Chapter Four

Chapter Four

3 weeks later

Looking out the window of the train, I began to remember what it was like when I lived with dad. How much fun we had, how I always felt free, able to do anything, and tell him anything. Now, at the age of seventeen, I felt as if that bond had gone away. I felt the train brakes kicking in, and we soon came to a stop in Manhattan, New York. I looked down to the piece of paper dad had given me, which he wrote, what looked like in chicken scratch.

"Get off at the first stop in Manhattan."

Well, guess it's time to go back home with dad. I got my bags, and made my way off the train. Luckily, I was the only one to get off, so I guess it wouldn't be so hard for dad to spot me. I was now standing on the platform, looking for my dad, but the only person I saw was a man standing next to a company car. Typical, dad left me out to dry, and now I have to ride with some person with the company. I began making my way to the car.

"Reuben Stark?"

"Yes.”

“Hi, I’m Happy, I’m Peppers bodyguard. She sent me to pick you up. Your father was called out for an emergency with the team.”

"It’s nice to meet you Happy.”

“I can take your bags.”

“Thank you.”

I said as I handed off my bags to the driver. I only had a guitar case, a duffel bag, and my backpack, so I kept my backpack with me, and let him grab the other two things and put them in the trunk. We slowly made our way to stark tower, as the traffic was heavy with the lunch rush hour. Twenty minutes later, we arrived at the tower. Happy went to grab my bags, but I stopped him in his tracks.

"I can take them from here."

"Okay." He said with a big smile.

"Thank you.”

I put my backpack on and let my duffle bag strap go across my chest with the bag to my right, and my guitar case in my left hand. I walked into the lobby, and found pepper waiting by the elevators. She hugged me when I finally made my way to her.

"It’s nice to see you again Reuben. Here is your ID, you'll need this to get up to the penthouse. When you enter the elevator, just swipe your card into the slot. The elevator will automatically take you up."

"Thank you, it was nice seeing you as well."

I made my way into the elevator, thank fully no one else was there, so they couldn't see me fumble my card nervously. I swiped my card and up the elevator went. Once at the top, the elevator did a little ding and the doors opened. This wasn't my first time here since being six. I came with all my things and set up my room, I just kept all the basic essentials with me. I stepped out of the elevator, and looked down to the living area. Empty, as I assumed the rest of the place was. I made my way to my room, where everything that was mine was still in its place. My room was the same color as the one back at moms place. It was a dark grey, and had pictures of all my memories scattered on the walls.

There, lying on my bed was my sketch book. I moved my book to my desk, and sat everything on the floor. I walked back to my door, and ran straight towards my bed. I jumped at the foot of the bed, where my little trampoline was and I gracefully landed on my bed. I let a small giggle escape my mouth. I got up and went to my mirrored armoire. I felt so different. I looked the same. Jet black hair, same tall slender body. The only thing that had changed was the color of my eyes, which were a bright blue.

I didn't feel like I did before everything happened. Now I am the host of the tesseract, and when I use my power, my hands glow a bright sky blue. I knew I wasn't the same. I had to stay in the stark tower, and if I ever went out, I had to have an avengers communicator on me at all times.

I have a job at S.H.I.E.L.D. which stands for Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate. Nick Fury is the captain of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, but his higher ups are like a Satan society, but that's my personal opinion. My job is to manage the reactors and keep the system up and running properly. Nick knows what I am, that's why he has me working for him, so I can be in a safe place and learn responsibility. I think I'm pretty responsible, seeing as how my mother is missing, so I am helping Ryan, Jackson's dad with taking care of him.

Ryan came back from Iraq as soon as he heard about mom so he could look after Jackson. I just watch Jackson if he doesn't have the time. Looking in the mirror at myself, I pull my brown leather jacket off to reveal the scar on my shoulder when I broke it after falling out of a tree at the age of 12. For some reason, the scar reminds me of hydra, red skull and my mother. My eyes glaze over with tears, but I quickly pull myself together, knowing I have to be strong for Jackson. I hear down the hall what sounds like a stampede of horses.

I walk into the living area and wait for dad and everyone else to get there.

"You guys sound like a stampede of school children going out to recess. I figured you guys would be quieter."

"It’s nice to see you too, Rue."

Dad always called me by that name when I was younger, I wouldn't let anyone else call me that unless it was my dad. Hearing him call me that brought a flash of memories, but I quickly cleared my mind.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to pick you up, I-"

"Hey duty calls, that's what happens when you're a round the clock avenger."

James did a little laugh, and I could tell he liked me. He wasn't the only one though. Kyle did too. James is the son of Natasha and Steve, and Kyle is the son of Clint. Just then my phone rang, it was Nick Fury.

"Speaking of duty calling."

I walked away and let the others reminisce in their talking of outgoing each other.

"You're needed on the ship.”

"Well yeah, obviously. You so don't do social calls, what's the problem?”

"The systems are malfunctioning."

"Oh lovely. OK I’ll meet you at the docks."

I hung up and started toward the door.

"And where do you think you’re going?"

"Duty calls."

I said winking at my dad. I got in the elevator and headed down to the garage. In the garage was my baby. She is a 1967 Chevrolet impala four door with a 407 engine. I found this beauty in a scrap yard and fixed her up from scratch. I molded the frame back in its place, fixed the engine, all the essentials. She is a Black beauty with chrome embellishments and a tan interior. Her seats are booth seats and black. I went through so much with my baby, I even crashed her and fixed her back from scratch again. Oh it was a disaster that wreck, the garage men tried telling me there was no coming back from this, but after I fixed her up I might have done a few donuts out front. My damage on the other hand, I had a stress heel fracture on my right leg and had to wear a boot for about three months, and I broke my left Radius and Ulna, so I had to wear a cast for about six weeks. Now I have to wear a brace that was molded to my hand shape, so my wrist can strengthen itself.

Well, getting off topic much? I hopped into the car, put the key in the ignition, and the engine roared to life. I sat there and listened to her engine purr, only for a few moments. I then pulled onto Main Street and weaved my way through the city to the docks. As soon as I got out of my car, Scott was already hugging, well more of mauling, me. Scott was like my gay best friend, but he wasn't gay. Scott and I met in college and were sort of like two pieces of paper glued together ever since.

"Well, I guess somebody missed me!"

"Your dang right! Gosh, it's been a month since we graduated!"

With his arm around me, we got on the helicopter that would bring us to the helicarrier.