashioning the same incredulous stare.

Never in her 216 years on earth had she encountered anything like this.

Authors note:

I know this kind of dived straight into action, but there's reason behind it and you'll just have to trust me enough to stick through till the next chapter. Peter and Tatum will properly meet on the space ship. I'm messing with the time line a little bit, if you couldn't tell. I want there to be a few days on the space ship while they are waiting to get to Titan, and I'm also going to have her meet the other avengers in upcoming chapter. I know it seems impossible, but there's a way without her leaving the ship that she will, and again you'll have to trust me.

Also can someone tell me if there's a way to view everyone who has followed and favorited this story? I wan't to thank people individually. It is nice to know that people read my work.