Intertwined

“What do you mean, you lost her?” Steve’s question rang around the kitchen, making several members of their huge family stare at him. One particular member grunted, opening one of her violet eyes to look at the former soldier, sitting up on the big sofa she was laying on.

“I mean what I said!” Lionel’s voice came from the other side, sounding agitated. “She was right there, I talked to her, but then she jumped behind a bush and vanished!” Steve sighed running a hand through his blonde hair. Maria looked up from her cup of coffee before getting off the bar stool and walked to stand beside Steve, a concerned look on her face.

“What is it this time?” came a grunt from the door where a tall boy stood, a cat ears sticking out of his short messy chestnut hair, his hazel eyes drifting around the room before landing on a girl with dark long wavy red hair relaxing on the couch. Their eyes met as he went to sit down beside her.

“Lionel called saying they’ve lost your sister.” The girl informed him watching Steve pace around with Maria standing in one place, her eyes following him as well. The boy sighed before shrugging,

“Figures, she was hiding from us for well over five years. If she wanted us to find her she’d come.” He said watching the scene in front of them. The girl looked at him,

“Don’t you want to find her?” She asked raising onto her elbows,

“It’s not that, babe. I’m just not sure it’s a good idea after she ran away for so long.” He said, rubbing his neck. She gave him a weak nod, as Maria finally sat down beside them, giving up on calming her boyfriend, her brown eyes watching his across the room.

“And what are you planning now? Do you at least know where she’s staying?” Steve asked Lionel,

“I know which school she goes to. It’s this fancy looking art school.” The cryptologist told him, “Adi had this idea about…” Lionel trailed off,

“Go on.” Steve urged him,

“She thought that since she’s in art school then maybe we could made up an offer for few lucky students at that school, Aura included…” Corners of Steve’s mouth turned up after hearing the rest of the idea.

“I like that.” He told Lionel, “You go with that plan and remember, Aura’s going to be in the group no matter what.”

“Of course, there’s just one problem. I can’t get in unless I have an appointment, presentation, or else.” Lionel informed him,

“Leave that up to us, no need to worry. Everything will be ready tomorrow.” Captain America reassured him, ending the call.

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

Lionel sighed sitting down on the uncomfortable bed. Adelina looked up from her book, “What did he say?” Lionel sent her a soft smile,

“Steve said to go with your idea. And we shouldn’t worry about not getting in, they’ll work it out somehow.” He informed her, “He didn’t say much else, but I could hear Sly and Matthew talking in the background.” He sighed, looking at his hands, “Apparently Matthew isn’t too fond of his sister’s return.”

She nodded, closing her book, she placed it on the bedside table before shuffling closer to him. She put her hand on his shoulder just as Susan came through the bedroom door, “Did you talk to Steve? What did he say? What should we do now?” Susan started rambling out questions. Lionel held out his hand to stop him,

“Calm down, Susan, please.” He told him. “Yes, I spoke to Mr. Rogers, he told me to go with Adelina’s plan.” The sasquatch nodded, giving a weak smile.

“I can’t believe it’s finally happening!” The sasquatch stated breaking into a wide grin. His two friends looked at each other before breaking into soft smiles as well.

“So, what do we do now?” Susan asked,

“Since the plan was greenlighted, I suggest we’ll go with it tomorrow, hopefully They’ll have a way to get us in by noon.” Lionel remarked just as his phone rang. Looking at it, he noticed Steve’s ID on the screen and picked it up, “Any news?”

***********

“Let me get it straight.” Said a brute voice as a tall, slender young-looking man with black spiky hair came from behind a big metallic machine. “You need me to hack into the school’s system, change the afternoon program for tomorrow so that Lionel can get in, just to lure my ex-coworker and a bunch of strangers here with a made-up contest?” He let out a bark of laughter, “That’s absurd!” Calming his breath, he looked at Steve, “Why can’t Tim do it, or Stark for God’s sake? Why do you have to bother me with that?” He asked crossing his arms. Steve sighed leaning against the frame of the glass doors that led to the lab,

“Martine, She’s your friend-“

“She was my friend. She left me, and by far stretch, she left you too.” The young mad scientist grunted, looking away to hide the pain glistening in his dark irises. Steve watched him,

“Fine, if you’re not capable of the job, I’ll ask Abby if she can do it.” The former soldier stated with a sly smirk,

“Just because I don’t want to cooperate doesn’t mean I can’t do it.” Martine replied with crossed arms,

“So, you’re saying, you’ll do it?” Steve asked, his smirk deepening,

“All I’m saying is that, you continue to provoke me and I’ll make you wish they’d left you in the ice frozen forever.” The young scientist growled darkly, before jerking forward, causing Steve to step back several inches and almost fall as he tripped over his own foot.

