Reupload
Thank you to Harliquinn for beta reading and editing
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Skye was sitting with an ice pack on her eye. This was bad. This was really bad. She had been in a lot of trouble before, but this took the cake. She had been training with the Avengers for six months now. During the summer she had spent as much time as she could at the compound. But she still had to be at the group home most days. And, at this point, the group home was hell. There was nothing else to describe it. It was pure hell.
It wasn't just Ms. Torres, the other girls had reached a whole other level of bullying her. It was clear at this point that it was all jealousy. She had reached the end of her tolerance level for the abuse and bullying. She had screamed and yelled, telling everyone that she was sorry they were all jealous bitches. Ms. Torres actually wasn't there the moment it had happened, so the other girls had lost it on her and started to kick the shit out of her. She was going to be covered in bruises. There was no hiding this anymore. She had been able to hide a few bruises over the last few months, or she had been able to come up with an excuse of where they had came from.
The first time she had gone to the compound with a black eye she had just told everyone she had been playing twister with some of the other girls and ended up with an elbow in the eyes. It was believed. The next time she had a visible mark it was a burn, and she simply said she had accidently touched the burner with her arm when she was cooking. And, whenever she could, she kept any grab marks, bruises or burns covered. But now…
When she had managed to get away from the other girls, she ran and left the house. She found a place to hide for a few hours. But when she got home the other girls all had told Ms. Torres that she had attacked them, and they had had to defend themselves. Ms. Torres handed her an ice pack for the bruise that was forming on her eye and locked her in her room. It wasn't true, but she couldn't prove that. She was sure that, if anyone at the Compound was told she had done this, they would believe she had used her powers. That would not go over well.
She had only been in trouble once during the time she had been spending there. She had been told off for swearing or being rude a few times. The night she had been busted at the park was the only time she had been in serious trouble. But this was it. She was done. She was not going to be staying in New York. No one would believe her. It was her word against seven other girls. And she was the "trouble maker", not that she had ever been in any physical fights before. She would use her words, never her fists.
Ms. Torres came into her room. "You packed for the weekend?"
Skye nodded. It was Thanksgiving Weekend, and she had been so excited to go to the Compound.
"Good. What are you going to tell them about what happened?" Ms. Torres asked.
"Um. I hadn't thought about it. I figured I wasn't going," Skye said.
"I couldn't keep you here, even if I wanted to," Ms. Torres said.
"Didn't you call my social worker? Aren't I getting kicked out?" Skye asked.
"Nope. I think if you tell Mr. Rogers what you did, he is going to do far more than moving you to another home would do," Ms. Torres said.
"I didn't do anything wrong," Skye said.
"So attacking them wasn't wrong?" Ms. Torres asked.
"I didn't touch any of them. Notice that I am the one covered in bruises," Skye said.
"Well, you tried to attack seven girls. You were outnumbered. They just needed to defend themselves," Ms. Torres said.
"That's not what happened," Skye said.
"Don't. . . Fucking. . . Lie," Ms. Torres said, going towards her and towering over her.
"O-Okay. But, it's not what it looks like," Skye said.
"You don't want to go this weekend?" Ms. Torres asked.
"Of course I do," Skye said.
"Then you are going to tell them the truth, otherwise I can do it for you," Ms. Torres said.
Skye nodded.
"And I will tell them you used your super strength if you make up some stupid lies," Ms. Torres said.
Skye's heart stopped for a moment. "What are you talking about?" she managed to get out when words could be formed again.
"You think I don't know? Don't think I figured it out? I knew there was no way they would just pick a piece of shit useless child like you," Ms. Torres said with a smirk.
"I don't know what you are talking about," Skye said.
She got slapped across the face. "STOP FUCKING. LYING."
Skye whimpered and tears formed in her eyes.
"Get the fuck out of my sight," Ms. Torres said.
Skye grabbed her bag and went downstairs and outside. She texted Happy. "Can you please come get me a little early?"
Happy got the text and went to go.
"Where are you heading?" Tony asked.
"Skye texting me to come get her early," Happy said.
"She okay?" Tony asked.
"I'm not sure," Happy said as he left. When he arrived at the group home, he saw her sitting outside with an ice pack on her face. "What happened?" He asked as he got out.
"Can we just go? I'll explain later," Skye said softly.
