Nefarious Thoughts

Three

The two teenagers laughed loudly for a moment before being shushed by the librarian for the third time in the past hour. With their homework long since finished the pair of them had been simply getting to know one another. To say it was going fairly well would be an understatement. Peter and Charlie got along exceptionally well and Charlie was surprised that someone could actually keep up with her sarcastic banter.

It was the first time in a long time that Charlie had felt at ease with someone her own age. It was refreshing and the usual weight that rested heavy in her chest felt a little less like it was drowning her with each laugh that came out.

"There was this one time Mr. Stark accidentally got Bucky's arm stuck to a giant magnet and they couldn't figure out how to get him unstuck for a good two hours."

Charlie smothered a laugh in her shirt sleeve, "I can't get over the fact that you know the some of the Avengers." Granted Charlie knew the Devil of Hells Kitchen but she wasn't about to blurting that out anytime soon.

Peter grinned brightly, a charming smile that helped to relax Charlie a little bit more each time she saw it. Glancing at her phone Charlie realized it was twenty 'til four, meaning she had twenty minutes to get to the police station and hand over her portfolio.

"Shoot," she spoke as she stood up and began grabbing her notebook. "I've got to go, if I'm late John might be a little peeved."

"Right- yeah." Peter watched as Charlie gathered her things in a rush while he calmly collected his books off the table.

"I'll see you tomorrow yeah?" She asked him.

With a silent nod yes as an answer Charlie smiled as she walked away. "Hey Char-"

"Oh and Peter," she spoke after stopping and turning back to look at him. He hummed in acknowledgement as he met her piercing blue eyes. "Thank you for the math help."

A shy smile graced Peter's face as he watched Charlie almost shyly tuck a piece of stray hair behind her ear. "You're welcome."

***

It must've been a truly blessed day because by some miracle the streets of New York were not bumper to bumper nor the sidewalks full of strangers flooding them. This meant Charlie had plenty of room to get where she was going quickly.

The police station was roughly thirty minutes away from the school but Charlie managed to make it in twenty. The station was busy, not that she expected it to be anything less and John managed to spot Charlie as soon as the door closed behind her.

"Charlie! You're right on time, there's someone I want you to meet." John steered her by her shoulder in the direction of a large office.

After knocking a voice called out from the other side, John ushered Charlie in. "Captain Stacy this is Charlie Hammond, the family friend I told you about."

The Captain looked up from his paperwork to greet Charlie. He was an older man with greying hair yet his eyes held a certain gleam in them, one that teemed with wisdom but craved adrenaline. The same gleam that Charlie had seen many times before in John's eyes, she supposed it came with working on the force.

"It's a pleasure to meet you sir," Charlie said while offering a hand to shake.

"Likewise Ms. Hammond." Captain Stacy stated with a nod while waving John out of the room, "I hear you're interested in the paid internship, is that correct?"