Chapter 13: Delicate Machinery Does Not Like VibrationsNotes:Winter is so here. It's super cold, sadly the dog still thinks the balcony door should just be open all day for her. She has been roving pair of sad puppy eyes since the temperature started dropping.
Chapter TextPeter yelped as he dodged another advanced gun blast, but it did send him tumbling straight through a white picket fence and into some poor person's yard. "I should have stayed at the party!"
-"Probably should have, Quakes going to kick your ass for engaging without her."- Darcy's voice was irritatingly dry.
He face planted into a shed. "Why the suburbs, shady deals aren't supposed to be in the suburbs." Peter flung himself onto a roof and then took off after the van. "They're not getting away this time!"
-"Huh huh, well you're headed towards the beacon. And more crime happens in the suburbs then people think."- Darcy snickered. -"Did you just bust that man's shed?"-
Peter huffed as he ran, side note, being able to swing was made difficult by having nothing to swing from! "It came from nowhere!"
-"Yes, sheds like the one you just demolished, famous for their acrobatics and sensing of danger."- Darcy drawled.
He used a tree to send himself flinging over the next house. "Shingles are slippery." Peter barely managed to twist mid air to miss some hanging lights. Then he came flying onto the roof of a three story house and grinned. "I see the van. Just gotta slow it down."
-"Wait for Quake, she's almost to you."- Darcy's voice lost it's teasing quality.
Peter took a flying leap. People could die if he didn't get to the van. He was trained for this! "I got this!" His voice pitched up as he came flying for the bad guys. "SURPRISE!"
He was midway through an epic arch towards the weapons van when his instincts screamed. Twisting in air he brought his web shooters to like...do something. He was only half way twisted when he was slammed into by metal.
"WHAT!?" He grabbed onto the claw...thing that was cutting into his legs as they rocketed up. Peter's heart was in his throat as he realized a big metal bird thing had him. "Spooky eyes!" They were all green and glowy and his spider sense or whatever was blaring at him. They just kept going up, horrifyingly up. And then a cold shiver ran down his spine unlike anything he'd ever felt.
A black figure shot up above the bird and "Quake!" Peter finally realized what the black shape was. And then Quake landed on the back of the bird.
A wave of power that rattled him to the bone crashed past him. The metal bird cracked, sections blowing, some actually disintegrating, the creature/person crying out in pain. But the clawed foot released Peter.
He shot his web hooking Daisy. A yank of his arm and he went flying up past exploding metal and creepy bird person and he hooked himself onto Daisy's back. "Evil Bird!"
And then they were hurtling back towards the ground. Daisy's arms were towards the ground, her vibrations slowing their descent. His teeth chattered in his head from the power.
Glowy green eyed bird robot/man went spiraling down, one whole wing exploding sending it crashing into the ground in a fiery heap.
As they landed Daisy shot her arm out at the van that had pulled over sending it rolling onto its side in one of the yards. And then they hit the road with a jolt, Daisy's powers cutting off.
Peter gingerly hopped off of her back. He looked around the destruction of the small section of suburb. Lights were lighting up every house on the block, robot bird thing was on fire, henchmen were crawling out of the upturned van… oh he was so dead. There was even a teenage girl filming the whole thing from her bedroom window. "Uh...funny meeting you here?"
"Go web the men in the van." Daisy ordered, her voice hard.
He winced, but jumped to the van and promptly webbed the hands and feet of the two men and hauled them out. "Crime doesn't pay you know." Peter set them so they were sitting on the grass. Jumping onto the van he reached in and turned off the ignition and pulled the keys out.
There was an awful sound of tearing metal and a burst of vibrations.
Peter turned and winced as he saw Daisy dragging the person who'd been in the robobird suit out of the wreckage. She dropped his still smoking body onto the grass.
He tapped his comm. "I think we need an ambulance." Peter was so not getting back to that party… Ned was going to kill him.
Daisy strode straight for him and hauled him into a vice like hug. He squawked in surprise before hugging her back. That had been terrifying.
Peter held onto Daisy's hand as they sat side by side on the lawn. Police detective Yuriko Watanabe had pointed them towards the lawn. She was on the list Darcy and Daisy had made of acceptable police to corporate with. It was a short list. The news crews were there, evil bird dude was in the back of an ambulance, the two henchmen were in the back of a police cruiser. Multiple suburban people in bathrobes were being interviewed by police.
"So uh robo bird people. Who knew?" His goggles blinked as he looked at Daisy hopefully.
Daisy sighed. "I can't even be mad. Going in alone without back up against common sense was like...my move at SHIELD."
"Cool, not getting grounded?" He checked, his shoulders relaxing.
She looked at him, her new fancy mask actually moving with her face as she stared at him in disbelief. "Oh you're so grounded."
"That's fair." Peter admitted, the robot bird had been...it'd been scary. He maybe should have probably waited for back up. "You're still coming to Decathlon though right?"
She squeezed his hand and laid her head on his shoulder. "Wouldn't miss it."
////
Darcy stared at the morning news and felt tears of mirth gathering in her eyes. This was the best thing ever. "FRIDAY, print just...all of these articles. I'm making a scrapbook."
"What's got you in a state?" Jane asked from her fevered calculations.
She snorted, a slight whistling sound like a dying whale escaped her. Because there were pictures, so many amazing pictures splashed everywhere. "The best media day for enhanced individuals just happened."
"Huh?" Jane looked up, face slightly crinkled.
Darcy couldn't even articulate her joy without chortling. She waved Jane over.
Jane got the message and walked over, actually left the science, it was a miracle. She looked down and stilled. "But aren't-"
"Yes." Darcy gasped.
"And wait but…" Jane's eyes widened.
Darcy lost it, she was crying, she was laughing so hard. She wheezed out a reply between bellows of laughter. "Yes!"
"Well that's….something." Jane trailed off before starting to giggle.
Because there, being cooed over by the whole world, were photos of Spiderman and Quake landing on a street, Peter clearly hanging onto Daisy. And then there were photos of them hugging each other desperately. It looked intimate as hell. But oh the coup de grace was a photo of them sitting next to each other on some poor idiots front lawn. They were clearly holding hands in it, Daisy's head on Peter's shoulder. The internet was losing its mind.
Darcy knew that this was a public relations coup. Quake and Spiderman stopping illegal alien weapon running in the suburbs? Nothing scared important people like giant menacing, demonic looking robot bird people with super weapons in the goddamn suburbs. Only damage was some minor grass being torn up, a few hours of road repair, and a demolished shed. All of which 'Spiderquake' had already promised to fix. Short of saving puppies while holding a baby, with god bless america in the background, there was no better PR. It was a miracle. But Darcy couldn't stop wheezing.
