Picture is Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Pietro Maximoff aka Quicksilver in Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Music is "The Harold Song (Deconstructed Mix)" by Ke$ha.

· ~ · ~ · ~ · 

"If I never see you again

I will always carry you

inside

outside

on my fingertips

and at brain edges

and in centers

centers

of what I am of

what remains."

-Charles Bukowski

· ~ · ~ · ~ ·

CHAPTER TWO

"Bruising on her wrists, anxiety hormones are through the roof, but other than that, I can't see anything wrong with her," Tony says, looking at my wrists carefully.

"So she is okay?" Pietro asks, worriedly walking in cirlces.

Tony nods. "What about the babies?" I ask.

"They're just fine, kiddo. Nothing to worry about." He smiles at me and places my hospital report down. "Do you want an actual doctor to take a look at you?'

I shake my head. "No. I'm fine. I don't want to go out in public. Not with all these stupid reporters around." I look over to the window and see several people trying to get in Stark Tower and sigh. "Why can't they just leave us alone?"

"They're curious," Tony sighs.

"They are going to have to wait," Pietro growls. "When are you going to make your public appearance to settle down these damn nosey people?"

I hope down from the table and grab Pietro's hand. "Soon," Tony says. "I'm scheduled for an interview with the news stations this weekend."

"Which one?"

"All of them."

I nod, thank Tony, and Pietro and I make our leave to our floor again. As soon as I had woken to the trembling room, Pietro had calmed me down and run me to Tony's health ward. Thankfully everything is okay. Everything except for me.

"What happened, baby?" he asks, pushing the button for our floor.

I push my red curls, that have gotten way too long over the past months, out of my face and sigh. "I don't know. Bad dreams again. I can't shake them. I've tried everything. Tea, pills, nothing helps me sleep through the night. Not even Wanda."

"Is something on your mind?"

"Something's always on my mind, Pietro."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"By it, you mean my parents," I assume in a cold voice.

He says, "It will help, da?'

"No," I spit. "No, it won't. I don't want to talk about it, them. I'm not talking to them ever again, let alone see them." I walk out from the elevator as soon as it opens with a small ding.

"Why will you not at least hear me out? You said you would," he asks, following me to the kitchen.

"Why can't you drop it?" I turn around, my anger flaming. "You don't know what those people are like!"

"You have this sad look in your eyes every time you talk about them," he says. "You miss them. I can tell."

"I miss them," I repeat, laughing. "I don't miss them. I hate them."

"Why?" Pietro follows me as I try to walk away. "What have you not told me?"

"Drop it," I warn, not turning to face him.

"No."

"Pietro, I said drop it."

"Not until you tell me."

"I hate them because they try to change me!" I shout, turning to him. "I hate them because every time I see my father, he tells me of everything I'm doing wrong. My wardrobe, my job, who I'm with, what I believe, nothing is ever good enough for that man! And my mother left my father and sister when I was barely old enough to walk by myself. She and I haven't spoken since I was ten. My sister is nice, and she means well, but she sleeps around and flirts with my boyfriends!" 

Pietro's face is shocked. "I-I did not-"

"-No. No, you didn't." I sigh. "I'm going with Wanda, Carol, and Nat to the salon. I'll be back later."

I quickly change into jeans and a T-shirt, and when I come out, Pietro is gone.

· ~ · ~ · ~ ·

"How short are you getting it?" Wanda asks, looking over my shoulder as I drive all four girls to -the salon on Main Street. Both her and Nat are in the back seat and Carol sits to my right.

"About Nat's length from the Battle on Sokovia," I reply, my mind elsewhere.

"Mine's a lot longer now," Natasha says, stroking her long red locks. "It'll look cute on you, Glitter."

"Glitter?" Carol asks in a laugh. 

"Since her powers are cosmic like Carol's and gold, I'm going to call her Glitter," Nat smiles in the rear view mirror at me, to which I try to smile back.

"Is everything okay, sister?" Wanda asks with furrowed brows. "Ever since we met you this morning, you seem... off."

I shrug. "It's nothing."

"Well, as a professional liar, I know 'em when I see 'em," Nat says. "Tell us? We're your friends."

"More like family," I say. "But alright. Pietro and I had a little spat this morning before we left."

"Ah," Wanda says, as if realising something. "That is why he did not stop by my door and say good morning like he always does."

Carol adds, "I saw him running around town when I went out flying with James."

"James?" I ask, eyebrow raised.

Carol blushes a little. "Rhodey?"

I chuckle, winking at her. "Some thing's never change. Not even with me in the mix."

"We're not together," she says, correcting herself. "We just... enjoy each other's company."

"Uhhh huh. What about you, Nat?' How is your James?"

She raises an eyebrow at me. "None of your business, Glitter."

"What did you and Pietro fight about?" Wanda asks, sincerely worried.

"It was stupid," I groan. "I'm hitting myself for it. It was about my old family. My biological family."

"What about them?"

"My bio mom, Rebecca Sokolov, contacted me last week."

Wanda shrinks back at my thoughts about my mother, cold hearted thoughts. "You really do not like her."

"No, I don't."

"Why?" Nat asks, as we pull into the parking spot. 

