Song: IDK you yet - Alexander 23

The morning was beautiful, like the sweet taste of blueberry pie. Anastasia smelt the food, waffles, and hot steamy chocolate chip cookies baked from the oven.

"Morning sleepyhead! You were up all night studying, I made breakfast." It was Pepper, dressed in a frilly white pencil skirt, a light cyan floral blouse tucked in.

It seemed to be Pepper.

Anastasia took her seat at the breakfast bar, "Think fast." Pepper slid down the marble top a tall glass of orange juice.

"Morning, Kid." Tony kissed the top of Pepper's brown head, smiling. "Heard you humming last night, school keeping you up? Might have to have a word with Midtown's teachers."

Anastasia bit her bottom lip, her eyes darting to a window, it was a day that much she knew. The sun shines bright like a piercing white light. "Wouldn't you leave it too Happy?"

"Whose that?" Tony asked,

Anastasia knew it was Tony, he had his face, his light skin, and dark hair. The bags under his eyes and wrinkles crease when he scrunches up his nose.

But Anastasia knew he would never forget Happy Hogan.

"You feeling okay? You look pale like you've seen a ghost?" Pepper commented,

It was all seemingly perfect, the day, the time, its people. "What about Peter? I went to his house the other night, how did I get home?" Speaking of such a man, in Waltz Peter.

Dressed up nice, his bag sagged on his back. "Ready to leave, babe?" He kissed the top of Anastasia's forehead as though it meant nothing. As though that night spent together at his home went differently.

"Babe?" Anastasia whispered confused.

"The company isn't going to run itself, I have meetings to attend!" Tony started smiling. He walked down the hall,

"Ah yes and I have yoga." Pepper nodded,

Yoga? Is Tony actually being responsible? Peter, well. Anastasia wasn't too sure about what Peter had become.

The house became empty and it was just her alone in it. The bright light was gone, as though everything had faded. "Hello?" Anastasia shouted,

No response, "hello!" Once more.

And in from the shadows walks a man cloaked in a brown button trench coat. He reeks of whiskey and dirty socks. Anastasia gags at the sight and smell,

"That's not very nice, after all, you made me like this." Its voice was deep and musky, almost as he smoked for several years.

"Who are you, where am I?" Anastasia questioned, frantically trying to get free.

"Oh, how awful of me. After all, we aren't strangers-" he pulled on a string and it illuminated his face, "Honey, I'm home."

Anastasia woke up, it was just a dream! Just a stupid fucking dream.

She looked around, she was at Peters's home still. He was nowhere to be found and the sudden thought she was alone was terrifying. Wishing she was on the rooftop of the Stark Tower missing the breezes and feeling contentment.

Peter had laid her out on his couch with a blanket and cushion. But Anastasia shivered and she pulled her legs to her chest. Her breathing hitched, the blackness surrounding her. It probably was early in the morning, around three in the morning.

She pulled out her phone and searched for something to unravel her from her awful nightmare. Pulling in her headphones she listened to some music, looking through photos saved. Tony pulled faces and shoving her camera out of sight as he declined to take photos with her. Happy with a not very bright grin, Pepper posing with her outside the Tower showcasing her official stay with them.

Thor with his hammer trying to understand hot pockets. Steve shirtless, Natasha training with Clint. And even short videos of her and Tony.

All these memories.

Noticing the only light given was from a window, a street light illuminating and cars drive past with their headlights dimmed. She missed Tony, it had only been one night and already she missed the idiot.

Slovakia, when is it the appropriate time to grow up and accept this as me. Powers and all.

Maybe Anastasia should accept this new reality. A new bittersweet lifestyle. She'd never give up her best friends though, she will protect them with her life alike, Pepper, Tony, and Happy.

A couple of hours passed and slowly the sun was rising. No doubt the scene from a high like on top of the tower would be amazing.

"You up?" The voice made her jump, it was May.

She pulled out her headphones and Anastasia smiled at the lady. "Peters still sleeping. You want a drink?" May asked softly,

"Hot Chocolate would be lovely, thanks." Anastasia tip-toed to the kitchen following May closely.

"Why you up so early?" May wondered putting on the kettle.

"Couldn't fall back to sleep." Anastasia mumbled, heavily sighing she sat down

at the table.

"Bad dreams?" May could understand it, it would creep up on her too. Ana nodded,

"I get those too, mind you I think everyone gets them."

"How do you get back to sleep? Or get rid of them?" Anastasia asked hopeful of the women's wise answer.

"I don't think one can get rid of the dreams, I think when we face what we are scared of we can become comfortable with it that it no longer scares us." Anastasia thought about this. And in some cases, she knew May was right. This was something Anastasia needed to hear, as deep and scary as it was she needed to face it, there was no more normalcy.

