Living My Best Life - Stony

ten part 2

"Steve, I'm sorry. I couldn't sleep, I-" I turned and saw a young girl stood in the doorway. "Morgan?" She acted as if she couldn't see or hear me. Maybe she couldn't. I frowned and rubbed my eyes, the gentle ringing from my phone sounding quietly in the background. I got up and walked towards her.

"I can hear you but I don't want her to. Please hang up the phone." She was absent-mindedly turning a small sheet of metal in her hands. I took it, placed it back on the table, walked towards my desk and hung up the phone.

"You have no idea how long I've been thinking about running away for."

"Morgan... wait. What?" She cocked her head to one side as if in thought.

"I didn't like moms new boyfriend - he abused me. Physically - mom hurt me emotionally. I needed to get away.

"I wouldn't put it past them to put a tracker in my clothes so I went to a 24-hour Walmart and bought completely new everything and changed in a public restroom. I threw my clothes in the trash and ran. I would've called but they confiscated my phone, I only had my card from you. I never told them about it because I knew that, at some point, I would be leaving."

"Honey, I'm so sorry, here..." I cautiously took a couple of steps towards her and gave her a hug. Tears fell down her cheeks silently. I think she was kind of in shock.

"Okay; let's get you changed and I'll make you something to eat, okay? You've still got your room, so change into something comfortable. I'll get breakfast sorted for us and then we can talk, okay?" She nodded; I kissed the top of her head, let go and watched as she walked toward the elevator. I stood unthinkingly for a few moments and then bolted to my bedroom.

"Steve. Steve..." I hit him around the face (Not like properly but as a 'wake up lazyass' kind of way) and he started stirring.

"Whyyouup?" He mumbled.

"STEVE!" I yelled - with that he sat bolt upright.

"Jesus Tony, I was just trying to sleep..."

"Morgan's here."

"Hilarious."

"I need to make her breakfast what should I make?" His face suddenly dawned with an expression of I don't know what but he stared at me oddly until I hit his knee.

"Stop hitting me!" He smiled and I laughed, and he then said "Pancakes? Or crepes? Like um... English pancakes? We have peanut butter and Nutella and fluffy marshmallow stuff and whipped cream and fresh fruit, I bought a bunch of food yesterday. Oh, but if you make them you might have to wake up Peter."

"Wake up Peter for what?" Peter was stood in the doorway looking mightily confused.

"Right, well, um... your sisters here," I muttered.

"Morgan?"

"Yeah. Go knock on her door and see if she's okay? I'm quite worried about her."

"Why, what's going on?" With that, I frowned.

"Well I'm not too sure but I'm still concerned." Steve, who was in the bathroom getting dressed at this point, yelled

"SEE WHAT SHE WANTS FOR BREAKFAST!" Peter and I laughed and Peter went to find out her request.

"Steve you don't have to change in the bathroom anymore Jesus Christ..." He walked back out and I looked at him for a moment and grinned.

"What?"

"Nothing, nothing..."

"Tony..."

"Your shirt is inside out. And back to front, I'm sorry," I burst out laughing as Steve crossly put it the right way round.

"She said whatever you're making. She doesn't want it to be any trouble."

"I need to go talk to her," I replied as I sat up. I groaned and patted Peter on the shoulder. "Thanks, kid." With that, I walked down the corridor and knocked on her door.

"You can come in." I slowly opened the door and made sure it didn't hit the door.

"You alright?" She nodded. She'd showered - her hair was damp and she was drying it with a towel. Her hoodie had some water stains and her jogging bottoms were too big - I think she might have lost some weight, they fit her fine last time. "So hey, I know I said we would talk at breakfast, but the thing I was planning on making is kind of a family thing. If you don't want to have to talk to a bunch of people that's fine, I totally understand, I can make yours and we can talk and then Steve and Peter can eat or us four could eat together."

"Us four as in you, me, Peter and Pops?" I nodded and she smiled. "But I don't wanna talk about the whole running away thing, can that not come up?"

"I'll try my best to make sure it doesn't. I was gonna make pancakes, is that okay or do you want something else?"

"Pancakes sounds good but I'm probably not gonna eat loads, I'm not hungry."

"Eat what you want, it's okay. Anything we don't eat everyone else WILL fight over, so it's not gonna be wasted. We used to eat together and then it got a bit argumentative." As I said this, she wasn't looking at me but I was studying her face. The dark circles under her eyes were extremely noticeable, and she looked a little scared.

"You live with me now, we can protect you. You know that, right?"

"I just don't want her to come and try and take me away."

"She won't. I promise. Right," I clapped my hands and rubbed them together. She winced slightly and I instantly felt bad. "Oh my god I'm so sorry are you okay?"

"I'm fine, sorry. Not used to being away but I'll be fine in a few days." She laughed slightly and I relaxed a little.

"I was gonna say I'm going to make breakfast. Jarvis'll let you know when it's done." I turned to leave, and just as the door swung shut, there was a force on the other side stopping it.

"Can I help?" Morgan's face peeped around the side of the door and I grinned.

"Sure. English crepes - I was just gonna look for a recipe."

"I already know one. I memorised it a couple of years ago, I was that bored." I nodded, impressed and held my arm out.

"After you!" And she smiled the most genuine smile I'd seen of her's since she was a baby.