EDIT: Yo, so I kind of added some minor adjustments here. If you're too lazy to reread everything, just go to the part where Josh goes to McDonald's (that's where the additions are). K, bye.

A/N: YAY! CHAPTER 5! A chapter that I haven't published in the original version of this story. WOO! Are you excited? *waits for answer*. You are?! GREAT.

(Sarcasm be like)

Okay I'll stop.

If it hadn't been for the bus's loud speakers, Josh would have missed the bus stop at his neighborhood. He payed the bus driver the amount he needed then hopped of the bus and ran as fast as he could to his house.

Oh, crap. He silently prayed. Please let my mom not get mad at me.

After what seemed like forever, his once-noodle-like legs finally brought him to his house. It was easy to spot in the morning because it was the only blue-colored house on the street he lived at. He fumbled for the replicate of his house keys and unlocked the white door, which opened inwards.

"Mom!" He yelled, wiping his feet at the doormat incase his shoes were dirty. His mom despised dirty floors. "I'm home!"

He heard footsteps coming from the stairs. "Josh?" Josh's mom, Josephine Evansson, said once she set foot on the ground floor.

She was wearing a teal, knee-length nightgown and her glasses were sat atop of her head. She was wearing fuzzy bunny slippers. Not something a mom would normally wear. Her dark brown hair was tied in a ponytail, her signature warm smile etched on her young-looking face.

Josh hung his coat on the coat hanger attached to the stairs. "Sorry I'm late mom."

His mom gave him a tight hug, which took Josh by surprise because his mom rarely gave him hugs. "Oh my gosh. You're okay."

Josh winced. "You're squishing my ribs."

Josephine let go. "Sorry." She apologized. "It's just... Your school called earlier and told me about the fire incident. They said they couldn't find you and that other girl..."

"Alana?"

"Yah!" She snapped her fingers. "Her. Anyway, I was so worried, I tried to call you but you didn't pick up."

That's when Josh remembered he had forgotten something. "Oh no! My bag! I left it at—"

"School? Don't worry." Josephine reached for something that sat on the nearest chair to them. "The rescue team retrieved it and the school sent it to me."

She tossed the dark green bag to Josh as though it weighed nothing. Josh barely managed to catch it.

"So, you, uh, know where I went after that?" Josh asked cautiously. He silently prayed again that his mom wasn't aware of his secret training session with the Avengers.

"Of course." His mom confirmed.

Josh gulped.

"Although I think it's a bit odd that you had to go to Math Camp immediately after that fire incident." She added.

Josh raised an eyebrow, then the first conversation he and Alana had with the Black Widow (which was just earlier) surfaced into his brain.

"And our parents?" Alana had asked when Natasha told them they were gonna train with the Avengers.

Black Widow had frowned, obviously ticked off by Princess. "They think you guys are gonna spend the rest of the day at a privileged math camp."

"Right..." Present Josh muttered.

"What?" His mom asked.

Josh shook his head. "Nothing." Just as he said that, his stomach growled like a couple of lions. He felt his cheeks flushed.

"Yeah... I haven't eaten since lunch, and the food was that surprise lasagna nobody knows the contents of." He explained.

Josephine sighed. "Sorry I didn't save some of my homemade spaghetti."

The last three words were enough to get Josh's stomach to growl with more lions.

"Christie, Dad, and I finished it all. But you can get some McDonald's if you want. It'll be quicker if you get fast food rather than wait for another 30 minutes for me to cook."

Honestly, Josh preferred his mom's homemade dishes over anything else. But his hunger won over his preferences (his hunger always won over everything).

"Yeah, I'm cool with that."

Suddenly, he heard another pair of footsteps come rushing downstairs, this pair more rapid compared to his mom's gentle footsteps.

Josh took this as a signal to hide behind the sofa. He peeked from behind and caught sight of a smaller figure laying her foot onto the ground floor. The small figure immediately ran toward the sofa, causing Josh to duck.

"I know you're hiding there, Josh!" The little girl giggled, kneeling on the sofa and looking at the back.