"Thank you, May." Anastasia smiled taking the warm mug from Mays's hands.

It was later in the morning and Peter was awake, the three ate breakfast, freshened up. "My Uncle is picking me up around eleven, so it gives us time to do whatever." Peter nodded, the company Ana gave Peter was something he wished he had more of. Just as Peter not as Spiderman, a masked man she has never seen.

The two had watched a bit of TV, played CoD and of course, Ana won every single time. "Thanks Pete." It was time for Ana to leave the honking horn outside made that very aware.

"Please come over again soon." May bud farewell, smiling. She left Peter to say goodbye.

"Bye Ana, see you tomorrow?" Ana wasn't entirely sure,

"I'll leave you guessing." Ana smiled she turned away sharply on her heels waving goodbye.

Peter laughed and waved back, "See ya."

She greeted Happy, who drove down the street. "You had a good night?"

"Of course, anytime with Pete is a time." Ana answered honestly.

"Doesn't mean to say I have a crush or anything, you know what. Nevermind"

Happy looked in his rearview mirror looking at Ana who was sighing he chuckled.

Back at Stark Tower, it was empty and cold. No one was there, not even Tony. It was odd, she would've thought he would have been there to greet her arrival. Or at least Pepper, but no one was there.

"Jarvis, where is everyone?"

"Good morning, everyone should be in the lab, would you like me to alert them of your arrival?"

"No thank you, Jarvis. As you were."

Anastasia dumped her duffel and pillow at the elevator door and walked to where the lab was. Tony was talking with Banner and the rest, probably about Slovakia. The Scepter.

She watched their mouths move, and hands move about like directors directing an orchestra. Tony seemed focused on a screen, Ana couldn't see. But it illuminated the room, and Thor seemed transfixed.

Backing away, Anastasia walked to her bags and then unpacked in her room. It was a sight missed, the scent of vanilla essence in the air. She plugged in her phone to a wireless speaker, jamming out to some good vibing tunes.

Anastasia bounced on her feet the rhythmic beats. And it seemed she had a looker, Thor Odinson peering, leaning against her bedroom door. A smirk on his face, she looked happy.

But Thor was sent to talk to her once she was back. Thinking he could send the girl some justification as to why she was needed.

Understanding the fact that Ana and Thor have emotional bondage,

"It's good to see Lady Ana." Thor greeted sending her jumping.

"Jeez Louise Thor, don't jumpscare me like that!" Ana turned down the music, Thor walked in with Ana's permission.

"How were your friends?" Thor inquired he sat on the window bay,

"It was a good break, just to feel normal." Anastasia sighed,

"You know Anastasia, you're not-"

But before Thor could complete his statement, Ana cut him off.

"Normal, I know Thor." Ana was never normal, with or without powers the normalcy she once believed in reality never existed.

"We got to go, and we need you to come with us. We wouldn't ask unless we had too but-"

"I'm the strongest. Everyone says that but realistically I ain't." Anastasia sniffled a small chuckle, she looked out her large window. Admiring the view.

"I don't think you realize your wrong. Maybe one day soon you'll be convinced that you are. You'll see, Lady Ana, if you'll come. Don't just do it for us, do it for humanity." By this time Thor's hand had been on her shoulders, he held a small endearing smile and glassy eyes.

Maybe Ana was making this out to be something more than it was, only Slovakia would tell.

"I'll come." Ana replied, somehow along the way she'd have to convince herself that it was worth it, her choice was worth it. Giving it up was worth it.

And not for herself, for Peters future. "When do we leave?" Anastasia asked turning her back on the God.

"Tonight, I'll tell Tony." Thor replied,

"No I'll tell him, can you bring him to me?"

Thor nodded and went to acquired the billionaire's company.

Minutes passes and what seemed to be forever was not at all, "You requested my presence." Snarky replied the playboy billionaire.

Anastasia rolled her eyes, "So Slovakia?"

Tony nodded, "There is a base there, we need to get inside."

"Why?"

Tony looked at Ana with a tight grin,

"An A.I known as Ultron wants the Scepter to eradicate humanity, destroying Earth. If we can get to it before him, we save humanity. " Tom informed pacing about the room as he explained,

Anastasia exhaled deeply a breath she didn't know she held onto. "And where do I fit into this?"

"No doubt we will run into some nasty people along the way. You'll play defense well and some play offense. I don't want you getting into dangerous situations without absolutely another choice."

"Tony, I'm going into this fight. A fight that saves humanity from potential annihilation, if my best course of action is to dive into the deep. So be it, I might as well be all in."

But even that just didn't even help Tony. But she was right, he did ask for this.

"Kid, you're going to have to understand I want you coming out in one piece."

