Reupload
Thank you to Harliquinn for beta reading and editing
/\/\/\/\
Skye managed to get outside through a back door. She sat on a small ledge, her feet dangling over the side. It was a cold November day, but the cold didn't really affect her.
A while later a girl sat down next to her. "Seems like you found my hideaway," the girl said.
Skye sighed. "Sorry, I'll go," she said, going to get up.
"No, that's okay. That's not what I mean," the other girl said.
Skye took a breath.
"I'm guessing you're Skye," she said.
"Yeah," Skye said.
"I'm Lila Barton," she said.
"Oh," Skye said.
"You can sit. I wasn't trying to push you away," Lila said.
Skye sat back down.
"I could sense the tension in there. I figured I would come out here and get some air," Lila said.
"Yeah, don't think you are going to get away from the tension with me," Skye said. "How much has your dad told you about me?"
"That you are training with Uncle Steve and Wanda, and that you have some sort of powers," Lila said.
Skye nodded.
"I get the feeling he doesn't know much more," Lila said.
"Oh, I'm guessing they all know about me at this point," Skye said. "He probably wouldn't want me hanging out with you."
"Why not?" Lila asked.
"I'm 'bad news'," Skye said.
"I find that hard to believe," Lila said.
"Well, you don't know me very well," Skye said.
Lila shrugged. "Well, tell me about yourself then."
"What do you want to know? The fact that I have worn out my welcome in every single foster and group home in New York and most of New Jersey? That I have a criminal record the length of the Great Wall? Or that if a judge doesn't agree to let me go with my biological father, I probably will never step foot in this compound again? Oh yeah, and my biological father is Steve Rogers," Skye said tears, filling her eyes as she spilled her guts about what had happened earlier that day with being attacked by the other girls in the home.
"Shit," Lila said. "Um. Wow."
"Yeah. So, I am not someone you probably want to get to know," Skye said.
"Well, any of those charges involve hurting anyone?" Lila asked.
"No," Skye said.
"Then I don't care," Lila said.
Skye sighed softly.
"How long have you known Steve is your father?" Lila asked.
Skye looked at her phone. "About ninety minutes."
"I can't imagine he knew about you," Lila said.
"He said he didn't. I believe him." Skye said.
Lila nodded.
"But, I'm no longer just the charity case that make him and the others all look good," Skye said. "Now I'm an obligation."
"I don't think that's how they all see you, either before or now," Lila said.
Skye shrugged.
"It's not," Clint said from behind them.
Lila looked up. "Dad," she said.
"You think we didn't know where you went to hide when you try to get away from everything in there?" Clint asked his daughter.
"Wishful thinking?" Lila asked with a smile.
"Yup, go on. Pepper needs help preparing the meal. I'll be back in with Skye in a few minutes," Clint told her.
Lila went inside.
Clint took the spot where his daughter had just been sitting next to Skye.
"Steve told us everything. Everyone is looking for you," Clint said.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to worry everyone," Skye said.
"It's okay. They will get over it," Clint said. "You know, you are not the only one who has a past, Skye; not the only one who has done stupid things. But, in this family, we don't just throw people away when they screw up. Or because they have a past."
"You were listening for awhile, huh?" Skye asked.
"I'm a dad. I know when its important to listen and not interfere," Clint said with a smile.
Skye nodded.
"Skye, you were never a charity case to any of us. And you are not just some obligation to Steve now, either. You are his daughter. He hasn't said this, but I'm guessing that how he feels is how I would feel if I found out I have a teenager who I didn't know about and who was going through hell in a crappy group home. I would feel like I should have known. I should have protected her," Clint said. "Now that he knows, he is going to do whatever a dad would do for his daughter."
Skye nodded.
"Now, you can sit out here alone or come in and be with the people who want you around. Either way, it's your choice," Clint said.
Skye smiled slightly. "I guess I'll go inside."
Clint got up and held a hand out to her. Skye took his hand, and he helped her up. They both went inside.
"There you are," Steve said when she went into the kitchen. He went over to her. "Are you okay?"
"Yes. I'm sorry if I worried you," she said softly, looking down.
He gently led her away from the eyes of everyone else. He took her chin gently and made her look at him. "I'm not upset. I know you are going to need time to wrap your head around all this. It's a lot to come to terms with in such a short period of time. I will be here for every step of the way. But you take the time you need. If you need space, no one in there is going to blame you for that, least of all me," Steve told her before letting her chin go.
Skye nodded "I want to be with everyone. It's Thanksgiving weekend. You're supposed to spend time with the people who are important to you," she said.
"Okay, come on. There are a few people you haven't met yet that I want to introduce you to," Steve said.
Skye went with him, putting on a smile and meeting the few new faces. She than went and asked Pepper what she could do to help.
Pepper smiled and gave her something to do. It was just prepping to make the day of the meal easier for everyone.
Once they were done prepping, they ended up just ordering in pizza for dinner that night. While they were eating Steve went to Skye and spoke quietly. "You okay with it if an air mattress is set up in your room for the weekend for Lila?"
"Are you actually asking, or is this is your way of letting me know?" Skye asked.
