Silence Speaks (Book Two to Silence Series)

Seventeen

It was around two when everyone came back. The kids were in bed ages ago. Loki and I had chosen to stretch out on one of the couches and talk against the TV's background noise. I sat up when everyone walked into the living room and Loki grumbled. "You two can sleep here." Pepper assured us and I thanked them quietly. I got up, putting my hand on Loki's for only a moment. I followed everyone out to the kitchen and hopped up on the counter. "What's up, you look...I don't know contemplative." Sam commented, leaning against the counter across from me. Everyone gathered around and I played with my fingers. "I think we're going to push for a kid. At least we're talking about it." Pepper gasped and Nat tapped the counter happily. "I called it." I laughed quietly and looked at the floor. "I love Sage, Cooper and Morgan with all my heart and it makes me wonder if I could ever do it." I shrugged and Bucky hugged me. "You've got our support Pete. Just know that." I smiled and pushed myself off the counter. "We won't be here in the morning because I've got work and he's got school, but we'll see you guys this weekend. Thank you for letting us stay." I walked into the living room and Loki opened his arms for me. I cuddled into his embrace and fell asleep to his heartbeat.

It was just light outside when I woke up again. "Ready to go?" Loki hummed and I nodded tiredly. I didn't have to be at SHIELD for another few hours, so I didn't have to worry about rushing. I drove us home and we walked in together. "Do you need a ride to school?" He shook his head and I pulled him in for a kiss. "I'm going to take a nap before work because I didn't sleep well. I'll see you tonight okay?" He nodded and kissed me again. "I'll call if there is any issues." He went upstairs and I collapsed on the couch, curling into the cushions.

An alarm went off and I groaned, sitting up. It turned off and I checked the time. I had enough time to shower and grabbed a drink before I left. "Good morning sir. Loki told me to tell you he loves you." I smiled and went upstairs, grabbing stuff to take a quick shower.

I pulled up to the SHIELD headquarters and walked inside, clipping my badge to the bottom of my shirt. "Morning Parker." Hill greeted and I gave her a tired salute. "Didn't sleep?" She wiggled her eyebrows and I chuckled. "Lo and I babysat last night and didn't up going to bed till like three. Then we had to get up early so he could get ready for school." She nodded and I collapsed in a chair, taking small sips from my coffee. "What was I called in for?" I questioned and Hill smiled. "You were all called in. Fury's got plans for you." I huffed and rubbed the sleep from my eyes.

"Parker." I jumped slightly, wiping the sleep from my face. "Fury." He shook my hand and I followed him to a conference room. We walked in and I nodded to the Avengers. It was so weird to be so business formal around them when these people have literally watched me nearly bleed out and get drunk. I collapsed in a chair and sighed quietly. I felt so off. I hadn't had nightmares in a few months and they all the sudden reared their ugly head. I couldn't close my eyes without seeing something traumatic. "Pete, are you okay?" Tony asked quietly and I nodded, pausing to yawn. "Didn't sleep well." Fury handed us all files and I twisted in my chair, making it revolve on its spring. "All it is is paperwork." He grabbed the back of my chair and turned it towards the table. Sam coughed out a laugh and I shot him a playful glare. "What for?" Steve questioned and I opened the file. "You want me to be the Avengers' handler? I didn't think that was a thing." I muttered in disbelief. "Not so much a handler and more a leader. They'd come to you for reports, you'll be the one to report to me. You'll fight with them and go on missions on your own. You'll also be looking over our Avengers Academy." Fury explained and I nodded slowly.

"Why me? I haven't even turned eighteen yet." He tapped his finger on a tablet and a video popped up. I winced when I watched the building collapse on me. "God dammit you're Spiderman and he's going to destroy Stark." I snapped at myself and pushed a ton of concrete off my back. It changed to my fight with Mysterio. "Give her back Beck." The footage showed my eyes closing and me taking down drones. I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose, looking away from the screen. "I love you too." My head snapped up as a gun shot rang out and I watched myself kill Wade again. "That's why." The room was silent for a moment. "You had a building dropped on you?" Nat choked out and I shrugged. "Toomes had crashed a building down on me, that was after Tony took my suit away." I can still feel the pain in my back and neck. "You never told me that." I shook my head. "I didn't feel like it was necessary, I stopped him and he was murdered not even a month ago. Nothing can be done now." The subject was dropped and Fury slid a pack of pens across the table. "You sign this and you report to Parker from now on. Any covert mission I or he sends you on, goes directly to him. Mission reports, vacations, questions, anything at all. You go to him. And this is non negotiable and if you don't sign it, this isn't like the Accords, I will kick you off the team and you will hang up your suit." He looked directly at Steve and I whistled lowly.

"This is bull! Nat and I have had way more experience than he does and we don't get a say in this?" Clint protested and Nat put her hand on his arm. "He's young, he's had experience and you both have kids Barton." Fury responded calmly and everyone's eyes slid to me. "He's my kid!" I pursed my lips. "Paperwork says otherwise Clint. I haven't been your kid since January. If anything, I'm more Tony's kid." I grabbed a pen and quickly signed my name in the respected places. I checked my watch and stretched. "I have a class starting in two hours. Let me know what happens." I pushed myself up and out of the chair. I cracked my back and left the room, whistling quietly as I did.

"Loki?" I called into the house. "In here!" He called back and I shut the door. He met me in the kitchen and I leaned into his outstretched arms. "How was work?" I huffed quietly. "Fury made me the Avengers' leader. I'm basically their new director." Loki hummed and I looked up at him. "I got a pay raise. Thirty thousand a month." He whistled and kissed me. "I'm proud of you." I smiled and placed my hands on his hips. "How was your day?" He shrugged lightly and played with the hair at the nape of my neck. "Not bad, I got a lot of work done. Matt has me coming in tomorrow for a case, I don't know when I will be home." I nodded and put my head against his chest. "What are you thinking for dinner?" He hummed and I sighed. "How about we just go pick up something quick and turn in for the night?" He lifted my head and looked at me worriedly. "Are you having nightmares again?" I bit my lip and nodded. "I think that's a great idea. Did you want to pick a movie too?" I smiled and he kissed me quickly. "Then that's what we'll do."