Anastasia laughed ironically, " I probably could put you on your ass, right now Stark. I'm sure I'll be fine." She held out her palm a pulsing red light shines,

"Fine." Tony shook his head, "But we leave tonight. I got you a little something before we head out it's in the lab. Take a look when you're ready."

"Hey, Tony-" Ana called out before he left, "-Sorry, but also Thank You." And with that, the man had left Ana once again alone.

Inside the lab was of course Bruce Banner, writing in his journal notes, and looking at data sequences. "Why am I now surprised?" Ana laughed,

"It's good to see you." Bruce greeted returning to his works.

"What are you working on?"

"A plan, when we bring the scepter back we need a place to store it. Hoping its energy doesn't blast us away or something, a containment status." Bruce explained confidently.

"Interesting." Ana nodded,

"You go to MidTown right?" Bruce wondered, his voice full of surprise.

Ana nodded, "You don't strike me as the type, don't get me wrong, you're probably smart."

Ana knew he meant nothing behind it, and laughed, "Yeah, I probably look like an idiot." She rubbed the back of her neck, thinking of herself as one.

"I don't think so, I don't think Tony thinks you're one either. Gosh-" He walked to her, his hands clasped together, and looked at her like he was looking into her soul.

"-You look a lot like him, you know. The eyes, the way you talk. Laughing, it's strange." She hummed, listening to Bruce.

"Yeah, I suppose. I mean a lot of people have the same colored eyes and laugh like a kettle."

"No, I wasn't talking about the color of your eyes. I was talking about how they can hide and hold so many things, you know when your upset you blink less-"

"Wait, hold up, you keep track?" Ana snorted,

"That's not the point, your eyes and body language you try to find something to distract. Fiddling with your hands, Tony does it too. He dives into his work, but in the end, I guess that's what we all do, isn't it?" Bruce was now at a desk, a few monitors showcasing different data materials.

"Shove yourself into something, anything to forget about the inevitable?" Ana finished, Bruce looked at her. Straight through her and nodded, it was chilling.

"I know we are leaving. But tell me what are we expecting?" Ana questioned,

A few bodies walked through the doors, Clint, Steve, Nat, Thor, and Tony. "Well, the scepter will be looked away. So we'll need to get into security and wipe it out." Natasha responded.

"Military forces but nothing to worry about, we are after The Avengers." Steve boasted, Clint rolled his eyes which Ana laughed at.

"What will I be doing?" Ana asked,

"I want to keep you out of the crossfire as much as possible. But no doubt you'll have to put those powers to good use. So you'll be helping me retrieve the scepter, well everyone's distracting the militia we'll get the scepter." Tony explained,

"You make it sound really easy, like telling a bedtime story." Ana chuckled ironically,

"Your concept of bedtime stories are strange different than the ones they tell of Asgard.-" Thor commented,

"And on earth." Natasha laughed,

"I wouldn't know I never told them." Ana smiled and the saddening comment made everyone silent for a while.

Meanwhile on a plane to the coldest place Ana knew she watched the sunrise from the side of the chopper. She wore the suit which Tony made her, bulletproof and it felt like a second skin.

"Haven't you figured out a name yet?" Steve inquired nudging Anastasia,

"I think using Anastasia would be very publicly announcing if you know what I mean." Cling nodded,

"I heard Thor speaking to Tony of that Asgardian prophecy, about the witch. I was into Greek mythology at a point, learned a lot, and could talk for hours. Anyway, the witch, Greek witch of necromancy and such her name was Hekate."

"Hekate?" Tony wondered,

"Yeah, if you think about it and know the context it'd fit. I'll tell you about it one day if we make it out." Anastasia laughs nervously,

"Hey, don't worry you'll be fine! Kick some ass, yeah?" Natasha encouraged, she rubbed her knee comfortingly. Ana just nodded but she couldn't help feel the nervous twitch that Bruce earlier explained,

So Anastasia thought of something else; someone else; Peter.

He brought a sense of tranquility to her being. The thought of the fight seemed inevitable but it was not as scary and big no more,

A//N

Heya it's Ting it's taking a really long time to get these chapters out and with my co-writer on the other side of the world communication is different. At first, it seemed easy, the motivation wasn't lacking. Our mental health wasn't deteriorating as such, well at least I can speak for myself.

It gets hard. But I try to get back up from the mess, the depression can be so strong-willed sometimes. I try to write, but I find myself staring at the blank space. I actually got to writing a bit over the weeks gradually but it's slow.

We may go on a break, just a heads up! (IRON)

I don't know if anyone will comment or read or even vote, sometimes it's hard to feel and find if anyone really cares about my work. I'm sure there is someone out there is, I just haven't found them yet.

~Ting