LAURA

There was something about bike rides that Eddie and I bonded over. Maybe it was the force of air cocooning us in coldness as we raced past it. Or the fact that we could fit through anywhere and on any road for as long as we wanted.

We took a long ride on Eddie's bike through the same, old roads of San Fran leaving speed limits unacknowledged and uniting through the toughest of u-turns just to feel that usual rush of adrenaline. It was our remedy for a long day, it was our thing and it was distinctive. 

That's when I realized, in those few weeks that tried to pull us apart and place rift between us only brought us closer. With the loss of unborn life, we had our hands wrapped together tighter. It was Eddie and me against the world.

Those words reminded me of M'lanz's sad departure. Eddie had helped me convince Fury that it was best to let her reunite with her homeland so that she can mourn her loss in peace. Fury had agreed after much persuasion but leaving us no choice but to allow her to travel that far in weapon containment vehicle. She pacified us that it was more than enough and promised to keep her word about the dangers that loomed over us from above.

'I will return, my friend. You hold a special place in my heart.'

I let her go unwillingly, my vision blurring. 'You don't even have a phone.'

There were hints of a smile on her moss-colored face. The straight dents on her chin wrinkled with a genuine smile as she rubbed my shoulder and boarded the ship. She was gone in a flash, the irregularly structured ship shooting a beam of light through the atmosphere and launching into the depths of space. That was the last I'd heard of her.

It had been three days since we returned from Queens and everything that happened in the last few months felt like a dream. The flight back home was pinch back to reality - a place where I had to work for a living and start a new chapter with Eddie.

When the bike skidded to a stop near the curb of our apartment, I tugged the helmet off my head and hung it over his handles. Eddie blabbed about his new article after the whole hoo-ha with SHIELD and aliens, but I turned a deaf ear and contemplated about the past weeks. Through the moments, I ruffled his hair before I turned to leave with a departing grin. Not until I was caught in my footsteps.

Eddie's hand had latched over my wrist and sprung me back into his chest. His lips fit over my ear. 'Leaving without a goodbye, lovebug?'

I laughed at his turned-on self. It was my turn to smolder with humor. I even pulled on his collar with a wink. 'That doesn't exist in my vocab, hot stuff. Coming?'

I saw hints of a smirk on his paling face. He lifted himself off the seats and positioned my body between his legs and leaned over the leather covering which gave off a saddening screech. His fingers slipped underneath the back of my blouse and skimming the region above my pants line. I inhaled softly.

'I can't believe all this is over,' he said with a breath of relief. 'And, I can work on a new article tomorrow.'

That brought a smile on my face. 'I'm starting my first day. Right by you.'

Eddie's face brightened even more at the sound of those words, his palms rubbing over my back. 'Fina-fucking-ally. We can have things back with a bang.'

I grinned. 'That's what she - '

'Stop. My god, I think Parker rubbed off you.'

I kissed my teeth with a nostalgic look even though it had been only twenty-four hours since I'd last seen the kid. 'I miss him.'

'I feel like I've lost my witty repartee functions after all this shit with the Avengers,' Eddie mused. 'Especially, Stark. Like it doesn't work as well as - '

I shook my head, showing all my teeth while holding his face. I refused to speak about Stark. He was done and dusted matter. 'It works.'

His shoulders drooped, all the stress wrinkles in his face cleared. His eyes locked on mine when I refused to let go of his cheeks. 'What now?'

What now? He was right. We'd lost more than we could ever imagine, we'd gained opportunities with SHIELD and made so many friends with abilities that were beyond actuality. Our life would never be normal anymore. Eddie had new responsibilities much bigger than me. Much, much bigger than us. I had to accept that.

'I say we go back to how it was before the conference. Weekday dates, moving in, morning coffee - the whole deal.'

He nodded his expression mirroring mine. 'I'd like that.' A beat passed between us, a pause to think about what to say next. Eddie spoke up when I wanted to. His hands gripped mine, dangling on our sides. 

'Thank you, Laura.'

My eyebrows knotted together. 'You've got nothing to thank me for.'

