Peter's POV
It's been two weeks since we, Uncle Ben and Aunt May have taken in Elena, which is the only thing we know about her. And during these past weeks, I've been woken up by haunting screams from Elena. I ran down the stairs, jumping from the third, running straight to the kitchen.
"Good morning, Aunt May! Did uncle Ben already head out?" I shuffled around the kitchen to get to steaming pot of coffee. Aunt May kissed me on cheek, before straightening my collar on my shirt.
"Yes and he has told me to tell you that he expects you home by six so you help with the shed." Aunt May relayed the message as sipped on her coffee.
I nodded as I snatched the apple up.
"I might be a little late, because I have to tutor some seniors who is trying to make up the last of their credits, but I will try to be out of there by 5:30." With one last kiss to the cheek, I gave my goodbyes and left for school.
Throughout the school day, my mind wandered about Elena and remembering her eyes staring out in space as Aunt May examined her over. I jumped out of my daze as Harry slapped me on my back.
"Peter, was you listening to anything I said at all?" Harry grumbled, but was distracted by the pretty blonde as she walked passed him.
"Sorry, I'm just out of it today. What did you say?" I asked as I lifted my backpack from the ground
"I asked if I can spend the weekend over at your house? Dad will be hold up in the labs over weekend and I've practically done everything that I could possibly do. Plus, I need help on my English." Harry said as he leaned against the nearby lockers as I grabbed my books from the locker.
I was about to say yes, before I remembered Elena is staying at my home and just her reaction just meeting me, I knew it would have been a bad idea to say yes.
"You can't come over this weekend, but I could come over to your house. I have family staying over in the basement for the summer, but I would have to come over after I help Uncle Ben with house work. Deal?" I asked, slamming my locker shut.
Harry agreed, bumping fist with a fellow classmate. "Who's visiting?" Harry asked.
Should haven't mention her. "May's niece. Her school let out a few weeks out earlier." I explained, but my mind went blank as Mary Jane walked up to Harry with a big smile.
"Harry, were you still going to the warehouse party this weekend? Buzz has been bugging me to ask you for the past hour." Mary Jane looked my way, sending a smile.
Harry let out a small groan, trying avoid Buzz who's trying to be buddy buddy, in which we found out he has a total crush on Harry.
I let out a small laugh, Harry glaring at me , pushing his blonde hair out of his face."About that? I have plans this weekend already with Peter this weekend, but tell him thanks for the invitation." Harry said, staring intensely at me while MJ was turning my way.
"Peter, maybe you can convince Harry for me. Apparently, my baby eyes doesn't work for me anymore. Anyways, how is May been doing? I know she had a fall a couple of weeks ago and hurt her hip." MJ asked, while walking along the school halls with Harry and I.
Rubbing the back of my neck, I glanced down to MJ, but was startled to see Elena's bruised face peering back me.
I jolted out of my daze when Harry tapped my shoulder, looking concern.
"Are you okay, Peter? You've been really out of it lately." Harry asked, a small frown on his face.
"Yeah, I just had a lot on my mind. I should head to the library for the tutoring session. I have to be home right away to help Uncle Ben with the housework." With a wave, I walk off from the duo.
Two hours later*
After working with the Seniors with English, I head to my bike and had a ten minute ride back to my home.
I walked my bike by the side of the house, placing the tarp to protect it from the rain. I went to walk away when I heard this clanking. My eyes wandered to the basement window. I felt hesitant to peek through the window, fearing to look like a peeping tom if I was caught.
I moved over quietly, bending down to look in the window.
At first, it was just dark until my eyes adjusted to the low lighting. I could make a small frame curled over the small work table that Ben setup for his workshop down there. Squinting harder, I could make out the lawn mower propped on the work station. I frowned as I pulled away from the window and made myself into the house.
"Aunt May? Uncle Ben!" I called out shuffling out of my jacket. I received no answer, so I continued my way to the kitchen, only to stop by the basement door momentarily. I cracked the door , only seeing small illumination of the light in the basement.
