Author's Note: Just want to apologize for the super long wait since I know it's been two weeks. I just found it really hard to keep writing this story without it feeling like a chore so I created a fanfic in the Harry Potter category to give me a vacation from all things Marvel. I plan to transition between this story and that one continuously. I'm glad I created that story because after working on it, I found that I really missed writing 'Some Things Never Sleep' so I was really enthusiastic about coming to back to write this new chapter. I worked on it all day yesterday and I even stayed up until four in the morning until I finished it. Thank god it's Spring Break but I'm super happy to update. There's some sad and dark stuff within this chapter but I'm hoping the large amount of fluff at the end will make up for it. There's also going to be a big surprise next chapter involving one of the Defenders. I won't say which one but I think I kind of hint at it in this chapter so hopefully that'll make up for not updating for two weeks.
Let's see... playlist for this chapter. I listened to a lot of the Wombats who I never really listened to before even though I knew who they were but I'm glad I finally sat down and listened to them because they're amazing. I love their music video for 'Lemon to a Knife Fight'. It's one of the best music videos I've seen in a while. I've also been listening to The XX, Bleachers, and Lord Huron while writing the new chapter.
I'm also going to quickly plug in my Harry Potter fanfic because I can. So for all of those of you who love the Harry Potter world, it's a Draco Malfoy/OC story entitled 'Rose Garden Dreams'. The story's basically about an American girl who discovers she's a witch but is unable to attend Ilvermorny under odd circumstances but gets accepted into Hogwarts where she makes lifelong friends but also enemies which she finds in Draco Malfoy. I promise it's not the regular American goes to Hogwarts story. The main character is also Latina because there's not much diversity in fanfics as I've noticed and as a Latina myself, it's something I want to see. There seriously needs to be more diversity. I'm not asking for a huge amount but an OC every once and a while who isn't white would be nice. Nothing against white people since I'm half white after all. So anyways...read the story if you're interested.
ImsebastianstanButter: It's going to come up within the next few chapters but Emma just needs the right person to give her the final push into telling someone about what happened with Rumlow and that person is going to show up next chapter.
ItsJustMe-94: Love how you created a hashtag. When I first wrote this story, I never imagined how popular the topic of killing Rumlow would be. Lol.
artemis7448: I think everyone just figures that she has PTSD because of Hydra which is reasonable. I don't think they ever imagined that it wasn't all the beatings and torturing but sexual abuse instead. Emma's really good at compartmentalizing things. The others will find out soon and they'll be making a return to the story in about ten chapters. I don't want to make promises that I can't keep so I'm just going to say ten chapters because that's the most amount of chapters that it's going to be. I don't think it'll be that many but I'm just saying that it will so I don't disappoint anyone.
TheUltimateBibliophile: I know I have issues with grammar and I'm currently re-editing the story but it's just super time consuming with working on other stories. I probably won't get a Beta reader until I repost the edited chapters but who knows how long that could take. This story isn't actually short after all.
OgFrosty: I actually didn't really get that until you just mentioned it but yeah...it makes a ton of sense now.
Connie Hooper: Glad you love the story. I love writing Peter and Emma because they're honestly the most adorable couple ever. It makes me so jealous of them. Emma and Tony were definitely both in the wrong and I wanted to convey that. I didn't want it to be all Tony's fault which I feel like some people might do but I also wanted to show that Emma could've handled everything better and actually have given Tony a chance. They're still going to bicker all the time because they wouldn't be Tony and Emma if they didn't.
Snapplecrackles: Yes, I wanted to show Emma being vulnerable. She's not completely fearless and Rumlow is her weak spot because he can hold something over her head.
bonitalito: I just want to make it clear that Rumlow wasn't really there. He's just all inside her head now and she can't get him out. The PTSD is definitely getting much worse. Rumlow will look just how he did in Civil War.
Unknown: The hallucinations with Rumlow are actually inspired by that episode in Jessica Jones and we'll see more of that in this chapter.
Lil: We'll see her be more happy after everything with Rumlow is finished. She'll finally have time to be a happier version of herself when he's dead and buried or maybe just dead and dumped in a ditch somewhere like garbage.
Helenabelle2: I do have the whole reunion planned with Steve and Bucky. It'll be several more chapters before they'll return but the wait will be worth it. Emma's probably not going to tell Steve and Bucky about Peter being her boyfriend right away because she doesn't want to overwhelm them. Can you imagine Steve coming back to see Emma after almost a year away only to find out that his cynical, anti-love, and brooding granddaughter has actually fallen in love when she said that she never would. He'd be pretty shocked.
Radioactive88: Emma knows that a lot of people care about her but she just doesn't want to tell them because of her own pride. She doesn't want them acting differently around her or treating her like she's weak which is why she's been trying to hide it all. I think she doesn't want Peter to know because she's worried that he'll leave her which is crazy but as confident as Emma acts sometimes, she really does have a low self-esteem. I also love writing Tony and Emma bickering over nothing. She only does it because she likes pissing him off.
Inheritance1990: Glad you like the story! I'm always happy to get new readers. I was impatient writing Emma's backstory but I found that it was worth it in the end and I'm glad I did. I just never planned on her backstory being as long as it was. I think there was over a 100,000 words before Peter even showed up in the story.
That's a really interesting question. I don't think Emma would've fallen for Peter as fast as she did if he didn't have any superpowers because if he didn't have superpowers there wouldn't have been a reason for her to tell him that she was the Viper Assassin and they also wouldn't have spent as much time together. I think eventually she would've fallen in love with him but it would've taken a long time for that to happen and even when it did she'd push him away more than she did in the story because she'd want to protect him. She would've fallen in love with him for the same reasons she fell in love with him in the story...because he reminds her of Steve. It's not creepy or anything because lots of girls end up marrying men that remind them of their fathers because a girl's father is someone that a girl really admires because they can trust them. Sure, it was easier for Emma to trust Peter because she can relate to him on some level because of their superpowers but that's not why she fell in love with him. So to answer your question, yes, Emma would still fall in love with Peter if he didn't have his powers but it would just take a lot longer.
JustJoyce: I'm not as strong as Emma either but I've discovered that writing her is like writing the person I wish I could be. She says what's on her mind and doesn't care what people think of her which is something I wish I could do. I'm also starting to realize that some of the stuff Emma says sometimes is actually stuff my dad says. I'm subconsciously writing my dad into the story which is kind of hilarious to me.
Sorry for not answering every single review but I really just want to get this chapter out there to you guys. It's been so long. I'm also sorry for the long Author's Note but that's what happens when I have three pages of reviews that need to be answered. Thank you and please let me know what you think of the chapter.
Emma watched the drop of rain fall down the surface of the window. It was pouring rain outside but Emma didn't mind. She actually preferred cloudy and rainy weather to sunshine and heat. Maybe it was because she grew up in Siberia and was used to the cold and dark weather. Emma didn't really know but she just knew that she didn't like the feeling she got whenever it was sunny. The blonde was currently sitting inside a coffee shop as she and Michelle studied for their English final. Peter wanted to come along but Emma told him no. As much as she loved Peter, she also didn't want to spend every waking moment of the day with him. If they spent a couple hours a day apart then it would probably do them both some good. All the couple stuff they did for the majority of the day was still overwhelming to her so some space might've been needed. Peter hadn't been eager to part ways with her but it was only for a couple hours. Besides…she was sure that she was long forgotten since he and Ned were building something out of Legos. Emma still couldn't believe she let someone who still played with Legos put his tongue in her mouth. What could she say? Peter was surprisingly a really good kisser as it would turn out.
"You seem awfully quiet." Michelle said, breaking Emma out of her thoughts.
