An Unexpected Family [COMPLETED STORY]

20 Hour Drive

  Today was a good day. I was heading out on a mission with Natasha later today. This one was a few days long and I was pretty excited. I loved doing things with her, she's so much fun but could literally rip you to shreds. I finished stuffing the last of my clothes in to my duffel and zipped it shut. Natasha knocked on my door and asked if I was ready to go.

  We were headed to New Orleans, it was around a 20 hour drive. We were planning on driving it all in one shot, each of us driving 5 hour alternating shifts. 20 hours was a pretty long time, but I'm sure we'd manage. She was 16 years older than me, but she was like my sister. I could tell her anything and I'm sure this trip would go by quickly.

  Natasha insisted she took the first shift so I sat in the passenger seat. We blasted some music and sang until our throats hurt. We were about an hour in when Natasha reached to turn the music down.

  "Hey Elena?"

  "Yeah?"

  "Are you okay?" She looked over at me.

  "Yeah, yeah I'm good."

  "You know you can tell me anything and everything right? We aren't in the tower anymore."

  "I know. I've just been a bit... off I guess."

  "About Peter?"

  "About Peter, Oliver... everything I guess.

  "Wanna talk about it?"

  "Well, yeah. Peter's trying to be friends again but he really hurt me. I really tried not to react but then Eleanor came in my room and I just couldn't hold it in anymore and I just snapped I guess. I want to forgive him but I just don't want to get hurt again."

  "I totally get that, and on your birthday too. Maybe giving him another chance isn't the best option yet, but maybe you should. It might make you feel better."

  "Yeah, things are good with Oliver right now too, but they used to be friends before Oliver moved. I don't know Nat."

  "I totally understand El. This little getaway should help clear your mind."

  "I sure hope so."

  We reached the five hour mark when we switched. Natasha was fine to keep driving but I needed to focus on something else. Almost four hours of just thinking isn't really good for a person, especially when they aren't happy thoughts. The traffic wasn't too bad but it certainly wasn't ideal. It was really slow but we weren't totally stopped so that was a start. Natasha and I chatted about the mission and the plans and really just everything. We were about six out of 20 hours in.

  After about three hours of me driving, the traffic started clearing up. It took literally forever. At that rate we would've been in New Orleans in 2021. Natasha was asleep and it was smooth sailing right now, so I put some music on really quietly. I hummed to the beat and bobbed my head. It was calming, driving. You get lost in the road and somehow all your other thoughts seem to slip away.

  Natasha and I switched a few minutes ago. We had about ten hours left until we got there. I was getting tired so I dozed off for a bit. When I woke up it was time to switch for the final leg, the last five hours. I sat down in the driver's seat and started the engine. Natasha checked the GPS again and we were all set to go.

  We had an hour left when shit went south, this always happens! The car infront of me slammed on their brakes so I swerved into the shoulder and slammed on mine. The car behind me slid into traffic and got hit while I was surrounded was stopped or smashed vehicles.

  Someone got out of the car infront of my and instantly dropped to the ground, crimson liquid dripping down their head. I took a deep breath and Natasha grabbed my arm and pulled me down as far as we could go in the car, this was an active shooter situation.

  Horns blared and tires screeched, everything seemed like it was in slow motion. I've survived a bomb, I think I could be okay with this. My hearing in my right ear still wasn't amazing but it was a bit better. Gunshots rang through the air and screams filled the empty space following them.

  Was I scared? A bit, yeah. Natasha was too. Guns weren't a laughing matter. People were out here dying and we were hiding in our car. It was protocol but it was so screwed up. We're supposed to be saving the world, not hiding. If I got out, I'd be killed. I had no idea how many shooters there were but I knew I wouldn't step out of the car alive. I needed a plan, and I needed one fast.