"My mother ruined my life, my father tried to control it, and my sister screwed up what was left in it," I say, bluntly. "I don't want them back in my life, but I shouldn't have yelled at Pietro..." My sight drifts off.

"Hey," Carol places her hand on my shoulder. "It'll be okay, kiddo. I promise. Let's have a good girl's day, and then you can go home and make up with Pietro, okay?"

I smile a little and nod. "Stress isn't good for the babies anyways," Nat adds, chuckling as we walk towards the salon.

As soon as we're seated in the chairs, the girls are getting mani-pedi's while I get my hair cut on the opposite side of the private salon, I tell the hairstylist what I wanted, pointing to Nat for reference. "You've seen her on the television. Just like that."

The hairstylist places his hands over his mouth and gasps. "You're... You're the..."

"Yes, yes, we're the Avengers," Nat asks, clearly bored of people recognizing her everywhere. 

"Honey, your hair is absolutely fabulous," he says, smiling at her.

"Great!" I shout. "Then you can recreate it!"

· ~ · ~ · ~ ·

The floor was quiet when I got home. No one was there. Vision and Wanda are out on a date, Nat is with Clint and his family for Friday night dinner, and Pietro is Frigga knows where. The breeze from the open window sends shivers down my recently uncovered neck. My long hair no longer keeps it warm.

I pick up the phone to call Pietro, dialling the numbers slowly while I think of what to say. Three rings bappen before he answers, "Hello?"

"Pietro? It's me..."

"Glory... I..."

"I'm sorry," I whisper.

"I will be home in five minutes."

"Okay," I whisper, putting the phone down.

The wait for him is horrible. Minute by minute drags by. I try to keep myself busy by warming up leftover pizza, but my mind is going a million miles an hour. What will he say? What will I say? What will I do?

The door opens and Pietro emerges from the shadows of late evening. He leans against the doorway, navy arrow hoodie in hand, and his eyes focus on the ground. "Hey," I whisper, not making a move to go towards him.

He looks up slightly at me and gives me a half smile. "Hi."

I lower my head, closing my eyes, and sighing deeply. "Pietro, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you. You didn't know."

He keeps his eyes off me. "I was just trying to help, baby."

"I know," I cover my face in my hands, "I know, and I'm such a bitch for yelling when you were just trying to be helpful."

"I know how not having family effects you," he glances up at me with watery eyes. "I know how it sits in the heart. I do not want that for you."

My eyes tear up and I run to hug him tightly to me. "I know. I'm sorry for being a bitch."

He kisses my head as he holds me close. "You are not a bitch. Moody, maybe." I chuckle a bit and snuggle into his embrace. "What if they have changed, baby? What if they are sorry, and that is why your mother contacted you?"

I pull back slightly and whipe my eyes. "I don't think they'll ever change. No one can change that drastically."

He shrugs. "You never know. I used to be an impatient ass."

"Like I said, no one can change that drastically." He gasps and tickles my sides. "Jerk! Stop it!"

He laughs and picks me up. "Just think about calling them?"

I nod, sighing with happiness. "How about tomorrow we both call mom back, just to see what she wants?"

He nods and kisses my nose. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

We sit on the sofa and Pietro runs to get the pizza I left on the counter. He also makes me a cup of hot tea. "You know what we should do that we have not yet?"

"What's that?"

"Pick names," he laughs.

I roll my eyes. "This is going to take forever."

"Come on," Pietro smirks. "I can be agreeable."

"Oh, yeah. Okay. I'll believe it when I see it."

"How about Pietro Jr." Pietro jokes.

"I am not naming my kid Pietro Jr." I scoff. "What if they're both girls?"

"Pietra?" he suggests with a side grin.

I hit him with a magazine. "Shut up. Okay, seriously, one of them will have your sister's name as her middle name, if one of them is a girl. Are there any Sokovian names you like?"

"I always liked Ksenia (pronouced Kuh-Sen-Ya)," he suggests, taking a bite of his pizza. "It is a girls name that means gracious."

"Hm," I smile to myself. "Ksenia. I like it.!"

"What about you?"

"Names I like? Oh, gosh. I like Cooper, I like Maverick, I like Rose, I like Lanna, I like lots of names," I joke.

Pietro laughs, but then his face softens. "What about Aspen?"

There goes my heart. Right back to the bottom of my stomach. 

"What about her?" I look down into my cup of tea.

"Would you like to name one of our little ones after her?"

"You wouldn't mind?" I glance up into his eyes. They're soft, understanding, thoughtful.

"Mind? I would be honored. She was a brave, sweet girl. I know you miss her."

I gulp and curl up into a ball. "I'd like that." I set my food down and curl up into Pietro's arms. "I miss her so much."

Don't cry. Don't cry.

Pietro rubs my back and tummy, whispering sweet things into my ear. "Everything is going to be okay, baby. I promise."

"I hope so. I just wish she was here. She was my family."

"We do not have to call your mother,' he mumbles. "I am being pushy."

"No," I reply. "No, I need to. This will eat me alive until it's settled. Even if she's exactly the same, I have to know."

"I will be there with you this whole time."

I smile and lean up to kiss him. "You always are."

END CHAPTER TWO.