What Was Once

Chapter 11- Michael

Colleen and I stared at each other before nodding. If we were going to do this together then we had to put our differences aside and work together as a team. That meant no more fighting and/or arguing with each other. We had to do this. I wouldn't let anyone else get hurt because of HYDRA and certainly not because of her.

"I can trust you, right?" Colleen asked, some of her hair falling in her face. I nodded. She tucked the hair behind her ear. "Good. Because if we're going to work together on this I need to know I can trust you." I nodded again.

"Colly, we're twins." I reminded. "Whether we like each other or not, that's still going to be true. Of course you can trust me." Colleen smiled faintly. "And I can trust you." She nodded even though it wasn't a question. I gave her a half-smile before she laid back down on my knees and closed her eyes. The music overhead changed from Radioactive to Centuries by Fall Out Boy. Carefully, I pulled my phone out of my pocket to check my notifications. There were some from Instagram, the usual likes and comments, but there was a text from Neil that took me by surprise. After unlocking my phone, I checked the message.

Neil ❤

Hey, can I ask you a quick and random question?

I raised an eyebrow at the text before responding.

Sure, what is it?

Are you, by any chance, related to Tony Stark and Loki?

I almost dropped my phone. How the hell did he figure that out? For ten years, ten years, I have done nothing but protect my identity. And he just. . . How?!

Um. . . What gave you that idea?

Maybe the fact that their oldest child's name is Michael and you two look more like twins than Michael and Colleen Stark do. 
So are you Michael Stark? And don't lie to me, Mike.

"Hey, so, Neil might have figured out who we are." I started. Colleen opened her eyes and stared up at me, an eyebrow raised. "What do I do? Do I tell Neil who we are?"

"I thought that was a terrible suggestion?" She asked with a sick smirk. I rolled my eyes. "Or now that your boy-toy is asking, it's a different story?" I sighed.

"Look, I know what I said." I told her. "But he figured it out somehow. Surely that has to be reason enough for us to tell him." Colleen sat up and crossed her arms over her chest. "C'mon, Colleen, if I lie to him then that could seriously damage our relationship." Something in Colleen's mind clicked, I could see it in the way her expression saddened. She nodded, her fingers tugging at a loose thread on her blanket. I kissed her temple. "Thank you." She smiled half-heartily and grabbed her phone off the nightstand. The music switched from Centuries to the soft classical music that Colleen likes listening to when she's working. 

Yes.
Yes, I am.
I am Michael Anthony Vincent Stark.

Really??? You are??

That is what it says on my birth certificate.

Then that means. . . Holy shit!
You two are. . . Holy shit! 

Please don't tell anyone!
But if you'd like, we can discuss this further over coffee? Maybe this Friday after school?

Are you serious? Your secret's safe with me!
And I would love to go out for coffee with you. It's a date.

My heart fluttered in my chest. Was it really a date? Was he seriously considering it a date?

Yeah, a date. 

😁
Gotta go!

Bye.

Bye. 

Smiling at my screen, I turned my phone off and held it close against my chest. I was going on a date with Neil Barnes this Friday. My heart pounded against my chest and I wanted to scream. Colleen was staring at her phone screen, her text messages page running and her fingers hovering over the keyboard. 

"You okay?" She nodded. I pocketed my phone and wrapped an arm around her. "You don't know how to tell Johnny?" She nodded again, looking up at me. 

"I've been lying to him for years about who I am." She admitted quietly. "Hell, he's fallen in love with a woman that hasn't been completely honest with him." I rubbed her arm. "How do I tell him?"

"For starters, maybe don't do it over the phone." I told her. She nodded and closed her phone. "And when you do it in person you'll know what to say." She smiled. 

"Thanks, MAVS." She set her phone aside before curling up. "Now I'm going to take a nap. See yourself out." I laughed before getting up and heading out of the room. Aunt Natasha, Uncle Bruce, and dad were sitting in the living room, talking. I waved to Aunt Natasha before grabbing something to drink from the kitchen. 

"Where's mom?" I asked, pulling a can of Coke out of the fridge. 

"She went out to get the car fixed." Dad answered. I nodded as I made my way over before sitting down in one of the arm chairs, my feet over one of the arms and my head on the other. Aunt Natasha and Uncle Bruce furrowed their brows. 

"She?" Aunt Natasha asked. "I thought Loki said he was done bouncing between forms when you agreed no more kids after Robin?" I laughed before taking a sip of my soda. Dad nodded. 

"And she did. But after the car crash she figured the kids would need more of a motherly figure." He explained. I raised an eyebrow. 

"Why?" I asked, sitting upright. "No matter if mom's male or female, they're still our mother." Dad smiled warmly at me as Aunt Natasha smirked. Uncle Bruce pointed behind me. I looked back to find mom standing there with a proud smile on her face. "Hi mom."

"Hi darling." She greeted before ruffling my hair and kissing my forehead. "I love you." She remarked as she tapped my nose before moving to dad. "But you do feel safer like this, don't you?" She asked, motioning to the way she looked. "And be honest." I nodded slowly.

"Yeah, I do." Mom smiled before everyone started laughing. "You just radiate this warm aura." Mom laughed softly.

"I'm glad I comfort you like every mother should."