It had been two weeks into Christmas Break and Danielle had not seen this holiday going this way. Instead of opening boxes with gifts inside, her and Wanda spent all week putting her things into boxes.
Tony had helped find Alice and Danielle a nice two story house in a suburban neighborhood in Newport, Rhode Island. They were officially moving and Wanda and Jack offered to help, it was the least they could do since their sister was leaving and they could do nothing about it.
Jack helped his mother clear out Danielle's old room in Sharon's apartment, while Wanda and Danielle cleared out her room in the Compound. They took their sweet time doing it, knowing to savor these moments together before Danielle had to leave. The two girls would pick up some sort of photo hanging on Danielle's wall or cork board and relive the memory together, or they'd pick up an unfamiliar object and talk about why she even kept it.
Wanda had picked up a small snow globe with what looked like the skyline of New York in it. "When did you get this?" She asked the younger enhanced girl.
Danielle looked up from where she was packing her collection of CD's into a box. "Oh, my friend Sally bought it for me when she found out I was originally from Europe."
"That's nice." Wanda chimed as she shook up the snow globe and watched the fake snow flurry, falling around the New York skyline in the glass ball. "Can I keep it? So I can remember you."
Danielle felt a small twinge of pain in her chest at the reminder of Wanda having to need something like that. Something to look at to try to remember Danielle because she no longer would have the real deal around. Danielle nodded. "Sure. It's yours." Wanda smiled before setting the snow globe into a small off-to-the-side box filled with a couple of other things Danielle was giving her to remember her while she was away. "Soccer season is coming up." Danielle spoke up again. "Do you think you'd be able to make it to any of my games?"
Wanda forced a small smile. "I'll try, but we never know with these missions..."
"Right. Okay." Danielle brushed off, pretending that hearing her sister say she probably couldn't make it to her game didn't break her heart in two.
Wanda heard the hurt in Danielle's voice and wished she hadn't automatically shot down the only thing Danielle might've looked forward to when she would leave. If Wanda could take it back, she would have, but it was already said and done. She watched as Danielle hurriedly packed up a few Polaroids tacked to her small cork board into a mint-colored shoe box.
The rest of the day went by slowly, Wanda ended up trading packing shifts with many people. Vision came in after the enhanced young woman and spoke with Danielle about the pros of leaving the Compound– a conversation Danielle wished she hadn't heard by the time it was over.
Sam came in not long after and helped her disassemble and load up her keyboard, they spoke about team building tactics for her soccer games coming up next month. Natasha entered later on to discuss self-defense while she was away, and if she was in any danger, not to hesitate to call– all while helping empty out the clothes in her drawers, dresser, and closet.
Rhodey came in afterwards to help take out the drawers and dressers while talking about old memories he had of the young girl when he'd first met her in Sokovia and how thrown off he was when he was told she was the one who lifted the meteor for a few seconds.
Tony came in after his Colonel best friend to fold her bed sheets and comforters up and clean out the rest of the empty room. "Sorry about Cap not being around right now. He's a bit–well, not a bit–a whole lot damaged and torn." His conversation started, straight to the point. "He doesn't want to see you go, but he's convinced him and the rest of the team are the reason you got hurt."
Danielle sat at the corner of her bed with her hands in her lap, not meeting the billionaire's eyes as he folded up the white sheets. "Do you believe that?" She asked, barely audible.
"In a sense, I guess." Tony admit. "But we really don't know why whoever took you took you. We captured a few of the hired agents guarding the building you were being kept in, but they're not talking. Not even Wanda's mind tricks-" Tony quickly cut himself off when he began to notice Danielle's rigid body language. The way she tightened the grip on her intertwined hands, the way she stiffened and shrunk into herself, and the way she crossed her legs and hunched her shoulders as if to create a protective barrier around herself.
Tony felt a twinge of recognition in those movements. He remembered feeling like that after he'd first escaped from that cave in Afghanistan. He would get recurring nightmares and wake up in a cold sweat, yet despite being hot as hell, he'd curl himself into a ball and try to remind himself that he was safe. He imagined it was the same way for this girl, only maybe ten times worse due to the fact that instead of water boarded, this girl was cut on every inch of her body. Tony's captors had a reason for what they did (not a very good one), but the billionaire had gotten closure. But Danielle? She had no idea what the reason was behind her kidnapping and torture... And maybe that's what hurt her the most.
"I don't think you moving away is a good idea, if that's what you're trying to get at." Tony finally settled on. "We can't protect you from something like this happening again. We have no way of getting into contact with you if something does happen-"
"Natasha gave me a burner phone to call in case of emergencies." She interrupted.
