T̷̨͐͌h̴͍́͜e̶̼̩͊ ̷̯̬̏M̵͔̜̉u̵̺͈̽͒ẗ̵̪́̈e̵̙͗̍

Ṗ̷͇ä̴̠́r̷͓͌t̸̟̑ ̵͝ͅ1̷̡̈́9̷̎͜

      Spencer was confused, no, she was terrified. An arc reactor, a device that was supposed to absorb, contain and reuse energy, just flat out exploded on her chest.
      What.
      The.
      HELL?!

      Her mind was racing as she ran, well, hobbled to the lab. She could already feel herself deteriorating. She needed a new energy source and fast. What the hell just happened? First, she's shedding electricity, then the damn thing that was supposed to save her life explodes?

      Spencer's eyes start to sting. So much had just happened. So much she couldn't explain, and she hated not having answers. Her chest was burning with anxiety and a rising panic attack and she just wanted it to stop. She feels the crackling at her fingertips and looks down at the electricity dancing at them. She clenches her jaw and puts on a face of pure determination.

      Something Spencer learned over the years is that she can sort of... shut off her emotions. She'd delve into her work and wouldn't let her mind drift from it. Some would say that isn't healthy, but Spencer says to hell with health.

°‡°

      In the lab Spencer re connects her arm to the electric drip Tony made for her, but the moment she does electricity crackles at her fingers. She raises an eyebrow. Maybe the crackling was caused by an overload of power, but how much electricity was too much or too little?

      Spencer shakes her head. She'll figure that out later. Right now she needs to figure out how to get this electricity off her fingers, or at least stop it from happening. She needed some sort of containment shield or... Spencer jumps up in her seat and runs out of the lab. Gloves! She could use Wanda's gloves because they already served the purpose to control her psionic powers. All Spencer had to do was repurpose them to her needs!

°‡°

      Wanda watches as Spencer runs into the equipment room and leaves with her gloves. She looks confused and follows her, accidentally reaching into her mind. Wanda freezes mid step. Her eyes glow a dim red and an overwhelming wave of emotion hits her. A single tear slips down the side of her face and her lip quivers.

      Wanda falls to the floor, her eyes so full of tears she can hardly see. "Wanda!" Pietro runs to Wanda's side and she shakes her head. She starts to sob, and Pietro holds her tightly and looks around, trying to find what had upset his sister.

°‡°

      Spencer lifts up her gloves and smiles a bit. Here goes nothing. She slides them on her hands despite the crackling of electricity at her fingertips. Once they completely cover her hands the crackling stops. Spencer smiles and laughs a bit. One problem solved. Now she had to figure out how to deal with her ears, what else the serum changed, a possible cure, and try to avoid Tony and Peter.

      Should be easy enough.

      Right?

°‡°

      Spencer locks herself in the lab for the next three days. Tony tried to talk to her, but Spencer actively ignored him. She designed smaller, more manageable (and less ridiculous) looking headphones that cancel out almost all noise. Spencer's first experience with music was magical. She'd listened to 'Secrets' by One Republic and couldn't help but cry. It was beautiful.

      Spencer listened to the song on repeat for two hours and just listened. She couldn't believe this had ever been denied to her. Music was... incredible.

°‡°

      Peter was happier than he could ever be. Swinging through the streets of New York, singing and whooping. He felt unstoppable. Why, you ask? HE KISSED SPENCER STARK! Now, he could say it without any denial. He was in love. He loved her, and couldn't wait to see her again.

      Aunt May had called him a love sick puppy. She teased him a bit, but couldn't help but smile at her nephew as he ranted about Spencer. May was eager to meet the girl her nephew had fallen for, but a call from Tony Stark made her feel terrible.

      Spencer had apparently locked herself in her lab after an accident with an arc reactor and her need for electricity to survive. The billionaire assured May she was okay, but had completely shut down mentally. He mentioned Wanda's break down after having entered the little hacker's mind.

      May told Peter, and he begged to see her. Tony told them she wasn't seeing anyone, not even him. He expressed that it was possibly just the way she worked through things, just like him. (The fact that Spencer and Tony had something in common made the billionaire's heart swell.) So, Peter stayed love sick and in a state of longing; Waiting until he would see Spencer again.

°‡°

      Tony chews his fingernails as he watches Spencer work in her lab. He wanted to talk to her so desperately, but he knew she wouldn't respond. He wanted to know why. Why did his daughter hate him so much? What had he done for her to hate him? "She blames you." Tony jumps as Natasha steps into the room. He glares at her. "Don't you knock?"

      "No." She states with a smirk. Tony sighs and turns to her. "What do you mean she blames me?" Natasha walks to the seat next to Tony and turns his computer screen so she can see Spencer too. "I mean she blames you for everything bad that's happened to her." Tony makes a face and shakes his head. "But I didn't do anything." Natasha nods. "Exactly." Tony stares at her confused.

      Natasha rolls her eyes. "Clueless." She mutters. Natasha sighs and looks Tony in the eyes. "She blames you because you're a hero, and you were never there to save her." Tony's eyes widened a bit. "I--" He stops, not knowing what to say. "How...?" Natasha shrugs at his unspoken question. "We've talked, and I figured it out. It wasn't too hard. I am a spy you know." Tony looks down and nods.

      "What do I do?" Natasha stares at him. She never seen Tony like this. So... defeated. Confused. Scared. She sighs and puts her hand on his. He looks at her. "Just be there for her. Be the father she's always needed in her life." She gives him a nod. "Be her hero." Natasha pats Tony's hand, then stands and leaves the room.

      Tony looks at his computer. He clenches his jaw, and stands, leaving the room.

OOOOOF!!!

GET READY FOR SOME IRONDAD™!!!!

ALSO, TO CLEAR SOMETHINGS UP, IN THE CHAPTER SPENCER IS HAVING A BIT OF A MENTAL BREAKDOWN. I TRIED TO CONVEY IT THROUGH THE WAY I WROTE IT AND MADE IT 'OVERLY HAPPY'.

SPENCER SAYS THAT SHE CAN SHUT OFF HER EMOTIONS, BUT UNKNOWN TO HER THAT EVERYTIME SHE DOES THIS, SHE IS CRYING.

CRYING, AND DOESN'T EVEN REALIZE IT.

ALSO, SPENCER HAS BEEN WITH THE AVENGERS FOR ABOUT THREE AND A HALF MONTHS.

THE FIRST TWO ARE AFTER SHE HELPS BRING BARNES TO THE TOWER.

THEN SHE GOES MISSING FOR ABOUT A WEEK.

THEY FIND HER AND SHE GOES INTO A COMA FOR TWO WEEKS.

CHO FINDS OUT SHE NEEDS ELECTRICITY TO SURVIVE.

SPENCER RECOVERS IN ABOUT A WEEK.

SPENCER IS FINALLY ABLE TO STAND. SHE MEETS WITH PETER (WE SEE THEM KISS). SHE DELVES INTO HER WORK FOR ABOUT A WEEK.

AND PRESENT.

HOPE THAT HELPS!