Running Through The Halls

“Coffee’s up!”

            Peter raised his head from the table, eyes bleary. “Bless you.”

            The waitress smiled and filled his mug. The bell above the door rang and a moment later, Natasha, Tony, and Steve slid into the booth. Peter nodded in their direction, blinking to clear his eyes.

            “Someone was up all night,” Tony observed.

            Peter shrugged. “I was tracking down Darcy.”

            “I thought Barton found her,” Natasha said, eyebrow furrowed.

            Peter shook his head. “He said something that upset her and she took off. I was on my way out of the parking lot when I saw her running towards her car. I swear to god that girl runs on batteries or something. She didn’t go home until seven o’clock this morning.”

            “Who’s that?” Clint asked, dropping onto the bench next to Peter.

            Peter made an ambiguous gesture and swallowed more coffee.

            Clint glanced at Natasha. “Darcy.”

            “Ah. Yeah, I figured she might go back to the bar,” he sighed.

            “No,” Peter corrected him. “We didn’t go to the bar. I would’ve been happy to go to the bar. No, no, we drove. In circles. For hours. With classic rock blaring from the speakers. If I ever hear ‘Highway To Hell’ again, I’m going to lose it.”

            Tony glanced over Peter’s head. “Speak of the devil.”

            “And she shall appear,” Darcy finished. “Thor and Loki aren’t going to make it. Their mother is in town. Loki called me on my way here. It sounded like he was hiding in the bathroom.”

            Tony chuckled. “I’ve met Frigga. She’s a combination of the finer parts of the two of them. I can see how that would scare the shit out of Loki.”

            The waitress from before swept past the table, depositing coffee cups in front of everyone. They drank greedily and let the silence stretch. Bruce joined them after a few minutes, pulling a chair to the end of the table. Fury was supposed to show at some point, so they pushed off talk of the previous night until then. Tony was halfway through one of his infamous stories, gesticulating broadly, when he glanced up and choked on his tongue. Many people had tried to accomplish this. As far as anyone knows, only one person has ever succeeded, but they were fairly certain Pepper was on a business trip for the next week and a half.

            “Oh my god, hide,” Tony mumbled, covering his face with a menu.

            His friends stared at him, ignoring the command.

            “Um, hey, guys.”

            Clint yelped.

            Natasha quickly pasted a smile on her face. “Hello, Becca.”

            “What are you doing here?” Clint asked a little forcefully.

            Becca looked confused. “I live in the building next door. Is…is there something you know that I don’t? Uncle Nick stopped by last night and he was acting really weird. And now Mr. Stark is hiding behind a menu and Mr. Barton shrieked when I walked up.”

            “I did not shriek. I…shouted. In surprise,” Clint clarified.

            Becca nodded. “Right. Well, I’m just going to go now because I feel incredibly awkward.”    

            Over her shoulder, Steve saw Fury walking through the front door. He caught Becca’s eye and nodded in his direction. She turned and sighed.

            “Uncle Nick, what’s going on?” she begged.

            Fury froze for an instant. “Good morning, Becca. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

            She rolled her eyes. “Fine. Keep your secrets. I don’t have time for this I have a doctor’s appointment.”

            “Do you need a ride?” Fury asked.

            Becca took her take out order from the waitress. “Nope. I can walk.” She turned to go and then caught herself. “Before I forget. Can you ask Aunt Monica to send me the name of that doctor we were talking about the other night?”

            Fury looked like he’d swallowed a watermelon whole. “Of course.”

            “Thanks, Uncle Nick. Have a nice weekend everybody,” Becca called over her shoulder, pushing out onto the street.

            Fury collapsed on a chair, his head dropping to the table. Tony chucked the menu away.

            Natasha nudged Fury. “What’s up?”

            “She and Monica were talking about lady doctors. She wants the name of a lady doctor,” Fury moaned.

            “So?” Tony asked. “Maybe she doesn’t like guy doctors.”

            Darcy shot him a look. “That’s not what he means by a lady doctor.”

            All the color drained from Tony’s face. “Oh, god. I’m scarred for life.”

            “That’s it. We have to say something to her,” Darcy decided. “If she’s looking into seeing a gynecologist, she’s worried about something down there. She’s seventeen, she can’t go through something like that alone.”

            Natasha nodded in agreement. “I agree. If she’s pregnant-”

            Fury moaned into the table.

            “If she’s pregnant,” Natasha continued. “She’ll need support. After school on Monday, Darcy, you and I will talk to her.”

            Darcy stood. “Good. Until then, I plan to consume as much alcohol as possible and charge my taser. I’ll see you on Monday.”      