"No, Josh isn't here." He played along, laughing. He squeezed his eyes shut as if he would just disappear out of existence if he did so.

The little girl giggled again. "Josh!"

"Christie!"

Even though they had a gap of seven years, Josh liked to hang out with his little sister when he was in a bad mood. Fortunately for them, they got along pretty well.

Christie didn't look much like Josh, but she could be identified as Josh's sister by the big, brown eyes that were always wondering. She was wearing Doc McStuffins pajamas and her light brown hair was in a tousled mess.

Once again, Josh's stomach grumbled. "Do you mind helping me?" Josh asked.

"Sure!" Christie held out a hand and picked Josh up with all her might (although Josh did most of the getting up).

"Wanna play doctor with me?" Christie suggested. These days, she's been into anything related to medicine and stethoscopes. That eventually brought her to like the show imprinted onto her PJs.

Josh shook his head. "Sorry, Christie. I need food to survive."

Josephine joined in the scene and gave him a bunch of cash enough to get him a Big Mac burger. "Here. That should be enough."

Josh nodded in thanks.

Christie pouted. "Aw, okay."

Josh ruffled her already messed up hair then he, once again, ventured off into the outside world.

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

Much to Josh's expectations, the line at McDonald's wasn't so filled with people. In fact, the whole place had quite a small crowd. It was practically deserted in fast food chain standards.

Josh didn't want to wait any longer and got in line at the shortest one.

The girl in front of him seemed to already have her order intact, so Josh pulled out his cash from his pocket.

Apparently, Josh stood too close behind the girl, so she ended up bumping into him.

"Ow," Josh muttered, rubbing his forehead. "Can you watch it?"

"Sorry," she mumbled, getting a tighter grip on her take-out bag. With all that dirty blonde hair covering her face, it was hard for Josh to read her expression.

When she looked up and caught Josh's face, she paused, her eyes widening and her jaw dropping slightly.

Josh probably made the same expression when he realized what was going on.

"Josh?"

"Lila?"

"Uh, sir."

Josh tilted to his left so that he could see the cashier, since Lila was blocking his view. "Yeah?"

"May I take your order?" The cashier said, her tone slight impatient and rushing. "There are people waiting, too, y'know?"

Josh nodded, feeling his cheeks warm a bit. "Right." He turned to Lila. "Don't leave yet. We need to talk."

Lila nodded, making way so that Josh could directly face the cashier.

After a couple of minutes, Josh and Lila were already delved into a conversation.

"So the whole school thinks Alana and I are dead?" Josh exclaimed, taking a handful of fries from his take-out bag.

"Technically, Vicky does." Lila specified, sipping her Coke Float.

Josh sighed, shifting his weight on the seat. "Of course she does."

Lila smiled. "But I'm just glad you and Alana are okay." She raised an eyebrow, getting all serious again. "Alana is okay, right?"

"I can assure that." Josh mock-saluted.

Lila laughed, her voice echoing the slightly empty fast food chain. The two had decided to take a seat in the area itself and have a conversation that clarified things, despite both getting food to-go.

Lila slurped her drink again. "So, are you guys having fun in Math camp?"

Josh faked a smile. "Oh, yeah. Math camp is sooooooo fun. I get to learn all about polynomials and conversion of units and stuff." He ended his mini-rant with a straight face.

Lila chuckled. "I'm just surprised you ended up there, seeing that you're more of the sporty type."

"Hey, don't underestimate my vast knowledge on numbers." Josh teased.

The two laughed for a moment at Josh's little comment. After the laughing subdued, Josh began to speak again.

"Since you asked me how was Math camp, I shall ask you how was school, in general."

Lila lit up like a light bulb. "Oh, yeah! School got suspended for a week since the cafeteria needs some repairing." She gave Josh a smug look. "This meaning I get to chill at home and do nothing while you have to do Math."

"What?!" Josh exclaimed. "That is so not fair!"

Lila stuck her tongue out and laughed.

The pair began to bicker playfully about nonsense. After a while, they continued to eat/drink in silence for a moment, letting the sound of who else was here fill their ears.

