Author's Note: Okay, so a pretty short chapter but still a very important one. Thanks for all the reviews last chapter. I really wanted to display Emma's more manipulative or malicious side with Ross as well as her dangerous side with Tony. I know some of you have concerns about Peter and Liz and what that will mean when Emma comes into the picture. I'm not going to tell you everything but Peter's obviously had a crush on Liz for a very long time so that's not going to change but he'll definitely become very confused when Emma comes into the picture. We all know how this is going to turn out though. This isn't a Peter/Liz fanfiction. It's totally a Peter/Emma fanfiction. lol. I also hope to build on Emma and Tony's relationship. He's kind of in charge of her now and she hates him a lot but I think Peter might help mend their friendship. We'll see. ALSO... The return of Peter is in the next chapter. I promise that the next chapter will be very long and I'll try to update tomorrow.

So I saw the movie Gifted recently which stars Chris Evans and I have to say that the little girl in it reminded me of Emma but of course a much younger Emma. Just the way she talked like an adult and the way she didn't understand other kids that were her own age. That movie kind of inspired this chapter so that's why I'm mentioning it. It's a very emotional movie and I cried a lot but it's really good if you like a heartwarming movie so I highly recommend it.

Thanks and please review!

It had been a rough week. Emma stared at the ceiling in boredom she as laid across her bed with her iPod clutched to her chest. Rough week was putting it into lighter terms. It had been one hell of a week for Emma as she returned to the compound. Everything was almost the same as when she had left. The only thing that was off about the whole place was the fact that it was significantly missing a few individuals. The only people who remained at the compound were Tony, Rhodey, Vision, and Emma. It was weird to Emma how it had only been not even two weeks since she had last been there but it felt if it had been a whole year.

When she had first returned to the compound Emma stupidly imagined Steve appearing in room, sitting on the edge of her bed as he eagerly awaited her return. He would tell her that it all had been a misunderstanding and that everything was okay. The Avengers weren't really torn apart at the seams. And then she had woken up from that dream and realized that it was nothing but a fantasy. Something that would never happen… something that could never happen. There was no Steve at the compound and there probably wouldn't be for a very long time. Emma was just left with the Avengers she shared the least amount of familiarity with.

Emma hadn't done anything these past few days. She mostly just stayed cooped up in her own room as she avoided the others. The blonde teenager only came out of her room at night when all the others had gone to bed and that was only so that she could eat. Vision tried getting her to come out of her room a couple of times but the look Emma had shot him when he flew through her wall was enough to scare him off. There was no reading because Emma couldn't concentrate enough to read and there was no drawing because Emma didn't having any inspiration left in her. She mostly just laid out on her bed for hours as she listened to Lana Del Rey on her iPod and thought about different ways to escape the compound. Everytime she thought of a new way to escape, she also thought of a new way as to how she would get caught. She was hopeless.

Emma was brought out of her thoughts when she heard a knock on the door. She immediately pulled her earbuds out of her ear as she glanced at the door. The person at the door didn't wait for her to respond as they quickly opened the door. Emma immediately narrowed her eyes at the person standing in the doorway. Tony.

"What do you want?" She asked in an annoyed tone. He glanced at her nervously, barely meeting her eyes. Tony had what looked to be a small package in his hands. Emma eyed the package briefly before looking back up at him.

"Look, I don't want to fight." Tony said as he finally looked at her directly. "I'm just here because I was told to give you this package." Emma felt oddly confused by this as she stared at him. Package? The package was for her? Who would send her a package? It's not like Emma had a lot of friends.

"Who sent it?" Emma questioned suspiciously. Tony just gave her a pointed look as he handed her the package.

"Who do you think?" That seemed to answer Emma's question as she attempted to find the return address but she didn't find any. She was a little disappointed to see that there didn't seem to be a return address but she wasn't surprised either. Tony sighed as he gazed at her, causing to Emma to glance back up at him.

"I never meant to hurt you during all of this." Tony admitted to her and she gave him a curious look… curious to know where he was going with this. "I never meant to put you in the middle like this either. You're just a kid."

"You say that like I didn't know what I was doing when I sided with Steve." Emma told him with a doubtful tone. "I knew what I was doing, Stark."

"I've still managed to take you away from your family and friends." Tony said quietly. "Steve, Wilson, Romanoff, Barton, and… Barnes. It's safe to say that you're probably pretty pissed at me, right?"

"Would it make you feel better if I said that I forgave you?" Emma sneered and Tony just smiled at her.

