A/N: I'm sorry if this seems to progress a little quickly. It will for the first few chapters so I can give you guys a feel for what's going on in every major section of their lives. It'll settle down a bit and there will be more in-depth things and such so please dear with me. If you have any suggestions or things that you would like to see between Peter/Spiderman and Scarlet I ask that you PLEASE leave a review or PM me.
CHAPTER TWO
The next day at school, I'm standing at my locker when a familiar pair of arms wrap around my waist from behind.
"Hey Scar, nice to see you here." Peter teases.
"Hey." I say shortly and grab his wrists and take his arms out from around me. I turn back to my locker and start rearranging things, trying to ignore Peter, and hope he'll see I'm busy and leave. Once again, he won't but there's always hope.
"Woah, what's wrong Am?" He asks with disbelief. "If this is about yesterday, I told you I was sorry. I really am."
"If you were sorry, you would have told me why already. You know how many times you've done that to me since you got the internship? Forty-seven. And yes, I have been keeping count. I thought we didn't keep secrets from each other, Peter?" I turn to look at him at the last sentence, hoping he would see me on the verge of tears and tell me what he's hiding.
"Scarlett, I-" The warning bell for the beginning of the school day rings and cuts him off.
"I have to go." I say curtly and slam my locker shut and head to class. It doesn't help that I have two classes with him and sit by him in both. Good thing I brought Pascal, my AI system that uncle Tony made for me for my birthday last year. He'll keep me distracted with jokes or music or something like that. He's got quite the personality for a piece of machinery. The again, Jarvis had quite the personality too so it doesn't surprise me.
Everything goes as normal throughout the day, only thing that changes is the fact that I went to the library instead of sitting at lunch with Peter and Ned, along with ignoring Peter.
Ned texted me throughout the day. Asking if I was okay and asked if I wanted to go to Delmar's after school with him to 'take my mind off Peter'. But I know it was all a trick to get me to see Peter again. Peter and Ned always come up with schemes to get me to do things I don't want to do. I figured out their little tricks both on my own and with auntie Nat's training, so I now know if it's a trick or not. I eventually started to ignore Ned too. All he ever talked about was Peter and why I was upset with Peter and Peter, Peter, Peter. It didn't exactly help.
After school, I would go straight to Stark Tower to punch on the punching bags to release anger or spar with Bucky. He'd go easy on me since he is so much stronger but it still helps. I then would cry and Bucky would comfort me and distract me with stories from his many adventures and the little things that have happened when I was at my apartment and not at the Tower.
I didn't go back to my apartment for almost a week and if I did, I would use the fire escape, crawl through my window, get what I need, then leave through the fire escape. I did still attend school, though, but I asked for a different seat in the classes I had with Peter. Lucky for me, there was an empty desk in the back of each one so that's where I stayed, focused on the teacher's lecture, and taking notes. No more of Peter's sarcastic comments or distractions.
PETER
"Why so glum, chum?" Ned asks me. He's been my close friend since he moved to New York three years ago.
"It's just Scarlett… I don't know what to do with her. She's so stubborn. She hasn't talked to me for the past week. No texts or emails, nothing! The only way I can see her is if I go to her as you-know-who but she doesn't know that it's me. I wish I could tell her."
"Then, why don't you? You told me. And don't you think she deserves to know why you keep disappearing?" He reasons with me.
"You found out on accident, remember? And she does deserve to know, of course she does, but I can't tell her. She'd hate me and I'd just put her into more danger if she finds out."
"If she gets mad, she loves you enough to forgive you and accept it eventually. Just tell her and get it over with."
"I will… just… not right now. I need time to figure out how to tell her."
I hope you'll understand Scarlett. I think to myself as I see her walk past the lunchroom, three textbooks in her arms.
Suddenly, my phone buzzes. It's Mr. Stark. The message reads: 'Stark Tower. Now. Wear Suit. Scarlett will be there.'
I jump from my seat and apologize to Ned, using the Stark internship as an excuse. Ned knows what it means but curious ears get the better of people and rumors spread and people find out. Not something I can handle.
I take the back exit and see Scarlett a few blocks ahead of me. I quickly change into my Spiderman suit and swing from building to building, swooping up to pick up Scarlett to get her there quickly. She holds onto me tightly and we arrive at the Tower in no time.
SCARLETT
Spiderman sets me down on the balcony gently and we run into the kitchen/lounge area where we see my dad standing behind the couch, and Bucky and Tony relaxed on the plush grey cushions.
Bucky stands up and gives me a hug, "Nice to see you, kiddo."
"You too uncle Bucky." I smile back at him and then give my dad and uncle Tony a hug as well.
After greetings have been settled, I relax into a big chair and wait for the urgent news.
"Scarlett," My dad begins. "As much as I hate to do this, I have a mission for you." He states reluctantly.
