Shade

by Tametiger

Spidey/Bella, wolf pack friends, Tony Stark and Charlie. 2nd submission for evil author day.

1. Chapter 1

2nd story for evil author day. This one is huge, 75 pages, but it is four chapters all in one, so don't let the length put you off you can leave at chapter 1 and come back later, we'll be here :)

. Be warned, I'm going completely AU. Timelines, ages, storylines. It's all one big jumble. So if that's not your thing then turn away now.

Okay, let's give this a shot shall we? I'd love to hear what you think!

I own nothing, no recognisable characters, places, vehicles. The plot's mine though.

Prologue

If there was someone or something in charge of fates and destinies, they would have been working hard to bring this one together. They would have thought that finally, the time had begun to start bringing all the players together. If.

It had been a long, hard road for all of the players involved. Pain. Heartache. Tests.

Diamonds were forged under pressure. So were heroes. And the path to true love, that real love that would last a lifetime, that of two kindred spirits. Well, that had been a long one too. The two players for that story, they were ready now though, even if they were not yet aware. Just a bit more maneuvering and they'd meet. If someone were medaling then they wouldn't have to do much more. Soon they would be able to sit back and watch as it played out how they wanted it too.

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Isabella Marie Swan, Bella to her friends and family was packing her bag ready for the next day. It was Spring Break and instead of hanging around the Res with the guys as she had thought she would be doing, she would be visiting colleges. Three colleges to decide which one she would be attending after summer vacation. MIT, NYU or Dartmouth. She was leaning toward MIT but she couldn't make an informed decision without seeing them in person, or so her mom informed her anyway.

She was finishing her packing with some t-shirts, nicer ones, when she came across a scrap of fabric that made her laugh. Holding the makeshift mask she bit her lip in thought before packing it. That mask had a story behind it that always made her smile and made her feel stronger. Strong enough to push past her hurt and anger.

She lost herself to the memories for a moment, the rough cut of the fabric laid across the top of her clothes.

"Why don't you call Charlie dad?" Alice asked as she brushed out Bella's hair. It was the first time Bella was visiting the Cullen household and Alice was helping her get ready for a baseball game. Though why she had to have her hair and makeup done for that she wasn't so sure. It was easier to just go along with Alice though.

Bella was undecided. That was something she had never told anyone before, for very good reason. However the Cullen's had shared their secret with her. She could trust them, couldn't she?

"Charlie is not my real dad, I was adopted when I was a year and a half old. It's kind of an open adoption though. I see my dad, my real dad, for two weeks in the summer. He's… erm, he's fairly well known and he gave me up for adoption because someone tried to take me when I was just a baby. To use me against him. So enter Charlie and Renee," Bella said. She loved her adoptive parents, they were everything she could want and need growing up, even if she did have to be an adult for her mom. However, her dad… her biological dad… well those two weeks they spent together and the monthly phone calls they had, they were her favourite times. She knew that he hated that he wasn't the one to raise her, she knew it broke his heart. But she was safe in rainy Forks and she still had him in her life.

"Really? Who are your real parents then?" Alice asked, her mouth wide open in shock. A look Bella actually relished seeing on the unsurprisable pixie.

"No idea who my mom is. She didn't want me, my dad paid her lots of money so that she wouldn't get rid of me. My dad… let's just say he's a very famous figure. I'll tell you, one day," Bella promised.

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"Bella, sweetie, you need to call him when you can, he's called me five times and your dad five as well. He wants to come and see you. To make sure that you really are okay," Renee said quietly as Edward pretended to sleep by her bed. It wasn't her first time in a hospital, she doubted it would be her last either.

"I'll call him. I'll be out of here tomorrow," Bella said tiredly. It seemed that being bitten and tortured by a vampire really took it out of you. That and the pain meds were kicking her ass.

"Okay honey, are you sure you're feeling alright?" Renee asked softly, her hand running through Bella's still tangled hair.

"Yeah mom, I'm just tired," Bella said softly and honestly.

With a kiss to her forehead and a wobbly smile her mom left the room to let Bella sleep.

"Who was she talking about? Who did you need to call?" Edward asked, sitting up, a deep frown marring his marble perfection. If she hadn't known better Bella would have thought he sounded jealous. Which was ridiculous, after all he was amazing, strong, handsome, superior in every way and she was just her. Plain, boring, Bella.

"I need to call my dad," she explained, her eyelids getting heavy.

"Are you ever going to tell us who your mysterious father is?" Edward asked, sounding annoyed. She must be imagining things though. He had no reason to be annoyed, she was allowed one secret. And the other little one's because of that. Like the garage next door to Charlie's her dad had brought where she trained with an instructor once a week, where she had a car if she ever needed to run, where she had a very small and very basic lab setup.

"Mmm… one day," she sighed, feeling sleep take her away.

/

"What the actual…?" Bella whispered to herself as she caught the glass a second before it crashed into the ground. Ever since she had been bitten a week ago things had been… strange. She had better reflexes, which was nothing but a good thing, she also had better hearing and sight. She wondered if she could run faster and jump quicker, maybe it would help in her training, which she would be missing six weeks of due to the less than pretty cast on her leg.

She was going to have to take a scientific approach to this.

It took her five weeks of sneaking out to the garage. Five weeks of tests, re-testing. And way too much blood for her liking before she stopped freaking out. The venom that was still in her system had melded with her DNA, improving it, however the venom wasn't enough to change her. And it wasn't going to be, thankfully. She would have liked to have her dad double check her work, but she couldn't. He couldn't know what really happened in Phoenix. He couldn't know about the Cullens.

/

She hadn't even wanted a damn birthday party. She hated parties, they made her very aware that she couldn't be with her whole family, that someone very dear to her was missing and always would be missing from these things. Of course Alice and Edward didn't listen as always. Why was it that she constantly thought it was easier to go along with them than fight for herself as she always had done before? Why was she so easily swayed by them? Was that what love did? Change you and mold you to be more what they wanted, what they needed? She didn't have the answer to that.

"Here you are!" Alice grinned, handing over another present that she had asked them not to get her.

"Thanks," she replied, trying really hard to sound sincere and grateful.

It was a second, a fraction of a second. A simple accident. Blood welled up and spilt. Eyes turned black. Jasper looked at her, all rationality lost. He sprang.

Her hands thrust out as though to protect herself, that's how it happened. A light gray blast left her hands, protecting her. Whatever the phenomenon was, it stopped Jasper and pushed him out through the windows. Her eyes went wide. What the hell was that?

Bella's eyes widened. Shock echoed through her body. She looked down at her hands, they looked the same as usual.

She looked back up to see the amazed and slightly fearful looks from the others. And the disgusted look from her boyfriend. Her first ever love, one she thought would be eternal. She had wanted him to meet her father.

/

"I can't do it. You are not who I thought you were, not what I thought you were," Edward was saying brutally in the middle of the woods barely two days after her eighteenth birthday. "You are not good enough for me. You aren't what I wanted… You… I know this is my fault Isabella, I take full responsibility for the actions that have caused this but you're a freak."

Freak.

Weeks, then months pass.

Bella didn't sink into a depression, instead she threw herself into work. She worked on a motorcycle she had picked up for free. She rebuilt the engine, she redesigned the outside. She taught herself how to drive it.

She worked with her 'gift'. The one that made her a 'freak'. She learnt that she could use it not only to shield herself, but other things too. She could split it. Use it to send blasts out destroying rocks and small trees.

All Bella did was work, at school, in her garage, on her gift.

Until Laurent showed up anyway.

Then she found out about the pack, just as they found out about her. After all she was holding the vampire up in the air by her weird light grey shield.

The pack and her became freaks together.

She loved her pack, she loved the camaraderie, she loved the in jokes and the fights. They helped her use her gift, develop it and helped her hone it.

Then one day Paul had turned up with that flimsy piece of material that she could tell he had made himself. A mask. A superhero mask.

"Here, every superhero needs to hide their identity," he grinned at her as he chucked it at her. It was a black piece of spandex that hid the space around her eyes and not a lot else. She laughed along with the rest as she put it on.

"Now all you need is a kickass superhero name," Jake had laughed as they sat around a bonfire at First Beach.

"How about, Bella the Vampire Slayer?" Embry chuckled.

"Don't be ridiculous," Jake had scoffed. "She needs a badass name not some knock off from an old as shit TV program."

"How about Shield?" Sam had suggested.

"No way," Bella said, that name had another meaning altogether for her. One that she was fairly sure they all shouldn't be invoking.

"Guardian?" Seth questioned excitedly. The whole pack was getting way too into this. It was fun, but she wasn't a superhero. She would never be. After all, she was just a freak. No matter what her pack thought.

"Vamp girl!"

"Wolf girl!"

"The mist!"

"Shade," Emily said softly from Sam's side, her beautiful face pulled up in a gentle smile. The firelight cast shadows over her scars as it danced across her.

"Shade, I like that," Bella smiled happily.

"Looks like Shade is coming with me," Bella whispered with a small laugh to herself as she shut her suitcase, hiding the mask. A little bit of her pack, her other family travelling with her.

/

Peter was studying when his phone went off. A ringtone that was for one person only. A call that he couldn't ignore.

"Mr Stark?" Peter asked as he answered the phone, sitting up on his bed where he and his books had been sprawled.

"Peter! Hey what's up!" Tony said, sounding happy. "Look, I've got a mission for you. It's really important, vital in fact."

"Of course, anything. What is it?" Peter said eagerly. He was always ready for a mission. Always prepared. Especially seeing as how he had now been single for months, that gave him more free time than he wanted. Something he tried not to think too hard about. He wondered how Tony did it; be the hero and get the girl?

"There's a girl coming to New York to view the university. I need you to show her around. Make sure she sees everything, has a good time, not that kind of a good time though before you think that. Make sure she goes to a party, a bar, fun things as well as nerdy things. And above all, I need you to protect her," Tony said with a mixture of his usual levity and a dash of utmost seriousness.

"You want me to look after a girl and show her around college?" Peter asked, as missions went it was pretty boring. Not really a mission at all.

"Yes," Tony said simply.

"Why, who is she?" Peter asked curiously.

"She's the daughter of a friend of Iron Man's. Her name is Isabella Swan. I'll send you all the details. Are you up for it?" Tony asked.

Peter wasn't aware Iron Man had that many friends. He was pretty sure that the rest of the Avengers didn't have kids and he knew that Director Fury didn't. Happy didn't or if he did he was hiding a double life from May and Peter. So who did that leave? Pepper? No way.

"I don't know Mr Stark…" Peter said. Protection detail not only was pretty boring but there was the risk that Peter's identity could be more widely known. If anything happened… if this girl saw…

"Please," Tony said quietly. A word Peter had never heard pass the man's lips.

"Okay Mr Stark," Peter nodded even though Tony wouldn't be able to see it. "I'll look after the girl."

"Thank you. I'll send you everything. And like I said, a good time but not too good," Tony said before hanging up.

Peter looked at his phone and sighed before putting it back down on his bed. He went back to hitting the books. Most of this he didn't need to review, but he wasn't going to screw up his education by being too cocky.

