LACIE'S POV

And I'm stuck in an elevator with Tony freakin' Stark. Awesome. How in the hell did I get here? Oh, right. Johnny.

*ten hours earlier*

"Lacie!!!" two high pitch voices scream as they all but tackle me in a hug. I grin happily at them. Marley and Anna, thank God.

"Happy birthday, beautiful girl!" piped the tiny blonde girl. She was a bundle of explosive energy, soft blonde hair and warm brown in eyes in a 5'2" package. Marley had more boyfriends than I can count, she uses them like she uses her shoes: she changes them every day but she never gets rid of them, they just wait to get picked again.

"I'm glad to see you and Johnny made it through another year." murmurs the quiet voice of the raven haired girl. Born in America but her parents were Korean, Anna had black hair and dark brown eyes and a quiet, calm disposition. She's the one I trust with everything. Maybe I can tell her about Johnny, she has the same amount of experience as me with boys at least: none.

"They're not going to kill each other, Anna." Marley scolds, scoffing.

"Seriously maim though..." Anna murmurs, smiling at Sue when she laughs.

The five of us were standing in Vinchelli's Diner, it was off the radar to most tourists so we could hang around in relative peace. At 8:45 on a Friday morning, only three other patrons were even here. There was a shoddy looking guy in a corner booth; greasy hair, dirty clothes, constantly twitching and checking his cellphone. Then at the counter sat Officer Friendly and Deputy Dumb Ass.

Howlton, Officer Friendly, was nice enough. He was a clean shaved, bald, aging New York police officer: translation- he's seen enough shit to know how to respond to people. Gregorio, Deputy Dumb Ass, on the other hand, was a prissy guy just out of the academy. He thought he knew everything because he "memorized the handbook on police etiquette." Since when was that an actual book, huh? Dumb ass.

Alicia, Sue and I had gotten here only moments ago to be greeted by Thelma. I love Thelma. She was from Kentucky, but she moved to New York with her husband in the 90's. Her accent was a rough twang and, mixing that with her died red hair and habit of flirting, she reminded me of Flo, from the old TV show Alice. She seated us quickly, yammering about something Joe did this morning that made her mad. Joe was her husband, owner of the diner and resident cook.

Joe is rarely seen. He always stays in the kitchen but he yells out his opinions on everything, from Thelma's ability to take orders to the newest scandal in politics. He's pretty nosy. I remember him as tall, well taken care of. Thelma says he's the hottest piece she's seen, except for those new superheros, The Avengers. Thelma might be a bit biased though, seeing as the saved her daughter during the invasion. Hell, Officer Friendly was in the middle of that chaos and he even got an order from Captain America.

I swear, he fan girls every time someone even mentions the Captain now.

I'm not bashing them, not at all. The Avengers are awesome. They saved New York from a deranged God over a year ago. My family couldn't help because they were off fighting Doom when he threw a hissy fit in Moscow.

Now that all of us were here we promptly ordered breakfast. Stacks of french toast and pancakes, orange juice(Marley was not allowed to have caffeine, ever.) and coffee and a fruit salad for Sue. As waited for our food we had a shallow, typical shopping day conversation.

"I haven't gone shopping in forever!"

"God. My ass looked so fat in those pants."

"I can't believe she actually bought that!"

"Reed never knew I replaced them. Because I'm a genius."

"We had better see some hot guys today. Oh shit, sorry Alicia."

"...Can we go to Victoria's Secret? I love it there."

Just as we were about to dive into the fascinating discussion of waxing habits, Thelma brought our food. She pulled over a chair to our little table and sat next to us.

"Morning, girlies. How are you, birthday girl? Going grey yet?" Thelma asked with a throaty chuckle.

I smiled softly "I'm alright,Thelma. No grey hair, just a stupid pimple." Thelma raised an eyebrow, amused.

"You'll be wishing for pimples in a few years, pretty girl. Just wait until you're wrinkled and spotted. Why, when I was 18 I was gorgeous. Now I'm dyed and plucked all over." she laughed.

