Chapter 12

A few days later when Lessa was getting ready for bed, the figure in the shadow emerged. Lessa didn't see the person at first as she was rearranging her pillows. She hummed to herself, trying to distract herself from the anxiety that currently plagued her from wondering when Jennifer will finally be caught.

It worked up until she turned around.

Jennifer stood before her with a smirk playing on her red coated lips. She never wore lipstick when Lessa was with her. Lessa screamed and backed up, her eyes darting between the door and her mom. She needed to get Tony. She needed to get someone.

"Hello to you too, Alessandra," Jennifer greeted, strolling up to Lessa and hugging her. Lessa tried to push away from the hug, but Jennifer wouldn't have it. Jennifer released her. "I missed you."

Sending her a nasty glare, Lessa fixed her shirt. "I bet you did. Who else would have done your dirty work?"

"If you're wondering, no I didn't come back to make you do anything of that again."

"Why did you?"

Jennifer ran her hands across the smooth comforter. "I thought about the day I ran and S.H.I.E.L.D. and took you in. I am so sorry that happened to you, mija. I didn't want you to end up in their hands. I panicked and ran. After being on my own for so long, I forgot about you being there."

Lessa swallowed, ignoring how dry her throat was. "Excellent parenting done there."

"You definitely have your father's sarcasm," Jennifer laughed. "Speaking of your father, did you know he remarried?"

"Obviously not."

"He has two other kids," her mother carried on. "They are adorable I admit, but I wish they were mine too and not the woman's." She paused. "I found a house. It's small and adorable. You would love it."

You would love it. "You want me to live with you?" Every nerve in her body screamed at her to run. Run out of the room and scream her head off so Jennifer could be gone. Though the door felt miles away.

Jennifer's eyes lit up. "Would you? We could start over and I could be the mother you need, the mother you want. We can go shopping together, watch movies, and I can help you with your homework-"

"No." Lessa stepped back away from her. "I don't want to. Not if you're still against S.H.I.E.L.D. who are, in fact, good people. Well, from what I met anyways. Look, I don't know what they did to you when you were in prison or wherever you were that made you hate them, but they're doing what is best for the safety of people and that means getting rid of threats like you. You're a thief and a murderer." Jennifer shook her head, but Lessa continued on. "You are. I saw you kill people for answers and you were going to make me kill people as well."

"It was for their own good. We needed answers-"

"Get out," Lessa growled. Walking back up to Jennifer, she pushed her. "Get out of the tower and never come back. Stay out of my life! I wish I never dreamed about meeting you. I wish I never tried searching for you and wondering what happened to you!"

Startled, Jennifer stumbled back. "Alessandra-"

"Get out!" She lunged at Jennifer who jumped to the side, dodging the punch. Lessa screamed and went to kick, put her mother grabbed her leg and flipped her over on her stomach. The air left Lessa's lungs as she collided with the carpet.

The room felt darker than before. Air was put back into Lessa's lungs as her mind wheeled trying to calm her. Jennifer kneeled down, holding Lessa's arms behind her back. Lessa tugged and squirmed underneath the hold.

"J.A.R.V.I.S. help!" She screamed to the A.I. "Help!" J.A.R.V.I.S. didn't reply. It was, and hopefully, notifying someone in the tower.

Jennifer shushed her. "I love you with all my heart, darling. I don't want anything bad to happen to you and I hope you realize that. Once Hydra takes control, we won't have to live in fear. You will be safe, mija. I will let you go, but promise me you won't hit me again." Lessa furiously nodded and Jennifer stood up, releasing her daughter.

Lessa cried the tears that shed in Jennifer's words. her wrists ached from the hold and she rubbed them, cradling them to her chest. The door burst open with Clint and Tony emerging from it. Lessa looked up at them and cried even more once she saw that Jennifer disappeared.

"She was here," Lessa sobbed once they asked her what happened. Clint sat on the ground next to her and wrapped his arms around her shoulder. She leaned in and cried into his shirt. "Jennifer was in here."