AAAAAAAND BOOM.
I AM BACK.
After my November hiatus, I have written approximately four chapters in the past four days. Each is closing in on 2k words. This is BIG guys. So please enjoy it.
I need to warn you now: THE NEXT FEW CHAPTERS WILL CONTAIN TRIGGER WARNINGS. I KID YOU NOT. WHEN I SAID THEY WERE SCREWED UP I MEANT SCREWED. UP. BIG. TIME.
I'll put the TW at the beginning of the chapter it's in.
I hope you can forgive me for being a terrible updater and please enjoy this chapter!
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Natasha's next stop was Stephanie's room.
She had some suspicions that she wanted to confirm, and the girl would have some explaining to do if she was correct.
The elevator let her out at the floor Claire, Nathan, and Stephanie shared. She could vaguely hear Clint talking softly to Claire in the other room, and ghosted past that door to find Stephanie's room.
She lightly rapped on the wood and waited until a soft voice called, "Come in!"
The door was unlocked as she turned the knob and pushed it open. Stephanie was curled up in one of the two oversized and overstuffed chairs by the window, alternately reading a book and looking out the window. The teen looked surprised to see her, before smiling sadly.
"Come to ask about Claire?"
Natasha shook her head. Surprise flitted over Stephanie's face for a moment. "Is something else wrong?" she prompted, marking her book and setting it aside.
"May I sit down first?" Natasha asked. Stephanie nodded. The super spy sat down in the chair, back perfectly straight as she sized up the younger woman.
There was silence for a moment, while Natasha gathered her thoughts, before she finally spoke. "I noticed that you've been cracking your back a lot during meetings. Is everything all right?"
Relief flitted across Stephanie's face. She laughed softly and waved a hand briefly.
"Oh, it's fine. It's just been giving me issues, is all. I talked with the doctor on the Helicarrier. She said I should be just fine."
Natasha leaned back slightly in her chair, resting on the back with a sigh. "It's not just that, though," she said calmly. "You've been getting tired abnormally fast. Your back has been hurting, you've been snappish with mood swings for weeks." She ticked them off on her fingers and watched Stephanie's face carefully. "I've also noticed some of the seams in your suit straining a little. Finally, you hole up in your room and order Jarvis to turn off all the cameras for hours at a time. Something is wrong."
The younger woman stared out the window, shaking a bit. Finally, she swallowed, closed her eyes, and nodded.
"You got me," she said softly. "Honestly, though, of all the people to find out, I never would've guessed you would be the first."
"So what is wrong?" Natasha prompted quietly. She had a feeling she already knew, but it was better to have confirmed suspicions than wild guesses.
Stephanie bit her lip and looked at the ceiling. "Jarvis, you know the drill," she said very quietly. A few cameras deactivated around the room. The teen took a deep breath and pressed one hand to her stomach lightly.
"I'm- I'm pregnant," she said softly, voice almost too soft to hear.
Bingo. Perfect guess.
"How far along are you?" Natasha asked quietly.
"Almost…" she frowned for a minute. "I think she's about three, four months along at this point."
"You know it's a girl?" the older woman asked.
Stephanie shrugged. "Wild guess, but I'm pretty sure I'm right." A smile flitted across her face. "Mother's intuition, I guess."
"How did it happen?"
Her face clouded over; she looked down at her hands silently. "I don't remember," she confessed after a few moments. "I don't know what happened. It was a party, for the popular kids, I remember that much, but I think someone decided to dump… something vicious in my drink. I didn't remember anything until the next morning past one point."
Natasha had to sit in stunned silence for a few moments. If someone had drugged the young woman in front of her… but she had no way to punish them for hurting the innocent girl.
"So what are you going to do about her?" she asked instead.
"Well, I have to put her up for adoption, don't I?" Stephanie whispered hopelessly. "It's not like I have much of a choice. I'm still far too young to raise a child. I'm an Avenger- there's literally a target on my back as it is. I can't risk putting her in danger."
Natasha nodded quietly. The cold, relentless spy in her recognized that it was the right path, but her warm heart bled for Stephanie. She'd never had to give up a child before, but the psychological effect it could have on the young mother could damage her permanently, almost rendering her unfit for field work.
"I wish I could offer you an alternative, but I can't," Natasha said.