            On Monday morning, Tony paced anxiously as his students filed into the room. He was scanning every face for a trace of guilt, but he found none. Most of them looked sleep deprived and hungry. He felt their pain. Tony let Peter start the lesson and slipped out the door to pay a visit to Bruce. He quietly let himself into Bruce’s room and joined him at his desk.

            “You have Hall first hour, don’t you?” Tony asked quietly.

            Bruce looked up from his notebook to give Tony a worried look. “Tony, don’t.”

            Tony held up his hands. “I’m not doing anything, I’m just asking.”

            Bruce looked unsure. “He isn’t here today.”

            “Right. Okay,” Tony nodded.

            “Tony,” Bruce said.

            He looked up, biting his lip worriedly.

            Bruce smiled sadly. “That girl inherited a whole new family when she moved here. Go check on her. I’m sure she’s fine. Steve would’ve called if she hadn’t shown up.”

            “You’re right. I’m going to stop in, just in case. Thanks, Banner,” Tony smiled, ruffling Bruce’s hair.

            He made his way through the silent halls quickly, passing Clint and Natasha’s classrooms. He was surprised that he couldn’t hear Natasha’s loud, passionate voice barking commands in Russian. It was also a bit of a shock to glance in Clint’s room and see him sitting behind his desk, staring off into space as his students worked quietly.  The students had to realize something was off. Half of the teachers had gone mute over the weekend, who could miss that? Yet he had a feeling that no one would question it. The teachers weren’t notoriously moody. Tony resolved to try to perk up, for his students’ sakes. It was probably a bit weird for them, coming in to find their teachers looking like they’d come straight from a wake. Tony finally ended up in the Social Studies wing and found himself hesitating before Steve’s open door. He could hear the man’s booming voice, going on about the end of the Great War, though markedly more sedate than usual. He found himself comforted by the rise and fall of Steve’s voice. It was like a lullaby. He was so caught up in it that he didn’t realize Steve had stopped lecturing and come to the door.

            “I thought I heard you lurking,” Steve said, jerking Tony back to reality. “Care to join us?”

            Tony winked. “I thought you’d never ask.”

            Steve grinned and turned back to his class while Tony strode in and made himself comfortable on a stool in the corner. His gaze swept through the classroom, passing over vaguely familiar faces until he found Becca’s. He flinched when he realized she was staring right back at him. She mouthed something to him that he didn’t catch. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. Uh oh. Tony made a mental note to make himself scarce next hour. Peter could handle it. At least she looked okay, Tony thought. Steve wrapped up his lecture with instructions for the kids to pair off and write a short summary of the peace treaties reached to the end the war. As soon as Steve turned away, Becca was out of her seat.   

            “Not good,” Tony muttered, raising his eyebrows at Steve.

            Steve glanced at Becca, his eyes softening. “We are acting weird. She deserves some kind of explanation.”

            “You got any ideas, Golden Boy?” Tony snapped.

            Steve shrugged.

            “What,” Becca hissed, “Is wrong with all of you? You look like someone kidnapped your dog. And you’re the fourth person to come into Mr. Rogers’ class and stare at me. What the holy hell is going on?”

            “I could send you to the office for swearing,” Tony pointed out, avoiding the question.

            Becca glared at him. “If it gets me answers, by all means. Send away.”

            “I should go. My class needs me. I think I hear Peter screaming,” Tony fumbled, sliding off his stool.

            Becca put her hands on her hips. “Not a chance in hell. Explain.”

            Steve and Tony exchanged a look. They could probably just send her to the office and not have to deal with it, but they knew Becca didn’t deserve that and, frankly, they felt bad.

            Steve finally relented. “All right. We can’t right now, but meet us in Ms. Romanoff’s room during lunch.”

            Becca studied them both for a moment, her eyes narrowed. “Fine. Just stop staring at me. It’s freaking me out.”

            Tony saluted. “Aye, aye, captain.”

            Becca rolled her eyes and returned to her seat.

            “Tony?” Steve said through his teeth.

            “Yup, I’ll tell them,” Tony replied.

            When Becca walked into Natasha’s classroom a few hours later, she was surprised to find not only Steve and Tony, but Darcy, Natasha, Clint, and Fury waiting for her.

            She paused in the doorway. “Is this an intervention?”

            “Come on in, Becca,” Fury instructed her as gently as he could.

            This put Becca on high alert. “Oh my god, what happened? Is my dad okay? My mom, she isn’t hurt is she? They said they weren’t on active duty anymore! I should’ve known they were lying!”

            Natasha guided Becca to a desk. “Your parents are fine, Becca. No one’s injured.”

            “Oh, thank god,” Becca gasped. “Then, could you kindly explain what in the name of everything good and sacred in this world is going on with you people?”        

