The crowd slowly dispersed until it was only a few remaining. The crisp air sent even more chills down my spine than the glare Tyler was shooting towards me. Throughout the ceremony, I had looked up to him multiple times to find him staring back at me. He remembered what happened, and so did I.

A few of the family members saw how distraught I looked and gave me sympathetic looks and phrases. My eyes were glued to the gravestone that had his name on it. Alec Jason Walker. Loving Son & Brother. I took that all away from them. Tony and Pepper were comforting who I guessed was Alec's mother, judging by her eyes and how red they were. I blew some hair from my face and knelt down next to the grave.

"I'm so sorry Alec. You shouldn't have been drawn into this, it's my fault..." I brought my hand to my lips to stop a sob from escaping. Kissing my hand and bringing it down to the stone I stood up. "Goodbye."

As I walked away there were others who saw how I reacted and swarmed me again. Tony had talked to some others and I spotted Alec's mother walking to me. She must have seen me talking to Alec and wanted to say something. I had never actually had the pleasure of meeting her, but now I guess I wouldn't get a choice.

"You must be Jaedyn," She gave me a comforting smile, her dark hair pulled back into a bun. A few strands escaping it shaped her hallow face. She had dark circles around her eyes and age lines that were from grief. Losing a son. She grabbed my hand and rested her own on it, sandwiching mine. "He wanted us to meet. He loved talking about you, such a way with words he said, 'She's got this smile that can change the whole room's atmosphere.' He mentioned how you two met, and it was surprising," she let go of my hand as she felt it shaking, both from tears and energy. "He said you hit him, and you were trying to protect a boy." Jacob. Taking a deep and shaky breath, I nodded. "He said it was luck that he found you."

"I..." My eyes closed, I had to lie to her. "Your son made me happy. He saved my life and I just wish I could have done the same-"

"You couldn't have done anything, my dear. The authorities said he was in the thick of the invasion when it happened," there are tons of things I could have done. I could have not lost control. I could have not killed him. I could have not gotten close. "He did love you, though." I choked a sob and she pulled me against her, hearing my voice break. She rubbed my back, and I shook as she did. You're comforting the murderer of your son. "You'll be welcome in my home, I'm sure he would have loved to have shown you where he grew up."

"Thank you, Mrs. Walker." I crossed my arms and faked a smile as she walked back to her car, where some of her friends and family were still waiting. She wiped her eyes as she spoke out of my reach to hear. Pepper slowly walked over to me, minding the uneven ground. She had shoes that had a small heel, but that on grass never worked out well. She saw my stare and rested her hand on my arm.

"How are you?" she questioned, squeezing my arm gently to pull me back.

"I can hardly breathe and I feel like I'm going to lose it," honestly, I knew I was going to. "I... I gotta get out of here." I could feel the energy start to ripple. I knew I had to get out of there. My feet quickly stepped over the rich soil and over to a less populated area. Tony should have left us in the tower. We are not ready to be in the public eye just yet. "Oh really? You think so?" Nearby rocks started to lift and the tree branches started to move in my direction. A branch snapped and it drew my attention. Tyler. He stood there, his brows narrowed and eyes dark. His black suit, recently pressed, broad shoulders. He stood at probably six foot, dark hair and green eyes surrounded by dark circles. He and Alec looked alike.

"How could you even show up?" he barked at me. I asked myself the same question. "I may not have proof but I know you did that. Put my baby brother in the ground," He advanced toward me, he towered over me. "I do know this, though. You are the one who almost killed me, too." Motioning to the wounds on his body. Bruises peaking up over his collar, causing me to turn my head away from him.

"I don't know what you mea-"

"Don't you dare!" he gripped my arms tightly. I yelped and my palms opened, sending him to the grass. He took a moment to gather himself, stumbling to his feet. "What are you? Alec talks-. talked. About how you were a normal girl. This isn't normal. You are not normal, you're a freak." He walked toward me once more, gripping and pulling me with such force it would leave a bruise. It took everything I had not to let go and throw him away with a motion of my hand. "When I have the proof that you killed my brother. I'll kill you. And unlike you, I won't hesitate to kill you," He was referring to the invasion. That said, he purposely hit my shoulder as he stomped passed me. I gripped my shoulder and rubbed it for a brief minute. My breathing started to pick up, the world around me started to look disfigured. The blood pounded in my ears and my heart thudded in my chest. My legs gave out from under me.

