At eight o clock at night is when Wanda asks Nicola to braid her hair. The two sit on Wandas bed criss cross apple sauce feeling the cool breeze through the open window. Nicola has her box full of hair ties, pins, brushes, clips, and irons sat to the side of her as she starts one of the two braids. "What is on your mind?" Wanda asks. Nicola lets out a loud sigh and says, "Just the math test coming up."

"No no silly, what is it that is making your face scrunch up and your eyebrows go inward like you'd get when you were 10."

"You do realize I have full control of your hair right now right?"

"Come on Nic, what's wrong?" Another loud sigh is released and she responds, "I just don't know if Peter likes me or not. He is so nice and does a lot but recently he's been distant. Like something wrong."

"Oh I bet he most definitely does. I don't think he would sleep on just any girls floor over night, or let you sleep on his shoulder on the couch. And besides, maybe he is stressed about school and just needs to talk to someone about it."

"What about you? Who do you talk to when you get stressed?" Nicola says as she ties off one of the braids and moves around her cramped fingers.

"I have some friends at school, Nat, Bucky, and you of course. Sometimes I lay down and just zone out and try to get my thoughts together and think of solutions. Life is stressful so we all need time to think things through."

Nicola sat quiet for a moment as she watched her fingers move with the hair strands. She thought that maybe she could tell Peter some how, she just didn't want anything bad to happen. She finishes up the last braid and says, "You're a pretty good sister. I don't know what I'd do without you." Wanda turns around and looks at her, "You are a good sister too. I wish you could have met Pietro. You guys would have liked each other. He would have bugged you to death but he did it out of love." Her face saddens at the thought of her loss, and Nicola hugs her. "Just know we all love you. I don't think we'd know what to do with out you."

Then she continues with, "Maybe I could teach you how to braid. Nat taught me on dads hair." Wanda let's out a laugh at the thought of Bucky's hair braided, "But then if I learned I wouldn't get to talk to you often. I want to keep you close I don't need Peter taking you away just yet."

"Trust me." She replies, "No boy will ever keep me from seeing you."

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"We should go get ice-cream after school." Peter says as he puts his lunch tray on the table. "Random, but sure. Any reason?" Nicola replies.

"No reason it just sounded good you know? Haven't had it in a minute."
"I get it. Where are we going afterwards?"
"Where ever you want." There was a pregnant pause as Nicola thinks what to say. "As long as you are there it doesn't matter." Peter try's to withhold a smile and cover his warming face, "Okay." And of course when the time comes and they start their trot to the ice cream shop something goes wrong. Everything was fine until Nicola gets a call as she receives her icecream. "Hey Steve-"
"Where are you?"
"I'm at Dairy Queen with Peter why-"
"Come back to your house, now. An emergency has come up. Make sure Peter comes too we need you both here."
"Okay um I'll be there as fast I can." She replies nervously. "Be safe. I love you."
"I love you too."
She looks up at Peter as he receives his cone in happiness and he turns around to a frown on Nicolas face. "What's wrong?" He asks.
"Steve wants us home he says it's an emergency."
"I never want to see that man angry so we better get going."

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The walk home was quite silent as the two ate their ice cream. Nicolas anxiety was up because she was confused and has never had a phone call like that but Peters was even higher. If what was happening was what he thought he knew things were not going great. He didn't want the jig to be up that he was supposed to be protecting her. Shoot, at this point he protects her because she loves her. She's one of his best friends and protecting her is like protecting Ned or even MJ. But Nicolas safety has higher stakes and higher threats. "What do you think this is about?" Nicola asks on the elevator ride up. "I have no idea." He lies.

The two enter the apartment with the rest of the family in a scurry. Steve taking Nicolas  bags to sit near the front door and Bucky and Natasha no where near. Wanda also with her suit case stops and immediately embraces Nicola as she walks through the door. "I'm so glad you're safe. Grab some of your things."
"What's going on?"
"Your parents are kind off the radar." Replies Steve.
"What do you mean exactly?"
"We can't find them. We are going somewhere until we find them. We have to pretend like everything is normal, you are going to go to school with Peter like it's any other day. Go collect anything I have missing from your things. It might be a while." She is frozen.
It's almost hard to move but her adrenaline is pumping and she starts walking fast. Peter stands there awkwardly staring at Steve and finally says, "What do you want me to do?"

Steve releases a deep sigh and says, "Just act like this is all new news to you. She needs something normal and stable in her life and that's what you are. She can't know yet."
"Okay" He says softly. "I'm going to go help her then."
The silence was loud when he took his walk down the little hallway and so was her sobs as he opened the door. She had a blanket and some other little things next to her school book bag. Nicola looked up at him and he took a couple steps forward and it was obvious that a hug was due. It was a lot on someone who has never experienced something like this before. She knew her parents jobs were dangerous but she didn't know it would be this dangerous.

Peter stood there hugging her as she sat on the bed with her head in his chest. He rested his head on hers as so his hand does on her back. "I know I don't know what you are feeling or going through but I'll be beside you if you want me to." She looks up at him and she says, "I'd like that, but you don't have to. I don't want this to interfere with your life." He smiles and says, "I think I'll be just fine." A knock on the door interrupts their moment and it opening with Wanda. "If you got everything we need to go."

"I'll be right there." She says as she starts to grab her things and shove it in her book bag. When she turns around with the bag on her back he hugs her again, "Text me when you get there. I hope you enjoyed your ice cream."

"I did." She replied. "I'll see you Monday."