"They're idiots." She gasped out.
Jane opened her mouth but more giggles came out instead of words.
An hour later, Darcy kept snorting anytime she thought of it. "Think I should make them 'congrats on your true love' cake?"
"I think it's very impressive you know Quake and Spiderman." Ian put in from where he was rewriting Jane's notes, only legible.
She winced at his smile. Normally she wouldn't encourage him. Dating the intern was so London, and his breath had smelled like socks. But, well it was a wonderful day. "It is cool isn't it. I think I should get them a cake. There has to be some fancy caterer in the tower who'd make a themed one."
-"Mr Stark has two chefs on call in the tower as well as six in the cafeteria."- FRIDAY helpfully informed them.
Darcy beamed. "Thanks FRIDAY. Can you put in order for a romantic congratulations cake for Spiderquake? Tell whichever chef has time for it to have fun with it."
-"Very well Dr Lewis. Do you require anything else?"- FRIDAY asked.
She shot the nearest camera a thumbs up. "I'm good FRIDAY." Darcy pulled up her favorite dance mix and blasted the lab.
Darcy pulled up work with the holotable. She was going to use the nanobots to make Janes teleporting tech mobile, portable, and not a bumpy van ride from sending someone to a bilgesnipe den or something. Holo tables were so cool. No more reams of graph paper and exploding prototypes. She could do 90% of the work on the table and only synthesis one or two prototypes. It was an excellent day.
Darcy felt bleary eyed from staring at holographic numbers. It took her a second of blinking to bring the person who'd just interrupted her into focus. "Jackbooted thug lady?"
"It's Maria or Hill." The perfectly pressed woman replied. "I'm head of security here at SI."
Darcy whistled. "Those cheekbones can cut glass can't they? I mean damn if the ladies did it for me, I would be all over you."
Hill's eyes twinkled, but her face stayed even. Killer poker face that one. "I was advised I should look into your security considering your parentage."
"Naw I'm good, Soldier Hotstuff." Darcy flicked her wrist just right, her new bangle turning into the most tricked out taser on the planet. "Dudebros everywhere should fear me."
Hill's lips twitched upward. "How do you feel about coffee and discussing the legal mess we're all in the middle of then?"
"Fine, I'm guessing my being a Stark isn't going to stay quite much longer anyways." Darcy turned off her holotable. She carefully set the biolocks. No stupid hazing the newbie crap was fucking with her designs. Not that SI seemed the place with worse hazing then maybe putting salt in your coffee if you had an office jokester in your cubicle area. Better safe than sorry though.
Darcy picked up her knit hat, pulled it down to her ears and then grinned at Hill. "Ready when you are Sir Hotstuff."
"Changing up nicknames already?" Hill asked while leading them to the elevator.
She shrugged. "I mean I don't think either of them are the perfect name for you. But you can tell a lot about a person if they just roll with the punches ya know? LIke Agent iPod Thief. He was just a badass."
"If you weren't working in the labs I'd offer you a job in security." Hill did look properly amused now. "Is this how you got some of the most stubborn people on the planet to compromise for five minutes?"
Darcy snorted. "As if. Naw it's like this. Capsical and Poprocks should never be sat down at a table and left to 'compromise'. They'll dig their obstinate heels in even if they agree. You have to negotiate the least objectionable solution with each of them separately."
"Interesting approach. Is this a 'Stark doesn't play well with others' conclusion?" Hill was part curious, and partly testing her. It was kinda flattering and insulting at the same time.
Darcy rolled her eyes as they stepped out of the elevator and moved towards the Security office lounge. They had the good coffee up here. "Look, it's like bullfighting. Steve is a bull only instead of horns he's got the Shield. I mean I'm pretty sure the man would charge straight into a brick wall if he thought it was the 'right' thing to do."
"You're not wrong." Hill agreed while pouring them coffee and gesturing the creamer and sugars.
She nodded, finally someone other than Daisy who got it. "Right? See and Tony's a matador. Complete with sparkly outfit, charm and using weapons to bring down things more powerful than himself. But see the thing is you're asking a bull and a matador to sit down and agree on the rules of bullfighting. It's not gonna happen."
Hill actually grinned at that as she brought her coffee to her mouth. "So you separated them and got their handlers to do the compromising for them. Effective approach. I wish I'd thought of it."
"They look like adults so everyone assumes they'll act like them." Darcy dumped four creamers and two sugars into her coffee. "Besides, Capsical is jaded and hates 'The Man' with every fiber of his justice filled being. And Poprocks is a lot of things, but he's very much a part of the whole 'The Man' thing. Steve is never going to trust Tony completely after Ultron. And Tony is incapable of the basic empathy or of understanding what his bullshit is going to do to normal people. He plays by rich person rules, he doesn't get that's not how the world works for literally everyone else."
Hill seemed to consider her words, her eyes sharp though she still felt friendly. "You're not wrong, in fact that's partially why we have tried to keep Steven in DC and Stark in Malibu as much as possible."
"Huh...that makes so much sense." Darcy reevaluated the woman. This was an ally!
Hill hummed. "How would you like to look at some of the policy we've been trying to get Stark to agree to since apparently he listens to you?"
"I won't put anything in front of him I don't think is a good idea." Darcy wasn't going to back down on that point.
Hill nodded with ease, which was kinda impressive how she did it, while looking formalish. "I wouldn't expect anything else. But enough of Stark, what type of security do you already have in place?"
"Well legally, and according to internal SI paperwork I live on Thor Floor. And if I get caught out in Queens it's because Daisy Johnson was a foster kid my parents took care of for a year when I was in middle school. It's only natural we're catching up now that we live in the same city." Darcy loved her sister's hacking skills. They'd laid the correct paper trail to make their connection completely legit looking. And it'd protect the Parkers.
Hill sounded amused. "I assume all the paperwork and records are 100% legal and legitimate."
"Of course." Darcy winked, even if she wasn't that good at it and it probably looked kinda dumb.
Hill huffed softly. "Well then. You do realize you'll have to accept a bodyguard once the news hits?"
"It's going to suck monkey balls." Darcy grumbled before draining her coffee in one go. Sue her, she wasn't recovered from collegiate bad habits yet.
Hill refilled her mug. "I have a few options I think you'll find less objectionable. In fact, how would you feel about two of your friend Daisy's old coworkers? SI has been considering offering them employment."
"If Daisy vouches for them." She cocked her head to the side. "I thought you said 'a' bodyguard?"
