Chapter 14 End of Volume 1 + Epilogue

The week didn't went by as well as I thought, with college closing down due to internal issues and investigation all the credits earned in the semester will have to be restarted for full score rather than passing score.

'Great, fucking great.' I grumble as I walk past April after a small greeting and into the kitchen, I set my backpack against the wall.

"Hi, I'm back, just finished my shift." I say shift as I refer to patrolling, my week has been hell, I have to redo a whole semester, in another college cause it seems they will close it for a while, I can't go into work since I need a psychiatrist which I'm not comfortable going and Erica hates my guts.

"Hello Moonpie! I thought you would go with the rest, they're upstairs."

"Who?"

"You know Mandy and Alana... Erica told me what happened, not everything but enough to know that you have to talk it out. I know Erica and you have been butting heads the entire week and the interview at Brown fell through but there are other opportunities." Yup, my interview fell through because of the scandal that I'm part of, like testifying against my previous landlord and now testifying against my coach and Dean. Sighing out loud and making my way upstairs ready to face whatever this is going to be.

Walking into Erica's room and notice the traitor looking at me with those sad eyes that used to convince me to do shit.

"What?"

"Baby-"

"I'm not your baby, you can call me Cindy."

"Cindy, baby. I'm sorry."

"Sorry is not enough..."

"I will do anything, please, I'm sorry."

"I don't believe you. I'm not stupid I know you can just go back and write everything in your computer or even your phone, Hell I'm sure you have backups of everything."

"I erased everything, Cindy I didn't mean to hurt you."

"BULLSHIT!" That made her step back. "You wrote about everything we did, what I told you, every secret is in that stupid notebook. I can't forgive you."

"Please, please, please I'm sorry."

"I accept your apology, just shut up."

"So am I forgiven?"

"NO, Mandy you betrayed me, betrayed my trust, showed my why it's wrong to trust people. Something I learned a long time ago."

"Honey, that's not fair." Alana interjected. "She apologized."

"That doesn't mean shit, she betrayed me. What if she did that to you?"

"She's lucky I love her or else I wouldn't even speak to her."

"But it's not fair; she got rid of the notebook."

"I don't believe she got rid of it, Mandy is too careful to delete that."

"Not true, I promise, I swear everything got deleted." Her heartbeat is telling me no.

"STOP LYING! You're lucky, but luck runs out."

"Honey, hey, you don't have to-"

"OH MY GOD SHUT UP!" I pointed at Alana as Erica stood there. "YOU HAVE A FUCKING JUSTICE BONER! You were just interested in who I stopped, how I did it, how many crimes I've stopped. You we're not subtle, but when I read that notebook it became obvious that I'm just your friend because I have powers."

"Th-thats no-not true, you're my friend."

"Why do I not believe you?" I replied as I'm getting annoyed. "I'm sure you're here to say sorry, but I honestly don't give a shit. I'm stressed and I need a nap."

"Aren't you going to go out?"

"Seriously Alana?" As I was making my way outside I heard a small whisper.

"At least thank us." That stopped me as Alana's voice reached my ears.

"Thank... you? Why would I thank you?"

"Well, we helped put those people in jail for taking advantage of you." I can't even believe what I heard.

"So it was you! Why did you betray me?" I turned towards them as anger is clear in my face. "I knew I couldn't trust people."

"No, we did that for you. We did what we did because-" Mandy tried to argue.

"Bullshit! You only care about me because I'm entertaining you! I wasn't your friend, I wasn't one of you."

"Baby you are! We do love you" Mandy tries to say.

"Stop fucking lying! To be honest with you! I knew you didn't want me around! I may not have money but I have self-worth. I don't need charities; I don't need someone to protect me."

"You do, because you have no one!" Alana said with confidence in her tone.

"What does that matter? You only want me around because I have powers; I'm just a little experiment you have for the long run!"

"No it's not!" Mandy said as she looked at me.

"How the fuck not? The presents, the birthday party, the small details. Hell you give me those fucking nicknames." Tears cloud my vision as my heart breaks little by little.

"Cindy, trust me that I do love you, you're like my sister, my mom loves you..." Erica tries to argue to defend the others.

"Why do you insist in lying? I CANT TRUST ANYONE! YOU BETRAYED ME!"