Chapter 1

Fates Collide

It was the last week of Bella's college tour and sitting on the plane that was taking her to New York she was more than a little annoyed. Her father had arranged for 'tour guides' at each university so far. She was pretty sure that all of the 'guides' were all some sort of body guard. They all had that stiffness and detached air about them, that didn't exactly scream college student. The woman showing her around MIT hadn't known a lot about the college and had been more into the bars and party scene than the academics.

Bella was worried about whoever would be her guide around NYU. This was the one her father had been most worried about, especially as not that long ago there had been an alien attack where he had almost died, where he had sent a nuke into a wormhole. Bella was concerned that he would turn up himself or have Iron Man trailing her around. Somehow she didn't think she was going to get the full college experience here. It was one of the reasons she'd been leaning more towards MIT. Neither her nor her father would relax if she went to college in New York. He would always be on her case and worried about her. On the other hand she would get to see him more than two weeks a year. She could spend real time with him. It was an argument that kept circling in her head and she knew it wouldn't be resolved that day.

Bella disembarked from the plane with the other passengers trying her hardest to be excited rather than frustrated and annoyed. Whoever her babysitter was - please don't let it be an Avenger- it wasn't their fault, she wouldn't take it out on them. She would however be bitching her dad out when she spoke to him next week. Let him deny it, she knew better.

She gathered her bag from luggage and made her way out into the arrivals lounge. Surprisingly, and happily, there was no one there to meet her. With a grin she went to leave the airport, maybe she was wrong, maybe she wouldn't have a minder here and instead could find her own way around New York, a place she had yet to visit and had always wanted to.

Just as the exit of the arrivals lounge was in her sight a man ran through the doors looking worried. A sign in his hand clearly read 'Miss Swan'. With a sigh, realising she wasn't getting off so easily she went to stop him.

"Excuse me!" She called out to him and he spun a little on his foot but kept going, his eyes wide as though he'd meant to stop. She couldn't help but laugh. If this guy was a bodyguard he was new, and the best looking one she had ever had. He was wearing regular clothes, looked only a year or two older than her and had cute brown hair that flopped a little. He was taller than her but not overly so, muscled but not obscenely, he had a handsome face that managed to be cute at the same time. Her lip went in between her teeth as shivers of attraction flushed through her system.

"Sorry!" He called as he caught his footing seemingly easily and started making his way over to her with a small blush on his cheeks. He was pretty adorable. "Erm, are you Miss Swan?"

"Bella, please," she smiled at him.

"I'm so sorry I was late, there was this thing and I… yeah, sorry," the guy said, rubbing the back of his neck with an embarrassed looking smile, that blush still in place. She was starting to think he was a bit of a kindred spirit.

"I didn't know you were coming, so technically you aren't late, at all," Bella replied honestly.

"Mr Stark didn't tell you that I was going to show you around the college?" The man asked as they both stood looking at each other awkwardly, she was sure both of their cheeks were reflecting their blushes back at the other.

"Erm, no. I don't know anything about Mr Stark, doing anything for me. I don't know why he would," she said, mostly honestly. Did her dad not trust her around one city on her own, when she was completely unknown to anyone other than a plain, boring, freaky girl from a tiny town that no one had ever heard of.

"Oh right… erm… okay, well I'm Peter. Peter Parker… erm… maybe we should erm?" He pointed his thumb over his shoulder where most people had by now exited, no doubt entertained by the very awkward first meeting going on in front of them.

"Er, yeah, sure," she replied, going to grab her bag only to have Peter pick it up for her. He flashed her a smile and she felt her knees go ever so slightly weak as she followed him out.

"So you're thinking of going to NYU?" Peter asked as they walked together.

"Yeah, either there or MIT. I looked at Dartmouth too, but I don't think that's for me," Bella shrugged. She hadn't enjoyed her tour of that place at all. She knew it was the one Charlie would like her to pick but it didn't seem like the right one for her.

"Wow, MIT? I see we have some big competition to get you here then?" Peter asked her with another smile.

"So you actually go to NYU?" Bella asked, surprised. Her dad had actually got a college kid to be her tour guide this time? But if he wasn't a bodyguard and was an actual guide… She looked around wondering if she would spot Happy or her dad. Maybe that weird security guy that always gave her the creeps. She couldn't see anyone but that didn't mean they weren't there.

"Well, yeah. Be a pretty bad tour guide if I didn't," Peter chuckled. "So what are you interested in majoring in?"

By the time they had left the airport Bella was feeling much more relaxed. Peter and her had so much in common. They were both science geeks as well as being interested in engineering. Though she was fairly sure that was in her blood. Peter raved about the science department at his school, telling her briefly about projects he was working on at the moment.

He led her to a nice enough car, one that, if she hadn't known better she would have said did actually belong to someone guarding her. It was nice and reliable but not too fancy, nothing that would stick out but could still out run someone chasing. Then she realised that a college kid's car was going to be like that, she needed to stop being so damn paranoid about people.

Peter drove her to the campus chatting the whole way. He was a little awkward, but so was she, however the conversation didn't stop the whole ride. They spoke about school of course, but also about music, movies and books. Bella found herself relaxing and enjoying herself. He was an easy guy to get on with.

"So I'll show you around and then we can head to your hotel if that's cool? Tomorrow I can take you to the library and the science labs, but if we do that today I have a feeling we will miss dinner," Peter chuckled as he found a parking space, something he informed her was almost impossible.

"I'm staying at a hotel? I thought there was a room at the campus I was staying in?" Bella questioned as she removed the seat belt.

"Apparently you are staying at a hotel a couple of blocks away," Peter shrugged, looking embarrassed again. Must be her dads doing.

Bella felt her cheeks hurting from her smile as Peter led her through campus. He had so much energy and enthusiasm it was hard not to get swept up in it. Despite it being Spring Break the campus was still bustling, students laughing and joking with each other as they passed one another.

Bella was surprised to find that she could actually imagine herself on this campus. Clutching books, smiling, taking labs and grabbing a coffee.

After a long tour Peter took her to her hotel for the next three nights. It was more ostentatious than she would have liked, but she took comfort in the fact it could have been much worse. She could have to stay in the Avengers tower for example.

"Do you know if there's somewhere to get a good burger around here?" Bella asked Peter as she stood waiting to be checked in.

"Yeah, there's this awesome place a couple of blocks over. If you want I can come back in a couple of hours and show you?" Peter asked with a small smile and another small blush.

"That would be great, thank you," Bella replied. "So I'll meet you here at six?"

"Sure, if you want to give me your number I can call you when I get here?"

Bella smiled as she checked in, Peter's number in her phone. It was a shame he lived in a different state, was a few years older than her and completely out of her league. For the first time in over a year Bella found herself with a crush.

01010101010

"Hello?" Peter answered his phone as he tried on his third shirt. It was times like this he actually missed living with his Aunt May. At least she'd tell him honestly if he looked okay or not. Maybe a bit too brutally at times but she thought it added to her charm.

"Hey kiddo! So, how's it going?" Tony Stark said.

"How's what going?" Peter asked absently, he wasn't sure about this black shirt. Still it was ironed and didn't smell, it might have to do.

"World peace, global warming, the search for the holy grail," Tony said sarcastically, his voice more snippy than usual. "How is it going with Bella, duh?"

"Oh, yeah. Great actually. She's pretty cool. I showed her the campus and we went to the labs. Bella was helping me with my latest lab. And we spent hours in the library, I think she might be a bigger geek than me," Peter replied with a chuckle. The girl was smart, beautiful, funny and witty. And completely out of his league, he was well aware. With her curves, her heart shaped face, her beautiful big doe eyes, all the guys checked her out, not that she noticed. Which luckily meant that she also didn't notice Peter drooling over her either.

"I know I said something about fun in my instructions too," Peter could hear Tony's eyes rolling.

"I'm going to pick her up to take her to a party in an hour," Peter said. It was a party at one of the dorms, so it should be fairly tame. It wasn't his scene at all, but he had made a promise to Tony and he would never go back on his word to the man that had done so much for him. His mentor.

"That's alright then. Just remember, not too much fun, yeah kid?" Tony said, sounding like an overprotective parent. "Have you had to put on your suit while she's been there?"

"Nope, nothing on that front," Peter said, slightly worried about the fact. Normally when he had a few quiet days it went to hell in a handbasket shortly after.

"Damn," Tony remarked, knowing the same thing, quiet wasn't a good thing. "Alright, well call me if anything goes down. And make sure Bella has some fun tonight. Strippers, shots, illegal gambling, that kind of thing."

"Will do," Peter chuckled. He could imagine Bella's face at any of those things. He had a hard enough time getting her to agree to go to the party.

"Alright, well TTFN," Tony said before hanging up the phone. Peter went back to looking at himself in the mirror and trying to figure out if Bella would prefer the black shirt or his navy blue one.

An hour later, Peter was waiting in the lobby of Bella's hotel, in the black shirt. He was feeling oddly nervous, despite or maybe because of spending three days with her already. She was without a doubt one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. She was also the most natural though, nothing about her came off as fake. She didn't wear tons of makeup, she was unashamed about her love of science, literature and about the fact she wasn't a party animal. Bella didn't try to be anything she wasn't. It was a quality he admired.

He wondered, if maybe, if she chose to go to NYU then he could take her out properly. If she would give him a chance? Then he shook his head. It would do him no favors to think like that. She would probably have a boyfriend by then, and even if she didn't… he was Spiderman. His relationships never worked because of his alter ego, all he had to do was look back at the disaster that was MJ to see that. However he couldn't drop Spiderman, he couldn't stop saving people and helping people. It was who he was.

One day he would find a woman who would support that. Who would be okay with that side of him. Until then, he'd go back to concentrating on school and his work with the Avengers.

Peter forgot all of his musings the second he saw Bella walk into the lobby. Peter forgot everything when she walked in, if you had asked him if he had an Aunt he wouldn't have been able to say. She was… stunning, didn't even cover it. Perfect. A goddess. A vision.

Bella had her long brown hair down and falling in natural waves along her back. A black dress hugged her body like a second skin, long sleeves and a high neck may have covered her but didn't take away from her sex appeal. She had on some makeup he could tell, making her lips look even poutier and her eyes even bigger. Peter was going to be in trouble that night.

"Hi," Bella said, walking up to him with a perfect smile. "You look nice, are you ready to go?"

"I… you…" Peter cleared his throat as his voice came out higher than usual. "You look amazing."

"Thanks," she blushed. That blush was adorable and the way she nibbled her bottom lip when she was embarrassed... urgh. He'd already had some rather interesting dreams about Bella, he was sure now that tonight's would be even worse. It was like being a teenager all over again.

"So, Iron Man? Is he your favourite?" Peter asked as he walked with her from the hotel. He walked by her side, not sure that he would be able to keep his cool if he saw her back and all that entailed right then.

"Huh?" She asked, looking confused.

"There's an Iron Man badge on your bag, is he your favourite?" Peter asked, pointing to her small black purse, where the badge with the famous Iron Man face was pictured.

