The Girl the World Forgot: But the Galaxy Found

Chapter 0: Out of the Frying Pan...

Months before the Guardians of the Galaxy

Something was poking me in the side, just below my ribs. It wasn't sharp by any means, but there was just enough pressure and point to be annoyingly constant. And after what must have been an hour of sitting still, it was starting to become unbearable. If I had the choice, I would have already moved it by now. Instead, I resigned myself to the long haul. Focusing instead on trying to figure out what it might be instead of throwing it across the room as I so wanted to.

But as fate would have it, I couldn't. Couldn't move, couldn't make a single sound.

On my other side, there was Peter. He was curled against me, my arms wrapped tightly around him as if I was holding him together. Just like that day years ago when Obadiah Stane went insane and ripped the arc-reactor from Dad's chest.

In fact, it was so similar that after the half-hour mark rolled by I started to wonder if it was the same day. If I was still the same terrified little girl, hiding in her brother's closest while waiting out the madman running wild in the living room. Back then I remember that the only reason I remained so calm was because of the little voice in the back of my head, the one that sounded an awful lot like Elle, telling me to keep my little brother safe.

At least I wasn't alone, I don't think I could have done this if I was alone. Sure, I would have picked some besides Peter to be trapped with me. Not because he wasn't a great buddy to be stuck somewhere with, but because I'd rather it was someone else. Someone who wasn't my little brother.

I've never asked him about that night all those years ago, but right now I kind of wished I had. Just to know what might be going through his head now. What he might be thinking about while we sat curled in the corner farthest away from the door? Huddled in the shadows as we waited for... something.

There wasn't much we could do here. Unlike before we didn't have the added security of a locked door, because why would anyone put a lock on a closet door? Unless you were worried about home invasions, but why would Tony Stark have to worry about that? He was Iron Man for heavens sakes, no one would mess with him.

Now as his kids, I guess we were fair game.

Through the shut door, I could hear whoever had broken in rummaging around in the living room, muttering angrily to himself. It was just quiet enough that I couldn't make out the words, but it was easy to tell that he wasn't happy. The sound of things breaking and shattering made that pretty obvious.

Now you might be wondering where our parents where. Why were they not here while their kids cowered in a corner? Well... the simple answer was SI nonsense. Someone stupid had decided to mess up a whole lot of code that they had no business messing with. It was so damaged that Pepper actually had to drag Dad in to fix it.

And Elle was off... doing super important superhero-y business. She'd only been gone for a few days, but that was because she's never liked to be away from home for anything longer than a week. So, she was due back tomorrow, in fact. Peter and I had planned on trying to make dinner to welcome her back. Though the chances of us getting to do that... was a little less likely.

But surely the two of them must have known about all this by now, either by security or Jarvis letting them know about what was happening. Unless our mysterious intruder possessed the capabilities to cut off, or even shut down, Jarvis in some way. Which honestly didn't seem possible until today.

But then there was the matter of how he'd even managed to get in at all. He hadn't come through the front door like a reasonable person. And we were over ten stories high in a penthouse, so there was no way he could have come through the window without someone noticing.

Then again, it wasn't like I watched him break in. Heck, I barely had time to shove Peter and I into this closet when I realized there was someone inside. If I'd had the time, I would have grabbed my phone, maybe then we'd already been safe and sound.

Not sitting in a small room with baited breath and a terrible idea forming in my head. It was only a matter of time before he lost interest in the living room, and went searching elsewhere. There wasn't enough in here for us to hide behind and it wasn't like we could hold the door closed.

For the longest time, Peter had his hand clasped over his mouth to muffle any sound he might have made. But it wasn't enough to hide the way his chest suddenly hitched. Which was all I needed to steel my resolve.

"Pete, listen to me," I whispered as quietly as humanly possible, gently pushing him back at the wall. Forcing myself to ignore the way he frantically tried to grab me. I had to grab his hands to keep him from making too much noise, meeting his eyes with a half-smile. "I need you to stay here and stay quiet, okay? Can you do that?"

The panic on his face was immediate, and I wanted so badly to sit back down beside him. To remain hidden in the closet with him, but I couldn't. Not today. His grip on my hands tightened as he said, "Ana, where are you going?"

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." I hushed squeezing his hands comfortingly, still smiling at him. Then I allowed myself to frown, urgently demanding again, "Stay here, Peter, please. And be as quiet as you can. You can do that for me, can't you?"

It took a long moment before Peter nodded, eyes too watery for my liking. And I just had to smile at him, lurching forward just to give him one tight hug and a kiss on the cheek before I pulled away. Feeling so much like a goodbye I was surprised one of us hadn't said it.

When I finally pulled away and stood up, taking one brave step towards the closed-door Peter cried out nearly above a whisper, "No, Ana, don't go!"

I was quick to shush him, spinning around and reaching towards him. I can't tell you what my face must have looked like at that moment. But I will never forget the look on Peter's face the moment I turned to him. I'd never seen my little brother look so grown up. Settling back down against the wall, his lips forming a thin line.

And it was all I needed to smile with all the confidence in the world and promise, "I'll be back."

Then I stepped out the door. The haunting image of my little brother's dark brown eyes staring up at me with wide-eyed awe as if I was the superhero in the family. He didn't look afraid as I close the door behind me. Sure, he didn't look calm either, but it was about as good as I was going to get.

There wasn't a thing to do about it now, I realized turning my attention to the suddenly bone-chillingly quiet penthouse that had been my home for the past few months. Not quite the cozy feeling of the mansion, but it was better than nothing.

I stepped bravely into the living room. Now facing a dark looming figure that turned to face me.

And I didn't come back...