“Who made you so scary?”  Captain America wondered out loud, making Martine snicker lightly,

“She taught me few things y’know. Before she messed up something and left.” The mad scientist remarked walking back to his workplace. Steve watched him with raised eyebrow,

‘How much you know that we don’t?’ He asked himself inwardly, looking around the lab once more before turning on his heel and climbing up the stairs, leaving the bright cellar and its, now solely, inhabitant behind.

Instead of returning into the kitchen, the war hero walked down a dark hallway, stopping in front of the last door on the left, from which a loud metal music was coming from. Steve knocked few times and waited as the music cut off, soon the door opened, revealing a bright smiling face and cheerful green eyes,

“Hi, Abby.” Steve greeted the gothic lady politely,

“Hey, Steve! What can I do for you today?” The NCIS worker asked, smiling brightly.

“Lionel’s got a plan to bring Aura back here, but we need someone to hack into a system of this prestigious art school she goes to, I’ve tried to talk to Martine about it, but-“

“he’s being difficult and so you came to me.” Abby finished for him, “Sure, I got time now, with there not being a case, just send me the address and,” Steve raised his palm to stop her rambling,

“Actually, I was hoping Tim would be able to do that.” He informed her, Abby was quiet for a moment, pondering about it,

“Sure, just send the address and I’ll tell him about it.” She said with a weak smile, Steve sighed,

“Look, Abby, I know you two were close and you want to help,”

“Then why don’t you let me?” She asked him, leaning against the doorway, Steve shook his head, he opened his mouth to answer, but found no words.

“I’m sorry,” was all he could say as he turned to leave, Abby frowned softly watching him leave.

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

“I’m telling you Tim, something’s up.” Abby said, pacing frantically around the room while her boyfriend was sitting down, crouching to look at the small laptop screen,

“Why do you think so?” He asked her, not bothering to look up,

“First Martine refuses to help,”

“He does that all the time,” Tim reminded her, “Ever since Aura left, he refused to lend a hand to anyone except Johnny.” Abby shook her head,

“He’d absolutely do anything to bring his close friend back.” She said, stopping her pacing to ponder about it further, “Do you think they argued?” She asked looking at Tim,

“Who?” Tim looked up, blinking, too focused on the task at hand to pay attention to her,

“Aura and Martine, are you even listening to what I say, Timmy?!” Abby snapped at him, causing Tim to flinch away a bit.

“Sorry, I’m having some trouble getting through, their security system’s really good.” He informed her rather sheepishly. Abby sighed and sat down beside him, he put his arm around her,

“Don’t fret about it, once Aura’s back, you’ll definitely find out what has happened between them.” He said looking at her, causing her to break into a soft smile.

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

“Steve?” Abby called out walking into the kitchen, stopping in her tracks as she noticed two figures on the sofa, in the middle of a passionate make out,

“Do you mind?!” Sly asked in very agitated tone, her ear flicking, putting back on her shirt while Matthew was quickly zipping up his pants.

“I’m so sorry. I was looking for Steve.” Abby apologized,

“He and Hill went somewhere downstairs.” Matthew informed her, standing up. “And we’re going to the cinema and we don’t want to be bothered.” He informed her sharply taking Sly by her hand before swiftly walking past Abby, leaving her in the kitchen alone. The goth scientist shrugged before flopping herself onto the sofa,

“I’m not surprised Aura liked it here so much.” She muttered to herself, noticing the pleasant silence, staring at the ceiling. Her face turned into a confused expression as she noticed a bunch of papers sticking out from a wooden pole,

‘What are those?’

**********

A clicking of heels on the floor snapped Abby out of her dozing, ‘So that’s how it was happening to her.’ She thought, rubbing sleep from her eyes. “Where were you?” She asked as Steve and Maria entered the kitchen,

“Getting a coffee.” Maria told her in flat tone walking to the bar stool and sitting down on it.

“Did you need something?” Steve asked, Abby nodded,

“Tim couldn’t crack the system just yet, he’ll probably have it tomorrow morning, but we found out there’s a field trip for higher grades on Thursday that are supposed to be accompanied by three teachers at least. We could send Aura’s teachers there after we get her timetable.” Abby suggested, getting back into her excited self. Steve nodded, satisfied with the information,

“I’ll inform Lionel, he needs to know he’ll be staying there another week or so.” He said pulling out his phone, “How long ‘til you get to the timetables?”

“An hour or two, their security system’s really complex for an art school.” Abby replied already half a way to the exit.

“Let me know once you got them.” Steve told her before she left, “I’ll let Lionel know he’s going to stay there for a week.”

