Afterthoughts [P.Parker]

one: the mission

Alice Stark was much like her father. She was stubborn, hard-headed, but still caring to the ones close to her.

Alice didn't get to go out much. In fact, not many people even knew she existed. No matter how many times she begged her father for a chance to be like him, he would never let her. She wanted to train. She wanted to fight. She'd heard stories of the Avengers from her mother, Pepper. Pepper was much more laid back when it came to telling Alice all about the team of superheros, which Tony rarely ever did.

Alice could fight just fine. She always trained with her mother. She could throw a punch if she ever needed to.

Her parents' strictness only elevated when her little sister, Morgan, was born after the snap. Even more, Morgan was only born after they thought Alice was gone for good. Unluckily for her, she was victim to the blip which wiped out half the population.

If there was a way to feel the most replaced by the people you love, it was coming back home to your parents  with a girl you never even met before. Yet this time, she wasn't born by accident.

Alice was at least happy to finally have more company around her, even if she hated all of the safety measures that prevented her from doing almost anything.

Alice never understood why her Dad didn't  want her to fight with the Avengers, until the defeat of Thanos.. when Tony left forever.

It was a hard time. Alice couldn't even go to the funeral. She just couldn't handle the pain.

Even now, eight months later, she couldn't stop thinking about her father for just a minute. Something did change, though. Alice was determined to avenge Tony.

With Pepper being less on her 'game', Alice saw it as her chance to put matters into her own hands. For years before, she had been piling up information on how to get into her dad's tech room. That's where he kept all of his suits.

Finally, she had it. All she needed to do was take one of his spare suits, and see Nick Fury, who she knew was at the Avengers HQ.

Just arriving there was amazing. She had never seen the building before. It was very large. She wore her dad's suit, which seemed to be accustomed to fit any body that wore it.

Tony must have expected this, since F.R.I.D.A.Y, the voice in the suit, recognized her right away and didn't cause any trouble.

She walked directly into the building, in her father's suit. The building oddly wasn't being guarded.

"Stark?"

She turned around. Nick Fury stood behind her in shock. "You've, uh.. lost some weight." He looked her up and down.

Alice panicked for a moment. She looked beside Fury, where stood The Hulk. "Isn't he supposed to be dead?" Asked the strange combination of Bruce Banner and The Hulk.

"This must be an intruder." Spoke another man. Thor. He stood on the other side. Alice turned around. "Who are you?" Rhodey, who Alice knew from a young age. He was not in his suit.

"I say we attack." Thor held his arm out, catching his hammer. Alice widened her eyes. Her breathing was escalating.

"Would you like to activate instant Kill?" Asked FRIDAY. "What? No!" Shouted the girl. Suddenly, all the men stood around her paused.

Alice struggled with the suit. FRIDAY was continuing to talk without end. While Alice attempted to stop it, she accidentally removed the mask of the suit.

She stared ahead at the small group of Avengers in fear. "Hi." She chuckled nervously. "Oh, no." Exasperated Rhodey. He ran his hands down his face.

"Who is she?" Questioned Thor. "It's Tony Stark's kid." Fury rolled his eyes. "I thought his only kid was Morgan?" Doubted Bruce.

"I get that a lot." Grumbled the redheaded girl. "Alice, what are you doing here?" Rhodey asked softly. He approached her. "And.. in your dad's suit."

"I want to fight with the Avengers." She declared. The room went silent. Suddenly, Thor and Hulk burst into laughter. She turned to them with a glare. "I'm sorry. That's just so.. that's so funny." Thor said in between his laughs.

She sighed and looked back to Rhodey. "I can fight. I know how to." She defended. "I know you do, but that's just not an option, I'm sorry." He shook his head.

"Does your mother know you're here?" Fury questioned. "No." Mumbled the girl. "You better be on your way back home, Ally. You don't want to worry your family." Rhodey set his hand on her shoulder.

"Of course." She smiled innocently. "Sorry to disturb the very loving environment of the Avengers Headquarters." She remarked sarcastically. "I don't need you guys anyway. I can do stuff on my own." She rolled her eyes. On her way out, she was stopped when Fury called out to her.

"I may have a job for you." He maintained. Alice stared at him with hope. "Peter Parker isn't returning my calls. He's got a school field trip to Europe tomorrow morning. If you could go on the trip and make sure he doesn't get into any trouble before I get there, maybe I'll consider letting you train here." He offered.

Alice never liked Peter Parker. Not because he ever did something bad, no. It's only because Tony seemed to always care more about the boy than his own daughter.

Alice grinned. "Count me in." She nodded. "Fury, you can't be serious." Rhodey hesitated. "When is he ever not serious." Argued Bruce.

"It's true! I don't think I ever saw him laugh." Thor agreed. "The only time I'd ever expect him to laugh is if he was planning the end of the world while stroking a cat on his lap, and even then, it wouldn't be a great laugh." Bruce continued on. "It seems like it would be very forced." Affirmed Thor.

Fury, Rhodey, and Alice watched them in silence. Once the two of them realized, they stopped. Fury sighed, then spoke once more. "Maybe Parker will listen to someone his age, or at least be distracted for a little while." The man paced around with his arms behind his back while he spoke to Alice.

"That's where you come in, Alice, was it?" He turned back around. She nodded. "We'll get you in with the school. Have you ever been to an actual high school?" He inquired.

"I'm homeschooled." She responded. "Figured just as much." The man nodded. "Well, Ms. Stark, you're going to face your worst enemy tomorrow, Highschoolers."