"Is that odd?" Emma inquired. She never really thought that she was the talkative sort anyways. She mostly kept to herself but not out of shyness or awkwardness. It was mostly because she hated most people and liked to fly under the radar.
"No but you just seem like you have a lot on your mind." Michelle told her and Emma just looked at her, trying to decide what Michelle was getting at. Finally she decided not to make a big deal out of it so she shrugged nonchalantly.
"Everything's as perfect as ever." Emma said sarcastically and Michelle gave her a curious look.
"Nothing interesting going on then?" Michelle inquired and Emma narrowed her eyes suspiciously. The dark haired girl seemed pretty nonchalant about it but Emma knew that she wasn't inquiring about what Emma's plans for the weekend were. No, she was inquiring about something a little more discreet.
"Are you asking about a certain snake and spider?" Emma threw back at her and Michelle shrugged.
"I guess." Michelle replied, seeming slightly, but not overly, interested in Emma's crime fighting life. Emma soon learned that Michelle was not like Ned who had been fascinated by Peter and Emma's powers and abilities. She wasn't even that interested in Emma's morbid past. In fact, Michelle hardly ever asked her questions about the Viper Assassin. Emma supposed it was because she had only been interested in finding out Emma's secret but now that she knew what it was, Michelle was satisfied. Good. Emma didn't like nosy people. Peter was the only exception to that rule but there wasn't room for any others. Why do you think Tony and Darcy annoyed the shit out of her? "Did you pick up any interesting individuals?"
"Oh, you mean those assholes that Parker and I hand over to the police?" Emma questioned sarcastically. "Nope. Not a single interesting one."
"No sadistic serial killers? Not even a Ted Bundy or Jeffrey Dahmer?" Michelle questioned and Emma sighed, leaning back in her chair.
"God, I wish. I'm looking forward to the day that Parker and I come across some sadistic serial killer who wears some poor woman's face as a mask." Emma said and Michelle wasn't completely sure if she was joking or not. Sometimes even Emma's humor was too dark for her to comprehend. "Nope. Just a bunch of lame and worthless morons who make everything too easy for us."
"Why do you do it then?" Michelle asked her curiously and Emma gave her a confused look.
"Do what?" The blonde questioned and Michelle just shook her head.
"This crime fighting crusade. Why do any of it if it's boring to you?" Emma had to admit that was a fair enough question. It was kind of messed up for someone as young as Michelle to ask but Michelle never ceased to surprise her. Emma just looked back at her calmly before answering her question.
"It's not so much of a crime fighting crusade as it's a crusade to becoming a semi-decent person." Emma admitted and Michelle analyzed the look on her face but came up empty. There was no telling what Emma was thinking. The girl had to be the most hard to reach person she had ever met but that's what made her so interesting.
"I didn't think you cared about that sort of thing." Michelle said quietly and Emma shrugged as she fiddled with one of the pages in her book.
"I didn't use to but a lot's changed since I re-entered society. Spending time around people who aren't homicidal maniacs will do that to you, I guess." Emma told her honestly. "Don't get me wrong. I'm not delusional. I know that nothing I ever do can erase my past but maybe those people I killed won't die in vain if I can actually make a difference somehow."
"So you don't do it for the fame then?" Michelle asked her and Emma gave her a look of disbelief.
"Do I seem like someone who would actually want save some stupid, hideous cat from a tree for the fame? Fuck, no. That's embarrassing." Emma said in disgust before shaking her head. "I seriously don't know how Parker puts himself through that without feeling like an idiot."
"Maybe he's naïve. He just doesn't know any better." Michelle told her and Emma smiled softly.
"He is naïve but I love that about him." Emma said sincerely and Michelle stared at her as she tried to figure the blonde out. She wondered what someone like Emma saw in someone like Peter. Michelle didn't mean that in a mean way, or maybe she did, but she was curious because Emma and Peter could not be any less alike. The two were polar opposites. She had known Peter since elementary school and the teenage boy had always been the kind, sensitive, and awkward type. Michelle hadn't known Emma as long but she did know that Emma was none of those things. It just made her curious as to how someone like Emma could be interested in someone like Peter. However, Michelle knew better than to question Emma about her interest in Peter. Emma made it clear that she didn't like nosiness. "Come on, let's finish going over the last chapter. We need to get a move on if the snake and spider are going to come out to play tonight." Michelle rose an eyebrow as she smirked at the blonde before feigning a disgusted look on her face.
"Ew! I don't want to hear about yours and Peter's sex life!" Michelle said jokingly. Emma looked up at her in surprise and to Michelle's astonishment the usually stoic and emotionless former assassin blushed. Woah…Michelle didn't think she had ever seen Emma blush before. Usually the blonde would glare and snap at her if she teased her about Peter but she never blushed or looked bashful. Gross…Emma really must be in love with Peter. As much as Michelle thought Emma liked Peter, she never thought she actually loved him. She supposed Emma wasn't as much of a badass as she thought. Deep down Emma was all mushy and lovesick inside. Emma didn't do it in real life but Michelle was willing to bet that the teenage girl mentally drew little hearts around Peter's name and scribbled Mrs. Peter Parker inside an imaginary notebook. Assassins had soft spots too and Emma's soft spot was Peter Benjamin Parker.
"I meant crime fighting. Not…sex. Don't be so immature." Emma said once her blush faded and she fixed Michelle with a glare. There was the Emma Rogers Michelle knew.
"I know. I'm just trying to get you to admit that you love the awkward little nerd." Michelle teased but a confused look came over her face as she heard Emma mumble something under her breath. "What was that?" Emma sighed heavily before looking at Michelle with a very pinched expression on her face.
"I said that I do love him." Emma said, sounding very pained to be admitting such a thing. Her voice had been barely more than a whisper but Michelle knew what she heard.
"Ew, gross." Michelle said in disgust and Emma scowled at her. It wasn't as if she was embarrassed to admit that she loved Peter but it was rather that she was embarrassed to admit that loved anyone. Emma had worked so hard to build up a cold and calculating demeanor that she didn't like the idea of people thinking she was some lovesick little girl. She also wasn't comfortable with talking about her feelings. Peter was her boyfriend and she was barely comfortable talking to him about her feelings. Emma didn't even like admitting that she had feelings.
"Whatever. Let's never discuss this again." Emma told her bitterly before returning her attention to their study guide.
"Agreed." Michelle said but deep down she was happy for Emma. The blonde had quickly became one of her best friends and was never put off by Michelle's attitude like most people were. Michelle also knew that Emma had a hard life that she couldn't even pretend to imagine. If a dork like Peter Parker could make Emma happy then Michelle could be happy for them. The two girls then focused on their studying as they drifted away from the topic of Emma and Peter's relationship. Emma felt a lot better after Michelle teased her about Peter because it was a distraction from the looming fear of Rumlow that seemed to hang over her head these days like some dark, stormy cloud. Peter always seemed to be a distraction from those thoughts and she knew it was because he made her happy. She might not say it enough but Emma really loved him. She just hoped that he knew that.
"What are they doing?" Peter asked Emma as they sat on top of a building, staking out the weapon dealers little operation. They had received intel from Emma's informant but she made the decision to not tell Peter where she had gotten the information from this time. He'd probably freak out again like last time. She made something up about overhearing a couple idiots talking about the deal and thankfully he believed her with not a lot of questions asked. They had been searching for the men with the Chitauri weaponry that robbed the ATM all those months ago and who had also gotten away. It felt like such a long time ago but in reality it was only a little over three months ago.
"They're just waiting for their buyers." Emma said as she used the Viper Vision in her mask. Her thermal heat vision proved to be extremely useful at night. She then smirked as she overheard what the men were talking about. "The guy in the Thor mask is telling the guy in the Captain America mask about some prostitute he fucked last night." Peter blushed under his mask as the white lenses in his mask widened comically.
