New Recruits

5 | babysitting

One Week Later

Day 1:

"You're sure you're fine to watch her?" Pepper asked, holding Lily. Lily was a three-year-old girl that she and Tony had adopted a little over a year back. She had been with her godmother, Pepper's sister Amelia, the first week that the girls had arrived, but now she was back and spreading smiles throughout the tower.

"Of course! She'll be fine." Hailey reassured her. Hailey had always loved kids and was the best with them. No one knew why, but it was just in her nature. Pepper handed Lily to her.

"Thank you so much," Pepper said, cupping Lily's little cheek in her hand before kissing her forehead. "I Love you," She said to her little girl. "And thank you, girls! And Peter!" She exclaimed before running out the door to catch her flight.

She was going away to attend a three-day business meeting in Hong Kong while the Avengers were out on a mission in Paris. The six kids had been left alone at the tower and Tony had left Hailey in charge since she was the oldest. She was just happy since someone was finally recognizing her as the oldest. 

 Lily waved and smiled brightly as her mom left before turning to Hailey and playing with her hair.

"Why don't we go up to the living room?" Peter suggested, leading the way into the elevator. Lily was babbling and giggling which made everyone laugh. Even El, although she was quiet.

They sat down on the couch and Thalia put Beauty and the Beast on the TV while Lily kept talking in gibberish.

"Uh huh. Wow!" Hailey and Thalia exclaimed. De had not yet given in to the cuteness, but before long she was over playing with Lily and talking in a baby voice.

"Do you not like children?" Wanda asked, walking over to El.

"It's more complicated than that," El said, fidgeting with her fingers. "I just don't understand why everyone is so willing to hold her." She shrugged.

"Me too. I am afraid I'll hurt her." Wanda agreed.

"I don't want to drop her or something." El sighed.

"I feel the same way!" Wanda nodded. "My brother has always been the one who's good with kids."

"You've mentioned your brother before... Where is he?" El asked. "I mean, you don't have to answer. Cause that could be a super personal question. Sorry," She apologized. 

"Don't worry, El." Wanda laughed. "Well, I'm not really sure where he is right now. He's been gone with S.H.I.E.L.D. since after Sokovia," she sighed, referencing when the Avengers fought Ultron and his bots in Sokovia. 

"Oh," was all El could say. 

--

Day 2:

"No. I am not holding the kid." El mumbled, backing away from Hailey, who was holding Lily.

"C'mon! Everyone else is on patrol. Just do it." Everyone else was out patrolling different parts of the city since the other official Avengers were out on a mission. 

"I am not holding her." Just then, the three kids who were on patrol walked in and Peter laughed.

"She still won't hold her?" He laughed, pulling off his mask and flopping down on the couch.

"She's afraid she'll hurt her." Thalia sighed.

"What?" Peter's eyes opened in concern.

"Yeah. Is... Is that bad?" El mumbled, pulling the sleeves of the arms of her sweatshirt over her hands and fidgeting with them.