Normal disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC's

Sorry the update took awhile, guys. Summer has been keeping me busy.

Saturday, Day Seven

The shrill ringing sound of my phone is what wakes me out of some much needed sleep. I groggily open my eyes as my arm reaches over to my nightstand and searches wildly for my phone. I finally grab it and sit up quickly as I read the caller ID.

"Mom?" I ask answering the phone, "What's wrong? Are you-?"

"Luis, you tell me what I'm seeing on the news isn't true," Her voice is full of panic and what can only be described as fear.

My gut twists upon hearing her words and I feel as if I'm going to be sick. I sit for a minute, mouth open but I'm not able to properly formulate a response. What am I supposed to say? Yea, I totally killed that son of a bitch. Love you! What am I supposed to say to my sister? I can't even give an excuse to my mom!

"I…um… I," I can't form a sentence; my brain is in overdrive, millions of things and questions and reactions are swirling through my mind making it hard to focus.

A loud sob echoes over the phone line and my heart clenches, "I didn't raise you like this. Yo sabía que no debería haber enviado a vivir con ese hombre. No puedo creer que me hagas esto Luis. Esto es una vergüenza."

I let her yell at me because what else am I going to do? I just killed the father of her children. It doesn't matter that he's been beating me ever since I could take the hit – now I'm the monster and Manny's sins are forgiven.

"How am I going to tell your sister, huh?"

"I don't know," I mutter into the phone.

"What I can't hear you, Luis? You don't know how you're going to tell your sister you killed her father? Is that what you said?" My mom's voice is disbelieving.

I grit my teeth, and glance at the clock to find it's six in the morning. "I'm on my way to the hospital to pick you two up. Love you."

"Don't you dare hang up this phone, hijo." I hang up the phone anyway, probably with more force than needed. I stare at it for a second before tightening my grip on it and throwing it with all my power against the wall. I let out a loud shout hunching over and burying my hands in my hair, tugging on the ends.

The yell quickly turns into tears. Ugh, I think vaguely, more crying. I take a deep breath after several moments to control the sharp intake of breaths I've been taking. I swipe at my eyes furiously to wipe away any of the wet residue from the tears. I sit on my bed for a minute, breathing heavy with my face buried in my hands.

"Dammit," I mutter to myself as I shake my head, take a deep breath, and finally get to my feet. I stand slowly, stretching my arms behind my back until I hear a satisfying pop. I quickly get dressed; I pull on a plain black wife beater and a pair of basketball shorts, I also grab my bulls snap back and pull it on my head.

I leave the broken and cracked phone on the floor and make a mental note to clean it up later. "JEEVES and or JARVIS, where's Tony?" I ask as I exit my room.

"He is currently in the R&D department with Mr. Banner," JARVIS replies quickly. I have this theory that JEEVES and he are in this weird competition on who's a better robot butler thing. Like I said: weird.

I take the stairs to Tony's personal workshop since its right under our floor. I press my hand against the scanner and enter at the beeping sound that means I've been cleared to enter.

"We gotta go, Tony!" I call, "My mom's pissed, and we have to get her from the hospital."

"What?" He asks as he appears from behind a car, Bruce follows closely behind him. "I thought we were going to get there stuff from your apartment first?"

"Change of plans. My mom called and she's not happy. I got to get there now. We'll go, calm her down, Bruce will drive them here as long as he's okay with it, and we'll go to my apartment to get the stuff. That good?" I ask expectantly.

"Do we have a choice?" Tony asks.

"Bruce does, but you don't."

"I'll go," Bruce says with an easy shrug.

"Great, then Tony and I will take his car and you can take yours." I say as I rush into the garage part of the workshop. Tony and Bruce share a look before parting to their respective vehicles. Tony unlocks his Mazarati and I open the door and slide into the passenger seat.

"Must have been a bad talk if you're rushing like this," Tony says as he seats himself in the diver's seat.

"You have no idea. I'm pretty sure she hates me," I try to say it casually, like it doesn't matter even though it's killing me.