"Oh, it's a tie actually," she smiled at him. "Between Iron Man and Spiderman."

Peter would not groan at that. Nope. He kept that all bottled inside. Of course she would like Spiderman too.

"Spiderman and Iron Man?" He questioned, both wanting her to keep talking and not.

"Well yeah, Iron Man is amazing of course. The story, the science, the engineering. But Spiderman… I don't know, he's just cool. And he looks out for the little man as well as taking on the big baddies. Not to say I'm sure that Iron Man wouldn't stop a robbery or a mugging, but he doesn't actively try looking for them. Plus the web slinging is just cool," Bella said enthusiastically and giggled at the end.

"Yeah, I guess," Peter shrugged not knowing what else to say. Inside though he was jumping for joy. Practically leaping around. She put Spiderman on par with Iron Man!

"You guess? He's awesome," Bella laughed again. "Who's your favourite then?"

"I'd have to say Iron Man. I did an internship with Tony Stark and he's… well kind of crazy, but he's fun, kind and generous. I really admire him," Peter said, surprised to see Bella smile even wider at him. Her brown eyes had softened and a look of… pride, maybe, was in them.

"It's cool to hear that he's a nice person," Bella said softly as they walked towards some dorms where it looked like the party was bigger than Peter had anticipated.

They entered the dorm and Peter looked to Bella who was wide eyed at the mass of people and noise. The music was thumping with a heavy bass, people were grinding, joking, drinking and being college students on a bender. It was slightly overwhelming to him, let alone to Bella who had told him she wasn't a party person.

"Drink?" Peter asked her as they stood awkwardly watching the scene in front of them.

"A soda, if they have them," Bella said leaning in to him. The heady scent of strawberries tickled his nose deliciously. He fought another groan. She was going to kill him at this rate and she didn't have a clue.

"Sure, I'll be right back," Peter said into her ear as he made his way through the dense crowd to get a couple of drinks.

When Peter came back drinks in hand it was to find Bella surrounded by guys. He wasn't surprised, he was however annoyed. He had no reason to be, he had no claim and anyone would be blind not to see how beautiful she was but he still found himself angry with the guys.

Peter made his way around the pack to her, even more annoyed to find Flash was one of them. Of course he was, asshole.

"No, I'm here with someone, I've already said!" Bella was saying, sounding frustrated.

"And yet, there's no one here," Flash smirked at her in a way he obviously thought was attractive. Peter thought it just made him look like a bigger douchebag.

"Bella!" Peter called with a small smile and passed her the soda he'd picked for her.

"Peter!" She yelled, sounding relieved to see him. She moved so she was pressed right up to his side. Peter didn't mind. At all. He was surprised to feel her arm around his waist and her head leaning against his chest. Still he couldn't help the smile that sprang to his face as he wrapped his arm around her in return, trying to control his heart as his hand rested on the curve of her waist. She felt so good against him. Her head felt so right against his chest.

"Parker? You're here with Parker?" Flash asked, his eyes wide as he looked between the two of them.

"Yes. He's out of my league I'm aware, but here we are," Bella said, sounding hurt.

Peter was not the only one looking at her in disbelief. Surely she was just sticking up for him, being nice, she could not believe that he was out of her league. It was very obvious to anyone with a pair of eyes that it was the other way around.

"I-" Flash started saying in shock.

"Can you show me around Peter?" Bella asked, cutting Flash off, dismissively.

"Yeah sure thing Bella," Peter said, remembering how to form words thankfully. Together they made their way through the party.

"Thanks, for sticking up for me against those guys, you didn't have too," Peter said as they walked towards some people he knew. He thought he could introduce her to people who wouldn't give her a hard time. And would be discreet in their drooling, like he was. Like a gentleman.

"What do you mean?" Bella asked with a frown.

"Saying that stuff," Peter shrugged embarrassed now. He felt a blush on his cheeks and wished that when he'd gained superpowers having control over that aspect would have come with it. Unfortunately it didn't. Cool web slinging power check, the power to control his blush showing just how uncool he was, that was a negative.

"Seriously, what do you mean? I should be thanking you, you just went along with it. And oh god, I'm so sorry, I was just hanging off you like an idiot," Bella blushed adorably and pulled herself away from him. Her eyes flew to the ground and she looked like she would like nothing more than to disappear through it. He realised she had meant what she said. She seriously thought he was out of her league. She was certifiable. He admitted though, however shallowly, that his ego took a huge boost at that.

"Bella," Peter said, his hand catching her arm gently so he could softly pull her to a stop. She turned but her eyes were still glued to the floor.

Carefully he put his fingers under her chin and raised her head so she was looking at him. Her big brown doe eyes burnt into him. God did he want her. Right there and then he had never wanted a woman more. Peter watched as her breath caught and her teeth took her bottom lip once more.

"Bella," he said again quietly as he took a step closer to her. Logic, reason, everything went out of the window.

The ground shook and an explosion filled the air.

It took Peter all of a second to realise it wasn't the sexual tension between them but an actual explosion. Damn it!

"What was that!?" Bella called as the music came to a jarring stop. People were screaming and grabbing belongings as they went to leave the building. Damn it!

"I don't know! Look, I'll check it out and get those people back in. Just stay here and stay safe. Stay under a doorway and away from any windows. I'll be back for you, I promise," Peter said, hating that he had to do this. Without a look back he took off.

Rushing from the building Peter saw multiple police trying to take control of the scene. Explosions were going off around the city and a man in a red and gold costume that looked similar to Iron Man's, only more muscled, was wreaking havoc.

Running behind the dorm Peter pulled out his Spiderman suit and got ready. Just when he might have had a chance with the girl. Bad guys really did have the worst timing.

Ready to go Spiderman put his clothes under a bush and webbed them, hoping they would be there when he got back. Shooting off a web he took off.

He was happy to see that the villain wasn't flying, that was something he guessed. What he was doing though was shooting something at the police. He couldn't see what, all he could see were shockwaves that hit the cruisers attempting to block him in. The cruisers were crushed, mangled and fiery on impact. Spiderman did not want to get caught by whatever it was. Looked like it would hurt.

Taking a second to think he sent a web out tripping over the villain. He sent more webs to trap him, hopefully this would be quick and he could get back to Bella. The mood was truly ruined now though.

The villain pulled apart his web like it was nothing. Damn. Of course it wasn't going to be that easy.

"Call Tony," Spiderman informed his suit as he took stock of what was around. He flung himself onto the ground facing the guy.

"You think your puny web can hold me?" The villain roared out in an accented voice. German if Spiderman had to guess.

"Well I had hoped, yeah!"

Spiderman set webs surrounding them, hoping that the worst of this guy's powers could be contained within them.

"Nothing can contain Shocker!" The man roared. Well at least Spiderman had a name now. Not very original though.

"Eh, I'm sure we can find something," Spiderman quipped as he sent a trash can hurtling at the man.

Shocker deflected it with ease. Yup, it would be a long night, he could already tell.

"Let me guess? You got Bella really drunk and she's puking everywhere? Because that is more of a you problem than a me problem my friend," Tony answered the phone just as Spiderman jumped out of the way of the trashcan that was sent flying back to him. So the guy had super strength as well as that power. Great.

"Nope, had a soda, no time for anything more before-"

With a roar Shocker sent that vibration power towards Spiderman who webbed out of the way. He sent webs towards the man's wrist guards, hoping the power was within them and yanked. A small crunch could be heard and the guy yelled. Spiderman was onto something. Finally.

"You know you have some anger issues. There's classes for that," Spiderman called to Shocker, who disappointingly didn't look impressed with his quick wit.

"Damn, where is she?" Tony said urgently into the phone.

"Back at the party," Spiderman replied. He dodged a cruiser, still burning, that was thrown at him. Quickly he webbed it so it didn't hit any buildings or civilians. He felt sweat on his brow as he then dodged a bench. Where the hell did the guy get a bench?

"Have you got this?" Tony asked.

"I sure hope so," Spiderman said as he shot another web at Shockers wrist guards.

Shocker ripped off the webs and went running through the barackade Spiderman had set up. Damn!

"Hey! Come back here! I wasn't done with you yet!" Spiderman called after the villain, swinging, he quickly caught up to the man who sent a shockwave at the police standing by.

Spiderman acted, knowing he couldn't save them all. He would try his best but-

The shockwave slammed into a grey… smoke…? No it was more solid than that but only slightly so. A shield of grey? He wasn't sure what to call it but it stopped the destruction.

A woman was behind the grey shield, her hands out in front of her. Her face was covered by a mask that wrapped around her eyes and nothing else. If he hadn't been staring at those pouty lips for the past three days he might not have known who was behind the mask. He did though. Damn, damn, double damn. He wasn't sure whether to be pissed, worried or turned on. He thought he was a good combination of all three.

"I got you Spidey!" Bella called out happily. "Huge fan by the way!"

"What is this!" Shocker roared, sending more vibrations towards the grey force field or whatever it was. It didn't waver and neither did Bella.

"Guys, you might want to move," Bella called to the police behind her. They didn't think twice and quickly ran from the fight, taking civilians with them thankfully.

Spiderman shook his head and dropped down next to Bella.

"Bella?" He asked as Shocker sent more waves towards them. He seemed to be really putting in the effort, whereas the girl stopping him didn't look to be breaking a sweat.

"Let's go with Shade out here shall we? And how do you know my nam- oh god! P-?" At least Bella, or Shade had the sense not to say his name out loud.

"Hi, I'm your friendly neighbourhood Spiderman," Spiderman said with a wave.

"Tell me I didn't just hear what I thought I heard?" Tony growled down the line. Spiderman had forgotten all about him. Oops.

"Depends on what you heard?" Spiderman said. "Shade, we need to go for the wrist guards. Can you block him while I take them out?"

"I got your back Spidey," Shade said with a grin. She looked to be enjoying this. So many questions were running through his head, hopefully there would be time for that later though. "Let me try something first…" A look of concentration came over her face and the shield curved at the edges, coming around the shockwaves and capturing them. With a shove of her hands and a look of strain she sent them

barreling backwards towards Shocker. He stumbled back and roared at her.

"Ooh, I like it!" Spiderman said. "Can I go through the…?" He gestured to whatever the thing was.

"If I let you, you can, yes," Shade replied with a smirk, she brought the shield in front of her alone and nodded to Spiderman. Yeah it was hot.

"That's awesome!" Spiderman called as he rushed towards Shocker who now seemed to think Shade was the bigger threat and was running towards her with fire in his eyes. That could really take down an ego. Villains were mean.

Spiderman shot a low web tripping Shocker and went for the wrist guards as quickly as he could. He managed to get one off and crush it before Shocker had got a hold of him and threw him across the street. Spiderman winced as he landed painfully, his back taking the brunt of the impact and knocking the breath from him.

"That's going to bruise," Spiderman said with a groan as soon as he could move. He got up and saw Shade sending out her shield in small balls of power, aiming obviously for the one remaining wrist guard. Shocker however was just knocking them away, even if where she hit was smoking and smouldering.

