Worth It

One

"I'm home!" I announce to the house. I don't know why I did that, it's not like my coming home is going to make their lives so much better.

I turn the corner into the kitchen and set down my backpack before starting my homework. I hear my foster brothers heavy footsteps as they  come down the stairs and a feeling of dread begins to wash over me.

"Hey, bitch." Joseph greets me harshly, slapping the back of my head before ripping up my schoolwork. Jokes on him though because I always ask for an extra copy. I prepare myself for the beating as Gregory inches towards me.

"Hello there, (Y/N)." he says with mock kindness.

Here we go again.

~fast forward~

"Please! Stop it!" My feeble attempts at reasoning with them accomplishes nothing but fueling their rage. I hear something crack and I cry out in pain, this stops them. The worried expression on their faces is not out of sympathy but self preservation. If the social worker sees anything wrong with me, they don't get their check. That's why they usually stick to kicking me where my clothes would cover up the bruises.

"Oh, shit," Gregory exclaims "dad's gonna be pissed." he leans in real close before whispering to me.

"You fell down the stairs."

"I fell down the stairs." I reply with a weak voice knowing that if I don't cooperate, the beatings will only worsen.

"If you tell our dad about this, you're fucking dead."

"I know."

Funny thing is that I know he can't kill me, trust me, I've tried.

AVENGERS TOWER (Tony's POV)

"Listen, capcicle. All I'm saying is that if this avengers thing suddenly stops working out for you, you could definitely go into show-biz." I smirk at Steve while he sighs.

"I wish they destroyed that footage." Steve looks at me hoping I might end his torture. Nope.

"FRIDAY, can you play the video just one more time?" I politely ask the AI.

"Right away, boss."

The tv lights up and starts playing a video of Steve in his old fashioned Captain America suit, doing a show in front of a crowd of children. Right as we get to the good part where one of the mothers in the crowd starts yelling flirty things at a flustered looking Steve, Nat and Clint walk in, ready to spoil my fun.

"Tony, I think you've played that video enough." Nat scolds me "Look at Steve," she gestures to  Steve who looks as if he's in pain "he's miserable!"

"That's kinda the point." I shoot back before clicking off the tv "You got something for me?"

"Maybe," Nat replies while flicking through some files "there's a 14 year old girl in Queens who has shown signs of being powered."

"Signs? Like what?" Steve questions.

"Abnormal strength, rapid healing, and possibly mental manipulation."Clint answers Steves question.

"Mental manipulation?" Steve asks

Nat replies "Making you see stuff, controlling your thoughts, all that fun stuff."

"Great, let's go pick her up!" I start toward the door before Nat grabs my arm

"We can't just kidnap a child because we think she might have powers, we need proof."Nat argues.

I roll my eyes and sigh before looking at her and giving in "Fine, let's get some proof then."