Tony glances at me as he pulls out of the garage and begins driving. I tap fingers nervously against the car door as I look out the window. Since the garage is on one of the higher floors Tony has this huge elevator that lowers the car to the ground floor garage where you can pull out of the building. Don't ever let anyone tell you Tony Stark was cheap.

We drive about half of the way there in silence until Tony places a pair of sun glasses on my lap.

"What are these for?" I ask as I pick them up and slide them onto my face.

"Your famous now, kid. Can't have us being recognized. Besides, it's like 100 degrees out, no one will even notice." He slides his own pair onto his face.

"Smart," I say.

"Listen, I'm really sorry you've had to go through all of this."

"It's not your fault," I reply idly.

He lets out a bitter laugh, "Isn't it though? If I hadn't fucked up and dragged you into this lifestyle of bad guys and super heroes you wouldn't be in this position."

I shrug, "My decisions have led me to this place. This whole time you've done nothing, but try to protect me. I'm the one who hasn't listened."

Tony lets out a sigh, "I'm just saying: I wish I could've given you at least a semi-normal life."

A small grin tugs at my lips, "Please, Stark, my life was never normal."

As exit the car I see my mom and sister waiting outside the hospital on a bench. Bruce pulls into the space next to us and gets out of his car before following us towards the entrance. Upon seeing us my mother rushes to her feet.

"I am not going with that man," She spits as she points at Tony. "I will not go with the man who's corrupted my son's life."

Tony looks indignant, "I didn't do anything to corrupt him."

"The hell you didn't."

"Mom, you can't blame Tony for my actions." I take a step towards her to which she tugs Lupe behind her as if I'd hurt her. I freeze, "Are you kidding me right now?"

"Why did you kill him, Luis?" Lupe's small voice cracks with emotion and I can feel my own heart breaking.

"Did you see what you did? You just took away her father." My mom's voice is angry and pleading, but I don't know what she's pleading for.

"Why am I the bad guy?" I ask quietly, "Huh? Why am I the bad guy?"

"You killed the only man in your life since you were five!" My mother exclaims.

"He was an abusive prick who made my life hell!" I explode, "He was verbally and physically abusing since I was eight! He tried to kill me when I was on that roof! You know your other daughter who you so conveniently forgot about? He sold her to a pedophile, but all you fucking care about how the greedy bastard who used you is dead." I explode, breathing heavy.

"I have never done anything for myself. I have always helped and protected my family and I will not stop today." I say, turning away from them because I can't stand the looks on their faces. Like I just slaughtered a whole family.

"I'm not living in Tony Stark's tower," My mom finally says. "I can protect my daughter fine somewhere else."

"You couldn't even protect her against your husband," I say tiredly. "I don't care if you don't want to live there – guess what?"

I take off my hat and run a hand through my hair, "You don't have a choice anymore."

It took about ten more minutes, but apparently Tony and Bruce managed to coax them into Bruce's car. I watch from Tony's car as Bruce pulls away and Tony slides into the driver's seat. He gives me a worried look before turning on the car and pulling out.

"So, do you want to talk about it?" Tony asks after awhile.

"Not really. Turn here," I instruct.

"You can't just bottle up your emotions, Luis. I should know," He says.

"After that little display you think I'm bottling up my feelings?" I ask, chewing on the corner of my nail. "I just can't believe she's blaming me. If he killed me on that roof then would she hate him? Would that be a good enough reason?"

"I don't know, Luis. I think when we get back to the tower you should have a more calm discussion with her and your sister 'cause she looked pretty freaked out back there." Freaked out is an understatement. She actually looked pretty terrified.

"Listen to you," I muse, "soundin' all fatherly." He sends me a look that tells me he isn't impressed. "Okay, alright, I'll talk to them later."

It's silent for awhile, and I just watch the buildings roll by, trying to get rid of the angst that's threatening to boil over. That and the self-hate; ugh, in movies it looks so easy. It's just a bullet to the skull, and then they continue to kick-ass. I just get yelled at by my mom and simmer in self-pity. If my life was a movie it would be the saddest thing I've ever seen in my life.

