Chapter 17
Yeah, it was safe to say that Adelaide had never been this stressed in her life. She hadn’t slept very well last night, she was so anxious about today. She had been up and dressed at seven, and she had spent the past hour randomly rearraging things in her room and pacing. There were so many things that could go wrong. Her family could actually scare her friends away, or they could be embarrassing, or intimidating. Her friends could embarrass the daylights out of her, or they could tick her family off. The girls would be fine, but Killian and Vincent knew how to push people’s buttons. Vincent had promised to keep Killian in line, however, and she prayed that he’d keep his word. Her phone went off, and she picked it up.
Could you stop pacing, please? You’re very distracting –Bruce
Sorry! I didn’t realize you were awake! I’m just really nervous –A
Want to talk about it? Since you’re already up and everything?
Would you mind?
Not at all. I offered, didn’t I?
I’ll be right down. Adelaide grabbed her bag and took off down the hallway to the elevator, going down to Bruce’s room. While not as close to her as some of the others, she and the good doctor shared a love for wanting quiet at times and for science. They had often talked Tony out of the room with their debates and conversations. He was actually her first true friend. She was at his door and knocking in no time.
“Come in,” his voice answered. She opened the door and stepped in to see Bruce on his couch, a book in one hand and tea in the other. He was still in his sleeping clothes, but he was definitely alert. “Hello, Addie.”
“Hi, Bruce.” She sat down next to him and tucked her feet up under one of the cushions.
“Whatcha readin’?”
“A book on the theory of black holes. It’s quite interesting. Would you like to read it after I fisish?”
“Sure. Thanks.”
“Of course. Now, why don’t you tell me what has you so nervous?”
“It’ll stress you out.”
“Nonsense. Go ahead.” Adelaide took a deep breath.
“I’m just really worried about today. There are so many things that could go wrong or happen, and I don’t want to lose my friends over this, but I’m just so scared that somebody’s going to overreact or do something stupid, and it’s going to ruin something, and I know that Vincent said he’d keep Killian in line, but that boy is a trouble-maker, and I don’t know what to expect, but he’s not going to behave himself, and Daddy’s in over-protective mode because I said yes to going on a date with Vincent, and he’s been quite about the subject since, and I’m so scared and nervous, and I didn’t sleep, and I haven’t eaten yet, and I have to meet them in forty-five minutes, and I’m freaking out!” She was panting slightly after her rant, and Bruce’s eyes were widened a bit.
“Well, do you feel better now?” he asked. Adelaide nodded a bit.
“Yeah, I think so.”
“My suggestion would be to just relax. Your friends know this is important to you, and so do we. We want you to have friends, so we won’t chase them away from you. If they leave because of your family, they weren’t truly your friends anyway. Go eat something and then get ready to get your friends. Everything’ll be fine, I promise.”
“I’m going to hold you to that,” she said with a smile.
“I’ll let you. I’ll even try to keep Tony in line.”
“Oh, you really do love me.”
“Of course.”
“Thank you, Bruce,” she said, hugging him. “I really appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome, Addie. Anytime.” She went down to the kitchen and made herself a bowl of cereal. Wanda, Pietro, and Scott wandered in from different directions about five minutes later and set about making their own breakfast. Ten minutes after that, Bucky, Steve, and Sam came in from the elevator, hot and sweaty.
“Morning, Addie,” Bucky said, kissing the top of her head.
“Hey, Daddy.”
“You going to get your friends in a little while?” She nodded. “Do you need anyone to come with you?”
“Nein, Papa.”
“You be safe, okay?” Steve said as he walked down the hall.
“Not you too, Uncle Steve!”
“All of us, myshka,” Pietro said, smiling at her as he sat down with an apple. “We worry about you.”
“You shouldn’t,” she said, finishing her cereal. “I can take care of myself.”
“We do anyway,” Clint said, coming into the room as Bucky left to shower. “It’s our job.” Adelaide smiled and shook her head as she cleaned her dishes and left to brush her teeth. Fifteen minutes to meet her friends. Time to go. She went to the garage and climbed into her other gift from Uncle Tony for her birthday—a black ’67 Chevy Impala. It ran better than it had the day it was manufactured thanks to several modifications her uncles had made to it, and she loved it. She hadn’t gotten into an accident once, and she’d had it for a year and a half now. Putting the key into the ignition, she roared the engine to life and was out into traffic in less than three minutes. In thirteen, which was impressive with New York traffic, she was parked and out of the car, locking it and walking towards the meeting place, the Burnett Fountain in Central Park.
When she got there, Rachel and Killian were already there. The two were cousins, who worked at the dime-store near the Avengers’ Tower, and went nearly everywhere together.
“Hey, guys,” Adelaide greeted, coming up to them.
“Addie!” Rachel said happily. “I’m so excited to meet your family! They sound great!”
