He settles his hands lightly against her shoulders. It takes Mary a moment to lean into his touch, turning her face towards him with a hint of a smile playing at her lips. His mind conjures the comparison of a sunflower turning towards the sun itself with how she looks at him.

"Am I interrupting any deep thoughts?" Norman teases easily, squeezing her shoulders affectionately. He would love to know what was going on in her head sometimes.

Mary's lips curl into a more easy going smile as she shakes her head, "Oh, no. Just... thinking about the party."

Norman leans in to brush a kiss against her brow, drawing back to take in her fine features. "You must be excited. You haven't been to a party in a long time?"

Her smile doesn't waver as she brushes her fingers through her curls. "Not since I was a girl. My parents weren't... well, we didn't have much."

There is always that hesitation on Mary's part to share. Norman couldn't blame her. He found her deep in Romania, a woman willing to sell herself into something horrible to find a better life somewhere else. She took a dangerous chance that only worked out because of him. If he was in her shoes, he wouldn't want to dwell on the past either.

He hoped with time, he would be able to unravel the mystery of how a woman on the edge of being

a genius wound up like this. There was always something mysterious about Mary that Norman found attractive. There was so much more going on behind those dark brown eyes, and he wanted to know everything.

"Now you have the opposite problem." He confirms easily, "I'm happy to make your life so much better."

Her lips twitch, but her smile doesn't waver. "I'm happy too." She doesn't elaborate further, just letting her gaze drop. "How has your project at work been going?"

Norman is more than happy to explain the details of the latest project his staff is working on. The man is delighted when Mary seems to understand everything being spoken about. She peppers in an occasional quiet question, and it makes his day all the brighter.

--

She's a mystery he hopes to unravel.

The more they settle into their lives in New York, the more there is to discover.

Mary hums quietly under her breath when she thinks she's alone. Her gaze distant, as she sings to herself. She sways in place, occasionally moving to a song he can't hear. Her voice isn't classically beautiful, but he would happily listen to her if she let him. Her voice wavers on gravely, strange and different in a way he can't place. Like there is someone else there.

When she hears him, she clams back up, focused, attentive, flirty. He doesn't know enough about the culture to question why she does any of this. Norman hopes she will tell him with time.

She eats like she's never eaten before. Norman supposes its normal now that the honeymoon is over. She doesn't have to worry about impressing him. Norman can't blame her, she lived in poverty after all. Mary apologizes for overdoing it, but he encourages her. He kisses her, promising he would always hold her close no matter what size she is. She eats like she can't get enough food.

Mary just smiles, holding onto his hand gently. "I'll hold you to that." She murmurs softly. She kisses his knuckles playfully.

Mary is his, and he intends to find out all he can about her. ——

She is a dark shadow at the edge of the bed, utterly still that Norman almost thinks he's dreaming. If not for the rise and fall of her chest, he would have just rolled over to fall back asleep. Her name catches in the back of his throat as he takes in the curls of her hair and the shape of her slender shoulders.

Mary's breath shakes as she seemingly winds herself back down from crying. She rests her hands against her knees, sucking in another breath. He watches her for a moment or two longer before she pushes herself up and off the bed to walk over to the windows lining the other side of the room.

Mary stares down at the city, placing a hand against the glass as she murmurs to herself. Norman can't make out what is being said, but her shoulders are shaking again. She seems to be crying as quietly as she can.

He finally sits up, calling out to her, "Mary-?"

She startles at that, whipping around to stare at him. "N-Norman." She wipes at her face with her hands quickly, her voice wobbles with tears. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

He pushes the covers away, rising to his feet. "Mary, you didn't wake me. What's wrong?"

She wipes at her eyes, breathing unevenly. "Just a nightmare." Her voice is so small. Norman untangles himself from the blankets to roll out of bed. He walks over to her, and Mary gazes out at the city below. Her palm is pressed tight against the glass, shaking where it is placed. Norman reaches out to pull the slender woman against his chest.

He holds her against him, but Mary never seems to relax. He presses a few kisses against the back of her neck, her shoulders, wherever he can reach.

"I'll keep you safe, Mary." He promises, resting his cheek against her shoulders. "I won't let you go."

She laughs a little breathlessly as he pulls her back towards the bed. She collapses into the covers, dark hair a halo against the white silk sheets.