"Cin, we did this for you."

"For me? FOR ME?! I DONT HAVE A HOME! I DONT HAVE MONEY! I DONT HAVE A SCHOOL TO GO TO! AND TURNS OUT IM NOT MENTALLY STABLE ENOUGH TO WORK!"

"Cin, baby, calm down. You don't need to yell. We want to help you, you're behaving unhinged."

"OH AND NOW IM CRAZY!? YOU THREE RUINED MY LIFE! Yay the bad people are in jail! How does that help me?"

"We were worried." Erica said as she raised both hands and motioned downwards.

"Cindy you're scaring us." Mandy said as she took a step back making me realize that I may be coming of as hostile taking a deep breath I take a step back.

"To be honest, I thought I was getting into something simple at first, get photos taken get out. I didn't want friends because people can't be trusted." Sighing out loud and narrowing my eyes at them.

"But-" Interrupting them before they could argue.

"You don't get it; you don't understand what not having food is like. You don't get what my life is like!"

"Oh I'm sure." Erica said with a light frown on her face.

"What was that?" I can't help but ask.

"Oh I'm too pretty! Everyone harasses me! I have super strength and super speed and I'm smarter than everyone and better than anyone at everything and have a low self-esteem. Look at me I'm an orphan!"

"You're such a fucking bitch." I finally said it when I meant it.

"I am and you're even more of a little bitch because you can't stop complaining about your life."

"It's not like I want this life."

"Oh that's rich coming from you, and you don't have shit to call your own. You sound like you have everything figured out, the perfect story about a girl from nowhere and then winning in life."

"If it were up to me I would rather do anything else!"

"UHuh and what? Keep your superpowers a secret? What you do is just trying to get attention, I figured out the reason behind what you do."

"Ah- I" Before I could answer.

"Aw, did mommy spend too much time beating you up that you didn't get attention?"

"Whoa, Erica that was out of line." Mandy said but Erica looked at me.

"Yes, she did. But she loves me, deep down she does... I know it does."

"Oh please, you have to be stupid to keep believing that! She didn't love you; you were nothing more than a punching bag that changes colors from yellow to black."

"ERICA! THAT'S ENOUGH!" Alana said trying to interrupt but I need to see where her comments go.

"No, let her. She clearly has to vent." I admit as I lightly push Alana aside.

"Don't patronize me you fucking bitch. Because you have perfect life, oh please and don't give me that look! You have the perfect life! Everyone loves you and you just want people to reassure that love! Oh my poor lonely life! I wish people loved me more! But I'm too naive and stupid!"

"I'm not naive! And I have done everything to be-"

"Oh my god! Stop lying to everyone! You have everything that you need!"

"Oh please, then take my life, I'm sure you would do better."

"Fuck off; my mom compares me to you always. Hey Cindy is smart, Cindy might be valedictorian. Why do you act like everything is too much? You're a hypocrite! And yes, I had to survive the constant comparison to you. You're not April!"

"Oh boo hoo, you get compared to me because you can't keep your grades up! Imagine having to go to a private college and failing! You're just lucky to have rich parents."

"Lucky? Coming from you? You? Miss I got bitten by a spider and now can lift tons over my head like nothing? You got lucky at every turn in life!" That one actually hurt.

"I thought you said that wasn't the case." My voice lost its confidence.

"Well I fucking lied, just like I lied about tolerating your fucking existence. You tried to steal my mom from me cause yours just used you like a wooden board to fill with nails."

"Cindy..." Mandy reached out to me but I brushed her hand away.

"You think I had fun? There are parts of my life that I can't remember. Just-"

"OH boo hoo, my trauma is so big I can't remember getting tortured! If that's too hard on you that you don't sleep then why don't you just off yourself! We're better off without-"

"I TRIED THAT ALREADY-... You think its fun to have nightmares? You think its fun about dreaming how you're locked inside a box? You think ITS NORMAL THAT I HAVE TO PUT ON A FACE FOR YOU ALL?! I AM SO DESPERATE TO STOP FEELING PAIN THAT IVE TRIED TO..."