"Shit," Tony curses, "I forgot we have a SHIELD meeting today."

"SHIELD this, SHIELD that. Jesus, what is up with you all about SHIELD?" I grumble sullenly.

He glances at me out of the corner of his eye, as if assessing my worthiness of the knowledge. "Ah, what the Hell, you're gonna find out this afternoon anyway. It's like a secret organization for superheroes and spies and agents and all that jazz. They handle any strange or extraterrestrial or supernatural. The Director was the one who first started the Avengers initiative."

At this point that knowledge doesn't even surprise me. "I see," Is the only thing I say. I have bigger things to worry about. Much bigger things.

"Park here," I instruct, gesturing to the curb.

Tony looks at me like I'm crazy, but parks anyway. "Why am I parking a mile away from where we're going?"

Now it's my turn to send him a look, "You don't want to park a nice car like this in my neighborhood. We can walk the rest of the way; it'll be good for you, old man." I get out of the car before he can object; he follows in suit, less enthusiastic.

I already notice the looks the car and I are getting; I can only pray that it'll still be here in the same shape when we get back. We walk quickly down the street, hoods up and glasses on so neither of us are recognized, but I'm almost positive half of the people in the neighborhood know me well enough to point me out in a crowd, disguise or not.

I take a deep breath of the air that seems so different than Manhattan. I mean, still polluted, but it smells like, I don't know, like the culture of the neighborhood. Like the culture I grew up with, only, ya know, minus the booze and drugs that seems to flow through the streets still.

After awhile I start to talk, about the better part of my childhood because lately I can only remember the bad parts. Plus, the awkward silence is becoming suffocating and I just can't deal with the tension any longer.

I point to a small café on the other side of the street, one of the restaurants my mom works at. On the side is the mural I painted a year or two ago. "I painted that, my mom had to practically beg her boss to let me, and I only got paid about thirty-dollars, but it's still one of the only walls in the neighborhood that never gets tagged."

The wall depicted life in Spanish Harlem, not the gangbangers or shootings, but the better part. A woman holding a baby on her porch as she watches children play in the water from a burst open fire hydrant, people gathering around the paleta man, and men sitting on porches. It's not ghetto like the higher ups would say, it's sometimes dangerous and violent. But there's a feeling of community, of family.

Tony seems to stare at the wall until her can't turn his head far enough to look anymore. "You're really talented, Luis." He says, clapping me twice on the shoulder. "Have you ever thought about art as a career?"

I shrug, "Sure, but art doesn't really put food on the table. Do you know how hard it is to even get noticed?"

"Yea yea, but you could be the next Picasso."

"Did you just say Picasso because he's Spanish?" I ask, amused.

"No, of course not – okay, maybe, but let's look past that and focus on the subject..."

Ten minutes later and we finally made it to my old building. I climb the stairs somewhat hesitantly. I think I would be okay if we waited a couple days more, but I know that's not an option. I dig through my pocket for the key, happy I kept it with me even after I left. I slide it into the lock and turn it, hearing the familiar dull click and opening the door.

I enter the apartment and I'm suddenly assaulted by the smell of smoke. I must have gotten used to it over the years, but now since I haven't been here in so long the smell is almost overpowering, causing me to cough into my sleeve.

"I'm, uh, going to get stuff from my mom's room and then my sisters." I say, somewhat awkwardly as I ease my way inside. Tony glances around, but I can't decipher the look on his face. I have a feeling I don't want to.

I barely look at what clothes I'm throwing into the duffle bag as I pack up my mom's things. I put clothes and all the essentials that she can't buy again into the bag, including some pictures of Lupe, Marta, and I. I try not to stare at Manny's clothes as I dig through the closet, but it's as if they're staring at me, burning accusing holes in my back. I would burn them if I could.

I stumble over my feet as I rush out of the room, practically falling on my face. I toss the bag towards the door, causing Tony to start slightly as he examines the few photos gracing the walls.

"These are your sisters," it's more of a statement than a question.

