Awakening

I want to thank Tempest S for pointing something out to me that made me realize what it was about the previous chapter that was getting to me so badly.

So thanks! And I did figure out how I wanted to fix that :) (which is why this chapter took so long to get out.)

Penny's POV

I blinked a few times as I tried to clear my vision, seeing Dad standing beside me worriedly and all of the other Avengers, besides Romanoff, standing in front of the door.

Dad's mask was on, though I could see the worry and unease in his eyes. Thor looked unsure and kept giving the others looks, as if trying to decide what they were going to do. Bruce was slightly more tense than usual, and looked like he and Hulk were evaluating the situation.

The air was heavy, and as my temples started throbbing again, I had to stop myself from sighing. Dad had pulled me out of a memory instead of my mindscape, so my head was currently spinning a bit and throbbing painfully.

The wall I had managed to put up for Charles was gone, and the memories that should've been waiting in my mental Great Hall were now flying randomly around that 'room'.

So basically, my chances of random flashbacks and mood swings increased by one hundred percent.

Just what we needed.

Dad nudged me and I realized that I hadn't answered Barton's question yet.

"I was playing the violin, what did it look like I was doing?" I drawled in a very Stark manner, crossing my arms over my chest even though my violin was still in my hand.

"You weren't answering Stark." Barton said, glancing over at Tony who was raising an eyebrow and looking at Barton in question.

I shrugged, "I zone out when I'm playing some time, sue me."

I glanced up as a tall blonde haired man in a suit entered my shop.

"May I help you?"

"No, but I can help you." The man said with a smirk. "I'm afraid that you're being prosecuted."

Well, crap.

I was very thankful for the brief moment of silence as I blinked away the fragmented memory and tried to push away the throbbing.

Barton and Dad stared each other down, and probably would've continued doing so but Rogers stepped up and said,

"Then why was the door locked?"

I raised an eyebrow but otherwise didn't respond. I hadn't known that the door had been locked...Dad probably had Jarvis do that. He was rather overprotective like that after all.

"Because I didn't want anyone barging in." I replied swiftly as I gave Rogers a pointed glare. "Besides, this is our home. Yes, you are allowed to stay here and in time I hope that it will become your home as well, but right now we are still the ones who actually built this Tower. That comes with a few perks. Along with full access to everything, you would do well to remember that we don't have to answer questions to things while in our own home." I hissed slightly as Rogers and Barton both took a step back.

While I was irritated that my session had been interrupted, I was also annoyed that the others had hassled their way in here.

It wasn't that hard to figure out, I could read Dad like an open book, and that wasn't even mentioning the very loud and annoyed thoughts that he was projecting.

I glared over at the girl sitting beside me, "Will you be quiet."

"I haven't said a word!" The older girl protested, glancing up from the book that she had been 'reading'.

"No," I drawled in agreement. "But your thoughts are rather loud."

I bit my tongue as my head throbbed again, this was really getting old.

"Penny's right," Bruce said, stepping in and physically getting in between the two groups in the room. "This is their home, and at the moment we are still just guests here. Tony didn't have to let us in here, in fact he probably only did because he didn't want any more unnecessary tension between that. Am I right?"

Bruce turned towards my father as he posed the question, and although Dad nodded with a smug but tired smile on his face, I could tell that he was just going along with the out that Bruce had offered.

Why had he let the others in then? What other reason did he have for letting them walk all over him?

I gave Dad a subtle look saying that we were going to talk before snatching my bow out of his hands and stalking past everyone.

"I don't know about you," I stated as I exited the room, "but I could use with some food. I'm only going to cook for you if you're in the kitchen, so you better get a move on."

There was a scramble of people behind me as I turned the corner and my shoulder instantly slumped.

I wasn't sure how long I could keep this game going, at least not until I got my head on straight.

I suddenly groaned as I remembered how much everyone had eaten the night before.

"Dude, hasn't your dad figured out that the pantry isn't a good place to keep ectoplasm?" Tucker asked as he shook his head and closed the pantry door.