Spiderman noticed that she was edging around, Shocker turning with her so that his back was to Spiderman. He saw Shades' plan and nodded. He already knew she was smart, this was proving it.

Shocker, however, was getting bored with their little game of dodgeball, and lunged for Shade. She dove out of the way, her leg coming up behind her to catch him in the face. Her hand darted out at the same time to shoot at his wrist. She missed and Shocker caught her ankle, grabbing her he sent her flying into the air, at least three storeys up.

Shade screamed, shooting her shield at him and pinning Shocker to the ground. She raised her hand and clenched it into a fist taking out Shockers other wrist guard.

Spiderman acted quickly as Shade hurtled towards the ground. Slinging a web he leapt and caught her around the waist as his heart plummeted with her.

"Good catch, you were always picked first at sports weren't you," she joked as she clung to him. His arm was tightly wrapped around her waist and even the dire circumstances couldn't take away how good she felt there in his arm.

"Eh, not so much," Spiderman replied honestly, setting them both down in front of Shocker who was slowly getting to his feet.

Spiderman webbed the man's feet as Shade flung her shield, laying him back down. Spiderman used the reprieve to wrap him up tightly and to secure the webs to the pavement underneath the huge man.

Shade looked around in awe as people around them started applauding and police started coming back to deal with the villain they had managed to subdue. Obviously she wasn't used to this.

"Want to catch a ride out of here?" Spiderman asked Shade when they saw that Shocker couldn't move now.

"Better than walking," Shade shrugged with a grin.

"Hold on," Spiderman wrapped an arm around her again, holding her close before he took off. He smiled as she laughed as they swung through the city. It was a nice change from the screaming he usually received.

He set her down on top of a nearby building. Lifting his mask as she took hers off.

Their eyes met, both of them swimming with questions. Peter couldn't help himself and stepped closer to her. Bringing her into his arms.

"You were amazing," Peter said softly, not wanting to break the spell.

"You are amazing. I can't believe it… you're Spiderman?" Bella said, her eyes travelling his face, her hands gripping his forearms.

"And you are Shade?"

"Yeah, it's new. Like that was the first time new," Bella said, her lip between her teeth once more. He couldn't take it. Lowering his head he went to press his lips to hers.

"Oh you are so grounded!" The sound of Tony Stark's voice pulled them apart before their lips could touch.

"You can't ground me, I'm twenty one!" Peter snarked at the man who landed on the roof next to them and removed his face plate.

"Not you, her!" Tony pointed at Bella looking annoyed.

"Huh?" Peter asked.

"Hey dad, nice night for a fly? How's Pepper?"

"Dad?" Peter asked, his eyes wide as they flicked from Tony to Bella.

"Oh kid you have some explaining to do!"

Chapter 2

What Is Normal?

Bella swallowed as her dad looked at her angrily. It was something she had never seen from her father directed at her and it hurt a little. More than a little if she were honest.

"We'll go back to your hotel shall we, then perhaps you'd care to enlighten me as to what the hell you were thinking!" Her dad said, his eyes burning into her. "Go back and open the window, we'll get in through it."

"Can I get a lift down?" Bella asked quietly, gesturing to the pavement that was far below.

"I'll take you," Peter offered with a soft smile.

"Er, no you won't Romeo. I will take Bella. You are lucky to be included in this conversation at all," her dad barked. Apparently she wasn't the only one he was angry with. None of this was Peter's fault though.

"Sorry," Bella whispered to Peter as her dad took her by the waist and flew from the top of the building Peter had swung them too.

Bella knew she was in deep trouble when her dad's usual banter was absent. In fact he looked at her with disappointment as he placed her on the pavement before flying off. Bella made her way to the hotel feeling the beginnings of tears pricking in her eyes. She'd never had even so much as an angry word said between her father and her. She didn't know why he was so upset with her, well, other than the fact she hadn't told him about this new development with her. She was going to, but when she saw him, when they had those two weeks together, she wanted to show him. After all, if anyone could understand, it would have been Tony Stark. Or so she had thought.

The trip back was short, too short, she hadn't had time to sort through her feelings and thoughts.

When Bella reached her room she opened the window and stepped back. She wasn't able to help the smile as Spiderman crawled through and jumped into the room, she couldn't believe he was in her room. That the man she had developed a rather large crush on was the same superhero she had a little crush on. She couldn't believe that she had come so close to kissing him, her dad had awful timing.

Iron Man quickly followed Peter in through the window and with a casual, yet angry, air about him quickly removed his suit. Peter likewise took off his mask.

"So, you want to explain what that was? Why after everything I've been through to keep you safe, to keep you protected you came within an inch of killing yourself? Why you risked everything? Spat on everything I've done for you?"

Bella winced and couldn't hold back the tears now.

"I couldn't just stand back and watch while innocent people were going to die dad. Not when I can do what I do," Bella said, her voice thick with tears.

"And what is it exactly that you can do?" Her dad snapped.

"Erm, I don't know exactly, it's like a shield I guess..?" Bella said with a shrug making her 'shield' into a ball and sending it over to hover in front of her dad.

"How did this happen? Did you get bitten by something radioactive like Spiderboy there?" Her dad asked, jerking his thumb at Peter who was standing watching with a small frown. His eyes on the ball that she brought back into herself. "Science experiment gone wrong? Tell me you weren't experimenting on yourself!?"

"NO!" She wasn't that stupid.

"Then what?"

"It's a long story…" Bella said with a sigh, she should've realised that she would have to tell her dad everything. She glanced towards Peter, feeling her face flush.

"I can head home if you want Bella?" Peter said quietly.

"No, it's fine," she said shaking her head, she knew his secret, it was only fair he now knew all of hers.

"It… well it started when I got together with Edward," Bella told her dad who was facing her with one hand on his face.

"Edward, your ex? The dickwad who left you in the woods to get lost and almost die? As if I didn't have enough reason to hate him, go on," her dad snarled.

"Edward and his family, erm, they're vampires," Bella said, watching as her dad stopped mid stride and Peter's mouth dropped open. She played with the hem of her dress as she watched the two men take in this fantastical information.

"Vampires? Vampires are real?" Peter said, his voice slightly higher than usual.

"Need to invest in some stakes," her dad muttered quietly, before speaking at a more audible tone. "So, you start dating this guy and find out he's a vampire…? And you don't think to maybe break it off with him or, you know, tell anyone that vampires are real? Maybe your dear old dad, for example?"

"I figured it out before we started dating," Bella admitted, which earnt her the stink eye from her dad.

"And how did you figure it out? He get burnt by a ray of sun? You tried to put garlic in his food? He wouldn't step into church?"

"That's all fake, vampires aren't like the myths say, nothing like Bram Stoker," Bella informed the two men. "The family, they were all unnaturally beautiful, like the most gorgeous inhumane supermodels you've ever seen. None of them ever ate or drank. Edward, he saved me from getting crushed by a truck, the one when I first moved to Forks? He moved so fast, my eyes couldn't follow it and he stopped the truck with his hands, lifted it with his hands too. The Cullens were unnaturally cold and hard, like marble. So I figured it out and confronted Edward about it," Bella explained, going on to tell them about his mind reading and how he couldn't read her. How he gave a show of his skills, reminiscent of a toddler having a tantrum.

"Hey now, we all went a little crazy when we got super powers," Peter interrupted her at that point with a chuckle. She laughed with him, imagining him scaling buildings and jumping around while laughing.

"Yeah, Edward had his 'super powers' for over a hundred years at that point though," Bella pointed out. She'd also had fun playing with her 'shield' when it had first materialised, she wasn't sure in another couple of years she'd do the same though.

"How old was this guy? And you were dating? I thought I only had to worry about randy college boys," her dad said, shooting Peter a look that had the younger man blushing.

"He was changed when he was seventeen in nineteen hundred and one," Bella admitted quietly.

Her dad had let out a gush of air at that and went to pacing once again. "This just keeps getting better, please do go on."

She went on to explain how she was his singer and what it had meant. Told them both about meeting the rest of the Cullens, about their abilities, about how you actually became a vampire and then she told them about the baseball game. James, Victoria and Laurent. About being tricked into thinking they had Renee. She told them quietly about how James had tortured her before the Cullens had arrived and then how James had bitten her.

At some point her dad had gone to the mini bar and poured both himself and Peter a drink. They both finished their drinks when she explained that Edward had sucked the venom out to stop her becoming a vampire.

"After I left the hospital, that's when I noticed differences. My reflexes were faster. A lot faster. My hearing and eyesight were enhanced. As soon as my cast came off I found I could move a hell of a lot quicker. Nowhere near as fast as something supernatural but way faster than your average human," Bella said, her throat dry from all of her talking.

"So you're like a vampire hybrid?" Her dad questioned while looking her over with a frown.

"In the same way that Peter's a spider hybrid," Bella chuckled. "I don't have their natural abilities, but mine have been enhanced. My cells die and age thankfully, so I haven't got the being stuck at eighteen thing going on. The trace amounts of venom bonded with my DNA, but it's not turning me slowly. It doesn't attack new cells or my blood."

"So you were experimenting on yourself!" Her dad exclaimed in triumph.

"No, I was just making sure that I wasn't becoming a vampire. It's hard to experiment on yourself in my little lab," Bella rolled her eyes before realising what she had said.

"Your lab?"

"Erm…?"

"What lab is that Bella?" Her dad asked, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"It's just a very basic one I set up in the garage," Bella shrugged, trying to look contrite.

"I don't know whether to be pissed or proud," Tony sighed.

"What about the shield thing, when did that happen?" Peter asked, smiling when she shot him a grateful look.

Biting her lip she went on to tell them about the failed birthday party and how she had stopped Jasper attacking her. Then about Edward breaking up with her and calling her a freak. A few tears slipped out at that and she saw her dad's hard eyes softening.

"Look kid, in no way at all are you a freak. I for one can see what happened tonight and why. But Bells, after everything we've done, everything we have both sacrificed to keep you safe… Kid you have to put Shade away. Please. This can't have all been for nothing. I'm not saying if something like that happens again to ignore it. I'd be a hypocrite and go against everything I stand for. I can say though, don't go looking for it. Don't be a hero if you don't need to be. Defend yourself if the time ever comes, but until then Shade stays in your back pocket. Please."

Bella fought tears once more at her dad's begging.

"I promise," she said softly, going to hug him.

"How come you didn't tell me Tony was your dad?" Peter asked as Bella and her dad broke apart. He didn't sound annoyed that she had lied thankfully.

"No one but Bell's adoptive parents know. Which means you can't tell anyone Spiderboy. Not even the other Avengers. I had Bella adopted before she was two so that she wouldn't be used against me, so that she would be safe. Happy, Pepper, Charlie, Renee and us three know. That is it. And that is how it stays. You got me kid?" Tony Stark said, looking Peter in the eye.

"Of course Mr Stark," Peter said as though it should be obvious.

"Now, have you kiddies got any boo boo's we need to fix?" Her dad asked, looking between the two.

"Going to have a wicked bruise on my back but that's it," Peter shrugged as though it was nothing. Bella realised it probably was to him, he had probably had much worse before. She didn't want to think of that though.