"You're making that up! He's not really saying that." Peter said nervously and Emma's smirk widened as if she was pleased that Peter doubted her.
"I swear I'm not, Peter. Thor's telling Cap all about how tight the prostitute felt around his-" Emma started to say, knowing fully well that she was embarrassing him, when Peter interrupted her.
"Okay, Okay! I believe you! Just stop! T-that's just gross, Emma." Peter told her and Emma rolled her eyes.
"I don't know why you're so shocked, Parker. We all know Thor's no saint. There's probably a ton of brothels on Asgard and I bet, since Thor's a prince, he gets an all season pass there." Emma teased and Peter frowned from under his mask.
"Except that's not actually Thor." He pointed out and Emma sighed.
"Yeah, you'd think those idiots would wear different masks than last time." Emma said and it was quiet between them for a moment as Emma watched the van the four criminals were stationed in. It didn't take long before Peter opened his mouth again. This wasn't very surprising to her since she knew how difficult it was for him to keep his trap shut for longer than two minutes.
"It's your birthday next week." Peter said quietly and Emma groaned, her face scrunching up in disgust as if the very thought of her birthday disgusted her.
"How the hell did you find out about that?" She asked, not liking that he knew about her birthday. Great, Peter was probably going to make some big deal out of it which was the last thing she wanted. She'd rather just act like it was no different than any other day before moving on with her life. Birthdays held little meaning for her. The parties Steve threw for her the past two years were great but unnecessary. She would've just liked to have been left alone then having to go to some stupid party while everyone congratulated her for being a year older. Like it was so hard to get older.
"Tony told me." Peter told her. "I wished that I hadn't had to find out from him. I should know when my girlfriend's birthday is." Emma huffed as she kept watch over the idiots in the van.
"It's not like it matters." Emma said cynically and Peter stared at her in disbelief, not understanding how Emma could say that.
"But it's your sixteenth birthday!" Peter exclaimed in a hushed tone so that no one would hear their usual bickering although anyone that knew them would probably be used to them. The criminals of Queens were very accustomed to the constant bickering that went on between Spider-Man and the Viper Assassin. Their bickering was almost famous around these parts. "It's one of the most important ones!" Emma scoffed.
"Big deal." She said sarcastically and Peter glared at his frustrating girlfriend.
"It is a big deal." Peter argued. "You only turn sixteen once."
"Stop being dramatic, Parker. You only turn sixteen once but you also only turn seventeen once…eighteen once…nineteen once although I doubt I'll actually live that long." Emma told him pessimistically and Peter couldn't believe that she actually thought that.
"Don't say things like that, Emma! You're not going to die." He told her in that authoritative tone of his that Emma found pleasing to the ear. That's mainly why she liked arguing with him so much. He was really hot when he thought he could tell her what to do.
"Whatever." Emma mumbled as she pretended like his angry state had no effect on her. "Look, the reason I don't like birthdays is because it's just another birthday I have to spend without my father. All my birthdays at Hydra had been shitty but at least I had him. This is just another birthday without him but now it's a birthday without Steve too."
The expression on Peter's face softened when he saw the sad look on Emma's face and he suddenly understood why she didn't like birthdays. It was because birthdays made her feel alone and this year was going to be worse because most of the people she actually liked weren't going to be there unless they could magically get immunity and not be thrown in prison the second they came back. Peter instantly wrapped his arms around Emma, not caring if they were supposed to be working right now. She relaxed into his embrace as she rested her head against his shoulder.
"I'm sure your dad wishes that he could be here with you." Peter told her in a comforting tone. Emma nodded but didn't speak so Peter continued to speak to her softly. "I'm sure your grandfather wishes that he could be here too. It's not like they'll forget. You'll still be on their minds and they'll still be on your mind."
"I know." Emma murmured softly. "I just wish that it didn't have to be this way." Peter just wrapped his arm around her tighter in response and Emma snuggled against his chest.
"I won't let you feel alone on your birthday, Emma." Peter whispered to her and Emma was grateful for him. Even though he didn't really understand why she needed some things, he still understood that she did, in fact, need some things that were a mystery to someone like him. "If it makes you feel any better then I'll tell Tony not to throw a big party."
"Thank you." Emma said quietly and lifted her head from his chest so that she could look at him. He watched her curiously as she then gently grabbed the bottom of his Spider-Man mask. His lenses widened at her actions.
"What are you doing?" He asked her, slightly alarmed but Emma didn't seem bothered.
"I just want to try something. You trust me, don't you?" Emma asked him and he nodded.
"Of course." Emma smiled softly before lifting the Spider-Man mask until she had pulled it up just above his lips. Peter felt his heart race in his chest and he found it curious that she could still make him feel that way even though they'd been dating for over a month now. No feeling ever seemed to fade when it came to them. She pressed her lips gently against his, kissing him softly. Sometimes their pattern of kissing differed. At times they kissed intensely and passionately which Emma blamed on their teenage hormones but other times they kissed like this. Peter kissed her back just as sweetly and softly as she had kissed him. He knew that she didn't need to tell him that she appreciated how much he cared about because everything was conveyed in the kiss. The way she kissed him was filled with so much emotion and Peter was soon disappointed when she pulled away from him. She rested her forehead against his and listened to the pattern of his breathing which sounded a bit labored after the kiss. Emma always figured being so vulnerable with someone would disgust her but she didn't feel disgusted at all. She felt loved and cared for. She loved Peter for making her feel that way.
"Not to interrupt, Miss Rogers, but it seems that your intended targets are getting out of the van." McConaughey said and Emma's eyes widened as she paid more attention to the scene in front of them. Peter quickly pulled his mask back over his face as he also focused on the scene in front of them. Emma watched as the four men, all wearing their Avengers' masks as disguise, got out of the van to meet two other, scruffy looking men who looked just as suspicious as they were shady. She narrowed her eyes and knew that this was her and Peter's last chance to retrieve the weapons that Toomes had sold them way back when. That way the weapons would safely be locked away and out of the hands of idiotic criminals like these ones.
"Great. I guess we'll just have to catch them red handed then, won't we?" Emma said and Peter nodded.
"Are these men armed, Karen?" Peter asked his own AI system even though he knew the men most likely were. He just wanted confirmation.
"I detect six loaded guns, all concealed under each individual's clothing. These men are armed and dangerous, Peter." Karen told him and Emma smirked as stood on the edge of the building.
"Dangerous is a very loose term." Emma said and Peter just shook his head before giving her a questioning look.
"So what's the plan here?" Peter asked her and she gave him a smug look.
"Shoot first, ask questions later." Emma told him and she could tell he wasn't very pleased with her answer. "Kidding. I say we leap down there and surprise them. They'll be surprised, giving us the advantage, and you shoot your disgusting webbing at the One Direction version of the Avengers while I beat the shit out of the other two assholes. We'll leave them to the police and we'll grab their weapons, bringing them back to Tony. Let him deal with that mess. That way we can have the night to ourselves and watch something on TV like Downton Abbey." Peter pulled a face.
"But I don't want to watch Downton Abbey. It's so boring." Peter whined and Emma had an almost flirtatious look on her face as she briefly drew closer to him. He swallowed hard because he knew that look in her eyes.
"Oh, we won't be watching it. Don't worry." Emma said suggestively and Peter blushed a vibrant shade of red from under his mask. He awkwardly cleared his throat.
"Right, sounds like a great plan to me. The sooner we take these guys down, the better." Peter didn't think he was referring to it being better because they would be getting the weapons back to Tony either. No, Tony wasn't on his mind at all. Emma really drove him crazy sometimes but only in the best way.