Hill opened her mouth and then her pager, phone, and half a dozen alarms around the office went off. She grabbed her phone and hissed. "Shit."
"Which alarm is that?" Darcy asked.
Hill looked at her. "The one that means that the lead Daisy found for Steven just paid off."
"Huh, so the brainwashed russian murderbot alarm. Good to know." Darcy took a liberal gulp of her coffee. "You're going to need me to head off Tony aren't you?"
////
Wanda watched as Daisy taught a small herd of tiny children how to safely summersault. They looked like a bunch of awkward pillbugs, rolling around the mats. She bit back a smile. It was kind of adorable. She looked at the gym employee in an identical blue polo to the one Daisy was wearing. "I thought this was an extreme obstacle gym not…" She looked pointedly at the adorable group Daisy was leading.
The guy in the polo laughed. "We have classes for every level of skill. That's our beginners tumbling class for kids." He held out his hand. "I'm Drew."
"Wanda." She accepted his hand, a trickle of her powers brushing against his mind. He was harmless, very bored, and curious about his new coworker. Ah, he wanted something new to gossip about. She pulled back her small trickle of power. "I had expected more...rock climbing with paintball guns honestly."
Drew laughed outright. He spoke while wiping a tear from his eye. "Oh that's a good one. No, nothing like that. Paintball." He shook his head. "No we run classes for all ages, but they focus on gymnastics, martial arts, parkour, and rock climbing. I'm the current rock climbing instructor actually. I mean the groups are usually after school groups. But Daisy is teaching the classes that are less focused."
"Like tumbling?" She asked.
He nodded. "Hm. She's got the weirdest mix of masteries. But the only class she's running in your age range is Tai Chi, though that's more geared towards older patrons." Drew looked at her in open curiosity. "Are you a friend of hers?"
"Yes we...play paintball quite often." Wanda's eye twitched slightly. If paintball, combat, and constant explosions at the same time could be considered 'play'. Though she was pretty sure that to Daisy it did.
Drew snorted, a sort of understanding in his eye. "I'm guessing that's why the guess at paintball rock climbing of all things." He chuckled, shaking his head. "Well if you're not here to sign up for a class or anything you're welcome to watch while you wait for your friend."
"Thank you." Wanda smiled at Drew. He was...so horribly normal it was actually slightly soothing.
Wanda straightened an hour later as Daisy loped towards her. And she could feel and see, just the happiness radiating out from the woman. "Hello."
"I see Drew showed you where the sports drinks are." Daisy laughed. "What's up?"
Wanda easily followed the clear invitation from Daisy. "I needed to get out of the tower and I thought you wouldn't mind?"
"Of course not." Daisy dropped a hand on her shoulder, her eyes kind. "We're friends, you're always welcome to drop by." She seemed to consider something. "Do you need to crash at Aunt May's for the night?"
Wanda loved being at the Parker home. It was full of light, affection, warmth. Though she hadn't spent a great deal of time there, it still felt like a home she'd been welcomed into. Perhaps not her home, but a home nonetheless. "I would like that."
"Cool, the couch is super comfy." Daisy led them into a locker room. "I'm guessing the emotions are running pretty high with Barnes newly in the Tower."
Wanda sighed. "There is that. But also...well I'm not the most dangerous person requiring Vision's supervision now. The apartment was...quiet."
"And Pietro doesn't return till next week." Daisy finished for her while pulling her shirt off in an easy move, completely mindless that Wanda was right there.
Wanda's eyes snapped up to the ceiling. "Yes."
Daisy laughed lightly. There was a slight rustling before she spoke again. "You can look now." And indeed she wasn't half naked anymore. "I forget not everyone is used to close quarters. Privacy wasn't really a thing when living on a plane or a secret base. Sorry."
"It's fine..just unexpected." Wanda cleared her throat. "So do you and Darcy have some PR campaign plot I'm going to be dragged into for Barnes?"
Daisy grinned. "No, in fact now that you Avengers have a PR team we won't meddle...much."
"Somehow I doubt that." Wanda was pretty sure Starks in general were incapable of not meddling constantly.
Daisy shrugged unrepentantly. "Well I mean we don't want him to avoid being tried for his crimes."
"But you protected me?" Wanda frowned. "Why me but not him?"
Daisy picked up her duffle bag and led them out of the locker room. She paused to wave at Drew. "See you Wednesday Drew!"
"Carrot juice is disgusting!" He hollard after them.
Daisy waited till they were on the sidewalk before replying to Wanda's question. "A few reasons really. They were going to use it as an excuse to lock up all of us who are different. But mostly you're just a person from a forgien country, a young female person at that. He's a beloved American hero. And he was actually brainwashed and no jury is going to convict him."
Wanda mulled that over, appreciating absently that Daisy was giving her the chance to think it over. "You thought they were going to lock me up without a trial."
"It's what the Accords would have made legal. Barnes isn't the type of person you can just make disappear." Daisy opened the passenger door of a small honda.
And the thing was thanks to hours of hearing Darcy absently gripe about politics while working on gizmos for Peter, well Wanda could see the shape of it all. It...it scared her to see the disaster that might have been. Still could be if things went very wrong. "You and your siblings have done far more than most realize I think."
"Which is exactly how we'd like to keep it." Daisy hopped into the driver's seat and started up the car. "I mean the kid needs to keep working on local do gooding for another three years minimum. And I...once a spook always a spook I guess."
Wanda stared at Daisy. "You would be a horrible spy."
"Hey now!" Daisy laughed. "I'll have you know I'm an excellent undercover operative."
Wanda stared at the other woman. "I don't buy it. You are too solid in who you are."
"It's why they never suspect." Daisy winked.
Wanda couldn't help it, she laughed. Because the idea of Daisy Johnson pretending to be anyone else was laughable. The faintest tingle of her powers warned it might not be quite that laughable though.
Chapter 14: The Shape Of Things To ComeNotes:Hey guys! Thanks for all the comments and everything! They mean a lot.
Chapter TextDaisy leaned against the wall of the slightly dinghy hall while holding her phone to her ear. She was taking a few minutes between rounds of Peter's decathlon to catch up with her friend. "So you're running all the labs now?"
-"Yes that's what I've been saying."- Jemma's fondly exasperated tone caused Daisy's lips to twitch upwards. It was a very specific tone of voice after all.
She hummed. "Well congratulations on the promotion. That's good that Director Mace is trusting you all more."
