~Amelies POV~
"Amelie, just let me come with you-"
"No Bucky." I frowned at him as he chased me down the last steps into the entrance hall of the Tower. "River and David are at home, alone with this teenager who is asking for me, not you."
"But what if," he tore at his hair, which was still plaited back for his Belle fancy dress, "What if it's them?"
He stressed the last word, but I forced myself to breathe through that anxious thought. "It won't be. They collapsed after I killed their leader remember?"
"Amelie-"
"We have a daughter Bucky. Go back upstairs, look after her and Owen. Tom and Jules are staying for dinner, so just enjoy a cartoon and chocolate with them. I'll ring you if I need help, okay?"
He looked frustrated, and crossed his arms over the yellow dress. "Fine." He grumpily pulled me into a hug and kissed the top of my head. "I love you."
"I love you too," I whispered, "have fun."
I walked through the halls to the underground car park, and borrowed a spare car. I left Bucky ours so he had a way to bring D'Arcy and Owen home later.
I drove fairly quickly, and as I pulled into our street I became aware I was dressed in a fluffy onesie of Sully from Monsters Inc. I climbed out of the car, and unzipped the top half to tie around my waist. I was glad I'd remembered to pull a black tee on underneath, so I at least felt a little more grown up.
The door was unlocked, and I pushed it open to silence. I carefully shut it behind me, and wandered down the hall to the kitchen.
River and David were sat on one side of the table, both staring at a boy. He stood as I walked in, and turned to stretch his hand out to me in greeting. "Good afternoon Amelie. I'm Jeremy."
I cautiously accepted his hand, and shook it firmly. He was skinny, with shiny black hair brushed over the top of his head. A pair of blacked out glasses were perched on the end of his nose, and I realised a little too late that he was blind. "It's nice to meet you. Please, sit back down."
He sat back in his chair with ease, and his fingers folded over each other as they rested on the table top. River and David glanced at me, and I shrugged. "Why don't you two go and have your dinner? It's near enough 6, you'll be hungry by the times it's been delivered." I passed them a pizza menu and ushered them out of the room, but both frowned as they left.
"Would you like a drink Jeremy? Or something to eat?"
He tilted his head in my direction as I poured two glasses of water for us. He just smiled as I sat opposite, and slid the glass across to him.
"Are you okay? David told me you asked for me, and that you were told this was a safe place?" I sipped on my water as he mused over his answer, his fingers playing over one another.
"I was staying with a man called Matt Murdock. He had to go, due to unforeseen circumstances, but didn't want me staying alone."
I frowned, and glanced around the room. The name rang a bell but I couldn't place where I'd heard it before. "But why me?"
He sighed, "he wanted someone to... not look after me. But he wanted me to be safe, and he traced you here. He had to go, before I knocked on the door." David poked his head around the door, and Jeremy immediately straightened in his chair. "Please may you tell David to leave us alone?"
David's eyes widened, and he disappeared back into the living room. I sat, confused at how accurately Jeremy knew it was him. "How did you know he was there?" I asked, intrigued.
Jeremy sat higher in his chair. "Matt has been helping me adjust. Losing my vision put me at a disadvantage, but he's helped me hone my other senses."
My phone began vibrating in my pocket, and I stood up as I retrieved it. "Excuse me, for a minute."
I stepped out into the hall, stepping past the door where David and River were slowly inching closer on the sofas.
"Bucky?"
"Amelie, I just wanted to check everything was okay? What's happened?"
I glanced back to the kitchen. "His name's Jeremy. He was staying with someone called Matt Murdock, but Matt had to leave and didn't want to leave him alone. Apparently he found our address and told Jeremy this would be a safe place for him to stay?"
Bucky sighed down the phone, and I heard him shout out, "anybody know Matt Murdock?"
There was a muffled conversation, before Bucky spoke again. "He's a lawyer and worked on a case about Noelle, you know Steve's soulmate?"
"Right..." I paused.
"Tony's met him a few times. Apparently we can trust him." There was another background conversation, before Bucky piped up, "nobody has heard of a Jeremy before."
"Do I let him stay here? I don't think he's very old-"
"Nat's found info on him-" Bucky went quiet. "Apparently he's good. Do you want me to come back yet?"
"No, it's fine. I'll see you tonight, I love you."
"Love you too doll."
I hung up, and waved my hand at David and Rivers faces as they pretended they hadn't been listening in. "What pizza did you guys get?"
"Ham and pineapple-" River pulled a disgusted face as David listed them off, "vegetable, and then a plain margarita if you wanted one. If Jeremy's staying we can split with him."
I sighed, "I'll figure this out. Have you got money for them?"
River waved her purse at me. "Got it." She smiled.
I grinned, and went back to Jeremy who was sitting stiffly in the chair. "I'm fifteen." His voice broke the silence as I sat down on the chair. "This is a picture of Matt in court with Tony," he slid his phone across to me, then swiped at the screen, "he said he'll call this evening, to let you see his face so you know it's him."
