Hold Onto Me 'Cause I'm a Little Unsteady

Chapter Fifteen

"Where's Harley?" Steve asks, picking the sticky note up from the dining room table.

Morgan looks up from her bowl of cereal and shrugs. "I think I heard him leave last night, but I'm not sure where."

"Fri?"

"Harley's trackers are currently at Ned Leeds's house, but they are not on him," the AI responds. "It might be of use to know there was a recent purchase from Harley's credit card for a plane ticket."

"What?" Steve asks, almost losing his grip on his coffee mug. "Where's he going? What the fuck?"

"Language," Morgan mutters half-heartedly, pushing another spoonful of cheerios into her mouth.

"It is a flight leaving at one pm to Tennessee."

Steve lets out an irritated sigh, resting his head in his hands for a moment before he grabs his phone. He turns to Morgan. "Are you good for a little bit while I figure this out?"

She nods, taking her bowl to the kitchen, and disappearing into the living room.

He calls Ned, already knowing Harley won't pick up the phone.

"Hi, Mister Stark-Rogers," Ned chirps, already sounding anxious. "If you're trying to get through me to reach Harley, he's already left."

"Where?"

"Airport. He took a cab," the teenager replies tiredly. "I tried to reason with him, but honestly? I don't think it's such a bad idea. He needs family right now, Mister Stark-Rogers, and no offence to either of you, but you don't seem to be providing much of that... He misses Abbie and wants to go back to his home for a little while."

Steve sighs again, tugging at his hair with his free hand. "Will you just tell him to keep in touch while he's there. Even through you. I don't... I can't lose another kid."

"I know. He's already promised to text me twice a day while he's there. He'll be fine. He's Harley Keener, of course he'll be fine."

Steve drags a hand through his hair, trying his best to calm his angry and worries. He'll have to tell Tony that somehow they managed to lose another kid already, but he'll wait until he gets back home. Whenever that may be. For now, though, he'll try not to fuck up with the last child he's got under the roof.

*

Harley gets off the plane at his layover spot in Virginia. It was cheaper to get a flight with a layover than the alternative, but still. He does not want to spend three hours by himself in an airport. It's awful, especially since Harley's phone has already died and he didn't think to bring an outlet... He didn't think much at all considering all he has is a backpack Ned let him steal with a few of Ned's hoodies and his wallet.

He has his credit card that has plenty of money he can use to keep him alive while he's here, but he wouldn't be too surprised if Tony or Steve cut him off.

So, he finds an uncomfortable chair in a random section of seats and watches the people bustle by, trying his best not to think of everyone he's turned his back on.

Tony probably hasn't even noticed his disappearance, unless Steve's told him, but it's unlikely. But when he does find out, he'll be angry, and it'll probably push him even further into his recluse.

Steve now has to take care of Morgan singlehandedly while Tony searches for Peter with Nat.

Morgan will be confused and most likely alone if Steve's recent behaviours are anything to go off of.

MJ and Ned will have to make do without half their friend circle once again.

Not to mention Peter who's god-knows-where and probably desperate to be rescued. Probably scared and alone and at the end of his willpower.