Sue rolled her eyes and quickly started denying that that was true. Anna and Marley quickly started protesting, too. But, Alicia stared right at me-or through me. She stood up slowly motioning to the door with a tiny jerk of her head. How does she know where-no, never mind, I'll think about it later.

I got up behind her and followed her outside. Alicia waited for me on the corner, overlooking all the people passing by. She gave me the vague feeling that she was much more aware of her surroundings than she let on.

"What's going on, Lacie?" she murmured softly.

"W-what are you t-talking about, Alicia?" I stammered, she couldn't mean...

"You and Johnny. Johnny and you." ...I guess she did mean. Well, crap. Her brown eyes roamed my face, seeing my problems in place of my skin.

"N-nothing. Nothing. It's...just...Johnny...and me. Not 'Johnny and me'."

"Charlie?"

"Alicia. I don't...I don't know."

"Charlie."

"I don't know! Really. He hasn't changed. Me, I might have gone crazy. Like hormone driven crazy."

She looked at me a little harder. I stiffened, the hair on my arms rose sharply. Her face cleared and she nodded once, softly.

"Okay, Lace. Let's go back and eat our breakfast. We'll get you something to take your mind off of Johnny." I smiled as she walked back into the diner, hand slightly outstretched to make sure she didn't run into anyone or anything.

Thank God for Alicia.

******************
(Almost 10 Hours Later)

"He was the worst waiter ever!"

"Oh my god, did you see his underwear? Like, buy a belt."

"And, this is why he probably spit in your food." I snapped as we passed a group of teenagers leaving the mall. The looked at me angrily before huffing off, bitches. Sue and Marley burst out laughing. I smiled happily at them, some people think I'm funny at least.

But Alicia seemed distracted by something. before I could ask her what was wrong she said, "Hi, Johnny.", and turned slightly so she was angled in my direction. Or rather, in Johnny's direction.

I spun quickly to find myself face-to-face, or face-to-amazingly defined chest, with Johnny Storm.

"What the hell, Storm!"I snapped. My heart actually jumped when I said his name, it started pounding harshly in my chest. Benedict Arnold has got nothing on my hormones.

"No need to be snappish, short stop. I just came to talk to Sue." he said calmly. I felt surprised, and kind of hurt, but I moved out of the way so he could maneuver over to Sue and pull her out off our hearing range.

"What's wrong with him? He seems off." asked Anna. Marley snorted with amusement.

"Nothing is off with that fine piece of ass."

"Marley Renee!" Anna gasped, she flushed a soft pink in embarrassment. Okay, maybe I have more experience, or at least more knowledge, than Anna does about guys. I'm not that big a prude, after all.

"No, Anna's right. He sounds different than he did this morning." I look over at Alicia in surprise. Different? Well, maybe. He didn't flirt with Marley like he normally does, she's 20 and they've had some weird thing going on for awhile. And he didn't try and make Anna blush with an innuendo. He didn't even make a reference to how he was surprised that Alicia knew he was there even though she's blind. Oh, crap. The world is in danger again, great.

I quickly twisted around Anna to get a better look at Sue and Johnny. It's not easy.

We're in a giant mall, right outside of NYC. It's two floors of department stores, food chains and little kiosks every where. Right now we're in a crossing section where people could go in for different directions. Me and the girls are in front of Forever 21, where we were just shopping and Marley was just flirting with someone else's boyfriend, and Johnny and Sue are somewhere between a group of hipsters and and old Asian couple in front of Abercrombie & Fitch.

I've never been good at reading lips, too many "The cat burnt down the Dairy Queen." and "Did you wash the roof to the Beatles"s, so I keep an eye on his body language. His shoulders are stiff, pushed back and his fingers are curling and uncurling, over and over again. I blink to clear my head, but dammit! Now is not a good time to be considering how good his fingers look, or what he could do with them.

