Chapter Four

The party was in full swing, the entire floor filled with friends and business associates. I didn't even know the better part of them, but considering I wasn't a very social person anyway, that didn't matter much. Luckily, the dress Natasha had put me in had a short and loose skirt that made it easier for me to maneuver my way through the throngs of chatting and laughing people. I bounced back and forth between different groups, stopping for a few minutes to talk when I bumped into somebody I knew.

Thanks to running into Thor and Steve a while back, I was already tipsy enough to have slipped out of my heels, choosing carrying them around with me as opposed to falling on my face in front of all these people. I was more balanced these days thanks to a certain virus, but I still wasn't taking any chances.

At one point during my random travels, I found Rhodey's phone sitting on the edge of the pool table and picked it up. Looking over the room, I saw Rhodey standing in front of Maria, Thor and Tony, telling one of his War Machine stories. I managed to sneak up behind him right at the end, holding up my fingers to my lips to shush the group from alerting Rhodey to my presence. "So I pick up the tank, fly it up to the General's palace, drop it at his feet and say-"

"Boom!" I shouted, causing Rhodey to jump practically 10 feet in the air, almost spilling his drink. Thor and Maria were poorly hiding their chuckles behind their drinks while Tony made no attempt at all to conceal his laughter. When Rhodey looked back over his shoulder to glare at me, I smiled innocently and handed him his discarded cell phone. "You lookin' for this?"

Rhodey snatched the phone out of my hand before slipping it into his jacket pocket. "Why do I even talk to you guys? With everyone else that story kills, and nobody tries to give me heart attacks."

"It was a very good story," Thor offered, sipping out of his glass. "Very impressive."

"Quality save," Rhodey nodded sarcastically.

"Don't worry, Scrappy Doo." I patted Rhodey's head, causing him to glare at me mercilessly- even though he knew at this point that I would never change. "Mama still loves you, even if you are the runt of the litter."

"You know we're not your children, right?" Maria asked, glancing at everyone in the group before returning her gaze to me as I shrugged. "Charlie, it is very important to me that you understand we are not your children."

"So, Charming!" I quickly changed the subject, tapping my glass to Thor's arm to catch his attention. Talking to him this close up was always such a hassle thanks to my miniature height, and he made a point out of looking down dramatically whenever we did speak. "Where's Janey Dear tonight?"

"Actually, I'm not even sure what country Jane's in. Her work on the convergence has made her the world's foremost astronomer."

"And what about Pepper?" Maria added. "Where are all the ladies tonight, gentlemen?"

"Headed for the bar," I answered, downing the rest of my drink and winking at Tony before backing away from the group. "Remember, bedtime is two. Don't be late, or you're all grounded."

Walking away from the small group, I heard Tony and Thor arguing over who had the superior girlfriend and Rhodey explaining to Maria that 'bedtime' was code for the afterparty, reserved specifically for Avengers and Pals.

Natasha was acting as the resident bartender, looking as stunning as always lit up by the light red underglow of the bartop. I dropped my shoes onto the bar and sat in one of the spinning bar seats, twirling myself in a circle before stopping myself by slapping my hands down on the counter and smiling at Nat. "Hello, gorgeous."

"Charlie," she greeted with a small grin. "I see you've been drinking this evening."

"Not nearly enough." I smirked and raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to catch my drift. Of course, she understood immediately and shot me a mocking glare of disapproval before turning on her heel to make me a drink. "You know me so well, Nat. Have I ever given you a nickname? I should give you a nickname."

"That won't be necessary."

"Nat you just don't understand." I took the drink from her when she offered it, tipping it in thanks before taking a sip and setting it down in front of me with a delighted sigh. It tasted like cherries- just like my beloved lollipops. She knew me so well. "Being given a nickname is like a rite of passage. Now, let me think... Nat..." I knit my eyebrows, staring at the wall behind her head in concentration. "Black Widow... Russian... Spiders... Charlotte's Web! You're Charlotte!"

Natasha raised one eyebrow, crossing her arms and leaning on top of the counter. It took me longer than usual to understand why she was looking at me like that, but when I realized what I had said, I burst into a giggle fit. "Oh, wait. I'm Charlotte! Charlie. Right."

A figure stepped into my peripheral vision, and I tilted my head to the right to see that Bruce had joined us. "Brucie! Perfect!" I jumped off my seat, snatching my heels in one hand and my drink in the other. "I'm gonna give you two some alone time." I winked dramatically at Natasha before leaning into Bruce's shoulder and mumbling, "Go for gold, Gaston."

Bruce shot me a worried look as I pat his shoulder and wandered off, searching for another person I could hang out with. Tony and I had been trying to secretly set up Bruce and Natasha for months, and I took every chance I got to push them closer together.

The next person I came across was thankfully as drunk as I was, and I made a spectacle out of showing it. Throwing my hands up into the air- resulting in a small splash of my cherry drink spilling out of the glass and dribbling down my wrist- I smiled widely at the approaching man. "Clint, my baby!"

Clint chuckled, shaking his head. "Charlie, I'm not your baby. You've been very motherly lately. It's very-"

I dropped my heels and slapped my hand over his mouth, shushing him. "Shh. It's bedtime, Frankie."

Clint rolled his eyes and pushed my hand away from his mouth. Ever since I'd found out his middle name was Francis I'd officially nicknamed him Frankie. Like many of my nicknames, nobody else used it. "It's not going to catch on, Charlie."

"I will make fetch happen!" I shouted and glared at Clint before giggling. "Mean Girls reference. I love that movie. But neverthenone... less... what? Bedtime."

"Definitely," Clint agreed before picking my heels up off the ground and wrapping one of my arms around his shoulder to help lead me up the stairs. Along the way, he would stop by our friends whenever he saw them and tell them it was time for the afterparty. One by one, we all slowly trickled up the stairs and into our private living room for what I was sure would be an even more fun time than the current party.