"Who did this to you Skye?" Happy asked.
Skye let tears fall.
Happy went up the stairs to the door.
"Happy, no. Please don't!" Skye begged in tears.
Happy knocked.
Ms. Torres opened it. "What?"
"Who did this to her?" he asked.
Skye couldn't look at either of them.
"She attacked the other girls. They had to defend themselves," Ms. Torres said.
Happy looked at Skye, who was leaning against the limo and not looking at anyone.
"Isn't that right, Skyler?" Ms. Torres said. The tone in her voice left no doubt in her mind if she said otherwise Happy would be told she used her powers. She hadn't used them, but she didn't think right now anyone would believe her.
Skye felt her heart breaking. She knew she was going to be in so much trouble. She nodded
"She has been pretty good since she started spending weekends with you all. I figured I would let you all handle it," Ms. Torres said. "Having her moved won't change a damn thing."
Happy nodded "I'll make sure Ms. Rogers knows what happened."
Ms. Torres went back inside.
Happy went and opened the door for her, not saying a word.
She got in. Happy got into the front and started the drive.
"Happy," she said softly.
"Skyler, now is not the time to talk," Happy said.
Skye completely broke down sobbing and shaking. Happy sighed. "Skye, you messed up, big time," he said.
Skye just continued to sob. He pulled over to the side of the road and got out. He opened the back door, lifted her from her seat, and wrapped her in a hug. He had never seen her like this before, and, no matter what she had done, she was clearly hurting.
Skye sobbed and sobbed into him till she had no tears left to cry.
"But no matter what you did you are not going anywhere, you know that right?" Happy asked.
"I don't know, Happy. This is bad," she said softly.
"I can promise you that you are not going anywhere," he said.
Skye nodded. She sat back down and buckled back up.
Happy got back in and drove the rest of the way to the Compound. They both went inside. Skye almost bumped into Peter.
"Skye, hi!" he said, his expression changing. "What the hell happened to you?"
Skye started to cry again.
Peter looked up at Happy, who shook his head.
"Come on. Let's go talk," Peter said.
"Um, Pete, I think I should take her to Steve right away," Happy said.
"Steve just got pulled to go to the store to help Pepper get last minute things for Thanksgiving. I'll have her up there in an hour," Peter said.
"Okay. But if Steve comes back before then I will text you, and you will need to bring her up. And, do not let her out of your sight," Happy said.
"Got it," Peter said as he looked at Skye. "I can take you to my favorite place to think if you want. But, it will mean swinging above the city."
"Actually, can we maybe go down to the pretty much empty lab?" she asked.
"Sure," Peter said, and he led her down there. "What happened?"
"You want the truth or the story I have to tell everyone or risk even more trouble?" Skye asked.
"The truth. What do you mean by the story you have to tell everyone? No one here is going to want anything but the truth," Peter said.
"Yeah, but telling the truth risks lies being told about me and making everything worse. It also risks having my powers revealed. And, if people don't believe me," Skye said.
"Shit. Who did you tell about your powers that you shouldn't have?" Peter asked.
"No one, not a single person," Skye said. "But the person who runs the group home figured it out."
"Well, tell me the truth about what actually happened," Peter said.
"I got into a verbal altercation with the other girls in the home. Ms. Torres wasn't there. I called them all jealous bitches because they are jealous that I got this mentorship," Skye started. "They didn't take well to being called that. All seven of them came at me and attacked me."
"Wow," Peter said. "What did Ms. Torres say when she got home?"
"They all told her that I tried to attack them, and they had to defend themselves. I don't know if she actually believes them, or if she doesn't give a shit what happens to me. But, she is making me tell everyone that I attacked them. She told me if I told anyone that I was attacked she would tell Steve that I used my powers against them," Skye said.
"If you had used your powers against them, they would be the ones covered in bruises, not you." Peter said
"Even if I was out numbered seven to one?" Skye asked. "And I have been lying to everyone for months already." Skye said.
"About what?" Peter asked
"When I had the black eye and the burn, they weren't accidents. Ms. Torres did it to me," Skye said.
"Why didn't you tell anyone the truth?" Peter asked.
"I didn't want to be removed from that home. Because I would be placed in another home outside of New York and, probably, coming here would stop," Skye said.
Peter let out a breath.
"Can you do me a favour?" Skye asked.