"I'm good, not even a scratch," Bella said when they both turned their eyes to her. She had been lucky, she realised that. It could have had a much different outcome.

"Well alright then, I think it's time for beddy-byes then," her dad said, putting his glass on top of the mini bar.

"I'll pick you up in the morning for breakfast Bella?" Peter said hopefully adding his glass to the bar and picking up his mask.

"Yeah, that would be nice," Bella said, feeling her cheeks heat up as a smile broke out on her face.

"Don't forget your flight leaves at eleven tomorrow, Bells," her dad said sternly to Peter rather than her.

"It was really good to see you dad," Bella said quietly.

"I know, kid. Not long till summer now, and I'll still talk to you this weekend," her dad said looking as down as she felt. She hated this, hated being apart from him. Not that she didn't have a great dad in Charlie, she did, and she loved him just as much as Tony. Whatever way she looked at it though it was hard and it was painful that she had to keep away from her dad. That he missed so much, that they both did.

"Love you kid," her dad said, hugging her tightly as Peter went to open the window once more. He was doing his best to give them a moment.

"Love you too dad," Bella replied around the lump in her throat as she breathed him in.

As Tony Stark became Iron Man once more Peter pulled Bella in for a hug as well.

"You were amazing out there," Peter whispered into her ear. "A hero, not a freak."

"Thanks," she whispered back as goosebumps broke out along her skin.

Her dad fake coughed after a moment.

"Out, now, before you become Spider-eunuch," he grouched, pointing his thumb at the window.

Peter laughed and pulled his mask over his face before he left with a flash of web.

"Lock this behind us," her dad said before he was gone as well.

0000000

"Hey," Peter said the next morning as she met him in the lobby to go get breakfast. "How are you feeling? Did you sleep okay?"

"I'm okay, what about you? How are you feeling? You know…?" Bella pointed in the direction of her back and widened her eyes a touch.

"Sore but I've had worse," he shrugged but smiled.

Together they made their way to a cafe a block away that Peter said did the best breakfast this side of campus.

"So have you decided?" Peter asked them as they walked slowly through the crowds that bustled along the sidewalk.

"Decided?" She asked, confused.

"What college you want to go to?" He explained.

"Er, yeah actually," she said, that was one thing that had been cleared up over this trip. It was an easy decision in the end. "I'm going to accept NYU. It's the one I can really see myself at, you know?"

Peter gave her a dazzling smile that made his eyes sparkle. Her heart lurched at the look.

"That's awesome! We're lucky to have you!" He said, sounding sincere.

"I don't know how my dads going to take it," Bella shrugged. Either of her dads, Charlie didn't want her in New York as much as Tony didn't. It was going to be a tough sell for bòth of them, but her mind was made up.

"Well you're choosing your college for you, not your dad," Peter said with a soft look at her as he opened the door to the cafe for her.

"There is one other thing I wanted to see before I have to go," Bella said, biting her lip and feeling strangely embarrassed as they sat down.

"Okay?"

"I want to see a dorm room. I was supposed to be staying in one but… well dad," Bella said. She had seen the dorms at the other colleges but other than the party which had been in a common area she hadn't seen that about NYU. Maybe they had tiny rooms, or bigger rooms? She knew she wanted a single, she was not up for sharing with someone with the kind of life she led or the secrets she had to keep. Her sleep talking wouldn't help with keeping any of her secrets.

"Yeah, we can do that. I can take you to my room after this. I mean, erm, yeah, I can show you what a room looks like. Or… er…" Peter looked flustered at his words and rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably.

"If you don't mind," Bella said, feeling her face flush. She didn't understand why this was so awkward. Last night they had fought a bad guy together, had shared secrets, but the light of day asking to see his room? That's what threw her off? See wanted to bang her head on the table in front of her but refrained.

They quickly changed the subject to any parties that Peter had been to while at college. He wasn't much for the party scene either, she quickly learnt. The only reason he had taken her last night was because her dad had insisted they do something he classed as fun.

They laughed their way to Peter's dorm room. Him telling her about failed experiments. She had her own mishaps to share as well.

"... So then," she choked out around laughter. "I was there with this fire extinguisher only I had it backwards so the drone was still on fire but I was coated in a layer of foam!"

Peter laughed along with her, his head thrown back in mirth. He had a really nice laugh. Sweet and infectious.

They walked up three flights of stairs, the corridor he took her down was wide and quiet. Most of the students here had probably left for Spring Break she realised.

"Erm, so the bathrooms are at the end of the corridor. They're okay. I mean, for shared bathrooms. And erm… this is my room. It's a single. I'm thinking of getting an apartment next year though…" Peter said awkwardly unlocking a plain wooden door. So far it looked like every other dorm she had seen.

Peter held the door open for her and gestured her inside. It was on the small side with a twin bed, desk, bookcase and closet but not much else. It was though pure Peter, there were pictures of his friends and family decorating the walls along with a few posters. Bits of technology lay scattered on his desk with a laptop and his bed, with blue sheets, was hastily made, as though he had just thrown the sheets back on as a cursory gesture.

"Erm, yeah sorry about the mess. I wasn't expecting… you," Peter said as he stepped in the room with her.

"It's not that messy, seriously, you should see my friends back in Forks. This is pretty tidy," Bella shrugged feeling her face burn bright red as she glanced back at the bed again. She wished she had control over that.

"It's pretty basic," Peter said quietly as he was lent against his desk, watching her every move.

"I like it, it's you," Bella said, looking towards him.

Peter swallowed and stood, edging closer to her, his eyes fixed on her face. "Thanks. So I was thinking… it's a while till you come here, I know, but maybe we can email and message…? You know if you want to?"

"I'd like that," Bella said, biting her lip, her voice soft as she stepped closer to him. There was barely any space between them now and she felt her breath catch as she looked up at Peter.

Peter's phone let out an alarm as he started leaning down to her.

"Ah, I'm so sorry I've got to get that, it's Tony. I mean your dad. Something could be wrong," Peter said, looking annoyed as he took a little step backwards.

"Mr Stark?" Peter answered the phone, once again Bella cursed her dad's timing. It really sucked. "You have my room bugged! Oh! Erm…" Peter shot her a glance at whatever her dad was saying. "Yes, okay. Bye."

"He's bugged your room?" Bella asked with wide eyes. How creepy was that? And why was he spying on them in the first place?

"Erm, no. He's tracking your phone," Peter admitted awkwardly.

Bella sighed and shook her head, feeling annoyed and not a little surprised at the turn of events. "Of course he is," she said.

"Happy's waiting outside to take you to the airport, he already has your bags," Peter said, rubbing the back off his neck once again.

"Oh. I guess… I guess I have to go then?"

"Yeah… But we'll message, email?" Peter said, looking unsure. As if she might change her mind. She wouldn't. She liked him. And it looked as if by some miracle that he liked her a little too.

"Yeah," she agreed with a nod and a smile.

"So, I guess, I'll walk you out," Peter said softly.

"Thank you, for showing me around and spending time with me. I really enjoyed it," Bella said as they reached the lobby of Peter's dorm building.

Peter looked like he was warring with himself for a moment before he shook his head. He planted his hands on her waist and brought her closer to him before he pressed his lips softly to hers.

Bella was stunned for all of a second before she was kissing him back. Her hands went around his neck as she opened her mouth to him, deepening the kiss.

The loud blare of a horn pulled them apart.

"So I'll message you," Peter grinned widely, following her out to Happy who was not looking it at all. In fact he looked down right annoyed.

0101010

"Seriously, B, there's only so often you can write, no but I miss you more, in a day. Are you even watching the movie?" Paul said as Bella was messaging Peter back. It had been six weeks since they had met and since she had come back to Forks they spoke every day.

"Shut up, I was just telling Peter about what Charlie said about New York," Bella rolled her eyes and swatted at her friend with a cushion. They were hanging out watching movies at her place. A nothing day as she put it sometimes. Days she loved.

"I still can't believe that we don't get to meet your new boyfriend. You're sure he's not a vampire, shifter, witch? Something?" Paul teased her yet again and once more she wacked him with the cushion.

"Once again he's not my boyfriend," Bella sighed. They didn't even live in the same state at the moment. And they had never mentioned the kiss that they had shared, something she hadn't told her pack about. "And no, he's a human."

"No way, any guy you crush on has to be something different," Paul argued, if only he knew how right he was.

"Who said I have a crush?" Bella asked, trying to control her burning face.

"Your blush, the fact that you jump for your phone anytime it goes off, the smile when you talk about Peter," he said in a mock girly tone. "Shall I go on?"

"Please don't," Bella sighed, getting up to get some sodas for them.

"You still want picking up from work tomorrow?" Paul asked as he took the soda she offered him.

"Yeah, Jake said he'd have my truck back in the afternoon but it'll be after I finish," Bella said gratefully. She thought that her life would have panned out much differently if she hadn't had the pack. Without Paul's sarcasm and teasing, without Jake's fun loving nature, Sam's protectiveness and Quill's laid back aura, she was sure she would have been sucked into a hole of depression, or would have still been working herself into the ground.

"I tried to pass it off to Leah, but she said something about making you walk so you're stuck with me. You can make it up in the form of baked goods, money or a good old makeout session," Paul smirked at her while raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"Or I can walk, it's only three or four miles," Bella said.

"I don't know how you can resist my charms. Fine, have it your way. I'll be there at three," Paul sighed dramatically but had a smile on his face. He always flirted with her but he was like her brother or something. Neither felt any true attraction to the other.

Bella smiled as her phone beeped again, she didn't notice Paul's eye roll as she went to see what Peter had to say.

Chapter 3

Should Have Brought An Army

It had been a long, boring day and Bella was more than ready for her shift to be over. Especially as it was just her and Mike Newton who could never just get a hint.

"So there's a new movie out-"

"I've decided not to go out till I go to college, I need to save money and spend time with Charlie, you know?" Bella cut him off before he could ask her out. Again. How many times could this guy be rejected before it cut into his apparently huge ego. She didn't get it, why was he always asking her, not when as much as she didn't like them he had Lauren and Jessica after him and they were both much prettier than her.

"Really? That's ages away," Mike said looking at her in surprise.

"Err… yeah," she said distractedly as she glanced out of the window. Four black SUV's had screeched to a halt in front of Newton's Outfitters. She frowned as she saw what looked like agents climbing from the vehicles. All of them were focused on Newtons. She noticed that a few of them were blatantly wearing guns.

"No, no," she whispered, her heart racing as she put in the earbuds she had made herself and put her phone in her back pocket besides her mask. She always kept Shade in her back pocket as her dad had suggested.

"Whoa! What's that all about?" Mike said, looking out the window with her.

"Call dad," Bella instructed her earbuds which she had named Ida.

Her heart beat loudly and forcefully in her chest as some of the 'agents' walked around the back of the store. Obviously cutting off escape routes there. This wasn't right. At all. If it was anything to do with her dad, with S.H.I.E.L.D. then she would have got a heads up of some variety. She swallowed as she realized this was what her dad had been fearing her whole life. Some of his enemies had come for her.

