Hey ya'll, sorry it took me so long to post this chapter. It's a little shorter then you're used to for this story, but it's because I've got some plans for the next chapter. I hope you like it!
Disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers or anything you may recognize. Except Minnie. She's mine.
Phil Coulson stood in front of the mirror in one of the SHIELD bathrooms and straightened his tie, even though he knew he'd be getting on a helicopter and flying to Maine soon. He sighed then washed his hands before the door to the men's room opened and Director Fury walked in. "Director." Phil nodded knowing Fury was in there for a reason, he had his own private bathroom of course, so for him to be in here, it was unusual.
"I want you to keep an extra close eye on Dr. Banner today." Fury said.
"Any particular reason?" Phil asked.
"The fifty state initiative." he said softly and Phil's face fell.
"Sir, they're not really thinking of-"
"They are." Fury interrupted. "And they're making it clear they want him."
"Why?"
"They believe he holds the key to shutting down Hydra." Fury paused and then looked back at Phil. "We also need to look into this Norman Osborn. I want to know everything about him, go through ever channel as soon as possible." Fury said and Phil cocked his head.
"Sir?"
"He's been given government funding to start an organization to enforce the Fifty State Initiative." Fury said. "I don't know how much longer the usual channels will be safe."
"Right away sir." Phil said softly. "Should I perhaps convince Dr. Banner to bring his family back in?"
"Not yet." Fury said thoughtfully. "As far as we know, they don't know where he is. Until we feel his cover is compromised, leave him be." Fury decided and Phil nodded. "Get your best on that Osborn guy, and I want all information on the locations of other heroes removed from our systems. I want a secure system that only one person can activate at any time, and I want it to be impossible to get into by anyone else who tries."
"Sir, there's only one person who has the ability to do that all." Phil said hesitantly.
"Then you'd better go talk to him." he said before he exited the bathroom. Phil sighed and then looked at the mirror before he pulled his phone out of his pocket.
"Heather? Hey, it's Phil. Yeah, I'm really sorry, I'm going to have to cancel tonight. I know I'm sorry. No, I have to go visit Tony Stark. Now actually." he sighed. "No, why don't we shoot for tomorrow? Okay, talk to you later." he hung up the phone before he slipped it back into his pocket. He gave his tie another tweak and then walked out of the bathroom. Today was going to be a very long day.
The next morning Amanda woke up in an unfamiliar bed, in unfamiliar clothes, with an unfamiliar throbbing in her left cheek. She groaned softly when she remembered what had happened.
The night before, with her dad.
At first he was just on her ass about the usual things, she hadn't done her chores right, she had washed the dishes but she didn't dry them and put them away, or she had done the laundry but it wasn't folded right. Then as the night progressed and his state of inebriation increased he was calling her out of her room for more things, the windows were open, the dog needed to be let out, heaven forbid he get off his ass to do it.
After his fifth or sixth drink he was slamming her door open, demanding she not shut it in his house, then it was about how dare she put on headphones, how was she going to hear him when he needed her, the final straw was when he demanded to know why she didn't pull her weight around the house. She didn't know she had become his mother, scolding him in the same voice and manner that his mom had done when he was growing up, until she caught sight of herself in the mirror. The shock of changing without realizing it, along with the strong punch to the left side of her face made her change back, her father was cornered against the wall, staring at her in horror.
"What the hell are you?" he demanded as she held her cheek staring at him with a similar look on her face. "I'm not havin' no mutants under my roof." he snarled. "Get out!"
She stood there, unsure of herself for a moment before he grabbed her by the back of the neck and dragged her to the front door, he shoved her out of the house, not caring that she fell on the gravel outside, she looked back at him as he stared at her in disgust before he slammed the door shut. She curled up in a ball and let out a small sob before she heard him throw something inside of the house. She jumped up and took off running, she made it to the Roxxon station, and she slipped her hands into her jacket pockets, pondering her next move as she sat down on the curb.
Her fingers folded around a slip of paper and she pulled it out of her pocket. It was the paper Mr. Roberts had given to her. She went inside and managed to convince the shop person to let her use the phone. It started raining while she stood outside, rather than running inside she sat there and let the rain wash over her face. Mr. Roberts pulled up and got out of the car, he didn't use an umbrella he just walked over to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
"Come on Amanda," he said softly. "Let's go." She followed him to the car and got in, not a word was spoken as he drove, and she was grateful for that. He seemed to know it. Everything happened so quickly after that, they got to his house, his wife seemed to take over from there, and she was sweet and gentle and seemed to understand the situation.