"Sue looks worried." Anna murmurs. Her eyes are narrowed faintly, clearly doing the same thing I was doing. Or was attempting to do before I got distracted.

"Yeah...she kinda does. What's going on?" Marley chimes in. She steps forward doing her best to make out what they're saying. Marley can actually decipher what people are saying most of the time. I shrug in answer to her question, leaving her to get answers.

"Something about-" Marley pulls back sharply. What?!

"What?!" I all but scream.

"Something about Reed and...someone's death."

They're are looking at me now. Alicia and her blank but bright eyes, Anna with this soft,scared expression and Marley with horror and shock. But the voice from earlier comes back, but harder and stronger this time:

No. Think about context clues, Lacie. Sue isn't crying, is she? She's not panicking.
But-
NO. THINK! YOU'RE SMARTER THAN THIS. Don't assume things. Watch, process, come to a conclusion. Don't be stupid. Don't act stupid, because you're better than that. Take a deep breathe.

I took a deep breathe, who new I could be so sane at times? I looked again. Sue looked worried, not heart broken. Yeah, Reed wasn't dead, no one important was. At least, no one we cared about was.

"He's not dead. No one we love is." I said calmly. Before Alicia could ask how I knew, because she had that look on her face, Sue and Johnny started walking toward us.

"Lacie." Sue said as they reached us "We have to go. Me and Johnny."

"Okay. I guess I'll-"

"That's not all, Lacie." Johnny said softly, he looked sad about something. "We need you to go home." What? What just happened?

Alicia jumped in "What's happening?"

Sue looked worried "Nothing we can talk about. That guy from this morning-" she looked at Marley and Anna, willing them not to interrupt, "-he took Reed somewhere that we have to go to, too. Ben's already there, Alicia. I don't think he even got time to call you about it, so don't blame him for not knowing." Alicia nodded calmly, she was really good about things like this. Ben should propose already!

Johnny took a deep breathe, drawing my attention to him. "I'm sorry, Lace. I'll make it up to you next week." He looked sheepish as he said this, but frustrated at the same time.

"Okay. I can-wait. Next week?"

Sue and Johnny just looked at me silently. Oh. Superhero secret time, now? Fine. Fine!

"Fine. I'll see you two next week. Bye, Marley. Anna. And, I'm guessing Alicia isn't going to go back to the Baxter Building tonight so, bye Alicia." and I walked off.

I'm guessing it seems bitchy, but I felt bitchy. They always leave. Maybe, just maybe, I'm stupid for letting it hurt every time. But, just once, can't they say "not today" or at least give me an explanation. I mean, I hate being Louis Lane. I can't do anything!

Frustrated by everything I stormed out of the mall doors. A cute, annoying couple was getting out of a taxi just a few yards away so I walked over and tossed myself in. Stupid superheros.

The man driving, black, tattoo of a woman's name "Evie" on his neck, turned around. "Where to, ma'am?"

I sighed slightly, letting the door slam.

"The Baxter Building, please"

He started the car moving and had the good foresight to keep the radio off. I pulled out my headphones and my ZedPhone.

I put the buds in my ears and tapped the screen a few times as I selected my music. Stupid superheros. I relax slightly when the music comes on, Happier by A Fine Frenzy.

Quick kid quips, so harsh and cynical
Touches stricken cold and clinical
What a transformation to behold
But I don't like this new, I want the old

I should move out. I need to get a life that isn't so wrapped up in this insanity.

It's not the words that make it final
You've said such things before to rival them
But it's how you say 'em now that's changed
Cold but sympathetic all the same

I could live with Anna. Her roommate just moved out, the lease is up for renewal. I wouldn't get to wake up to Reed shaking me to consciousness anymore, but I could get some normality for once.

You'd like to convince me that I'll be better off
So you go on and I'll be happier, I'll be happier
You go on, yeah, you go on
You'll be gone and I'll be happier

Joe would give me a job, I think. I could go to actual college maybe. Instead of taking the online courses Reed set up for me.

