Chapter 7 ~ Coming to Terms
Hand of Sorrow – Within Temptation
Once S.H.I.E.L.D.'s doctors had run some tests and scans, they found nothing alarming about her new body chemistry. Nothing stood out to them as wrong but they did note that she now had a high metabolism, heightened healing capabilities, and advanced senses and reflexes. "Essentially, she's like them." one doctor said, reading the file to Fury as he gestured to Thor and Loki. "Same energy signature… though her's seems to be a bit more powerful. But that can come just because of what happened to her in the confrontation with Thanos."
"But she is sound?" Fury asked, uneasily looking at the girl in the hospital room.
"There is no evidence to the contrary sir." The doctor replied.
Fury nodded slowly before going to Tony and Pepper. "Everything looks like it checks out." He said, making them smile. "You can take her home. However, S.H.I.E.L.D. will be keeping an eye on her for some time."
"I'd expect nothing less." Tony said quickly before heading for the hospital room.
Cracking the door, he looked in to see Lithia looking blankly out the window at the clouds. "Hey kiddo." He said softly, seeming to snap Lithia away from the window. She turned and gave him a tired smile before crossing to the thin bed and stroke Tiny Hulk's head. "We get to take you home today." Tony said with a big smile.
Lithia's smile grew a bit bigger before she let it drop and looked away. "What's wrong kiddo?" Tony asked, crossing to her.
Lithia was silent a moment. "I've just been doing a lot of thinking recently… My mind's a bit full right now is all." Lithia replied, giving him another tired smile.
Nodding his head, Tony placed and arm around her shoulders and they left, Tiny Hulk prancing at Lithia's side. Out in the hall, Pepper, Greta, Steve, Bruce, Thor and Loki were all waiting for them. Lithia's smile got a little bit bigger when Pepper came over to her side. "Let's get home." She said, smiling.
Lithia nodded and let them lead her off. Her darker eyes caught a pair of emerald green orbs and she heard a soft, sultry voice say, "I'll see you later."
She smiled softly. "Count on it." She murmured softly.
XXXX
Lithia lay in her bed later that night, her mind still swirling and unable to settle. However, one idea kept surfacing to the forefront. Sitting up, Lithia swung her legs out of her bed and stood before crossing to her bookcase containing her old Norse Mythology book sitting on a shelf. Drawing the thick volume from its place, she returned to her bed. Sitting cross-legged, she mentally locked her bedroom door and slid her desk in front of it. She didn't want anyone to come in while she was reading.
Opening the volume, Lithia flipped through the familiar pages until a small envelop made her pause. Wedged in the pages, Lithia pulled it free before closing the book and setting it aside. The envelope was well worn from constant opening and folding. Inhaling slowly, she turned it over and opened it once more. She carefully pulled the few pages from it and set the envelope on top of her book, a picture face down still within the old paper.
Calming herself, she began to read the slightly faded words written in a neat scrawl.
Dear Lithia,
They told me to never write to one of my charges. But you have always been a different case. I know you probably hate me as you read this but please my child, keep reading. I have much to explain to you and you deserve the truth. Let me begin by saying that I never intentionally meant to hurt you more than you have been hurt. I cannot image what your life has been like nor would I want to. You have seen too much darkness for your 14 years.
You were never supposed to become so attached to me Lithia. I have done this so many times before and no one else has ever affected me as you did in those months you were with me. No one had ever before now but you… I can hardly get you and your eyes out of my mind. And I see them every time I look at her.
Oh Lithia I know you never wanted to leave her but please know I shall never give her up. If you ever trusted me or believed my words, please put that trust into your heart now. I swear that she will never end up in the same circumstances as you have found yourself my child. I will keep her safe and when they come for her, because I will not lie to you once more and you know that they will come, they will have to take her over my cold, dead body.
If I could, I would take you from that hell that they keep making you endure. But… but I cannot. I am too weak to stand up to them. However, despite my weakness, you have always been stronger than you truly know. Many others in your position would have broken long ago yet you endure it. Stay strong my dear. If not for your own sake than for hers for she will need to meet you one day. You have my word that I will not let her grow up not knowing about you.
I have enclosed a picture of her from her daycare. That and this letter, that may never reach you, are the only things I can send you. I will not move. You know where to find us when you are free… and if you are ready.
In my heart, Kathy
Lithia slowly read those words twice more before folding them and picking up the envelope. The picture back glared up at her. The worn edges and taped over tear lines taunting her in its sleeve. She had only looked at it once before she ripped it up only to tape it back together later. She had read this letter countless times but had only looked upon the picture once right when she got it. Pulling the picture from the envelope and replacing the letter, she set the picture face down on her bed and stared at it.
