We all head to the expensive-looking cars by the side of the road. Peter gets in the back of one first, then I'm told to get in beside him. When I do so, Natasha sits on my other side. They're trying to block me in.

I chuckle in amusement that they think this'll hold me.

Everyone else gets into a car and we all start heading towards the tower. I can't help but grow a little nervous about what's to come. Will they make me do things for them? If so, what things?

I feel a hand on mine and glance over at Peter, who smiles at me. I smile back slightly, then rest my head on his shoulder, tired. He's so exhausted from searching for me that he doesn't even react, just rests his head on mine. I hear his light snores and realise he's asleep just like that. I feel a bit guilty about how bad he is because of me.

Before I know it, we've reached the tower. I gently shake Peter, rousing him from his roughly hour-long sleep. "Huh? What...?" He mumbles, then looks at me. His face lights up for the briefest of moments, then turns red from embarrassment. "Oh god, sorry, I-"

"Don't worry about it," I smile slightly, cutting him off. "It's fine." "Oh, okay..." he nods, visibly relieved. "Thanks..."

"No problem, Spider Child," I assure him as we exit the car. I see the others up ahead doing the same.

We're taken up the tower to the Avenger levels, reaching a penthouse. The Avengers are all there, looking both surprised and relieved to see me. Guess they all knew about my little escapades.

Bucky got mixtures of shock, relief and anger. I glanced at Bucky, seeing that his eyes were blanking over. He was mentally building up extra walls atop his current, ever-present ones. I offered him a small, reassuring smile. He smiled back, but it was strained.

"Everyone out, I need to talk to Carmen," Stark instructs. Everyone immediately files out, apparently not wanting to be around for this. I can't tell exactly why, but I have my suspicions.

Only Bucky and Peter stay. Stark looks at them both for a moment, looking as though he's about to argue, but sighs and relents, telling us to sit down instead. We all do so.

"Right, let's get this sorted," he says. "Carmen, why did you run?" "They were going to send me to an orphanage," I reply. "I said I had no other relatives that could keep an eye on me. So I was told I might have to go to an orphanage until my mum was okay again."

"What the hell's so bad about bring in an orphanage for just a few weeks at most?"

For a moment I'm just shocked and horrified by this question. "Are you kidding me?! They'll kill me!" I gape. How dare he ask something like that!

Peter looks like he's just pieced together a puzzle. "Wait, Mr Stark! I don't think she knows what an orphanage is!"

We all look at Peter in confusion. "What do you mean? I grew up in an orphanage, of course I know what they are!" I say, wondering what he's getting at. Bucky also seems to catch on, though.

"I think the kid might be right... Carmen, you've told me what's happened to you in the past. Did that all happen in this orphanage?"

"Yeah, where else? They're horrible," I nod. Bucky frowns. "Yeah, she doesn't know. She's confused orphanages with the Scholae."

"Oh, Carmen..." Peter murmured quietly, quite sadly. "What?" I ask, still confused.

"Carmen... the Scholae isn't an orphanage," Peter explains gently. "Orphanages aren't like that at all." "They're... not?" I repeat, a little hopefully. Peter shakes his head. "Not a bit."

"Okay, can someone explain what the hell's going on here?" Stark demands, looking between us all. I bite my lip when Peter and Bucky both look at me.

"Carmen? You don't have to, but... do you want to explain? Or do you want one of us to?" Peter asks gently. I shake my head, sighing. Guess it's time to get this all out in the open.

"No, no. I can do it... I want people to know. The more people that are aware, the less power the Scholae has."

"I come from the Scholae, based in England," I begin, choosing each word carefully as usual. "It's... like the Red Room, except instead of ballet we're trained to become courtesans alongside our work as assassins. We're sent to blend in, seduce our targets and kill them once they're no longer of any use to us. I was sent here to America on a mission, but... but the plane crashed... that's how I escaped, how I got my powers and how I met all the Spiders."

For a minute, All is silent. Everyone's watching me. Peter takes my hand and gently squeezes it while Bucky sets a hand on my shoulder as a show of sympathy and support.

"You seem quite comfortable talking about it," Stark comments. Immediately that gets on my nerves. Excuse me? "Is that a problem?" I ask him pointedly, taking note of how Peter and Bucky both glare at Stark.

"No, just saying," Stark shrugs, not at all intimidated... or at least he's hiding it well. "Then next time refrain from doing so, Stark," I scoff, annoyed at him.

Stark opens his mouth to continue, but Bucky steps in. "Don't, Tony. She's just a kid. Just leave her be," he orders in a warning tone that Stark clearly doesn't like.

"Oh you can shut up, you one-armed Jesus. I'm still not happy with you."

We all pause for a moment, looking at Stark in confusion. "... was that a compliment...?" Bucky asks tauntingly.

"Buck-" I start, despite fully agreeing with Bucky's response. I don't need to break up a damn fight between these two. They both shoot each other passive-aggressive blank stares, making me sigh.

"Oh, grow up, you two. Honestly, I'm starting to think Peter and I are the adults around here."