chapter one
Five inches. 53 stitches.
The bridge of her nose to the side of her right cheek was now a red, mangled bridge. And it was going to be there. Forever.
She wanted to slam her fist into the bathroom mirror.
"Kit! The car's out front, we gotta get goin'!" Will's voice surged urgently up the staircase and she sighed. It was the third time he'd called for her in the past 15 minutes and she'd barely taken a step away from her sink. Her face in the mirror was a cratered anchor holding her in port, keeping her docked every time she built up the courage to walk away. If only that metaphor was actually physical enough to get her out of her current situation.
"C'mon, kiddo! We're gonna be late and I don't think Mr. Stark will appreciate that!"
Right. She definitely didn't need to be on Iron Man's shit list on top of everything else.
Glancing at her reflection, she forced a determined stare. Let's get this fucking over with.
She pushed herself away from the sink and closed the door behind her as she made her way down the stairs of the apartment. Will was standing in the front doorway, the filter of morning light illuminating his tensed shoulders. He shot her an exasperated smile as he motioned to the car on the street below. "You ready?"
She forced a nod. "Yup."
The look in his eyes softened as she followed him out the door, his hand resting on her shoulder. "Okay."
As they approached the car, a man stepped around the front and held open the backseat door. "Mr. Cassidy, Miss Cassidy."
Miss Cassidy? Who was she, a preschool teacher?
Kit nodded slightly in greeting at the man and slid into the back of the car, wincing a bit as she scooted over for Will.
He raised an eyebrow as he buckled himself in. "You take your medication?"
"Yeah." Not that it helps much anyway.
He looked for a moment as if he didn't buy it but thankfully left it alone, allowing her to lean her head against the window in peace. Maybe she'd manage to get a few minutes of anxiety-free rest before arriving in Upstate New York. She doubted it if only for the fact that she hadn't slept through the night since the accident.
Well, she couldn't really keep telling herself it was an accident. But she didn't know what else to call it. A heist? A terrorist attack? She supposed that what the Avengers were trying to find out by bringing her in to talk.
Pepper Potts had contacted her about a week after she was released from the hospital. She showed up on their doorstep of their Brownstone and asked to speak with both her and Will. It might've taken some more convincing to leave the cocoon of her bedroom if it were anyone else, but it wasn't everyday Pepper Potts came knocking. So she found herself sitting on the living room couch, holding a cup of tea (coffee was off-limits much to her chagrin) and wondering if she was hearing things correctly as they came from Pepper's perfectly lined mouth.
She blinked. "He wants to do what?"
"Interview you." Pepper set down her own cup of tea and crossed her legs at the ankles. "To hopefully gain some perspective on the situation from someone who was there that day."
Something about that sentence caused dread to congeal in her stomach. "Is he interviewing other people?"
"I'm not at liberty to say. The Avengers' investigation is still on-going."
"… Investigation?"
Pepper smiled gently. "Don't worry, you're not accused of anything. Most of this is just standard procedure."
A few uncomfortable moments hung in the air.
"I don't…" Kit tried to swallow the lump of anxiety clenching her windpipe. "I don't think I'm the right person to talk to."
Pepper seemed to mull over that thought for a moment before lacing her hands over her knees. "Why do you think so?"
That was a question she wasn't expecting. "Uh… I'm just an intern." Was an intern.
"That doesn't make your experience any less important. You were there, just the same as everyone else that day. And your experience was a unique one."
Kit felt her pulse throb in the vein of her stitches. "Unique?"
Another beat of silence crowded the space between them before Pepper spoke, her voice delicate. "Out of all the people on the 18th floor… you were the only one to survive the attack."
Someone was screaming.
No… everyone was screaming. Too many.
She dug her nails into the carpet of the supply closet so deeply she could feel them break.
Gunshot. Gunshot. Gunshot.
There was no air, no air, she couldn't breathe, no air-
"Miss Cassidy?"
She looked up to see Pepper's furrowed brow, her body leaned forward like she was afraid Kit would pass out.
Her mouth felt like sandpaper.
Kit guessed it was a good place to end the conversation from the way Pepper uncrossed her ankles. "You don't have to make your decision today; there's no pressure. I'll leave my number with you so you can decide in your own time."
Kit couldn't do anything but nod as Pepper stood from her chair, barely registering the feather-light squeeze to her shoulder as a pair of heels clicked past the couch. Some words were said to Will before the door opened and shut, and Kit heard the clicks descend down their front steps.
That wasn't the only thing she heard.
{God, Tony. You've done it now.}
“Hey, kiddo-” Will’s hand on her shoulder jolted her awake, her forehead bumping against the car window as her eyes fluttered open. “We made it."
She fought the urge to groan. A part of her had hoped that maybe they’d skip the interview all together but unfortunately it seemed the driver wasn’t one to stray from direct instruction. Instruction that came from the head of the Avengers, at least.
Shifting her gaze, she scanned the vast expanse of green surrounding them and followed the road above until she was met with a metal and glass monstrosity. She’d be exaggerating if she said it was the largest building she’d ever seen but the sheer size of the place was enough to make her stomach clench. It seemed to swallow up everything but the horizon line and a part of her wondered how the Avengers managed to conceal it from wandering eyes. She glanced at the trees blanketing miles beyond the clearing. Well, at least it’s something.
“Yeah, it is strange that nobody ever stumbles upon this place.They must have a hardcore security team.” Will said, interrupting her stream of thoughts.
She frowned. Didn’t remember saying that out loud.
Weird.
The car slowed to a stop before a set of metal doors and in front of them stood a familiar pencil skirt atop a pair of patent Loubitons. Pepper smiled as the driver got out to open the passenger door, greeting Will with a handshake as he stepped out onto the pavement. It took Kit a moment more to push herself across the leather seat but Pepper’s smile was no less vibrant as she outstretched her hand. “Welcome, Kit. I hope you enjoyed the car ride here.”
A smile tensed the corners of her mouth. “It was great.” Liar.
Pepper thankfully accepted her lackluster greeting and motioned for them to follow her inside. Will shot Kit a reassuring grin, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and giving them a squeeze. The feeling of unease still hadn’t released her gut but having Will there at least made it bearable.
“Ready?” He asked.
She looked up at him, mouth dry. “I guess so.”
And into the beast they went.