"Ci-"

"I WAS SO FUCKING STRESSED! IT WAS A BAD DAY, A SLEEPLESS NIGHT AND EVERYONE KEPT BEING AN ASSHOLE TO ME. I TRIED TALKING TO ALL OF YOU, BUT YOU BLEW ME OFF! So I stole a crate full of medicine and took pill after pill." I took a deep breath. "I didn't stop, but my body for some fucking reason said no, and I had to puke out everything, my body sweated out those pills and I just couldn't get out of bed that week."

"Baby..."

"But that doesn't change the fact that you three ruined my fucking life. Congratulations, your experiment worked! I'm now in a worse situation than I was before."

"Oh please, why don't you just knock it off! You're just making shit up now, you just want attention so fuck off with that pity bullshit you want people to feel!"

"Then say the word and I'll be gone. I'll make sure you never see me again." I say as I stare at her directly at her eyes.

"I want you out of my house and out of my life!"

"Guess you were never my friend then." I feel a hole over my heart as it crumbles to pieces.

"We never were." She said as the pain is too much.

"Then keep my shit... that way you can pay for the time lost." I say as I burst out of her room with my backpack and a baseball cap.

"DONT SLAM MY DOOR YOU FUCKING BITCH! DIDNT THE ORPHANAGE TAUGHT YOU THAT? I THOUGHT THEY BEAT THAT INTO YOU!"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP ERICA! YOURE JUST A RICH BITCH THAT BUYS FRIENDS." I'm sorry we end up like this, I did love you.

"Erica, no shouting!" Erica's Mom said from downstairs.

"FUCK OFF CINDY, AT LEAST I HAD FRIENDS! YOURE JUST A LONELY PIECE OF SHIT!"

"FUCK YOU ERICA!"

"NO! FUCK YOU CINDY! I DONT WANT TO SEE YOU EVER AGAIN!"

"ERICA DONT TALK TO HER LIKE THAT!"

"MOM, SHES JUST A LAZY, FUCKING WHORE! HERE'S AN IDEA CINDY, JUST SPREAD YOUR LEGS CINDY THAT WAY YOU CAN EARN MONEY. HELL PEOPLE CAN HIT YOU AND YOU MAY GET OFF OF IT!"

"ERICA!"

"I'LL NEVER SEE YOU AGAIN! THANKS FOR NOTHING YOU TRAITOROUS PIECES OF SHIT! HOPE YOU HAVE FUCKING PERFECT RICH LIFE!"

"THANK YOU AND I HOPE YOU FUCKING DIE! IF YOU'RE GOING TO KILL YOURSELF THEN FUCKING HANG YOURSELF OR JUMP OFF A BUILDING! CLEARLY SWALLOWING PILLS DIDN'T WORK!" I slammed the door as I heard that last answer the door broke under my strength as it got pulled off its hinges with a scream it fell into the floor.

"Who the fuck needs people like them. I knew I was better by myself."

--

Come on! Come on!' I rush past the street and end up in the alley that leads into a backdoor. Knocking twice waiting followed by a small knock then two consecutive louder knocks. The door opens. "Dude, you're late."

"Yeah, no shit. Now let me in."

"... Fine, but if you don't pay up the ten by tomorrow then I'm going to stop saving you a spot."

"Whatever." He moves out of the way. Walking inside after he removes a few boxes from a cot and I proceed to put my stuff on top of it.

"You're lucky, I like you."

"Not lucky, I pay you. You save me a spot to sleep here."

"True, I like money more than you."

"Tsch, now go away. I need to sleep." Grabbing my backpack and placing it on my head and using the coat I have on me as a blanket I'm set for the night.

But someone catches my eye. Out of the corner of my eye I notice a girl in a purple coat that has fur on the edges of her neck.

'She doesn't look from around here.' Clothes are too clean, the backpack she has is too bright, she has a watch and is using her phone.

So a runaway, but it's not my problem. She looks absolutely lost. Turning to my side and lying down I'm focused on trying to get some sleep as well as keep an ear out for anything.

"Hey, lady. What you got there?" The rough voice of one homeless man calls my attention. After all that raspy voice makes it clear he isn't in his right mind. Come on ignore him and her. I turn on my side as I try to ease my breathing.

"Come on! Don't be like that! Don't get scared."

"Please get away." The girl sounds scared.