"Eh," I shrugged, knowing that Dad didn't really learn from his mistakes. "I think that from where he's concerned, its random ghosts that cause our food to mutate; not the questionable storage of ectoplasm in the kitchen."

"Jarvis, we're going to need to restock." I sighed trying and failing to push the memories away. I could sense my father turning the corner behind me, with everyone else hot on his heels. "I have a feeling that dinner is going to be an interesting affair."

My eye twitched for the fifth time in the past two minutes as I listened to everyone sitting at the kitchen table. Coulson had been waiting for us a few floors up, and I was glad that he hadn't entered the conflict below him, that would've just made things worse.

I couldn't believe that the day was over already, and I was even more surprised that I hadn't killed anyone yet. Ever since the 'adults' had entered the kitchen they had been bickering, either heavily or lightly, over every little thing.

"Will the two of you just shut up!" I yelled as I grabbed both boys by the back of their shirts and pulled them apart violently. I was so DONE with them fighting over every little thing!

Said boys gulped nervously as they caught sight of my narrowed eyes.

"You two are friends; I don't care if you have some petty rivalry going on right now! You need to shut and get your heads on straight!"

I let out a shuddering breath as I came back to myself and stirred the sauce for dinner. I really didn't mind cooking...it was one thing that had carried over in every life. I had grown fond of the task in my First Life, and ever since it was a comfort, something that allowed me to relax and for my mind to ease.

Of course, that was rather hard to do between flashbacks and arguments happening behind you.

Even Bruce and Coulson were dragged into the conflicting conversations, and they were the mildest mannered people in the group.

"...I'm just saying that it's not necessary!" Rogers protested as he and Tony stared each other down. Dad had been showing the group of people the revised plans of the Tower, which would be done by the tenth...in about four days.

"I don't care if you think it's necessary or not!" Dad exclaimed as he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in the chair. "Everyone on the Avengers is getting their own floor! Trust me; with all of us living here each of you will eventually thank me! In fact, you can ask Pen. The only reason her room is still intact right now is because I convinced her to let me build her her own floor!"

Everyone glanced over at me and I stiffened, my senses were already stretched thin between trying to keep any flashbacks at bay and keeping an eye on the adults behind me, so I wasn't about to get in the middle of a heated debate with my father.

"I'm staying out of this," I stated and I could feel Dad opening his mouth to protest, so I continued, "Unless you don't want dinner."

I turned and gave Dad a pointed look and I saw understanding light up in his eyes as he huffed dramatically and rolled his eyes.

"Whatever you say, Pen." He sighed before turning the conversation back to the others. "I don't care what you think or say, the plans have already been sent to the construction workers and the extra floor has been added.

"Barton, Rogers, Thor...you guys can pick a highlighted floor," Tony guested towards the holographic blueprint of the Tower as I pulled the pot off of the stove and drained the water. "Brucie, I'm afraid that you're going to have to wait till the construction's done to get yours...but then the penthouse is gone too so it's not like you're the only one!"

I rolled my eyes. Only Dad.

Phil was shaking his head fondly, as he had grown very fond of Tony over the past few months. Not that he had ever told Dad that, but still...it was just something that you could tell.

"I think you and Coulson will get along well." I said as the rookie walked down the hall away from us.

Nick turned around and stared at me in shock, "What gave you that impression!? We talked for less than a minute!"

I chuckled, I couldn't exactly tell him that I could sense the forming bonds of friendship that the two would have.

"It's something that you can just sense." I told my apprentice and friend.

Nick snorted and rolled his eyes. While he may be skeptical about things such as this, he did trust my instincts.

I smiled faintly at the memory as I mixed together the pasta and sauce, and then pulled the final dishes out of the fridge.

"Your preparations smell divine E're," Thor exclaimed, cutting off Rogers, Barton, and my Dad, who had all been 'debating' about the floors.

I laughed as everyone at the table stilled and Phil glanced over at me hopefully. I wasn't sure what the man usually ate, but he always seemed to appear whenever I was cooking. Sometimes I wondered if he liked my food a bit too much.