Shoot me with your rubber bullets
Your finger's on the trigger, pull it
I know you want this suffering to end
And so it is forgivable my friend

My head falls back against the seat in exhaustion. The voice comes back again, but softer, sadder. Don't think right now. You'll realize things you don't want to know. Just sleep, just for a minute.

All to convince me that I'll be better off
So you go on and I'll be happier
You go on and I'll be happier
You go on, yeah, you go on
You'll be gone and I'll be happier

So I do sleep, just for a minute. And I don't realize what I should. What everything is trying to get me to realize.

Say what you mean, what you mean
Is you'll be happier without me
Without me, without me

*********************

"Hey kid, we're here. That'll be $27.55 . And your phone has been going off for the past fifteen minutes."

I blink back into the real world, noting that my headphones had fallen out at some point. I quickly paid the man and I clambered out of the taxi, still out of it. I checked my call log and noticed four missed calls. One from Reed, about 15 minutes ago. The other three....

From Agent Coulson.

Since when...when did he...freaking government agencies.

I snorted and shook my head, walking into the building, pocketing my phone. Looking around I was surprised to note a burlier man with dark hair leaning against the reception desk. He was in a black suit and was twirling keys around his hand while he talked to our cheerful mailman, Willie Lumpkin. Great old guy, one of the only people I'm not annoyed with right now, actually.

"Hey, Willie." I called over, smiling faintly.

He turns and beams at me "Well, hello, Miss Charles! This is Happy!" He introduces the man in the black suit.

"Hi, Happy."

"Hello, Miss Charles. My bo-" But I'm already walking away.

"Wait, Miss Charles!" Willie calls "I wasn't expecting you back so soon." He and Happy are following me to the elevator.

"Johnny's fault, like always." It wasn't, not exactly. But it was because of Johnny that I came back to the Baxter. I wanted to break something and breaking something of Johnny's just sounded appealing. Not that I was planning on just crying in his room for awhile because I was sick of being so frustrated around him and I wanted one of his pillows. Nope, nope. 'Cause that's just weird.

I stepped into the elevator, still ignoring them. Until the hand that is. The hand that slipped between the doors just before they slid together.

"I've got this. I'm the one who needs to talk to her anyway." a man's voice says. It sounds familiar but I can't exactly place it. But I don't look up, because I don't feel like it right now. My state of bitchiness is slowly raising as I wait for this guy to get in the freaking elevator as he keeps yapping to this Happy dude.

"I'll see you at home, Hap. Go buy a burger or something, or some lingerie for that new girlfriend. I'll be getting a fancy pick up later from the guys in the boy band."

I. Hate. This. Guy. Already.

He finally gets in. I don't bother looking away from the ground. He doesn't say anything for what feels like a lifetime. Didn't he say something about talking to me? Just before I can get to the point of bitch slapping him, he says IT. The IT I thought I wouldn't never find.

"So, yeah.Congrats, kid, I'm your dad. Surprise!" Say what now? In shock I jerked up my head, then I almost died of a freaking heart attack.

Tony Stark. Tony Stark was standing right there. The guy Reed and Ben are always complaining about when the come back from conventions. Iron man. One of the Avengers. And he's saying he's my dad. Either he's really drunk, badly informed or...

...oh, shit.

"Say what, now?" I stuttered.

He smiles, looking strained "I'm your dad. Trust me, your taking this better than I did." Um, okay. Thanks? Was that an insult or a compliment?

Then, shit gets even better. The power goes out. The lights flicker out before coming back on in a ghostly green, the color signaling an "I hope you don't have a problem with claustrophobia or an extremely small bladder. Cause you're fucked for a while.". My head is spinning when he decides to speak again. Like, I might just pass out. That actually sounds like the best option right now, really.

"So, we should get comfortable. I'll call in the back up team. But in the meantime, wanna play 20 questions with your dear old dad?"