"So," Josh coughed, filling in their silence, "wanna hang-out or something sometime? Maybe Friday? I won't be back at school till' three weeks or so, and I won't be able to see you then."

Lila raised an eyebrow in a questioning manner. "Are you asking me out on a date?"

"No." Josh stated. "I am merely asking you if you want to hang-out, which is different from the term date."

Lila pretended to ponder, tapping her finger to her chin. She looked at Josh then nodded. "I'd like that."

Josh grinned like an idiot, then stood up with his take-out bag. "Great! I shall see you at the..." He paused, thinking of where to hang-out.

"Cinema?" Lila suggested.

Josh snapped his fingers. "Yeah. The cinema."

"Okay."

Just before Josh exited the fast food chain, he turned to face Lila again. "Around 6:00?"

"Sure!"

"Okay. Bye." He waved then went out with his food and a smile.

Once outside, he smacked his forehead. 'Real smooth, Josh,' Josh thought to hinself. 'Real smooth.'

Josh wasn't one to show affection toward people in public. It ruined his tough reputation. When he did show affection, however, he was as awkward as a teenage boy going through puberty (technically, he was a teenage boy going through puberty).

He sighed, shaking the thoughts off. Maybe his smooth talking skills won't improve now, but someday.

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

And just when Josh thought he was alone with his Big Mac burger, all source of electricity shut down.

"What the heck?!" He exclaimed with a mouthful of burger bits.

"Josh?!" He heard his mom call out from upstairs. She then descended the stairs, holding Christie's hand with one hand, and a flashlight in another. His little sister looked like "Are you okay?!"

"It's so dark here." Christie mumbled sleepily, rubbing her eyes.

"Yeah." Josh replied. "I'm fine."

He looked around, expecting another figure to come running toward him. "Uh, where's dad? Didn't you say he was here?"

Despite the darkness, Josh could feel his mom frowning. "Your father only dropped by to eat dinner, then he left to work again."

Josh tried to hold back a sob. As usual. He thought.

"It's okay." He cleared his throat. "Let's find out what just happened."

The mother, daughter, and son trio walked side-by-side outside so that they could see a bit more with the moon's light.

Josephine got her phone and dialed the electricity company while Josh called someone himself. (In case you wanted to know, Christie was trying to fall asleep on the bench on their garden, Josephine keeping an eye on her from time to time).

It took a while for the receiver end to pick-up, but fortunately for Josh, he didn't hang up.

"Hello?" Josh greeted.

"Josh." Steve acknowledged at the other end.

Josh managed to hold back a squeal. Meeting the Avengers was one thing. Getting their numbers and calling them was another.

He cleared his throat. "Do you guys, uh, know what's happening?"

"The whole blackout thing?" Steve asked. "Cause' yeah. We're experiencing it as well. Rhodey and Sam are already going to turn on the generator."

"Do you have an explanation?" Josh asked.

"From what the news on Nat's phone is telling her, the source of this blackout is unknown."

"But," a new, not so clearer voice butted in. "I have a feeling it has something to do with that stupid Ultron Jr."

"Nat," Steve said. "Let's not jump into conclusions."

Natasha muttered something Josh wasn't able to comprehend.

"Sorry about Nat." Steve apologized. "She's a bit disappointed because we didn't get to finish our dinner."

Josh has never related to an Avenger this much in his life.

Just then, he heard a ting come from the phone. "And I assume that's the sound of the generator providing you with electricity."

"Correct." Steve confirmed.

Josh could hear a couple of other things happening in the other end. He tapped his foot as he waited for Steve to say something.

Finally, he heard Natasha exclaim. "I told you it was him."

"Hello? Josh?" Steve asked.

"Still here."

"Good. Just making sure." Steve said. "Apparently, the news on TV got updated, and they found out that something attracted all the electricity citywide."

"And that someone is Ultron Jr." Natasha continued. "I got some reliable sources telling me that Ultron Jr. got too much power for his body to handle."

"Is that a good thing?" Josh asked slowly. Josh felt as though Natasha rolled her eyes, though he wasn't sure.