Amanda lay staring at the ceiling of the living room before she sighed and turned over to find a white cocker spaniel lying next to her. He looked up at her and started to wag his tiny tail. She smiled and lightly pet his head making him roll over onto her. She laughed and a voice ran out from the kitchen.
"Is the dog bugging you sweetheart?" Amanda sat up quickly and smiled at Emily who was cooking something.
The morning after was soggy and wet, and I woke up with Kayla laying on my arm, her face pressed into my neck. I moved out of her grasp, and went to the bathroom, then washed my face and brushed my hair into a ponytail. I smiled seeing Bruce had fallen asleep in his glasses, I walked over to him and lightly removed them from his face, he reached up quickly and touched my hand, and I smiled gently.
"Go back to sleep." I said softly. He put his hand down and I put the glasses on his bedside table. I went to the kitchen and saw Dallas lying on the bed with Amanda who was still sleeping. I smiled lightly and pulled some food out of the refrigerator, I put a pan on the stove and broke some eggs into a bowl and whisked them with a fork before adding a little milk, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg. I finished whisking and started dipping bread into the egg mixture when I heard Amanda giggle lightly.
"Is that dog bugging you sweetheart?" I asked and Amanda sat up.
"No, he's just funny is all." she said.
"You hungry?"
"Can help you Mrs. Roberts?" she asked as she got out of the bed and walked into the living room.
"You can start by remembering, call me Emily." I smiled at her, though the name still felt strange on my tongue. I'd never gotten used to it and honestly I knew I never really would.
"Right, I forgot." she nodded and I smiled. "So, can I help?" she asked and I nodded.
"Grab another pan in the cupboard, and start up some scrambled eggs." I pointed to a cupboard and she did as I told her. We cooked and I asked her questions about school, she asked me questions about Bruce and I told her the SHIELD written way of how we had met. A little while later Bruce came downstairs holding Kayla under his arm.
"Hi, I'm Makayla Antonia Roberts, but Mommy and Daddy call me Kayla, what's your name?" she asked Amanda who smiled.
"Amanda Carol Sorrenson." Amanda smiled and Kayla grinned.
"Good morning," I said to Bruce, kissing him.
"How long have you been awake?" he asked.
"Not long." I shrugged, and turned to the coffee pot. I poured him a cup of coffee and he took it with another quick kiss. "Amanda do you drink coffee?"
"Yeah, like four cups." she sighed.
"That explains a lot." Bruce muttered before taking a sip of his coffee. I rolled my eyes with a small smile and handed her a cup of coffee and let her fix it the way she wanted.
"Come here you." I said as I picked Kayla up and put her into her chair. "You hungry?"
"Yeah."
"Yeah I thought so." I said as I put her favorite pink plastic flowered plate in front of her with a slice of cut up French toast and some scrambled eggs. "What's the rule?" I asked.
"No feeding Dallas?" she asked and I nodded. "But Daddy does it!"
"I do not!" Bruce said looking guilty.
"I know Daddy does it." I said to Kayla. "But you're not Daddy, and if I catch Daddy doing it, he's going to be in big trouble." I shot Bruce a look; he made himself busy by getting the newspaper. I saw Amanda sitting there with an amused look on her face. "Trust me sweetheart, this is a normal breakfast for us." I said as I set a plate down in front of her.
"So... What happens next?" she asked and I shrugged.
"That's the sixty four thousand dollar question, isn't it?" I asked and she smiled lightly.
"You are way too young to be making that reference." Bruce said as he sat down at the table again.
"Oh you love it." I said and he smiled, before I turned back to Amanda. "A friend of ours who works with..." I paused, thinking about the best way to word it. "Extraordinary people, is coming over today. We'll wait until he gets here and we'll ask him what he wants to do." I looked at her. "What do you want to do?"
"I never want to go back." she said instantly and I nodded.
"Okay." I said and she smiled. "Finish your breakfast; Phil will be here in a few hours."
"Phil's coming?" Kayla looked up from handing the dog a piece of French toast.
"Yes sweetheart, Phil is coming over." I said, smiling at her excitement. She jumped out of her seat and ran down the hall, leaving the three of us laughing at her eagerness to please her parent's friend.
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