Warning: How this chapter is tricky to write. And it is quite a crap. Every writer has that phase but I feel responsible to say I'm sorry!

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I followed Dad into the quarters, which was just as advanced and lavish as the New Avengers Facilities. It is also just as big - or bigger - because Dad said it has jails and more offices and departments here. Truthfully, I don't care about how big the headquarter is or how many officers and departments and levels they have. I wanted to know why I'm even here - or I mean, why Dad had to be here.

Everybody looked rush and occupied. They didn't turn for a second glance at anyone who walked pass them. With their long legs, they walked as fast as they could towards their destination. They also had tight faces, in which very different than the agents in the Facilities. If I didn't know them, I would say they're a bunch of arrogant people. The new environment almost got me choking because looking at them made me rushing too. What is it called? Anxiety?

Entering a cooler area, I slightly shivered. I turned to look at my father and saw that his face tightened in a deep thought while he was talking to someone on the phone. I didn't hear his phone ringing, but by the time we stopped at one point - his phone was still at his ear - he turned to me. Instantly I knew what he was going to say.

"You go to my office, Terri," Dad instructed. "I have some works here."

"Okay." I nodded without protests. I walked slowly with my crutchers along the corridor that was filled with suited men and women. They didn't even take a glance at me, but I was lucky Dad provided me with the tracking device I used back at the Facilities. I walked towards the still neon red dot, hoping it wasn't that far as it stated in the device.

I turned to glance at my father one last time and saw that he was already talking to Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson. Then going in the opposite direction, he walked with Natasha Romanoff while Steve and Sam stood at the door with hands in their pants. I quickly turned and walked away before any of them saw me. It might not be good even if Dad didn't say anything.

By the time I reached Dad's office here, I knew I'd passed several confidential rooms; and with them looking at me as if they were hiding something, I knew they were doing a secret experiment. At least, secret from an outsider like me. I decided not to acknowledge about it. If they were Dad's work, he will eventually let me know, right?

I sat on the leather sofa Dad had in his office set aside the main area. The smell of it tells me that it was new. The big wooden table located in front of the big double door had a set of computer that wasn't Dad's. Other than a keyboard and a mouse, the desk was empty and shiny under the light outside. There was also a tall bookshelf near from where I was sitting, filled with files and books that were too thick to be fiction.

I hung my legs on the hand rest, my arms hugged myself as I settled into the seat. My crutchers was on the floor beside the sofa and my phone was on the coffee table. Jet lagged, I started to doze off in the expensive sofa when I heard the door opened and closed.

Dad? I wondered. Could it be him? How fast can his work finish?

I strained my neck and peered in between my knees to see the incomer.

"Hello, Terri," Rhodey said, smiling at me. He had a chocolate paper bag in his hand with a cup of hot drink. Coffee, I guess. Most people just "didn't know" tea.

"Ah, Rhodes." I got up into a sitting position. I was tired, but I think I could stay up for a little longer.

"Tony asked me to come here. Said that you haven't taken anything so here you go," he said as he approached me and then put the paper bag and the hot cup on the table under my nose.

I smiled at Rhodey, thanking him before grabbing the hot cup. "Oh, tea. Did Dad ask you to-"

"Don't have to ask him." He laughed. "I've known since you were born, Terri. Sixteen years. Enough to know what you like and don't like."

"Huh?" I raised my eyebrow. "You would make a great uncle."

"Well, I am, aren't I?" he admitted it himself. "I mean, your father and I are close....like brothers. I don't have other siblings; Tony doesn't have other sibling. I'd be happy to be your uncle."

I pressed my lips together, tasting the tea on my lips. Smiling, I said, "You're right." Then, while I was looking inside the paper bag to see what Rhodey had brought for me: "What's Dad doing? He told me he had some work. Does it have to do with Cap and Wilson?"

I looked up at Rhodey as I waited him to answer my question. His body posture tensed a little when I mentioned about Dad's work and I saw that he was battling with himself either to tell me what Dad was doing or not. I was there when Sam scolded Dad because I knew about Sokovia Accords so I didn't think it should be a secret any more.

I watched him as he sighed and shook his head and looked at me seriously. "Terri, you know you shouldn't know about this, right?" he asked.

I looked at him innocently as I munched my burger. "I know."

"But I guess Tony tells you as much as what we're facing. Am I right?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"Well, then, I guess you should know this, too," he said, but more to himself. The next thing coming out from his mouth sounded louder and stern. "Steve. He found his old friend, Bucky. He's trying to save him, but...." He shook his head. "And there was another man, in cat suit. Turned out to be T'Challa. Also going after Bucky."

"Yeah, about that," I spoke when I remembered about the video Dad showed me. "Is the man with long hair Bucky?"

Rhodey looked astounded when I asked that question. I must say, nobody knew I saw the video. Yes, only Dad because he was the one who showed me, but other than that, no-one. And the man called Bucky hadn't showed himself until Steve chased after him so it was acceptable for Rhodey get shock with my knowledge.

"Yeah, how do you know?"

"Dad showed me the video where you caught them all. And the man in the cat suit is T'Challa? Who is that?"

"Wakanda King T'Chaka's son," Rhodey answered after a few moment of gathering his thought after the shock. "But he's Wakanda's King now. His father was killed in Vienna. Nat was there. The building they were having a conference was bombed by Bucky so...."

"Oh." I gulped a lump of my burger that I didn't even munch it. "That's....terrible." I blinked as I imagined what happened to T'Challa happening to me. For sure I would run after the murderer as well for revenge.

"I know." Rhodey nodded in agreement. "Hey, let's talk about something else. I don't want you to stress over something you're not supposedly to be stressing about."