"Elena, ummm sorry to bother, but are you hungry?I'm really good with sandwiches." I spoke. I waited and there was no answer.
"Well, if you are not hungry now I will place the sandwich in the refrigerator. I will be in my room if you need me." I said, closing the door.
I continued to the kitchen, sitting my backpack on the chair and went straight to the fridge. I rummaged the fridge, grabbing the sandwich meat.
"You've haven't been sleeping." A voice spoke from behind me, which caused me to jump and bumped my head in the fridge.
I fell backwards, hissing for the tender bump that was slowly forming. "Damn it!" I sat up against the counter, not standing back up. I looked towards the basement door but was surprised to see that Elena perched at the kitchen chair. Her hair frizzy, nearly covering her face and she had on Uncle Ben's shaggy shirt.
She stared at me through her hair, arms locked around her legs. "How do know that? You seem in your own world down there." I commented, grabbing the packaged meat and cheeses off the floor and setting down the upper counter.
"I... sometimes see you through the basement window in the backyard. You talk to the pretty girl that lives next door." Elena says, watching me intensely, every movement making her flinch.
"Yeah, that's Mary Jane. We go to the same school. Ummm, do you go to school nearby?" I pried , trying to help and soothe a little bit of my curiosity.
"No." Elena said and remained silent after that. I finished one sandwich, then grabbed a water bottle. I turned to head to the table to sit down the food for Elena, but changed my mind when I saw draw into herself, to the point painful.
For a moment to wonder who the hell hurt her so bad that... "Elena, I'm not going to hurt you. I don't know what happened to you and I hope that one day you trust me enough that you can confide in me, but right now I just hope that you trust me enough to feed you. That's all." I slid the plate across the table, before I could slide my hand completely back, Elena brushed my hand.
I just smile and continued onto my sandwich with a new flare of hope.
Tony's POV
I tiptoed to the kitchen, afraid that Katherine would pop out of nowhere. She likes doing that. I started a new pot of coffee as I looked at the midnight moon gleaming off the water.
"Jarvis, is Katherine asleep?" Even if I avoided her sometimes, I liked to know what she's up to.
"No, she is currently laid on your front lawn, looking up at the sky." Jarvis reported, bringing up a visual from the front of my house. Looking closely, I see that Katherine is doing just that. Zooming into her, I could see that she was crying.
My first instinct was to call Pepper but quell the words that was on my tongue. I started on a cup of hot chocolate that my mother used to do whenever I was upset.
I grabbed the Thermos of the coffee and hot chocolate and headed outside. I walked down the stairs coming around the curve of the pathway. I heard quiet sniffles and immediately saw Katherine balled up on the lawn.
"Jarvis, low light." I said, causing attention to myself as walked towards Katherine, who sat up to look up.
She swiped at her eyes, turning away from me. "What are you doing out here?" Katherine questioned as she took the offered thermo of hot chocolate.
"Well, my... kid is out here in the dark, crying to herself and I've been selfish, don't tell Pepper I said that, avoiding you. This situation is not just affecting me, but you as well. So, tell me what's wrong, before I chicken out from tears." I joked, mostly, as I sat next to her.
"I realize that I won't see Elena for a long time coming. I have hacked databases across America and absolutely nothing. I can't help this feeling that something bad has happened to her at M.I.T.. I keep having these nightmares of these figures dragging Elena in dark abyss. It's all I can think about and that I wasn't there to protect her." Katherine said as her hold clamped down on the thermo.
I was stumped to what to do next in this situation and one thing popped up that Pepper does all the time. I sat my coffee down and scooted closer, wrapping my arm around her, pulling her into a hug. Katherine thermo slipped of her grasp as her hands clamped down on my shirt. She cried as I patted her head gently.
"I worry about her too, Kat, but until we find her, we need to trust that she keep herself safe. I want you to live your life the way you want and let me worry about the search for awhile." I said, not really expecting a response.