"Not if you say it like that." Tony replied. "So apology not accepted?" Emma glared at him.

"What do you think?" Tony nodded solemnly.

"Well, I'll just leave you alone. We're having Chinese take-out tonight in case you're up to actually showing up to dinner this time. You don't have to sneak into the kitchen in the middle of the night to eat, you know." Tony told her and Emma just stared at him. He nodded again, getting the hint that she didn't want him anywhere near her for the time being. It was probably best to not piss Emma off. He had seen what she had reduced Clint's bow to when the Avengers had first met her and he had also seen what she had done to the Spiderling. The kid was black and blue all over from Emma's attack although he started healing rather quickly.

Tony then left the room without another word, leaving Emma to her own devices. She focused all of her attention back onto the package the second Tony closed the door behind him. The blonde eagerly ripped into the package before reaching inside for the contents. A piece of paper was the first thing Emma pulled out and she immediately deduced that it was a letter. She smiled when she saw the familiar neat handwriting. Emma began to read the letter, feeling slightly anxious in doing so.

Dear Emma,

It's been a week since we've last seen each other and I already miss you with all of my heart. There's not a second in the day that goes when I don't think of you. We were just in the most beautiful place in the whole world the other day and I immediately thought of you. There were so many trees and mountains everywhere which made me think of you because I knew you'd be out there sketching everything if you had been there with us. It really was beautiful, Emma. You would've loved it.

Bucky also wanted me to tell you that he loves and misses you even more than I do which I don't think is possible but he insists. He would've written you himself but he's scared that he won't be able to convey how he feels in writing. I think he's wrong but you know how he is. Bucky wanted to tell you the real reason he left you with me and the others. He didn't want you to become like him. He didn't want your past to define you like the way his past has defined him. You're meant for so much more than a life of being an assassin. We both know that nothing can change what Hydra did to you but I also know that you don't have to let it define your life.

I know you must think that I'm patronizing for protecting you so much but I just wanted to spare you of a life like mine. You'll get angry at me for admitting this but I do blame myself for what Hydra did to you. They targeted you and your parents because my blood runs through your veins. My overprotectiveness was just me trying to make up for that in some way even though I knew that I never could. I thought if I could give you a somewhat normal life that it might right some wrongs but I know now that it's never what you wanted. I understand that now.

I still want you to have a normal life, Emma. I still want you to socialize, get out there, and do whatever it is that normal teenagers do. I want you to experience that kind of life but I also know that you're meant for so much more than the lifestyle of a normal young woman. There's never been any rules that's said that you couldn't have both. I mean… look at Barton. He seems to have done well from what I can see. The beautiful family, the peaceful farmhouse, and his life as an Avenger. Or at least it was like that until I brought him into this war. Anyways… there's nothing that says that you can't have what Barton has. I don't think I'm meant for that but maybe you can be.

By the time you read this letter I will already have rescued the others from the Raft Prison. I was disappointed to see that you weren't still there from the intel we received but I wasn't that surprised. You're a minor and it wasn't likely that they would've been able to hold you there. From the intel that I've gathered, I know that you're back with Tony and the others at the compound. That's good. You'll be safer back home than you would be with us. There's no telling where we might end up. A life on the run isn't the kind of life I wanted for you when we rescued you from the Hydra base. You'll be angry when you read what I have to ask of you but I don't want you to live your life in hiding, Emma. The only thing I ask of you is for you to listen to Tony and do as he says. I know that you're probably very angry with him right now but I'm just asking that you respect his decisions… just give him a chance. I'm not there anymore and he's the only one who will have your best interests at heart. Despite what happened, I trust him and I'm only asking that you trust him too. He's not a bad guy, Emma. He might be misguided, stubborn, and irritating at times but he isn't bad.

Please take care of yourself while we're gone, Emma. I know you probably feel alone but this won't be forever. This whole thing will blow over and hopefully soon. We'll be together soon. I promise. In the meantime, you and Tony need to take care of each other. You need each other.

Sincerely, Steve

P.S. I left something else in the package for you. I suppose I would've given it to your father in another life but I thought that you might like to have them.