"What cans you got there? If you give me a can of those I'll leave you alone."

"Fine, please just leave me alone." I heard a few cans collide against another. The breathing of some is steady, but others are just pretending to sleep.

"Oh this is the good stuff. Pretty expensive. Thank you lady." I can hear others moving as the other guy opened the can. The smell wakes some up. I'm trying to not care as my cot is fully warmed up.

"When she falls asleep we take her shit and split half."

"Half and half?"

"Sure, we sell the rest."

"I like how you think."

"Hey, you two I want in." The whispers are getting louder. 'Fucking shit Just what I needed.' standing up I go towards the brown haired brat that has light make up on her face. Clothes that look old but expensive and shoes that are new and from a big brand.

Amazing 2 months away from modeling and clothes and I can recognize that type of stuff.

"Kid." I nudge her with my foot, my bag over my shoulder. She doesn't move, I lean down and crouch beside her.

Tapping her cheek she doesn't wake up, sighing as I close her nose with my thumb and fingers covering her mouth. The room is dark, after all its 11 and during late November. Man, it's been 2 months. The girls eyes open and I cover her mouth.

"Kid, you're in danger. Pick your shit and we have to leave." I shush her as I remove my hand. She tries to scream but I immediately repeat the process.

"What did I say?" She nods.

"Good, now. Grab your shit and let's go; we don't have much time." I say as I get up she follows. We're out of there, but I hear footsteps behind us.

"Run." We begin to run and exit through the backdoor, into an alley. We need to get to the street, we take a few corners but when we're close to the street I grab her and run behind a building hiding her with me.

A few of the same people that wanted her food and her stuff ran out into the street past us, their footsteps getting further and further away.

"What was that?" She whispered.

"That is what happens when you wear expensive shit."

"This is not expensive, it's Abercrombie." Looking at her with a deadpan expression.

"Dude, come on." I told her as I looked at her dead in the eyes. "It's like you want to get mugged or kidnapped."

"Why did you help me? Or are you going to kidnap me?" Rolling my eyes I stand up.

"If I wanted to kidnap you, I wouldn't have helped you. Right now you would have a pretty black eye and all your shit missing." I nudge at her to follow.

"Come on, I'm freezing and you're shivering let's go."

"Go where?"

"Either an encampment or under a bridge. I would say the subway but they're too loud."

"But... That sounds dirty, as in actual dirt." I feel another sigh leave my throat.

"Listen, kid. I don't know why you ran away from home, and I don't care. I saved you from getting mugged or something worse. I for the life of me can't leave you alone cause if you die then it's on my conscience. Now get moving it's getting late and I want to sleep." We begin to walk towards the small encampment that got set up in between warehouses.

"So~" She extended the O as she moved to walk beside me. "What's your story?"

"No story, bad people, bad decisions, miserable endings and a shit ton of fake help and fake people that only betrayed me for their entertainment."

"Betrayed?"

"Doesn't matter know, lesson learned. Don't trust anyone; trust only yourself and what your gut says, no more any less. Everyone will abandon you when you're not useful to them anymore."

"Sorry to hear that." I wipe a stray tear.

"Doesn't matter, come on." We begin to walk towards the small camp, but out of the corner of my eye something calls my attention. "Hey, why did you run away from home?"

"I guess, I wasn't happy. Like Mom and Dad we're never there, like they didn't love me." She sighed as I noticed the same black SUV turn the corner.

"So you ran away to escape?"

"More like a way to be free, or to tell them that they didn't care I disappeared. Once I traveled to the UK by myself out of the blue and my butler gave me company through the week long trip and when I came home with a few presents... they didn't care. Mom didn't notice and Dad just, nodded. It's like I'm invisible to them."

"I can't really say I relate to you, but I'm sure you don't need someone to tell you what is right and wrong. Right?"

"No, it's just... I thought they loved me, but it's like I'm invisible."

"..."

"So you ran because they wouldn't care?"

"Yes, I only left a note and said my goodbyes."

"How old are you kid?"

"I'M NOT A KID!" She stomped her foot, making me raise an eyebrow.

"Uhuh, whatever you say. What's your plan? Now that you're free I mean." That made her stop in her tracks.

