Book Two - Part One: Spectre

Chapter Three

Present:

Laurie sits on a bench at the far end of the gardens of Xavier's school, the file Elena gave her open in her lap, her finger pale from the cold air. She just needed somewhere quiet to think. Her mind wandering and weaving through memories she'd buried to guard her heart. The months following Bruce's accident and disappearance Laurie felt herself slipping away like she had when her parents died. And she couldn't, she couldn't let it show. So she did the unhealthy thing and pushed it all deep down inside of her and moved on.

"Why are you sitting out here all alone, Laurie?" Charles asks approaching her. "It's November and it's freezing" she smiles a little and looks to him.

"I just needed to think" she tells him closing the file in her lap. "Too loud inside today" he hums in agreement. They both sit there a moment listening to the sounds from within the huge house, even out here the noise can be heard. Charles turns to her. 

"Thought about my offer yet?" he asks, she glances to him.

"You know I love the students" she assures him. "But I'm not sure how I feel about teaching" she admits. "I'm thinking of going away anyway" she whispers touching the file.

"Soon?" She nods.

"In a few weeks, maybe..." she counters. "I think my brother is going through something and I want to be near just in case" he nods in agreement.

"Good idea, I know how much your brother means to you" he takes her hand and squeezes. "I also know how much Bruce means to you" he motions to the file in her lap and then to her head, she smiles a little.

"It was a long time ago" she argues. "And I'm unsure about....about what I want now"

"No, you just don't want to get hurt again" he counters. "Bruce was forced to leave you" he reminds her. "Barney's death and....secrets. You're afraid to open your heart again" he whispers. "Laurel" he starts and gives her a smile. "You're a strong woman, even if something happened, and even if your heart breaks again, you'll come back stronger still" she turns to him.

"You were the father I should have had" she tells him, he pats her hand softly before standing. "I'm going to head to LA check in on Tony" she places her hand on his shoulder and then walks away.

..............

Laurie enters the lobby of Stark Hq after everything that happened with Stane, she keeps to the back of the crowds, rather then drawing attention to herself, not that any of them will recognise her as a Stark. Howard made an announcement years ago that she was dead and that was that. Not like they can take it back now. Laurie takes a breath and leans against the reception desk behind her. Elena joins Laurie, they share a look, Laurie smirks.

"Tony feeling good about this speech?" Laurie asks.

"How should I know?" Elena asks back crossing her arms over her chest.

"You've got beard rash" Laurie teases, Elena covers her face and tries to rub away the marks.

"He's fine" she grumbles a little as Laurie laughs. They both turn their attention to the podium as Rhodey answers a question from the press.

"I can confirm that a series of military test-prototypes were involved in the incident at Stark Industries last night. I can also confirm that there was, for a brief time, the danger of an Ark Reactor 'incident', which was rectified without injury to the public – and all power outages have been restored. Here now, to answer a few brief questions, is Tony Stark" Tony walks out. Takes the podium. Puts a hand up to silence the bubbling questions.

"I've seen the papers. I've heard the reports. That's why I want to put an end to all this wild speculation. The truth is..." He looks to Rhodey. To Pepper. To the crowd. His eyes land on Elena who smiles watching him, he looks directly at her when he speaks. "I am Iron Man" The Reporters erupt in a cacophony of questions. Laurie sighs next to Elena.

"There will be no living with him now" she comments, Elena chuckles at her side and swivels her head around to face her.

"Well...maybe an extended holiday to South America is over due" Elena comments, Laurie looks to her. "If you're worried about Tony, I'll look after him" Elena assures her, Laurie smiles.

"I have no doubt about that" Laurie counters softly. "I've never seen him so invested in a woman before....It's weird but....good, I think" she looks across at Tony. "Perhaps the sun is calling my name" she offers.

"Hmm...or a specific doctor" Elena teases, Laurie nudges her slightly and smiles. They share a look.

"Thank you again, for what you did for me" Elena shrugs back like it's nothing, but they both know it's not nothing, to Laurie it's everything.

...........

Laurie looks down at her bag, half packed on her bed at Tony's mansion, despite Howard's approach to her Tony still sees her as his sister, no matter which house he owns there is always a Laurie room. It's nothing special, she has her own home and a room at Xavier's School, so the rooms at Tony's are always bare minimum for her. Grabbing the folder from the side she turns to add it to her bag but the momentum knocks the photo of her and Bruce loose, it flutters to the floor, she looks to it and then sets the file in her bag before turning back to it, crouching she picks it up. She sits on her bed and holds the photo in her hand. She had nothing after it ended. No photos. No reminders. Nothing. Now she has a photo. She smiles down at the photo, touching the edges of it. Standing she tucks the photo into her phone case before going back to packing her things.

............

Laurie heads down the stairs, bag on her elbow, she can hear the tv playing something about the Wayne's, not that surprising given her brother's currently obsessed with Elena. As she gets closer to the bottom of the stairs he seems to realise her presence and turns to her turning off the tv.

"Hey" he greets with a smile, she smiles back at him. "Where are you going?" Tony asks noting Laurie weekend bag, she looks to it and sets it down before approaching her big brother.

"I'm taking a holiday" Laurie tells Tony who raises an eyebrow. "But I wanted to talk to you about something before I left" Laurie starts sitting next to her brother.

"What?" he asks her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong" she assures him. "It's Elena" Laurie answers. "I like her"

"Good for you" Tony teases, she smirks a little and shakes her head.

"I think you do too, more then anyone before....and I think that both titillates and terrifies you" Tony chuckles, Laurie hits his arm for being immature. "Grow up" she scolds. "I'm trying to be a supportive sister here" he forces his amused face away. "It's okay to want something, Tony, it's okay to care....and Elena is good for you" Tony looks down as Laurie takes his hand. "Just....want you to be happy, and I know she makes you happy" Tony leans over and kisses her head pulling her closer to him.

"Dad was wrong about you" he whispers to her softly. "Maybe he was wrong about me too" Laurie looks to him, the two of them sharing a sad look, she forces a smile as her eyes threaten to cry.

"Go see her" Laurie pushes. "I'll call you when I can" she kisses his cheek and then stands moving to grab her bag before leaving and heading towards the car waiting for her. Happy smiles greeting her and opening the door.

"Where to Miss Stark?" he asks.

"Juspeczyk" she corrects. "Remember?" he nods and looks down slightly.

"Mr Stark keeps telling me..." Happy starts.

"I know but I'm not a Stark any more" she points out climbing into the car, he closes it behind her, she settles into her seat and pulls out her cell phone.

"Where am I driving you to, Mrs Juspeczyk?" Happy asks climbing in.

"Airport please, Happy" she answers typing away on her phone.