Choices || CAPTAIN AMERICA

Chapter 5

"And I don't suppose you have any idea where they are." Secretary Ross asked me, knowing I'm associated with the one he was looking for.

"We will." Tony answered for me. "GSG 9's got the borders covered. Renews flying 24/7. They'll get hit. We'll handle it."

"You don't get it Stark. It's not your to handle. It's clear you can't be objective. I'm putting special Ops on this." The secretary tells him and I exchange a glance with Nat.

"What happens when the shooting starts? What, do you kill Rogers?" I ask him, doing my best not to lose my temper.

"If we're provoked. Barnes would have been eliminated in Romania if it wasn't for Rogers. There are dead people who would be alive now. Feel free to check my math."He tells my brother, who sits down next to me.

"All due respect, you're not gonna solve this with boys and bullets Ross." Tony snaps. " You gotta let us bring them in."

"How would that end any different than the last time?"

"Because this time, I won't be wearing loafers and a silk shirt." Tony tried to convince him.
"72 hours, guaranteed."

"36 hours. Barnes. Rogers. Wilson." Ross tells him and leaves the room.

"Thank you, sir." Tony tells him and then exhales exaggeratedly. " My left arm is numb. Is that normal?" He asks Nat who walks toward us and places a hand on his shoulder.

"You all right?" She asks.

"Always."Tony answers.

"36 hours. Jeez." Tony mumbles next to me.

"We're seriously understaffed." Natasha points out.

"Oh, yeah. It'd be great if we had a Hulk right about now, any shot?" I asked Nat, smirking.

"You'd really think he'd be on our side?"

"No." I mumble, thinking about it.

"I have an idea." She tells us.

"Me too. Where's yours?"

"Downstairs. Where's yours?" She asks him making Tony smirk and looking at me, our minds clicking almost instantly. And off to Queens we go.

We were sitting on our new recruit's couch having a wonderful conversation with May, his aunt and my flirting ass of a brother. After a while, we hear the door open and turn around to see Peter Parker, who didn't seem to notice us at first.

"How was school today?" His aunt asked him, smiling at me.

"It was okay. This crazy car is parked outside..."He trailed as he finally noticed me and Tony sitting on the couch. His eyes went from me to Tony to me again, and so on.

"Oh, Mr. Parker." Tony greeted him, taking a cookie and looking at it nonchalantly.

"Um.." Peter said, a smile forming on his face and coming towards us. " What are you doing..." He stammered but he finally managed to get out an extremely awkward introduction. "Hey. Uh, I'm Peter."

"Tony." My brother said.

"Alice." I introduced, smiling.

"What are you doing here?" He asked us stammering.

"It's about time we met." I tell him. "You've been getting my emails, right?"

"Yeah...yeah" He said, playing along. "Regarding the..."

"You didn't even tell me about the grant." May pointed out, disappointed.

"About the grant." Peter filled in the gap he left seconds ago.

"The September Foundation." Tony added.

"Right."

"Yeah. Remember when you applied?" Tony added.

"Yeah?"

"We approved, so now we're in business." Tony replied, looking at him intently so that Peter understood he had to play along.

"But you didn't tell me anything. What's up with that?" May wondered once again. "You keeping secrets from me now?"
"May, I'm sure Peter wanted to make sure he was accepted before getting all public about it, am I right Peter?" I say offering him my help.
"Yeah! Yeah, I just know how much you love surprises so I thought I would let you know.... Anyway, what did I apply for?" He trailed looking at me for back up.

"That's what we're here to hash out." I told him.

"Okay, hash it out. Okay." He mumbled.

"It's so hard for me to believe that she's someone's aunt." Tony said out of the blue.

"Yeah well, we come in all shapes and sizes you know?" May told him, making Peter and I look at each other, Peter confused, me annoyed. I elbowed my brother slightly.

"This walnut date loaf is exceptional." He complimented, changing the subject due to my little intervention.

"Let me stop you there." Peter told him, question marks all over his eyes. "Is this grant got money involved or whatever? no?"

"Yeah, it's pretty well funded." I said indifferently making his eyes light up with excitement.

"Wow"

"Look who you're talking to." My brother adds. "Can I have five minutes with him?" He asks May to which she agrees. Peter looks back at me, asking me with his eyes if he was gonna be alright, to which I nod. Tony stands up and follows Peter to his room.

"Peter's a sweetheart." I tell her taking a sip from my coffee. "What an incredible job you have done."

"Thank you, Alice. It's been a challenge lately. Him being a teenager and all. We always had a strong bond."

"Ha! You tell me about challenges, my brother's been a teenager ever since." I joke earning a small laugh from her. "Don't worry though, I'm sure everything's gonna turn out great. He looks like an amazing kid."

"He is. I really don't know what I'd do without him. Ever since his parents died I-" she paused. "I feel like I'm not only his aunt, but his mother." Her confession hit my soft spot. I put myself in Tony's place after our parents death. He's been a brother, a mother, a father and most importantly, a friend. I started to think about the all the fights we were about to face, all this danger. Responsibility and concern for the young man filled my brain, seeing how much he is loved.

"Don't worry, May. I'll look after him."