-"Yes, it's quite nice not getting death looks from May. Everyone was so prickly about him being director. And with you gone and the whole manhunt thing. It was quite chaotic. But things have been more orderly lately. Did I tell you, Fitz and I found the perfect apartment?"- Jemma was babbling.
Daisy rolled her eyes. "Jemma, do I need to use our safeword so you'll tell me what's up?"
-"Manscaping? Wait...no we need to change that. I think half the team knows it."-
"Jemma. What's wrong?" Daisy shook her head slightly. Not that Jemma could see that but the feeling still counted.
Jemma was silent for a long minute. -"There's something about Fitz… he's keeping something from me and I think it has to do with the Aida unit."-
"We wiped the knowledge of the darkholm from the LMD." Daisy's eyes narrowed, her body tensing ever so slightly. "And Radcliffe's LMD project hasn't been approved yet."
-"I'm not sure that means he's paused the project."- Jemma's voice lowered. -"If he hasn't we'll need you."-
Daisy frowned. "You think Fitz is still helping Radcliff." She sighed as she considered the danger that involved. "If the LMD project turns to be a real threat Stark would be the Avenger best able to help."
-"You want to bring Stark in on this? It's nothing. I'm probably just going crazy with the stress of everything."- Jemma tried to wave off.
Daisy straightened, pushing off the wall. "You're not crazy Jemma. I'll talk with the family. It shouldn't be a problem for me to come spend a week working on SHIELD's firewalls. I'll look into Radcliffe and the whole Aida thing. If it's nothing you can take some blood samples like your vampiresce self. It'll be like old times and SHIELD will have better electronic security. Besides, I've missed the team."
-"Thank you. I don't know how to… it's different without you here."- Jemma sounded tired more than anything else.
Daisy settled, it would be good to go back to the team for a while. She wasn't lying about that, and honestly the Barnes stuff was a type of drama she'd like to avoid. "I'll brief Stark so if we need robotics assistance he'll be prepared. But I can be there by tomorrow. Peter's decathlon is competing today and I tagged along. They're cute kids."
Daisy clapped as Peter's classmate Michelle answered the last question. She gave a thumbs up to Peter as the team started jumping everywhere as they were declared winners. Daisy shared an amused look with their teacher when Flash Thompson's voice squeaked as he held the trophy. It would seem she was buying celebratory ice cream for the kids instead of conciliatory.
"Want to tell me why you're not going up the monument?" Daisy sat down next to Peter on the public bench.
He shifted slightly. "I don't know...just didn't feel like it."
"Huh huh." Daisy hummed, specifically not looking at him. "And it has nothing to do with the guilty looks you've been shooting at Liz?"
Peter twitched. "Michelle didn't go up either."
"And Michelle delights in being contrary and had a point about slave construction. You on the other hand have been making cow eyes at a girl but turning all guilty and pouty anytime she talks to you. So want to try that again?"
He groaned, shoulders slumping. "It's just her dad was the gunrunning guy in the bird suit. She's moving next week to Oregan. And her dad's in jail because of us and I…"
"Ah." Daisy reached out and dragged Peter into a side hug. "That sucks. Gotta say locking up your girlfriend's dad is not something I have a speech for."
Peter was slightly stiff, but still leaned against her. "She isn't my girlfriend."
"But you wanted her to be?" Daisy prodded gently. Which...she remembered how consuming crushes had been when she was Peter's age.
He nodded. "I mean she's smart and pretty and just so nice." Peter heaved a sigh. "But I can't ask her to Homecoming or anything. We dropped her dad from five stories up while his suit caught on fire. He had to get skin grafts. And you know...jail."
"No I don't think she'd be too happy if she found out." Daisy winced. "I think I'm supposed to say there will be other girls."
Peter's eyes flicked to her in disbelief. "Thanks?"
"I don't know. I have terrible dating history. I mean Miles is still stuck in China somewhere with a SHIELD babysitting bracelet, I shot, stabbed, and attempted to murder Ward very very hard. And…"
Peter leaned into her. "You don't have to talk about Lincoln."
"Anyways, maybe talk to Aunt May about it? Or Darcy?" She offered up better alternatives. Really even before SHIELD she hadn't had the normal sort of life.
He snorted. "Darcy would...she's not a good person to ask."
"Probably fair." Daisy groaned as she saw the sudden chaos. "I have a feeling your friends need some help."
////
Peter waved at the security officers Daisy had just sent flying. "Sorry!" He ducked into the monument right on Daisy's heels.
"Alright, without climbing the side of this thing we're not going to be able to stop the elevator from falling. So we're not going to do that." Daisy's eyes were sharp as she skidded to the closed elevator doors.
He politely ignored that while she had her Quake mask and top on, she was very much still wearing jeans. Apparently time for a full change hadn't been on their side. "Wait, we have to help them!"
"Of course. Help with the doors." Daisy grabbed one side of the elevator doors and ripped it open.
Peter grabbed the other side hauling it back. "So weird." And it was weird seeing the elevator shaft without well, an elevator in it. "Now what?"
"When the elevator falls I'll slow it." Daisy hopped into the shaft dropping to the ground. "As soon as it stabilizes, get them out of the elevator. Signal me, I'll launch the thing a few stories up so you can snag and drag me out."
He nodded. "Ok um..that sounds like a terrible plan?"
"You have a better one?" Daisy grinned up at him from the bottom of the shaft. She rolled her shoulders. "It'll be fine."
Peter shot a web attaching a guard's hand and firearm to the wall. "I want it noted I still think this is a terrible idea."
"Eh, it'll work." Daisy paused as there was a horrible snapping sound, and then her hands were up, the air vibrating with her powers.
He only let out a slight yelp of alarm as the elevator car came crashing down, hiding his sister from sight. The gentle vibrations under his feet, and the fact the elevator hadn't fallen all the way to the bottom of the shaft reassured him she was alive. Peter lept into action. He needed to get everyone off that elevator as quickly as possible.
Peter grabbed the elevator doors and wedged them open. He let out a silent sigh at the sight of his alive but very traumatized looking friends. "Come on!" He waved them out.
Ned seemed to blink out of his 'I'm gonna die' expression first. "Spiderman!"
Flash blinked and then was sprinting out of the elevator car.
"Come on. It's not safe!" Peter grabbed Ned's shoulder and hauled his friend out. The others got the hint and piled out in a rush of panic. Flash was hugging the floor.
Peter tapped his comm. "They're out."
The elevator launched upwards. He shot a web hitting Daisy's side and then yanked. She came shooting out of the shaft. The elevator came crashing back down. She must not have sent it launching up that high because she barely missed it as he hauled her to safety. She skidded across the marble floor.
