Hi everyone just wanted to say Thanks again for reading. Anyway for those of you who have been wondering "When the fuck is Nora going to travel through time" I promise it will be soon. I took so long because I think it was important for her to grow as a character and I wanted to get the timing right. So again I promise it will happen soon. I have loved all the feedback I have been given and I want to keep hearing from you all so please READ and REVIEW. Here's the next chapter. Enjoy J
After about two days and five panic attacks later, I finally manage to get dad on the phone well video call.
"What the hell Dad?" Is the first thing I say.
"Are you also going to lecture me because Rhodey gave me the whole I'm not alone and I have to stop being so reckless speech. If you are just skip it cause I'm not listening." He turns his head and that's when I see it.
"Oh shit it's starting." One of the last symptoms of Palladium poisoning is dark protruding veins. Fuck I thought we had more time. "When the fuck were you going to tell me dad?"
"Tell you what? I didn't know Vanko knew how to recreate the ARC and weaponize-"
"That's not what I'm talking about dad, I'm talking about how the thing I designed to help keep you alive is killing you. And judging by the crossword on your neck and your behavior the past couple of months you knew so why the hell have you been lying to my face this entire time?"
"Because its not your problem, its mine"
"What do you mean it's not my problem? I helped design the miniaturized version of the reactor. I helped make it compatible with the suit without compromising its ability to-"
"That's exactly it kid you helped but at the end of the day I did all the heavy lifting. And now there's nothing either of us can do. I've tried every possible chemical mixture every possible element and there's nothing. This is it. I'm dying and there is nothing either of us can do."
I don't even notice until now that I've started to cry. I wipe the tears with the back of my hand and then say, "There is always a way Dad. I am not giving up I can't."
"Nora, kid, listen to me. There is nothing that can be done. There is nothing left to do. We're out of options and as you've obviously noticed I'm out of time. "
"So what now, I just watch you die? No matter what I do I always end up alone."
"I need you to promise me something. After I'm gone, you're not going to do what you did last time I was gone. You're not going to check out and hide in a basement. You're going to move on. You're going to live your life. You're going to be a doctor save lives, find a guy settle down. Maybe have a kid or adopt a bunch of dogs I don't know but you're going to be happy." He tells me and I can't even look at the screen. I can feel myself falling apart. At some point in the conversation Axl jumped on the couch and proceeded to try and cuddle.
"How can you expect me to be okay with this dad? You promised me no matter what you'd always be there for me. This isn't fair."
"I know its not. I know exactly how you feel right now. I wasn't that much older than you when your grandparents died and I know it feel like your entire world is falling apart but it will get better."
"I need a minute." I put the laptop down and get up and start pacing. Axl is just sitting on the couch and turning his head watching me as I pace. I start to think about everything we had done the past two years and everything before then. Every birthday and Christmas morning I could remember and I can't imagine them without dad. I feel something snap and I break down crying. I fell on the ground and just cried. I was on the ground until I just couldn't cry anymore. I don't know how long it's been but I get up and sit back on the couch.
"So judging by the symptoms and the marks you have anywhere from 72 to 96 hours maybe less." I state.
"Looks that way" Dad says looking right at me like it was the last time he was going to see me. Which all things considered was an actual possibility.
"So, how are you spending your last birthday?" I ask.
"Having a small get together. A few friends, DJ, cocktails."
"So essentially an out of control rager?"
"Pretty much. Figured it's my last party I should go out with a bang." He says with a sad smile. "What about you? Vacation's coming up. Where you heading off too?" He's trying to distract me. Figured I should go along with it for his peace of mind.
"Geneva, Exhibition on the Large Hadron Super Collider. Might go sightseeing or even stop by Dublin and check in on Sam and Jess."
"Sounds fun."
We talked for hours about anything but the gigantic elephant in the room until dad had to go get ready for his birthday party. After he hung up I just sat on the couch and stared off into space. By this time next week I'll be an orphan. I'll be all-alone. I get up and go to the kitchen. I open one of the cupboards and take out a bottle of scotch dad left there the last time he visited. Normally I'd be against drowning my sorrows in alcohol but screw that I'll do anything to forget even if it's just temporary.
The Next Morning-
I wake up the next morning with a stiff neck and a massive headache. I haven't had a hangover like this since junior year at MIT. Axl is whining and scratching at the door. Time to take him out to do his business. I grab a sweater and his leash and head outside.
We walk down about three blocks to a local dog park. On the way to the park we pass by a newsstand and you'll never guess what's on the front page. A picture of dad's mansion in Malibu completely wrecked. I'm guessing he took going out with a bang a bit too literally. I sighed and just kept walking.
