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HANDS were shaking as she stared out the window at the storm that only seemed to be growing worse

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HANDS were shaking as she stared out the window at the storm that only seemed to be growing worse. The rain pelted on the ground like rocks, making the loudest sounds she had ever heard. The tree planted inconveniently outside her window continued to bang its long and thick branches, causing a flinch everytime. When the thunder clapped or lightning struck, she felt herself freeze. Yet she could not move away from her window as she watched it. It was as fearful as it was comforting.

She tried to remember why she was there. Why was she sitting on her window seat watching the rain? Where were her parents? Were they her parents? She shook her head, feeling her eyes focus and unfocus as she tried to collect herself.

They were not her parents. They were her adoptive parents. Where did they adopt her from?

She jumped as her doorbell rang on the first floor of her house. Uncrossing her legs, she kept her sleeves covering her hands as she walked down the stairs slowly. She had not seen someone pull up outside, so did she miss them? Did they just appear?

Opening the door, she came face to face with her smiling best friend. "Aaron, why are you out in the rain?" she moved her head to see his car in the driveway. It was not there a moment ago.

Where did she meet Aaron?

She furrowed her brows.

"Aren't you going to invite me in, sestra?" Aaron asked with a smirk. She moved out of the way as he shrugged off his coat. "You look worse for wear. Don't worry. I knew you hated storms, so I came over as soon as I could."

"You did," she said with an accent that was unfamiliar to her. "Aaron?"

Aaron turned as he walked into her parents' kitchen. No, her adoptive parents. "What's up, Marls? Did Momma Teresa make anything for you to eat before they left?"

Her eyes went back to the window in the kitchen now. She wondered where her adoptive parents went. Why would they go out on such a stormy night? She heard Aaron say her name once.

"Why would they go out on a date on a night like this?" she asked with furrowed eyebrows. "Yes. She said she knew you'd be over. How'd she know that?"

"Woah, woah. Why the twenty questions?" he asked with a snort as he opened the pot on the stove. He grinned, grabbing the spoon next to the pot. She walked closer to the island in the middle of kitchen, leaning her arms on it. "Spaghetti, my favorite."

"Answer me," she said firmly, needing clarity. "Aaron, where did we meet?"

Aaron looked up, placing the spoon down. "On the playground with my sister. You were lost. No family. Our Mum and Dad decided to keep you in."

"No... no. That's not right," she murmured, hand finding her forehead as it began to ache in pain. "Aaron, I think something is wrong."

Aaron walked forward slowly, hand reaching up to touch her forehead after gently removing her own hand. "Burning up, sestra. Go lay down."

"Why do you call me that?" she asked as her memories faded away one by one. "The nickname."

"Because I was always closest to you growing up–"

"Growing up? How old was I when you found me?"

"Twelve—"

"I was fifteen," she whispered. "How old am I now?"

Aaron stared at her, eyes hardening. "I think you should go lay down."

"But Aaron—"

"Marlene, go lay down," he stated firmly, turning back to the stove. "I'll bring you some food."

Marlene nodded, grabbing the wall as her legs became jelly-like. She looked around as her eyes took in the living room that she swore was painted blue that morning.

Another thunder rumbled over the town. What town did she live in?

She sat on the yellow couch, hand remembering a leather texture before, but now, it was cotton. What was happening to her?

"I am Iron Man."

"We'll have the band play somethin' slow. I'd hate to step on your..."

"There will never be a wiser king than you. Or a better father."

"Marlene, dear?" Aaron teased, walking in with a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs. "That's not laying."

"Aaron, who is Iron Man?" she turned and saw him drop the plate. Before it could hit the ground, she rose her hand as if it would stop it. She watched as the plate disappeared, along with Aaron. "Aaron!?" She stood, hands shaking. "AARON!"

"I'm a S.H.I.E.L.D shadow. Once we knew you were ill, I was tasked to you by Director Fury."

"Well, I see better from a distance."

"Avoiding stress isn't the secret."

"STOP!" she screamed, holding her ears as she fell to the ground.

In front of her, Aaron materialized again, kneeling in front of her. He pulled her into his chest as he whispered, "It'll end soon. Just calm down. Close your eyes. You have to get out of here before they return."

"Who returns? What'll end?" she whimpered.

Aaron backed away, hands gently holding her face. "The bad men. None of this is real, Marlene. Close your eyes. Focus on getting out of here."

"Are you real?"

"I am what they programmed me as, yet you've taken me out of their control. C'mon, Marls. Get out of here!"

Marlene opened her eyes to see the house changing around her from the painted walls to the furniture colors. She saw the floors change texture before the roof flickered once as if it was a television screen. She watched it disappear completely, allowing the rain in. Thunder rumbled and lightning cracked as she and Aaron were soaked immediately from the rain.

He lifted her chin. "You're doing it, sestra. Keep going."

Marlene shut her eyes as a rippling pain went through her body. Aaron's hold fell off of her as her eyes opened. She saw a bright blue light emitting from her body as the house around her disintegrated into small cubes of pixelated energy. She watched the rain stop as a hole appeared in the clouds, slowly lowering.

Her eyes frantically went to Aaron's as she heard cars screech to a stop. Turning her head, she saw men and women with large guns pointed right at here.

As the hole lowered, she watched Aaron's body slowly pixelate away. He smiled. "You're free, Marlene."

Her body felt alight in flames as the hole in the sky covered her completely just as the men and women with guns breeched her home... or what was left of it.

She realized the hole in the sky was a portal.

And it did not care where the other end led.

Feeling herself grown unconscious as she went through the black nothingness, she watched as suddenly a hole opened underneath her—dropping her over a hundred feet. Not even having the will to scream, she could feel and see the blue light trail that followed her body as she fell.

Her eyelids grew heavier as her body landed on the ground with the loudest rumble of thunder that she had ever heard. The impact should have killed her, but all she could do was let her eyelids lower as she stared at the blue sky from the hole her body created.

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