“Yeah, they’re something alright,” Adelaide said, smiling at her friend. Rachel was quite the character. She was quiet around strangers, but rather loud around friends. She was super smart and made straight A’s. Killian was sort of the opposite. He was loud all the time, had a new interest every other week, and had a knack for being a prankster. He was also star quarterback for the football team, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at him. All the girls in his school worshipped the ground he walked on, but he hadn’t dated anyone in the time that Adelaide had known him. She and the rest of her friends suspected that he had a crush on Lilly but wouldn’t act on it because they had been friends for so long. She, Vincent, Lilly, and Rachel even had a bet going. Vincent and Rachel thought that he wouldn’t tell her until after they graduated; Lilly and Adelaide thought that he would man up around senior prom. Losers had to pay winners twenty bucks and pay for ice cream. Adelaide ducked under a fake punch from Killian and tripped him, sending him headlong into the bushes. “Should have seen that coming, Ian,” she teased.
“Don’t call me that,” Killian grunted as he climbed out, rubbing his head and pulling leaves out. Vincent and Lilly walked up about that time. Vincent and Lilly were neighbors, and Lilly’s family was the one that worked at the old bookstore. The two had been friends since Vincent moved to town six years ago. They were like brother and sister, each being an only child. Lilly was quiet all the time, but she would set anyone in their place if they annoyed her too much. She was also the most fashionable out of all of them, but that was about where the extreme differences stopped. Vincent was outgoing and bright. He was always smiling and trying to make people laugh. He was on the baseball team at his school, and yet again, the girls worshiped the ground he walked upon. He’d dated a few times since Adelaide had known him, but the girls had always dumped him for one reason or another.
“Hey, guys,” Lilly greeted.
“Oh, you missed Addie sending Killian into the bushes!” Rachel exclaimed. “It was great!”
“Darn,” Vincent said, snapping his fingers. “I would have paid good money to see that.”
“We can do it again, if you’d like,” Adelaide offered.
“Don’t we have to get to your place?” Killian countered. She shrugged,
“If you’re really in that much of a hurry to go see them,” she answered. The collective answer was a yes. They headed back to her car and climbed in. Adelaide pulled back into traffic and made her way back to the Tower.
“Um, Addie, that’s Avengers’ Tower,” Vincent said.
“I know.”
“Only the Avengers and staff are there,” Rachel said.
“I know that too.”
“Does someone in your family work there?”
“Yep.”
“Oh, are we going to see them on their break?” Lilly asked.
“They shouldn’t be busy now, no.” Adelaide put her car into the scanner that let her park back in the garage and parked not two minutes later. “Okay, everybody out. And for the love of all that’s good in the world, Killian, behave yourself!”
“I promise, ‘die, I promise.”
“You better,” she warned. She took them into the lobby to get them all legal by Tower procedure’s standards.
“Hi, Adelaide,” the receptionist greeted her. “What can I do for you?”
“Hi, Mrs. Rose. My friends are visiting, and they need to be legal.”
“Ah, I see. Have them sign here.” She handed her a tablet with a stylus.
“Here, Rache. Don’t let them drop it,” she told the blonde. As her friends signed in, she conversed with the woman. “Slow day?”
“Oh, the usual. Phone calls, forms to fill out, you know how it is.”
“Oh, I know. I pity those who have your job. Though they are lucky to have you, Mrs. Rose.”
“Oh, stop it, you. Here are your friends passes. Make sure they have them at all times.”
“Yes, ma’am,” she said, giving each of her friends one. “Have a good day!”
“You too, Adelaide!” She lead her friends to the elevator, and Adelaide felt her heartbeat pick up. Her phone went off, and she looked down at it.
We’re all here. –AN
All of you?
Even Thor.
Oh, good gravy...we’re in the elevator.
Okay. See you soon. Adelaide put her phone away and stepped into the elevator.
“Hello, Miss Adelaide.”
“Hello, FRIDAY. 24, please.”
“Of course.”
“Who was that?” Vincent asked.
“FRIDAY, the AI that runs this place. She keeps track of everything.”
“Cool!” Killian exclaimed. The elevator stopped moving, and Adelaide’s heart was beating so fast that she could hear it in her ears.
“Well, here we go, everyone,” she said to her friends. “Time to meet my family.” The elevator doors opened, and Adelaide stepped out, dragging her friends behind her.
“Addie, those are the Avengers.”
“I know.” Her father stepped up from the team and towards her.
“Privet, Adelaida,” he said, smiling at her. (Hello, Adelaide.)
“Privet, Papa,” she answered automatically in Russian. She wasn’t even think when she replied. “YA privel svoikh druzey.” (Hello, Daddy. I brought my friends.)
“Kakoy iz nikh Vinsent?” Natasha asked, joining the conversation. (Which one is Vincent?) Vincent looked at them in surprise when he heard his name.
“Odin v krasnoy obuvi,” Adelaide answered. (The one in the red shoes.)
“Addie, that’s the Winter Soldier,” Killian said.
“Ex-Winter Soldier. He doesn’t do that anymore,” she answered.
“Why are you talking to him?” Rachel asked. Adelaide turned to look at her friends, all of whom looked caught in between awe and terror.
“Because, he’s my dad.”