"I'm honestly asking," Steve said.
"I have no issue with it at all. But, I still have a hard time thinking that I could actually say no. It's not really my room anyways. It's the room I stay in when I'm here," Skye said.
"It is absolutely your room, especially since you aren't going anywhere anymore. And I appreciate that you are willing to share," Steve said.
Skye shrugged. "Why wouldn't I? I don't understand how people would refuse to share."
Steve smiled. "That's because you're a good kid with a big heart."
Skye smiled a bit. Steve went with Clint and set up the air mattress in the room.
"So, how are you feeling about all this?" Clint asked Steve.
"The fact that the girl who I have grown to see like a daughter is actually my daughter? Shocked." Steve said.
"Makes sense, but the fact that you already saw her as your daughter means you were already treating her as such. So all that is going to change is that you will have much more say in what is going on with her. It means that getting her in this home away from the abuse is that much easier," Clint said.
"I hope that is the case," Steve said. "I will never admit this in court, but if things don't go well I'm starting to like the idea of someone taking her as far away from that woman and people who have been hurting her. It will kill me not to see her, but her safety is so much more important."
Clint smirked. "You are not letting Thor take her into space."
Steve chuckled. "I hope it won't come to that, but the idea is there."
"We will all be there. You will not have to do this alone. There is an expression. It takes a village to raise a child. We are your village," Clint said.
"Thanks, Clint," Steve said.
"I know what it is to raise kids in this world. And I don't have to worry about mine having powers," Clint said.
"Yeah, that terrifies me even more. To know she has the serum going though her. I chose that. She didn't," Steve said.
"Most people don't get to choose their DNA. And you didn't exactly choose the DNA. You chose to alter your DNA. And, yes, that means it affects your children and all future generations. But you planned to have kids at some point, right?" Clint asked.
"Yes. I always planned to have kids," Steve said.
"And you had to know that they would have some version of your powers," Clint said.
"Yes. But thinking hypothetically and seeing it in action? It's not the same," Steve said.
"Yeah. And I imagine thinking about how you have been working with her for months not knowing," Clint said.
"She has knocked me on my butt a couple times. She is going to be better and stronger than me," Steve said.
"Is that a bad thing?" A small voice asked from the door.
Steve and Clint looked to see Skye standing there.
"No," Steve said definitively. "I want you to be better than me. That's all any parent wants."
Skye nodded.
"You okay?" Steve asked.
"Just tired. It's been a long day," Skye said.
Clint left the room, ruffling Skye's hair as he went.
"Air mattress is set up. I'm going to let you rest," Steve said.
"Thanks," she said.
He left the room, closing the door behind him. Skye grabbed some clothes and went into the bathroom and took a shower before changing into her pajamas.
When she went into the room Lila was in there looking through her own bag.
"Thanks for sharing your room," Lila said.
"Of course, and it doesn't really feel like my room, to be honest. This the room you usually sleep in when you are here?" Skye asked.
"Yes, but I'm happy to have a bunk buddy," Lila said with a smile.
"So you have probably spent more time in here than I actually have," Skye said.
"I'm here maybe twice a year," Lila said. "So I don't think so."
Skye nodded slightly.
"And the way I've heard them talking, it will take every single one of the Avengers going down for you to be out of here," Lila said.
Skye shrugged. "So enough about me, tell me about you."
Lila chuckled. "What do you want to know?"
"You got a boyfriend? Or girlfriend?" Skye asked.
"There is someone I have been talking to. He's pretty cool. But if my dad asked, I will never kiss a boy," Lila smirked.
"Of course," Skye said with a chuckle.
"You have someone you are interested in?" Lila asked.
"No. I don't get out much to meet anyone. School has been in the group home for over a year at this point. Before that, I wasn't really interested. And I have a feeling now that I have found my biological father - and it being Captain freaking America - any boy will be scared away," Skye said.
"Well, any guy who is scared away probably isn't worth your time," Lila said.
Skye shrugged and nodded.
The two of them talked till the wee morning hours, giggling about different things and a true friendship growing. At one point there was a knock on the door.
"Girls, it's late. Go to sleep," Laura said.
Skye and Lila chuckled, and then Skye turned the lamp off and they both went to sleep.
/\/\/\/\
The next day was a lot of fun. It was the final prep before they were doing the big meal the next day and a lot of just hanging out and watching movies. Skye noticed Steve was in the office most of the day. She was told he was doing some work stuff and not to worry about it.
That night in the bedroom the girls were talking again.
"Do you have your ears pierced?" Lila asked.
"No," Skye said, touching her ear lobes.
"You want them pierced?" Lila asked.
"I have wanted them for pierced for years. You need a freaking court order to get anything like that done in foster care," Skye said.
"Well, I could do it for you," Lila said, pulling out a piercing kit that she had gotten online. "What are they going to do? Kick you out of foster care?"
"Well, that's not really what I'm worried about. Steve might not like it," Skye said.
"Better to seek forgiveness than ask permission," Lila said. "But only if you want. I would never try and force it."
"What earrings do you have that I would be keeping in?" Skye asked.