"I don't know... starting to work somewhere is a good place to start." She says as she looks absolutely lost.

"How old are you again?"

"Sixteen... you"

"Seventeen, but right now you're a bigger idiot than what I first thought."

"What?"

"If you say Abercrombie is cheap, what is expensive?"

"I mean, like a Dior or something, like that."

"UHuh... Look, you need to pull less attention to yourself out here. You stick out like a sore thumb. Also don't look back but we have a tail, black SUV, tinted windows."

"WHAT? HOW DO YOU KNOW?"

"The same van has given a few turns and passed us twice. Also three people have been following us from across the street and one behind us." We kept walking. "Don't turn your head! Use the windshields and windows." She nodded as she gasped.

"Did they come back?"

"No, but if this is what I think it is then we're in trouble." I grab her hand. "We run when the ones on the other side of the road lose sight of us when that bus that is coming our way covers for us." She nods as we wait, as soon as the bus passes were running into the nearest convenient alley that has a way to go into the next avenue.

But as we begin to run the footsteps behind us get louder as one of the SUVs comes barreling down into the alley from the other side blocking our escape.

"God fucking dammit." I say aloud as I put her behind me and taking a fighting stance. While holding my backpack ready for it to get thrown and save this kid from getting her ass kidnapped.

"You don't want to do this." I warned as I get ready while the three people that were tailing us enter the alley.

"Give us the girl and you won't get hurt." I smirk as I get ready.

"Yeah, I don't think so. When I give the signal you run." I say as she takes a few steps back.

"What signal?" Heh I always wanted to say that. As they're about to pull something from his coat, I throw my backpack at the one on his left. He clearly didn't expect the weight.

"Ooph." As I deliver a flying kick at the one that rushed me and as I'm about to punch the last one a scream pulls my attention.

"Stop! Don't! Don't hurt them!" I duck under a punch and throw him over my head in a swift motion. "I said stop!" The girl walks up to me and pulls me back.

"They want to kidnap you and-" I try to explain what's going on to this idiot but I get interrupted.

"Kidnap?" The voice of the guy bellow says aloud.

"Yeah? You've been following us for 20 minutes!"

"No, you're kidnapping her." I just stare at the guy under my foot with a deadpan expression.

"Umm, no?" Then it hits me, rich girl, ran away from home, black SUVs. I let the guy go and as he gets up I begin to laugh, then it becomes even funnier, and I'm genuinely laughing, my snorts ring out loud in the night.

"What's so funny?"

"This whole thing!" I proceed to calm down after a few deep breaths. "Man! It's been months since I laughed like that. I'm not kidnapping her. I saved her from getting mugged and beaten up; I was helping her in getting a warm place to sleep." I say with a shrug.

"Mugged? Miss, are you alright." I took a step back as they were checking up on her.

"Yeah, I'm fine. But why are you here?"

"Your Mother and Father are extremely worried about you."

"They are?" Taking a step back I'm once again behind them, the now identified bodyguards are slowly getting up.

"The mayor got worried about you."

'Mayor? You dumb brat. Well, I'm out.' With a jump I'm three stories above and with a quick webline at my backpack I have everything.

"Miss, thank you for helping her, I'm sorry about attacking yo-" as he turns around I'm already in the rooftop

"She was just here." Whelp I lost my cot and now I need to go the camp. With a jump and a webline to the other side, I'm now swinging my way closer to the camp. I heard a small gasp as I land on an 8 stories rooftop. Turning to my left as I adjust my scarf only to see a man in a business suit his face is red and his gaze looks dead.

"Silk? Is that you?"

"Um, I think so." Shooting a webshot at the middle point between us. "Yeah, I am." I say as I take a seat noticing where he is standing.

"I never thought you looked like...." He eyed me; his gaze is focused on my now dirty clothes.

"A hobo?"

"I wasn't going to say that; more like a... Normal person."

"Huh?"

"Yes, cause out there you look like nothing can touch you. I mean, have you seen the news articles or those gossip channels?"

"No, I don't really have time."

"I assumed so; they're always saying that you're some sort of super famous super rich person that is keeping their identity to secret. Like Batman."

"Ha! Nah, I'm just a regular girl from Manhattan."

"I can tell, it's odd seeing a woman like you just looking like everyone else."