"Yeah?" Her dad answered impersonally meaning other people were around him.

"Dad, I'm at Newton's Outfitters, four SUV's have pulled up. Black, windows tinted beyond what should be legal. There's twelve guys, agents or whatever here, they're surrounding the building and they're armed," Bella said, struggling to keep her voice calm when she really didn't feel it.

"Are you safe? Is there anyone with you?" Her dad asked urgently and she could hear movement in the background. "Jarvis, get me a visual on Fork's, specifically Newton's Outfitters."

"Tony, what's going on?" She heard a voice ask in the background.

"Erm there's my friend from school Mike working with me, that's it. It's small and basic, nowhere to hide. I'd have a better chance and so would Mike if I run," Bella said watching as the men conversed with each other. The reprieve wouldn't last long.

"Bells, they're not ours. You need to get out of there, use everything you have. Use Shade as a last result. Just get out of there however you can honey," her dad was sounding very calm and collected but she could hear the strain in his voice.

"Okay, love you dad," she said quietly.

"I'll be there soon honey, hold on," her dad said.

Taking a deep breath Bella went to get her jacket as Mike stared wide eyed out of the window. In her jacket were a couple of things she saved, just in case. For as long as she could remember her dad had prepared her for this day just in case. It was some abstract idea, something that probably wouldn't happen, but if it did she'd be ready. She saw now that no matter what they would have done or planned she would never have been ready for this. She felt lightheaded, terror racing through her veins forcing its way through her heart.

Bella made herself stop for a second. If she could face sadistic vampires, she could face a handful of humans. She could do this. She had to do this.

"Stay behind the counter, don't come out no matter what, okay?" Bella instructed Mike as she guided him back behind the counter, her jacket on.

"What? Where are you going? What's going on? Bella?" Mike said, looking confused and upset.

"Mike, for once, please just listen. You need to trust me. Stay there," Bella said with as much authority as she could muster. Which wasn't much.

"Okay…" Mike looked very childlike hiding behind the counter and her heart went out to him. More than anything she wanted to hide with him, like a child with the covers over their head so the monsters couldn't reach her.

Another deep breath and Bella went to leave the store. "See you tomorrow Mike!" She called over her shoulder like it was any other day and she was finishing any other shift.

She stopped as though seeing the men for the first time. They were all spread out which made things more difficult. She tried to remember every little thing her instructors over the years had told her, every pointer Happy had ever given her. None of it was coming to her though. She felt woefully underprepared.

"Isabella Stark? We need to ask you to come with us," one of the men said. He had dark brown hair, sunglasses that hid his eyes and a light tan. He was much taller than her, well over six feet tall and broad in the shoulders.

"Erm sorry, I think you have the wrong person. My name is Bella Swan. As far as I know there's no Isabella Stark around here," Bella said as innocently as she could while looking at the men and their guns specifically wide eyed. Hesitantly she pulled out the keys to her truck that was still with Jake and made her way as if she was going to the lot to get it and head home. Same as usual.

"Miss Isabella Swan, nee Stark, born to Vanessa Monroe and Tony Stark on the nineteenth of September-" The man started rattling off, obviously he wasn't buying her act. She thought she had nailed it for once. That was disappointing.

"Excuse me? I really need to get home, I'm not going anywhere with you guys. Sorry," Bella said.

"If you won't come voluntarily we will have to bring you in by force," the man said, his head following her. All the men looked very relaxed, as if kidnapping an eighteen year old girl was just another day at the office. Especially an eighteen year old girl they didn't deem a threat.

"And where exactly would I be going?" Bella asked as she pressed some buttons on a controller, one which looked like a normal keyfob.

"That is classified," the man who was the mouthpiece for the group said.

"Look, if you guys wanted to take me out you should have brought flowers and chocolates. Not guns. I only date one guy at a time and you guys…? Let's just say not my type, much too serious," Bella snarked as she heard her backup arriving.

"Very amusing. Enough with this though, let's go," the man insisted.

"Yeah… there's what, twelve of you men and one of me? An eighteen year old girl, who was at work, making an honest living and you surrounded me?"

"Your point?" The man asked, sounding bored and annoyed.

"You should have brought more men," Bella said, pressing the last button on her keyring before rolling onto the floor out of the way.

A huge boom shook the earth as her drones fired at the men. It was an electrical impulse that the drones fired. It stung like hell and would knock a person out for ten minutes but didn't kill them. She was proud of her babies that she usually used to help her hone her skills with her shield.

Bella leapt to her feet and started running, stopping only long enough to grab a gun off one of the downed agents. She ducked behind one of the SUVs as the seven agents her drones hadn't incapitated started firing at her.

She wondered if she should bring out Shade yet.

She also really hoped her dad would turn up soon.

0000000

"Tony what's going on?"

Tony ignored Bruce as Jarvis brought up a visual of Forks. His heart sank, his hands shook as he turned the satellite image he had. He zoomed in.

Tony's chest felt tight, he couldn't get enough air in, he also felt a rage engulf him as he gave Bells a pep talk.

"Jarvis, mute call, keep visual, and suit me up," Tony demanded his voice hard. He couldn't see Bella yet, she was still in the store. He held out his arms and waited for his suit to come to him. Even becoming Iron Man it was going to take him a while to get to her.

"What are you doing?" Fury demanded, of course this would happen during a meeting of the Avengers.

"Going on a rescue mission," Tony replied as his suit built itself around him.

"A rescue mission, I didn't authorise any rescue mission," Fury said as the rest of the Avengers looked on.

"Good thing I don't work for you then," Tony snapped, he could hear Bella instructing her friend to keep down and out of sight in his ear.

"Who are you rescuing?" Steve Rodgers, aka Captain America, aka Boy Scout asked.

"My daughter," Tony said.

"You have a daughter?" "What daughter?" "Since when?"

"Bella? Bella's in trouble? I'm coming," Peter said firmly, no room for disagreement. He pressed the button on his bracelet Tony had made for him and was instantly suited up ready to go. Tony would question Spider-brat later, now he had to reach Bella.

"I shall join you," Thor said in his booming voice, standing next to Peter and dwarfing the kid.

"I'll get the jet ready, where are we going?" Natasha said.

Tony blinked at his coworkers, his friends, who were all standing ready to help him get his daughter. He blinked and swallowed.

"Forks, Washington," Tony said with a nod for the Black Widow.

"And what, exactly, are we rescuing the girl from? A girl we know nothing about might I add," Fury said, surprising Tony. He hadn't expected the Director to join them. He hadn't expected any of them, but Fury would be the last one he would have thought would help.

"Jarvis, show visuals and patch through Bella's call," Tony said to the A.I. as Natasha left, Barton on her heels. "Keep it on mute though, I don't want to distract her."

Bella's voice echoed over from around them as the holographic image saw her leaving the store.

"HYDRA, do we think?" Bruce asked.

"It doesn't matter who they are, we won't let them succeed with whatever it is they are planning!" Captain America insisted as he suited up in front of them. He had no modesty.

"Does she not know they're there?" Thor asked as Bella looked surprised to see the agents. Her acting skills had certainly improved. He was proud of how she was doing. Though he was more scared than he had ever been.

"No, she's playing them, buying herself some time," Peter said quietly. His eyes intent on the hologram.

"We will reach the daughter of Iron before harm comes to her," Thor said, patting Tony on the shoulder as they all started walking toward the hanger, the hologram and Bella's voice coming with them. If he was flying it would take him an hour maybe to reach her, in the jet it would be half that time. He could go faster, but then he risked using too much power, which meant he'd be leaving Bella without any backup. And him basically just in a tin suit.

They got themselves situated on the jet and all of them were silent as they watched and listened to Tony's little girl. She was playing it smart, playing the shy, small town girl she ninety percent was.

"She's got incoming," Fury noted as some drones came across the hologram.

"They're hers, she called them," Peter said quietly, his eyes firmly on the visual they had.

"Hers?" Tony asked, annoyed that the kid knew more than he did.

"She just got them working a couple of weeks ago," Peter whispered as Bella told the man in charge that they were ganging up on an eighteen year old.

"She's eighteen?!" Clint and Cap reared back together.

"Shhh!" Peter snapped, he was usually shy and reserved part of the background in anything like this, until he was fighting anyway. Then the kid never shut up.

"You should have brought more men," Bella said before the drones started firing on the men surrounding her.

"Badass," Natasha said from the pilot seat, turning around long enough to send a smirk.

"Did she kill them?" Cap asked. Of course the Cub Scout would be concerned with that. Frankly Tony didn't give a damn. As long as she wasn't the one dead.

"No, it's a stunner, they'll be knocked out for ten minutes give or take," Peter informed them.

"How do you know this?" Tony glared at the kid for a second.

"We talk," Peter shrugged a small blush coming across his face. Of course they did. Agents of HYDRA, vampire ex boyfriends, super powers and now college super kids with a crush on his daughter. She was a Stark alright.

"She might not need us after all at this rate," Legolas said, nodding towards the screen.

No sooner than the archer had said that then the agents opened fire. Tony's heart leapt into his throat stopping him breathing as his stomach dropped. Oh god. Prayer wasn't his thing. But he prayed like he never had before that Bella would come out okay.

"Stop! We need her alive!" One of the agents shouted.

"At least that's something, we'll get to her Stark," Fury nodded towards Tony. Tony didn't like the way the Director's eye was fixating on the visual calculatingly. He didn't like it one little bit.

010101010

Bella breathed out as the shooting stopped. Her heart was racing and she was trying really hard to keep her cool. She wanted to be witty and fearless like her dad, like Peter, but right now she was terrified. There were seven men left, all coming for her.

"You can do this, you've got this. You're a Stark, and we do not go down easily," Bella breathed to herself, a short little pep talk that helped somewhat.

She raised her keyring and pressed the fire button once more, she hadn't tried firing the drones more than once and she knew they definitely didn't have more than two in them. She hadn't given them enough power.

Bella chanced a look as she heard the drones go off before they plummeted to the ground. They'd taken out four more of the agents. Three seemed like much better odds to her than seven.

She stood, ready to run, knowing she could outstrip the men and go into the woods. From there they'd have an even harder time catching her, not only was she faster but they'd be playing on her turf, one she felt much more comfortable in. However Mike had to pick that time to be Mike.

"Bella!" He called from the shop urgently. She realised he was probably scared and worried about her but damn him, he could have listened for once!

"Grab the boy! Use him to lure Isabella out," the man in charge said.

"Sorry guys, can't let you do that," Bella said heading back towards the men that wanted to kidnap her at best.

"Then you will come with us?"

"Yeah, that's not happening either," Bella said before shooting a glare at Mike. "Will you get back inside!"

"Bella-"

One of the men dove for her as they assumed she was distracted.

She took the hand he placed on her shoulder and sent him barreling over onto the floor where she knocked him out with a kick to the head.

"I see you've been trained by the Avengers?" The main guy asked her as the two remaining agents circled her. He looked impressed behind the sunglasses.

