Chapter 5
Both Will and I got out acceptance letters to Columbia right before the end of February. I had some time off from both jobs and So did Will, Liam and Tess so we decided to celebrate the big milestone by taking our savings and going on a road trip to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. I though Vegas was crazy but this was on a whole new level. It was the best party I had ever been to. Will even relaxed the rules for that day. Normally he’d only let me drink if I was at home and if we were at bars or clubs I was supposed to be sober. Tess always slipped me a few shots but still never got completely blitzed. That was until that day.
I woke up the next morning with the worst headache in the world. I stood up and went looked around the room. It wasn’t until I saw something I hadn’t seen in years that I completely sobered up. There was a black card with an embossed shield with a serpent and an M on it. I turned it around and all it said was:
New Orleans is safe and you’re always welcome here –M
I don’t know if this was a good thing or a bad thing. If that wasn’t bad enough I started getting a really bad feeling from the spider mark on my right arm. I felt my chest tighten and I felt like it was suddenly hard to breath.
“What are you doing?” I said rubbing the mark. The feeling continued for a few more seconds until it passed. I could start breathing better and I felt a sense of relief come from the mark.
“Hales, open up.” Tess called through the door.
“Just a sec.” I said quickly walking over. I opened up and Tess and Liam walked in with beignets and coffee. “You two are the best.”
“Will still out?” Liam asked.
“I thought he was with you.” I said.
“Wow, you really did black out last night.” Tess said.
“I remember having dinner and smoking a joint but after that everything gets fuzzy.” I said.
“Well somewhere in that fuzz Will met a guy and they went to go check out his movie collection.” Liam said.
“Is that code for…” I started.
“Getting laid, yup.” Tess said.
“Good for Will.” I said. “Shit, it’s almost time for check out.”
“Don’t worry I texted Will and he said Josh is dropping him off at the gumbo place on Bourbon Street from last night.” Liam said.
“We had gumbo last night?” I said.
“Like three bowls all on your own. How can you eat the way you eat and look the way you do?” Tess said.
“It’s called working out.” I said grabbing my bag.
“Haha smartass.” Tess said. I quickly changed into a pair of light washed ripped jeans and a white tank top. I made sure I had my necklace on before putting my hair in a mess bun and slipping my shoes on.
“Let’s go, I could use a greasy breakfast.” I said.
We got back to New York a few days later and we went back to our normal routin
April 30th, 2012-
It was a regular Monday and I was putting in a load of laundry when I started feeling burning anger and then some conflict from the hammer shaped soulmark on my right shoulder.
My marks were a lot more active lately. Sometimes I felt anxious, other times I felt worry, and more often than not I felt like something bad was on its way. Normally I’d say it was just me being paranoid and that was probably part of it but I just couldn’t shake this feeling.
“Hayley, I’m going to the store need me to get you anything, I know Aunt Flo’s due in four days.” Will started.
“Just some chocolate or ice cream, comfort food is my best friend.” I said.
“Okay,” He said before walking out.
May 1st, 2012-
After an exhausting day of taking people’s coffee orders and stocking shelves I finally made it home in time to cram for a midterm I had the following morning.
I got into my comfy sweats and got some snacks before setting up my study spot in the living room and getting down to it.
About halfway through my study guide I started feeling really anxious and then I panicked. I felt a rush of adrenaline coming from the soulmark on my left arm shaped like an arrow but out of nowhere the feeling faded and I felt cold.
“What the hell?” I said rubbing it. “I don’t know who you are but whatever you’re doing be careful.”
May 2nd, 2012-
I got out of class knowing I aced that midterm before making my way to the grocery store for my shift. A few hours later I was walking out and on my way to pick up dinner when I saw Stark Tower light up for the first time in a while. I had read about how it was going to be the first self-sustainable building in the country. It was very bright and flashy. It stuck out like a sore thumb compared to the rest of the buildings.
I heard a whooshing sound and saw something fly by. I felt the mark on my hip heat up and feel very proud and happy. At least one them was having a good day.
I looked up and admired the view for a minute before walking again.
The days that followed were restless. Whenever I tried going to sleep I just got the sudden urge to work or do something. It was driving Will insane that I was up in the middle of the night cleaning. Then I did his laundry and ironed his button ups and slacks and he decided he was okay with it.