I stayed at the park for a while and enjoyed the fresh air while Axl ran around. At some point Axl started playing with another dog. It was a brown Labrador retriever. What really caught my attention was that its owner was nowhere to be seen. Axl came to my side when I stood up and the dog followed him. I kneeled down to pet Axl and the other dog as well.
"Hey buddy looks like you made a friend." I pet the chocolate lab and looked at its collar. It said its name, Lucky, and some contact information. "Hi there Lucky, where's your owner?" The dog barked and spun around in a circle before sitting down attentively next to Axl.
"Lucky, where are you pizza dog?" I looked around and saw a man with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes calling out to the dog sitting next to me. He spotted us and started to walk towards us. Axl immediately noticed and stood up in front of me and started to growl. The man noticed and slowed down. Lucky must have known the man because he ran and practically tackled him. As soon as the man acknowledged that the dog was there, Lucky ran back and laid on his back next to Axl. Axl did not let his guard down and kept growling at the man. When he was a few steps away, Axl snarled at him.
"Axl no, be nice." He immediately stopped growling but stayed alert and by my side. "Sorry about him, he's a bit territorial," I told the man.
"Oh its okay he's just overprotective. Sorry about Lucky I had to take a call from work and he kind of snuck away."
"Its no trouble, Axl doesn't really like other dogs I was surprised when I saw him playing with Lucky." I say.
"Yeah Lucky has a habit of doing that. I'm Clint by the way." He says raising his hand for a handshake.
"Nora, nice to meet you." I say shaking his hand.
"So Nora do you by chance want to grab a cup of coffee?" I made a face of surprise. He notices because he then says, "I don't mean it like that. I just moved here and I travel a lot for work so I haven't really explored the area and I haven't had a cup of coffee…"
"Oh yeah sure there's actually a really good place not far from here. It has outdoor seating so we can take these two with us." I say.
"Sounds good. Lead the way." He says.
We get to the coffee shop and order. After a five-minute debate over who's paying, Clint sneakily hands his credit card to the cashier. I tell him I'm getting the next one and he just smirks and says not to worry about it.
We sit in the patio area and just start chatting. I find out he travels a lot for work. He doesn't have a family but he does have his soul mate. He tells me how they met unexpectedly in a business meeting in Budapest when I see his soul mark on his bicep when his shirtsleeve lifts up. His mark was in Cyrillic. I read it out loud and he looked surprised I knew Russian.
"So what about you. Do you know them?"
"Uhhh" I say. I don't really know how to answer.
"Sorry I shouldn't have asked. I didn't get a good look at them. I saw the edge of them when your sleeves lifted up a bit."
"Its fine just not something I really talk about." I respond a bit uncomfortably while lifting up my sleeves.
That's when his phone starts ringing. "Sorry, I have to take this." He says and then gets up and walks away a bit. The call is pretty quick and he comes back and sits down. "Sorry about that it was my boss."
"It's not a problem." That's when I get a text from Rhodey followed by a call, which I immediately reject.
"Aren't you going to answer that?" Clint asks.
"It's nothing that can't wait." I respond.
We chat for about an hour and then we decide to head home. Turns out Clint lives right across the street from my building. Small World huh? We say good bye and head our separate ways.
I get back to my apartment and check my phone. There are two text messages.
One from Rhodey:
Nora talk to your Dad he's out of control. Had to use a suit to try and beat some sense into him. That didn't work so I took the suit back with me to the base.
Oh Shit! What the hell Rhodey? This was the very thing I wanted to avoid.
The next message is from the man-child I call a father. Judging from the grammar and spelling mistakes he was drunk when he sent the message.
Hay kiddo, The hous is falling to piezes. Rody's mad. So is peper. Ur not mad rigt?
I'm not going to answer. If I call Rhodey he's just going to yell about dad's recklessness and how I have to do something. There's nothing I can do so what's the point.
If I call dad, I'm fairly sure I'll just end up crying. So I decide to go with option three pack my things and leave for a while.
I grab my laptop and book the first flight out of Boston to Dublin. I don't have to be in Geneva for a few days may as well go see Jess and Sam. I grab my things and pack. After I'm done I grab my things and drive Axl to the Dog Hotel. If I get a vacation Axl deserves to be pampered for a few days.
Clint's POV-
I wasn't planning on talking to her but life and Lucky had other plans. I see better from a distance. With jobs like this it's better not to get involved. I've been curious about the girl. I was first assigned to her two years ago because she was being considered for recruitment. After she turned down Coulson's offer SHIELD kept an eye on her but it wasn't up until five months ago I was reassigned to shadow her, again. I normally don't do these types of assignment its more Nat's area but considering it was this or paperwork, I'm not complaining.