"Well if you all would settle down and quit arguing like a bunch of first graders you might actually get something to eat." I called over my shoulder just as Barton started to open his mouth again. He shut it with a loud snap, and I couldn't help but chuckle.

Huh, I wasn't annoying anymore.

Making sure that everything was done I levitated a stack of plates and a bunch of silverware over to the table.

"Jar, is Pepper going to be home for dinner?" I asked as Barton and Rogers watched the floating plates with thinly concealed awe.

"She is entering the Tower now; she shall arrive in 3.7 minutes Miss Penny." Jarvis reported as I willed the rest of the platters into the air as I grabbed the very large bowl of salad and walked it over to the table.

"Thanks," I told the AI as I set the extra-large bowls of salad, shrimp scampi, and French bread onto the table.

I had made sure that there was enough food to feed everyone. Sure, I had to conjure/summon a few things, but who cared about the specifics.

"I didn't know we had shrimp stocked," Dad commented as the others started drooling at the sight and smell of the food.

I chuckled and replied, "Oh, we didn't. I just felt like shrimp."

"Where did you get it?" Phil asked as I plopped down into one of the empty seats next to my father, and grabbed a plate. That seemed to snap everyone else out of it and they basically swarmed the food.

"Oh, ya know," I shrugged and waved my hand in the air. "Around."

To be honest Mortem dropped them off with a kiss invisible, but I didn't really feel like sharing that.

Dad and Phil watched with amused expressions as Rogers and Thor got heaping plates, while Bruce and Barton tried to fight their way through the two larger men.

"This is interesting," Tony mused and I chuckled, before letting my powers flare and suddenly mine, Dad's, Phil's and Bruce's plates were filled with food.

Bruce paused in his battle for food as he noticed his full plate. He, Phil, and Dad all gave me grateful looks before they dug in.

"This is really good," Bruce moaned as Rogers stared wide eyed at the plate, continuously eating.

"Splendid!" Thor paused just long enough to give me the short compliment before continuing to inhale the food.

I gave everyone a smile as Dad chuckled.

"Pen cooks like a god," Phil nodded at everyone as he ate at a more normal pace.

"Though I remember a time when she managed to burn water." Dad commented and I glared at him. Before more of my memories started instinctively slipping through after my half Awakening, I couldn't cook to save my life.

To Dad...the difference was astounding.

"Really?" Bruce asked in amusement, glancing at me in surprise.

I shrugged, it was true after all.

"Why aren't you fighting!" The man snarled as he slammed his hands down on the desk.

I looked up at him and said simply, "Why would I argue with the truth?"

Seeing everyone with a plate I couldn't help the small smirk that settled over my face. Dad had told me this morning that all retribution pranks were going to be put off until tomorrow...give everyone a day off he had claimed.

But that didn't mean that I had agreed.

"That smells amazing," Pepper announced as she strode into the room, her hair down and her dark blue heels in her hands,

It had taken Dad and I about a month to convince Pepper not to wear her nightmarish shoes around the house. Thankfully, after a few weeks, she had finally relented.

"Help yourself," I told the older redhead as I floated another plate and silverware to the other empty seat next to Dad.

"Thanks Penny," Pepper smiled at me before walking over and giving Dad a simple kiss.

"Hey," She smiled at him too and I couldn't help but wonder if Mortem and I looked like that sometimes.

Weird thought.

"Hey," Dad echoed before half of the table waved in silent greeting.

"Evening Pepper," Phil said with a nod in between bites, as she sat down.
"Hello Ms. Potts." Rogers said seriously and I had to try not to chuckle, though Dad didn't restrain himself at all.

"Boys," Pepper gave them all an amused smile before sitting down. "How has everyone's days been?"

As quiet small talk echoed around the table I wondered if it was worth putting it off. With Pepper now here I was sure to get an earful...but then again I could always use it as an excuse to vanish for a few hours and finish sorting out my head.

I nodded mentally to myself; that seemed like a plan.

I waited a few more minutes, until conversations were echoing around the table in multitude. Once everyone was done with the main dishes, I vanished them into the sink, the leftovers (what little there was) into the fridge, and then conjured the ice cream from the freezer.

