[1] BROKEN ONE // t. stark

13

"Harry Hogan."

     "Happy! It's me, Terri," I greeted the chauffeur cheerfully. I'm calling his personal phone yet he's still greeting me with the manner. "Hey, look, are you free right now?"

     "Terry!" he greeted me back. I could feel a smile on his face as he did so. "Yes, I'm totally free right now. Your mother has been locking herself up since yesterday so that makes me pretty much jobless," he rattled on. "What's up?"

     I sighed listening to him reporting about my mother. To say my heart broke about it was an understatement. I really didn't know how to console her and how to tell her the truth. But if I did so, would she believe me? She saw me and Dad and May all together, after all. She'd think I'm lying for the sake of my father. "I don't know how to tell you, Hap. Everything's a bit messy right now."

     "I can see that," he replied after a few seconds. I supposed he was thinking about my family. "You want to talk to Pepper about it? I could call her and-"

     "No," I quickly answered. "I can't....at least, for now," I said frustratingly. "Dad went to Peter Parker's house to recruit him to be on his team. And she saw Parker's aunt, but I didn't know if she's mad at him - and me - for thinking Dad's meeting someone else or because we're lying."

     "Recruit?" Happy asked, more curious about Dad's secret plan rather than about the fact that Dad might be seeing someone else. Or maybe he trusts Dad. "For what?"

     "That's why I can't to talk to her right now. I need you to explain to her about it, Happy. Can you do that for me? And tell her whatever happens to me here, I'm fine, I'm okay. I'm safe here."

     "It sounds so serious," Happy stated with a nervous laugh, like he can't believe I'm talking about it when he's used to seeing the Stark family being all tensed up. "What's happening?"

     "Dad. He's going to fight with his friends." I sighed.

     "Fight? As in-"

     "Fight! Fight! Like they're going for a war!" I yelled. Lucky I am alone in Dad's suite. "I don't know what to do, Happy, but I let him go with Peter. He didn't let me go with him, but he said if anything happens to him, he wants Mom to know that he loves her."

     "It is easier for him to make me say it than make me do it myself. But I'll let her know that," Happy said relunctantly, not because he's not willing to do it, but because it was hard to do it, I understand. Happy has been friends with my parents even before I was born and only God knows how he dealt with my stubborn father. "But do you want her to know where he goes?"

     "Happy...." I can't help but to let out another frustration sigh. "Look, he doesn't want her to know, but....I want her to know. But please try to convince her that I'm fine because I really am. I have a couple of friends here and I'll stay with them while Dad's away."

     "I'll try. You know your mother's pretty stubborn too," Happy said not fully amused, but quite glad to hear from me. "You're a Stark, anyway, right? You know what you're doing."

     I chuckled at his statement. "Yes, except riding the bike."

     This time, I laugh hearing Happy's laugh. "No, you can't regret doing it. I think that's the best trouble you've made so far. And I volunteer myself to teach you how to properly ride the motorcycle next time."

     "Really?!" My eyes went wide with excitement.

     "Why not? You know a bit about the basic already. You can't waste the knowledge just because your father might not be happy if you scratch his Harley Davidson again."