Tony nodded curtly. "Of course she did." Danielle's lips twitched up slightly at the small joke, and Tony continued. "What I'm trying to say is, this is a no-win situation. Sure, you're safe if you're away from us, but you're also vulnerable if you're away from us. I think Cap only sees one part of that; the you in danger part."
"You're saying I should stay because Steve isn't thinking straight?"
"No! No. Well..."
"It wouldn't matter though, would it?" Danielle inquired. "My Mom is my legal guardian. I have no choice but to go with her."
"Technically, Cap could fight for your custody." Danielle lifted her head up at that, prompting the billionaire to frown at the fact she had hope that Steve would. "But he didn't want to. Like I said, he believes that you're be safer away from all of this."
"But it's still who I am." She pointed out. "I can't just stay away from this...It's a part of me."
"Well, when you turn eighteen, you can always come back. We'll be waiting, kid." Tony explained as he took a seat at the edge of the bed beside her and set a comforting hand on her back.
She flinched slightly, but forced out a small smile. "Thanks, Tony." She said before abruptly pulling him in for a hug.
Tony was caught off guard slightly, not knowing what to do as he stared down in a complete state of shock at the teenage girl who had her arms wrapped around his waist and her head pressed against his chest in the intimate gesture of 'hugging'. He then set aside his fears and did what normal people did; he hugged back.
It lasted only a few seconds before a voice called out from the hallway. "Hey, Harper!" Sam Wilson then came walking in, Tony quickly ending their hug before the Falcon stood in the room doorway. "Dr. Cho said she's ready for your final check up."
Danielle nodded. "I'll be there in a second." She replied before standing from the bed and giving Tony a departing smile and small wave. "Thank you, again, for everything," she said before following after Sam who led her downstairs to Dr. Cho's lab.
Once inside, Dr. Cho gave her a bright smile and patted the metal stool set in front of her silver tray of tools. Danielle's walking faltered slightly as flashbacks from her captivity came to mind. The metal rolling table full of weapons that wicked man used on her for a reason she still wasn't completely sure of. The way he smiled and laughed after each cut. How much he enjoyed the way she whimpered and cried out, so much he would dig the sharp object deeper into her skin just to hear the sounds she made.
Dr. Cho noticed the horrified look in the girl's eyes and quickly laid a towel above the set of tools she had. "I'm sorry." She apologized. "I promise not to use those, this is just a quick check up before you leave. I just want to make sure your wounds are healing and such." She explained.
Danielle nodded before slowly taking a seat in front of the doctor, shaking her head of all bad thoughts. She stayed completely silent and still, only moving when Dr. Cho lifted her hand up or moved the sleeve of her shirt up to study the marks lining every inch of her body. Danielle tried her best not to look at the marks, but each time she had to move a part of her body, she felt the pain and was forced to look at the wounds.
"Well," Dr. Cho sighed once she finished her exam. "all looks well. Your enhanced regeneration should slowly start taking it's effect and all your scars should be healed within a few more weeks."
Danielle gave a small nod, wishing her statement applied to her internal scars. But it was too good to be true. The way the man intricately cut her skin like she was a canvas, the sharp objects were the brushes, and the crimson that bled from her body was the paint had already been permanently seared into her brain. He was making her into his sick, disgusting, and broken piece of art and she could never forget the feeling because you could erase a mistake, paint over it, or trash the painting all together, but it never goes away...
She let out a heavy sigh as she stood from the stool. Dr. Cho knew what was to come; goodbye. Danielle could see it in the doctor's eyes that she was prepared for Danielle to utter the farewell. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Like she was incapable of saying goodbye to her, or anyone, or this place. Instead, she said, "Take care of Quintin for me."
Dr. Cho let out a chuckle as both their heads turned to the small lit up glass container where Danielle's little chick she had gotten from Clint on her birthday was. She'd given him to Dr. Cho because she didn't think Sharon would appreciate having a farm animal in the small apartment. Plus, Cho had been wanting a lab companion for a while. "I will." The doctor assured her. "Goodbye, Danielle."
Danielle frowned slightly and nodded in acknowledgment before walking out of the lab back to retrieve the remaining things in her room.
Danielle had packed the last of her personal belongings into a small suitcase her Mom had already set inside the trunk of the car parked in the front of the Compound.
Mostly everyone was surrounding the front to say goodbye; Jack, Wanda, Vision, Sam, Rhodey, Natasha, and Maria Hill. Danielle, once again, was bummed out when she noticed the missing member of the team.
