New Identity ~ MCU/SWCW Story

|<Chapter Three>|

I'm back and alive :D
Edited as of 5/30/21

"So, about the results," the worker chuckled nervously, glancing at them from her seat across from them. They were currently all sitting in a private room, which had already been prepared for them. Apparently, according to the man, this news was something that Ashley and Bethany needed to sit down for. The pair had arrived at the station around nine, and had immediately been ushered into an office of sorts. Even though her mind was foggy from the intense pain radiating from her abdomen, Ashley made it a point to try her best to concentrate on the man's words.

    "Yes?" The teenager questioned. She had been fairly quiet this morning as to not giveaway the incredible agony she was enduring, but excitement was getting the best of her.

    "We uh..." he paused, trying to find the best way to word what he was about to say. "What if I told you that there weren't any?"

    "What do you mean?" Ashley asked incredulously.

    "We ran the tests," he explained, "and, to put it in the least confusing way, you don't exist. Not in paper or online files. There isn't even a trace of anything remotely close to your relatives either. Quite frankly, we've never seen blood like yours before."

    "Well, I mean, I am sitting here right in front of you," Ashley deadpanned, choosing to ignore the remark about her blood type. "Is that not proof enough of my existence? Maybe there's just a glitch in the system?"

    "Look," the worker sighed, "We tried everything we could. There is absolutely nothing about you in the system, let alone about your parents."

    Any emotion that she was feeling: excitement, confusion, anticipation- it all faded away. It was replaced with pure grief. Well, grief, as well as frustration at the pain she was in. Just the crestfallen look on the teenager's face was enough to make Bethany want to cry, and that was saying a lot. The woman never cried.

    "I don't think I understand," Ashley whispered, visibly shaking from trying to hold her tears in, "I have to have parents! It isn't like I can just blink into existence!"

    "I'm sorry Ms. Tanner," the man replied, "but we've done everything we can. And, unfortunately, given that you don't have any parents and you are still a minor, some paperwork needs to be filled out for your placement in the foster system."

    Ashley stared at the man in both shock and fear. Then, with tears stinging in the corner of her eyes, she stood up out of her chair and stumbled out of the room.

    The worker went to rush after her, but was stopped short by Bethany. The brunette stood in front of the doorway and gave him a hard glare. "Don't you dare," she growled. "You've already caused enough damage."

    If looks could kill, the man would've already been pinned to the wall by the hundreds of daggers thrown by Bethany. Getting the message, the worker slowly backed up and sat back down in her seat, queuing Bethany to jog out of the door and towards the direction that the distraught teenager had scampered away in.

    "Ashley? Ash~?" Bethany called out, searching every nook and cranny that she could find. Unfortunately, the girl was nowhere in sight. Bethany slowed to a walk and resorted to using her hearing, all the while whispering, "Poor kid."

    The brunette finally picked up on muffled sobbing coming from her right. She turned to see a slightly cracked door, which Bethany pushed open and wandered through.

    "Ash?" Bethany cautiously asked, darting her eyes around in the dark to see if she could make out the familiar figure. "Where are you?"

    The brunette's gaze finally fell on a dark silhouette that was slumped against a wall. She carefully walked over, trying her best not to be too loud or quick with her steps to upset the girl. Without saying a word, she sat down beside Ashley and swung an arm around the girl's shoulder. "I know this is all hard, Ash. Why don't you go ahead and talk? It'll make you feel better to get it off your chest."