Grinning, she patted him on the shoulder. "Good timing."
"You!" He spluttered.
"It ended fine." Daisy punched his shoulder lightly.
Ned made a weird gurgling sound. "Holy shit. We got saved by Quake and Spiderman!"
////
Tony lowered his arm, his suit's arm folding away. "I could have hurt you kid."
"Eh, I could have ducked." Quake stepped through his lab's door. "Also you upgraded your security after you fired me. Good call, took me three hours to get in."
He decided to just go with exasperated about the kid tearing through his firewalls and physical security. Like at least if someone was making it look easy, it was his kid. "Well, guess I'll be having to upgrade it all. Again. What are you doing here kid?"
"Heads up on some possible SHIELD bullshit." Quake shrugged. "And thanks for the new gauntlets and mask. I'm not sure why you did it, but it means a lot."
Tony considered that. He'd been warned enough that even he was aware she was about as fucked up on the family issue as he was. "Well I'd be a pretty shitty bio dad if I didn't throw money and gifts at my spawn."
She stilled and then snorted. "I suppose we weren't hiding it particularly well." Quake looked at him, her head tipping ever so slightly. "You should talk to Peter, he's got a poster of you in his room."
"Wasn't sure you wouldn't kick my ass if I showed my face near the kid." Tony watched her curiously, she walked...not like Nat. No Nat was all elgence, his kid wasn't that. To much slouch, and a certain unhidden power. She walked like if Steve and Nat had had a kid. Which wasn't that a terrifying thought.
Quake's lips twitched. "Well, good to know you're aware I can kick your ass. Complicated machinery doesn't like localized vibrations."
"Is it weird I'm touched you plotted how to murder me? Cause I'm kinda touched." He tapped his arc reactor. "Thoughts?"
She snickered. "We're fucked up?"
"Not going to argue that." Tony cleared his throat. "So you said SHIELD bullshit? What more secret Natzs? Mind control? Lay it on me."
Quake's lips twitched. "Think more Terminator."
"Someone thought that was a good idea?" He twitched, panic sparking through him.
She stared at him. "Ultron."
"That hurts, but fair." Tony looked at his daughter, he really didn't know how to read her. But he was fairly sure she'd be far more tense if the situation was too dangerous. "So you controlling the evil robots then Skyenet?"
Quake sighed leaning against his work bench, stuffing her hands into her pockets. "Dr Radcliffe made a robot lady. Calls his project LMDs or Life Model Decoys. Idea is to replace people on suicide missions or high risk missions with look alike robots."
"That's a terrible idea. Really terrible idea. I'm saying it's a terrible idea." Tony crossed his arms.
"I know right?" Quake was completely exasperated. "But Mack chopped the LMD's head off and SHIELD is like...going through his research to see if there's any of it worth keeping and not just being burned."
Tony relaxed slightly, that sounded fairly secured. He was….huh that would explain why his spawn was here talking to him about it. "You're planning on investigating it's as handled as SHIELD is saying?"
"One of my old teammates called. I'm going to go bump up security, look into it. I know the director and the higher ups are aware of how horrifying terminator bots are. But spy stuff." She brushed some of her hair back. "I have a system set up with Darcy. But if things go FUBAR, you're the most suited for identifying and destroying robots. Probably won't need you to do anything, but well back up plans are important."
He twitched, he wanted to fly straight to California and let that new director Mace know that he better handle his robot problem. Maybe blow some things up. "I want updates or I'll come in weapons hot."
"Deal." Quake straightened. "I don't hate you, you know."
Tony felt a slight burning. "But you don't like me. Which fair, I've been informed I'm an acquired taste."
"I don't know, you're an arrogant asshole with a god complex. But my step dad was a serial killer and I visit him every couple of months. So you know, too soon to tell." She paused slightly on her way out. "Talk to Peter, he's good."
He dropped his arms. "I appreciate the way you can send people flying with your hands. Very cool."
"Thanks." Daisy grinned and then vanished out the door of his lab.
Tony groaned. Shit, he was getting attached.
////
Darcy hummed along to her Beyonce playlist while scribbling notes on her new build of the portal tech. Pushing the notes to the side she grabbed the scrapbook. It was excellent. Also she knew May would love getting this for christmas. Her four newspaper subscriptions, plus the new printer she'd built were paying off. So good.
"Should I be afraid of whatever that is?" Daisy asked while knocking on the doorframe lightly.
She turned down the music, closing the scrapbook. "Nope." Darcy beamed. "So, what's with the serious face?"
"Running some system checks for SHIELD. I'll probably be gone for a week or two." Daisy gave an amused look at the Thor poster on her wall. "Really?"
Darcy smiled unrepentantly. "I can hold the fort down. And don't judge. I know you have a star spangled throw blanket, Cap Knows Best sign, and a Cap bobblehead."
"First those were gifts when AC found out I was getting my own room. And make sure Peter doesn't over work himself." Daisy tossed her the car keys.
Darcy took in the artfully casual aura/stance Daisy was in. "Kick whatever supes evil, world ending, thing's ass."
"Planning on it." Daisy just looked smug.
Darcy clamored to her feet. "So need a ride to a bus stop or something in the morning?"
"I'm good, and aren't you meeting your new bodyguard tomorrow?" Daisy raised a brow.
Darcy poked at Daisy's chest. "You know who it is! Traitor!"
"Like I wouldn't vet your future bodyguard." Daisy rolled her eyes. "And I'm totes stealing him for a beer and catching up when I get back."
Darcy grinned in victory. "Former SHIELD then! BooYa."
"You two will have fun." Daisy looked far too delighted. "When he gets grumpy, tell him Liverpool are a bunch of wankers and can't play their way out of a paper sack."
She snorted. "British soccer fan then?"
"Please call it soccer to his face." Daisy snickered.
Darcy patted Daisy's shoulder. "You're evil and I support it entirely."
Darcy beamed, holding her hand out to the scruffy looking brit in Hill's office. "Yo! I assume you're my new bodyguard?"
"Oh I'm going to regret this." The scruffy brit groaned after looking her up and down. "I'm not protecting some hipster uni girl? Not that desperate yet."
Darcy lowered her hand, but her smile just grew. Oh she got why Daisy had been snickering now. "Oh you live with your foot in your mouth don't you? Is that in his file? Cause sticks foot in mouth should be under skills."
"Bad interpersonal skills are." Hill replied, and while her tone was bland, her eyes were far too bright not to find this hilarious. "And Dr Lewis this Lance Hunter, Hunter this is Dr Darcy Lewis."