"Yea, I was only ten and they were six back then. We were at the park," I state, a smile forming on my face at the memory. I stare at the twins for longer than necessary, specifically Marta's.

"They look like your mother," He comments absently.

"Yea," I say, startled by the stinging in my eyes. I rub at my eyes furiously with the back of my hand. "I'm gonna get my sisters things." I state, turning on my heel.

"Luis," Tony calls, and I turn back to see him, leaning against the counter. "I didn't know that you were living in -."

His words cause me to laugh, the first genuine one I've had in awhile. "Ok, don't get all emotional on me. The living conditions were the least of my problems, okay? I know you didn't know, don't feel bad." And with that I turn on my heel and walk into my room.

I know where Tony's coming from. Here's a guy who's grown up his whole life in mansions with twelve butlers and top of the line meals every night. Someone who's dad was almost as absent as my own. It must upset him that his goals of being a better dad kind of failed for me up until now. I don't mind much, I'd rather be who I am today than some prissy upper class asshole. Well, maybe minus the killing my abusive step-dad thing that seems to keep coming up no matter what the circumstances.

I'm so caught up in my thoughts that I almost don't notice the tablet laying on one of the three beds in the room. I freeze upon seeing the clear glass-looking square on the bed; I know we never owned anything like that, and we wouldn't have been able to afford it even after I left.

"Tony," I call, "Come on here real quick."

"What?" He asks as he enters. I just jerk my chin over to the item on the bed; he seems to understand because he carefully walks over to it, hesitantly reaching out a hand and picking it up. "This is Stark technology. It's an old design from back when I was partnered with Obadiah, but it never reached the public because it was too buggy."

"Then why's it in my room?"

He shakes his head, "I'm not sure, it's impossible for you to buy one. They were never on sale." He examines it, holding it up to the light until an almost blinding light bursts out of the glass, causing him to jump back and drop the sleek plastic. The light dims and flickers several times before a hologram shoots out of it, startling us both.

The image floats above the plastic, distorted somewhat, but it's clearly a face. A very familiar face. It's the guy I bumped into at the MET, Charles or something.

"Hello," he greets brightly, a large smile on his face. "If this is playing then you must have finally visited your apartment with Tony, Luis. Bravo. Consider the game officially starting."

My blood runs cold, I chance a look over to Tony and see he's sharing the same look of horror that I probably have.

"Tony, it is very good to see you again. I was so sorry to hear about Obadiah's death," his laugh says he's not sorry at all. "Anyway, I'm going to have to take all the credit for the chaos going on in New York. I was the one who organized that MET attack, but from here on out I see things getting a lot worse. You have more to worry about than two re-generated Chitauri and a roided up idiot. That was just the beginning."

The camera then pans over to a hooded figure, trembling, covered in a dirty blanket, and chained to a wall.

Marta.

"Oh, and don't worry, Luis. She's too young for my tastes, but I know some high class buyers who I'm sure will be interested, especially after she's done being my lab rat."

My blood runs cold in my veins, and I have to resist the urge to throw up.

"I will give you until, I don't know," He drawls lazily. "I'll give you twenty four hours to find where I'm storing over one hundred Chitauri! If you fail then they're released in Time Square, and I think I'm gonna see what happens when I inject the little bird with alien blood." The screen flickers and disappears, leaving only a count down on the screen.

"Who – who does this guy think he is?" I manage to say, stomach churning and dread rushing through every nerve in my body.

Tony is frozen in place as he stares where the hologram used to be. "Charlie Joplin," He spits. "He used to be my apprentice."

Yep, Charlie's back, and you finally got a quick look at Marta. So, that's something to celebrate. I know that Valentina was a bit bitchy this chapter, but I would be too if I was in her position. Also, did you all see the new Age of Ultron pics? You should look them up because they're freaking awesome and I'm ready.

Anyways, next chapter we get a SHIELD meeting, momma son bonding time, Valentina and Bruce bonding time, and some action. Reviews make a happy writer and a happy writer will update much quicker! I also like constructive criticism! Review Please!