'Everything in that sentence was wrong.'

I laughed, correcting him. 'You're the only one I have left, Ed. I would lose myself thousand times over for you and fact says, you would too.'

His face contorted into faux surprise. 'Whatever gave that away?'

I didn't realize I was grinning like a loon until I felt my facial muscles relax. When his eyes thinned with emotion and he looked away, I couldn't stop the laughter. 'Gosh darn it, you could've just said you loved me.'

'I wanted to be cheesy for once.'

'Consider it a success.'

His lips met mine with a soft certainty, moving it with mine. He let his breaths caress my cheeks and when my hands ran up his hair the wrong side, he broke apart abruptly. I was breathless and he was smirking. I leaned in to capture his lips and he pulled back teasingly.

'Needy even after last day at Queens?'

I harrumphed with a dark blush and turned to the door. 'Coming up?'

'Nah,' he shrugged, linking his fingers and stretching them out. 'I've got some superhuman stuff to take care of. Things to hang on the mantel.'

I crossed my arms with tight lips. 'We don't have a mantel, Eddie. Or a drawing room.'

He grumbled. 'Figure of speech. Jesus, you always steal my thunder.'

'Well, then. If you two are later than midnight, you should expect company.'

His eyes narrowed at the latter words. I walked up the stair with a teasing leer. 'What sort of company?'

'Six feet tall company.'

'Laura!' He growled.

'Don't be late, boys!' I sing-shouted before slamming the entrance door behind me and running up the stairs. The keys to my apartment were retrieved and as I inserted it into the keyhole loud music blared from above. A musical masterpiece. I reeled my attention to the stairway with confusion.

The lyrics to It Just Might Be a One‐Shot Deal by Frank Zappa crooned in the distance my curiosity growing with every passing beat. My feet followed my heart, staggering up the stair and searching the two floors above mine for any signs of the music playing. I pressed my ear against each door but found no sign. That's when I realized the song was coming from the rooftop.

I pushed the handlebar to the terrace entrance and searching the widespread cement terrace top for any indications of the music. I walked forward, scanning the distance but greeted with nothing. Ahead of me was the soft skyline of San-Francisco with roads and buildings built closeby like a minute microchip. The lights filled the distance and lapsed into forests a few miles past of the high-rises.

I was so mesmerized by the view, I failed to glean the soft whirring of something mechanical on top the entrance door. 

'Missed me, Sharp?'

I spun to greet the voice and laughed when I realized who it was. No wonder he'd play such a contrasting song when sticking the entrance.

'Came to check up on me or just well-wishing? Love that song, by the way.'

'Neither and I'm glad you enjoyed that bit,' he mused, jumping off the ledge and landing on the cement with a thud. The gears in his work of mechanical wonder whizzed as he straightened. 'Added that oomph I needed.'

I pursed my lips. 'Your animal magnetism is the least bit appealing.'

'Ran straight into that one. I see you and Brock have arrived at a relative conjecture.'

I rolled my eyes. 'We always did. Nothing new or riddled. And hey, were you spying on us?'

He stalled for a moment, sucking in his cheeks. 'No,' I raised my brows. 'Okay, yes but still. I'm warm and moving if you need a change of scenery - '

I didn't let the playboy saga finish that sentence. 'Answer's still no. Other than the requirement of a faulty catchphrase and why you're here.'

'I believe we had a deal, sweetcheeks,' he said, his alloyed metal helmet disappearing to reveal his smirking face. His beard had been trimmed differently this time and the wounds from his last fight healing slowly. 

But yet he was here. Standing on my terrace, ready to hold his end of the bargain. I thought I was in fools play when he spoke of the deal knowing what I had was incurable. And that Peter was a lost subject.

For once, it felt good to be wrong.

'I'm here to see if you kept your side of it so I can work on mine.'

- ♣ -

[ END OF ACT ONE ] 

[ w/n: and there we have it, folks! the next part is not too far behind. let me know your most favorite part or chapter in this act and I'd love for you to share your thought on ahem, TORA?! what the frick is going on? (crickets chirp in the back) ]