Hunter shook his head crossing his arm. "Doctor?"
"Yupperoo." Darcy enjoyed how his face twitched in horror.
Hill was definitely biting back a smile as she cut in. "Dr Lewis here is Tony Stark's illegitimate child. Her work with Dr Foster on creating stable einstein rosen bridges, parentage and the fact she makes tech for Quake and Spiderman make her a target."
"You help Quake?" He dropped his hands to his hips.
Darcy shot finger guns at him. "She said Liverpool are wankers and can't play their way out of a paper bag. Very bad at soccer."
His whole face spasmed. "Where does she get off saying that!"
"It's true? I mean I googled it and when was the last time they won again?" Darcy was positively smug. This was a type of asshole that would be excellent as a bodyguard.
Hunter started to reply and then laughed. "Yeah you know Quake." He shook his head. "Fine I'll do it. And I want a pay raise. Illegitimate Stark, weird science...bridges, that sounds expensive."
"Did you enjoy living in Bangladesh stuck in a studio apartment with no one but Bobbie to talk or interact with?" Hill asked.
He grumbled. "Fine, I'll do it."
"Come! We are due to force Janey to eat and then there is science to do!" Darcy turned on her heel and marched out to the elevator. She was positively giddy as she heard him following her. Oh she was going to get new blackmail on Daisy. "So new minion, you got any stories about Daisy? Cause I need blackmail material."
Hunter hit the correct elevator button. "You're going to make me regret my life decisions aren't you?"
"Oh totally." Darcy beamed.
"JANEY NO!" Darcy grabbed the controller out of Jane's hand. "Bad Jane!"
Jane glared at her. "I need to run the test again to confirm the aura's magnetic variance!"
"Your franken bot isn't certified not to blow up yet!" Darcy held the controller out of Jane's reach. "You don't even insulate your wires!"
Jane blinked. "I thought you changed that?"
"I haven't gotten through all of them!" Her cheeks pinked slightly. "What!? Holo tables and new toys! I've been distracted."
Jane groaned. "We need those readings Darcy!"
"Then use frankenbot march 2. I mean it should work enough for some quick readings and not set the lab on fire!" Darcy chucked the controller at Hunter's head.
Hunter startled, barely catching it while dropping his weird sports magazine. "The hell?"
"March 2 has unreliable results. We can't use it." Jane glared.
Darcy shoved a poptart into Jane's hand. "Then take a break while I do some finagling so we can run it. It won't be pretty, but it shouldn't blow up in our faces."
"I'll go get some coffee." Jane sighed, her shoulders slumping in acceptance at a pause in the mad science.
Darcy grabbed Hunter's sports magazine. "Go help the science boss get us all coffee. I'm safe in the lab from evil villains."
"I'm not fetching coffee." Hunter stared at her, he looked like he wished he was dead inside.
Darcy laughed, oh having a sister who knew her bodyguard was excellent. "I'll tell Bobbie."
"...are you threatening to tattle tale on me?" He asked in disbelief.
Darcy felt like cackling, her chin tipped up slightly. "Yes I am."
Chapter 15: Evil Doesn't Mean SmartNotes:Daisy is off in LA enjoying some time with the team, discovering the LMD bullshit. So just Peter and Darcy this chapter.
Chapter TextPeter blinked. He blinked again. "I didn't get drugged did I?"
-"No I see it too."- Darcy's voice came through the comms. -"Unless drugs work on cameras now."-
He hopped up onto a car. "Hey uh..Mr Villain?"
"I am no mere Villain! I am a superior man!" The...villain proclaimed. His appearance was so bizarre the civilians weren't running. In fact everyone had phones up as they stared at the man like he was a train wreck. A bizarre, brightly colored, french accented, mustached, and just weird train wreck. The villain didn't seem to realize it was horrified confusion he was being looked at by the masses as he continued to speak. "I am Batroc The Leaper! Bow before my magnificence!"
Peter gaped...it was probably a good thing no one could see his face when he was dressed as Spiderman. "I mean no judgement but that is a lot of purple Mr Leaper."
-"You should say it with judgement. He is wearing purple latex with only a hole in it for his face to pop out of, yellow boots, yellow accents, purple bug eyes goggles and has a mustache that has so much wax in it to curl I'm not sure if it actually contains hair anymore!"- Darcy sounded mortally offended over the comms.
"I DEMAND! That Captain America surrender to me!" Leaper proclaimed.
He blinked yet again. "Hey, Mr Leaper. Have you considered community theatre?"
"FOOL! I, THE MIGHTY LEAPER! Shall defeat you!" Leaper...lept straight for him with surprising speed.
Peter slid under the flying kick thing and jumped away. "Hey uh… I'm not sure if you actually have committed a crime?"
Leaper came flying down in a downward kick that smashed the roof of the car Peter had just been on in.
He frowned. "I guess vandalism? Fashion? That outfit is a crime against fashion." Peter ducked under another kick crashing through the window of a bakery. "Mr Leaper could you stop breaking things?"
"HOLD STILL SO THAT I MAY KICK YOU!" Leaper cried out.
Peter shrugged, guess talking him down wasn't happening. The crazy was wafting off the man. "Sounds fake, but ok." He twisted, avoiding the incoming kick, and drove his elbow into the man's throat.
Leaper hit the ground, hands clutching his throat as he choked and wheezed.
"You ok there Mr Leaper?" Peter webbed the man's hands together and then webbed his legs...like a lot. Then some more. "Sorry about the leg cocoon but like you got quite the leap there."
Leaper wheezed, but glared….
-"Is he ok? Like I wasn't expecting him to go down that fast."- Darcy asked.
Peter poked the guy. "Hey Mr, are you ok? I didn't think that was going to work?"
"Merde." Leaper hissed out.
-"Oh he's fine."- Darcy was relieved. -"Just web him to a lamp post and grab some potstickers or eggrolls or something. Running backend like this is hungry work."-
Peter shot a web at Leaper's feet and then a lamppost. He gave a half salute to the people watching. "See ya!"
"Should I be worried I took down a superpowered bad guy in like one move?" Peter stuffed a forkful of chowmein into his mouth.
Darcy grabbed the dumpling with her cheap chopsticks. "His power was 'he jump good'."
"It was pretty ridiculous." Peter snickered.
Darcy hummed as she chewed. "Was his suit really latex, it looked latex through the goggle camera."
"I think it was." He flopped onto his back. "It's weird not having Daisy here."
She flicked his nose. "She's getting in some good fam time with the team. 'Sides we can marathon action movies without having to hear how terrible people's forms are and why that's not how real spies do it. I need me some Bond. James Bond."
