Ion Heart

Chapter 17: The Pop-Tart Conundrum

'Easy.' Dad says in a gentle albeit agitated voice. 'Just a bit to the left... Left... LEFT!!!'

My hands slide left, making the carrier jolt. 

'I said easy!' He snaps. I grin right back, winding him up even more. Dad's been teaching me how to fly and I enjoy it, but not the patronising, hand-gripping-wheel, I'm going to plummet to my death any second tone that comes with it. That, and my mind is currently occupied on something, someone else. 

'Now remember, Clint is hooked up to an IV so just-'

'Steady movements, I get it.' I roll my eyes. Despite his opinion, I know what I'm doing. 

Behind me, the team relaxes after the battle. There's finally a feeling of satisfaction and even Steve is smiling now that we have officially defeated Hydra. The only person on edge is Banner. He doesn't like the transformation into the Hulk. I can hear Nat trying to comfort him in hushed tones. 

'Thor, report on the Hulk.' She calls across the carrier. 

'The gates of hell are filled with the screams of his victims.' He grins.

We all groan, mentally face palming. Nat looks at Thor like 'really' as Banner's head drops in his hands. 

'But not the screams of the dead, wounded screams...' Thor stutters, trying to fix his sentence. 

Steve's looking at the wall, his eyes reading shut up shut up shut up. I shake my head, laughing until Dad slaps my hand. 

'Pay attention!'

'Sorry, wouldn't want to crash into a cloud!' I sass. 

Dad rolls his eyes and instead swivels round on his chair. 'Hey, Banner! Dr. Cho is on her way, is it ok if she sets up in your lab?'

'Yeah, she knows her way around.'

'Thanks!' He replies, swivelling back round and mumbling something about Barton to Jarvis. My eyes are focused on the light bouncing through the clouds. 'Ok, you're done. Jarvis take the wheel.' 

'Wait what?' My head whips up. 

'You've been flying for over an hour. That's long enough.'

'But-' It's useless. Dad has got up and left and the steering is out of my control. I groan loudly before joining the others. 

'It's just a few days to the farewell party, you're staying right?' I ask Thor. 

'Of course Mini Stark.' He booms. 

'Good.' Dad says clapping a hand to my back. 'Because she's planning it.'

'No I'm not.' 

'Bruce and I are going to study the sceptre for the next three days so you get to plan the party.'

'But I-'

'And Dr. Cho will be in the lab so make sure you lose the grumpy assassin look and channel your inner Pepper. You are my assistant after all.'

'Do you not think on some level she already knows?' I mumble, slumping next to Nat. Assistant is my new charade much to everyone's amusement. For the rest of the journey I talk to Nat but at the back of my mind lurks the colour silver. I wonder if he's thinking of me.

'Katy! We're about to land!' Dad calls. In other words, Katy, land the plane.

I forcefully smile, springing up from my seat and swinging into the pilot chair. 

'Steady, Steady. STEADY!' Dad shouts, his hands hovering over mine.