All I could feel was the way he held me. The way he made me feel. The way Alec made me feel. Happy, normal, safe, home. That was the exact opposite of what I did for him in the final moments. I remember the way he played with my long hair and loved to use it in pictures to make mustaches. My body started to rock back and forth and I could feel the waves rippling off of me. The tree behind me started to creak and bend. The tears came next, pouring out of me like lava, destroying whatever look I had.

"Miss Stark?" I looked up and quickly wiped under my eyes and blinked away the tears to see Happy standing there. I moved to scoot away from him, but he stopped moving toward me. "Hey, Jae," slowly, I relaxed and waited for him to say, calm down. But he didn't. "I'm just gonna talk and you can zone out like you do. Or you can listen," my eyes started to swell with tears once more. "During the first stage of grief -shock and avoidance- people can feel emotionally numb. This numbness can last for a few days or weeks. Sometimes they believe the death never happened. From what I know there are five stages. Denial, anger, depression, bargaining, and acceptance," I forced myself to not cry anymore by rubbing them and rested my head on my knees that I had pulled up to my chest. "Though, how long these stages last, varies from each person."

"Can we go home, please..." I uttered, and his eyes widened briefly. He stood up, adjusting his suit before extending his hand to me. I stared at it for a moment, hesitating on whether I could hurt him or not. I took it, and nothing happened. He helped me up and reached into his suit jacket, pulling out a pair of dad's shades he used to put up a facade. A short chuckle escaped me as I took them, placing them on my face. He wrapped a light arm around me as we walked. He whispered to me as we walked.

"You're allowed to cry, Jae. You more than most...you're allowed to not cry, too. Sometimes people don't cry because they bottle up their emotions. We all know how that ends up when you let them explode one day. It can lead to stress and long term suffering," I nodded and looked up to him. "Try not to bottle everything up, though. We both know how that affected you last time."

"How...how do you know all this?" I asked, once I caught my breath.

"Read it in a book once. Plus, it's good to know a vast variety of things." His arm gave me a light squeeze, and we continued on in silence. As we returned to the public's eye, I kept my head down and went straight to the car. Dad, catching my arm, opening his mouth to question me. By the way his brows were drawn together he was upset with me for some reason. He was cut off when Pepper jabbed him with her elbow in the side. She gave me a sympathetic smile and I moved passed them. Happy opened the door and I slid into the other side of the car. Leaning against the window and closing my eyes. A few tears slipping passed my defenses. Dad's hand hovered over mine, but when I flinched and brought it into my lap, he reserved himself.

By the time we arrived at the tower, dad had received three phone calls and a multitude of emails. The car came to an abrupt halt when someone ran in front of the car. Happy put his hand across the passenger seat instinctively to shield Pepper.

"What's happening?" Pepper said, and glanced to dad.

"The Avengers ruined New York!" He threw a brick at the windshield and cracked the glass. I flinched and saw Pepper reach her hand to my knee, and I started to glance around, freaking out. "Get out here Stark!"

"There here for me. There here for me. For me. Me..." I muttered to myself. Hearing Pepper shush me calmed me for a moment. "There here for the monster, for me."

"Jaedyn, look at me," Tony instructed me, and I saw a stern yet protective look. "No one is here to get you. Happy, get her and Pepper upstairs, now." Next thing we saw was dad exiting the car. "Hey. Hey. You're terrifying my kid." The car door shut and the voices were muffled. I couldn't make the words out, but by the way the man and Dad were growing restless there was gonna be a fight. Happy and Pepper exited the car and then pulled me from the car. I wanted to stay with dad, to plead a case for the man to apologize. The door to the tower shut before I could.

The patter of my shoes hit the tile and we stepped out of the elevator. Pepper sat at the counter and Happy soon followed. Sitting down, their heads in their hands, mumbling to each other. I stepped over into the center of the room, pieces of wall still riddled the ground, focusing my power. The rubble shifted, lifting off the ground and I pushed it to the side of the room. "Jaedyn?"

"I got this," I said back to them, and lifted up the fallen pieces of the ceiling and stacked them in the corner. The broken glass from the bar and the window wrapped around my arms. I could slowly feel it start to creep inside my mind. The amount of power I held at my finger tips. "Jaedyn!"