"Of course." Natasha replied. "Ultron Jr. may not be permanently dead, but at least it delayed his vicious plans, giving you and Alana more time to train."

Josh nodded understandingly. "Should I inform Alana?"

"No need." Steve said. "We'll tell her tomorrow. If needed by then, we'll call her."

"What about the electricity? Is it gonna come back?"

"Already got that covered." Natasha assured.

As if on cue, the lights in Josh's house turned back on.

Josh dropped his jaw, even though the two Avengers wouldn't be able to see him. "How?!"

"A spy never reveals her secrets, Josh." Natasha joked.

"I thought it was a magician and not spy." Josh said.

"See, that's what magicians and spies have in common."

Coming to think about it, she had a point.

"Yeah. Both are very secretive." Steve commented.

Another long pause occurred, but Josh felt a bit of tension going on between the two.

"Anyway..." He butted in. "I should probably go to bed now."

"Good idea." Steve agreed. "Early to bed, early to rise, and early to train."

"Right. Good night." Josh hung up and ran back to his mom. She was talking to this man in protective gear, and the two seemed to be in a heated conversation.

"Uh, mom." He said. "What's going on?"

The guy was speaking rapidly and uncomprehendingly, each word sounding foreign to Josh's ears.

His mom sighed exasperatedly. "Mr. Electrician, here, is complaining about how I wasted his time by bringing him here, only to find out that the problem has been solved."

Josh looked at the electrician again, moving his mouth to the side (A/N: do you know what I mean?).

"He's Italian." His mom explained briefly.

Josh nodded, everything making sense now. His mom was fluent in Italian as well as a bunch of other languages.

She always dreamt of traveling around the world, but she ended up learning various languages at home since she couldn't afford to travel outside of America.

"Um," he turned to the electrician. "Ciao, signore electrician."

Mr. Electrician huffed in reply. Josh hoped the electrician understood the English bits because his Italian was rusty.

"Okay..." Josh mumbled. "Do you mind going back to your, uh, casa? Per favore?"

The electrician didn't move a muscle, still retaining the crossed-arms and grumpy face pose.

"I could make you some gelato per libero tomorrow?"

The electrician's eyes widened at the sound of the word "gelato".

Note to self: Josh thought. You could bribe Italians with free gelato.

The electrician nodded in agreement, shaking Josh's hand.

"Grazie! Grazie!" He exclaimed. "Tornerò domani!" He ran off to his motorcycle and dashed off back (to his casa, hopefully).

Josephine turned to her son. "You just promised free gelato to a grumpy, Italian electrician."

"Yup."

She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. Then she ruffled her son's hair. "Well that's another problem for tomorrow."

"Good, cause' right now, I'm exhausted." Josh agreed.

"You? Exhausted at only 8:30 pm?"

"Yeah, Math did a lot to my brain this morning."

Josephine laughed softly and wrapped her arm around her son's shoulder. "Come on, Christie. Let's get back inside."

When Josephine turned to face Christie, she realized that the little girl was already running back inside, eager to get some rest. Josephine shrugged and then headed back to their house with Josh.

"You know, Josh," his mom spoke, "your Italian needs a little fixing."

"Well, I never had any intentions of learning Italian in the first place." He defended himself.

"Yeah, we'll talk about it in the morning." His mom said.

Josh thought about it for a moment. He probably wouldn't have time to playfully bicker or learn other languages with his mom anytime soon, as much as he'd love to. He sighed, wistfully thinking of the days where he'd just hang-out with his mom and sister.

He exhaled slowly, then looked at his mom with a hopeful smile. "Okay. We'll talk tomorrow."

A/N: Yo yo yo, guys. I got a confession to make, yo. I might not be able to publish chapter 6 next week cause' I haven't written much of it yet. See, I was being a good student and focusing on my school work and stuff (and I've been Pinteresting during my spare time). So I'm really sorry if I won't be able to publish next week (especially to HopeIsTheWorld).

Okay toodles, my lovely friends! Don't forget to review and favorite and stuff :p

Ruby out. PEACE.