Operation : Hawkeye

Chapter 6 : A romantic encounter or an awkward one?

Taking the stairs I climbed onto the rooftop, watching the stars in silence as the chilling breeze of the night take hold. I do know Bruce had followed me here but I pretended that he was not there. Somehow something flashed in my mind and I hummed a tune, a lullaby sang to me by my mother when I was a child. It was in Greek, she called it 'the song of home'. "If you think of home, you can sing this song to remind you, home is always with you." The irony now that she is gone, troubled me. The pattering on the rooftop stopped and I felt his hand on my shoulder. Turning to face him I showed him silence, then he lowered the hood. We shared a look for a while and he pressed his lips against mine. His kiss was warm, intimate and loving that we remained entangled in the same manner as I couldn't let go of his kiss. The silk face mask did little to stop him from kissing me. Then he lets go of me and we embraced. Sitting on the rooftop we observed the stars without talking to each other. 

"Your singing was beautiful." He said. "Why didn't I hear you sing before?"

"I... don't sing much." I said. "Why did you come here?"

"I... I was worried about you."

"You know the threat. Bruce, I can do this on my own."

"You're my fiancee, it's my responsibility to protect you. Plus, I have heard about what happened in Monaco." Then a hunk of metal soared across us and I drew my sword and formed a lunging position.

"Care to tell me why are you not at home?" The man demanded, clearly I know who is he. "And who are you supposed to be?"

"Clearly I should be the one asking you." He fired back in his Batman voice. "Who are you? And why do you think that you can simply tell us what to do?"

"Bruce, it's okay." I whispered in his ear.

"No, it's not. Who are you?" He asked again, his temper started to ignite. Then the man landed and approached us, metal clanging against the rooftops. I growled in respond and stopped him.

"Stand aside young lady. I'm going to show him who is the boss around here."

"Stop it dad! I mean it!" I said.

"Dad?" Batman asked me.

"He's my father." I said reluctantly.

"What?" Bruce asked.

"Stand down father. It won't do us any good."

"Go back home, now." He demanded. "And you too, spooky guy in a batsuit."

Half an hour later

Disgruntled we entered the basement while dad flew in after us. Landing on the podium his armor shrunk back to the arc reactor on his chest. "Did I give you permission to leave the grounds?" He asked. "As far as I can remember I didn't give you one."

"And you're not here to tell me what to do. You have given Mr. President more trouble than ever which is conveniently my boss."

"And now you're talking back at me?"

"No, I am criticizing you for your goddamn recklessness." I said, my voice raised in disapproval. "You have been giving me a headache ever since you made the damn choice to race. And not to mention you nearly got killed by a crazy Russian terrorist." I added, my impatience nearly reaching its limit.

"Oh yeah? Then I'm the only one to be blamed for all this shit is it?"

"No you listen to me!" I yelled back. "Fury might have the time to tolerate you but I am not!"

"What kind of shit did he drag you into?"

"And what did you do besides paying child support and didn't care about me at all?!" I yelled. "You didn't give a damn about me ever since she died. You partied your way out of it while I gone through major shit that made me what I am today!" Bruce didn't intervene, knowing that we have to sort this matter out. "Were you there when I graduated? No! Were you there before I was shipped out? No! And when I came home were you there for me? Goddamn no!" I was so angry until I started shouting my frustration at him and left him in complete silence. "Were you there when I was elected as the Secretary of State? Knighted as dame? Mom was right all along, you cared for your goddamn self while my relatives and friends helped me go through all this." The scene became dead silent again, until you can hear a pin drop. "If not the dad who cared for me I won't even be here and allow your goddamn self-righteousness and drinking around kill you!" I yelled out before stomping out. It felt so irritated when I have to take this mission but for dad, I tried to kept my cool but not this one. Before I climbed the stairs I witnessed Bruce giving him a cold, hard stare before following me. "Are you sure that you're staying?" I asked him.

"Maybe." He said. "I'll sit this one out I guess, let your cousin do the job with you."

"I think it's better Bruce. I'm already having a pressing headache."

"Take care of yourself okay?" He asked.

"I will, trust me."

"I always do." He replied. Sharing another kiss he departed, from the window at the walkway and I slammed the bedroom door shut. Throwing myself on the bed I buried my head in the pillow until my laptop sounded again. Quickly changing I opened my laptop to answer the call. My dad's face flickered into view and I hardly can keep the smile I used to give him everyday.

"Everything okay sweetheart?" He asked. "Oh wait... is that... is that tears in your eyes?"

"Dad... I... I just lost it." I said, my tears escaping the floodgates. "I yelled at him. I just... I just felt so... so angry that he just abandoned me after she died. He did nothing except paying child support."

"Isa, please, don't cry." He said, trying his best to comfort me. "I know it's hard but you have to go through that."

"Dad, you have a good life but I didn't. Not ever since I turned fifteen."

"Hey, come on, you're not alone in this." He said. "I'm here for you."

"I know... I just... I just..." Barely holding back I grabbed the box of tissues nearby and dried the tears. Then he sighed.

"Look, you have a lot of issues now. Can you come down here at D.C. tomorrow morning? I want to check up on you."

"I'm not sure dad. I..."

"Isa, I'll get that daughter-neglecting asshole down here with Coulson. You just get yourself down here tomorrow. I'm worried, about you. You're my daughter now, and it's always my job to see you healthy and happy."

"I... I didn't expect this. But thank you dad."

"No problem. I'll make breakfast for you, what do you like?"

"You sure?" I asked, smiling again. "I remembered that last time you nearly torched the kitchen."

"Damn, that's embarassing." He said. "Come in casual, I'm not working tomorrow."

"Wait, what?"

"I have been working for months trying to redo the damage done. It's time that I spent time with the people that I cared in life."

"You mean me?"

"Yes, I mean it. Come down here at the White House and we can do whatever you want. Just don't em... sing karaoke." A laugh to my respond.

"Oh, I won't. Just me and you?"

"Um... not entirely so. I really hate to see the tabloid press writing whatever nonsense on the paper next day."

"Oh, you mean that the president got a bad publicity for spending too much time with his daughter?"

"Don't even get me started." He said. "Get some sleep."

"You too." I said.