Picking Up The Pieces

71. New Friends

   "Can I be real with you for a second?" Amy asked me quietly as I left the cockpit after landing the Quinjet, sliding the strap of her bag over one shoulder. I nodded, turning my head for a moment to watch as Zane helped Stacy prepare to load off the jet. "Tony Stark... we can trust him, right? If we couldn't even trust Thomas-"

"Hey," I cut her off, looking back at her and taking her hand gently. "This isn't the same situation. I won't deny that my father has made mistakes, but you can trust him with this. Most of all, you can trust me. Hawkes played all of us. I won't let it happen again." Amy bit her lower lip and looked away, nodding in approval. "So you and Zane... did I miss something?"

"They separated you from the group a lot back then, so, yeah," she couldn't help but laugh before sighing. "It's... it's complicated. Just like you and the Winter Soldier did a few duo missions, so did we. I let my heart start to get in the way, and higher-ups noticed. We were going to run away together, both with different reasons on why we were teaming up. He was given an ultimatum: leave me or the people he once considered his family would pay the price."

"But they rescued you?" I questioned.

"It was a test," Amy explained. "He would betray me, I lose faith in him, and we fall back into their plan. I mean, I did at least. Zane went to Thomas, and then you managed to bring me back into the whole thing."

"Hey, slowpokes!" The two of our heads turned to Stacy, who was standing by Zane at the entrance of the Quinjet. "We leaving or what? I'd like to see grass again sometime soon."

"Yeah, give me a moment!" I answered back before my eyes met Amy's again. "I don't want to blow this off, alright? For now, let's just get you settled in." I walked away and pushed my palm down on a button on the side of the Quinjet's wall, and the jet's ramp began to lower. As it did, I picked up my duffle bag's straps with my right hand. The three of them waited for me to lead the way out, moving aside as I walked towards them and exited.

The sky was a mix of yellow and orange, and I lifted a hand to block the upper part of my eyes from the setting sun. Approaching from the direction of the compound was a Black Jeep, too far for me to see who was inside. I heard the whirring noise of familiar engines shutting down, and the Iron Man suit landed a few feet in front of me. As it rose to a standing position, I felt the duffle bag drop from my grip as my eyes started to water.

The metal suit peeled away from my father just in time as I ran to him, and he wrapped his arms around me tightly. "Don't... don't ever do that to me again," he ordered, his voice trembling as one of his hands made its way to the back of my head. "You could've gotten seriously hurt, or killed, it's-"

"- extremely irresponsible, I know," I chuckled while crying, and he managed to laugh as well.

"I was going to say it was something I would do, but I think we know from experience that the world can only handle one version of me." His head lifted up, and we both let go to make the hug form sideways to look at the two Elementals and Stacy. All three were watching the encounter a bit uncomfortably. "So," my father said, beginning to compose himself. "This is your group of ragamuffins." There was a pause, and he narrowed his eyes. "Where's your 'Sky High' kid? What happened to Thomas?" Zane hung his head, Stacy glanced at me for support, but Amy took the lead.