"Going all out tonight," Dad commented with a teasing grin as he helped himself to the Mocha Almond Fudge.

I smirked openly now as everyone finished serving themselves desert.

"Oh, you have no idea." There must've been something in my voice or tone...or perhaps it was the combination of the two, because Dad paused, the spoon halfway to his mouth and gave me a suspicious look.

I just smirked, and Dad's eyes widened just slightly in realization before I let my Core flare, and instantly, everyone's hair changed a different color, and done up in some kind of do.

For a half a second, no one seemed to notice and that was the second I took to appreciate my work.

Phil's hair had been grown out, frizzed, and then died bright puke green; causing it to look like a clown wig reject. Rogers' normal blonde locks had been replaced with a bright red, white, and blue striped hair that stood up straight in the air, not unlike Frankenstein's (the monster, not scientist), and was about four inches tall. It would look amazing on him with his patriot spandex.

Bruce's hair was dark purple with green tips, but besides that I hadn't changed it all that much, though he did have a large black bow on the top of his head. Barton's was the most interesting, as I turned it the strange purple/maroon color of his suit, curled and lengthened it, and put it in a high ponytail with a small arrow going through the top of it.

Thor was simple, I just died his rainbow and gave him the largest Mohawk that I could. It was about eight inches tall and rather impressive if I did say so myself.

I didn't go easy on Pepper or Dad either; the two of them now had matching gold and red hair. Pepper's was just styled up in many twisting layers that looked like it had come out of a princess movie from the medieval times. Pepper also had a very nice shade of dark purple bangs and thin waves framing her face. Sure the colors clashed a bit, but what did I care?

Dad's though...I just might've made him my masterpiece. His facial hair was now blue with white stripes, and his hair styled like an eighteenth century powdered wigs, though of course it wasn't white.

Dad, who had sensed that I was up to something, was the first to notice.

As I tried to stifle my laughter, he slowly turned and looked at the rest of the table, and promptly dropped his spoon.

"What the hell, Penny!" He exclaimed in horror, causing everyone else to freeze, and look around at everyone else.

"STARK!" Rogers yelled jumping to his feet, his face red as he tried to figure out what had been done to him, his eyes flickering across everyone else's hair and his imagination going crazy.

Barton had instantly picked up a spoon, using it as a mirror to look at his hair. He looked horrified for a brief moment before he burst out laughing.

"Ok, that's a good one kid." He complimented me before continuing to laugh hysterically. Smirking wider now that someone appreciated my work, I glanced over at Thor, Bruce, Phil, and Pepper, who had yet to say anything.

Thor was just looking around in mind amusement, not seemingly minding the prank. He hadn't even once moved to examine his own appearance, and I really wasn't surprised. He had grown up with Loki after all.

Bruce was examining his own makeover using the a hologram like a mirror. (Jarvis had obviously pulled it up for him.) He didn't seem mad or anything, just slightly horrified and amused, and I could tell that Hulk found it hilarious.

Phil had already examined his hair with a spoon, and was simply staring at me, a small amused smile on his face but a glint in his eyes.

It was Pepper that I was rather worried about, she hadn't said a word, and I was having a hard time getting a read on her. Her face was a perfect mask, I had to wonder if she learned from Dad, and that was what scared me the most.

Barton gave me a grin, and Dad looked over at me from the corner of his eye. Add them to Phil's piercing gaze and I could tell that I had just started another prank war.

Mission accomplished.

"Penella…"

I gulped as Pepper turned to me slowly, her eyes narrowed and her voice had just a touch of ice.

Ok, she was pissed, and I needed to scram.

"Enjoy your dessert and makeovers!" I waved to everyone before vanishing into thin air.

Now seemed like a good time to go seen Jane.

Hey all, hope you liked the chapter. It would've been up last night but I was having computer issues.

Anyway, Happy Halloween! I have a Halloween special in mind that I'll try to get up before the end of the day.

:)

Remember, everyone rocks!
Cp