I pulled away and Katherine looked up at me. I wiped away her tears.
Katherine smirked, leaving me confused with her change of mood. "What's so funny?"
"The great Anthony Stark is a big softie! I'm totally holding this over your head." Katherine gave me a teary smile.
I rolled my eyes, getting up from the grass and pulling Katherine up. "Should I be surprised? You are a Stark. Come on, lets go for a ride." I said as trailed back to the house.
"Where are we going?" Katherine followed me to the kitchen. She sipped on her hot chocolate, making a approving sound. "Nutmeg and cinnamon. How did you know?" Katherine turned the thermo up, drinking it up.
I tossed my thermo in the sink, before heading to the garage.
"Jarvis, lights on!" I said as I took my step down the stairs, but had to catch Kat , when she missed a step.
She laughed at her mishap, then straighten back up. She gasped at the collection of cars that she saw lined up in the garage.
"Please, tell me I can drive! Please!" She begged as she ran to the black Porsche.
"Do you even have your license?" I joked as I tossed her the keys after unlocking the doors.
"Well getting my license wasn't at the top of my list now that you mention it." Katherine shrugged her shoulders before getting in the sports car, completely missing my horrified expression. I opened the door to passenger, leaning over.
"Should I be worried?" I questioned as clip on my seatbelt. Katherine started the car, then pulled out from the parking spot.
"Sit back, old man and enjoy the ride!" Katherine joked, shifting the gears. Before I could even retort, I flew back into my seat as Katherine took off.
We drove into the metro area, giving her directions to my favorite spot.
"What are we doing here?" Katherine asked as she parallel parked off on the street.
"Well, I use to come here when I was a kid. Arcade mania was and still a big hit, but it was closing because the owner couldn't keep up with, so my mother bought the place, made few changes, but it was essentially the same." I said as we walked up to the doors. I pulled the keys out to open the building. The doors pushed inwards, letting Katherine in first. I followed to lock the doors back.
"I used to go to this arcade back in New York, definitely alot smaller, but Elena liked the vanilla and chocolate custard that they served. I liked the dance revolution platform. Do you have one here?" Katherine looked up when the lights turned on. I stepped away from the panel, leaving the keys on the front desk.
"Yeah, we just added the latest model last year. Want to play that one first?" I asked .
She laughed as she ran to the dance platform. "So you have moves, old man?" I passed her the admin card to start the game without giving cash.
"Please, I made air guitar look cool. Plus, I do a mean Carlton." I laughed at her horrified face.
"I don't know what to say to that. I'm soo going to win! I get first pick." Katherine floated through the songs a good thirty seconds before she got excited. I looked over her shoulder to see that she selected TLC 'No Scrubs'.
"Let me stretch, so I can give my best girl band moves." I laughed as she mocked me.
Through the game, we were trying throwing each other off theirs games. At some point, we stopped following along and making our own dance moves. We jumped from the different games to try different things, not really paying attention as we were talking.
"I never got along with my father. He was passionate about his work and I was just a distraction. It is what it is!" I said as I concentrated on my game of solitaire.
"Is that the reason why you didn't want me here?" Katherine said coolly, though her focus stayed on her game of solitaire.
I hesitated as contemplated as to what to say. "I am and have been a selfish man and you can't be selfish as a father. I never had the best example to go off of and I don't want to be that. I don't want you to be looking back in future and feel hatred every time you think of me. It seems that you have great dad already." I scratched at my chin as I lost interest in my game as I turned to face Katherine.
"Coulson is a great dad and that's wonderful, but I want to know you. My mother abandon me, so I know what it feels like when it comes to hating a parent. And the fact that you turned my mood around cared for me when I needed it the most, it tells me you are nothing like your father. We are both bound to make mistakes, and yes Starks too, are human." Katherine said, pairing a hug to match the sappy moment.
'If Pepper could see me now.' I thought to myself as I smiled and hug tighter, feeling that maybe I could do this.