Chapter One
Liam

I chew on my pop tart silently as I watch everyone get ready for the day ahead. Soroya is pouring herself a cup of coffee, talking to Bucky over her shoulder about the meeting she has with the Wakandan council today. Bucky is helping Livy search for her medical textbook, which she had been reading last night and has since lost. Stevie is fixing himself a bowl of cereal and is telling me about his newest painting in an excited tone. I try to pay attention, but the task is a little hard, my mind is too focused on the decision I made this morning, the step I'm taking today.

Things have been crazy here. Along with trying to adjust to living in the most high tech city in the world, I've had to help the other F.E.P and enhanced adjust. I've been happy to help, but there are some days it feels a little overwhelming, especially since it's taken up every second of my day for the past month. This week is the first week that has been relatively normal. Livy is trying to focus on studying to go back to school in a couple weeks, Bucky has been helping the enhanced and helping coordinate the builders for the base and school, and Soroya has been doing fifteen different things at once. I can't even keep up with all she's doing. Stevie has been helping the enhanced just like I have, and when he isn't doing that, he's painting or spending time with me. He's made it his mission to make me feel comfortable in Wakanda and in his home, his whole family has. It shocks me everyday how generous and loving these people are, I'm still not used to it.

"Soroya," I ask, knowing that if I don't ask her this question now I'll have to wait until she gets home from work late at night. "I was wondering if I could borrow your ship and Steve?"

All four of them look at me with raised eyebrows, especially Stevie.

"What for?" Soroya inquires, taking a sip of coffee, leaning her back against the kitchen counter.

"I want to go to California and see my parents," I explain a little awkwardly. "Jo has been making an effort to connect with her biological father...so I thought maybe it was time I talk to my parents."

Jo has seen her biological father once a week for the past month. After each visit she forces Stevie, Livy, Zy, and me to their treehouse and goes into detail about the meeting. As each week has gone by, I've thought more and more about my parents, especially when Jo talks about how rewarding it's been to get questions answered about her past. There are questions I have for my parents, answers I crave with every fiber of my being. I think I owe it to myself to find them.

I'm still shocked Jo has wanted me to be there when she vents about seeing her father. Everyone has known me just under two months and they're acting like they've known me for years. From what I understand, Stevie, Livy, Zy, and Jo have been best friends their whole lives. They tell each other everything, they always hang out with each other, and they even have a treehouse all to themselves. They're like a club, they even call themselves the four musketeers. I was positive that only Stevie, and maybe Jo, would want to be around me when I moved in this house, but no. All four of them insist on me going to every treehouse meeting and being apart of every private conversation. What is it with this family? I'm a stranger, an outcast. Why are they all so eager to include me in their lives?

"Of course you can borrow the ship. I'm guessing you want Stevie so he can fly it for you?" Soroya responds causally.

Yes and no. I have no idea how to fly anything, so I do need a pilot, but everyone knows how to fly those ships, not just Stevie. I want him to go with me because seeing my parents will be so hard, I'm not sure how it will go. Stevie being there will make it better, he makes everything better...

I nod to Soroya and give her a simple answer: "Yes, I need a pilot."

I glance at Stevie and find him grinning. "I'm happy to fly you there. When do you want to leave?"

"Whenever you have time."

"I have nothing planned today, we can leave after breakfast if you want." Stevie replies eagerly.

I smile at him, nodding my head slowly. "That would be nice."

Livy groans in exasperation, looking pointedly at her father. "The book couldn't have walked out of here by itself."

Bucky places his hands on his hips and surveys the strewn about couch cushions and pillows; the end result of their search. "Honey, I know for a fact that you have twenty different medical textbooks up there. Why don't you just read one of those?"

"Because this year will mark my last year of my masters, I'll be starting residency soon. In order to get there I need to know about musculoskeletal injections, which is written about in the book I lost."

"That sounds so boring." Stevie remarks with a mouthful of cereal.

Livy gives him a pointed glare. "Careful. I'm in a bad mood and I just finished my reading on sterilizations and vasectomies."

Bucky, Stevie, and I all tense up, looking mildly uncomfortable. Soroya stifles a laugh while Livy just resumes searching for her lost book. It's so strange to see such a casual familial exchange happen between all of them. I still look at Soroya and Bucky as the Savage and the Winter Soldier, and seeing them act so normal will take some more getting used to. I mean I've worked alongside them, eaten meals with them, seen them in pajamas, watched movies with them, I've even played monopoly with them. How many people can say that they know how bad the Winter Soldier is at monopoly? And up until pretty recently, the world didn't know Livy and Stevie existed. I'm living with not only two Avengers, but their two hybrid super powered children. It's surreal.

"Will you boys call once you reach California?" Soroya asks, coming over towards the kitchen table and sitting at the head of it, setting her coffee mug down. "And promise me you'll be careful."

"We will, Mom, don't worry." Stevie says, waving his mother off.

I nod to her, saying to her a bit shyly: "Thank you."

She smiles at me warmly. "No need to thank me. I just hope everything goes well with your parents."

