The Sound of Silence

Chapter 10

 "How come she can't sleep through the night, but can sleep through all of the racket of Clint making breakfast?" Tony demanded from nearby, his overly loud voice making you bolt upright. Loki wrapped his arms around you before you could panic, or worse.

"Tony!" Cap snapped at him, seeing your shocked-scared expression. "Don't startle the sleeping siren unless you want to end up unconscious until next week,"

"That would be an improvement," Nat commented, taking a plate from Clint. "Come get breakfast, you two," she called over to your couch. You extricated yourself from Loki's arms, carefully set Lokibear on the couch where he'd be safe, and made your way to the dining room with your laptop. You heard Nat's snarled whisper "Stark, whatever the hell you decide to do for fun's sake, do not dare touch that teddy bear. Don't even think about it. I don't even want to think about what will happen if you make the siren cry."

Loki caught up to you and wrapped an arm around your shoulders. You smiled up at him and he leaned down to kiss the top of your head. He pulled out your usual dining room chair for you and you set your laptop beside your plate, intending on calling your mom as soon as you'd finished eating. Clint had made french toast today. Cap told you firmly to eat your breakfast and not let Loki steal it. Everyone had gathered how much Loki liked desserty breakfasts, and Clint's french toast definitely counted since it was covered in cinnamon, powdered sugar, and syrup. You still saved him a few bites of yours anyway, not enough to get the others yelling at you, but enough to show Loki you cared. You caught the look in his eyes, showing how much he appreciated the gesture.

You set your plate aside and opened your laptop. Loki vanished your plates and you gave him a smile in thanks. You opened the video chat program again and hesitated. You caught Nat's attention. [Can you ask them to be quiet so I can call my mom?] you asked her. She nodded and told all the boys to shut up. You grinned at her efficient manner of shutting them up. While you still had a smile you clicked the button that would call your mom.

She answered almost immediately, shock in her eyes. [Hi, mom] you signed shyly, unsure of what her reaction would be.

"Y/N?" she asked softly, not quite believing. You nodded. "I can't believe it!" she explained with tears in her eyes. "I thought I'd never see you again. I saw the news! How did you get those scars? What'd they do to you? Are you ok? When are you coming home?" she demanded without pausing for breath.

So you started signing, ignoring that everyone was watching you as you explained your story in full. Your mom was silent for once as she watched you tell your story. It took a long time to tell her everything. Of course she wanted to see the scars for herself, so you had to remove your hoodie again so she could see. You finally ended with the answer to her last question: [I can't come home, mom. I have to live here. These are good people. They're going to keep me out of that place and help me learn to control my powers]

"You can't come home?" she demanded. You shook your head.

[I'm sorry, mom. The feds will come for me again...] you trailed off, letting her come to the conclusion for herself.

"Surely you can come visit at least?" she demanded. You looked over at Cap. He nodded. "Who's there?" she had caught your look over to Cap. He stood and came around to your side of the table.

"Captain Steve Rogers, ma'am," he introduced himself formally when he was in the camera shot. He was the best one to do this. Your mom had a crush on him that she'd never admit to anyone. There was a reason you'd looked to him.

"You're the one looking after my daughter?" your mom demanded.

"Yes, ma'am. The entire team is taking care of her after what she's been through," he picked up your laptop and turned it slowly around the room so your mom could see the entire team, who all waved and greeted her. Cap set the computer back down in its original spot. "There's no reason Y/N can't come visit. She's not a prisoner here. We just have the resources to help her with her powers and keep her safe from the agencies who want her locked back up in that place. Tony's already getting her set back up for school in the fall. I know it doesn't feel like it, but this really is the best place for Y/N to live, at least right now. But like I said, there's no reason she can't come visit; we can even bring her by today if you'd like..."