"Is that a promise?" She asks, finally looking at him. "It is." He kisses her, again, and again.

She melts under him. Norman intends to help her forget she ever had a nightmare in the first place. When they finish she is relaxed next to him, eyes half lidded as she smiles at him adoringly.

--

He squeezes her hip fondly, smiling at her as Mary turns towards him. Her own smile is somewhat warmer than he has seen it for the past day or so. She looks gorgeous, a living divine creature gracing him with her presence.

"Are you ready for the party?" He questions with a low chuckle.

"More than ready." Mary answers with a playful wink. She reaches out to grab at the lapel of his suit, pulling him in to brush their lips together. "I'll be waiting for you, after the party."

Norman laughs lowly, "I look forward to testing out just how high I can flip the slit of your dress." He closes the gap to kiss her properly, a hand settling against the curve of her ass.

She only pulls away with a girlish giggle, fluttering her lashes as she turns away. "Don't keep our guests waiting, Normie."

He can't help but watch her go, marveling at his luck. He wants to enjoy this before they inevitably settle down.

Starting a family with Mary would be a perfect addition to everything else. His son wouldn't be thrilled to have a much younger sibling, but he would adjust with time. The thought buoys Norman through the rest of the party. He occasionally picks out his wife in the crowd, but knows she will come back to him with time.

She always comes back to him. She always chooses him.

--

He slams his hands against the desk, "What do you mean you can't find her!?"

"Sir, we've searched every floor we could. We can't find her." One of the security guards says carefully back. The man crosses his arms over his chest defensively. The other man shuffles next to him awkwardly. All Norman can see is the incompetence radiating off of them.

"Search again! My wife doesn't even know anything about this country! She could be lost or hurt!" Norman has to resist his urge to just fire the idiots on the spot. He expected them to do their damn jobs. He thought he had hired the best security possible.

"We have two other agents going over the security footage, sir." The shorter agent offers carefully, "We've already poured over every inch of the building we could."

Norman releases a frustrated sound, scrubbing at his face with his hands. "Incompetent! You're both-" He trails off with another sound. "Find her, now!"

"Sir! Mr. Osborn!" Another man's voice called out as the door to his office was thrown open by a harried security officer in a suit. "You need to see this!"

Norman pushes himself up out of his seat, "Did you find her!?" He walks around his desk past the two other guards towards the one lingering in the doorway of his office.

"We know who took her." The man confirms breathlessly as he takes a step back, "We have the tape for you."

Watching Tony Stark and his little entourage just walk away with his scared wife is enough to leave Norman feeling sick.

--

No matter how many times he calls, Stark never picks up the phone. No matter how many times he sends the police, they come back empty handed. No matter how he pleads, begs, or threatens the police aren't doing their jobs.

It is almost like Mary Osborn never existed. He has pictures of her, he has proof she existed, but the police merely shrug him off. Stark never picks up his damn phone. Norman tries every number he can, puts PI's on the case to reach out, to find out where his wife is.

Eventually Norman gets a Cease and Desist notice from Stark Industries. His PI's drop their cases, most just stop answering his calls too. He has all the resources in the world and what does it really mean? Does he need to go down there himself and barge into Stark's home to be sure his wife isn't chained to that bastard's bed?

Stark has to be hiding her. That is all Norman can even think of. There is no way someone as radiant as Mary Osborn can disappear into thin air.

His suspicions are confirmed when his lawyer calls in a panic. The Avengers and police are bringing a case against him. He hires more lawyers eager to cut their teeth on a case.

How laughable. He will win this, he'll get his wife back.

He raises the glass to his lips, gazing out at the city below his penthouse. Mary always loved this view. He can understand why.

--

Disgust is written so plainly across Harry's features Norman nearly can't look at him. The college

student breaks the silence as he finally speaks.

"You... bought her?" He questions incredulously, "Thats- that's what this was?"

"Harry, it's more than that-" So much more, he knew Mary loves him. She had to. She was so smitten by him. She never fought him. "She loves me."

Stark had to clearly be pulling the strings. He had to be. There was no way Mary would just run off with him willingly.

"She's someone who got human trafficked and you purchased her. Do you know how fucked that is?" Harry questions sharply back, dragging his hands through his hair. "Holy shit, dad! There is no way your defense team is going to be able to keep you out of jail!"