Emma felt a lone tear silently stream down her face as she finished reading the letter Steve had sent her. She missed him so much. Emma was still reeling from everything Steve had told her in the letter. The input from her father, Steve's normal rambling, her future, and even what he wanted from her. Emma thought hard about what Steve wanted from her and she wasn't sure she could do it. She couldn't believe that Steve actually wanted her to just forgive Tony and let him dictate her life. Emma almost wanted to defy Steve and try to leave the compound but she stopped in her thoughts. No… that wasn't what Steve wanted. Steve obviously wanted what was best for her but he also wanted her to stay put until he came back. Emma would respect Steve's request but only because he asked it of her and not because she held any respect for Tony. It looked like she was going to be there for a while.

Emma then remembered what Steve had also said in the letter. She immediately reached for the package once more, reaching inside. Emma furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as her hand wrapped around something cold and metallic feeling. She pulled her hand back out and stared at what she was holding in her hand. It looked to be someone's dog tags. Emma glanced at the engravings on the necklace and her eyes widened in surprise. The dog tags belonged to Steve. Emma immediately felt more tears fall down from her eyes as she stared at the dog tags in her hand. She covered her mouth as she attempted to muffle a sob that was starting to escape her mouth. He had left her his dog tags. Emma immediately placed the dog tags around her neck before looking back down at them. She tiredly wiped the tears from her eyes as she sniffled, her gaze fixed on the dog tags. Emma didn't know how long she had sat there running her fingers over the metallic tags over and over again. It would be only an hour later when she finally fell asleep, her iPod long dead but her fingers still tightly grasping the dog tags.

She missed him.

"What did you want to talk about, Stark?" Emma asked as she sat on one of the couches in the living room of the compound. Vision and Rhodey were also sitting in the living room, both on opposite sides of her. Tony was the only one standing in the room. It had now been two weeks since Emma had returned to the compound. She decided to listen to Steve and do her best to be somewhat more pleasant while there. Instead of locking herself up in her room all the time, Emma spent sometime in the living room with the others. Mostly she just read silently as Tony helped Rhodey in his recovery. Sometimes Vision would ask her about the sentiment behind some of the books she had read and she would explain it to him as best as she could. Maybe Vision wasn't so bad…

"Well, I thought we could all have a meeting since this kind of concerns everyone here." Emma and Vision gave Tony a curious look while Rhodey just raised his eyebrows at his best friend.

"Seriously? There's only like four of us here." Rhodey told him.

"Well, we haven't had a meeting in a while and I feel like this is as good of a time as any." Tony replied and Emma scoffed.

"Right, because the last meeting went so well." She said sarcastically and Tony tried to maintain his composure without glaring at her. Sometimes she made it really hard but he remembered what Steve had asked of him in the letter. He had to take care of Emma and right now that was his main priority. This was why he was doing this.

"Well, you weren't here during the last meeting." Tony told her pointedly but Emma just looked back at him.

"I saw the fallout to know how much that meeting failed." She replied and Tony nodded before deciding to steer this meeting to the reason he brought them all there.

"Okay, so the meeting…" He trailed off as he tried to get the conversation back on course. "This is actually something I've been thinking a lot about these past couple of weeks. You all know how little I think before I do things sometimes so I feel that this is important." Tony said, looking at each and everyone of them as they all looked curiously back at him. It was unusual to see Tony this serious about anything. The last time Emma had seen him this serious about anything was when he was trying to get information out of her about her father and Steve. That was why Emma was slightly worried about just what Tony had to say.

"This is actually about you, Emma." Tony told her, looking her straight in the eyes. Emma gave him a suspicious look. Okay… this was definitely something serious. He never called her Emma.

"What are you trying to say, Stark? Just spit it out." She told him as she maintained her calm composure. "Are you going to dump me at an orphanage or something? Am I going to need to start packing my bags." She asked sarcastically. Tony just sighed because this was going to be even harder to say than he thought. The worst part about it was that he was almost completely positive that this wasn't going to end well. He only hoped that Vision would be able to stop her from killing him in time.

"No, I've been thinking about this for a while now." Tony said carefully as he cautiously looked at her, preparing for the worst reaction she might have. Each time as he imagined her reaction he died in nearly every scenario. "This isn't just some whim or idea I've come up with in a couple of hours but I know it would be for the best. Not the best for Rhodey, Vision, or I but the best for you because as Steve previously stated, you're our main priority right now."

"Stop rambling, Stark." Emma said, rolling her eyes. "Just tell me." Tony took a deep breath before he replied.