"Peter, are you alright?" Karen asked him in concern. "Your heart rate has elevated and I detect that your breathing is rather labored. Shall you sit the mission out? Do you need medical attention?" Peter didn't think it was possible blush as much as he was and he was glad that Emma wasn't able to see how much he was blushing although by the look of her smugness, he knew she may have an idea.
"No, I'm fine." Peter said in an annoyed tone.
"Well, only if you're okay." Emma teased as she then brought her attention back to the task at hand. The six men looked to be in negotiations over prices and seemed fairly distracted so Emma thought this would be the best moment for her and Peter to make their entrance. She exchanged one look with Peter before nodding and the two of them both leapt off from the top of the building. They landed with a soft thud almost at the same and Emma didn't hesitate in grabbing her grandfather's shield from her back and getting into an almost defensive position as she waited for one of the men to react. Peter was also in a more defensive stance as he glared at the criminals.
"Well, well, well boys. What do we have here?" Emma said as she smirked at the men who were all watching her and Peter in shock. If any of the Avengers were there then they might've even thought she sounded a little like Natasha in that moment. "I hope this little get together isn't strictly no-girls allowed." It had taken Emma a while but she had grown more comfortable with sassing low-life criminals much like Peter did. The only difference was that Emma's humor was a lot darker than Peter's and she didn't hesitate in calling the criminals assholes right back to their faces.
"Because if it is then this is a classic case of workplace sexism." Peter added as he wagged his finger at the shocked criminals, almost like he was scolding them for their bad behavior like a teacher would. "And I just can't stand for sexism. I thought in the criminal underbelly, everyone would stick together no matter their race or gender. I guess that was just some hopeful thinking on my part." One of the men, the one with the Iron Man mask, huffed as he came out of his shocked state and became more agitated by the two heroes.
"Oh, great. It's you two." The man in the Iron Man mask complained.
"Yeah, it's me again, Iron Man." Peter said jokingly. "Still strapped for cash, huh? Never thought a billionaire would ever resort to selling weapons for a little extra money." Emma scoffed.
"It wouldn't exactly be his first time either." Emma retorted and she saw one of the men reach for his gun out of the corner of her eye. She narrowed her eyes at him as she threateningly took a step towards him. Her face was now void of all emotions and it was clear that she wasn't playing games anymore.
"One wrong move, asshole, and I'll show you why they call me the Viper Assassin." Emma threatened and the man paused briefly. Peter nodded.
"She means it too." Peter told them nonchalantly. "I'm the good cop but Viper over here's the bad cop. She's not one you want to mess with either and I know first hand. Never leave the toilet seat up with this one around." Emma wanted to roll her eyes at him because he was such a dork sometimes. A really hot and charming dork but still a dork. The man, however, decided not to listen to them as he reached for his gun anyways, thinking he could maybe kill Spider-Man and the Viper Assassin. Emma sighed because she knew these idiots weren't going to go down willingly. The street then turned into an all out war zone as the rest of the men soon followed the man's lead.
Emma immediately threw her shield like a Frisbee and it instantly hit the other man, roughly knocking him to the ground as well as knocking him out cold. She then quickly approached the man with the gun, taking him by surprise and she delivered a swift kick to his gut causing him to groan. The move caught him off guard and Emma took advantage of his moment of weakness. The shield came flying back into her grasp and she immediately hit the man's wrist with the shield, possibly fracturing it, but it knocked the gun out of his hand. She caught the man's gun mid-flight before it could hit the ground and possibly go off. Emma immediately unloaded the gun, letting the magazine fall to the ground before tossing the unloaded gun to the side. The man had already recovered from Emma's kick and made a move to punch her when she lifted her wrist up and easily dispensed her Viper Bite from the suit. He passed out the instant he inhaled the green gas, landing harshly on the ground next to his partner.
Emma gave the two men a disgusted look before looking over to see how Peter was doing. She had to give Peter credit, as new to this as he was, he was really getting the hang of everything. It seemed like their countless hours of training has really paid off because he already had all four of the masked men glued together with his webbing. The men struggled to get out of the webbing but it was no use. They were stuck. Peter glanced over at the men laying on the ground next to where Emma was standing. He winced.
"Remind me to never to get on your bad side." Peter told her as Emma walked over to him. She gave him a fond look as she patted his cheek.
"Oh, I could never hurt you, Spider-Twerp. Your face is too pretty for that." Emma said jokingly and Peter just shook his head at her. She then returned her attention back to the four men whose masks had been knocked off in the struggle. "Your faces on the other hand I could really care less about since you're not lookers like my dear Spider-Twerp over here is. So…tell us. Where are the weapons?" Emma asked them viciously, her eyes hardened like she was almost daring them to tell her to go fuck off. One of the men smirked at her, too idiotic to care who she was.
"What weapons?" He asked her and Emma sneered at him but didn't make any move to hit him or bash his face in like she had previously insinuated. The man looked on in confusion as the Viper Assassin stalked over to his car while Spider-Man stayed where he was, most likely to make sure that they didn't do anything. The man watched in alarm and horror as the Viper Assassin then ripped the trunk door of his expensive car off and threw it to the side. He watched the ripped off trunk door with wide eyes before glaring at the blonde who was rummaging through his trunk.
"That's my car! Do you know how much that cost me!?" He exclaimed angrily as he glared hatefully at her. "Ugh! You fucking bitch! You're going to pay!" Peter glared at the man, furious at what the man had called Emma even if his girlfriend didn't seem to care as she looked through the man's trunk.
"You watch your mouth!" Peter snapped at the man and the man gave Peter a smug look, feeling rather brave for someone all tied up.
"Oh, what? You don't like me insulting your little whore?" The man mocked crudely and Peter fumed, feeling his temper rise. "Tell me, Spider-Man, is she as good in the sack as she is at fighting? I bet she is. It's always the crazy ones that are wild in bed. Ha! Spider-Man's whore!"
Emma wasn't really offended by the man's words. Men had called her worse in the past and she was used to it. Truth be told, Emma was actually amused by the little nickname the man invented for her. That would be something new to tease Peter about. Spider-Man's whore. Yeah, that was definitely a new one. She knew the man was only trying to a get a reaction out of Peter and from Peter's tense stance she could tell it was working. Peter was absolutely furious and she kind of thought it was cute when he tried defending her honor like that. Please, like she had any honor left to defend.
"Spider-Twerp, calm down!" Emma shouted back to him from the car as she tried to calm him down. The last thing she needed right now was Peter losing his shit over some asshole's meaningless words. If worse came to worse, she'd probably try and tell him that stupid little poem that always seemed to calm the Hulk down. Natasha always did that with Bruce and it seemed to work with them. "He's just being an asshole because he probably hasn't ever been laid by someone who wasn't his cousin." The man's smug look fell off his face as he glared at Emma again.
"Why, you little-" But the man never finished because Peter finally shot his webbing at the man's mouth to shut him up. Thank god for Peter's webbing because that man was one of the most annoying dickheads that her and Peter beat up. Too bad that webbing dissolved in a couple hours. Those poor cops at the police station were going to have their hands full with this one.
Emma dug through the rest of the trunk almost desperately as she searched for the Chitauri weaponry but she couldn't find any. All that were there were grenades, guns, and a large collection ammo. The guns varied from pistols to rifles and even to very illegal military grade machine guns. The car trunk looked a lot like the trunk of Turk, her informant, but as far as she could tell there was no advanced weaponry. She had searched the trunk from top to bottom and not to mention the entirety of the car but there was nothing there. Emma growled in frustration before fixing the men with a glare as she stormed over to them. Peter gulped at the look on her face because he could tell Emma was furious. She had never been that furious with him and he hoped that he never did anything to piss her off that much in the future.
"Where are they?!" Emma snapped as she finally stopped in front of the four men who all glared up at her.