My feet lowered back onto the ground. I hadn't realized I was levitating. The glass dropped and shattered a bit more. A quick swipe of my hand and it was all in a pile in the corner as well "What were you doing?" The elevator had shut when dad stepped out of it and stormed to me.

"I'm sorry, I just wanted to help. It's my fault." My eyes closed, waiting for a lecture, but I opened my eyes to see Pepper had grabbed his forearm. Stopping him from speaking, I took it as the moment to run. More like teleport to my room, which earned a yell from Dad. Another wave of my wrist and the lock on my door clicked shut, alone. That's what I needed, and sleep. Much needed sleep. My feet trudged to my bed, flopping onto it. Pulling the covers over me, my feet snaked their way out to kick off my shoes before I brought them back in and close to me. "It's our fault, young Jaedyn."

"Jaedyn... Jaedyn! Jaedyn Maria!" I felt the splash of cold water hit my body and my mouth opened, intaking as much oxygen as I could. "Jesus. I'm so glad you're awake." My eyes shot open and looked around my bedroom. Every piece of furniture was lifted up off the ground and now fell hard. Pepper clutched my now shivering body, the door was shot off it's hinges and the power up of the blaster started. "It's fine, Tony. She's fine. Just a nightmare."

"I just-"

"It was so real..." I uttered, a nightmare. They had died, during the invasion. I broke them, and saw the life leave them. They took their last breath. "So real."

"You're okay, Jaedyn, I got you," Pepper smoothed out my hair and rocked me for a moment. She had motioned for Dad to leave. Before he did, he passed me a loving smile. I did my best to return it, but I think it came off as scared. My breathing started to get less ragged and she slowly helped me off the bed. "Let's get you into the bath. You're probably freezing now." I saw the look on her face. She was frightened of me. The girl she basically raised, alongside Dad. As I started shaking more, she gripped my arms and wrapped hers around me, guiding me to my bathroom.

"Are you sure you want to even be in the same room as me? A murderer?"

"Jaedyn Stark!" the way her voice raised startled me, and I ended up moving away from her when she continued. "You say there is this other person inside of you, who took control and made you do that stuff. I believe you." I clutched my hair, pulling at it as I let out a yell.

"You don't get it! No one does! I wanted to, deep down. It was like Tess knew what I wanted and just took over to complete the task 'cause I was too weak to do so," there was a concerned look in her eye for the way I was behaving, and there wasn't a way to make it go away. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, Jaedyn. This shouldn't have happened to you. You're a good person, you and your dad both are."

"I don't feel like a good person, though." She started to draw a bath. I sat on the toilet seat waiting. As she tested the water for the heat temperature, she helped me out of my dress. I didn't like it when she stared at the scars I had. I scoffed, shaking my head. When I spoke it came out a bit too sarcastic, "Too many for an eighteen year old, right?"

"You've had a rough life. I'm sorry I stared at them, I know how strange they make you feel." She helped me into the tub and I sat down, pulling my legs to my chest to cover my body. She grabbed the shower nozzle and brought it down over to me, soaking my hair. I heard her humming to do her best to keep me stable. When dad was in Afghanistan, she would come into my room when she heard me thrashing about.

"What is gonna happen with me, Pepper?" I glanced over to her. She wore a dark blouse with the sleeves rolled up and her hair pushed behind her ears. "Am I going to be under house arrest for the remainder of my life?"

"No, Jae. Tony is working hard to get Director Fury to understand what is going on with you. I think they are all just-"

"Afraid?"

She sighed heavily and squeezed my shoulder. "Jae, what happened to you is unknown territory. No one knows how to handle it. All we can do is hope for the best right now. I know sitting down and waiting isn't your strong suit. And you being your father's daughter, it might be hard. I'm sure you can find something to occupy yourself in the mean time. Plus, I'm sure your dad and I will need help rebuilding this place..." She gave me a soft smile and helped me up out of the bathtub, taking my robe from the back of the door and helping me put it on.

"It's about time I got into the family business, don't you think?" The two of us exited the bathroom and I got into some sweats and an old shirt. Pepper ran her hands through my shorter hair for a moment, realizing she could no longer pull it back. "It was a spur of the moment thing..."