What seemed like an eternity passed and Lithia couldn't make herself pick the picture up and look upon the face in it. She had reached for it numerous times only to snap her hand back when it was mere centimeters from the picture. She didn't know how she could take looking into the eyes from the small picture. Last time, she had torn the thing up in bitter tears of hate and sorrow only to regret it later and tape it together again. Lithia was tired of crying.
Once more she reached for the picture and actually let her fingers rest on the worn item. She closed her eyes and inhaled slowly before flipping them open again as she picked up a corner of the picture. She brought it off the bed and to her chest without looking at the image it contained. She was getting closer to actually looking at the picture.
Just as she was pulling the picture from her chest, there was a hesitant knock at the door. "Lith! Gasoline!" Greta said, her voice slightly sleepy still.
"Just a second." Lithia replied, sending the desk away and unlocking to door to her best friend.
Greta entered, rubbing her eyes as she shuffled to Lithia's bed. "You okay?" she asked, not really seeing her friend. "I heard crying earlier, and wondered if you'd had any more night terrors."
"I'm alright I guess." Lithia replied, keeping her voice low.
"That's BS but I'll let it slide because it's too damn early for me to think. What's that?" Greta asked, pointing to the picture still pressed to her chest.
Lithia looked down before hesitantly handing the picture without looking at it herself. Greta took the picture and drew out her glasses before looking at it. "Okay, seeing better… Aww! What a little cutie," she said. "You know this little chibin?"
"She's…" Lithia paused before gently taking the picture back and looking at it.
It was an old picture of a little girl. She was sitting on the floor in a dark blue dress and was smiling as she played with a set of blocks. Though the girl was young, she already had a full head of dark brown hair pulled into thick pig tails. Her light hazel eyes were sparkling, even in the worn picture. Lithia smiled slowly. "She's my daughter." She said, tracing the child's face.
"Oh, she adorable, and… Wait, what the huh?!" Greta looked up so fast she fell off Lithia's bed. She groaned and rubbed her bruised chin, but then directed her surprised gaze back at Lithia. "You mind repeating that, Lith? I think I'm still half asleep."
"Greta…" Lithia said softly, making the chocolate haired young woman look from the picture to her and back again. "She's my daughter."
Greta didn't say anything. Her face was void of any emotion and her eyes had a complete blank look. Lithia gave her friend a soft smile. "Either you are taking this really well or I just made your brain explode." She laughed softly. "Hello. Houston to Greta. Come in Greta. Over."
"… Mind… Processing…" Greta smacked herself and shook her head before practically pouncing on Lithia. "You're just only telling me this NOW!"
"Sorry for not telling you sooner about the kid I had when I was 14!" Lithia snapped back. "Pardon me for that. Not like it's my deepest secret of all time that only other people who knew about her was Molly and the bastards that kept us in that hell. Please, forgive me."
"Lith, take a pill, will ya!," Greta shouted back. "I knew your past was a bitch, and you didn't want to talk about it, but this news is something worth mentioning, don't cha think?"
"Don't shout at me Greta!" Lithia snapped back, slamming the picture down. "I put Evangaline in the same boat with Molly. Touch and die. I don't tell people because then they start asking questions on where is she, who's her father and why did you leave her. I don't like answering those questions one at a time so I'll just tell you now. She's in Louisiana with an old friend. Her father rapped me when I was 14. And I didn't leave her, I was taken from her. So please, lay off me about not telling you. She's closer to my heart than even Molly was." Lithia explained, talking furiously but keeping her voice low as to not wake anyone else up but tears welled as she spoke about her child. "I never wanted to leave her!"
Greta sighed and placed her hands on Lithia's shoulders. She tried pulling away, but Greta kept a firm hold. "Lith, I'm not most people," she began. "Remember when you first told me about Molly? I didn't hound you with questions. Hell, when I saw that look in your eye and how hard it was when you just said her name, I said forget it. It was months before you came and told me the whole story. Even though the questions were tearing to get out of my throat, I've been holding back because I don't want to make you relive it. Do I sometimes slip and bring shit up, yes, but I've gotten better."
"Molly and Evangaline are entirely different subjects. Molly didn't come from me nor was she ripped away from me within moments of having her. Greta… I held my daughter once, right when I had her. The next day, I was taken back to that hell of. I get that you want me to trust you… but I barely even trust myself when it comes to her…" by the end of this, Lithia was sobbing.
Greta released Lithia's shoulders and drew her friend into a hug. When she calmed down to the point where she hiccuped, Greta started to speak. "Look, don't worry about me saying some stupid shit like 'I understand' because I sure as hell don't know the pain of having my own life ripped away from me like that. I'd punch in anyone's teeth who try that line on me. But I am gonna say this." She drew back so she could look her best friend in the eye. Lithia's eyes were red and small tears were still spilling down her cheek.