Little did she know, Steve was there, watching her farewell from behind the wall of windows above. He stood in his usual ready stance, feet planted firmly on the ground, hands on his belt, shoulders straight, chest out, and chin up. He was feeling a bit like his old self. Not the Captain-America-fighting-HYDRA old self, but the dancing-monkey old self. He felt like he was in a situation where no matter what he did, the result was never good.
It was tough times like these that he would turn to Bucky, like during the War. But since he wasn't here, he turned to someone he trusted who might've had some good advice on children and not have been biased like the rest of his teammates; Peggy Carter.
It had been a while since he'd visited her, but he felt a visit was much over due. He'd gone a few days after Danielle and Alice had initially begun to move out of both the Compound and the New York apartment Sharon had.
They'd talked for a few moments, Peggy had forgotten a few times that Steve was alive despite visiting her only a couple months before the Ultron ordeal. Though, Steve couldn't blame her for forgetting he was alive, it was his fault for not visiting enough. But once Peggy had been caught up on all her soldier had been up to these past few years, the pair fell into a comfortable silence.
Peggy frowned slightly and tilted her head. "You seem upset about something." She remarked.
Steve, who had been sitting in the arm chair beside her bedside, snapped his head up to look at Peggy. "How could you tell?"
"I've known you for exactly 80 years, I know when you're upset." She replied. Steve smirked, she did know him well. "So, what is it?"
Steve let out a heavy sigh before reaching into his jacket pocket to produce his wallet. He flipped through until he pulled out a set of photos from a photo booth. Steve took a moment to admire each one. The first of Wanda, Jack, and Danielle squished into the booth trying to stretch their necks over one another's head just to be seen in the photo; the second of Danielle seated in between the other two enhanced while Jack made bunny ears behind Wanda's head; the third of Jack holding his mouth open and sticking his tongue out while Danielle made a large bubble in her mouth and Wanda crossing her eyes and sticking her tongue out; and finally– Steve's favorite– the photo of Wanda and Jack kissing both of Danielle's cheeks while she blushed and bowed her head, bashfully smiling enough for the camera to catch.
He smiled down at the photoset before handing it to Peggy along with the reading glasses on her bedside table. The older woman put on the specs before narrowing her eyes to study the photos. Once she looked through all of them, a bright smile spread across her face. "Oh, Steve, are these your children?" She beamed.
Steve chuckled. "In a way." He answered. "They're the newest recruits to our team."
"These children are on the Avengers team?" Peggy raised a disapproving eyebrow.
"Not exactly. More like training to be." Steve assured her. He didn't like the idea of Danielle– or any of the enhanced in a fight– any more than Peggy did.
"Well, these children are all beautiful. What seems to be the problem?"
Steve frowned before beginning to explain his sticky situation to the woman. Starting with Danielle, Jack, and Wanda's kidnapping and ending with the most recent events of Danielle's mother taking her away to live in another state.
"So, you're just letting her?" Peggy prompted in a shocked tone.
"She's not safe as an Avenger, Peggy. She's too young." Steve exclaimed.
Peggy shook her head. "This isn't about Avenging, Steve. This is about you fighting for what you love." Steve bowed his head. It came back to the subject of him allowing her to leave for her safety or for him fighting for her to stay for his own selfish reason for loving the girl. "Do you truly believe this girl is unsafe with you?" Peggy asked, Steve nodded. "Then is she truly safe anywhere?" Steve had to admit, the had a point. Peggy then took the soldier's hand in her own and looked him in the eye as she said, "Fight for what you believe in and what you love. Don't let other people fool you into believing you're anything less than a man of his word and his will."
Steve left Peggy that day still torn, despite her wise words. Now, here he was, watching Danielle say goodbye to the team from up above because he was too much of a coward to face her. The soldier, the Man With A Plan, Captain America, Steve Rogers– a man who has fought against HYDRA soldiers in War World II, alien armies in the Battle of New York, Norse Gods, an entire government organization, a psycho robot, and countless other terrifying foes most people would run from– was too afraid to say goodbye to the little girl downstairs.
He could only watch as she said goodbye to the other team members.
Danielle walked over to Sam first, pulling him in for a tight hug. "I'll tell him you said 'goodbye'." He told her as they parted. Danielle nodded, knowing full well who he was talking about before moving on to Rhodey.
The Colonel smiled before pulling her in for a hug as well. "Be safe, alright?"
"I will." She promised before releasing him. "Just keep my brother and sister safe too, please."
Rhodey nodded. "Will do."