"I wish. I'd be so kickass right now. Also is that your big plan? Take me to get the Avengers attention? Because you guys are struggling against a high school girl with limited training. You wouldn't have a chance against them. Pretty stupid plan if you ask me," Bella snarked, trying to keep the two men in eye shot while looking to see if Mike had listened to her.

"Bella!" The boy shouted at her as the larger of the two men came for her.

"God dammit Mike, if I die because of you I'm haunting you for the rest of your life!" Bella yelled as she ankle swiped the large man. He went down but grabbed her ankles, toppling her too.

Bella rolled and jumped to her feet as the man did the same.

He sent a beefy fist heading for her face which she dodged with ease while sending out her left fist to catch him on the chin. It was a glancing blow and he barely moved. Huh. She guessed she got to try out her new super strength then.

Bella sent a kick to the man's stomach which he blocked before retaliating with a roundhouse kick to her head that hurt. A lot. A swift combination punch had her staggering backwards. She was getting her ass handed to her. And it hurt!

"Ida, training music through the drones," Bella whispered in pants as she blocked a kick with both hands and then dodged a vicious looking punch.

The drones on the floor around them started blasting out some upbeat pop music making the man she was fighting rear back for a second. That was all she needed. She sent a right hook to his face, followed by a jab and blocked a returning punch with her left hand as she kicked the man backwards with her right leg.

She ducked as she felt the other agent come up behind her, she saw a fist going through the air where her head had been a moment before.

"That's cheating, you weren't tagged in!" Bella yelled before pulling the gun out and shooting his ankle. He went down with a yell and she sent a kick to his head that had him out cold too.

She rolled out of the way of the remaining man as he went to stomp on her with his huge feet.

"Next time, bring an army," Bella said to the man coldly as she took out his ankles one after another with the stolen gun.

Shakily she stood, she needed to get out of there and as much as she hated it she had to get Mike out as well.

"Done," the only still conscious agent said, pulling out a cell phone and pushing some buttons. Bella quickly knocked him out as well, hoping beyond everything that he hadn't actually called for an army.

Trying to hold back a wave of nausea or worse, tears, Bella ran back to the store.

"What, what was that, what's happening?" Mike asked her, still standing outside like the idiot he was.

"No idea, think we better go though before those guys wake up," Bella instructed him, grabbing him by the arm and towing him towards the parking lot out back.

"Are you okay?" Mike whispered to her as she dragged him along with her.

"Just peachy," Bella said, feeling tears she couldn't help or fight roll down her face.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?"

"Cops daughter," Bella shrugged, lying her ass off. Charlie had taken her to a shooting range twice, that was about his involvement.

Bella sighed in relief as a familiar black car screeched up beside them.

"Bella? What the hell happened to you!" Paul barked out angrily, getting out of the car and leaving the door open. "Did you do that asshole? Fed up of her turning you down?"

"Paul! Enough, Mike didn't do anything. We need to get out of here though, like twenty minutes ago," Bella said. She was desperately still trying to hold it together.

"You're crying!" Paul said, looking at her in shock.

"Just sweating through my eyes, can we please just go, I'll tell you everything, I promise. We need to go though," Bella almost begged her best friend. She shut her eyes for a moment, where were they even going to go? She didn't have a game plan for other people getting swept up in this with her.

"What the fuck is that?" Paul asked with wide eyes looking at something behind her.

Bella turned, a strange looking plane was hovering over where the downed agents were. Men were paragliding down from it and a huge looking metal man jumped down.

"That would be an army. Time to go guys," Bella said, opening the back door of Paul's car and pushing Mike in before she hopped into the passenger's seat. Paul was already speeding away before she had shut the door.

"What the hell have you got yourself into now?" Paul demanded as he swerved around the metal man that reminded her of a silver version of Shocker.

"I have no idea," Bella said, rifling through her jacket as the metal man started running after the car. Triumphantly she pulled the contraption she was looking for out and opened the window. It sort of looked like a Ninja throwing star but with rounded edges instead of sharp ones and a larger middle to it.

"You get that working?" Paul asked her wide eyed.

"Nope," Bella said.

"Awsome," he smirked at her.

Bella had been trying to make a portable fire extinguisher that went off on impact. Considering how often she set fire to things while she was working she thought it was a good idea. However she hadn't got it to work right yet. She couldn't find that perfect balance for the pressure, either she had not enough or way too much.

"What's it do?" Mike asked as Bella threw it from the window and Paul pushed his car faster.

Bella smiled as an explosion went off behind them, right in front of the metal man.

"Makes boom," Paul chuckled. "Things are never quiet around you B. You sure your new crush can handle it?"

"Is this the time? We're out running an army," Bella pointed out, glad to feel that her tears had stopped.

"You have a crush on someone? Who?" Mike asked, apparently also not getting the severity of what was taking place.

"It's a college man Mikey, sorry bud, you haven't got a chance. B's all about the older dudes now," Paul chuckled.

"Can we stop discussing my non-existent love life and focus on the fact that we may die?" Bella suggested shrugging out of her torn and ripped jacket.

"Nope, perfect time," Paul laughed at her. She glanced in the mirror and saw the metal man was following them still but was further behind now.

"Who is the guy? Does he go to college in Seattle? How did you meet him?" Mike was an idiot.

"She met him in New York, it was love at first sight," Paul started mockingly.

"Just because your driving does not mean I won't punch you," Bella uttered.

"B?"

"Yeah?"

"Where are we going?" Paul asked her glancing in his rearview mirror. She looked to see they were doing ninety down the thankfully deserted road. She was also grateful that it was a rare dry day for Forks.

"Just keep driving, they're following us. We need to get as far away as quickly as possible," Bella said. She was certain her dad would find them no matter where they ended up. She was also certain that even with Paul's wolfy ability and Shade, they didn't stand a chance facing down an army.

"So we have long enough to discuss you and Peter- ouch! Shit woman that hurt!" Paul flinched at the punch she had landed on his arm. Good. It served him right.

"I warned you," Bella shrugged unrepentant.

They rode in silence for a few minutes. Bella was shaking slightly. She knew it was likely shock setting in and the urge to breakdown was like nothing she had ever felt before. She couldn't though. Not yet. Not until all three of them were safe.

"You okay Bella?" Paul asked her quietly, obviously seeing her slight tremors.

"Oh yeah. Just another day in the life," Bella laughed a little hysterically.

"Why is this army after you?" Paul said, still pushing his car to the limit. "Is it a Shade thing? If it is, does that mean you're a real Superhero now? Hey, maybe you've finally got a chance with Spiderman!"

Bella started laughing, she couldn't help it. She laughed so hard her stomach hurt.

"Thanks… I needed that," she said after a moment with a smile wide on her face.

"What's Shade?" Mike asked from the backseat. Bella sighed, there was no way she was telling Mike anything else, not if she didn't want it around the whole of Forks in an hour's time.

Bella turned in her seat to look at Mike only to be thrown back as Paul screeched the car to a halt.

"What are you doing!" Bella yelled at her friend who was shaking violently. He was going to wolf out in the car, which wouldn't end well for any of them, least of all the Caddy.

Looking out of the window Bella saw what had stopped the car and why Paul was shaking. She closed her eyes briefly, her throat blocked for a moment.

"Mike… Paul and I are getting out. Take the car and drive. Don't stop until the car runs out of gas," Bella said quietly, her eyes still fixated on what was in front of her.

"What the hell-"

"JUST DO IT!" She yelled at him as he started to argue. "Time for little red riding hood here Paul. You got this?"

Paul nodded, his jaw clenched tightly. He was doing everything he could not to phase she could see.

Bella steeled herself as best as she could before getting out of the car, Paul doing the same on the other side.

"Not the best time for this Vicky," Bella said to the redhead vampire who was blocking the road, along with ten more vampires behind her. All of them looking to be practically vibrating with desire to rip her apart. Behind them Bella could hear the metal man getting closer.

"I will end you by my own hands!" Victoria hissed out.

"Paul!" Bella shouted as she jumped on the hood of his car, as her foot touched the hood he phased and she jumped on his back just as he landed on all fours. "Go!"

Paul veered off into the woods with an ear splitting howl. Behind them Bella could hear the vampires giving chase and the metal man behind them, she was sure the agents would be joining the party soon too.

Bella spun on Paul's back as he raced, the vampires catching up quickly. She sent her shield out creating a wall that the vampires bounced off. It gave them a little lead but she knew as soon as they were half a mile away the wall would collapse. She was also sure they would get over their shock and go around or over it fairly quickly.

A deafening chorus of howls echoed around them making Bella sigh out in relife a litte. If the pack could take out the vampires that left only one army for Bella to deal with. That was something.

"The training field Paul!" Bella called, hearing the vampires bypass her shield and the thudding of metal man's feet, which was accompanied by the sound of trees being knocked down.

Paul ran as fast as he could, the forest little more than a blur around them. They ran into the clearing to see seven more wolves ready, hackles up and teeth bared.

"Hey guys, sorry about this," Bella said, sliding off Paul's back on landing on the already churned up earth. This was the area where the pack and Bella practiced. It was far enough away from hiking trails and the town that no innocent bystanders should be caught up.

Bella positioned herself in front of the pack. Sam sniffed and growled behind her.

"Oh hush puppy, this is because of me, the least I can do is take point," Bella rolled her eyes. She was desperate that no one got hurt because of her.

Taking a deep breath Bella pushed her shield out and surrounded them all with it. She had never pushed it this far before and certainly not in a battle situation. She hoped she could hold it, but she didn't know for sure.

A moment later the vampire army came through the trees, the metal man was on their heels. Bella was sure that the other men wouldn't be far behind him. She swallowed. Why did she have to make that quip about an army?

"Get her!" Victoria screeched at her vampires who attacked her shield to no avail. There were no weak spots, she could hold it up against their attacks which she barely felt.

"Not today Vicky," Bella shook her head at the furious vampire. Her red hair quivered like a mad medusa of legends.

The metal man was walking around her shield and eyeing the supernatural creatures. He obviously hadn't been prepared for Isabella Swan and her supernatural life.

"We have been following your scent all over Bella," Victoria taunted as she called her vampires back to her.

"Well congratulations on finding me, it's not going to do you much good though as you can see," Bella said, trying to keep an eye on both of her adversaries.

"Hmm… we shall see. Did you know that we stopped by your house first?" Victoria smiled, showing off her teeth.

Bella's heart stopped beating, she felt as though she was falling down a hole. Charlie. Charlie, he had to be okay. She was lying. Trying to goad her.

"Your father put up quite the fight. He tasted delicious I must say," Victoria said still with that smile.

Bella felt her vision turn grey, a fire burnt in the pit of her stomach and with a scream her shield flared out. It knocked everyone from the field with the exception of the wolves and Bella.

Rage like she had never felt before overtook her and she was dashing for the redhead who looked shocked at the turn of events.

Bella didn't notice her fists were covered in what looked like a grey smoke as she took them to the vampire. Dodging the woman's attacks. Bella pounded away at her enemy. Her hits connected hard and true. Through her fury Bella didn't see the cracks she was making in the vampire's skin. Nor the way the redheads' eyes widened in fear. Instead Bella kept attacking, her heart lurching. This woman had ended Charlie? She would end her, with her own fists!