May 4th, 2012-
Just like Will had predicted Aunt Flo was in town and in the worst possible moment. Not only was I dealing with hormonal mood swings I was dealing with the emotional turmoil my soulmates were going through. Most of them were angry, frustrated followed by a bit of calm before they repeated the cycle all over again. If I ever meet those bastards they are going to get it.
“Hayley you’re gonna be late.” Will said.
“I said I’m going already!” I shouted. Will the unfortunate soul he is had to put up with the brunt of my unreasonable anger. I needed to do something nice for him after this all passed.
“I made you coffee and lunch.” He said keeping his distance.
“I work at a coffee shop where I serve coffee all day.” I said crying.
“Oh boy.” Will said. “Chocolate cupcake?” He offered.
“I don’t deserve you.” I cried as the arrow mark on my left wrist started feeling guilty.
“Soulmarks are driving you crazy aren’t they?” Will said.
“So much.” I cried.
“You want to call in sick?” he offered.
“You want to live under a bridge?” I countered.
“Suck it up and go to work Hayley.” Will said ushering me out of the apartment.
“But my cupcake.” I said.
“You work in a coffee shop, eat one there.” Will said closing the door.
I walked to work and everything was good.
Tess and I were both working and it was kind of slow. Then it all went to hell. People started running on the streets screaming.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“I don’t know.” Tess said walking around the counter to get a closer look. Suddenly some weird looking lizard things flew buy and started shooting lasers.
People ran in and it got crowded.
“What do we do?” people shouted. I saw something fly in closer.
“Everyone away from the windows now!” I shouted. I got Tess and pulled her down as the glass shattered.
“Back door.” Tess said and everyone ran out.
As we were running we saw more aliens flying around some were on the streets.
“Shit, there’s a hole in the sky.” I said, “There’s a freaking hole in the sky!”
“We need to go home or anywhere but here!” Tess shouted.
“Subway entrance down the block go.” I said as we made a break for it.
About half way there the aliens started blasting at Tess and I. We ran but then a building started collapsing and I tripped. I thought I was done for but suddenly someone grabbed me and I was flying.
“Ah!” I said when a looked down.
“Do not worry milady you are safe.” The person holding me said. I looked up and saw a man with flowing long blonde hair and bright blue eyes. He was wearing armor and chainmail. The guy was literally what I would describe as a knight in shining armor.
“hi…” I said awkwardly and he gave me a smile.
“Are you hurt?” He asked looking concerned. It was probably because of the dopey look on my face.
“Nope, I’m good. “ I said not avoiding eye contact.
“I shall leave you with your friend, please try to get to safety.” He said.
“Okay.” I said as he put me down and flew off.
“Can I almost get squished by a building?” Tess said.
“Get in line.” I said. “We should probably…”
“Oh yeah.” Tess said and we ran to the subway which happened to be the safe zone. We ran to the apartment where Liam and Will were waiting watching the news. They tackled us into a hug when we walked in.
We sat down and watched as the news reports came in. We saw the building of the coffee shop we worked at blow up. There goes that paycheck.
“maybe this is a sign it’s time to move on?” tess said.
“It’s a natural disaster that no one could have predicted.” I said.
Then we heard a large crash and the wall with the fire escape was destroyed by some giant flying wall thing.
“Maybe we should get a new place closer to campus?” Will said.
“The plumbing in this place sucks anyway.” I said.
“You two can crash with us.” Liam said.
“I’ll go grab the bags.” I said.
“I’ll call the land lord.” Will said.
As I was packing I started to feel light headed. I felt fear from all my marks and then this overwhelming feeling of loss from the mark on my hip. I took a deep breath and tried to stay calm but it wasn’t working. I just felt really sad. Then it all went away and I started falling.
“Please be okay.” I whispered. That was the last thing I remembered before I blacked out.
Third Person’s POV-
The battle was over and Loki was apprehended. He was in SHIELD custody and after saving the world and almost dying the Avengers as the world was now calling them, had worked up an appetite.
They had all gone to a small Schwarma place a block away from Stark Tower and they had all sat down and were quietly eating. It wasn’t until Tony saw Thor remove on of his wrist cuffs and he saw a very familiar mark on his arm that anyone said anything.
“Thor, What’s that on your arm?” Tony asked.