Peter laughed. "She's really bad about that."
"Mission Impossible!" Darcy reached over him grabbing his laptop. "We're getting started right now."
He sat up, grabbing the orange chicken. "What about that old Star Wars movie?"
"I'm gonna pretend you didn't say that." Darcy ruffled his hair. "And Daisy likes those ones, so does Aunt May. What about Die Hard?"
Peter frowned as both their cells went off. "Oh that's not good."
////
Amira Ahmed hissed as she was shoved onto a chair. She blinked looking around the cement cell. Good news, nothing felt broken. Bad news, researching Inhuman abuse had gotten her kidnapped out of a fucking McDonalds in Michigan of all places. Not a war zone in the Middle East. Not the bullshit terror that was the South Sudan story. Not the three years she spent chasing down an international sex trafficing ring across Europe. No illegal US government approved human experimentation in fucking Michigan.
She glared at the guy who was clearly going to be her interrogator...possibly executor. But positive thinking. Huh, that was one of the Watchdogs. "How big is the check you're getting from ATCU?"
"None of your business." The Watchdog pulled out a gun. "Now you're going to tell me what you know or things are going to go very badly for you."
The metal door swung open, Watchdog thug seized as he collapsed into a twitching pile, and Darcy fucking Stark stuck her head in. "Sup, and things that's going to go supes bad for you."
"Darcy?" Amira spluttered.
Darcy slammed the door shut behind her. She pulled out a pocket knife and stepped over and started cutting off her bindings. "We got the SOS. Good news we're getting you out. Bad news Quake's doing a thing for SHIELD so you're going to want to be ready to shoot your way out."
Amira winced, but accepted the gun shoved into her hands. "I'm not a good shot."
"Don't worry, it's dendrotoxin. Totes non lethal." Darcy held out her hand. "Ready to blow this shit stand?"
She brought the gun up and swallowed. "Right…"
"Don't worry, I brought my bodyguard. He's kinda badass. And very scruffy." Darcy swung the door open and darted out of the cell.
Amira typed on her laptop while crammed into the floor space of the sedan. "Get to the local news station. This is big and we should be safe there."
"I don't know if you noticed but we're kind of being chased sweetheart!" The Stark Bodyguard snapped from where he was driving. They went squealing around a corner.
Darcy reloaded her pistol with the glowing blue rounds of dendrotoxin. "I may have miscalculated." She aimed out the shattered back window and started shooting at the pick up truck following them.
"Just bailing out a friend, that's all." The Bodyguard snarked. "Just a fucking walk in the park. I am not being paid enough for this!"
Darcy fired off another burst of rounds. "Well I didn't know that the Watchdogs relocated to bumfuck Lansing Michigan! It's not like I was planning on dying for good PR!"
The hotwired car went screeching around another corner.
"You live in AVENGERS TOWER!" The Bodyguard snapped, his foot very much all the way down on the gas.
Amira finished off her article. It'd been mostly written, she'd just needed proof. And well being kidnapped had been good for something. "The WLNS news! Or News 6, whatever just get there! An illegal covert gang of nazis isn't going to risk having their faces plastered all over the airways!"
"FINE!" Bodyguard hit the brakes and then they were spinning. It was nauseating, and then with a jerk they were accelerating off.
The passenger windows shattered from gunfire. Darcy flattened herself down on the bench seat she'd been kneeling on. She let out a shriek as she covered her head. "I hate Lansing!"
"Preaching to the choir." The Bodyguard tossed a fucking grenade back to Darcy, who surprisingly caught it. "Let's give our tail something to regret."
Darcy grinned yanking the pin and chucking a live grenade out the back window. "Booyah Bitches!"
"WAIT!" Amira gaped in horror, too late. "You can't throw grenades in a city!"
The Bodyguard looked back at her and winked. "Nonlethal sweetheart!" He snapped back to where they were going. "Name's Hunter by the way. And being friends with the eggheads who invented dendrotoxin rounds has benefits. Like endless nonlethal weapons."
"I think that got most of them." Darcy peeked over the back of the seats. "Yup. Ok tail is gone."
Hunter grunted. "We might survive this."
"You know this is the first car chase I've been in." Amira found herself saying. She closed the laptop. Her story was done, the condemning files and video embedded in it and ready to be sent out.
Darcy looked at her in confusion. "But you're a war correspondent?"
"Usually I have a bulletproof vest, and I'm not the one they're specifically shooting at." Amira snorted. "You know I half expected the kidnapping and being shot at when I was covering the Ten Rings. Definitely was expecting it when I covered the sex trafficking. This seemed the safest story I've run in years."
Hunter laughed outright. "Government crimes are always the most dangerous."
Amira had to admit he had a point. An uncomfortable one. "Wait, where's the Spiderkid?"
"He's calling in Tony from the jet." Darcy reloaded her pistol. "Officially because someone had to get those computer drives to the jet. Unofficially because we're not dragging the kid into a gun fight."
Amira set the laptop down. "Higher chance of death but cleaner conscious. I can live with it."
"Hold on, we're crashing through the front of the station!" Hunter barked at them.
The car crashed through the glass front of the building. Hunter slammed on the breaks sending them into a tailspin across the foyer. And then they finally, finally, jerked to a halt. There was the weirdest moment of silence. And then the gunshots started up again.
Darcy and Hunter both returned fire. Hunter ripped the passenger door open and hauled Amira out of the floor of the car. "Come on!"
Amira kept her head down and let the clearly military trained Hunter drag them behind the welcome counter. "Is that the cops shooting at us?!"
"Bang!" Darcy ducked back under the counter. "Yup, and the Watchdogs. Good to know they're working together."
Amira hissed, ignoring the screaming as various employees ducked and covered. "Are they insane!? There's security cameras! This is a news station!"
Hunter pulled out another one of the hand grenades and yanked out the pin. "Heads down!" And hucked it.
"You know I never knew, but bad guys be dumb." Darcy shot a guy trying to come around the corner. The blue veins of dendrotoxin spread across his face as he keeled over. "Like I had higher standards. But between this and the Leaper moron I'm reevaluating my standards!"
Amir hugged her laptop to her chest. She couldn't let it get hit, the evidence! "How many are there?"
"HEY BAD GUYS!" A far too chipper voice called out.
Darcy's head popped up and she started shooting fairly indiscriminately. "I TOLD YOU TO WAIT IN THE JET!"
Amira sighed in relief as she saw a spider web hit the wall and a blur of red and blue swing by. Their chances of survival just went up. And based off the screaming and blurs of people going flying Spiderman was doing great.