"Where's what?" One of the men questioned and Emma was very tempted to smack the stupid look off his face. Peter gave Emma a confused look.
"What are you talking about?" He asked her and Emma sighed before turning to him, a frustrated look on her face.
"The weapons aren't in the car." She briefly told him before turning back to the four idiots. "I know you had them two days ago so tell me who you sold them to."
"Just some guy." One of them said nonchalantly and Emma bit down on the inside of her cheek to stop herself from ripping the guy's head off. How the hell did she end up with dealing with the most stupid people in the world? Oh, right…by agreeing to do this hero thing.
"Who. Was. He?" Emma hissed as she suddenly leaned down and grabbed the man by the collar of his jacket, getting right into his face. Peter stood there, not sure whether or not he should let Emma do that. On one hand it was probably bad to rough up the bad guys too badly but on the other hand they needed to find out who these guys sold the weapons to. The man's eyes were wide as he finally broke down, deciding that it was probably best to tell her the truth rather than piss her off.
"I-I don't k-know." The man said nervously. "He was an American like us and he paid a fuck ton of money for the weapons. We decided the weapons were too complicated for us and we wanted to get the weapons off our hands. What can I say?" Emma narrowed her eyes, looking very dangerous as she stared him down.
"What did he look like? Hair? Eye color? Skin? Did you catch a name?" Emma questioned and the man shook his head furiously.
"We didn't get a name but he had dark hair and dark eyes." The man told her and that pissed her off more than anything. Dark hair and dark eyes? Really? That was literally anyone in the whole world. The guy buying the weapons could easily be Tony based off that pathetic excuse for a description.
"You better do a lot better than that, asshole." She said threateningly and the man's eyes widened in realization as he suddenly remembered something.
"His face." The man remembered and Emma gave him a confused look. "He had some sort of mask or helmet on for the entire meeting but he took it off briefly when he was testing one of the weapons."
"What about his face? Did he look familiar?" She questioned and the man shook his head.
"No but he looked all burned up…like he had been in some kind of an accident. A fire, maybe." The man finally told Emma and she immediately stiffened. Her heart rate immediately elevated as she could feel herself begin to panic. She swallowed hard, hoping to whoever was listening up there in the sky that she was wrong about this. Although… her gut was rarely wrong about anything. Peter gave his girlfriend a confused look when he saw the haunted look on her face. She usually only looked that frightened after waking up from a nightmare. He didn't understand why she looked scared now of all times. "He had a lot of scarring on his face."
"Did he have a long scar across his face." Emma asked, her voice flat and the man gave her a bewildered look.
"Um…I don't know. He had a lot of scars." Emma gave him an impatient look before roughly grasping his face in her hand, causing him to yelp. She then sharpy traced her finger across his cheek, running her finger over the bridge of his nose and onto the other side of his face, bewildering both the man and everyone else, including Peter, even more.
"Was the scar like that?" She asked him and the man nodded.
"Y-yeah. I mean, I guess…he had a lot of scarring after all." The man told her and Emma immediately stood up, looking slightly horrified at this news. She had a wide eyed look on her face as she slowly turned away from the men. All her fears had been confirmed true. Peter immediately approached her, resting a hand on her shoulder which caused Emma to jump. She immediately relaxed when she realized it was only him.
"What is it?" He asked her in concern and Emma swallowed hard before answering. This was way worse than she could've ever imagined. Her nightmares would be nothing compared to what would happen to her and the other Avengers from the fallout of these weapons being in the wrong hands and especially in his hands.
"It's Rumlow…he's got the weapons." Emma told him in a low voice and Peter's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Rumlow?!" He questioned before speaking in a more hushed voice. "You mean as in the man who killed…" Peter trailed off, not knowing what else to say.
"My parents?" Emma said before nodding in confirmation. "Yes. The man he described is without a doubt Rumlow." Peter shook his head.
"It might not be." He suggested but Emma scoffed.
"That idiot back there described someone with a fucked up face but not just anyone with a fucked up face but someone with a distinctive scar across his face." Emma told Peter sharply. "I've seen the pictures of him after D.C. and not even the fire could get rid of that scar…the scar my mother gave him the day he murdered her. It's him. There's not a doubt in my mind that it's him."
"So Hydra has these weapons now?" Peter asked, not sure what they were going to do now. "What does this mean?"
"It means that we're going to be seeing these weapons again soon but not in the way we want." Emma said with a grim expression on her face and Peter really didn't like her answer. He was even more bothered because he knew this Rumlow guy for some reason wanted Emma. The incident with Volkov hadn't been forgotten. For some reason Rumlow really wanted Emma back in Hydra but Peter was starting to feel like it might've not been for strictly Hydra related purposes. If he wanted Emma back in Hydra then why was he running around playing all these games with them? No, there had to be more. He was really starting to wonder if there was something Emma wasn't telling him. Before he could ask her, however, one of the men from behind them spoke up. What he said next would horrify Emma but only serve to confuse Peter even more.
"You look so beautiful, Princess…just like your mother." One of the men called out to them and Emma tensed. Her eyes widened when she heard the words that always sent chills down her spine. She slowly turned around but all she could see was Rumlow sitting there, grinning at her in that wolfish way. Only this time it was actually him instead of the wolf she usually saw in her nightmares. The very real and human form of him terrified her because it made him a hundred times more real to her. His face was all burnt up just like it had been in the more recent pictures she had seen of him but the scar that stood out to her was the prominent one that went across his face…the one her mother gave him and the same one that stood out against all the other scars. Even with the severe scarring around his face, his eyes were just as dark and empty as she remembered which unnerved her.
"Shhh…" Rumlow murmured as he sat there grinning at her, pressing a finger to his lips. "Don't scream, Princess. Everything will be fine." Emma turned to see if Peter was seeing Rumlow like she was but he didn't look as concerned by the sight of Rumlow as she thought he'd be. He seemed concerned but only with her.
"What's going on? Are you okay?" He asked her worriedly and Emma turned back to Rumlow who was still sitting there.
"Why don't you tell him about us, Princess?" Rumlow said as he then feigned a hurt look. Us? Emma thought to herself angrily. The very thought of there being an "Us" where Rumlow was concerned made her sick. "Why do I have to be your dirty little secret? I thought we had something special."
"I'm fine." She said shortly to Peter, trying to ignore Rumlow and his disgusting behavior. She had to be imagining him, right? Peter obviously didn't see him there so he couldn't be there in real life. This was all inside her head because she was more fucked up than she thought.
"But I am real. You know it's true…I might not be here physically but I'll always be with you. Where ever you're at, I'll follow." Rumlow told her tauntingly and Emma bit down on the inside of her cheek to try and contain her fear. She wanted so badly to look away from him but for some reason she just couldn't.
"And remember, Emma…" He trailed off before smirking at her smugly. "Don't cry. The pain won't last long…I promise." That was what made Emma finally snap as she growled before abruptly flying in the direction of Rumlow. All logic seemed to leave her mind the instant he said those words. The same words he said right before he stole her innocence…the only thing she had left after everything Hydra had done to her. She grabbed Rumlow by his throat, ripping him out of the webbing and instantly shoved him against the car. He was laughing hysterically the whole time which pissed her off even more.
"Viper, what are you doing?!" Peter exclaimed as he watched her but Emma was more focused on the man whose existence was a constant pain in her side. If it wasn't for him then Emma could probably have a somewhat normal life. She wouldn't be haunted by all these nightmares, she wouldn't be so closed off to everyone, and maybe she'd actually be comfortable with the idea of having sex. If it wasn't for this man in front of her then Emma could be the girl that Peter deserved.
"I'm teaching this asshole a lesson!" Emma snapped before focusing her heated glare at Rumlow who only smirked at her.
