"We should only have one year left." I sigh and rest my head on Clint's shoulder. "At most two."
"Hey," Clint soothes, stroking my hair, "it will be okay, you'll see. We already know you both got out of it alive."
"Not without severe psychological damage on my part and a four-inch deep hole in my dad's chest." I snap, then sigh. "Sorry."
"It is perfectly acceptable to get defensive right now." Natasha points out with a shrug. "We are literally sitting inside your dad's brain. I don't blame you a bit."
"We still have no idea how to get out." Bruce points out. "Or who this girl is."
"Or where she is." Steve amends.
"Or how to catch her." I sigh again. "Well then…all we can do is sit, wait, and watch what goes on in my dad's head."
"It's not at all what I thought it would be." Steve comments dryly, glancing around at our pristine surroundings.
"You should see his main brain," I snort, "because that is more like your ideals. Parts scattered everywhere, numbers more common than words…"
Bruce blinks at me. "How would you know what your dad's brain looks like?"
"I have one just like it, except, you know, smaller." I shrug easily.
"The magical screen of the past is beginning again!" Thor booms as shift my weight on the couch and run my fingers along a manicured seam.
"Here we go again…"
A~A~A
"Ladies and gentlemen, parents, students, and alumni, welcome to The Calhoun School for the graduation of the class of 2011!"
Behind a thick velvet curtain, Taylor straightens her black robe and cap over her green dress.
"Now, let's welcome to the stage…"
A flick of the tassel…
"…our valedictorian of the senior class…"
Make sure the skirt isn't riding up…
"Taylor Stark!"
Taylor strides towards the podium with the same prowess she holds in meetings, robe billowing behind her as she grins and waves at her classmates and their parents' and/or guardians. Her smile widens when she spots Tony, clapping near the back with his sunglasses and a baseball cap on, and he flashes a discreet thumbs up.
"Thank you!" Taylor settles the crowd, once she's given a stepstool for the podium. "Thank you. Now..," she clears her throat, "I was supposed to have a speech. So, here goes."
"I am not a normal case. By any means. I am here, standing before you, as a twelve year old graduate, let alone valedictorian, almost six years behind the rest of you. I was told, four years ago, that I would never make it. Well," she shrugs, "I did. We did. We all ignored the naysayers, pushed through, and stayed afloat long enough to be here. Here, in this auditorium. This is the finish line, but also the start of a whole new race. This race is called adulthood."
She pauses with a smirk. "Well, for the rest of you, anyways. Most of us, like me, are going to college. Whether it be MIT, NYU, or Columbia, our minds will be enriched and shown the path to our chosen lives and careers. There are doctors, lawyers, politicians, soldiers, and maybe even a future President in this crowd before me. We have our lives ahead of us, let's be sure to fill them to the brim."
The crowd roars, and Taylor shakes the principal's hand before stepping down and strutting off stage.
"Nice speech, Taylor." Bruce grins at me.
"No big deal." I shrug. "I have been told I have a way with words."
"Why couldn't you have been around to write my valedictorian speech?" he whines.
"Graduating year?"
"'89, top of my class."
I nod serenely. "Mmhmm. Wait ten years. Then I'll be born."
He huffs as we resume the memory.
540 name calls later…
"Stark, Taylor, Summa cum laude, with honors. Technical Scholarship."
Taylor struts back across the stage as the crowd cheers once more. She shakes the hand of the principal, assistant principals, and a few deans before turning for a picture and trying not to stumble off stage.
"Nice job, sweetheart." Tony leans against the convertible as Taylor practically skips out after ducking for cover during the tossing of the hats.
She blinks up at him after releasing the offered hug. "It's just high school."
"Yeah," he shrugs, "but valedictorian, summa cum laude, with honors. At twelve."
"You did the same thing." she points out, climbing into the car.
He just shrugs again as he starts the car and cranks up the radio, letting the old rock stream through the car.
Taylor beams as she grabs a pen and air drums to the tune of 'We will Rock You," as Tony drives off.
"So, you ready for MIT in the fall?"
Taylor shrugs. "I guess. They're ok with virtual, right?"
"Right, I talked to the principal on Tuesday."
"I bet he wasn't happy."
"He still doesn't like me," Tony whines, "and I still have no clue why!"
"I think the better question here," Taylor smirks wryly, "is this: is MIT ready for another Stark?"
A~A~A
"Nice job, milady." Clint murmurs, running a hand through my hair.
"Why thank you, kind sir." I smirk at him.
"Seriously, though," Bruce's voice is almost smothered by awe, "summa cum laude, honors, and the smartest kid in the grade? Do you have a one-upping problem or something?"
I shake my head. "Nope. Just brains. You did the same thing."
"Not at twelve! Try twenty!"
All I can do is blink at him.
.
The Calhoun School is a real private school in Manhattan.
I do not own it. It was chosen randomly.
The only thing I own is Taylor and all affiliated names and such.