"Not if it means not telling the truth," Peter said.
"No. Um, I- I need out of there. Ms. Torres isn't even telling my social worker what happened. She sent me here knowing that Steve would find out what 'I did' and would let me have it," Skye said.
"How can I help with that?" Peter asked.
"I need to find out if I have any biological family. Do you know how to do that with the computers and such?" Skye asked?
Peter made a face. "I could probably figure it out."
"Then can you do it? Please," Skye said.
"Skye. I don't know. It could cause more issues. And if we get caught…," Peter said.
"I will take the blame," Skye said.
"I don't think that will go over with Tony," Peter said.
"Please, Pete," Skye said, in tears.
"I already know I'm going to regret this," he said. "Let's do this before I change my mind." Peter was nervous. This topped the list of stupidest things he have ever done. But, he couldn't begin to understand what she was going through. "Okay. I'm just going to take some saliva. And we will see what comes up in the computers when I put it in the system," he said.
"Okay," she said.
Peter did what was necessary to get the analysis started to hopefully answer Skye's question. His phone went off with a text. He ignored it.
Skye looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"I've been dealing with these people for several years. I know how to keep us out of trouble. If I read it, they will know I saw it. If I don't, I can just say I didn't hear it," he said before the computer beeped.
Peter's face changed to complete shock when he looked at the screen.
"What?" Skye asked, as she tried to get a look at the screen. Peter closed the window quickly. "No," he said.
"What?" Skye asked again, this time with more intensity.
"Oh, fuck," Peter said, putting a hand over his mouth in shock. "I -I. Oh, my god," he said.
"What? Am I dying?" Skye asked.
"No!" Peter said. "Nothing like that." He picked up his phone.
"What are you doing?" Skye asked.
"What I should have done when you asked me to do this," Peter said.
"No!" Skye said. "Are you nuts?" she asked.
"Skye, you don't understand. I had to have done something wrong for these results. I need someone who knows more than I do to look at them," Peter said.
"Peter, no," Skye said, in tears.
Peter texted Tony, "I need you to come down to the empty lab in the basement. Bring Steve. Don't tell anyone else. I'll explain everything."
Happy had told Tony and Steve what had happened at the group home. When Tony received Peter's text message, he raised his eyebrow and showed it to Steve. They both went to the basement lab.
"Oh, my god," Tony said when he saw Skye. The bruises were getting worse by the minute.
"You attacked them? And you are the one covered in bruises?" Steve asked, going over to her.
"She didn't attack anyone. She is being forced to lie to everyone," Peter said.
"Pete!" Skye said.
"Okay, is this why you called us down, Pete?" Tony asked, looking at Peter.
"Um, no. Skye asked me to try and help her find out if she has any biological family out there. Without telling anyone… I did it. And, I don't know if I did something wrong. This isn't exactly my area of expertise. But you both need to see the results, and I don't think you will want her to see it," Peter said.
Steve hugged Skye, who sobbed into him. "I need you to promise me you won't look," he told her.
Skye nodded. "Promise." She sobbed
Tony nodded at Peter, who pulled the screen back up.
Tony looked confused and then shocked. "What exactly did you do?" he asked.
Peter explained what he did.
"Sounds like you did everything right. But this can't be right," Tony said, looking at Steve who had gone white.
"Could it be?" Tony asked Steve.
"I don't know… I mean… Yes. It's possible. But I would have known," Steve said.
"You sure?" Tony asked.
"Well. I thought so. But it all fits," Steve said.
Tony looked at Peter now, his arms crossed across his chest.
"The only explanation I want from you is why you did this in the first place," Tony said. He was angry now.
"You didn't see her face, Tony. She needed help," Peter said.
"I do not care what face she gave you. She is thirteen. You are nineteen. You were the adult in the situation. You should have told me or told Steve, and we would have handled it," Tony said.
"It's not his fault," Skye said.
Steve took a breath and looked at her. "You don't get to talk right now," he said.
Tony's focus was still on Peter. "You're not a kid anymore, Peter. I expected better from you."
Peter nodded. "Yes, sir," he said softly.
"What exactly did she say that made you decide to do this behind my back and behind Steve's back?" Tony asked.
"She can't stay in the group home she is in anymore," Peter said.
"And you don't think we can see that? She is covered in bruises," Steve said.