"I would assume so... Is it disappointing?"

"No, not really. It's just weird to see you as someone other than the superhero that saves lives every day. Dodging bullets and lifting buses."

"I never thought about that, since after all... I'm just, making sure to help everyone I can."

"That is impressive but why are you swinging at this hour? Not that it's any of my business."

"I had a few issues and... Let's just say I've been in a rough spot. But I saved a girl that ran from home from getting mugged or something worse."

"Whoa, that is absolutely amazing, but that doesn't answer my questions."

"My answer to that, is well... Life is a piece of shit to me. I'm in massive debt, I'm out of a home, turns out people close to me were faking liking, and every time I try to do something it blows up in my face. Every person I trust just tosses me aside like I'm worthless." I take a deep breath as I remember how Clint has been ghosting me for the past few months. "I can't work because I got so stressed after discovering said betrayal! I need money for someone to give me the green light that I'm stable enough to work, money is not coming in and I don't fucking know where to go or what to do!" I'm panting after ranting without taking a breath.

"Whoa and I thought I had a rough week."

"You were going to jump weren't you?" I jump straight to the point.

"Yes... I got fired after working ten years of my life to this fucking company." He kicks the nearest metallic container leaving a light dent. "My girlfriend from college was cheating on me and I'm behind on a few loans I made."

"And you were going to jump because of that? What about your family?"

"My mom, she cares... But how can I tell her that I'm a failure? How can I look my dad in the eyes and tell him I'm a winner? I was valedictorian from when I graduated. But now I'm nothing more than an unemployed loser."

"They can handle you being a loser, I was and still am a loser, it's not like you've given up?"

"Given up? I was about to jump." He sat down on the ground his suit now gathering dust.

"One thing people always think when they begin to swallow pills. Is "why?"... When people jump, they always regret it. I'm sure that if you jumped you would've regretted it the moment you took that plunge."

"You say that like it's from experience..."

"..." I can't really meet his gaze even though its dark he can tell I'm avoiding his stare.

"Oh... Sorry."

"Semicolon, right?" I allude to the symbol for suicide survivors after all I am one of them.

"But what else could I do? I just lost everything! How do I not feel like I'm worthless?" I flinch at said word.

"Its part of life, life isn't fair; life isn't always what you want but those issues that make life hard is what make us stronger." I say the stupidest thing that comes to mind.

"But..." I interrupt him.

"No buts, go and call your mom, if my mom loves me then your mom loves you too. So what if your job fired you? It wasn't meant to be your job forever; if you were valedictorian then opportunities will come to you. Your girlfriend was cheating on you, and then she wasn't really in love with you. This is a rough patch for you, it's up to you to take your next step forward and take your first step to new beginnings; and not an ending. Usually beginning's start when you look back at people that love you." He stepped down from the ledge; I got my things and stood up.

"Thanks, for this... I think I needed someone to hear me out and give a little encouragement."

"No problem stranger. Well, I need a place to cover myself from the cold... Thanks for listening to my issues." I say to him as he walks forward and hugs me, he begins to cry. I just rub his back. "It's okay; you're going to be alright." He began to say thank you's until after ten minutes he let go. From my backpack I took out the last bottle of clean water that I have.

"Here." I give it to him and he takes it.

"Stay hydrated, now go order a cab and go home. I'll stay here so you don't do anything dumb." I give him a light noogie on the forehead, he laughs as he swats at my hand.

"I will, thank you." He takes out his phone as he walks inside the building. Man that was tiring, looking at the clock in my phone staring at the messages from Clint, but it's been almost 3 months and he hasn't answered anything from me. He's either busy or dead, but a small headache tells me he's not. Shrugging off the headache, I look down at the ground and see that it's not that course.

With a sigh I opt against staying to sleep here, the camp should be good for now. "But...maybe Mom can help me." I nod to myself as it feels terrifying to go back to the orphanage. But after almost half an hour of swinging I'm back to the place I was raised. The same old concrete house, the same steps and windows.

With a deep breath, I knock on the door. I just need a few days and maybe Baskin Robbins can give me a job, since subway isn't enough to sustain my need for food. As I knock again the door opens to reveal the same woman answers the door. Her hair is a little bit longer and a small bit of stray white hair.

