Shadows (BuckyxOC)

Nellie Stark

I was about to enter Avengers Tower in the late afternoon sun, only to be greeted by Pepper on her way out. She had a suitcase, and a concentrated look as she stared at her phone. Looking behind me, I saw Happy still waiting by the back door of the town car he had just let me out of. Where was she going? I wondered.

"Pepper?"

She looked up from her phone and stopped right before me before a small smile appeared across her lips, "Nellie, you're finally here! I was hoping I'd get to see you. How are you?"

"I'm alright." I said with a small frown, eyes drifting to her suitcase, "You're not staying?"

Part of the reason I even decided to come home from Harvard for the summer was because I'd get to spend some quality time with Pepper. Of course, seeing dad was great too but I've always had a special connection with Pepper, even before she and my dad became a thing.

"I'm so sorry Nellie, I have to go to California to attend some business. Your dad will tell you all about it when he returns." We both looked up as a quinjet approached the docking bay at the top of the tower, "Which looks to be right now. Better go say hello, you're all he's talked about since you decided to come home for the summer."

Last I spoke to my dad, he and the Avengers party were on their way to Sokovia to infiltrate one of the last remaining Hydra bases after the fall of SHIELD last year. They've been going on quite a few of these missions to ensure Hydra stayed dead but I didn't realize they would all be coming back here. My dad seemed to leave that little detail out in our last conversation.

I guess I can't blame him though. The last I had seen them all I was 18 and it was the battle of New York. I was fangirling HARD over one Captain America and made a complete and utter fool of myself in front of all of them while on the Hellicarrier. Of course, being as foolish as I was also led me to still being alive but I am also the number one reason Loki got loose to begin with. I never wanted to see any of them again after that.

"How long will you be gone?" I asked, looking back at her, "Will I see you at all this summer?"

"It's hard to say. Might be a few weeks before I return." She said and gave me an understanding smile, "You don't have to worry, it's been three years and they never blamed you anyway. Loki was well versed in tricking people into doing his bidding."

"I know that but I was asked to stay away anyway."

"And if you had, you wouldn't be here right now." She said, reaching out and tucking some of my dark waves behind my ear.

My dark hair being only one of the features I inherited from my father. His eyes and his intelligence (although I'm definitely not genius level), being two other traits I have of his. My fair, light, skin and petite build, I got from the abandoner.

My dad and bio-mother had me when they were just 19. I was an accident but my dad made it work even though he was still a kid at heart himself. My mother said I was a complete mistake and signed over all rights the moment I was born. According to my dad, they never really liked each other anyway and what they had was just a convenience at the time. I'd say it all worked out for me in the end because Pepper was an amazing mom.

"I get it but that's not the only reason-"

"Let me stop you right there. You were 18. Still a teenager. You've matured since then."

"But it's embarrassing!"

She let out a quiet chuckle and pulled me into a hug, "You'll be fine. Tony is throwing a party on Saturday and I picked out a dress for you. It's hanging up in your room okay?"