"Mary is going to vouch for me. Say it was... a misunderstanding. All of this has to be." He breathes out, trying to dig his heels in.

Harry just stares at him. "Are you not hearing yourself?" A weak pained laugh escapes the young man. He cradles his face in his hands. "Dad, she fucking hated you. She was miserable. I could see that. Why the hell can't you?"

"Because I know the truth, Harry! I know she loves me!" He barks back out, swatting a glass off of the table. "She'll escape from Stark-"

"She escaped from you!" Harry drops his hands onto the kitchen table, "Now you're losing everything! Fuck, dad do you not see it!?"

"This case will be thrown out! They don't have anything viable on me." The man scoffs back, sparing a glance to the broken glass on the floor in pieces. "Damn it all, I liked that glass."

"Have you not looked at any of the paperwork your lawyers are bringing here? Are you really that delusional!?"

What was supposed to be a family dinner has become an interrogation by his own flesh and blood. Norman thought he would have his own son's loyalty.

--

She is a dark shadow at the edge of the bed, utterly still that Norman almost thinks he's dreaming. Norman almost thinks he's dreaming.

The moonlight is a backlight, highlighting the wildness of her curls and her slender shoulders. He twists under the covers.

She finally has come home. She chose him.

Just as suddenly he's being hauled along the wall. He can hear glass hitting the floor, things

breaking. What relief that had been there dissipates into pure panic as he struggles. "M-Mary-"

The rage on her face, its horrifying and beautiful all at once.

--

The wind is cold and cuts through them. The symbiote curls more tightly around her body to keep

them both warm. She can feel the strange being curling close, protecting her. Unity will keep her safe.

Penny tips her head back, eyes closed as he listens to the sound of the city. She opens her eyes, gazing up at the moon heavy amongst the clouds overhead. The city is so alive, and so free. All she wants to do is leap from a ledge and be free. She is finally free.

The taste of blood in the back of their throat stings and makes her stomach twist. She isn't hungry anymore.

"Do you think we'll ever have a home?" She questions softly aloud.

"Together, we are home."

"Unity." Penny whispers back, "Unity."

"Together, we are one." They speak together. She turns away from the penthouse, from the death left in her wake to leap over the ledge of the building.

Together they swing. They move with practiced ease, cutting through the air as they make short of web swinging through the beauty of New York. They lose time as they move. They lose time so easily now, but her mind always comes back to this being their city.

Her city.

Her home.

Her people.

May, Tony, Pepper, Happy, Rhodey- ̇ǝldoǝԀ ɹǝH

̇ǝldoǝԀ ɹnO

--

The countryside is so much quieter than New York. Too quiet. She can feel Unity squirming in discomfort. Penny climbs through the foliage, scuttling towards a clearing. After spending so much time lost in the city, somewhere new is scary for both of them.

The early morning hours are starting to spill over the countryside. Birds sing, animals shuffle through the greenery. Only the occasional car passes on the roads they pass. Penny moves more by muscle memory than real thought. The drive out here was something she could remember so clearly, so easily that running and climbing there isn't much of a problem.

She breaks through the treetops, peering down at the clearing with interest.

The cabin is familiar now. She hasn't been here in a long time, but she knows it. She moves through the trees to the ones closest to the cabin. She used to climb these trees for fun once. As a teenager, as a college student. This place was another home.

A balcony juts out from one side of the house, dotted with toys and colorful banners. Penny drops down onto it carefully, chuckling lowly as she nearly lands on an elaborate tea party. She gingerly rights a fallen bear, running claws across the well worn fabric.

The glass door is shut, but she taps at the glass. She can wait. She waited for so long already.

She keeps tapping until a familiar face peers out. Surprise and some fear rise to the surface. Penny can taste it even with the glass dividing them.

She extends a hand, the symbiote peeling away to reveal who lays beneath. Recognition dawns on the little girl's face. Relief, love, belief.

"Morgan."

The girl opens the door. Penny can smell Tony and Pepper here. She can smell May here too. That's where she went to, no wonder the apartment was empty.

Penny gingerly takes Morgan's hand in her own, crouching on her level.

"Do you want to hear a secret?" She whispers softly in the early morning air as Morgan steps out of the house onto the balcony with her.