"Always consumed by your anger. You always were an emotional girl, Princess." Rumlow said as if he were scolding her like he did back at the Hydra base. "It didn't matter how many times I beat you, tortured you, and not even how many times I took you that night. Your emotions always got the best of you." Emma tightened her grip around his throat and he began to choke. She took great pleasure in watching him struggle for breath. It was almost like she was finally going to have her revenge.
"Emma, stop! You'll kill him!" Peter shouted at her and he tried pull her away from the man but she roughly shoved him aside with one hand, the force of her push taking him by surprise and causing him to fall to the ground. He stared at Emma in shock and wondered what had gotten into her. She had been fine a few seconds ago but when that man said those words…well, she seemed to lose it. Peter watched as Emma tightened her grip around the man's neck and he knew if she applied anymore pressure, she'd probably snap his neck. Something was wrong with Emma and he needed to stop her before she hurt herself or someone else.
Peter had a determined look on his face as he stood up from the ground and immediately flung himself at her. She stumbled to side from the force of his impact, immediately letting go of the man. The man wheezed as he fell to the ground, trying to catch his breath. Peter wasn't worried about him running since the man was in a very weakened state. He had come very close to dying after all. Emma looked up after being hit by something but all she saw staring back at her was Rumlow. He was grinning at her smugly, practically daring her to come and get him. Emma narrowed her eyes at him and immediately began stalking towards him. Peter gulped when he saw the deadly look on her face. He remembered hoping earlier that Emma would never get that pissed off at him but it looked like he wasn't that lucky.
"Hey, it's me!" Peter said to her but she didn't stop. "Remember, me? The boy you're in love with? We've been going out for a month and a half now…" Emma still didn't pause as she suddenly lunged at him, attempting to land a punch to his face which Peter fortunately dodged. His eyes widened in surprise because he couldn't believe Emma had actually tried to hit him. However, he decided to play it off as he kept dodging all her punches and kicks. He was grateful that Emma had showed him some of her fighting moves because it made her slightly more predictable.
"Hey! I thought you said my face was too pretty to hit!" Peter quipped as he dodged another punch. "Whatever I did wrong, I'm sorry but I promise to buy you some pretty flowers and a box of chocolates when this is all over." Peter jumped to the side, narrowly missing one of her famous roundhouse kicks. God, Emma was sure giving him a work out. She always accused him of going easy on her during training but now he was starting to think she was the one who was going easy.
"Right. I forgot that you're a weirdo who doesn't like flowers and chocolates like most girls." He muttered and it was then that Peter briefly wondered if Emma was like her father. He knew that her father sometimes went a bit crazy when someone mentioned certain trigger words and he wondered if Emma was the same way. Peter dodged yet another punch from Emma. He had spent this whole time dodging her attacks because he hadn't wanted to hurt her but he knew that she wasn't just going to stop either. Peter then remembered something that Emma mentioned once…about how her grandfather and the Falcon had managed to snap her father out of his Winter Soldier state. She said something about him managing to hit his head real hard.
Peter winced because this was something he really didn't want to do. He had slapped her once before when she had woken up in a state much like this one back at the security vault in D.C. but she hadn't been this bad. He was definitely going to hell for this. Boyfriends weren't supposed to hurt their girlfriends but if he didn't then Emma might hurt herself or do something she regretted. Peter had a strong feeling that his webbing wouldn't hold up against her when she was in this state which was why that just wasn't an option. As she reared her fist back to send another punch in his direction, Peter once again dodged it which caught her by surprise and Peter reluctantly hit her. He tried not to use all his strength because he knew he could kill her if he did but instead used just enough strength for his punch to knock her out.
The blonde immediately passed out from the punch and Peter quickly shot out his webbing at her, before she could hit the ground, and used the webbing to pull her back to him. He quickly pulled Emma into his arms, making sure she was secure and couldn't help but feel guilty as he saw the peaceful look on her face as she rested. He really hoped that she didn't hate him when she woke up. He knew he did something really bad but he hadn't known what else to do that would've stopped her. First things first, he needed to figure out what was wrong with his Emma. Something was definitely not right and he needed to try and understand why she had even snapped the way she did in the first place.
Peter quickly shot his webbing at the man wheezing on the ground, making sure the man couldn't run away. The police should there soon anyways. The teenage boy then shot some more of his webbing in the direction of one of the buildings before propelling himself off the ground and using the webbing to lift himself and Emma off in that direction. Peter didn't bother making any smartass remarks to the criminals as he left, his concern over Emma taking priority of everything. Tonight had certainly been eventful but he wanted to get to the bottom of it. Mostly, he just wanted Emma to tell him why she had snapped like that. Somehow, he knew he was probably going to have to pull the answer from her. She wouldn't be Emma if he didn't have to do that.
"Wow, Mini Cap. You didn't tell me you were in an abusive relationship." Tony said as he tried to joke around with her. Emma glared at him as she held an ice pack against her face. She had woken up twenty minutes ago with a pounding headache, which she didn't know she could get, and throbbing in her face. There was already a large bruise there but Emma knew it would fade soon enough. They were in the living room of the townhouse and Emma felt slightly dazed. Her memories of the events leading up to the moment when Peter apparently hit her were very foggy. At least this explained what her boyfriend was doing sitting in the seat next to her, looking extremely guilty. Emma was impressed. She didn't think he had the balls to hit her. The blonde then winced as she pressed the ice pack tighter against her face. Okay, now she knew for sure that he was definitely holding back in training. That little asshole. And after all the time he spent convincing her that he wasn't holding back anymore, she knew that it had all been a lie. Well…she'd just have to get him back for it one of these days. "Should we get a restraining order? Want me to beat up the kid to teach him a lesson? Where are your manners, Mr. Parker? Didn't May ever teach you not to hit a woman? Maybe I should finally call up Cap to see what he thinks of this." Tony said but it was clear to Emma that he was only teasing Peter. However, his teasing only seemed to make Peter feel worse about what he'd done.
"Shut up, Stark. I'm tired of your insensitive jokes." Emma snapped and it was clear to Tony that she wasn't pleased with him because she only called him Stark when she was pissed at him. "In another hour this won't even hurt anymore. No one will know the difference."
"Okay, okay…don't get act like it's your time of the month." Tony said and Emma immediately threw her pack of ice at him, causing him to yelp as it hit him in the shoulder. He playfully glared at her before glancing at Peter. "Geez, you really need to control your woman, Parker. Maybe another punch will teach her a lesson?" Sometimes he really got on Emma's nerves. She really didn't feel like dealing with him tonight after what happened.
"Maybe another punch will teach you a lesson." Emma threw back at him bitterly and Tony raised his hands up defensively.
"Okay then, I get it. Let's get down to business." Tony said as a more serious expression came across his face. He was honestly very worried about Emma and especially after Darcy called him an hour before, telling him that things had taken a dark turn during one of her and Peter's outings. Peter hadn't really gotten into details but he mentioned that Emma had snapped and attacked not only one of the criminals but him as well which explained the reason she was sporting a dark bruise on her face. "I know that Peter hit you to stop you from attacking him but I just want to understand why you were attacking him in the first place. I'm guessing it's not because you caught him making out with another girl under the bleachers?" Emma just shrugged, not really feeling like answering the question.
"I don't know." She said vaguely and Peter knew that she was lying although he didn't know why she was lying so badly. Usually she was a lot more smooth than that.
"That's not true!" Peter accused, suddenly angry with her for lying. "I know you know why. It was something that man said…the thing he said about your mother. You just snapped."
"Your mother?" Tony questioned as his eyebrows furrowed in confusion and Emma felt a bit bad for trying to lie to Peter. He looked very angry and frustrated with her. There was times that she liked it when he was angry at her but right now she just felt guilty.
