Who is my father?
Chapter Nine
"Alisa? Stop screaming. I'm here, mum's here."
"Ali, I promise we can stay here as long as you like." I still can't stop screaming.
"NO!" I shout "I AM NOT TELLING EITHER OF YOU!" I then stop screaming and cry. Someone, Dad I presume, picks me up and let's me cry in to his shirt while he rubs my back.
"That does not matter, Alisa." He whispers, defiantly dad, "It's ok, sweetie, just stop crying because it makes me feel sad and I am sure your mum doesn't need two of us crying." I look in to his eyes and sort of half smile. "See, that's better." I stop crying all together. "Good girl." Dad says and I stand up.
"Go have a shower, Ali. Clint, go change your top." He laughs and pushes me towards the bathroom and goes to the dresser himself.
For several months we live in that tower and after the cage one, I have no more nightmares. I slowly forget. Mum joins the Avengers again. When all the Avengers are needed, Pepper normally looks after me, so I can play with Isabella, but we must always have the news on in the background, for Pepper, for me. At the moment though, I am in the living area of the Hawk floor. Dad's floor, mum's floor, my floor. I have my own bedroom now. J.A.R.V.I.S, the British AI, says,
"All Avengers are needed for a mission. Please come to the Avengers floor with weapons and suits etc. Thank you."
"Ali, go get some stuff ready for going to Pepper's, you can come back if you need something though." I grab my toothbrush and pyjamas and shove then in to a bag with some ofher stuff. The three of us go up to the Avengers floor where everyone is waiting. Mum, dad and the rest of the Avengers go to the roof to get on a jet leaving me with Pepper, Jane, Michael, Leandro, Natayla and Isabella.
"What do you want to do today?" I ask Iz.
"Watch a movie!" She shouts but before I can reply Pepper says,
"No, sweetie, you know mummy, Auntie Jane and Alisa have to watch the news."
"Oh, Ok. How about...we... play something outside!"
"Iz, I need to be able to watch the news..."
"Oh yeah. What do you think we should play?"
"I don't know..." I look around the room for inspiration, "How about building blocks?"
"Yeah!" Then we set about building the tallest building in the entire world of building blocks. Once it is taller than me, Pepper announces it is lunch time. She has made chicken sandwiches and I quickly wolf mine down. There is no TV in the kitchen but I stand in the doorway to the living area in complete and utter disbelief.
"Alisa? Can you move over, honey?" The others are all behind me. I robotically sit down on the sofa and stare at the TV. Pepper is just about to come in when her phone rings. The news story has changed so no one has seen what I saw, yet.
"Hi, Director, is Tony ok?" Pepper asks. He must say that he's fine because she visibly relaxes.
"Yep sure, ALISA!" Pepper says and I go. I walk down the corridor with Pepper's phone and ask,
"Hi, Fury. What do you want?"
"Alisa. Stay where you are. I'm sending Clint back right now."
"Why?" I whisper. It can not be true.
"Alisa, I'm truly sorry, your mother is dead. Stay where you are. Please can I speak to Pepper." I run back and give the phone back to Pepper.
"I-I'll be in my r-room." I choke. They all look at me and I run off to my floor and lock the door. I begin to cry but I don't stop moving. I go to my parents room and take their suitcase and put all of my stuff that can fit in to it, in it. I take a load of cash and write a note to my dad.
"Dear dad," it says, "I love you, more than you can ever imagine. I am sorry that I have gone but I have to go. I would say do not try to find me but I know you will. I love you dad, more than anyone loved their daddy before. I will miss you and never forget you. Maybe one day our paths will cross again but I hope not. Look after all the others, let them look after you, but don't show anyone this. It is the last special thing. I love you daddy. Lots and lots of love from Ali." I put it on my bedroom door, where he will look for me and go down to the tower exit. As I leave the building I say,
"J.A.R.V.I.S, please delete all footage of me in this tower."
"Done, Miss Barton, Anything else?"
"Tell my dad I said goodbye." I run and get in to a taxi and he drives to the airport. I get out, pay him and buy a ticket to California. Unfortunately, it's in an hour. I go through security and fortunately the compact bow and arrows don't show up. I take a seat in the departure lounge. That's when my phone rings. I don't pick up, when I see it is dad. The voicemail he leaves is,
"ALISA! Why have you left me? You can not leave, not now! I love you, Ali, I love you too much to let you do this. I know that you mum j-just died-d but, Ali, it is going to be hard for me to. Just come back, Ali. I know you seem much older but you are only twelve. Please come back, I love you so, so much." He ends the voicemail and I text back,
"I love you too daddy. I can't come back. Love you, Ali." I send it, turn my phone off and throw it in the bin. My flight is called and I get on the plane. The woman next to me tries to talk but I can't talk back. I begin to cry I begin to cry and she rubs my back, just like dad used to. I drift off to sleep. I dream of my dad crying and hugging my toys. That is probably what is happening at the moment. When I wake, we have just landed. I grab my bag and get out the airport. Once out, I go back to my old house. Mum played the rent for three years and it has only just been one. I sit down on my bed and cry.
