Wrong Number

14 ~ Child Protective Services

<3rd person POV>

Some of the Avengers walked into one of the conference rooms at the tower, wondering what Steve had called them for. It sounded urgent.

Both Steve and Bucky were found quietly conversing at the far end of the long table. Natasha notices that both of them seem extremely tense. This doesn't sit well with her. She takes a seat next to Clint and tells her best friend about what she noticed. When everyone is settled in, Steve stands up and grimly faces the group.

Steve didn't want to tell everyone about the concerning information they had just received. He felt that it wouldn't be right to share something so personal with everyone. He strongly believes it isn't his story to tell; it is, however, his responsibility to make sure that she is safe, and if that means that he would have to share it with some close confidantes then so be it.

Tony, bored with whatever they were doing and not wanting to be there is on his phone, texting Wanda, Pietro, Peter, and Dahlia -coincidentally enough. Clint and Natasha are both waiting, sitting on edge as they wait for Steve to begin. Bruce is anxious because of the atmosphere in the room. It's unsettling, to say the least.

"So, Bucky got some texts that we thought we should show you guys. Since Bucky promised not to tell, I am going to tell you all. It's about Dahlia," Steve begins, glancing around the room, cautiously.

Tony is immediately pulled from his phone to attention when he hears that there's something about Dahlia. Did he miss a hospital entry? Natasha and Clint send each other a certain glance and Bruce grows even more anxious.

"It's really easier to show, so uh, Tony, if you could help us out with the technology..."

Tony stands up and goes over to help them project the screen to the group, worried about the kid.

In a matter of seconds, Bucky and Dahlia's conversation is on display for everyone to see.

Various stages of anger, worry, sadness, and heartbreak flash across each of their faces as they read her confession.

Bruce has a hard time fighting off the Hulk from taking over. Natasha's eyes hold a dangerous and terrifying murderous rage. Tony just sits with his head in his hands, fingers laced through his hair. Clint feels sick. He can't imagine how he would ever feel should his own daughter have to go through such a thing. Even thinking about it makes him want to break down -whether it would be crying or in anger, he couldn't decide.

How could anyone hurt such a lovely girl? Much less her own uncle? It disgusted them. The poor girl.

They knew they needed to do something—and fast.

"We should call CPS," Steve argues. He'd been saying it since the beginning, but Bucky disagreed; he didn't trust Child Protective Services to get the job done right.

Nods of agreement from Tony, Clint, and Bruce is all it takes for them to know that it's three against two.

Both Natasha and Bucky didn't want CPS to take over. Natasha wanted to find the bastard that hurt her baby girl. Bucky didn't want it to go into the hands of the careless government. He doesn't trust them. If you want the job done right, you have to do it yourself, is what Bucky thinks.

After much debate, the group with the higher amount of people win, leading to Tony calling CPS.

Now there's a reason why Dahlia—should I say, Katie—never told anyone. She didn't want them to tell CPS. Once, she had written a note to the school counsellor briefly explaining what was happening and it ended with the counsellor calling CPS on her uncle.

It would have been great.

But of course, she had no such luck. Nothing could ever go well for her; that was a fact.

She paid hell for it. Her uncle knew she had ratted him out, and he was furious. The poor girl was on the verge of death due to her reaching out for help.

Her uncle, being a terrific actor, was able to fend off the CPS and escape the punishment he should have gotten. Instead, she was punished.

That was the last time she attempted to reach out for help. She was terrified to even think of getting someone to help her. Katie sees no escape. None except death or waiting it out until she can leave her pathetic excuse of an uncle.

She has tried very hard to choose the second option; the first one had almost pulled her in countless times, though.

So, although Katie would love to get out of the hell she is stuck in, she doesn't have any hope that she'll make it out until she's of legal age to live on her own. Getting CPS involved, as far as she was concerned, would just cause more damage.

The reason she reached out to this stranger was that she knew that he'd never be able to call them on her uncle since he didn't know her identity—or so she thought.

Who knows if they would be able to actually get it right should they come again? She surely wasn't willing to take the chance.

Tony hung up on them after telling them what they needed to know and turned back to the team. Natasha and Bucky still had very wary expressions. They wanted to get it done themselves. Plus, they know that whatever punishment her uncle would receive from the law would be much too generous. They never called him, but they feel like this would be the only exception.

They knew her uncle deserved to be put through hell. And all hell would be given if he were to know about what her uncle had put her through.

However, Bucky and Natasha knew their friends wouldn't allow it to happen.

Katie was in the kitchen washing down the counters after making her uncle's dinner when the doorbell rang. She raised a brow in confusion, turning to her uncle. She wasn't aware they were receiving guests, and by the looks of it, neither was he.

Ordering her to go up and change into something decent, he stands up to look through the peephole.

Putting on a nice, casual dress, Katie splashes some water over her face before making sure all her bruises are covered. Once that is done, she does her hair into a braid over her right shoulder.

Once Katie is satisfied, she exits her room and hears voices. Her uncle, a middle-aged woman and an elderly man sit in the living room having a serious conversation. When she sees they're part of the Child Protective Services, she freezes, the breath hitching in her throat.

Why are they here?

Sorry for not updating in a while! I had some writer's block, but I got some inspiration while I was painting.