Rush 🔞

Thirty-Five

Pen pulled her knees up, and hugged them tight. She had locked herself away in her room, feeling overwhelmed. Why her? She wasn't special. All she wanted was to be left alone, and have a normal life. She didn't want powers, she didn't want attention.

'Pen?..'.. She ignored the knock on her door, and scrunched herself up, into a ball as she laid on her bed... 'Pen, I'm sorry if I upset you, but I'm not sorry for what I said..'.. Pietros voice was muffled slightly by the closed door, but she didn't respond... 'Pen, please open the door..'

She hated herself. He was only behaving like this because she was making him. He said that she wasn't controlling him, but thinking about it, and all the others, of how they were treating her, it wasn't real, none of it was. Pen knew she was an awful person, manipulating people, even if she didn't know she was doing it, it was still her fault.

'Pen? It's Nat. Can you open the door please?..'... She began to cry, wishing she hadn't come here. They were all kind, selfless, and caring. She didn't deserve any of this.

'Go away, please just go away..'.. She shut her eyes, fighting the tears that were falling.

'Pen, come on. Look I just want to make sure you're ok..'.. She heard Peter call out... 'Just me and you, I promise..'

'No, you all need to leave..'.. She pushed herself up, wiping her hands over her face, as a thought crossed her mind... 'Im fine, so just let me be..'.. She called back.

Pen heard some muffled talking and then footsteps receding. Taking a deep breath, she went to her closet and pulled out her backpack. Moving around her room, she began to stuff things inside, taking only what she needed.

She had to go away, far away. As long as she was around, they would be in her control. She didn't want that. They were heroes, and the world needed them all. With her there, they wouldn't be doing what they do best, saving people, the world.

Once she was finished, she wrote a quick note for them, and headed to her window. Looking outside, she couldn't see anyone, so she pulled it open, and perched on the edge.

Closing her eyes, she focused, remembering how she did it, and let herself go. Shrouding herself, she took off, flying away, to protect them from her.

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Her door burst open, and Tony saw he was too late. Friday had informed him of what she was doing, and rushed straight to her room, not answering the team when they asked what he was doing, running like crazy.

He looked over to her window, seeing it open, and took a shaky breath. She was gone, and he knew, he wouldn't be able to track her... 'Shes gone..'.. He panted out, as Peter, Bucky and Nat caught up to him. He walked over to her desk, and picked up her note.

~You deserve to be free of me. I'm sorry for coming into your lives and screwing them up, and for controlling you, especially Steve. I'll be fine. Maybe we'll see each other again. Take care of May and Peter for me. Thanks for everything you've done for me, I'll never be able to say it enough, but thank you.~

Tony handed the note to Peter, feeling his heart break at the sadness now in the young Parker's face as he read... 'She left me, again? She promised she wouldn't. She promised me and May she was staying..'

Tony put his hand on the boys shoulder, giving it a squeeze... 'Im sorry kid. We'll find her, you know we will..'

Peter shrugged him off... 'How? Cause she has powers that hide her. So how are you going to find someone who can literally disappear in front of you? She won't come back..'

Tony didn't know what to say, or do. She had gone, believing she was a problem... 'We have to tell the others..'.. He sighed, heading back out of her room, the others trailing behind him.

Tony had called a quick meeting, informing everyone what had happened. He saw Pepper comfort May, as she burst out crying, and he felt sympathy for the woman. He had come to care for Pen and Peter, as though they were his own.

After a few hours, he was down in his lab, having Friday running facial recognition, searching for her. He also had Romanoff and Hill comb through contacts and message boards, to see if there was any news out on her, but so far, they were coming up empty.

May and Peter had reached out to her old friends, who were surprised that she was alive, but hadn't heard from her. Rogers, Barnes and Wilson were coming the area of Mays apartment, hoping to find her there, but even they had no clue.

Loki and Thor had returned to Asgard, to ask a friend to locate her, and Tony hoped that they would have better luck that the rest of them.

'Its late Tony, you need to rest..'.. He heard Pepper behind him, and she came to his side, running a hand up and down his back... 'If anyone can find her, it's you, but you need to rest..'

'What if they find her before we do? I can sleep knowing she's not safe..'.. He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

'I know you worry, but you need to take care of yourself, so if she needs you, you'll be there..'.. Pepper said.

'Shes right Tony, it's late and I'm drawing a blank here, I'm so tired..'.. Bruce yawned, removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes.

'Then you two go to bed, I'm not stopping or giving up..'.. He swiped through the holo... 'Friday, expand the search to the whole of the eastern seaboard. Focus on towns, city's with population lower than 2,000. She would go somewhere quiet, somewhere she wouldn't be known, and away from large crowds..'

'She could be anywhere Tony..'.. Bruce sighed, coming over to him.

'And I won't stop until she's safe. She could've just worn the power dampening cuffs, she would've seen that she's not controlling us..'.. He frowned in thought... 'Thats what I'll do. I'll make her something small and discreet to wear, so she won't have to worry or run off again..'

Bruce and Pepper watched as he moved to his desk, sitting down at his computer... 'Whst do we do Bruce?..'.. Pepper asked quietly as she watched Tony.

'I don't know. I haven't seen him like this, since the New York battle. He loses himself in work, feeling that it's his responsibility to protect everyone..'.. Bruce put a hand on her shoulder... 'He will sleep at some point, but at the moment, it's useless to try and stop him. He'd only came back down here when you go to sleep anyway..'

Pepper took a deep breath, and watched the man she loves bear a heavy weight on his shoulders... 'Ok, then if he's staying here, so will I. The couch pulls out, so I can make sure he eats and takes care of himself..'

Bruce gave her a small smile and a nod... 'Im glad he has you, you're good for him Pep, he needs you to keep him grounded..'

Pepper smiled back, parting his arm... 'You go to bed. If anything comes up, I'll have Friday let you all know...'

The two said goodnight, and she moved over to holo, her hands on her hips as she watched Friday flick through traffic cameras and cctv. She thought about how she would feel in Pens place, wondering where she would go. Thinking about a conversation they had when they went out to lunch, she pursued her lips in thought... 'Friday, I want you to track a course to Fairbanks, Alaska. Any towns, cities with low population. Run recognition on all possible cameras. Have our satellite focus on the path, for any unusual movement with a human heat signature..'

Tony looked up at her, frowning... 'You think that's where she would go?..'

'Its where you can see the northern lights in America. She told me before, it's one of the places she would want to visit..'.. Pepper kept watch as Friday did as instructed.

'I need you working in here with me more often. Seeing you take charge like that, it's hot..'.. She laughed, shaking her head and looking over at him.

'Lets find our girl and bring her home, then we'll see to this...'.. She gestures between her and him, causing him to smile.

'You got it boss..'.. He winked at her, and the two continue their work. Pepper hoped to find her, before it was too late.

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