So do I.

-

Josephine

All of my meetings with Daniel have been awkward, but this one is relatively okay. It's probably because he's taken me to a Barnes and Noble that has four floors. Screw the Empire State Building or the Statue of Liberty, this is the best part of New York City.

The first time I met up with Daniel he took me to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We didn't talk much, just walked around and stared at art. Dad and Baba came along and enjoyed the trip much more than I did, I heard Baba whispering excitedly behind us the whole time. The second time Daniel took me to a baseball game. It was so boring. I hated every second of it. Dad and Baba on the other hand, who sat three rows behind us, got really into the game. Dad at one point got so excited he flung his hotdog at the person behind him. The third time Daniel took me to lunch and a movie. He must have called Dad or Baba at some point, because the restaurant he took me to was a delicious burger place and the movie we saw was the newest adaptation of Oliver Twist. Daniel clearly wanted to do something that would interest me, which is probably why he took me to this Barnes and Noble for our fourth visit.

Every time we have met up it's been at a neutral place. He hasn't even mentioned bringing me to his house and there's no way in hell I'm inviting him to Wakanda. And every time we meet up, Daniel and I are very cautious with each other. We talk more and more each time we meet, but the conversations are always tense. It doesn't help that Dad and Baba are always close by, probably staring daggers at Daniel.

In this wonderful four floored bookstore, I have discovered at least five rows of bookshelves filled with classic novels. It's like I'm glimpsing heaven. Dad and Baba are carrying armfuls of books I'm planning on buying, have been since we got here an hour ago. I have no plans on leaving anytime soon, especially since Daniel is paying.

"Do you have a favorite book?" Daniel asks me quietly, his hands locked behind his back, his expression and tone soft.

I nod, currently scanning the leather bound Jane Austen books. "Little Women by Louisa May Alcott."

"Why that book?"

"Mostly because of the main character, Jo March. She loves books, wants to be a writer, is super independent and head strong. I've always felt connected with her." I explain, happy that this is the conversation he's starting. Books are something I'm willing to talk about with anyone.

"Who got you into reading?"

"My Aunt Soroya. When I was little she read the Harry Potter books to me all the time, it's what started my love for it. When I was six, she gifted me a box set of Jane Austen books for Christmas and that's what cemented me as a bookworm."

Christmas has always been fun in our family. It's a holiday only Dad, Aunt Soroya, and Uncle Bucky celebrated and they exposed the rest of the family to it. In Wakanda there are many celebrations and traditions, as well as with the Jabari. Growing up I've been exposed to the culture and holiday traditions of not just Wakanda and Jabariland, but Germany and America too. It was a gift to be apart of such a diverse upbringing. I think Daniel could have benefited greatly from a similar childhood.

Daniel smiles, scanning the never ending rows of books. "Is there a book you think I should read? Maybe something you like."

So we have something to talk about. He doesn't say it, but it's obvious that's why he wants me to give him some reading material. These meetings have been just as awkward for him as they have for me, I think we could use a conversation starter.

I nod to him, gesturing for him to follow me. He does so, watching as I begin handing books to him. Pretty soon there's a pile, one that he's struggling under the weight of.

I picked out Little Women, Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, Frankenstein, The Great Gatsby, Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, The Picture of Dorian Grey, Wuthering Heights, Treasure Island, and the Three Musketeers. It's a good starting point.

Daniel looks like he's regretting his offer, but he forces a smile, his voice strained from carrying the weight of the books: "Which do you want me to read first?"

"Little Women. You need to be careful, this is a special edition, it's hard cover and has gold brushed pages. And don't read chapter forty in public, it's a tear jerker and we wouldn't want your reputation to be ruined." I say, ending a little curtly.

Daniel doesn't react to my tone, he just smiles and nods, glancing down at the stack in his hands and the stacks in Dad and Baba's. "Maybe we should go and get some lunch. Are you hungry?"

I am, and I guess I've made enough of a dent in his bank account. I nod to him and stride over to Dad and Baba, leaving Daniel behind to awkwardly wait and watch. Anytime I talk to Baba or Dad I can see Daniel tense up or looks upset, but I honestly don't care. If he has a problem with my parents he can deal with it on his own.

"We're done shopping, Daniel is going to take us to lunch."

Dad eyes the stack of books in Daniel's hands. "Are those books for you or for him?"

"Him."

"That should give you something to talk about." Baba says, giving me an encouraging smile.

"I think that was his thought process as well," I say, glancing back at him briefly. "Are you alright with us going to lunch?"

Both of my fathers nod their heads adamantly. "Of course, peanut." Dad assures me.

"Whatever you want, my darling." Baba murmurs, leaning forward to kiss my forehead.

"Fai is paying for these books, right?" Dad asks, glancing at the three large piles of books between the three of them.

I nod. "Why do you think I got so many?"

Dad grins down at me, mischief gleaming in his eyes. "I've never been more proud."

Baba sighs, a sigh Dad and I hear quite often. "You're insufferable, the both of you."

I wink at Dad. "Like father like daughter."