Greta gave her a soft smile. "If you don't want to be separated anymore, then don't. You never gave your consent, and as her biological mother, you have every right to your daughter. I say, let's pack up your car, grab some overnight crap, and get our road trip on." Greta's smile only got bigger as her mind continued with her plan. "If we need to go through the usual legal shit, then you got Tony and Pepper, the A-Team, Loki, and me backing you up. So, what's stopping you?"
"Me." Lithia said. "I am stopping myself…" she suddenly bolted up. "Greta, pack a bag. We're going to Louisiana at dawn!"
XXXX
"Louisiana?" Pepper asked later that day. "What's in Louisiana? And why do you need to go right now?"
"I just feel like everything that's been happening, it might be nice to get away for a bit." Lithia replied. "It'd just be Greta, me and Tiny Hulk going and we wouldn't be gone forever. We'll be back by the end of the month. And I promise to call all the time. Please Mom?"
Pepper looked into her daughter's pleading eyes. It was highly rare for Lithia to ask, let alone beg, for something, and while she was glad, there was something in the way Lithia spoke that made Pepper believe there was more to the story than Lithia was willing to let on. However, this was still her daughter and there would be conditions.
"Alright, you can go," she said. "But!"
Lithia didn't wait for Pepper to finished before hugging her tightly. "I'll follow any rules you want Mom!" she said, smiling and chuckling a bit.
Pepper laughed and hugged her back. "Good, because you aren't leaving unless the following is meet," Pepper stated. "I will allow you and Greta on this road trip, but I won't have two nineteen year old girls on the road alone." Lithia began to protest, but Pepper raised her hand. "I'm not budging on this, Lithia. Even though you have powers, there's not a snowball's chance in hell I'm letting you go cross-country without proper supervision."
Lithia thought a moment. "What if Dad or Loki came with us?" Lithia offered.
"I thought I said proper supervision," Pepper said in mock seriousness. "I was thinking more along Natasha or Steve, maybe even Bruce."
"I think Tony's been doing a pretty good job at being an actual adult these days compared to when we first became a family." Lithia replied. "Plus, if he came along and I made Loki come to, they would balance each other out. You know as well as I that Loki would probably murder every single person who looked at me wrong and would pretty much do anything I asked him to."
Pepper's mouth opened, then quickly closed shut. Whatever she had been about to say, Lithia's response had clearly made a point. However, there was still an underlying apprehension in her eyes.
Lithia sighed. "Okay, I'll call Bruce up and see if he feels comfortable tagging along." She said, "But I'm still inviting Dad and Loki."
"That's all I ask." Pepper placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders, and kissed her forehead. "Just be safe, have fun, and make sure Tony doesn't bring back any 'souvenirs'." Pepper added, making them both laugh.
"By souvenirs, you mean an albino alligator." Lithia quipped, smirking slightly.
"That, and anything in New Orleans." Pepper laughed. "I swear, that man will buy anything that's ridiculously priced."
Lithia laughed some more before going off to make all the arrangements. First, she called up Bruce. "Louisiana? And you want to leave right now?" he asked over the phone.
"Yup. I'm packing as we talk. I'm inviting Tony and Loki to tag along and Pepper really wants a responsible adult. While Steve or Natasha were her first picks, you kinda my favorite Avenger." Lithia said, moving some clothing into her suitcase.
It was silent for a moment on Bruce's end. "Listen, if you're not comfortable I can find someone else. I thought that it might be nice to get away from the lab for a few weeks." Lithia said, stopping her packing and sitting down.
"No. I mean, I think I'll be fine… It's just…"
"Just?" Lithia asked.
Bruce sighed. "Why'd you have to invite Tony AND Loki?"
Lithia burst out laughing. "I'll give them strict orders that this is a vacation for you. Loki should behave himself so you only have to worry about Tony."
"That's the one I was worried the most about."
Again Lithia laughed. "Thanks Bruce. We'll swing by within the hour." She said.
"Alright. See you then." Click
Lithia set her clothes to finish packing themselves and went to find Loki and Tony. Tony was easy to find as he was down in his workshop. "Dad, pack a bag!" Lithia called, making him jump up and smash his head into the undercarriage of the car he was working on.
"Ouch! Why do I have to pack a bag?" he asked, rubbing the back of his head.
"Because you, me, Greta, Tiny Hulk, Loki and Bruce are going to Louisiana within the hour." Lithia explained.
"Wait, what? Why?" Tony asked.
"Vacation road trip." Lithia explained further. "Mom didn't trust Greta and I to go alone so I volunteered you and Loki to be our escorts. But Mom still doesn't trust you to be responsible so I invited Bruce too."
Tony glared slightly at Lithia before ruffling her hair. "Alright alright." He laughed as she hugged him. "Let's go to Louisiana!"