*discontinued* we're family. [& no you're not alone] (penny parker)

"Avengers, assemble!"  Cap's voice shouted over the A.I system, waking Penny up with a start. Harley looked over at her, confused. The A.I spoke again, but this time it was Friday.

"Penny, Harley, Boss has ordered that the two of you go to the panic room immediately and do not interfere with the situation." 

Right as the A.I finished her sentence a loud bang sounded from what sounded like the floor below. 

"Shit, Penny, where's the panic room?!" Harley asked, grabbing her hand and standing up. Penny quickly walked to the other side of her room and placed her hand on a certain part of the wall, which pushed in to reveal a small panic room.

"Woah." Was all Harley could say before Penny pushed him into the room. "Stay here." She ordered.

"Pen, you're staying in here too-" He protested, but was cut off by Penny slamming the door and running to her dresser.

Tony had given her suit back a week ago, but she had only gone patrolling once before Harley came and her focus was changed. Quickly undressing and putting the suit on, she sighed at its familiar feeling. 

"Karen, what's going on?" 

"It seems as though the compound has been attacked by an alien creature from a planet I cannot identify. The team is handling it, however, and per Boss's request I need to remind you that you do not have permission to get involved."

Penny ignored her, "Fri, where is the attack happening?"

"On the floor below you, Penny. However, it is highly suggested-"

Immediately, Penny took off, opting for the stairs since the elevator was most likely deactivated. Sprinting down to the main level, she saw all the Avengers who were currently at the compound- Steve, Tony, Clint, and Nat, attacking a large, red monster that was clearly not from Earth. 

She made eye contact with Clint, who had an arrow docked and was about to shoot the creature yet again.

"Kid! Go upstairs, you can't be here!" He yelled, releasing the arrow and hitting it straight at the creatures head. Writhing in pain and letting out a gurgling screech, it stormed towards the man. Penny took this as her chance to shine, webbing the alien in the face as the rest of the team attacked him. Clint shot another arrow, this time hitting the monster's leg, and he fell to the ground, then was quickly knocked out of the window by Steve, finishing him off. 

Penny let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "That was so awesome!"

The four faces who turned to look at her were less than impressed, to say the least. Tony's helmet retracted as he walked towards the girl,

"Are you kidding me, Penny?" He yelled, yanking off her mask. "We told you to stay out of this, and here you are, disobeying a direct order from your commanding officer," He gestured to Steve, who had his armed crossed. 

"Are you seriously mad at me for this? I'm the one who webbed him in the face, without me you-"

"Would've finished him off just the same," Steve said, interrupting her. "We have more experience doing this than you've been alive, Penny. If we say stay out of it, you stay out of it, do you understand me?"

She groaned in annoyance, "You all treat me like I'm some incapable little kid!"

"Penelope May Parker you fourteen years old," Tony said his voice dangerously quiet and sterner than Penny's ever heard it. The man barely called her anything but "kid" or "Pen", or occasionally "Underoos", much less her full name. 

"You are a kid. I know you haven't had an easy life, and I know you think it's your job to save everyone, but it's not. Your life isn't disposable, Penny. Do you have any idea how guilty I," He gestured to the team behind him, "How any of us, would feel if something happened to you?"

She shook her head, eyes not leaving the ground. "I-I'm sorry..."

He looked at her and said the same words he had uttered a few months ago. "Sorry doesn't cut it." He sighed, "You're grounded for two weeks, and I'm taking the suit back until I know you can be responsible with it."

"Mr. Stark, please, I-"

"Oh, I don't think you understand how this works, kid. This isn't a debate, I'm the adult, your guardian, and this is what I decided."

Penny's voice was quiet, "What about Harley?"

"Harley's leaving tomorrow morning, anyway, Penny. You're going to go upstairs, make sure he's safe, and say goodbye now. I better not see you two sleeping in the same bed again tonight like I pretended not to notice last night, do you understand me?"

She pushed back tears that she could feel coming to her eyes. "Yes, sir. I'm really sorry."

He sighed, "I know you are, kid."

As she turned and mournfully walked up the stairs, Tony deactivated his suit and sat down on the couch, head in his hands. Looking up at his teammates, he asked,

"Did I do the right thing?"

Clint was the first to answer, "Of course you did, Tony. If Lila had done that...I don't know what I would've done."

Natasha gently put a hand on his shoulder, "You'd rather have her be mad at you than dead, Tony."

He nodded, "You're right. I just really don't want to turn into my dad."

Steve spoke up, "And you aren't. All you're doing is protecting her and making sure she doesn't keep putting herself in harm's way. You're a good dad, Tony."

"Guardian." Tony corrected, his head snapping up.

Clint and Natasha snorted, and Clint said, "I know a fellow dad when I see one, Tony, and that's exactly what you are."

Tony huffed, standing up. "Yeah, yeah, whatever." He waved to the mess of the room due to the prior battle, "Somebody clean this up." He said, walking off.

Being a dad. Tony thought,

I can't be a dad, that's crazy.

I'm just her guardian, I give her a place to live and keep her alive.

If I were to actually be a dad, there'd be so much I'd have to do.

I'd have to fix my shit I have with Howard still.

Get over my issues.

Learn how to deal with a teenager.

All the drama, and tears, and yelling, and eye-rolling.

It'll be difficult as fuck.

But for Penny?

Maybe I'm okay with that.