"What? Really!?" I saw excitedly. I've always wanted to use my power for good and go on missions with the team. My over-protective father wouldn't let me so hearing him say this made me so happy.
"Yes. You and the Spider over there will spy on these two people," He hands me a file folder with two profiles in it, "They are believed to be carrying out illegal jewel trades and we need you two to stop them. Collect all the information you can and report back to us by the end of the week. And if you, Spider boy, let my little girl get hurt, it will be on you. I'm trusting you to protect her with everything you've got. She will be more useful to you on this mission than any of us would, that's the only reason why I am letting her go."
"Yes, Mister America, sir. I will swear I will keep your daughter safe and out of harm's way and if anything happens to her, I will take full responsibility." Spiderman says to my dad, taking my hand in his. It's his way of saying 'It's going to be okay, you got this.' He would do it every time I had a test the next day and he visited my apartment or whenever I was going in for physical training testing with Bucky or Natasha, and when Wanda would put me through mentally exhausting training with my powers.
"Dad, there's really no need for that… I mean, I've been training with Bucky for the past six months and I think I can handle myself. And with Wanda's help, I'm able to use the full extent of my powers and have a better control over them. If anyone is going to need protecting, it's this one over here." I defend myself and point a finger to the boy next to me.
"Scarlett, I'm not going to argue with you. If you can't accept my terms, I will pull you from this mission, understand?" Dad says sternly.
"It's true Steve, she's been doing pretty well in her training. I bet she could beat the Spider bite over there." Bucky stands in for me.
"I said, do you understand?!" My dad raised his voice, sternly.
"Yes, dad..." I reply in defeat.
After that, Tony and Bucky explain all the findings they have about the suspected duo. We found out that they're going to make a trade at the jewelry shop in downtown Queens tomorrow. There will be security on each corner, expanding three blocks and we need to disable them before we can get to the main two guys. Spiderman suggested that we go straight for them and forget about the guards until they chase us but with my father in the room and his protectiveness, we have to knock out the other guys first before anything.
Spiderman already left and I crashed in Bucky's room for the night. Whenever I'm at Stark Tower, that's where I sleep. Bucky's always been there as both a mentor, trainer, and therapist. I can talk to him about anything and he'll help me the best I can. Him and my dad are best friends and he trusts Bucky so that's really the only reason why I'm allowed to stay in his room. I've stayed at Stark Tower so many times that Bucky had a pull-down bed installed for me whenever I stay the night or need some sleep.
It's not that I don't have my own room, I do. It's down the hall from Bucky's but with the visions and nightmares, I don't like being alone. I've woken up screaming before and Bucky would run into my room and calm me down. He'd stay with me until I fell asleep but I would insist he went back to his room and get some more sleep and that I would be fine. He knew I was lying and would take me to his room and let me lay in his bed and he would take the couch just to make me happy. Since then, whenever I'm at the Tower, I just stay in his room and my room has sort of been turned into my personal office and art studio.
I laugh to myself as I think of the day Spidey found out where I sleep. We were on the top of Stark Tower, watching the sunset.
"So, Miss Rogers, my turn to ask a question, right?" He asks me. We were playing a game of 20 Questions.
"I do believe so," I smile at him.
"Hm…. Where do you sleep? You must live at Stark Tower with your dad and the rest of the Avengers sometimes but I don't think I've seen a room with your name on it. I've seen one that was labeled as your studio but I've never seen just a regular bedroom with your name on it." He explains.
"Ah, right. We'll that's because I room with Bucky." I answer him.
"WHAT?" he exclaims. "You share a room with him? PLEASE tell me that nothing happens between you two… I mean, you're sixteen. He's way older than you… I mean, if that's what you're in to then I won't judge but-"
I cut him off with a small laugh at how worked up he's getting. "There's nothing going on. I promise you."
"Okay good." He seems relieved by my response.
"You seem so happy that I don't have 'those' kind of relations with him. Is there something you want to tell me Spidey?" I tease him, leaning in closer to him.
"U-uh n-no Scarlett t-that's not it I just-" He stutters then stops talking. "Nevermind. Forget it."
We are just a few inches away from each other. I go to take his mask off and he catches my wrists and stops me.
"I'm sorry I… I don't know what got into me… I have to go..." I say and walk over to the stairwell to get back into the building.
I don't know what got into me that day but since then, I've been as curious as ever to find out who he is. I've also been feeling strange. I see him and my heart speeds up a little, I begin to smile, the butterflies in my stomach begin to stir…
Do you have a crush on him, Scarlett? I ask myself. No, it can't be… Your dad and uncle Tony would freak out... It's against the rules to fraternize with co-workers, right? But then again, Wanda and Vision…. Ugh this can't get any more confusing…
I fall asleep with Spiderman on my mind, leaving my feelings to be figured out for another day.