"I enrolled you into a high school." He finally said. Silence immediately followed his response as everyone looked at Tony in shock. It was clear that Rhodey and Vision had no idea what Tony had planned by the expressions on their faces. Although the person who was perhaps the most shocked with this new piece of information was Emma. Out of all the things that Emma thought Tony would say, it certainly hadn't been that. Emma stared at Tony for what felt like the longest time. The older man shifted uncomfortably as he felt Emma's gaze on him. She broke the gaze when she abruptly started laughing. The others stared at her like she was crazy when she started laughing almost hysterically. They didn't think that they had ever seen the blonde laugh that much in her life. She usually laughed politely whenever someone told a joke or whenever she was around Steve or Darcy but she had never really laughed like she was laughing right at that moment.

"That's a good one, Stark." Emma told him as she got her laughing under control. Emma didn't really know what had gotten into her. Maybe she had finally lost it. "Very funny."

"I'm not joking." Tony told her in a serious tone which cause Emma's laughter to come to a startling halt as she gave him an incredulous look.

"What?" She asked in disbelief. The smile had soon faded from her face as she narrowed her blue eyes at the billionaire.

"I said I'm not joking. I really enrolled you into a high school." Tony repeated and Emma just continued to stare at him.

"Are you punishing me?" Emma asked suddenly which caused Rhodey to snort. Everyone looked back at him and he quickly covered up his snort of laughter as a cough. Emma gave the man a quick glare but looking back at Stark as he began to speak.

"I'm not punishing you, kid." He told her firmly. "This whole thing that happened between Steve and I made me realize just how dysfunctional of a family we are for you. I mean… you're living with people who you've deemed the enemy. Don't deny that's what we are to you." Tony said the last part quickly as he saw that she was about to protest. "It's not healthy for you to be living here and it's only going to be getting harder the more time you spend with us. I don't want you to resent us. This is why you'll be living in the city while you attend high school." Emma didn't know what to say as she continued to stare at him. Tony had almost left her speechless… almost. She swallowed as she began to regain her thoughts and tried to work with the new situation that was presented to her.

"This is the most insane idea I've ever heard. You're seriously sending me to a high school?" Emma asked doubtfully. "A high school with a bunch of kids?"

"Yes, I'm sending you to a high school with a bunch of kids because you're also just a kid." Tony pointed out and Emma groaned.

"I don't need this. You're sending me to a school where I'm going be bored all the time and learning subjects that I already know." Emma just shook her head. "This is incredibly stupid… even for you, Stark."

"This isn't just some regular high school, okay?" Tony told her, trying to reassure her or get her to be more agreeable to his idea. "This is Midtown School of Science and Technology. It's one of the best schools in the country."

"Isn't that one of those genius schools? Besides… Science and technology isn't really my thing." Emma told him, trying to get him to see he was being crazy about this whole entire thing.

"You actually have a genius level IQ… not as high as mine or Bruce's, of course, but it's up there." Tony pointed out and Emma rolled her eyes as she scoffed.

"Yeah, no thanks to your dad's super serum." Emma retorted but Tony didn't look put off by her reaction.

"It's not just about science and technology." He said, ignoring her comment. "They have a really amazing art program as well. I even sent them a few samples of your work and they really loved it. I didn't even have to name drop myself." Emma's eyes widened as she gave him a look of disbelief.

"You stole my work?" She asked, her tone sounding low and dangerous. Tony nearly flinched from the coldness of her voice.

"I had to give them something. They had to see that you're this really talented artist with a high IQ so that they could consider your admission into the school." Emma wanted to smack him upside the head but decided to control herself instead. She took a deep breath as she forced herself to calm down and not kill Tony.

"I'm not going to that school. What do you think the parents will think of their kids attending school with an assassin or supposed dead girl?" Emma asked, thinking that she might've had Tony right where she wanted him but she was surprised to see the calm look on his face.

"That's simple… They won't know who you are. You'll go under a different name or last name since Emma's actually a pretty common name." Tony told her. "You'll have a cover story and everything. Just think of this as another mission… that's it. A mission. You'll be on another mission. Doesn't that sound exciting?" Emma glared at him.

"No, it doesn't. I don't want to go to some lame high school with a bunch of spoiled, whiny brats who bitch about no one liking their selfie on instagram." Emma sneered.

"Work with me here, Emma, you need some normalcy in your life." Emma rolled her eyes at him again.

"Steve's been telling me that for the past two years." Emma replied but Tony just looked back at her, unrelenting.

"I'm sorry but Steve's methods of normalcy for you were terrible. I mean… you were homeschooled in a tower full of superheros." Tony told her in a serious tone of voice. "I'm sorry, kid, but that's not normal."