I scoffed at his statement. "Seriously? How can I not, Rhodey. Whatever happens to the Avengers, it includes my dad. The break up between him and Mom is making Dad's head a mess. I don't want him to make a stupid decision just because he has a very uneven personal life," I expressed to the closest person I've got next to Dad.

"I understand, Terri," Rhodey said, offering me a sad smile. "But your father didn't actually want you to worry about it even though he's telling you everything. Tony doesn't have anyone. He's depending on Pepper, but without her, he's practically lost." Rhodey sounds worried. "So glad he has you, you know. Beside Pepper, you're the reason he lives up until now."

I smiled to myself with Rhodey's statement. No-one has ever told me that beside him. Rhodey literally lifted up my mood when he told me that I'm Dad's rock because all these days, I thought - sometimes - I was there as a third wheel....and as a troublemaker. "Thanks, Rhodes. You are a good uncle." I smiled to him and he returned.

"Yeah, by the way, how's your leg?" he asked, changing the topic. I've already finished my burger and was sipping and finishing my hot tea. "You aren't supposed to be so active, are you, if you want your leg to heal faster?"

"Better, I guess. Instead of two, I only walk with one stick. And without the cast, the problem with itchy skin is solved! I hate it when my leg gets itchy and I can't scratch it."

Rhodey laughed listening to my whine. "What about your therapy session?"

"Dad said I can continue once I get back to the Facilities," I answered. "But a lot of walking, I guess by the time I get back, my leg should be fine. The therapy session is just as same as walking like usually."

"While we got time," Rhodey said, "what if you practice walking without the stick? I'm here. I can help you."

"Ha? Nooo, I'm tired!" I whined, frowning and making a face.

"No, you're not. You just finished eating your favourite burger so now get up!" Rhodey got his bum off the seat and stood against an empty space near Dad's desk.

Reluctantly, I got up after grabbing my stick and walked and stood in front of Rhodey. I put my walking stick down and stood on one leg. As I observed the distance between me and Rhodey and taking a deep breath before I began walking, I suddenly felt like a one-year-old once again. I didn't remember, but from home video, this was exactly how I started my first step.

I opened my leg and stepped forward.

One step.

"That's right, Terri," Rhodey encouraged me. "Keep it that way, slow and steady."

I took another step.

"That's right, that's right," he said, nodding his head and smiled.

After taking a few more one-step steps, I wanted to take two steps at once seeing how successful I was with one step at a time. But with Rhodey encouraging like he was talking to a one-year-old, I couldn't help but laugh.

"What are you laughin' at?" asked Rhodey as he looked at me in confusion. "Stark, what're you laughin' at?"

Stark, eh? He must be so annoyed.

"You," I paused to take a deep breath to calm myself down.

"Me?"

I nodded. "You make me feel like I'm a toddler who's about to take my first walk. Seriously, Rhodes, if you want a kid, go marry someone quickly. I'm a teenager not a baby anymore."

"Is that why?" Rhodey scoffed. "I didn't even think about that until you mention, Terri."

"No, seriously?" This time, it was my turn to look at him in confusion. I continued to take two steps at a time while we talked. "How can you not-"

"I cannot force myself into a commitment I can't commit," Rhodey cut, gave me a straight-forward answer, which caught me off guard. With only a few steps towards Rhodey, I froze, looking into Rhodey's eyes in shock. Rhodey returned my look with a guilty one. "Terri-"

"No," I stopped him, looking away and began to turn around back to my seat. I felt my knees shaking. Suddenly, I didn't feel a life on my right leg, but I kept strong to walk back to the sofa rather than crawling.

"Terri, I'm so sorry," Rhodey apologised. "I didn't mean to-"

"Nope, never mind," I cut him again. "I- you just-"

"I'm sorry, Terri," he repeated as he followed me back towards the sofa.

I took a seat, releasing a sigh of relief as soon as my leg felt rested. Even with the short distant - even sitting under an air-conditioner - I began sweating too hard. I know I shouldn't be mad at Rhodey because of what he thinks, but at the moment, with my family's condition, I couldn't help but to feel a sting in my chest when he said that. I even felt like I've been betrayed.

Yes, Mom and Dad split because "it was for our own good" but I knew there were something more in "it was for our own good." Mom cared about Dad a lot - of course, he's her a-long-time partner. And Dad didn't want to lose Mom so with the commitment Dad couldn't fully put into their relationship, they decided to break up.

Commitment.

It hurts because the victim is me although I've never shown it to my parents. I mean, why? Why should I show how broken I am with my parents splitting up? It's going to mess their mind even more so I try not to care.

Realising I didn't want to talk about anything at all now, Rhodey zipped his mouth and let me dozed off. I think I only shut my eyes for five minutes when I heard the alarm went off.

I woke up with a jolt. The sudden move hurt my leg. "What's happening?" I asked Rhodey, who was still sitting on the sofa across from me.

Rhodey looked panic. "I don't know," he said while getting up. "Stay here." And he left.

With the alarm continued to rang, I had to say it bothered me. Whatever happened, I know it was dangerous and something unlikely was happening somewhere in this building. Is this about the confidential experiment they were making in the confidential room? Is this because of a prisoner, who finally able to free himself? Does this have to do with Dad?

Those questions running in my head only made me nervous and worried. Aside about my father's safety, it's mine. I might be safe in Dad's office; I might be not. I'm alone. I'm weak. My right leg is not well. There were a lot that could happened to me.

However, I put the negative thoughts aside. I quickly got up and headed towards the desk as quickly as I could without the stick and winced badly when I felt as if my bones grinding each other.

"Ha!" I let out a sigh when my bum met the comfy leather office chair. The computer was on, fortunately, so it wouldn't cost me a time for me to begin my mission. With the knowledge Dad taught me, I began to hack the security's camera to see what was happening.