Picking Up The Pieces

12. A Package From SHIELD

   Peter and I sat on his couch watching Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. After a few days of persuasion, I had gotten him to read the book series, and he was hooked. Not as much as he is with Star Wars, but pretty close.

"This is the movie where the actors never cut their hair," Peter pointed out as he stuffed popcorn. The first event of the Triwizard Tournament had just started. "I'm sorry, but his hair had to be that long? And where is Winky?"

"She never makes it into the films," I admitted. "Sadly." I reached over and quickly grabbed a handful of popcorn from Peter's bowl, and the action wasn't left unnoticed.

"Hey!" Peter gasped, yanking the bowl out of my reach. "Where's your popcorn?"

"In my stomach," I confessed. "Can I have some of yours?" I tried to give him the puppy dog eyes, but I wasn't as good as Peter with his. More like... horrible. Peter sighed, rolling his eyes.

"I guess I can share," he smiled, and he set the bowl between us.

"Thank you!" I said, and our gazes set back at the TV. May lifted her head from the kitchen.

"You two haven't gotten up from that couch in hours," she laughed. I turned my head around to see her smiling at us. Ever since I had left Peter's room, there seemed to be a lot of smiling and laughter going around. May wiped her hands on a towel and grabbed her purse. "Can I trust you guys not to burn the building down while I get the mail?"

"Maybe me, but not Peter," I joked.

"Well that's rude," Peter commented, not tearing his eyes away from the screen. I laughed, and May pointed a finger at us.

"Bella's in charge," she ordered. "I'll be gone for a few minutes." After she left, Peter turned to me and raised his brow.

"How are you in charge?" he asked, bewildered. "I'm older than you!"

"I'm more mature."

"I'm Spider-Man!"

"And I'm an Avenger," I smirked. Peter's mouth dropped. "What, you thought I wouldn't use that against you?" I grinned. Peter crossed his arms and stared back at the TV.

"That's not fair," he mumbled. I looked up at the ceiling, shaking my head as I pulled him in from a side hug.

"I'm sorry," I said sarcastically. "Now, let's continue the movie." Peter set his head on my shoulder, and I laid my head on his as we watched the first event of the Triwizard Tournament. Peter whooped in delight as Harry's dragon ripped the teacher's seating apart, and I couldn't help but chuckle. When I had first shown Steve the Harry Potter films, he had found that part humorous too. The Yule Ball lessons were just starting when May came back to the apartment, lugging a big box.

"Hey Bella, do you know anyone named Coulson?" she panted as she set the box down beside the couch. My eyes widened. I quickly came to my feet and picked the box up to examine it. It was from Coulson, all right, and he had installed a finger print scan on the top.

"Peter, is it okay if I open this in your room?" I said nervously. Peter looked at me, confused, and I mouthed the word Atlantis. He caught on quick.

"Yeah, just don't make too much of a mess," he nodded, and I scurried over to his room.

"Peter Parker, you're room is a giant mess. Don't be a hypocrite," I heard May scold him as I closed the door behind me. Shakily, I set an organic finger on the scanner, and the lid flung open.

"Welcome, Agent Stark," a female AI spoke. A large hologram popped up, similar to the ones my father used. It only displayed two words, and then a phone number.