Stephanie smiled, but it was a faded version of her usual one. "I know," she said, voice unnaturally calm. "I've tried to think of everything."
"Who else knows?"
She looked up at the super spy, eyes sharp. "The doctor on the Helicarrier. And now you."
One well groomed eyebrow rose. "You're three months in and two people know."
She nodded.
"You're excellent at keeping secrets."
"I have to be. It's her life on the line." Now her smile was razor sharp. "And they tell the truth when they say that a mother would do anything for her child."
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The next morning, Brenda was trying to put on the brakes, while Siklali dragged her forwards. Both were laughing, as Darcy and Lori ran to catch up with the two. "Slow down!" Brenda cried, laughter filling her voice. "We'll get there in due time!"
"Want to go!" Siklali yelled happily. Her English was improving in leaps and bounds, though she still had a habit of jabbering away in Hindu when she was excited or frightened.
"The building will not move, I promise," Brenda said, finally catching up and jogging beside the little girl. "It will still be open and there will still be a way to the top."
"But I want to go now!" she said, making a pouty face and crossing her arms over her chest cutely.
"No ma'am. Bottom lip back in," Brenda said briskly. "You will not be spending too much more time with Tony anymore."
"But he's funny."
"Funny, yes. Bad influence- entirely."
Lori and Darcy finally caught up, slowing their pace to a quick walk as they flanked the two. "Excited?" Darcy asked brightly. Siklali nodded quickly, grinning toothily up at the three girls.
They reached the Empire State Building and went inside, quickly walking up to the front desk. "Hi!" Lori said to the young receptionist brightly. "I think someone called earlier to get us a fast pass of sorts. Tony Stark?"
The young man's eyes widened. "Yeah, he did call. Four of you?"
Brenda picked up Siklali quickly.
"Ok. Just get in the elevator and tell the tour guide you're to go straight to the 87th floor," he said quickly.
"Thanks," Lori said breezily, turning on her heel and walking to the elevator with a casual flutter of the hand over her shoulder. Brenda choked down laughter and entered the elevator as Darcy said, "87th floor, please. Straight there."
The tour guide nodded quietly and pressed the button. The group stood in silence for a few minutes as the elevator rose. Brenda looked around or at Siklali, straightening the girl's scarf or her jacket every now and then. Lori leaned against the wall and looked generally bored. Darcy examined her nails.
Finally the elevator dinged and the doors opened on the small gift shop and balcony. There were relatively few people on the floor, Brenda noted. It wasn't surprising, given the fact that it was the day after Christmas. Siklali made a beeline for the door leading to the balcony. Brenda followed close behind as Lori casually drifted behind them and Darcy went for the souvenirs.
Siklali shoved open the door and almost got bowled over by the high winds. Brenda caught her and carefully pulled her to her feet again, leading her to the center of the balcony. The young girl was having none of it and went straight for the edge. Brenda was left to hurry next to her and keep one hand on her shoulder.
Lori sauntered over and leaned against the railing. "Wonder what would happen if I tossed a penny out the side," she drawled casually, holding up said coin and making it walk through her fingers. Siklali watched with awed eyes as Brenda shook her head.
"No."
"Why not?" she asked, something akin to a whine crawling into her voice.
"Because you could kill someone," Brenda said firmly.
"Actually, that's impossible," someone said. The three turned to see a tour guide approaching, an easy smile on his face. "The Empire State Building is so tall that it creates its own weather system and winds. If you tossed a coin off the edge, it wouldn't fall any farther than one of the steps. If you go down to one of the floors before a step, you can see all the coins on the ledge."
Lori looked rather crestfallen for a moment, before a smirk began to grow on her face. "Guess no one will care if I do this, then," she said casually, and flicked the coin through the slats. Brenda slammed her palm into her forehead as Siklali tried to see where it was going. She grabbed hold of the back of the young girl's jacket to keep her from going over the edge.
"I swear to God, you're the worst influence in her life," Brenda said dryly.
Lori smirked at her. "You know I am," she purred, before her façade abruptly broke and the two were left laughing.
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(P.S.- Ink Hand Sammy, I have not seen Thor 2 yet. I will when it comes out on DVD. Ophelia Lokisdoitter, you weren't far off. :) CSS, you have no idea. Julia- GOOD GOD GIRL. *stunned face* You've done good guessing!)