"Please, Emma." Peter practically begged. "Please just tell me why. I just want to help you…Tony wants to helps you too." She glanced back at Tony who just nodded in agreement.
Emma sighed because she knew she was going to tell them more than what she was willing to admit. She didn't want to tell them why those exact words had an impact on her because she was still trying to learn how to deal with that part of her past. Emma had already decided that she was definitely going to eventually tell Peter about what Rumlow did to her. Maybe not right now but when the time came. He deserved to know and he deserved an explanation why sex wasn't something she was comfortable with at the moment. Emma just figured she'd tell him when he started becoming more interested in sex. A part of her was scared that he'd think she was damaged goods or that maybe he'd act differently around her but deep down she knew he needed to know. Emma had to admit there was a part of her that just wanted to give herself to him so that he wouldn't leave her because him leaving her was more unbearable to her than the fear she had of having sex with Peter and then something triggering a flashback of Rumlow. She knew that was some messed up thinking on her part but Emma didn't want to let something as simple as sex tear them apart. Peter wasn't just her boyfriend…he was also her best friend and she didn't want to lose him because she was too scared to have sex. Emma was then snapped out of her thinking as looked back at Peter and Tony.
"Okay, fine." She finally said before continuing, hesitantly look them in the eyes. "The truth of the matter is that the man said the same thing to me that Rumlow used to say."
"That's it?" Tony tactlessly questioned. He already knew about Rumlow and the weapons thanks to everything Peter told him but he still didn't know every single detail. Peter glared at him, wishing that his mentor could be more sympathetic or understanding. It was clear that Tony's blunt nature didn't contain any tact. Emma just shook her head.
"You don't get it. Those were the exact words that Rumlow used to say and…I don't know. I guess it just triggered some memories for me." Emma said quietly and Peter wanted more than anything to comfort her but knew he had to ask her something important. It was something they just needed to know.
"Emma, you don't think you're like you're father, do you?" Peter asked her and Emma stared at him. "You don't think that those words Rumlow used to say put you into some kind of a trance like the Winter Soldier?" She didn't answer for a moment which worried Peter but he instantly felt relieved when she finally shook her head. She swallowed hard.
"No. Hydra had other ways of controlling me. They didn't need to do to me what they did to my father." Emma said almost bitterly before continuing. "It's just that…a lot of bad things happened to me in that base. Rumlow knows that and he's using that against me. I bet Rumlow told that guy to say those words to me. He wanted to get a reaction out of me and I gave him everything he wanted." Peter reached over and gave Emma's hand a comforting squeeze. She softly smiled at him.
"PTSD." Tony said suddenly and both her and Peter looked up at him. "I had it after Loki's attempt at world domination here in New York. It took me a while to overcome it but I managed to do it. You can too." Emma gave him a look of disbelief.
"You were in a wormhole in space for a few seconds, I was beaten and tortured in a Hydra base for nine years. I think our situations are slightly differently." Emma said sarcastically and Tony ignored her usual bitchiness seeing as he was used to her attitude. She really made Natasha look like a saint at times.
"What I'm trying to say is that maybe you should get some help." Tony said and the look on Emma's face told him that he better tread lightly or she was going to murder him. He coughed awkwardly before continuing. "I mean that Sam used to take you to the VA with him to speak with people who had PTSD but you stopped going."
"Well, you made damn sure of that when you sent him and everyone else packing, didn't you?" Emma snapped at him but instantly regretted it the moment she saw the hurt look on Tony's face. She sighed. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't really mean it." Tony nodded, understanding that Emma was just being a bit defensive.
"I'm only trying to make some suggestions here because I want to help you. I promised-" Tony started to say but Emma rolled her eyes.
"I know, I know. Because you promised Steve you'd take care of me." Emma said tiredly but Tony shook his head as Peter watched the exchange between the billionaire and his girlfriend curiously.
"Yes, because I promised Steve I'd take care of you but also because I care about you too. Your father, your biological one, was like a brother to me so that makes you my niece." Tony told her honestly and Emma just stared silently at the expression on his face. It was rare that Tony was ever this sincere and she could count the times he was that sincere on one hand. She just didn't know how to feel about it. "Which is why I want you to see a therapist." Emma gaped at Tony, looking incredibly shocked which was rare for her and even Peter was a bit surprised to hear that. Emma's shock soon faded as she glared at Tony.
"To hell with that! I don't care about all the mushy crap you just said, I'm not seeing some quack that gets paid to BS me for an hour while I tell them all about my feelings. That's what Peter's for." Emma snapped at Tony and Peter playfully glared at the blonde.
"Hey!" He said, pretending to be offended but Emma didn't care either way. However, Tony didn't seem bothered by Emma's scathing remark. He just smiled somewhat fondly at her.
"You know, you sound just like your father when you talk like that." Tony observed and Emma had the feeling he wasn't talking about her father as in the one who raised her but rather the one whose sperm was the reason for her existence. "I know that you won't like it but I also know that it's what's best for you. You've dealt with these issues too long on your own. I should've done this a long time ago. Bruce used to be here to help you manage your anger issues but since none of us know where the hell he's at, there's not much he can do."
"I'm not going to therapy." Emma told him stubbornly as she glared at him and Tony sighed.
"Well, if you want you can go to one of the group therapy sessions instead but you need some kind of therapy, Emma. You can't keep going on like this. You're going to hurt or kill someone and as much as you act like you don't care, I know you do." Tony told her seriously, calling her out on something for the first time in a long time. Emma knew he was actually very serious about this. She was going have to go to one of these therapy session things whether she liked it or not.
"Please, Emma." Peter said to her softly, looking very concerned. Great, he was giving her that same puppy dog expression he did whenever he wanted something from her. Sometimes she hated him. Okay, that was a lie but sometimes he really annoyed her. "Tony's right. Maybe you should go to one of these therapy sessions and who knows…maybe it will help you in the end. I know you think Tony's punishing you but he's not. You need help, Emma, and that's okay. I love you and I'll be here for you no matter what. You know that, right?"
Tony watched the two teenagers in surprise because what Peter said had taken him by surprise. He knew the kid was crazy about Mini Cap but he hadn't thought he had fallen in love with her yet and by the expression on Emma's face he could tell that she knew the kid was in love with her. Tony shifted uncomfortably in his seat because he wasn't sure how to feel about this development. He always rooted for the two to finally defeat the odds and get together but this was happening very fast. Tony thought it would at least be a few months before love would get involved but apparently he was wrong. He wondered if Mini Cap felt the same way? He stared at the softened expression on her face as she stared at the kid lovingly and he had his answer. Yep, Mini Cap was definitely head over heels for the kid which was a scary thought. It didn't feel like that long ago when he had held her in his arms as a cute little baby at her parent's farmhouse and now she was a young woman in love with her boyfriend. Wow, Tony really felt old.
One thing he knew for sure was that he was probably looking at Cap's future grandson-in-law right now. The kid who would probably inevitably be the father of Cap's great grandchildren and Tony wondered if Cap would be pleased with this news or if he'd finally finish Tony off like Tony thought he would back in Siberia. Tony remembered Cap during that fight at the old Hydra base so many months ago and remembered the cold and dark look in the super soldier's eyes as Steve brought his shield down that final time. He definitely thought he was a goner back then and Tony had only tried to kill Barnes. He couldn't imagine how furious Cap would be when he found out that Tony had unknowingly set his granddaughter up with a certain nerdy teenage boy. There would probably be a repeat of that last fight between them at the base. Hopefully Cap set his sights on the kid first and forgot all about him. Tony didn't even want to think of what Daddy Dearest would do if he found out. Probably nothing good.