“Ah it is the mark of my soulmate.” Thor said proudly. At that answer everyone droped their utensils and stared at him.
“Come again?” Steve said.
“On Asgard we are all marked with something that represents the person that we are meant to be with.” Thor said.
“We got that, part.” Clint said.
“Why does your mark look just like mine?” Tony said lifting the sleeve of his shirt enough so that everyone.
“And mine.” Clint said raising his shirt so everyone could see the mark on his ribs.
“I have it too.” Natasha said touching her hip.
“I have it on my thigh.” Bruce said.
“Cap?” Tony said.
“Bicep.” Steve said.
“So we all have the same soulmark meaning we all share a soulmate.” Bruce said leaving everyone in shock.
“You all have the mark, and you got it during your life. I’ve had mine since the forties and it’s still here.” Steve said realizing what a mistake he had made.
“Our soulmate is out there.” Clint said.
“She’s here in New York.” Natasha said.
“What!?” They all said waiting for her to elaborate.
“You know where she is?” Clint said not believing Natasha hadn’t told him.
“She’s a she?” Tony said.
“I was tailing a bratva member a few months back and it led me to a club. I saw this girl with a necklace that had a pendant identical to the mark. I didn’t get a chance to talk to her and I didn’t get her name.” Natasha started.
“The necklace had the bird, a leaf, a blue stone and a diamond?” Steve asked.
“Yeah?” Natasha said.
“Was she young, about five six, shoulder length light brown hair, hazel green eyes and fair skinned?” Steve described her very well.
“The lighting was a bit off but sounds right.” Natasha said.
“You both met her?” Tony said.
“Where is she?” Thor said jumping out of his seat.
“I met her in a diner a little after I got out of the ice.” Steve said.
“Did you get her name?” Clint asked.
“I did.” Steve answered “but I don’t remember.”
“So we got nothing.” Tony said disappointed.
“Not nothing, we know she’s here.” Bruce said.
“Right, here in New York. Where Aliens just destroyed half the city.” Clint said.
Everyone was quiet for a minute before they snapped out of it. Tony grabbed his wallet put money on the table. They all got up said thank you and ran back to the tower.
“I’ll check hospitals, if she was admitted they’d have any identifying marks on record.” Tony said.
“I’ll go work on a sketch from what I can remember we can put up signs and…” Everyone just gave him an amused look. “The computer does that now doesn’t it?”
“Now you’re learning.” Tony said rushing off to his computer. “Jarvis.”
“I’ve started scanning sir and at the moment there are no deceased bodies with the description of the marks your soulmate would have on her.” Jarvis answered.
“She lives!” Thor exclaimed.
“Looks that way Pikachu.” Tony said. “Jarvis bring up facial construction programing.”
“Wait.” Bruce started.
“What?” they all said confused.
“Steve said that she was young, how young exactly?” Bruce said.
“No older than fifteen or sixteen.” Steve said.
“She’s a kid?” Clint said.
“That narrows it down.” Tony said.
“I don’t think that’s what he meant.” Natasha said. “She’s a kid. She’s just getting started, what would her life be like if we brought her into this?”
“She’d be with us.” Tony said.
“Would that actually be a good thing?” Natasha said.
“Look at our lives Tony, my heart rate goes up even slightly above average and I go green. You almost died two hours ago flying a nuke into outer space.” Bruce deadpanned.
“I’m almost a hundred years old and I thought we were going to look for her by putting up posters.” Steve said.
“I was brainwashed.” Clint said.
“I have to take Loki back to Asgard.” Thor said.
“So we have a lot of things to work through but that doesn’t mean…” Tony started before Natasha interrupted him.
“What about Pepper?” Natasha said. That made Tony stop.
“So what do we do?” Clint asked.
“We wait.” Bruce said. “We take some time and figure things out and when we’re ready we talk about this again.”
“That sounds reasonable.” Steve said.
“I’ll call off the search.” Tony said.
“Wait… We should still know if she’s okay.” Steve said and everyone agreed.
“Jarvis keep us updated.” Tony said.
“At the moment sir there is no reports of anyone with the description provided or the marks.” Jarvis said.
“She’s okay.” Tony said.
“Yeah.” Clint said.
They all agreed that at the moment it was better if they didn’t find their soulmate but it didn’t mean that they were all completely okay with the decision but they knew that for the time being it was the best choice.