"Do you know how tempted I am to beg you to stay?" Peter asks, leaning against my door as I begin to pack some of my clothes into my pink suitcase. I pause, glancing up at Peter, the truth is Peter could probably convince me to do anything, but he knows why I'm leaving.
"Something tells me I'll be back sooner than later" I reply, I seriously doubt I'll manage to stay out of New York for more than a couple of months, the avengers will call, and I'll answer. "You know I will drop everything and come back if you need me, right?"
"I know, but I think the worst is over now" Peter replies. I like his optimism, but I just can't imagine the world without someone trying to invade it or destroy it. Hopefully Peter is right, and we both get the normal life we want. Even if I could just go a year without someone trying to kill me or the people close to me.
I glance at a picture of the four of us. The fact I'm the last one standing hasn't quite sunk in yet, it doesn't feel right, I would have given my life for Scarlett, Henry, and Ashton without a second thought, yet I couldn't save them. A lump forms in my throat as I glance at the green jumper Henry is wearing, we were so much younger then, we had no idea that we were being lied to and manipulated.
"I should've come with you" Peter says, walking over and touching the edge of the photo frame. "If I had been outside when-"
"Magneto could've killed you instead, it really sucks Henry is dead, but there is nothing we could've done. There are always causalities in war" I interrupt, I don't want Peter to go down this path of self-loathing and self-blaming, it doesn't end well and it's not necessary. Peter isn't to blame for any of this, he wasn't even born when it started.
"Tony left us money" Peter says quietly, a lot of money. Enough to probably never have to work if we didn't want to. "I wish he was here."
I glance at Peter and place my hand on his wrist. "I know, me too" I say softly, Tony spent so much of his life fighting against the x-men, he deserved to see a world where they no longer ruled and terrorised everyone. Tony accepted me from the second he found out I was his daughter, and he didn't reject me or push me away when he realised that I wasn't, he was an amazing person. "He deserved better than this."
"I expect you to answer my calls" I say, glancing at Peter who scoffs.
"I'm going to ring you at least three times a day, possibly more like five times" Peter replies, smiling at me. He embraces me tightly and I lean into his embrace, six months ago if someone told me I'd be leaving New York and missing Peter Parker, I wouldn't have believed it, but Peter's become one of my closest friends. "Ned said to say goodbye, he was upset that he couldn't make it here before his flight."
"I know, he called me" I reply, I'm glad Ned is doing something fun over summer, I hope Peter and MJ can enjoy a summer that isn't filled with adult responsibilities. "Thank you, Peter. I couldn't have done any of this without you."
"You could have, but I'm glad you had me" Peter answers, hugging me once again. "I'm glad I met you, you're one of my best friends."
"I'll text you as soon as I land" I answer, Steve and Natasha are driving me to the airport, Peter is going to an art exhibition with MJ, Tony brought them tickets as a surprise, Natasha found them earlier today when he was cleaning his room. Peter didn't want to go, but Steve managed to find a way to convince him, he said Tony wouldn't want us to stop living.
"Okay" Peter says, smiling at me. I head out of the room with my suitcase and head into the lift, I press the button to the lobby and glance at the hallway. I will miss this place, but I'm certain a fresh start is the right choice, I don't think I can stay in New York now that Henry and Tony are gone, everything reminds me of the people I've loved and lost.
"I'll get that for you" Steve says, grabbing my suitcase once I'm out of the lift. Natasha embraces her, a tear rolling down her cheek that she quickly brushes away. She places her arm around my shoulder and we head towards the car park.
"If you ever want to come back, there will always be a place for you" Natasha says to me, glancing at me. She pushes a strand of red hair behind her ear as we head down the stairs to the car park. "And if you need anything, I will be in Chicago immediately."
"If you need me here, I will come back" I tell Natasha, I think preparing myself for another threat is a sensible thing to do, I just can't imagine anything else. "Thank you, Nat. I'm glad I met you."
"You're strong and you're good, try to remember that" Natasha says gently, placing her hand on my cheek. "You're going to do amazing things with your life."
"You are" Steve agrees, standing next to Natasha. He embraces me and gives me a genuine smile. "Seriously, if you need anything, we will be right there. Call us anytime, I don't care if it's three pm or three am, I'll answer."
"Can you let me know if you hear from Charles?" I ask as I get into the back of the car. Charles went to meet with the police with the avengers, he said he'd meet them back at Stark towers but he didn't return, I know he's grieving Magneto and Mystique, the three had a complicated relationship but they did all care for one another.
"Our sources say he's in California, we'll let you know if anything changes" Natasha promises me as Steve starts driving. I'm fairly certain Charles let himself be spotted so that I'd know he was alive, it's his way of telling me he's not ready to return yet.
My mind flickers to Chicago, Natasha enrolled me in a high school right near my apartment, and she's got furniture sent to my apartment, so everything is ready. I'm beyond nervous about starting somewhere alone, but a part of me is excited and can't wait to see what the future holds.
*Author's Note* Storm is off to Chicago! Book 2 will start off with her in Chicago.
YOU ARE READING
Beautiful Ruins
Ação"Maybe there was a fleeting moment where I wanted to be a hero and believed I could be one, but the truth is I'm not, I won't ever be. My past does define me, it made me a villain" - Storm. Fifteen-year-old Storm is the daughter of Black Widow and I...