"Fine." Emma finally said begrudgingly, acting like she wasn't just doing this because Peter wanted her to. "I'll go to a stupid group therapy session where a bunch of people whine and complain about their sad, pathetic lives. I'll go even though it's a complete waste of time." Tony smirked at her.
"Atta girl. That's the spirit." Tony told her before looking slightly apprehensive over what he was going to say next. "Oh and you're off field duty for the next couple weeks although I wouldn't really call it field duty since it's just you and the kid running around Queens, finding people's stolen bikes." Emma's eyes widened in surprise and even Peter looked surprised at Tony's decision.
"What?! You can't do that!" Emma exclaimed angrily and Tony nodded.
"Yes, I can. That's an ability I have since Steve left you in my care. You're lucky that I even let you go out and be the Viper Assassin. If I remember correctly Cap wasn't exactly too keen on you playing hero." Tony told her and Emma frowned.
"So you are punishing me." Emma stated and Tony shook his head before sighing.
"I'm not punishing you. I'm just trying to help you and I think it would do you some good to take a break from all the action." Tony said sincerely and Emma supposed he had a point even though she didn't like it. She wouldn't say it aloud but she knew she was compromised. Her flashbacks about Rumlow were clearly impacting her thinking. She could no longer think as logically as she could before and that wasn't good. "Don't worry. Peter can handle himself. Right, kid?"
Emma then glanced over at Peter as he nodded slowly, taken back by the thought of not working alongside Emma for the next couple weeks. The last time he had truly worked alone was before he knew Emma was the Viper Assassin. Sure, he had worked alone when they weren't speaking with each other all that time ago but that didn't count. He knew Emma was around somewhere, making sure he didn't get hurt because he did the same thing with her.
"Uh…yeah." Peter answered nervously before locking eyes with Emma. "I'll be fine on my own, Emma. You just take the time you need." Emma nodded, finally accepting that this was going to happen whether she liked it or not. It was going to be weird not hanging around Peter on those occasions because they spent a majority of their night crime fighting. A part of the reason Emma liked crime fighting was because she got to be with Peter…well, the helping people part was good too but Emma enjoyed Peter's company a lot more than some old lady's stupid cat.
"Glad we got that settled." Tony said casually as he got up from the couch. "Well, I should start heading out. Pepper says that we have to go meet our wedding planner in Malibu tomorrow to start picking out wedding venues. God, I hope it's somewhere fun like Miami or Vegas…" Emma was already bored with this part of the conversation. She hoped that she didn't actually have to go to that wedding to watch Pepper throw her life away for this idiot. As nice as Pepper was, Emma figured that there had to be something severely wrong with the woman to think Tony was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Ew, gross. Emma would sooner peel the skin off her face than be tied down to Tony for her entire life.
"So go to a couple of those group therapy sessions and you can go back to the Springsteen crime fighting thing you and Peter have going on." Tony told her and Emma nodded.
"Fine." She said shortly and he started heading for the door. The billionaire paused before walked out into the night, looking back at them but mostly focusing on Peter.
"And kid?" Tony said to him and Peter looked up at him curiously.
"Yes, Mr. Stark?" Peter asked which annoyed Tony because he repeatedly had asked the teenage boy to call him Tony but the kid was relentless. So relentless that Tony understood how he'd probably gotten Mini Cap to fall in love with him. The kid just didn't give up.
"Take care of her." He told him softly, giving Peter a small smile and walking out into the night before Peter could respond. He just stared at the now closed door in confusion as Emma practically fumed next to him, glaring at the front door.
"That little goatee wearing asshole!" Emma said angrily as she crossed her arms. "Take care of her? Seriously?! I'm not some helpless little girl. I can take care of myself." Peter just smiled softly at Emma because he knew she was back to normal. This was regular pissed off Emma instead of the pissed off version of the Viper Assassin he had seen earlier.
"I think he means well, Emma." Peter told her and Emma huffed. He got up from his seat to pick up the ice pack she had thrown at Tony earlier before returning to his seat next to her. He gently pressed the ice pack against her cheek where he had hit her. The guilty expression returned to his face as he noticed the bruise that was already fading from her face.
"I'm sorry for hitting you. I know I shouldn't have done it and I hope you can forgive me." Peter said quietly as he looked down but Emma immediately grabbed his face and forced him to look back up at her.
"Don't apologize, Peter. You did what you had to do. I was attacking you." Emma said, defending his actions against her. "If I ever get like that again, you have to promise that you won't hesitate to do it again. Promise me." Peter suddenly looked unsure.
"Emma, I don't know if I can-" He started to say but she interrupted him.
"Please, just promise me." She insisted and Peter sighed before reluctantly nodding.
"Fine but only if all else fails." Peter replied and that was good enough for Emma. A troubled look then came over Emma's face as something occurred to her.
"I didn't hurt you, did I?" Emma asked, scared to know the answer but Peter shook his head.
"No, you tried hitting and kicking me but I dodged all your attacks." Peter reassured her before giving her a goofy smile. "I guess you're getting pretty predictable, Rogers." Emma gave him an amused look.
"Don't count on it, Parker." Emma told him before the smile once again faded and her expression softened. "I'm glad I didn't hurt you. I don't know what I would've done if I had." Peter then reached over and pulled Emma closer to him, wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace as she relaxed against him and rested her head against his chest.
"I'm not exactly easy to hurt, Emma." Peter told her comfortingly as he gently nuzzled her hair, taking great comfort in the familiar scent of strawberries and coconut. "I am the stronger one, after all." Emma rolled her eyes at his male ego but smiled nonetheless.
"That's very modest of you." She said sarcastically but her heart wasn't really in it. Peter could tell that her heart wasn't in it as well as he rubbed her back soothingly.
"What do you want me to do?" Peter asked her softly, his voice a mere whisper. "Do you want me to make you laugh? Get you a glass of water or another ice pack? Do you want me to sing you to sleep?" Emma laughed at his last suggestion and the sound of her musical laughter made him smile. He was glad he could make her laugh even if it was only for a couple seconds.
"You're a terrible singer… literally the worst I've ever heard." Emma told him and Peter smiled, pressing a chaste kiss against the top of her head. His expression grew serious again as he looked down at her.
"What do you need, Emma?" He asked softly once more and Emma sighed as she snuggled against his chest, feeling safe in his arms as she listened to the soothing sound of his heart beat.
"I just want you to hold me, Peter." She told him quietly and Peter just stared down at her, partially wishing that she was facing him so that he could see the expression on her face but he knew she was tired. He knew she was having a tough time sleeping because of the nightmares and if she wanted to fall asleep willingly then Peter wasn't going to argue with her.
"As you wish." He said in a light hearted tone, quoting a movie he and Emma had watched together not that long ago. It was one of those rare movies that they both adored equally and Peter secretly claimed The Princess Bride as "Their Movie" just like how he claimed 'Tomorrow Never Came' as "Their Song". He held her closer and Emma nestled against his chest, her eyes slowly fluttering close as the sound of Peter's heart beat lulled her to sleep. It took Peter a few minutes to follow as he happily watched her peaceful, resting form but he eventually fell asleep too.
Darcy would come downstairs around an hour later and find the two teenagers sleeping in each other's arms. She would throw a warm blanket over the pair before taking out her phone and taking a picture of the cute couple. Darcy would make sure to send the picture to May, letting Peter's aunt know that he was safe but wouldn't be coming home that night. May Parker would fondly admire the picture of the adorable couple while sipping her glass of wine. She would even tease her nephew about it for the next several days although the small smile that would grace his face, whenever she brought it up, told May that he didn't really mind the teasing at all. He'd even steal May's phone for a couple minutes and send the picture to himself. The picture would become his new wallpaper and lockscreen much to Emma's annoyance although he could tell she wasn't really annoyed. She was more than pleased.