Just Keep Swimming

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Belle POV

"So how do your legs turn into a tail?" Bruce asks for the millionth time. I rub my head trying to calm the raging headache forming from the idiocy being showcased in front of me. I glance up at my audience taking in the three men sitting on the couch across from me. Steve looks angry and confused, not the best combination. Bruce looks curious, too curious. I think I prefer Steve. I don't even really want to look at Tony but I can't help it. He looks devastated, absolutely and utterly devastated. Whatever.

"I don't know," I repeat for the millionth time.

"Are their other mermaids?" Steve asks staring at me. Not showing anything I huff out a shrug.

"I don't know."

"For how long have you been a mermaid?" Tony asks finally seeming to regain the power of speech.

"A while." I can tell Steve is getting frustrated but I can't find the will to care. There is no way I will bring Cleo and the others into this mess and with the way Bruce is dissecting me with his eyes I do not trust them to not throw my in some cage for examination.

"So what all powers do you have? There's obviously more than what you previously said," Steve asks a little harshly.

"Just what you've seen," I reply meeting his gaze. I can tell he thinks I'm lying and well I am but I just stare back in challenge daring him to call me on it.

"You heated the water particles until they evaporated, it stands to reason that you could freeze them too," Bruce states. I glance at him before shrugging again.

"I guess it might be possible but I've never done it." They all are looking rather skeptical now but...nope...still not finding the will to care.

"Isabella, you need to drop this act and give us some real answers," Tony demands. My disinterest stare turns into an icy glare within a second. I turn my gaze to him before turning away. It is as if he never said anything at all. Just the way I like it.

"Look, it's been horrible and I just want to leave so if this inquisition is over I will be on my way." As I talk I stand up and make my way to the elevator. I hear sounds of protest behind me but ignore them. It doesn't take me long to make it back to my apartment. Only once I've shut my door and thrown the deadbolt do I let myself breathe a sigh of relief. I'm just done with this day. Very, very done.

Steve POV

"What was that about, Tony?" I ask staring at the distraught man. I need some answers whether he wants to give them or not. "Since when have you had a daughter?"

"She-she came to live with me after her mother died when she was six. When she was thirteen she disappeared. I searched but I could never find her," he explains holding his head in his hands.

"Why is she terrified of you?" Bruce asks. I glance at him quickly. Terrified was not the vibe I was getting from her before she left. Bruce looks between us. "Come on, you guys didn't see it? She was using that anger to hide how terrified she was. She kept looking towards the exits and flinching at every movement." I mentally curse myself. I hadn't picked up on that.

"What the hell did you do to her, Stark?" I shout not even caring that I cursed.

"I-I was not the best father," Tony admits.

"What did you do?" I enunciate each word forcefully.

"I don't know!" he exclaims finally looking up at me. I can see the unshed tears in his eyes. "I don't know what I did. I was drinking so much back then, there are so many holes in my memory. I don't even remember the night before she left." I stare at him not really knowing what to say. I knew that he changed a lot after his kidnapping but I didn't realize how much.

"It will be okay," Bruce states patting his shoulder. I meet his eyes over Tony's head. I nod my head in agreement. We need to help them both. Belle probably has good reasons for being so angry with him but the monster she has been running from isn't here anymore. This Tony deserves a chance to redeem himself, and she deserves to have some closure for her past. First things first, we need to stop her from running and bring down those walls around her heart one brick at a time.

Belle POV

Should I stay or should I go?

I know what you're thinking. She's not just laying on her bed listening to this cliché song, is she? Why yes, yes I am. I stare up at my ceiling contemplating the disaster that has become my life. I have survived through the years with only two rules: never show anyone the tail and don't let him find me. It took less than 24 hours for me to break both of them. I don't know if that's depressing or if I should be impressed.

Should I stay or should I go?

They know where I live and work. They will be back. I could go back to the ocean and visit Emma, Cleo, and Ricki. It's been awhile since I've been to Mako Island. I wonder if the moon pool has changed at all.

If I go, there will be trouble.

Now that they know about me there is no way that they will leave me alone. They will all search for me now. I'm not confident that I could stay hidden from all of them. One narcissistic man, no problem. An entire team of trained spies, soldiers, and scientists, big problem.

If I stay, there will be double.

But if I stay here what will happen? He's not going to go away, none of them are. They are going to become overbearing and persistent like an itch you just can't scratch.

So come on and let me know.

I do like my apartment and the setup with the café is pretty sweet but I don't want to live everyday looking over my shoulder. I mean, I know I've been doing that most of my life but now I'm in the same city as him and he knows I'm here. Completely different.

Should I stay or should I go?

Ugh. I roll over and grab my computer pulling up my email. Quickly I send a message out to Cleo telling them what happened. It's in a code they showed me just in case anybody intercepts it. You can never be too careful when you are hiding an entire species from the world. Just as I'm closing my laptop I hear something creak in my living room. It sounds like the fire escape.

Seriously, are the Avengers too cool for doors now? I huff and walk out of my bedroom. I head toward the window but don't see anybody. I slow down getting a weird vibe. Before I can react black figures are storming into my apartment. I try to fight but feel a pinch in my neck before I can move. Everything immediately starts to blur before darkness completely overtakes me.