Amira marched into the newsroom and ignored the terrified camera crew and news anchors. Oh good they were still live. She marched straight in front of the cameras, laptop securely under one arm and started addressing the camera. "My name is Amira Ahmend and I'm a news correspondent with Global News. And I'm here to tell you that the United States government division ATCU is working with the Watchdogs to traffic Inhumans on US soil."
A police officer, a bribed one clearly, came running out, gun drawn. She felt her life flash slightly. And then Darcy had tased the man.
Darcy raised a thumbs up. "And apparently have bribed the fuck out of some of these cops."
"This is difficult to believe, but I have the evidence to back up my claims." Amir forced her voice to stay calm. This was her moment. Once this was out no one could stop it.
////
Tony was working some of his frustrations out on his newest car. But being under the hood settled him. Machines made sense. Science, puzzles to invent and solve were where everything just slotted into place. The heavy beat of his music, his hands physically fixing things. It was as close to meditation as he was ever going to get.
-"Sir, I believe you may wish to watch the news out of Michigan."- FRIDAY's voice chimed, the AI automatically turning off the music.
He rolled out from under the car. "What did I say about disturbing me FRIDAY?"
-"Miss Lewis and Mr Parker seem to be in some trouble. You asked to be notified if one of your children required your assistance."- FRIDAY replied.
Tony stilled. And then was jumping into his suit. Also, what the fuck were his spawn doing in Michigan?
Tony stared at his spawn. Peter was in his suit and shuffling like he was going to get grounded, Darcy had a stubborn upward tilt to her chin. The glass, dust, and general debri in her hair and jacket was enough to say she'd been in more of the action than her brother. Hunter was slouched against the side of the jet.
He crossed his arms. "You stole one of my jets, left without leaving so much as a note, broke into a Watchdog gang hideout, got into a cross city car chase, shot several dirty cops with tranq rounds, half destroyed a news station, and publicly announced the US government is working with a known terrorist group to abduct Inhumans. Anything else you want to add?"
"Technically I'm skipping school?" Peter added while pulling his mask off. "But Amira needed our help."
Tony could physically feel his blood pressure rising. "And you didn't think of asking for help? Quake's not here to bail you out right now."
"We had it handled." Darcy scoffed. "I mean other than some bruises we're good."
Peter nodded. "And you didn't pick up your phone!"
"You should have called me when you first realized something was wrong!" Tony wondered if this was how Pepper felt. He should get her a gift...so many gifts. "You're both kids!"
Darcy's chin tipped up slightly. "Not sorry. But I'm good not doing that again."
"Yeah it was uh...there were a lot of guns." Peter nodded in agreement.
Tony ran a hand through his hair. "You two are going straight home. And you're grounded! I'm not sure from what but you are."
"I'm a grown up Poptarts." Darcy looked far too smug. "But is this place fine with us all just leaving? I mean they've got corruption, Watchdogs, and apparently the ATCU."
He pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Rhodney I just need to know that something is happening to keep this city from turning to chaos or else my daughter is going to decide to conquer the damn place." Tony paced out in front of the jet.
Rhodney was not helpful. -"This whole thing is a nightmare Tony! It's the only thing on the news. The FBI is sending in people, the Governor was talking about sending in some National Guard till they know how deep the corruption in the local police force is. It's a mess."-
"Rhodney my Spawn has a taser and apparently thinks that means she can replace seal team six. I need better than that." Tony realized what he was going to have to do. "I'll stay and keep the peace. But if I have to stay in Michigan longer than necessary I will have my revenge."
Rhodney had the audacity to laugh. -"You deserve this man."-
"That is slander."
////
May glared at her wayward children. "So Tony called."
"We had to save Ms Ahmed's life." Peter protested.
She gave him the look all mothers learned. "You had other options and you know it young man. Tony Stark may not be able to ground you but I can. You go to school and you come straight back home. No screens either!" May turned on Darcy. "And you young lady. No screens, no alcohol, and you come straight home from work."
Both kids winced and curled slightly. "Yes Aunt May."
"Good, the next time something like this happens you tell me." May looked between them. "We're a family. Which means we decide on cross country rescue missions together."
Darcy winced slightly. "Sorry..we just kinda did it."
"I can tell." May had not been expecting the morning news to involve seeing her kids in Michigan. "You half scared me to death."
Peter scuffed at the floor with his foot. "I'm sorry Aunt May. We just..didn't think about it. The alert went and we just...we promised we'd help her."
"You should have come to me. I'm disappointed in both of you. But there's no point harping on about spilt milk." May stepped forward and hugged both of them to her as tightly as possible. "I'm so grateful you're both safe."
"Sorry." Peter mumbled against her shoulder.
May reluctantly let the two kids go. "Now go clean up, both of you." She ignored the guilty looks and turned into the kitchen. And honestly why was Daisy apparently the one with common sense? God help them.
May wordlessly handed the knife to Darcy as the girl edged into the kitchen.
Darcy started chopping the vegetables. "So...I should have said something to you."
"You should have." May pulled out the pot. "But you saved a woman's life. You did the wrong thing for the right reasons."
Darcy brushed a stray wet lock of her hair behind one ear. "I forgot we were a team, a family. I won't do it again."
"That's all I ask." May felt something unclench. They were going to be fine. "And I am proud that all three of you are the type of people whose first instinct is to help."
Darcy bumped their shoulders together gently. "To be fair we figured it was like an Inhuman who thought Amira was a nark or something."
"I assumed. I thought common sense was how you survived your last two alien invasions?" May chided with good humor in her voice.
Darcy's eyes brightened. "Well not driving into a tornado and running from the alien elves was just instinct. But I still helped evacuate and carted the magic science sticks around."
"You all are going to turn my hair grey. I hope you know that." May smiled at the kid.
Peter turned on the Billy Joel album. He gave her his best 'don't you love me?' look.
"Oh bribery, well if we're doing that, the gutters weren't cleaned out by the previous owners." May enjoyed the nose wrinkle of disgust on Peter's face. "And somebody's powers mean you'll be perfectly safe."
His shoulders slumped, but a lightness was returning to him. "Alright Aunt May."
"And the last few boxes still need to be unpacked." She gave a pointed look at Darcy.
Darcy half laughed, half giggled. "Well since the kid and I have some free time we can build those bookshelves for you. Ikea furniture can't be that hard to put together."
"Why don't you do that." May bit back her instinctive laughter at that. Oh those sweet summer children. They had no idea the hell that was swedish furniture instructions.