Chapter Two~
Kyra entered her apartment in Lower Manhattan and kicked off her combat boots with a heavy sigh, looking around the studio with a heavy heart. She had only been back to pay the rent and to keep up the appearance that she still lived her, when in reality she lived closer to the Avengers Base. But with that out of the deal she had to move back here. Removing that thought, Kyra went to her kitchenette to make some coffee when her cell phone began to ring. Confused, she saw the phone number reading 'Mr. Smarty Pants' and smirked despite herself. That was her nickname for Tony Stark, wait—what?!
"Hello?" she asked hesitantly answering so that on the other end she heard a cheerful,
"Hey you!" from none other than Tony Stark! Feeling her eyes widen in utter surprised, Kyra nearly dropped the coffee mug in her hands as she asked,
"How did you get my number?"
"I had FRIDAY look it up, it was easy since you're the only agent-in-training removed from the roster." Tony said sounding more upset than anything else so that Kyra sighed heavily as Tony continued,
"Anyway, the gang got approved to leave the nest meaning I'm bringing them all to Stark Tower—and you're coming." at this Kyra felt her heart skip a beat as she stuttered out,
"What?" she heard him chuckle and could just envision him rolling his eyes as he repeated what he had said before adding,
"Pack your stuff kiddo, Pepper will be by to pick you up!"
"Tony what if I don't want to!" Kyra shouted so that there was a pause that lasted longer than she thought possible for Tony Stark to do before he asked softly,
"You don't miss us?" true, it had been two weeks not seeing them and yes she did miss them—but did she want to live with them? In Stark Tower of all places?! Nibbling on her lower lip, Kyra twirled a bit of blue hair around her finger before asking,
"What about my apartment?"
"I can take care of it! Besides I already set up the living arrangements; you'd be sharing a floor with Red Head and Magic Girl while the Boys are spaced out between two other floors. Hear that, your own floor!" Tony emphasized so that Kyra now rolled her eyes at his near puppy-dog pleading tone before exhaling and muttering to herself. Rubbing her forehead she knew she should turn down the offer because of Fury breathing down her neck but as if he knew her own thoughts Tony said,
"And don't worry, I'll keep Mother off your pretty little ass of yours." snickering despite herself, Kyra listened to several 'pretty please' before she caved and said,
"Ok! But only if you promise that Fury won't be mad."
"But he always is!" Tony snickered before telling her that Pepper would be at her apartment around two pm to collect her and whatever she could pack. Looking at her clock she saw it was already on and when Tony hung up Kyra was left to pack whatever she could. Before long a knock sounded at the door and Kyra, in the middle of packing her second bag, went to open the door to see a strawberry blond haired woman with hazel green eyes wearing a cream colored pant suit.
"You must be Kyra." she said smiling brightly so that Kyra nodded saying,
"And you must be Pepper, come right in I'm just packing my last bag." so Pepper stepped inside as Kyra shut the door asking,
"Tony never said what he was going to do with my apartment."
"I will arrange that so don't worry, for right now I'm here to take you to the Tower." Pepper said as Kyra grabbed her duffle and backpack. Looking about her apartment, Kyra nodded to Pepper before the two left the studio and headed for the elevators. Once inside one, Pepper asked,
"So, how are you? The others are worried." at this Kyra blinked in utter surprised at her honest words, her face clearly reading sincerity. Not knowing what else to say, Kyra only shrugged as they reached the lobby of the ten story apartment building and heading outside towards a limo where the driver, Happy Hank, waited. Pepper smiled at him and introduced Kyra to the driver before he took her bags. While they settled into the limo it headed off into traffic and Kyra said giggling,
"I've never been inside a limo before." so that Pepper waved a hand dismissively saying,
"I'm used to it." before the two began laughing like old time friends. After two hours stuck in traffic they reached Stark Tower and stepping out of the limo with suitcases in hand, Kyra followed Pepper into the fancy grand modern lobby where Pepper handed her a keycard saying,
"This gives you access to the top five floors; Tony's apartment, the Girl's apartments, the Boy's apartments, the Lab and the Gym. The others have the same access card but don't lose it alright?" Kyra nodded as they stepped into an elevator off to one side that nearly was invisible if you didn't know where to look for it. Pepper swiped her own access card and they began climbing up as a female voice greeted them,
"Good day Ms. Potts, and to you Ms. Hayes."
"Good day FRIDAY, Kyra, this is Tony's new integrative computer systems." Pepper explained so that Kyra could only nod as the doors opened as they stepped out to find themselves in Tony's newly remolded top story apartment. Once they stepped out Kyra instantly heard the familiar voices of the gang and smiled for the first time in two whole weeks.
"Kiddo!" she heard someone cry so that she turned to see Tony waving at her as the others; Natasha, Steve, Sam, Rodney, Wanda, Pietro and even Vision looking her way. In turn they all got up to see her, giving her hugs and asking how she had been. Near tears, it was Pietro who asked,
"Are you—crying?" shaking her head Kyra told him feebly,
"I'm happy." confused, it was Natasha who understood so that she smiled warmly at Kyra saying to the younger woman,
"Glad you're back kid." as Vision agreed saying,
"It has been a bit boring without your interesting presence." causing Tony to roll his eyes and slap the AI android on the shoulder as he remarked,
"Yeah, yeah now only to the celebration! The gang's all back together!" hearing those words, 'gang'—she was considered part of the 'gang'—Kyra could only nod weakly as for the next three hours they sat around the living room and talked as if no time had gone by. They laughed, talked about events and what they had been doing and so on. When the sun began to set it was Kyra who noticed first because she said,
"Damn it, I got to go guys!"
"Why the party is just starting!" Tony said a bit slurred because he had been drinking but Kyra was already standing telling them,
"I have work, you know—to try and be a normal person." this caught their attention as Steve asked her sounding interested,
"Where do you work Kyra?"
"As an intern for a small theater in the district." Kyra replied heading towards the elevator as she turned around to say to the others,
"I'll be back later ok! Promise!"
"At least let one of us take you!" Tony slurred so that Kyra rolled her eyes as he stood up only to collapse back onto the couch so that Pepper held him down telling him,
"You aren't going anywhere Mr. Drunk."
"I'll go." Pietro said suddenly so that Wanda turned to him in shock asking him in their native tongue so that he replied to her back before standing and smiling at Kyra. Nodding her head in defeat, the two headed for the elevator and stepped inside leaving the others to watch them leave. Once gone it was Sam who said,
"I didn't know she was into musical theater."
"I don't think we know much anything about her." Steve admitted so that the others just had to agree. As the others stayed at the Tower, Pietro and Kyra walked to the Theater District before reaching a small door inside an alley.
"Sorry Pietro, but you can't come in. You don't have clearance." Kyra told him so that he shrugged as if it didn't matter yet did something to startle her—he took her hand and kissed the back of it before speeding off at the speed of sound leaving her speechless.