Victoria got a lucky shot in and Bella growled as she felt the sting against her cheek. She didn't care. She would take that a thousand times over to not feel the pain in her heart.

Bella saw the wolf behind Victoria and smiled at it as she placed her shield on the vampire's feet. Victoria couldn't do anything but stand still as the wolf tore her arms and then her head off.

Bella sank to her knees as Victoria was no more. Tears were pouring down her face and for a moment she forgot all about the war raging around her. She hadn't noticed the agents entering the battlefield. She didn't notice as one of them snuck up behind her. All she was thinking of was the dad that had taken her to carnivals and parks. One who had pushed her on swings and caught her when she tripped. Her dad who would read her stories and kiss her goodnight. Who had no problem with sharing her with her other father. Who firmly believed in the more love a child had the better.

Cold metal encircled Bella's wrists pinching her skin and she felt herself being dragged to her feet. Part of her wanted to give in. To just let them take her. What was the point? She only caused misery and death to those around her.

"Charlie's with Billy B, he's fine! Get yourself together!" Paul had shifted in the middle of the battle long enough to yell at her.

It was like she could breathe again. Her chest flooded with air and her vision returned. As did the battle around her. She realised right then she had screwed herself royally.

Two agents were dragging her across the field as the wolves fought anything that wasn't furry going anywhere near them.

With a huge effort she slammed into one of the men holding her, sending him toppling over and the other agent let go in surprise. She looked around to find out where the wolves were, the nearest one was Seth who was battling a vampire. She was on her own with this. Meaning she had to fight with her hands cuffed behind her back.

She tried using her shield to pry them apart but she didn't know if she'd used it too much or something. It was not working for her.

The agents were quick to get to their feet and soon she had five trying to reach her.

Bella had no idea what to do. So she improvised.

She let two grab her from behind again and jumped up, using them as leverage while she reared backwards and kicked another two in the face. As she landed she bent forward and flung her head backwards hitting one of the men in the face. He let go and she hoped she had managed to knock him out. His face had certainly made a sickening crunch.

"That had to have hurt," Bella witted as she dropped all of her weight down. Unfortunately the agent holding her twisted her arms up to the point where she wanted to scream in pain.

"We need you alive, not in one piece. Anymore and I take your arms, got it?" He hissed in her ear.

"Could really use some help here guys!" Bella shouted as she tried to move forward so there was less pressure on her arms. "You get a kick out of hurting girls?"

"Actually, yeah, I do," the man whispered into her ear as he shoved his crotch into her rear.

True terror flooded her at that.

"I will get out of this and will hurt you so bad you can never get that up again," Bella said, trying to get angry instead of scared.

"You know you're just turning me on more right? Keep going. Please," the agent chuckled, he was flush against her back as he kept pushing her forward.

Bella kicked and struggled and she flung her head around. She had been trying not to show the agents her shield but right then, she knew she had to do whatever it took. This sick ass could not drag her away into the woods. She flung her shield backwards, feeling it tearing from her in her desperation. She fell on her face as the man was gone. Taking a gulp of air she stood only to find herself surrounded again.

"She's one of those freaks! Call the big guy!" One of the agents was yelling.

"Anyone around to lend a hand?" Bella yelled again. She did not want to find out who the big guy was. At all.

"I've got your back Shade," a voice said from behind her and she could have sobbed in relife.

"Spidey?" She asked quietly, ignoring the agents who were now yelling about backup.

"Oh come on, I'm so much cooler, and I can do this," the other familiar voice said as she felt a tug against her cuffs which instantly separated.

"Dad," Bella sagged more before she turned and threw herself at Iron Man. The man hugged her gently back.

"Don't quit on me yet honey, let's get this done. I'm so proud of you," her dad said quietly and she nodded, stepping back.

Her eyes widened as she took in the people surrounding them.

"Holy shit, it's the Avengers," she said, her mouth disconnected from her brain. Spiderman started laughing at her and she felt the familiar blush travel her cheeks.

"Yeah, yeah, we're awesome. Fan girl later honey, right now we have a job to do. You want to sit it out? We can make sure you stay safe," her dad said.

"No, they came after me. I'm not sitting it out," Bella said, drawing herself up again. Her shoulders back and her head held high.

"Spoken like a true warrior," a huge man with huge muscles and long blonde hair said, nodding towards her with a smile. Holy hell. It was Thor. Thor just spoke to her… Her dad was right though, she could fangirl later.

She turned to the small army and the battlefield that was littered with pieces of vampire. The pack were left battling five. She wondered why the vampires hadn't run. It was obvious they were out witted and out matched. Still, she knew from personal experience that the species were prideful idiots. And five less vampires for the world to worry about could only be a good thing.

She followed the Avengers lead and ran towards the foes. She shot her shield out at three agents who pulled guns, it flung them backwards. She took the guns in her shield and crushed them, dropping the shrapnel that was left as she dodged a punch from one of them while sticking out her leg to kick a second. She got his neck instead of his head but he still went down so she was counting it as a win.

She spun and saw a man going to fire at a pretty red haired woman. She shielded the woman before knocking the man down.

"Thanks!" The redhead - Black freaking Widow - called. Bella smiled in return as she ducked a meaty fist. She grabbed the arm it was attached to and with the help of her shield flung him into a group of trees. He hit them hard and landed on the solid earth with a thud.

Bella glanced up as a plane, similar to the one earlier, was coming towards the clearing. She realised that this would probably be the big guy the agents were talking about. She had a feeling that whoever it was, they didn't want to meet him.

Bella looked around biting her lip, her mind running faster than she thought it could.

She ran as fast as she could through the field pushing her shield out to anyone that got in her way.

Bella approached the big green man who was flinging the metal man around like he was nothing more than a toy.

"Excuse me, Mr Hulk?" Bella asked the huge man. He turned and looked at her before roaring in her face. "Hi, I'm Bella, it's nice to meet you. Could you please do me a big favor?"

The Hulk looked at her with a cocked head.

"Can you throw me really high into the air please?" She asked him.

"Hulk throw?"

"Please," Bella nodded with a smile.

The Hulk looked at her oddly before picking her up in a huge hand and chucking her up into the air. She went faster and higher than she had anticipated.

Focusing she sent her shield out to the plane and pulling her hands together with a lot of effort she bent the metal wings and stopped it mid flight. With all she had left she pushed the plane away.

Bella started hurtling towards the ground as the plane crashed with a huge explosion not too far in the distance.

"Didn't think this through!" She yelled as the ground got closer, her shield wasn't going to help her here

She had learnt that the hard way when practicing with the pack.

She closed her eyes as she realised that she was either about to die or break a lot of bones. Either way she didn't want to watch.

Her body jerked as something hard, yet contrastingly soft caught her.

The wind knocked out of her; she could only gasp 'thanks' to Spiderman who was looking her over as she was clutched in his arms.

"Falling for me are we?" Spiderman chuckled as he set her on her feet. "Sorry Mr Stark, but you've got to admit, that was a great catch. Uh huh. I'm on it." And with that Spiderman was gone webbing someone and running back into the fray.

Bella turned to see the battle was almost done. Few remained left standing and she was relieved to see that no casualties on their side had been taken.

She gritted her teeth as a yelp followed by a whine filled the air, she had angered the gods of irony.

Bella ran towards the sound, taking out one agent on the way with a fist to his face as she ran past.

A vampire had got its arms around one of the wolves and was crushing the wolf. Bella screamed as she realised it was Jake. Once more she flung out her shield, it dislodged the vampire slightly, but not enough. It was weak.

Glancing around in desperation Bella grabbed the first weapon she could find. It was a rock with a jagged edge.

"Hey! Twinkletoes!" Bella yelled at the vampire before jabbing the rock as hard as she could into the top of her arm, just under her shoulder. The reaction of the vampire and the other vampire left was instantaneous as blood trickled down her arm. They charged her, black eyes wide, venom leaking from their mouths.

Seth and Leah worked together taking out one while Paul and Sam took down the other. Jake's whimpers filled the air.

"Stop!" A voice yelled loudly and authoritatively from behind her. Wondering what else it could be, she turned to see one of the agents with a gun to the head of one of the Avengers. The guy with the arrows, Hawkeye. "Come with us and he lives. Carry on fighting, he dies. You don't want anyone to die on your behalf, do you Miss Stark?"

"If I come with you, what will happen to me?" Bella asked quietly, walking slowly towards the two. Hawkeye was shaking his head at her, his eyes wide.

"Nothing, you won't be hurt, there will be no more violence towards your friends or yourself. I promise," the man said, softly.

"You mean it?"

"Don't do it! He's a lying sack of shi-" Hawkeye was stopped by a rap of the gun to his head. He looked dazed but he was still awake.

"You have my word," the man said, his voice gentle, soothing, and full of crap.

"I have fought three armies in the last hour. I don't want to fight anymore," Bella said walking slowly again, she sighed.

"Of course you don't. Come on, no more fighting," the man said letting Hawkeye sag in his grasp as he held out a hand towards Bella.

Bella took his hand that was sweaty and just plain wrong.

"I said I don't, not that I won't," Bella said, clasping his hand firmly with hers as she drove her other upwards, breaking his arm. She pulled Hawkeye forward and kicked the now screaming agent away.

Just as she went to check on the eagle eyed Avenger she went down. Pain spread across her face and her ears were ringing as everything swam around her.

She was vaguely aware of someone standing over her that was yanked away by white lines. She shook her head and tried to stand, her ears still ringing.

A hand appeared on her shoulder and she realised she didn't have the strength to push it away. Also she could see two hands and she could only feel one. The hand was gentle as it helped her up, rough, calloused but soft in touch. Whoever it belonged to braced her against themselves as her legs weren't working properly. She tried to push the person away but couldn't make her body respond right.

"It's okay. I'm friends with your dad," the man said loudly into her ear, making her flinch.

"Sure you are," Bella said, hearing the slur in her voice.

"Okay, your dad's a pain in my ass who, nine times out of ten I want to shoot. But nevertheless, I'm here to help. I'm an alley Miss Swan," the man said, loudly, but his voice had a soft cadence to it that was soothing. "Names Director Nicholas Fury. I was with Tony Stark and his friends when you called. We have to get you off this field and checked out."

"No, I can help," Bella said trying to support herself again but her legs kept buckling.

She saw another man stagger over to them and take her other arm even as he struggled.

"Come on, let's get you out of here. You have wicked timing by the way. Thanks for that," the man said in a southern voice.

"Sure. Anytime. You're Hawkeye right?"

"I am, I also go by Clint Barton," the man said as he and Nicholas walked her slowly from the dwindling battle.

"That's very cool. You're awesome, all you Avengers are," Bella sighed, her head feeling heavy as were her eyes.

"Come on now Miss Swan, you need to stay awake for us," Fury said in her ear.

"K."

"You kicked ass today," Hawkeye said, jostling her.

"Hmm… thanks," Bella tried smiling but that just made everything hurt more. She couldn't keep her eyes open any longer, instead she fell into the darkness that was hurtling towards her.