"But the story she was told she had to tell everyone, doesn't paint her as the victim. She figured no one would believe her," Peter said.
"That's bullshit, Peter," Tony said. "Maybe she thought that, but you know better. You should have brought her to Steve and made her tell him everything."
"And then you would have been told I used my powers against the other girls, and I would be in even more trouble," Skye said.
"You used your powers?" Steve asked.
"No! But Ms. Torres somehow figured out I have super strength and told me if I didn't tell you that I attacked the other girls and they just defended themselves she would tell you that I had used my powers," Skye said.
"What actually happened?" Steve asked.
"Ms. Torres wasn't home. I got into a verbal fight with the other girls. Since I started the mentorship they have all been jealous that I got picked over them. It has reached a point I couldn't take it anymore. I called them all a bunch of jealous bitches. They all attacked me. The only thing I did was push to get away. I didn't use my full strength." Skye started telling Steve and Tony what had actually happened, what had happened when Happy got there, and why he knew the made-up story and not the truth.
"The black eye she had before and the burn? Those weren't accidents. She has been being abused," Peter said.
Skye shot him a look.
"Thank you, Pete," Steve said before looking at Skye. "You promised me there was no physical abuse."
"When I said that there wasn't. This has just been the last few months," Skye said.
"Okay," Steve said, rubbing his hand over his face.
"I think both of you need to go upstairs," Tony said. "Peter, my office in half an hours. We will be having a long conversation about the laws you broke today."
"Yes, sir," Peter said, going.
"And you need to go to your room," Steve told Skye.
Skye nodded and went.
Steve looked at Tony. "What the fuck do I do?"
Steve didn't swear. Tony smirked. "Language."
"Stark, really?" Steve asked.
Tony let out a small chuckle "Sorry. What do you mean, what do you do?"
"She's my daughter. They broke the law to figure it out. She is being abused. She has been lying to me for three months about it. I'm guessing she has been covering up other bruises. And, she was going to lie to me about what happened today because she was afraid I wouldn't believe her. The fact that she has super strength is now at risk of being released, meaning there's a target on her back," Steve said. "What do I do?"
"You take it one step at a time. First, you need to go make sure she isn't seriously injured. Make sure she is icing things. Second, we will contact the police and a lawyer. She is not going back to that house. I will make some calls, then get the legal paperwork to check her DNA and get someone who knows what they are doing to verify it. Third, you take that proof and the evidence of abuse and the fact that she has been a completely different kid since starting to come here to a judge, who hopefully will give you custody. If you are her father. You didn't know. You have rights. Fourth, her powers might come to light, but she will be here where she will be protected. And somewhere in there you do whatever you plan to do because she was involved in breaking the law," Tony said
Steve let out a breath. "I'm supposed to be the one who knows what to do."
"You are not Captain America, and I'm not Iron Man right now. You are Steve, and I am Tony. You are the one who insisted that we all move in here so we could keep each other safe and support each other. Well that's all I'm doing. It's about time you let someone help you," Tony said. "God, what has happened to me?" Tony asked.
Steve laughed, "You became a father."
"Like you just did," Tony said. "So go be her dad."
"Do I tell her about these results?" Steve asked.
"Do you think they are correct?" Tony asked.
"Don't you?" Steve asked. "It all makes sense."
Tony nodded. "I see it all now. How we didn't figure this out before now… . Why, she has the same abilities as you and the same eyes."
"Her mother's hair and stubbornness," Steve said.
"Yeah, the mother, who is she?" Tony asked with a smirk.
"Oh, if she was still alive I would go and give her a piece of my mind. We broke up, but we stayed friendly. We talked, for two years. We would have been talking when she had her. And not once did she even hint at being pregnant," Steve said. "Then she passed away. I went to her funeral," he said, shaking his head.
"Well, you can be angry with her, but that doesn't change what is. Your daughter needs you right now," Tony said.
"When did you get so mature?" Steve asked with a smirk.
"Well, when our resident goody good is the one about to lose his shit, someone else has to step in," Tony said with a smirk. "But, hey, at least no one will think you're a virgin anymore."
"Why does everyone think that? 1943 on the USO tour," Steve said, shaking his head.
Tony laughed. "Okay."
Steve nodded and took a breath before going upstairs. Tony followed.