(Dream)
I was dancing with Alex in a field. We were both laughing at ourselves when the rain started. We looked up at the sky, shocked by the sudden thunderstorm. He grinned and looked down at me, drinking in my expression. Our eyes locked and he leaned down. We were about to close the gap when a loud noise startled us.
Alex turned impatiently to see what it was. My mom and dad stood smiling, watching with loving expressions. I pushed away from Alexander and ran towards them, arms open.
They caught me and embraced me. "You've gotten so big. Oh how we've missed you." My mom said, looking me over. "I've missed you too. How are you here? Oh never mind, How long can you stay?" I ask eagerly. My dad looks at me from behind is wire rimmed glasses, "We stay as long as you're asleep." "I'm never waking up then! I'm not going to lose you again." My mother smiles sympathetically, "You'll have to eventually. I'm glad to see you've forgiven Loki, he didn't mean to. He was under a powerful illusion and lost sight of what was true and right."
We all sit around and talk like a family again and Alex joins us and gets the usual lecture from my father. You know, the "if-you-hurt-my-baby-girl-I'll-kill-you" lecture. It's a peaceful dream until the earthquakes happen, waking me up.
(End dream)
"Anna! Come on, wake up. Please don't be sick again." Loki says, dragging me out of my nice dream.
"What?" I groan and sit up.
"You've been sleeping all day, everyone was worried." He says frantically.
"I'm fine, I was just having a pleasant dream that my family was back."
"Okay, well, I have to go. I'll see you soon I promise."
He leaves after watching me to make sure I take the pill that I now need (thanks James), and I go take a quick shower and put on a pair of black skinny jeans and a tight, green tank top. After my hair is done, I go to the kitchen to grab some food seeing it's almost four in the afternoon.
"Hey kiddo!" Pepper calls from the main living area. I wave and start filling up a plate with fruit that's been set out. As I sit down, I notice that Pepper and I are the only ones in the room.
"Where is everyone?"
"They got called for an emergency meeting by Nick Fury, the director if S.H.I.E.L.D., they'll be back soon. So since we have the place to ourselves, wanna go shopping?"
"Yes please."
She goes to grab her purse and we set out in the limo and are driven to the mall.
"So Anna, you had said something about being alone. And since you don't have anywhere to live, Tony and I were wondering if you'd like to live with us?" Pepper asks as I'm trying on a pretty dress at Forever 21.
"Like, you'd adopt me?" I ask through the changing stall door as I finish putting on the dress.
"Yes, is that okay?" She asks hesitantly and I open the door to hug her.
"Yes! Ohmigod thank you so much! You have no idea what this means to me. Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I release her and she laughs.
"I'm so glad you're excited. I'll have to tell Tony and we'll get your room decorated any way you'd like, it'll be so fun!"
We buy some cute, fashionable outfits and a few party dresses and then go back to Stark Tower. When we get there, everyone is back from the meeting and is conversing. "Ah there's the girl we've been talking about!" Tony shouts from the bar. Everyone is smiling and looking at me excitedly. "What's going on?" I ask.
"We heard that Tony and Pepper were taking you in to live with them." Clint says as everyone crowds around me for a group hug.
(Two hours later)
I walk out of my room in one of my new dresses, a silver wrap, and have various bracelets dangling on my arms. I'm greeted by a mob of people of people I do and don't know. I stand petrified for a moment as I look around at everyone. A large banner on the wall reads, "Welcome to the family Anna!" Balloons in every color float to the ceiling.
The Avengers are in a cluster nearby talking to a man with coffee colored skin and an eye patch. I approach them timidly and stand near Captain Rogers. He looks down at me and smiles, "Having fun?" "I guess, is this really all for me?" "Yep, thought we'd welcome you into the family."
I go over to the kitchen and browse the food. Thor stands near the meat platter with a plate piled high with the stuff. "Hello Lady Anna! Are you enjoying the festivities?" I nod. "Um, Prince Thor? Where is Loki?" I ask curiously. He laughs, "He's around, he's not a fan of large crowds." I nod and he leaves me to start filling up a plate with fruit and a pretty chocolate cupcake.
With the tower full of people I don't know, I go out to the balcony down the hall from my room and sit at the table there. The city looks so full of life and color from up here. I finish my food and stand by the edge of the balcony, leaning on the metal railing. I close my eyes, take a deep breath and think of my parents until a voice brings me out of my thoughts.
"Good evening Anna, nice to see someone else out here." Loki says from beside me. I open my eyes and turn to face him. "Hello, yes, it was getting uncomfortable for me with all those unfamiliar people." He nods understandingly. "Yes, that and most Midgardians see me as this horrible monster since that unfortunate incident three years ago."
"It wasn't your fault, it was the person controlling you's fault. Personally, I don't think you're a monster. Quite the opposite."
He laughs, "Thank you. I like that dress on you. You look good in that color." I look at him and see he's in a nicely tailored suit with a tie that matches the green silk of my dress. "You look rather dashing yourself." I reply, getting a laugh out of him.
He sits down at a cushioned wicker chair nearby and I sit in the one across from him. "Would you mind elaborating on how your mother and father died? I'm sorry, I understand if you don't want to and I respect that. Curiosity's just got the best of me." He asks.
"They died three years ago, we were at their lab because I had a day off of school. We were looking at the view, which was much like the one here, when something large and metal flew by the window. An alarm went off, alerting everyone to evacuate. I was almost to the ground floor when I realized I had gotten separated from my parents. I didn't want to leave them behind so I went upstairs to look for them. We started walking together when the top ten floors collapsed on top of us and killed them instantly. The only reason that I'm alive was because I was trapped in an empty pocket between the rubble. By the time the rescue team had dug me out, I was barely alive. After that, I remember waking up in the hospital with gauze and casts over most of my body. I almost died a few times due to blood loss, but was brought back. I remember looking up at the TV in my room tv and seeing the Avengers fighting y-" I stop and look up at his face. A flash of realization crosses it and he looks down.
"Wait, so I was the one who caused their deaths?" He asks and I look away, not answering. "Why didn't you tell me? I'm so sorry, I-" I interrupt, "It wasn't your fault, you were mislead and it was an accident. It's in the past and all is forgiven."
He sighs and looks at me. "All those marks covering you are from that day?"
I nod. "I need to go back inside, I'm sorry. The party's supposed to be for me and I'm wasting your time out here." He looks as if he's about to say something then nods and I go back inside.
I haven't even reached my new friends when someone grabs my arm and pulls me behind a tall potted plant. I face a thin, blonde in a tight little black dress and tall heels.
"You're Anna Stark right? Hi, I'm Kimberly Owens from the Times News newspaper, could I ask you a few questions?" She asks eagerly, holding a pen and a pad of paper in her manicured hands.
"Uh, sure, go ahead."
She asks me all these questions about how I'm liking living with the famous Avengers and all. It's all going well until she starts asking about my life before I was taken in by Tony. I avoid the question and she starts pressing me for answers.
"Sweetie, there's no need to be nervous, don't hide your feelings.
(Three hours later)
All the guests have left and the Avengers have gone off into their rooms down the hall for the night. "Goodnight!" I call down the hall and go into my room and close the door. I change out of my dress and into some fluffy pj's and settle down on my bed to watch Supernatural and fangirl about Destiel when there's a soft knock on the door.