:3 Rated K+ because Mary hits her head. Trigger warning: Brief blood mention.

Mary gripped the tree branch, reaching for the ruby-red apple dwindling from it. She stuck her tounge out the right corner of her mouth and reached a little further, until-

Snap!

She managed to grab the fruit and was beginning to prepare for her descent until she noticed something peculiar about it. It was slowly being drained of its beautiful glow and started shriveling. Watching in horror, she screamed and fell out the tree.

Between the pain and shock of it, she forgot about the fallen apple and rushed to the back door, crying while rubbing her head. She tried unlocking the back door, until she watched it too turn to nothing. Lip trembling, she cried, "Mommy! Daddy!"

Soon the door flung open as Paige picked up and cradled the child, swaying back and forth, lightly rubbing the back of her head, shushing her. She heard a crash as Tony jolted out from the hall, inquiring, "Is she alright? Nothing broken?"

Paige frowned, "I-I don't know! She was at the door, crying and rubbing the back of her head."

"Let me see."

Hesitantly, the child showed her father the injury as he gasped. She was bleeding. He ran to the bathroom and grabbed gauze before bolting back out and starting to wrap it around her head. As soon as Mary calmed down to the extent of being capable of speaking, Paige asked, "What happened?"

She sniffed, "I-I was just getting an apple and then it started dying and next thing I know, I hit my head on the ground and I was trying ta open the door but- that went bye-bye also and then you came.."

Paige bit her lip, listening. Tony raised a brow, "Should I tell her?"

The child tilted her head, "Tell me what?"

Tony led them to Mary's room. If he was going to tell her, he might as well make sure nobody else heard it except him, her and Paige. They set her on the bed and sat down on both sides, glancing down at her. Tony began, "Mary, dear, you have a- trait."

"What's a trait?"

"Well, a trait is something you get from mommy or daddy, to put it simply. You'll learn more about those when your older... Anyhow, this trait could be used for good, or in some cases bad, it's entirely up to you. This trait gives you the power to speed up something's life and make it die quicker. Now, mommy and daddy are not affected by this because we live forever."

The concept was confusing to her, but she semi-understood it. She asked, "Can I live forever?"

He thought on it for a minute, until he got an idea. He commanded Paige to take off the wrap. She nodded and slowly took it off. He looked at where it supposedly was and nothing was left. Not even a bruise.

He smiled, "Yes. You can."

She lit up before he continued, "However, to protect everyone else you meet, you gotta cover your hands."

"How do I do that?"

"Well, give me one moment."

He got up and left the room, returning with a box. It looked old and dusty, but it's contents were more valuable. He pulled out a small pair of gloves and carefully slid them on her hands. He knew it felt strange at first, but he knew she'd adjust to them sometime.

"What are these?"

"Those are gloves. Neat, eh?"

She shrugged. They were kinda itchy, in her opinion. She reached in her glove, scratched her wrist and clasped her hands together as her father continued the explanation. He asked, "So, do you understand it or is there something you don't get?"

She shook her head, "I understand it. I just wanna eat."

The adults laughed as Paige suggested, "Alright, you want an apple?"

Mary leaned back in horror. She realized her error and corrected herself, "Oh no-no-no, I meant to say ice cream?"

She nodded. Tony almost reminded them they had yet to have dinner, but decided against it due to the day the child was having. The two girls were already downstairs, chattering loud enough to be heard from the room they just left. He stood up and made his way down the stairs, smiling.