Southern Drawls and New York Fist Fights

Roof Top Talks

"I- I can't go back- I can't-"
"I know. We won't let you."

-Harley-

Two days of fooling around in labs, pranking the Avengers, workers and interns and ignoring all of my issues passed way too fast. School seemed to be growing ever closer as the days slowly got shorter, the nights colder and the leaves less green.

At 2:43 am I found myself sitting on top of the tower, staring at the city so far below. Two hours ago I had a very unexpected phone call from my father, one that left me gasping for breath and shaking on my bedroom floor, praying FRIDAY did not alert anyone of the panic attack that was keeping me up.

The tremors continued still, even though the initial attack had dissipated over an hour ago.

I breathed slowly, trying to calm my racing heart. Hell, I thought they wouldn't notice, or wouldn't care and if they did that I would at least have a few weeks. Apparently the school had contacted them about how I enrolled at a different one in a different state.

My father wasn't very happy.

~12:14 pm~

I stared up at the ceiling, wishing my body would just let me sleep. Anxiety was flooding my veins though, and I could not for the life of me figure out why. When my phone rang, the noise filling my otherwise silent room, I fell onto the floor for the second time since I had gotten here.

I stared at the screen as dread filled me, swallowing the bile that rose in my throat. 'Father' was the word filling the screen, and I wished this was just a bad dream. I pinched myself and cursed quietly when I actually felt the small bite of pain.

I answered the call.

"Hey-" I started, but was cut off abruptly.

"You know, brat, you taking Abigail away was something I could ignore." His tone was biting, harsh, cold. My hands shook. "But you runnin' away to New York, enrolling in some fancy school? I ain't standin' for that. You should'a been more careful if you wanted this to work in your favour boy."

"Dad, I-"

"Don't dad me. You are a disgrace. You couldn' even run 'way from home properly. How did you manage to get into some prestigious science school if you can even do somethin' like that right, eh?" I swallowed, focusing on the windows, the city below. "You betta' have a good explination for this boy."

"I'm sorry." I whispered.

"Sorry ain't cuttin' it. I want you back here before school starts, no later. Got it? You fuckin' disgrace. Can't believe you're my son. Useless, you are. I should file this as a kidnappin' and get the asshole who is helpin' you arrested." I knew he wouldn't win that case if he did, considering it was Tony Stark who I was staying with but it still sent my panic spiralling even further. "Fuckin' useless kid, you are. Expect a beatin' when you are back here, right? You ain't gettin' off the hook this time."

My phone clicked with the sound of an ended call and I lowered it slowly, my breathing staggered.

No, no, no, no, no.

Fuck, no.

I clamped a hand over my mouth, sinking to the floor. My heart beat was in my throat, trying to suffocate me. The room was too small. Everything was too much. I gasped for air, eyes flicking around.

At some point I stumbled into the elevator and got out on the roof, sitting down heavily as tears streamed down my face and I tried to get a hold of myself.

There was no fixing this.

Natasha was right.

Either I let them help me, I tell them the truth of what happened back home, or I go back and continue to deal with the drinking, the yelling, the bruises and the smashed bottles. The barely healed cuts on my shoulder ached, the reminder of what brought them there - a fight, a smashed bottle, picking glass out of my skin when he finally left me alone - causing pain to the scabbed over skin.

I stared out over the city, wondering how the hell I was going to get out of this one.

~Present~

"Harley?" The voice startled me and I spun around, my eyes wide. There were still tear streaks on my face. My hair was ruffled from the wind and the amount of times I had run my hands through it, tugging on the strands in frustration, in desperation, in defeat.

Natasha was standing in front of me, green eyes shining with worry, red hair blowing in the wind. She took a tentative step towards me. I looked to the ground, taking in a shaky breath.

"Hey Nat." My voice was weak. The spy's brow furrowed, forehead creasing with worry. She came towards me more confidently, pulling me to sit down. I went willingly.

"Why are you up here?" She spoke softly. I shrugged.

"I-" I looked down, staring at the twinkling lights below us. "He called. Earlier."

"Your dad?"

"Yeah."

"Are you okay?"

I stayed silent, counting slowly in my head to ten and then back down.

"Yeah." I whispered. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Harley."

I broke like a dam. "No! I'm not fine." I admitted, my finger scraping against my scalp as I ran my hands through my hair, tugging the strands in frustration as I bit back more tears. "He wants me back home. Before school." My breathing was turning shaky again. "He- he- I-"

"Okay, it's okay. It's okay Harley." And then her arms were wrapped around me and I couldn't contain my tears anymore, sobbing into her shoulder. Natasha rubbed my back, whispering something in Russian in my ear.

"I- I can't go back- I can't-"

"I know. We won't let you." I sniffled, trying to force myself to stop crying. "We can talk to the police for you, Pepper will deal with the court and then you can stay here." I shook my head. "Wha- Harley... he's abusing you, I know he is. I can tell. You can't just let it happen."

"I- it- there isn't enough time." I whispered. "I'd still have to go back. School starts in a week." Nat stayed silent.

She knew I was right.

"We can do it anyways."

"Nat-"

"Let us help you."

"But-"

"Harley, please." I pulled away, holding my hands together tightly to try and hide the shaking. "Let us help you. You can't do this alone, Tony would adopt you in an instant if he knew."

"The press though-"

"Pepper will keep it on the down low."

I looked up at the red head, only to find her pacing now. When had she even stood up? "I don't want to deal with the- the looks- the pity."

"No one here will pity you." She stopped pacing, turning to look at me fully. "I can tell Tony. The rest don't have to know. Although Clint could probably help, he could relate to you better than Bruce, Tony or I could." I swallowed. She was right. " I can talk to them, Tony, Pepper, Bruce and Clint, how about that? The others won't know, not if you don't want them to. We can handle the press, and the court process, I just need you to let us help."

"Okay. Yes."