"..."

"..." We stare at each other, my gaze is not sure how to talk to the woman that took care of me and loved me. I pull down the hood of my hoodie and the scarf down.

"Hi mom, I know it's been a while and I'm sorry I didn't call but I didn't have your phone and-"

"No." The door got closed in my face.

"Mom? Mom, please I just need a place to stay! Just three days... Tops." The door opens.

"What did I tell you when I almost killed you."?

"It was your way of showing love."

"How fucking stupid can you be?"

"I'm not stupid; I always made sure to prove that. Mom, I just need a few days."

"No." She sighs. "Look you fucking brat, I looked after you because I had no other option."

"But you cared for me!"

"I used to, but..." She paused and sighed as a hand ran across her face. "Listen, you annoying shit. You aren't welcome here."

"Mom, please, I'm seventeen... I need a place to sleep."

"Stop! For god sake! You're not my daughter, you brought me money, and you were nothing more than a problem for me. Too smart for your own good, I tried to care for you, but it was impossible..." She grabbed me by the collar of my hoodie and brought me close to her. "I don't give a shit what you do; I don't give a shit about you. Get it through that thick head of yours that you're not loved, you're useless and that you're nothing more than a bother to everyone around you." Those words sink in; her glare makes me feel absolute dread.

"Bu-" A punch shuts my mouth, I could've dodged but the fear is not letting me move.

"No, get the fuck out of here. I don't care if you die, I would've sold you for a beer if I could've. You're worthless, now get out of here. This isn't your home and you can't do anything to me.

Because I own you and I want you out of here and out of my life. Never come close to me, to this place. I never want to hear from you again." The punches don't stop as I can feel like each hit is a hammer pushing me down deeper into misery. "Before actually." Her tone is sweet.

"Yes?" I comply at the soft and caring tone.

"How much do you have right now?"

"Fifty?"

"Wallet." She extends her hand, I comply as she I take it out she snatches it. Taking out all the money I had in there. "Only this?"

"Yes mom, sorry." She lets me go as I feel blood run down my lips and tears cover my cheeks.

"Not your Mother dumbass, your owner, and as such you're going to get out of here and never come back." She pushes me as I trip and fall down onto the street, my body lands on the sidewalk as my head hits the pavement I remember those nights crying myself to sleep. My wallet lands on top of me and I clutch it tightly.

The punches, the nights in the box, the scars, the blood that dripped from her knuckles... It was never love. Do I even have a Mom? She loved me, I'm sure; maybe it's her owning me that she showed love that way. She was caring before, but after I was ten it all changed. As something wet lands on my nose and eye I can tell its spit. Taking my chances as I hear footsteps come to me, I get up and begin to run for my life. Escaping deep into the night and darkness as for the first time in a long time I feel absolutely alone.

My phone rings from a text message, it's from Clint. Taking it out as my hoodie sleeves dry my tears and blood. I look at the screen to feel lonelier than ever. 'Going dark for a while, don't test this number. We'll be watching over you. I'll text you when I'm no longer in mission.' The coldness of the text is chilling as I'm falling deeper into that sadness that was blooming.

"Guess I'm truly alone." I begin to cry harder as I turn to my surrounds looking for a place to crash and notice that I'm in I think its Hamilton Heights, I feel like I need to crash somewhere and cry my heart out. The smell of salt water fills my nose. Maybe... one of the abandoned warehouses there.

Waking as the night of New York makes sure that every corner has light I'm walking past party goers that are coming home as well as other going out for their own issues to work through at this hour, everyone gives me clear berth as I walk past them.

The small warehouse looks completely alone strapping my backpack; I jump over the fence and make my way inside. I can hear pigeons and other small critters but it's spacious. Walking to the second floor using the walls I'm in a small office that is covered in dust. Noticing a few chairs and a couch I take my backpack. Pulling out Mister Bunny and I hug him tightly.

"You won't leave me right, Mister Bunny?" His eyes are happy as I can't help but cry in silence much like I always did. "I'm sorry Mister Bunny, this is hard... But now I just want to sleep."

