In the lab they noticed a third scientist in the room.
"Peter!" Gabby yelled, running over to catch Peter in a big hug. Fortunately Peter's spider sense and overall knowledge of Gabby allowed him to be prepared for her to barrel into him.
"Hey Gabs! How's it been going? May missed you at dinner yesterday."
"Just May?" Gabby smirked while Peter blushed, "I got back kinda late yesterday, but you're here now! What are you doing here? Don't you have school?"
"Power outage. We all got to go home early and since May's still working I asked Mr. Stark if I could come over a little early and work on my web shooters and stuff."
"Sick," she commented. Clint, Tony, and Bruce all watched the exchange with amusement and knowing smiles, "Can I help?"
"Absolutely!"
They both rush to another area in the lab where Peter has his gear all out including a new version of his suit.
"I guess they'll be working together for a bit," Bruce commented while Tony looked interospective. Clint noticed and asked, "Penny for your thoughts?"
"Walk with me."
Clint complies and follows Tony out of the lab.
The two men continue to walk into the kitchen area down the hall and find Steve sitting by the counter reading Let's Get Lost. He puts his book down to acknowledge the two entering the room.
"Hey."
"Hey Steve," Clint replies while Tony is still too deep in thought to respond. They all take a seat at the counter and Tony takes a deep breath in while the other two men stare in confusion.
"I want to send Gabby to school," he rushes out, "She can't get a job anywhere good without a high school degree and she needs to hang out with people her age, no offense Cap."
"None taken," Steve gives a small smile, "What school were you thinking?"
"Peter's school. It's close to the old Avengers Tower and super good at science and math."
"How would you get her father to agree to it?" Clint chimed in deep in thought.
"We couldn't. He can't know," Tony said, "I was hoping if she needed someone to go to a parental event either of you might be able to step in?" He asks hopeful.
"Absolutely," Clint replies with no hesitation.
"Whatever you need Tony," Steve agrees after a moment.
"So are we all moving back to the Tower?"
"Bruce said he would. It would make the commute a lot easier."
"We could even use the facility as a type of safe house if the Tower ever became unsafe for us," Clint thought outloud, "What is the backup plan if her father does find out?"
All men thought about it without having a clear answer.
"I don't know," Tony finally admitted after much thought, "But we just need to get her to turn 18 then she doesn't need him anymore. Legally speaking."
"What does Gabby think about this plan?" Steve asks.
"Also don't know."
"I guess we better go ask her," Steve says and starts leading the crew back towards the main lab where Gabby and Peter are still working on the same experiment they left them with.
"Could we pull you two hard-working scientists away for a moment to ask a question?" Tony asks.
"Sure!" Peter replied as they both stepped away. Tony, Clint, Steve, Gabby, Peter, and Bruce all stood in a circle for an awkward moment before Steve motionted for Tony to say something.
"Gabby, how would you like to go to school?"
Gabby laughs at the question for a beat before looking at Tony's face without humor on it and realizes that he's being serious.
"Wait seriously?"
"Absolutely."
"I would love to, but I can't afford tuition unless it's public school and then my dad would know."
"It would be Peter's school," Steve chimes in, "Tony would pay and we'd help with transportation to and from school at least for now."
"We would also act as your parents or family in any context where it's needed," Clint adds.
"But that's way too far for you guys to drive everyday," Gabby says concerned.
"We'd all move back to the Avengers Tower in downtown New York," Bruce shares.
"A heck of a lot closer to you and Midtown High School."
Gabby feels a weird knot in her stomach. Her mom used to tell her that the mind couldn't tell the difference between fear and excitement, so she tried to convince herself that she was excited instead of nervous. She shoved away bad thoughts of her father finding out, facing people her age, and the plethora of worries that came into her mind and focused on the positives of gaining a high school diploma, being able to possibly go to college, and finally having a group of people to support her.
"I would love to go to school."
Some small celebrations ensue and Gabby is swept off her feet by a large hug by Peter who's babbling about how excited he is to be going to school with her. Once the celebrations die down Bruce asks Gabby, "Hey, can you help me with something in the med bay real quick? I just need another set of eyes on something?"
"Absolutely!"
She follows him down the hall feeling the pain in her shins from the glass, but she puts the pain behind her desperate to not make a scene and continue to relish in her moment of joy. Bruce closes the door behind him and sighs before turning back to Gabby.
"I won't make a big deal out of it, but please let me treat whatever's making you bleed?"
Gabby looked down to see the blood seeping through her jeans creating a stain around her shins. A slight twinge of red came to her cheeks as she didn't want the doctor to examine or help her. She could do it just fine on her own.
"Please," Bruce pleaded, seeing her refusal before she could say a word.
"Okay," Gabby whispered. With that Bruce gave her a gown to put over the tops of her legs so he could bandage up her shins properly. She got changed and he leaned down to examine the wounds before him. Taking a couple calming breaths he worked to get the few remaining pieces of glass out before disinfecting the wounds and putting new bandages on them. Gabby sits in silence as Bruce works thinking about life at a school. A real school. Where she could learn in labs and meet kids her age and make more friends like Peter. Then she can-
"All done," Bruce announced, pulling Gabby away from her thoughts and handing her a spare set of jeans from a closet in the room, "We always keep extra clothes in here just in case."
Gabby gives him a small smile.
"I know it's not my place," Bruce starts to talk while putting away equipment, "And I can't change how things are, but please if you ever need something taken care of, I am always here."
"No questions?" Gabby inquired.
Bruce hesitated and considered the possibilities heavily before finally answering, "No questions."
Gabby extended her hand out for a handshake and the doctor couldn't help but return the gesture. The newly formed alliance exited the room with a new mutual understanding and lots of heavy thoughts to weigh them down.
Hi! Back from the dead. Please please please review if you can. It seriously motivates me to write and lets me know that someone likes my writing.
Have a lovely day!