I get up, and stare at him. In the moonlight, I can see an eyepatch. Oh no. I know who it is now. SHIELD's head honcho, Nick Fury.

"How did you find me?" I ask, taking breaths between each word.

"First off, I think you know what custody means. It means you stay with Stark!" He scolds.

I glance around as he lectures me about how much trouble I caused and how I should've just stayed with Stark. We're in an industrial park, well, an abandoned one. He finishes his speech, and I notice a certain soldier walking to intercept me.

"She's coming home with me, and she won't get out again, sir." He assures Fury. It makes me sick.

I walk over to Cap, and shove past him, bringing a shocked look to his face. I try not to panic, and slowly speak.

"Okay, you caught me. Good for you, I'll give you a golden sticker later. Now, I'm tired and lost, so what's the fastest way back to the tower?" I mumble.

He walks me to the car, and I sit in the back, like always. I watch the apartments and houses fade as we get deeper into the city. Then, I can see the lights of the tower. I throw up a little in my mouth, but just force myself to swallow it.

I watch the blue lights of the tower slowly disappear as the car enters the garage. Brighter lights take its place as I walk to the door. I have nowhere else to go.

My mother is dead, and I am an only child. Luna is probably in a cell here, and I am too old to be in an orphanage. I bet her death was why I nearly lost control. She is, or was, my everything. She once told me that the stars would always protect me.

I start crying when I open the door, and I am greeted by a grieving Tony Stark. I notice a shot glass in his hand. He had been drinking.

"I just heard, Cassie." He says. He walks over to hug me, and I can smell the alcohol when he breathes.

I rush away, and hide in the room from before. I lock the door, and stare into the night sky. The stars aren't visible since the clouds rolled in. I sit in the corner and cry. I always thought that she would be there for my entire life. I thought that she would survive to meet her grandkids. I hear a knock on my door.

"Cassie, can you come out here? We need to talk to you." Tony says. I just climb into the bed, and pretend to be asleep.

The door opens, and two male shadows are visible. I close my eyes, and slow my breathing. I notice that breathing slows when you're asleep. How do I know that? The boys always fall asleep in class.

"She's fast asleep, Steve. We'll just have to speak with her in the morning." I hear one of them mutter.

"Well, Tony, we don't have much time for this. Fury wants a status report, and a report about her powers." The other one responds.

The door closes, and I get out of the bed. Well, more roll than properly get up. It makes a thud on the floor, and the door flings open. I get up, and they rush over. When they reach me, I shove them away. She can't be dead. She can't be. Why am I alive if she isn't? She was always supposed to be the one that survived. I sit in the corner, balled up and rocking forwards and backwards.

"She can't be dead. She was always the one who was stronger." I say to myself as I rock back and forth.

"Cassie, you're just grieving. She really is dead, and I wish I would've protected you both." Tony says.

He can't be telling the truth. She can't be dead. I don't want her to be dead. I am only 18. I need my mom. She can't be dead.

"She's unresponsive. Should we get Bruce to help us?" Steve asks.

"No. Let her grieve. All he will do is say the same. She just needs time, and then she'll open up." Tony explains.

I climb back into the bed, silent and unresponsive. They stare as I turn the lamp off, and close my eyes. I listen the door close, and then I get up again. I stare at the stars breaking through the clouds.

"Will things ever get better?" I ask, whispering.

Yes, Cassie, they will get better. Just wait and see.

I feel calmer, and climb back into the bed. The mattress is firm and the springs dig into my back, but I'm fine with it. I close my eyes, and drift off to sleep.

It is May 4th, my thirteenth birthday. My mother is sitting next to me on the couch as we watch The Wizard of Oz. I start crying as Dorothy runs away from her farmhouse. My mother wraps her arm around me, and pulls me closer.

"Don't be sad, Cassie." She says, comforting me.

All of a sudden, there is a knock at the front door. She gets up, and opens the door. Next thing I know, she is yelling and slams the door. She turns the TV off, and pulls me into the bathroom, locking the door behind us.

"Mama, what's going on?" I ask. She puts her finger to my lips, and I hear gunfire.

I hear our front door fall to the ground, and I can only hear strange noises on the other side. The door collapses, revealing a strange alien. I put my hands in front of us, and conjure a dagger made of dry ice. I throw it into the alien's neck. It falls to the floor.

"Good job, Cassie. Get your things into your backpack. We have to hurry before he comes here." My mother says.

I nod, and pack my clothes into my backpack. I pull the bag on, and run into the living room. My mother has her belongings packed, and we run out of the apartment.

We're halfway down the stairs when I stop and admire a man in red, white, and blue. He single-handedly defeats about three of those aliens in front of cops on a cop car, and then I keep going down the stairs.

"Mama! Did you see the Flag Man?" I exclaim, before she puts her finger to my lips.

As I run down the stairs, I can hear the noises from before, and they're right above us. I conjure a new dagger, and prepare to attack.

I wake up, with tears running down my cheeks. Two figures stand in the doorway. I have tried to forget that day. I had to kill a Chituari attacker that day.

"Flag Man?" Steve asks. I must have said that all out loud, and they heard it all.

"I was thirteen, and in my defense, I wasn't allowed to watch your crime-fighting escapades." I reply angrily. He should've minded his own business.

"Cassie, we need to talk with you." He says.

"No, you don't. Now get out and leave me alone." I snap. They are getting on my nerves.

"Cassie, if this is about your mother's dea-"

"Do not say that word!" I scream.

Tony walks over, and I shove him away from me. The last thing I need is his pity. Then, Steve walks over. He grabs me by my waist, and carries me out of the room.

He brings me into a lab, where I'm guessing the Jolly Green Giant works. I hear the door close and the lock click. I climb off the table, and get on my knees. I start praying.

"Please, God. If you can bring my mom back, I will never fight with her again. I will always love and respect her." I plead.

If only she had one that custody battle, or I would've been there for her. If only I hadn't stressed her out so much. If only I wouldn't have been so selfish. I could've saved her.

"Please, Heavenly Father. I will never run away again if you bring her back." I continue pleading.

Then, the door unlocks and opens.