--

"Good Evening New York! I hope you're having a great Saturday! Today May the 8th marks the day that has been 4 months since Silk has been missing. We asked a few citizens about her disappearance, some believe that it was a government plot to make us more complacent about the efficiency of police officers and their work." The anchorwoman said as she looked towards his cohost.

"While others are asking the important question of where she might be, according to statistics since November of last month crime rate has increased by seven percent. Making us ask ourselves, was Silk more help than actual damage that the police always claimed that she was a menace."

"This is WHiH4, next up. We'll be covering the tour that Stark Tower is offering and as well as their presentation on their new energy source patented by Stark Industries."

"The presentation and our very own interview with Tony Stark himself will take place in two weeks, exactly on May the 24th, which is a Monday if I'm not mistaken." Ignoring the sounds of the news as I make a run at the same trashcan that has food at this hour.

Sticking myself to the roof above the back door. I wait as the same guy, comes out spewing curses as he throws the bag into the trash. As the door closes I jump and land near the dumpster and take out the recent bag. I begin to search for everything that is edible. The food bank food I receive is a few days away so I need to make due, which is this dumpster then the one 2 blocks down and then another store that I can shoplift some water.

'Fuck yes half a sandwich.' I also see that someone threw half their coke and proceed to eat everything that looks like it's still good to eat. These few months have been hard, but I still need a few more days and I'll be eighteen. Everyone I know abandoned me; Maria gave me the same message as Clint. I get it, Mom made it clear, I'm worthless but that okay, I am okay. I think so.

"HEY!" I turn to see the same guy that takes out the trash with another bag and holding a gun.

"Oh shit!" I say as I run out into the alley and throw the guy an uneaten piece of bread. Running as fast as I can I turn the corner and jump high enough to use the wall as a foothold and firing a natural webline I get away running from him. I hear a distant 'Wait' but no way am I waiting, last time I obeyed I almost got my head blown off.

Making my way back to the warehouse after looting the other places and getting water for myself, I lie down staring clearly at Mister Bunny that is clearly happy I'm back. After all, this entire warehouse I made it so that only I can enter via the roof after melting several pieces of metal into every door.

As I took a quick shower with water from the river and soap that I shoplifted, I'm ready for bed but a text message pulls my attention. It's Clint. "Get here ASAP. Bring essentials and the reactors." As well as an address, followed by the word "Rooftop." Placing what little money I was able to pickpocket into the suit pocket and an extra 10 on my other pocket IE my bra money as well as phone in pocket. I secure my webshooters and reactors to my hands.

I secured my backpack to a beam on the roof that only I can access, as well as Mister Bunny safely and went my way following the address that Clint sent me. "5 minute window. Hurry." Putting more strength and speed into getting there, my suit is kinda itchy from not cleaning it, since it's been a few months since I used it. My phone is barely hanging on to battery.

But my body feels tired but he needs me and I have to be there for him. Using two lines to slingshot me forward I fly across two buildings, landing on the side of a skyscraper windows, running up that building, jumping while with another slingshot and with a front flip I land near him. As he looks around waiting for me, right beside what looks like a plane.

"Hey, I'm here. What was so urgent- Whoa! Since when are your eyes so blue? I never noticed. Anyway what's up?" He smiled warmly as he walked towards me, but something isn't right but not like I can complain. He needs me to help him and I'm more than ready to help. Also, his eyes are so... hypnotizing.

EPILOGUE

"Sir, She's not answering. Her phone received messages from Barton and she's off the grid."

"How did we lost her trail?"

"PEGASUS project made it unable to keep tabs on her as you ordered to not make any form of contact after she went dark from doing any vigilante work."

"Shit. Let everyone know that Silk has gone rogue along with Barton."

"Sir, she's as strong as the parameters we have on Thor."

"And she's now working for Loki. We have to keep looking." Nick Fury says as he looks at the tablet

in his hand looking at the candidates for the Avengers initiative, with two videos playing one of Agent Barton shooting arrows in a firing range, the other Silk lifting a car with her bare hands.

"We're in trouble." Maria Hill says as they drive into an air field with several Quinjets ready.

"Yes, but we need to find the Tesseract. If we find it, then we find them and figure out how to get them back." He says as he keeps staring at both videos trying to find a way to make sure that the other candidates can stop Loki and whatever idea he has on world domination.