"I'm fine." She told him but Tony just scoffed.

"You threatened to kill me!" He accused which caused Rhodey to look between the two in surprise. Rhodey and Vision had remained quiet throughout the conversation because they felt as though this was something that had to be between Emma and Tony but Rhodey didn't think he could stay out of this conversation any longer.

"Wait… you threatened to kill Tony?" Rhodey asked Emma, causing both Emma and Tony to glance away from each other.

"Only because he wants to kill my father." Emma told Rhodey as if that explained everything. "If he doesn't kill my father then he has nothing to worry about."

"Oh, that's reassuring." Rhodey responded sarcastically. "You can't threaten people like that, Emma."

"She threatened to kill me too." Vision admitted and everyone glanced back at him. Emma narrowed her eyes at the android and was starting to regret ever thinking that he was okay. "On several occasions actually."

"Yeah, but that was a scare tactic." Emma explained. "You were being intrusive and I hate people invading my personal space."

"She threatened to kill Wanda as well." Vision added on and Emma really wished that it might've actually been possible for her to kill him.

"How many people have you threatened to kill?!" Rhodey asked in disbelief.

"Okay, I threatened Wanda so she would know to stay out of my head and mind her own business." Emma replied but Tony just shook his head at her, laughing humorlessly.

"See! This is what I mean. Normal kids don't threaten people with death." Tony told everyone. "This is why you're being sent to high school. I'm not sending you to high school because I want to punish or torture you. No, I'm sending you so that you can actually be a kid for once in your life. Steve was always too scared to send you to school but I know that you need this. Your entire childhood was stolen away from you so maybe you can get some of it back. Better late than never."

"I don't want to be a kid." Emma told him as she sent him a glare. "I don't want to be around a bunch of kids who I'll never understand and who will never understand me."

"Well, that's tough luck because you're going." Tony said, his tone unrelenting as he talked to her. It was clear that she wouldn't be able to manipulate her way out of this one. "None of us ever got to have a normal childhood. I went to a boarding school with kids who were twice my age so I didn't have any friends until I met Rhodey and that was well into my twenties. Just look how I turned out." He paused, taking a deep breath, before continuing. "You've spent your entire life surrounded by adults. You need to spend some time with kids your own age… just be a kid or learn how, Emma." Emma just stared at Tony as she processed everything he had just said. She could hardly believe that Tony was really set on this ridiculous idea. She knew that he was crazy but maybe she severely underestimated just how crazy he really was.

"Tony's right, Emma." Rhodey told her. "You need to be around people your own age. Not a bunch of old people like us."

"I agree." Vision stated, not long after Rhodey spoke. "It is not wise for you to remain here at the compound where the tensions are so incredibly high. You will learn to resent us for keeping you here. It is wise that you go to school where you might develop more social skills."

"Then this is settled." Tony concluded as he looked at all of them before his eyes finally rested on Emma. "You'll go to school with other kids."

"I don't like this." Emma said with a sour look on her face. Tony only smirked at her because he knew that she was caving in. He expected her to be a lot more resistant to the idea so it made him wonder what Steve might have written to her in that letter she had received.

"You don't have to like it. Now that Steve's gone, I'm your legal guardian and I'll make whatever decision that I believe serves your best interests. This is the right decision." He paused for a moment before he continued. "I've got a townhouse set up for you and Darcy in Queens. You'll start school at the beginning of September which is about two months away. Don't worry, you'll have time to settle into the townhouse before then." It was a lot of information for Emma to process but she couldn't but be confused by the first piece of information he gave her. Emma gave Tony a confused look.

"Me and Darcy?" She questioned and Tony grinned at her.

"Oh, I didn't mention that you and Darcy are new housemates? Oops… my bad." Tony told her and Emma's eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't seen Darcy in months, not since the brunette went back to New Mexico with Jane. Wait, so Emma would be living with Darcy in Queens and not with Stark. Hmmm… maybe this wouldn't be so terrible. Sure, she was about to go to high school with a bunch of idiots but at least it meant that she didn't have to go home to Stark's ugly mug. Emma repeatedly told herself what Steve had asked her to do in the letter. Listen to Stark and respect his decisions. It was perhaps the most difficult thing that she would ever have to do but Steve asked her and she felt like she had to respect his wishes. It wouldn't be easy but who said it would be? At least Emma would have a couple of months to herself before she would actually go to the stupid school. There was one thing that Emma knew for sure and that was the fact that she was most certainly not looking forward to what September would bring.