"Oh," I glanced down at the screen, that showed Tony and Matt sat on opposing sides of a courtroom. "I'm sorry, did you hear-?"
He tapped his ear, "I can't rely on my eyes, so I've sort of... become dependent on my other senses." He explained. "I don't mean to eavesdrop, but I thought I would settle your worries, if I could."
"Thank you." I smiled gently. "So you're fifteen?"
He nodded.
"Are you at school?"
He chewed his lip. "I was attending a school near here. But then I lost my eyesight, and it took me a long time to recover."
"Oh." I glanced around the room, trying to search for things to say. "How long have you not been at school?"
"Three years." He answered quickly. "I have been learning though. Matt paid for online lessons for me, and I've been to work with him a few times."
"It sounds like you're very smart." I agreed, twisting my head to the hall as I heard the doorbell ring. David shot up to accept the pizzas from the delivery man.
"You're like he said," Jeremy went quiet. "You're very calming."
I sat back in surprise, "like who said?"
"Matt." Jeremy smiled, "he said you had an ability to make people relax."
I shook my head, "I don't know about that. Why did Matt think that about me?"
Jeremy shrugged, "You're a public figure whether you want to be or not Amelie. People talk about the Avengers, and they talk about you."
I fell quiet, unsure how to react. "How long are you planning on staying?"
Jeremy fell silent then, and looked down to his lap, causing his glasses to slide slightly down his nose, "Matt didn't say exactly. He thinks it should only be a week or so."
I felt a little uncomfortable, that this child had been pushed to my front door and invited himself into my home, but I tried to reserve my judgement. He looked venerable, under his stiff posture.
"I have pizza." River crept through the door, a little shy as she looked towards Jeremy. "Do you want some? We have three to share, and we got fries and garlic bread too."
I grinned, and pushed my chair back, grateful that River had swept to the rescue with a distraction. "That sounds wonderful. Jeremy, shall we join them?"
He hesitantly stood to his feet, and held onto his cane. "That would be nice." He smiled.
River nodded and left the room, and I worriedly looked the teenager over. "Would you like a hand getting to the living room?"
He shook his head. "I can hear you walking. If you lead the way I'll be okay."
He traced the floor with the base of the cane, and followed as I walked slowly down the hall to the living room. He navigated his way to sit on a sofa, as I settled on an armchair in the corner.
I offered everyone a plate and anther round of drinks, before we dug in and began devouring the table full of food.
***
~Bucky's POV~
"So remember," I looked at D'Arcy, then in the rear view mirror to eye Owen, "we have another guest staying. He's called Jeremy."
D'Arcy scribbled a note and passed it through the gap in the chairs to Owen, who read it under the light I turned on in the back. He gave me a thumbs up, as I pulled onto our driveway.
I twisted in my seat, and used a mixture of sign language and hand gestures to re-iterate the point to both Owen and D'Arcy. "He can't see. But he can hear."
I had no idea how he and Owen would interact, but I was sure we could figure something out for the week he would stay. Amelie had sent me a flurry of texts, but her last one had said that Matt still hadn't called, so I hoped I hadn't missed it.
"Come on then," I held the front door open, and let them charge inside to the living room. There were a few slices of pizza remaining on the table, and the four who were sat in the chairs looked comfortably relaxed.
D'Arcy began re-enacting something to River through waving hand gestures, as Owen hurriedly signed to David about what he'd been up to all afternoon and evening.
I studied the newest addition to the house, who was quietly chewing on a piece of pizza. Owen and D'Arcy slowly turned to watch him, and he cleared his throat. "Hello D'Arcy, Owen."
D'Arcy went to pass him a piece of paper, but she stopped herself, before handing it to me instead. I glanced at the both of them, and Owen signed up at me. "They both say hello." I replied on their behalf.
Jeremy went to speak when his phone began ringing. Without checking the ID, he stood up and waved at Amelie. "It's Matt."
I sighed, and began signing as I waved at D'Arcy and Owen. "You two, go upstairs: put your pyjamas on and brush your teeth, go on."
Jeremy had left the room with his phone, as Amelie piled up the pizza boxes to take to the kitchen.
"Can you check they're alright? I'll take this call with Amelie." I asked David, before following Amelie to the back of the house.
A mans voice could be heard from the phone, "Miss Parker, I'm glad to meet you-"
"It's Mrs Barnes." Amelie interrupted him as she sat down next to Jeremy.
I leant over her shoulder to see the mans stumbling reaction. "Of course it is, I apologise."
"Murdock." I eyed him through the screen, seeing him shuffle on the other side.
"I'm working - Just, please look after him? I'll be back-" he fell silent, and glanced over his shoulder.
Amelie shot me a look, but then gunshots were heard through the phone, and Matt leant forward, whispering quietly. "I'll try to be home quick, okay Jeremy? Stay safe, please look after him." Then the screen went black, and the room fell quiet.
Amelie pursed her lips. "I thought you said he was a lawyer?"
Jeremy slid his phone back in his pocket, and moved his head to face us. "He... He has an alter ego. He fights crime."
