the strongest avenger

twenty six

Talia pulls herself out of the memories. She shakes and gasps for air, frantically looking around her room.

"New York," she mutters. "You're in New York. Not there. New York."

Sweat drips down her temples, down her neck to her back. She looks outside the window, it's dark now. She crawls across her comforter and grasps her phone.

Her movements are jerky, hands shaking as she waits for the call to go through.

"Tony?" Her voice cracks.

Tal what's wrong?

"You need to come home. Please. Please come home. Now. Please." Tears drip down her cheeks as she begs.

What happened?

"I made a mistake. I need you to come home. Please dad. Please get on a plane." Her breathing becomes erratic, lightning sparks flickering on her hands.

Her gloves spread across them, but that doesn't help. The lights to her room flicker as Tal struggles to get a grip on her power. She sees the streaks of lightning spread over the walls.

She cries out as the light bulbs burst, her room plunging into darkness.

You all right? Tal? Talia answer me.

"J-just get here. Hurry up."

Talia moves to the floor, a blanket in her other hand. She huddles against a corner of the room, her view on the windows and the door.

"Hurry."

I'm coming Squirt. I'll be there soon.

Eventually the call disconnects. But Talia doesn't notice. She shakes, lights flicker, tears stream down her face in a never ending current.

She stares blankly at the door, not registering when a familiar boy walks through the door, rushing to her side.

"Tallie. Hey Tal, it's Peter. It's me, what happened? W-what's going on Tal? Come on talk to me. Please." Peter shakes her shoulders, ignoring the shocks and tingling feelings he gets up and down his arms.

He smiles at her, a forced smile. He doesn't know what to do. Happy had called him, telling him to get over to the Tower to calm her down.

But she's shut down.

And Peter can't get in.

He watches the tears run down her cheeks and the way that she stares into the distance.

"Tallie please. Look at me, come on tell me what happened."

"I got my memories back." She whispers, almost unheard.

Peter freezes and looks down at the girl.

"I got them back. I—I should have left them." She bites her lip, trying not to burst out.

"Oh Tallie, come here." He pulls the girl into a hug, and luckily she doesn't resist.

Talia's pulled to Peter's chest. He sits on the floor, legs out with Talia in between them, her side to his chest. He rests his chin on the top of her head, while she clutches onto his shirt like it's her life support.

Peter's arms wrap around her body, rubbing circles on her back and side while she shakes. Silent sobs wrack through her body while they sit there, Peter not knowing what to say.

The boy opts to just holding her, being there for her as he's not good with words. He leans back against her bed, pulling her with him.

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