            Natasha looked hesitant. “We…Becca, we know about Danny Hall. What he…what he did. To you.”

            Becca’s brow wrinkled in confusion. “What?”

            “It’s okay, Becca,” Darcy assured her. “He, um, he wrote a paper about it. The police have him in custody. He can’t hurt you again.”

            Becca stared at them.

            “Becca?” Fury prompted.

            “Talk to us, Barnes,” Tony pleaded.

            Becca opened her mouth. “I’m probably going to regret saying this, but what the actual fuck?”

            The adults in the room froze.

            “I- what?” Clint sputtered.

            Becca looked concerned for their mental health. “I don’t know what you think happened, but you’re wrong. I don’t know anybody named Danny Hall, and I’m pretty sure he didn’t hurt me. Are you guys talking about the kid who punched me, because his name wasn’t Danny. And he already made amends. We’re cool now.”

            They stared at her dumbly, not saying anything.

            Becca glanced between their faces, settling on Steve, who seemed less dumbstruck than the rest. “Can you explain what’s going on here?”

            “Mr. Barton and Ms. Lewis found a paper, written by Danny Hall. It mentioned you, and it was…” Steve hesitated, trying to decide how best to say what he needed to say.

            Clint pulled a copy of the essay out of his back pocket. “You, uh, you might want to read this.”

            Becca took the essay from him and spread it out in front of her. Her body drooped visibly as she read. She pushed the pages to the floor and covered her face with her hands.

            “B-Barnes? You okay in there?” Tony asked nervously.

            Steve bent to gather the papers but Becca’s hands shot out to intercept his. He glanced up, meeting her eyes. Her face was flaming at her eyes brimmed with tears.

            “D-don’t. Please. Just…leave them,” Becca choked.

            Steve held up his hands and backed off slowly. Fury moved closer to Becca, kneeling so they were on the same level.

            “Becca, we need to know what of that is true,” he told her gently.

            She shook her head. “None of it. He made it up.”

            Natasha placed a hand on her shoulder. “Becca, you have to be honest about this-”

            “I am!” Becca snapped. “It’s a sick joke, or a psychotic fantasy or something. It didn’t happen.”

            Darcy tried her hand. “No one’s upset with you, Becca. We just want to help you, but you have to talk to us.”

            Becca shot to her feet. “Virgin! I’m a virgin! Is that what you wanted to hear? Because congratulations, you’ve heard it and now I’m humiliated. Thank you. All of you. So very much.”

            She pushed away from them, throwing the door open and sprinting down the hall. They hurried after her, Fury calling her name. Becca ran flat out, barreling through the halls and disappearing. Clint broke off to cover the front door, Tony following his lead. Natasha and Darcy headed towards the girls bathroom and locker room. Fury headed for his office to recruit Coulson and Hill for the search. Steve walked through the halls, keeping his eyes open. He stepped out into a crossroad of two hallways and immediately slammed into someone. His wide frame was barely rocked, but the other person landed flat on their ass. Steve turned to apologize and found Becca sprawled on the tile floor, tears running down her face.

            Steve crouched in front of her. “Becca?”

            “Oh, great! What’s the use of going to a gigantic school if you literally run into the people you’re trying to avoid?” Becca sobbed, scrambling to her feet.

            Steve hesitated. He let Becca sob into her hands for a moment longer before reaching out and placing his hand on her shoulder uncertainly.

            “Becca?” He wasn’t entirely sure she was listening. “We didn’t mean to embarrass you. We were worried. We thought that boy had-”

            “I know what you thought!” she burst out. “I know what all of you were thinking, and what you think now.”

            “We don’t think anything. We’re just happy nothing happened to you,” Steve assured her.

            Becca shot him a look. “No, of course not!”

            Steve didn’t know what to say. His experience with sobbing women was limited. Tony was probably more suited for this. Or maybe Natasha. She was good at everything.

            Becca sniffled. “I-I just can’t stand this! How could someone…how could he write those things? And give it to a teacher! Who does something like that?” She was breathing too quickly now, her eyes wide. “I- I- I can’t b…br-””

            Steve grabbed her by the shoulders. “Breathe, Becca! You’re hyperventilating.”

            Becca stepped backward until she hit the wall and doubled over, her hands on her knees. Steve hovered, unsure of what to do. Should he yell for Fury? Call for a teacher? What good would that do him? He needed to calm Becca down and get her to walk with him to the office.

            “I just…don’t understand,” Becca gasped between sobs. “How could he do that?”

            Steve was lost for an answer, so he did what his instincts had been telling him to do since Friday night. He pulled her into a tight hug and let her cry her eyes out, propriety be damned.