Chapter 8: I Can Do This All Day Part 2
"Your what?"
"She's my side kick in training."
My eyes widened as I looked back and forth between Clint and Michelle.
"Clint, she's a kid."
"Says the guy who took Peter Parker under his wing."
Wrong move.
The mark 85 suit covered my body in a second.
"Don't drag the kid into this." I said, repulsor pointed at Clint.
I turned to Michelle.
"Do you realize what you're getting into?!"
She shrugged.
"Not anything too difficult at the moment. A hologram to punch, a target to hit. Nothing more than that."
Clint tapped my shoulder.
"The suit can come off tin man."
My helmet retracted.
"Michelle, being one of us is a lot more difficult than you might think. Sometimes we lose, and sometimes we don't come back."
———————
About 1 year before...A finger raised in the air.
That's what it took for me to end my life.
Thanos assembled the gauntlet, readying himself for a snap.
I lunged at him, grabbing hold of the gauntlet.
He beat me, hitting me and trying to knock me away.
Swatting me off him after a few hits, he adjusted the gauntlet.
"I am...inevitable." He gloated, smiling.
The snap, but nothing happened except for the grind of metal.
Shocked, he looked at the gauntlet.
I was 6 feet in front of him, down on one knee.
I raised my head, my right arm outstretched, my left resting on my right knee.
The pain was almost unbearable, but the Mark 85 was made for this.
I flinched, I wanted to scream from the pain.
I could feel the power of the stones eating away at me from a molecular level. It was as if I was being torn apart by the atom.
I looked the mad titan in the eyes.
"And I..."
His eyes widened.
"Am..."
Thanos began to reach for me.
"Iron Man."
——————
Michelle shrugged.
"You guys do it all the time. Besides, more than one of you have come back from the dead."
I glared at the girl. But I was impressed by her boldness.
"You better hope it's not a mistake Barton." I said, my armour retreating from my body.
Clint shrugged.
"I promise I won't mess it up Tony."
I nodded.
"If Peter really is gone, I wouldn't want her getting hurt to."
I skulked back to my lab.
———————
"It's you're lucky day Michelle. I'm giving you a break."
I frowned at Clint.
"I don't need one."
Clint laughed.
"Look at yourself kid. You're exhausted."
I yawned, longer than I should have. I'm sure I had very noticeable bags under my eyes and my posture certainly could be better.
"I can do this all day." I smirked.
Clint smiled, but his eyes didn't carry it.
"Steve used to say that."
"I know. Happy brought it up."
Clint ruffled my hair.
"Go rest kid. We'll resume tomorrow."
I scoffed and rolled my eyes. But deep down I knew I needed the sleep.
3 weeks of training with Clint Barton and Happy Hogan takes its toll.
We walked back to the compound and I went back to my guest room across from Peters.
I checked my phone.
A missed call from Betty, 2 texts from Ned and a tagged post from Flash.
I hadn't gotten a single call or message from my dad the entire time I've been at the compound.
Of course I expected that, and I didn't tell anyone. I was actually anxious about returning home.
I put my phone on the nightstand beside my bed and I laid down.
"Maybe I'll take May up on that offer..." I muttered.
——————
4 months before...
"You're out awfully late Michelle."
"I could say the same to you."
I looked at May Parker's eyes. We were both standing outside Delmars Convenience at about 3am.
"Why are you out so late Michelle?"
I shrugged.
"Couldn't sleep."
May frowned.
"Tell me the real reason."
May beckoned over to a bench and we both sat down.
Peter and I had been dating for maybe 2 months, and I was still relatively shy around May.
Especially after Mysterio.
But I knew I could trust her, and knowing that dork Peter, May probably already knew.
I sighed.
"I'm sure Peters at least alluded to my home situation."
My voice was barely above a whisper, and my hair covered my face.
May nodded, she seemed worried.
"Only a little."
"My parents fight a lot. I tend to just hide in my room and read or listen to music. This time..." I breathed in deeply. "My mom threw something at my dad. It blew a pretty good hole through my door."
May nodded gravely.
"The fire escape is right beside my window, so I climbed out. I was hoping Peter would be out on patrol and I'd find him. My parents won't really care I'm gone." I said.
May put her hand on my shoulder.
"Come with me hon. You can stay with us tonight."
Later that night she told me the Parker guest room was open to me whenever.
I'd take her up on that offer 5 months later.
———————
A rough hand grabbed my face.
"Open those eyes you brat!"
A hard slap made me open my eyes.
I stared into two very angry looking brown eyes, hidden behind a purple ski mask.
I'd learned the mans name was Zemo, and he had a grudge against Tony.
They always do.
Rumlow and Bucky were in his service, Bucky was in it unwillingly of course.
"I want to know how Tony Stark was able to locate this base!" He spat.
I smirked.
"Mr. Stark is a genius, you should know that."
He punched me hard in the stomach.
"What do you have that helped him find you?"
I coughed up blood from the punch.
"He probably did a face search for Rumlow. If he knows you're here, he'll be at your door soon."
Zemo backhanded me across the face.
"And I'll be ready for him you brat!"
Zemo shouted something to his mean and I knew the torture was just starting.
What did it matter?
The Avengers would be here soon.
——————
I was in the middle of training again with Clint when Tony came rushing outside.
"Clint! Clint I need to talk to you."
I shot an arrow, narrowly missing the centre of the target and Clint signaled for me to stop.
"You're doing great kid, go take 5 will you?"
I nodded and went over to a nearby bench, drinking some water.
Tony seemed anxious while he was talking to Clint and his movements were erratic.
I could even see some sweat trickling down the back of his neck.
Clint put his hands on Tony's shoulders and that seemed to calm him down a bit.
The older man nodded towards the younger and they parted, Tony jogging back into the compound.
Clint came over and patted me on the back.
"You did good today Michelle. We're gonna have to part early. Happy is gonna finish things tonight."
I frowned.
"Why is that? We've barely gone for 2 hours."
Clint chuckled and put his arms behind his head.
"You are an energetic one aren't you."
His whole stance shifted quickly, and his voice took a much more serious tone.
"It's Peter, Michelle, Tony found Peter."