Thank you to everyone who has read the first chapter! This is my first fanfic, so I've been a little bit nervous about posting it, but I'm excited to see where it goes. I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

Aqua heard the doors to a car close, but there was one more than when Tony had left. She sat up on her couch trying to peer through her windows to see if she could see who was with Tony. She couldn't make out who it was, other than the fact she didn't recognize the boy's backside.

"Friday, who's with Tony?"

"I do recognize him, however, that information is in Mr. Stark's private files, so I canno –"

"Yeah, yeah. Show me the cameras." Aqua got up, moving to the large screen, the cameras popping up one by one, showing the boy from all angles. He was mostly average; brown hair, brown eyes, average height. Nothing looked very special, and yet he was one of the youngest people Tony had ever brought home, no older than herself. "Friday, give me some sound." A volume scroll appeared on the screen and Aqua spun it slightly.

"Listen, kid, all of this," Tony circled his finger in the air, gesturing to all of the compound, "all secret. You speak of it to no one. You talk and you're out. No more suit. No more fighting crime – Kid, you listening? Nothing." 'Kid' was looking everywhere except for Tony, much to Tony's annoyance. He kept moving forward towards the lab, whistling for Kid to follow him. Kid scurried after.

Suit? Tony is giving him a suit? But why? With Tony and Kid in the lab, Aqua couldn't get a closer look or hear what they were talking about. Tony's lab was labelled as 'private' which meant Aqua couldn't access anything while not inside. She tried a couple more camera angles, but nothing gave a better view or better volume. Maybe the pool? As the thought occurred, she ran out to her pool, quickly stepped in, and submerged herself, bringing herself to sit at the very bottom. The sounds immediately brightened.

"Here's the new one. It comes with a personal assistant and a number of safety features."

"A personal assistant?"

"Yep. Connected to Friday, might I add. I'll have direct access to everything you do."

"So, you'll be stalking me?"

"Not exactly stalking. Just keeping an eye on everything."

"So, stalking."

"No, just – oh, whatever. Why don't you put it on and try out a few moves? You'll need to know how to use it in case –"

"In case of what? Mr. Stark?"

"Just in case. – well, go on, kid. Try it out."

Aqua brought her head above water. Tony's giving him a suit. A suit meant for fighting. Aqua leaned back, floating on the water's surface for some time. I've barely been allowed to leave the compound and he's giving him a suit to fight with. Why? Even in the surface of the water, Aqua heard their footsteps nearing in the hallway just outside. She lifted herself and moved to exit the pool as soon as there was a knock on the door.

"Aqua? You in here?" Tony asked, stepping through the doorway. "Oh, good. I wanted you to meet the new kid." He pointed towards Kid, who was starting to push through the doorway staring at the large indoor pool.

"Woah! There's a pool?! Is it heated?!" Kid started to move towards the edge, but Tony put his arm up in front of the boy's chest and shook his head while giving the boy a look as if to say, 'don't even try it', but Aqua was already stepping out of the pool and straight passed the pair.

"Yeah, there's a pool, but not one that you get to use. This one's mine." She was upset, and it was no fault of the boy, but she couldn't stop herself from speaking bitterly. She pulled the water off her body, drying instantly as she kept walking towards her bedroom.

"Aqua, this is Peter," Tony tried gesturing towards Peter only to realize Aqua was paying no attention to him. "Peter, this –" Tony made an exasperated gesture towards her, "is Aqua." Tony stood there, confused. He had never seen her like this. She was always kind, open, and more than willing to meet new people. So, why was she being so cold?

"Aqua?" Tony started walking towards her, "Aqua." He reached for her shoulder, but she kept walking through the door into her room. "Aqua! What is going on?" He finally reached her.

"How old is he?" she asked without turning to look at her mentor. They stood there for a moment in silence. After a time, Aqua got frustrated and turned to face him.

"How old is he?" She hated being this upset over something she considered so small.

"15." She was right. He was no older than her; same age in fact. So, why was he allowed to fight and risk his life in a suit made by Tony.

"Tony, in the five years I've lived with you, you've barely let me leave. Whether it was here or at the tower." She turned slightly, closing her eyes. "So, why does he get to fight? Since the Avengers were formed, I have wanted to help. To fight. He just gets to waltz in and go directly into a fight? Why him and not me?" Tony saw the hurt. He never meant to hurt her, only to protect her. She was just a child. A child he needed to protect from the world. Lately, he had been thinking to let her experience more. She had been doing well in training with Nat and she had been showing great control in her abilities.

"When we took you in, you were ten years old with no where to go and only average control of your powers. Even now at 15, I still think you're too young." He paused and took a glance through the open door at Peter. "However, Nat says you've been doing well and you've gained great control of your powers." Tony got up and walked over to the projected screen. He tapped a few areas, "Friday, show camera 5 in the storage lab."

Aqua stood up, slowly walking over to the screen, curious as to what the camera would be showing. She stopped suddenly, in the image of the camera was an outfit not unlike Nat's jumpsuit she wore when on a mission. The bottoms were skin tight with a couple of belts for what looked like knives and the top looked to be a fit-and-flare long-sleeve that fastened just under the sternum and tapered down to the knee in the back. The entire outfit seemed to a dark navy blue, the same shade as the roots of her hair. She looked to Tony, questioning, but with excitement. He simply nodded.

"But only if you play nice and come out to meet the kid without an attitude." Aqua just rolled her eyes but moved towards Tony. He welcomed the embrace and motioned for them to leave the room. Aqua turned on her heel and out the door into the pool room. Peter was simply kneeling near the water's edge, watching the water sway just slightly. He quickly stood seeing that Tony and Aqua were walking towards him.

"Now, Aqua, this is Peter. Peter, Aqua."