"It looks good on you, makes you look older," I laughed and she stared into my eyes There's a certain darkness now in my eyes from everything that happened and everything I did. She kissed the top of my head and pushed me over so I rested on the bed. "Please try to get some sleep, Jae. I'm only a few doors down if you need anything."

"Thanks, Pepper."

After the door shut, I remained staring at the wall. My eyes glancing to the clock every once in a while, it seemed to only make the night go by slower. There wasn't much I wanted to do, sleep wasn't an option right now. It was plagued with nightmares and I didn't want to lose control again. The silence was deafening, almost like static on a old television set. Tossing and turning didn't do much for trying to get comfortable and, when the sun started to creep in, I turned away from the window, hiding under the blankets. The voices down the hall started to gain my attention. When my alarm started to go off, I forced my blanket off of me and waved my hand, sending the clock flinging into the wall, pieces falling. I groaned and buried myself in my pillows. I just wanted it to stop.

"She should go, I'm her CO. You're gonna want me to talk to her, Stark. When she first started at Shield, Nat trained her to fight. I taught her to shoot but, more importantly, when she had nightmares about being tortured and then the explosion that took mobility in her arm for a long time, she talked to me. Her going next week is gonna be a way for her get closure." Shooting up off my bed, I recognized the voice. Clint. He was here, and pulling rank against Dad. A smile crept on my lips because of it.

"She shouldn't be going. I don't think she's ready, not after yesterday." Dad, he cares, and I know that. I agreed with them both. I don't think I'm ready but it's closure. Stepping out into the hall, I went to the staircase leaning against the wall just before the steps. "She had a moment last night and the whole floor was shaking, things hovered and I saw portals opening. No, Barton. She's staying here. She isn't going to be ready in a week, do you realize that?"

"I don't think you get it, Stark-"

"No, I don't think you get it," Dad's voice rose and the tension in the room grew. "My daughter doesn't need to see the man who messed with her head and put some voice in her head that takes over her body. She shouldn't go to this." My feet silently stepped down the steps and I crossed my arms over my chest. I coughed as a way to get their attention as I descended the last steps. "Jae."

"I..." I began but stopped, looking up at dad. His brows drew together showing his concern. He wore a dress shirt and some slacks, probably a casual business meeting. Clint wore all black, a few bruises littering his skin. "Agent Barton." I gave him a salute and stood as straight as I physically could. I needed to stand tall to show that I knew what I needed.

"At ease, Agent," he sighed, and watched me relax. Dad's eyes read how surprised he was that he didn't even know I was an agent under his nose for a while. "Your father and I were just discussing you."

"Not discussing. I was telling him you aren't going to this little send off for Loki and Thor."

"Last time I checked, Dad, I'm an adult," I rubbed my eyes, still coming to terms with no sleep. "Do I get a say in this at all? I know I'm still considered under house arrest, but if my CO was to be there-"

"Jaedyn, we're not gonna bargain you going to this, you shouldn't go to this. You aren't ready," Dad stepped toward me and I took one away. Clint then moved toward me and I felt my hands start to glow. "Princess..."

"Listen to the young woman..." Tess spoke through me, my voice layered with my own on different octaves. I clenched my hands and muttered a quick shut up to myself. "Can I say something?" Clint and dad both shared in a sigh before they gave in and nodded. "In just a few days I have gone from being a Shield Agent and Tony Stark's daughter to being a threat to the world, an agent with a record, and Iron Man's daughter..." I threw my hands in the air and groaned, starting to pace back and forth. "I got a voice in my head who takes over my body. I can dematerialize at one place and assemble at another, create portals for others and move things with my mind. And I'm getting the hang of it, despite my nightmares..." taking a heavy breath, I shot Dad a look when Dad went to interrupt me. Unfolding my arms, I looked between the two of them again before speaking,

"I want to be there."

The Author

Here's another chapter of Phantom.

I'm really sorry with the lack of update. School is hectic, and it's senior year. So I got a lot on my plate.

I hope you understand and can forgive me for the lack of updates!

Though I do want to have another chapter done soon.

If you have the time could you please leave me some feedback. It helps a lot!

Thank you again and I hope you have a great Day/Night!

~C.K.O~