A New Beginning

Chapter 25- Experiment

Noelle exhaled a long breath as she dropped backwards onto her bed, completely exhausted both mentally and emotionally. The last thing she had been prepared for that day was a long, extensive phone call like that.

"How-How did you get my number?"

"Your parents.I saw you on television in New York and immediately called them. They hadn't said anything, not to me or anyone else in the family that you were back. You didn't either. You didn't even bother."

"Bern–"

Noelle had put her face in her hands. Bern had been completely right.

There had been silence on both ends of the phone for a long time, until Noelle finally took a deep breath and answered her.

"I wasn't given your contact information when I came back either. I was supposed to be dead. It wasn't that I hadn't thought of you, or that I had forgotten you. I've thought of you almost every day since you went back home, wishing for so many things to be different, but I've put enough people I've associated myself with in danger– and now that the world knows I'm alive and back, there's more enemies. That's why. I couldn't put any more people I cared about in harm's way, especially not you."

Noelle held her breath, waiting for the silence on the other end of the phone to end. To her relief, she heard Bern take a shaky breath.

"It's alright. I understand. I'm sorry–" Bern's voice broke off with a sob.

Noelle only was able to listen to her cry for what felt like a lifetime, feeling nothing but numbness and guilt. She wished she had gotten back in touch with Bern sooner than now, but she had been scared. What would have happened? What if Loki had found out about her–

Bern had interrupted her thoughts before they sent her into madness.

"Noelle... I live in England now. I go to school here. Why don't you come over and see me?"

Noelle took a deep breath. She knew she owed it to her cousin to go and see her after seven years apart, but she had just started this job with Tony... It obviously wasn't as demanding as S.H.I.E.L.D. would have been, but she felt wrong asking for leave so soon. She doubted Tony would say yes anyway.

She chose her next words carefully. "I-I just started a new job, so I don't know how soon..."

"How about over the holidays?" Bern said quickly before she could continue. "I'm not coming back to the States for Christmas break."

Noelle wondered why, but she nodded.

"OK, I'll come over for Christmas– I promise."

She couldn't see Bern's smile, but she could hear it in her voice.

"Good."

~~~~~~

Noelle headed down in the training room at 9 AM sharp the next morning, still feeling guilty about Bern and mulling over the fact that she'd have to ask Tony for some time off. She hoped he would let her. She realized she and Tony hadn't exactly made any deals or signed any paperwork over the matter. She wasn't even being paid normally. It was all under the counter payment.

It was really more like charity, Noelle thought. Tony knew she only had one place to go. Perhaps he wanted someone to mentor. Noelle snorted at the thought. No offense to him, but she wasn't sure he had much to teach her– at least in terms of character or the Force.

Either way she owed him. But did she owe him more than Bern?

"Morning Banquo!" Tony waved as she entered the room.