SHIELD got me an apartment that was right across the street from her building, which did make it easier to keep an eye on her. I didn't get any other info about her just the same information packet as last time. She still had a lot of the same habits. She spent a lot of time alone. Did a lot of community service or worked at the clinic.
Last night though that was a bit out of character. She got home from school she got on her laptop and started typing furiously. At first I thought she had an assignment for school due. She had been on that thing more than usual. Then she started talking to someone on what I assume was a video call. I don't know what was being said but she was obviously upset. At one point she actually broke down crying and was curled up in a ball on the floor. She was like that for about an hour before she got up and went back to chatting. She talked for a few hours. She was clearly tense and visibly still upset. After she ended the call and put the laptop down she got up and went to the kitchen. She pulled out a bottle of something and just drank it straight. Judging by the way she was walking it was a bottle of alcohol. She drank until she fell asleep on the couch. Her neck is going to hurt tomorrow.
I look down and see Lucky still eating a slice of pizza from earlier. She's not going anywhere the rest of the night may as well get some sleep.
The next morning I went out for a run. I came back had some breakfast. I hadn't taken Lucky out in a while. I remembered the dog park where my assignment goes out when she can to take her dog to get some exercise. I grab Lucky's leash and head that way. We were at the park and Lucky was running around when I got a phone call from Natasha.
"How's babysitting going?" She asks. She doesn't waste time with pleasantries.
"Same as ever. Nothing exciting. How's Stark?" I respond.
"Living everyday like it's his last." She deadpans, "Did you see the tabloids?"
"I saw. You alright?"
"Nothing broken. Trying to find him. After he blew up his house and the idiot let his friend take a suit, he flew off. Fury is not happy"
"Wouldn't be Fury if he was." I look around and notice I can't see Lucky. "Shit. Got to go, Pizza dog ran off."
I look around and I can't see him. I call out to him and I hear him bark. I look over at him and that's when I see him and the girl I'm shadowing next to him. I start to walk over to them. When I was a few steps away her dog started to growl at me.
"Axl no, be nice," She ordered and the dog immediately obeyed. He was incredible loyal to her. She apologized and I decided to introduce myself. I've been assigned twice to her may as well learn a bit about her. Her name is Nora. I look her over and I can tell she is really hung-over. I decide to make small talk and get her a cup of coffee she really needs it.
At first she looked hesitant to accept the invitation but as soon as I clarified that there were not romantic interest behind it she accepted. We ordered and after I sneakily slipped the cashier my SHIELD credit card we sat down outside. I figured its their fault I'm here they may as well pay for a few meals and cups of coffee. We chatted for a bit. She read part of my soul mark. The briefing said nothing about her knowing other languages besides English. I told her about Natasha and Budapest. Obviously I changed a few details. I noticed how she wore long sleeved clothing as often as possible. It wasn't until today that I noticed why. She had two soul marks. One on each wrist. I didn't get to see much of them. When I asked she visibly tensed. Smart move Barton, finally got her to open up, just to screw it all up. I apologized and changed the subject.
Then I got a phone call. I saw the caller ID, COULSON. I excused myself and answered it.
"Barton." I said.
"How's the shadowing going?"
"You already know, nothing to report." I respond.
"We need you in New Mexico. Flight leaves at 1900 tonight." He says.
"What for?"
"We have an 084." He says. Object of Unknown Origin. That could be interesting. He gives me a bit more information and details before ending the call.
I go back and apologize for the interruption. Then her phone starts ringing. Except she doesn't answer and instead sends it straight to voicemail. I'm guessing it probably has something to do with what happened last night. I decide not to push it and continue the small talk.
I kept forgetting how young she really is. She doesn't act her age and it's really easy to forget she's only eighteen. Nora has a good sense of humor. After a few hours of talking we decided to go home. We go our separate ways at the stop sign a few doors down from her building. I tell her I live across the street. She doesn't think anything of it. Good, My cover isn't blown.
I walk into my apartment. I look across the street. Nora's on her laptop. She makes a phone call and then starts packing. I was surprised where is she going? When she's done she gets her things, puts on Axl's leash and leaves. I see her leave the building and get in her car. I debate whether or not I should report this or not. Then I remember the updated information packet said she had vacation time around this time. That must be it. I go to my room and start to packing. Let's see what's so special about this 084. Puente Antiguo is close to Roswell. Might meet an alien.