Lila took out a small plastic case. "There are a bunch of options. They are all surgical steel, so they're completely safe."
"Does your mom know you bought the kit?" Skye asked.
"Ha, no. Both of my parents would bust my butt," Lila said.
"Well, you think they won't find out if we do this?" Skye asked.
Lila shrugged. "They will find out eventually."
"You sure you know what you are doing?" Skye asked, looking through the stud earrings.
"I have done a dozen friends," Lila said, "no issues."
"Okay. Let's do this," Skye said, taking out a very simple pair of studs and showing Lila.
Lila took them and cleaned them with alcohol. Skye moved in closer, and Lila took out a lighter and burnt the needle to disinfect that before cleaning Skye's ears with the alcohol as well.
"You ready?" Lila asked with a smile.
Skye nodded and smiled.
Lila pierced her first ear. Skye bit her lip when she did.
"You okay?" Lila asked as she put the earring in.
"Yes," Skye said.
"Ready for the other one?" Lila asked.
Skye nodded.
Lila did the same thing on her left ear putting the earring in.
"You good?" Lila asked.
"Yes," Skye said.
"You look white," Lila said.
"I do?" Skye asked. "Honestly, I feel a little dizzy. I think I need sugar."
Lila got up and went and got her some soda and brought it to her, opening the can.
Skye drank it. "It's probably got nothing to do with the piercings. I am diabetic," She told her.
"You have super serum in you and are diabetic?" Lila asked.
"Doesn't make sense, no. But we're different people. Maybe my mother's genetics make me weaker in that department," Skye said.
Lila nodded. "Isn't there some device thing to check your sugar?"
"In my bag, but I need to wait till the room stops spinning to get it," Skye said.
"I can get it for you," Lila said, getting up.
Skye told her where in the bag it was, and Lila got it for her.
Skye checked her sugar, her hand shaking. It was low
"Yeah, it's low. The soda will bring it up. It just takes some time," Skye said.
"Should I go get Steve?" Lila asked.
"No," Skye said, "I don't want to worry him needlessly."
Lila nodded slightly. "When does it become necessary for me to get him? You going to pass out or anything?"
"I shouldn't, no. That's what the soda is going to prevent," Skye said.
"What causes lows like this?" Lila asked.
"Well, obviously, if I don't eat enough, but that hasn't been the case today. Stress can affect it. And, well, today has been a very stressful day," Skye said.
Lila nodded. "The piercing wouldn't cause that?"
"No, I don't think so," Skye said as she finished the can of soda.
There was a knock on the door.
Lila covered up the piercing stuff.
"Yes?" Skye said as she put her hair over her ears.
Clint went in. "Just came to say goodnight."
"Night, Dad," Lila said.
"Night," Skye said.
"Why do you both look so guilty?" Clint asked with a raised eyebrow.
"We look guilty?" Lila asked.
Skye said nothing figuring Lila knew better how to convince her dad nothing was wrong.
"Yes, you do," Clint said. "Out with it before I go get your mom and Steve."
"There is nothing going on," Lila said. "Go ahead, get mom."
"Laura, Steve, come to Skye's room, please," Clint called out.
Skye took a breath, and Lila gave her a look to chill.
Laura and Steve came.
"What's up?" Laura asked.
"Came to say good night. They both have guilty looks on their faces," Clint said.
Steve raised an eyebrow and looked at the young girl he now knew was his daughter. "What's going on?"
Skye sighed. "It's nothing. My blood sugar dropped low. I just didn't want to worry you." She held up the can of soda. "I'm taking care of it. Lila went and got it for me."
Steve nodded. "Sure that's it?"
"Yes," Skye said.
Laura looked at her daughter. "That's all it is, Lila?"
Lila nodded. "Sorry. She told me she didn't want to worry anyone needlessly."
Laura and Clint nodded. Steve went over to Skye and lifted her chin. "It's not needless. I want you to be honest with me about these things," he said.
"O-okay," she said.
Steve smiled. "I'm not angry." He looked at Lila and smiled. "Thank you for taking care of her."
Lila smiled. "Of course."
Laura and Clint gave Lila a kiss on the head before the three adults left the room, closing the door behind them.
Lila and Skye looked at each other and let out a breath.
"Fuck, that was close," Lila whispered
Skye nodded.
Lila put her stuff away and grabbed her pajamas and went to the bathroom and got changed.
Skye looked at her phone for the first time all day and had a text from Kate.
"Did you really attack the other girls in the home?"
Skye sighed. She didn't know what to answer. Clearly Kate was in contact with someone else from the home, which was fine. But if Skye told Kate the truth and it got back to Ms. Torres, it could cause issues. She also didn't like not responding to her friend. But she didn't know what to say, so she didn't see any other option.
Lila came out of the bathroom and climbed on the air mattress.
"Oh, you can have the bed," Skye said.
"Nope," Lila said crawling under the blankets.
Skye chuckled and decided not to fight it. She plugged her phone in and turned on the lamp before going and shutting off the main light in the room and crawling under the blankets on the bed. They fell asleep pretty quickly that night.