Hush

SEVEN

"I don't- I can't- just, give me time," she pleaded, "one more day to figure it out and then..." she heaved a breath, "I'll tell mom myself."

A day did pass, and then another, and another. It was hell for everyone. Ruby couldn't bring herself to go home, Peter couldn't bring himself to ask her if she was ready, and the Starks kept to themselves while Nick avoided his phone. There was tension throughout the facility as those immediately responsible for the teens grew restless, and the few Avengers left avoided their wing like the plague. There was a need to not be involved outside of the six of them and that was how Ruby would have preferred it.

On the fifth day, after two hours of sitting upside down on the couch and watching a fire flicker on the television, her boredom surpassed any apprehension. Dragging her feet along the carpeted corridor in sweatpants an inch too long courtesy of Peter Parker's closet. Her hand trailed along the wall, feeling the paint dust on her fingers as she navigated towards the kitchen.

There, decked in dark tiles and light cupboards, Peter and Tony were scouring over physics homework with a jug of coffee at Tony's elbow. Only one mug was on the counter as there was no way he would allow Peter to drink coffee.

Ignoring them, Ruby helped herself to a mug of coffee and glanced over the homework briefly as she sat on a stool across from them. Peter was watching her carefully while Tony was focused on the homework. She cleared her throat.

"Hey Screamer," Tony greeted, not looking up. She took a moment to fully process his words before nodding slightly.

"I-" her voice caught after days of silence, "I'm ready to see my mom."

Peter, Zoe and Tony sat in the car outside and watched Ruby disappear into her apartment building. She let the doors slam shut behind her and took the stairs in order to calm her nerves and didn't let herself hesitate by the door.

Barging into the room, she continued to speak at risk of losing her words.

"Mom? I'm home, I'm sorry I disappeared again but I had to sort something out. I can explain about Dad, I'll tell you everything." As she passed through the lounge into the kitchen, she couldn't find Mrs Radcliffe anywhere. "Mom?" Her voice rose, and suddenly there was a thud in her parents' bedroom.

The door flew open and the short brunette woman came flying at Ruby. She was sobbing fresh tears, painting over the glistening scars on her cheeks.

"Oh, my darling," she was crushing Ruby, desperate not to let go.

"Mom..." she pulled away, putting distance between them for what was about to happen. "Mom, sit down, I have to tell you about Dad."

"Honey, the kind policeman already told me about the criminal activities he was partaking in. He was in the wrong business and it got him killed." Mrs Radcliffe sat down and chewed at her knuckles.

"Mom, that's not- that's not all. He wasn't killed because of the weapons. I was- I was there." She perched on the arm at the far end of the couch, forcing herself to watch her mother's every reaction. Right now, the woman was confused and unsure how to process what was happening.

"You were there?" Ruby nodded slowly. "But how, why?"

"I know Spiderman." She admitted. "He was fighting Dad outside the shop before the incident. It was Dad who dropped the weapon that blew up the shop, Dad who ran when he could have killed me- when he killed Reggie. I wanted to stop him." Her mother's eyes widened and Ruby began to pace. "I only wanted to stop him, I swear! I followed him there and told Spiderman where they would be. He was chasing me, mom. He kept telling me that he wasn't in the wrong and that I should just accept it...

"I didn't mean to. I didn't mean to, you know..." She waved her hands in meaning, unable to bring herself to say the words aloud as she kept rambling nonsense. "I lost control. I didn't mean to, you have to forgive me, please; do you believe me?" She brought herself to kneel beside her mother on the floor, looking up into those watery, horrified, brown eyes that she saw every day in the mirror. Ruby swallowed harshly, feeling her own tears threatening to spill over, her breathing haggard in her tight chest. "Mom?"

They sat in silence, the ringing in her ear had never been so loud. Mrs Radcliffe was talking under her breath, not meeting her daughter's eyes. But when the teenager gingerly held up her hand, it was Mrs Radcliffe to clutch the hand tightly and squeeze as though she would lose her child too.

"I can't forgive you, Ruby." Was the first thing she said and for the second time that week Ruby could feel her heart shatter into tiny pieces. She had an apology on the tip of her tongue. "But I do believe you." The woman choked through a sob and trailed her fingers over her daughter's cheek. "You're my baby, of course I believe you. And just because I'm not turning you out doesn't mean I'm not incredibly upset with you. But, we will work through this together and whatever you need, whatever help you need, you will have it."

The two Radcliffe women embraced tightly, whispering I love you and wanting nothing but for the moment to freeze.

"I was thinking," Ruby began after a moment and pulled away, "that I should stay at the Avengers compound until I can fully control myself." There was confusion on her mother's face. "That's where I have been and I think it's where I should stay for a while. To keep you safe," she looked down at her feet as her mum leaned over to hug her once again.

"Whatever you need, honey," Ruby turned her face into the crook of her neck.

"I was also thinking I should drop out of school."

"Absolutely not."