Amelie sighed, and tiredly leant back in her chair. "Okay. Come upstairs, I'll get you settled in a spare room."
"We're gonna need a bigger house." I mumbled as she walked past. She snorted, and waited for Jeremy to stand behind her before she led the way upstairs.
***
~Third Persons POV~
"Are you sure you're okay sharing a room with me?" David asked for the third time as he helped set up the camp bed in the corner of the room River had been sleeping in.
She rolled her eyes, as she covered it with a blanket before passing him the pillows. "Yes, David. It's fine."
He still looked unsure as he pulled the sleeping bag out of its smaller bag, and unzipped it to use as another blanket.
Amelie and Bucky hadn't expected so many people to be in their house so quickly, so rearranging the sleeping situation had been a very last minute thought. David surrendered his bed for Jeremy, and Owen was still enjoying his sleepovers in D'Arcys room, which left a spare bedroom which had no bed or curtains (as Bucky had been planning on decorating), or Rivers floor.
They lay down, but both were very conscious that this was a boundary neither had crossed yet. David was growing to the shy girl, and had suspicions that his feelings might have links to fate, and the coin-sized blue waves on his wrist, but didn't dare ask in case River denied all claims.
River herself was aware her soulmate was lying a few feet beside her, though his bed was considerably lower and squeakier than hers.
"David?" She whispered. A surge of confidence was blossoming, and she didn't want to lose this moment to explain her past.
"Yeah?" He whispered back. He rolled onto his side, much to the camp-beds squeaks of indignation, but he waited patiently for River to speak again.
She stared at the ceiling. "The bad relationship I told you about... I want to tell you about it."
David frowned, but nodded. He whispered softly, "Okay."
River gulped. "He wanted to be my soulmate. Except we didn't share the same soul-sign. For a long time I pretended to be his soulmate, even when he-" she stifled a sob as the flurry of memories swirled behind her eyes. The pain, the torture...
She wiped her eyes. "It was really bad. I didn't think I'd be able to get away, I resigned myself to being with him forever. But Amelie kept asking if I was okay, and somewhere it clicked that I deserved better."
David gently pushed himself upright, so his feet rested on the floor. He reached out a hand, but drew it back to his lap quickly, unsure if River would appreciate the gesture.
"I killed him." Her voice cracked in the silence of the room. The light from the night sky outside cast shadows around David's face as he rocked back in shock. But he stayed quiet, to give River a chance to explain.
She shuddered as the vivid memory of that night forced down upon her. "He was... he was on me... I grabbed a knife, I didn't want him to hurt me any more, but he did. He threw himself on top of me, he didn't see the knife and he landed on it. I killed him."
David felt sick. He hesitantly stood up and sat on the edge of Rivers bed.
She glanced up at him, confused by his actions, but noticed his arms were outstretched. She gently edged closer, until they were holding one another tightly.
David leant back to lean against the wall, as River adjusted her arms around his waist. She rested her head on his chest, grateful that he stayed, that he was holding her.
She was worried he would be repulsed by her and what she'd done, and was shocked and surprised at the kindness of his actions.
David cleared his throat, and began whispering, as his fingers found the tangled curls of Rivers hair. "My Mum was pregnant. She was happy, but had only told me and Dad. She wanted us to know first, 'cause she was worried about how Owen would react."
Rivers heart began pounding as she realised the importance of this story. The story of how David became sole guardian to Owen, and carer to his Grandfather.
She held his hand as he wrapped his arm protectively around her shoulders. "There was an accident. She had an infection that none of us knew about, but when she finally realised she was sick, it was too late. She died quickly in hospital."
His hand tightened around Rivers as he sucked in a deep breath, begging himself to not cry just yet.
"Dad was good at first. He went through the will, sorted out the funeral and split Mums money between the three of us. Owen and I couldn't access it until we were 18. Then he went off the rails. He started leaving me alone to babysit Owen - he was really small at the time."
River ran her hand along his arm, hoping to soothe the pain that was wracking his chest.
"One day I came home and he was packing our bags. He gave us a week to move in with Grandad, and then he would leave. He had to 'find himself'," David scoffed. "I thought he would still contribute, but when I turned 18 a couple of months later and accessed my account, he'd cleared it dry. He took every penny. I haven't seen him since."
River gently sat upright, and silently offered her arms in a hug. David accepted, and the pair switched places so River could stroke the young mans hair as he spoke.
"Grandad was too ill. I had to pay for his medicine, and the hospital appointments for Owen were wracking up. I dropped out of university after my first semester, and applied to be Grandads full time carer. I disowned Dad, and got him blocked from our accounts and medical records. I've got sole custody of Owen."
His voice cracked violently, "and now my Grandad is dying."
That was the tipping point that caused him to break down. River was still crying from her own confession, and the pair held each other as they slid down the bed, crying through their pain.
They both felt utterly powerless, and alone.
But by a twist of fate, they were no longer bound to be alone.
They had each other.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Hi! I hope everyone is well!
I hope you enjoy this chapter, and the newest addition to the Barnes household.
Please keep reading, voting and sharing if you enjoy it.
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