***********

“What? You want us to stay here for another four days? Do you know how much uncomfortable the beds are?” Lionel almost hissed into the phone in anger,

“I’m sorry for your lack of comfort.” Steve said on the other side, his voice indicating he was fighting hard not to chuckle, “There’s some field trip for higher grades on Thursday, and three teachers are needed as counselors, that might give us the open window we need to get you in.” The former war hero explained,

“Can’t you pay us better hotel then?,”

“We can’t, I’m sorry, but this keeps you out of the public eye!” Martine’s yell came before the mad genius started laughing and cackling, Lionel sighed pinching his nose,

“Fine, we’ll stay until Thursday, but I want a chiropractor afterwards” the cryptologist said sitting onto his bed, “What do you need the gap for anyways?”

“We’ll send you in as a substitute for Aura’s class for the whole afternoon, we should have everything done tomorrow.” Abby’s voice chimed. Lionel nodded to himself, clearly satisfied with his role in the plan,

“Do I have something special to do?”

“Nothing, just give them an art assessment, theme’s up to you.” Maria told him, before Steve had a chance, before ending the call.

Lionel laid down onto the bed, “Stop packing up, Susan.” He told the frantically running around sasquatch, “We’ll be here for a more couple of days.” Adelina let out a soft grunt at that statement,

“Did they at least tell you, when we’ll be going to the school?” She asked raising an eyebrow at him,

“On Thursday, and only I will go.” He informed her, backing up a bit as he noticed the arising fire in her green irises,

“What?! Why can’t I go as well, or Susan, what makes you so special that you’ll be the one to go?” She persuaded him, Lionel placed his hands in front of his face,

“Steve thinks it’d be best if only one of us went. So, they chose me, I have no say in this.” He told her, his body ready to dodge any of her attacks, Adelina sighed, her hands running through her black hair,

“I’m sorry.” She apologized, shuffling closer to him, “I just thought we’d go and see where she studies together.” A soft sigh escaping her lips, Lionel wrapped his arm around her,

“It’s just for one afternoon, it’ll be over before you know it and soon we’ll have her back.” He told her, rubbing her shoulder.

***********

Matthew laid on a magenta seat, Sly on top of him panting, his hands firmly wrapped around her, holding her close. Silence reigned between them as they enjoyed the little moment of solitude,

“You’re trembling.” Sly murmured, opening one eye,

“Just exhaustion.” Matthew replied flatly, not bothering to open his eyes, he grunted as he felt Sly shift out of his grasp, sitting at his chest,

“It’s about your sister, isn’t it?” She said, her violet eyes watching him sharply. Matthew sighed,

“Fine. It is and I don’t want to talk about it, happy?” He asked, opening one eye slightly. Sly shook her head with a sigh, leaning closer to him,

“I’m worried about you; you’re not acting like yourself ever since this whole ordeal started.” Sly said, tracing small circles around healed scars on his chest, Matthew sighed, turning his head away.

“I just don’t feel it was a good idea to start with. She’d be hurting again if she’s here.” He mumbled, Sly’s ears twitched,

“You don’t know that.” She whispered softly, Matthew shook his head,

“She’ll be constantly on guard, not trusting anyone.” He told her, sitting up as well by then,

“C’mon, once she sees how much everyone cares about her and how much we all love her she’ll come along.” Sly argued, Matthew shot her uncertain look, but kept quiet,

‘And how many of us will there be for her when she’ll need them the most?’ He thought bitterly

“Don’t you think she’d come back by now had she not have a reason to stay as far away as humanly possible, if she knew we’re always here for her as you say, why running away in the first place?” He asked her, finally looking into her eyes. Sly opened her mouth to answer, but a sudden knock brought her attention to the closed dark wooden door,

“Come in.” She called softly, making Matthew let out a slight grunt.

The door opened slightly and Coraline’s head poked inside, “Sorry to bother you, but the dinner’s gonna be served soon so you should probably get down.” She told them before disappearing and closing the doors behind her.

Matthew and Sly looked at each other before they started collecting their respective clothes, quickly putting them on, soon they walked out of the home-cinema.

Almost every member of the family was already sitting down when the duo came. Sly separated from Matthew as she went to take a seat beside a tall blonde girl with bright green eyes and antlers sticking out of her hair, while Matthew took seat beside Steve and Maria, leaving four other empty seats beside them,

‘You should be here too.’ He thought, staring at the empty seat right beside him. His body tensed as he felt someone placing a hand on his shoulder, turning around he saw Maria looking at him with soft expression,

“She’ll be here with us soon.” She said, her voice warm and reassuring, Matthew gave her a nod of gratitude since he was lost for words, his eyes already watching his large family talking and laughing with one another, having a great dinner as any evening.

“Steve?” He said softly after taking few deep breaths to stop his voice from shaking,

“What is it Matthew?” Captain America turned to the young werecat who’s disrupted his conversation with Tony and Pepper, Matthew’s eyes darted around the room, fingers tapping on the edge of the dining table,

“I was just thinking…what if…what if we’d leave Aura be where she is now?” As the question left his mouth, the whole room fell into a deep silence as everyone turned to look at him.