Danielle moved onto the next person; Natasha. She was a bit weary on whether or not to hug the former assassin. But when Natasha pulled Danielle in for a hug anyway, all bets were off. Danielle gave Natasha the tightest hug, knowing to cherish the rare occasion of the redhead showing any sort of affection.
Once they parted from each other, Natasha set her hands on either side of Danielle's arms. "You have the phone I gave you?" Danielle pulled the small burner phone from her back pocket. "Good. Remember what I said about it?"
"Emergencies only." Danielle replied.
Natasha nodded. "Make sure to be safe and be aware."
"Yes, ma'am." Danielle said firmly before moving to the next person over; Vision.
The android extends his hand out. "It was a pleasure getting to know you, Miss Harper."
Danielle takes his hand and shakes it. "You too, Vision."
"I'll be making sure to monitor you every so often. After all, we are still connected." Vision explained, tapping the Mind Stone on his forehead.
All the team members visibly cringed. "Dial back the creep, Siri." Sam remarked.
"I apologize." Vision told Danielle.
She shook her head. "It's fine." The guy was still new to the world and needed some dire help on how to properly communicate with humans without being so blunt, honest, and– like Sam said– creepy. Danielle bid farewell to the android before turning to Maria Hill in the corner and giving her a departing nod, leaving the last person to say goodbye to.
Danielle turned around to face Wanda, who stood a few feet away with her arms wrapped around herself as if they were the only things keeping her from falling apart. Danielle took a deep breath and mustered the courage to approach. "Promise to call?" Wanda is able to speak without her voice cracking and giving away just how much anguish she was feeling.
Danielle nodded. "I will."
"And make sure to take pictures of all the soccer games and Decathlon competitions?"
"Okay." She sniffled, her voice cracking at the thought of Wanda not being there for any of it. Her soccer games, Decathlon competitions, Valentine's Day Dance, Spring Break, Homecoming, Prom, high school graduation.
Wanda's mind went to the same point of subject and she found herself beginning to cry, unable to hold her tears back any longer. And the moment Wanda lets go, Danielle breaks as well, quickly moving forward to wrap her arms around her sister. "I love you, little sister." Wanda cries softly into Danielle's hair.
"I love you, too, Wanda." Danielle sobs in response, holding tighter onto her.
After a few moments, Alice– who had been leaning against the trunk of the car beside Jack– nudged her son on the arm, notifying him that it was time to go. Jack took a deep breath before reluctantly walking forward. He set a hand on Danielle's arm and lightly pulled, separating the sisters. "It's time to go." He told her.
Danielle looked frantically between her siblings. "No. Please..." She whimpered as Jack slowly led her towards the car a few yards away. "Wanda..."
Wanda took a step forward, reaching out to the girl calling out for her, but Natasha quickly stepped in, setting two hands on either side of the second enhanced girl to hold her back while they watched Jack and Alice lead her into the backseat of the car still sobbing.
Alice quickly jumped into the front seat of the car, with Danielle placed in the back, before driving away down the long dirt path leading out of the Compound perimeter. Danielle shifted around in her seat to look out the back window and watch as her brother, sister, and her team faded into specs on the horizon. Insignificant specs and already fading memories she wouldn't see until she was eighteen.
Meanwhile, Steve watched the painful parting from his place on the second story of the Compound. He didn't shed any tears as he watched the grey car drive off past the tree line, he was stronger than that. Danielle was safe now, there was no need to cry...but why did he feel like just letting go?
Tony slowly walked over and watched the car drive away as well. Neither men spoke for a few moments after the car vanished in the distance, but once the team down below began to file back inside, Tony broke the silence. "Was it still the right decision?" He prompted.
Steve clenched his jaw, but didn't answer. But his silence said more than any of his words ever could... He didn't know...
A/N: SHOUT OUT TO THE BADASS SON OF A BITCH theamazingspiderman. Go check out her amazing stories, she's amazing and also BETA'd this chapter. So, much love to her.
Sort of emotional chapter. I definitely suggest reading it to the song 'Waiting' by Norah Jones, because I'm a sucker for her music and specifically that song. Sadly, no Peter this chapter, but he shall make a minor cameo next chapter. I know you're all probably frustrated that there hasn't been a lot of him, but I promise that in a few chapters (I say a few, I mean maybe seven to ten) we will be seeing a lot of him. And I mean A LOT. So just hang in there guys. We're getting there.
Chapter song, like I said, Waiting by Norah Jones.
Incorrect Quote of the Chapter:
[leaving for school]
Dani: Alright, see you later. *walking out the door*
Sharon: Okay! Be safe!
Dani: *stops in tracks* ...no...
