CHAPTER 23 -

As I entered the building, I felt more uneasy than I remembered having felt in my own home before.

"Veronica, are you..." Pietro's voice fell silent as James entered behind me.

"James," he said in a surprised voice.

"Sup, superboy?" James greeted calmly, not paying any attention to the remaining Avengers surrounding us.

"What is he doing here?" Pietro asked me.

"We're back together," James replied for me, a confident smirk on his lips.

"Veronica?" Pietro asked. I looked down.

"Hey, babe, I never got to give you your gift," James mentioned; "Let's go to your room so you can get it in private."

I nodded even though that was the very last thing I wanted, and without a word followed him.

"They're back together?" Pietro demanded, turning to Steve and Bucky.

"Yeah, I have questions, too," Natasha mentioned.

"So do I," Tony agreed; "First of all, should they be allowed alone in her room?"

"No," Pietro replied coldly.

"Yes," Steve replied; "She's a big girl, she can handle herself."

Not against him, Pietro thought darkly.

"I should go check on them," Tony mentioned, getting up.

"Actually, I need your help with my shield," Steve mentioned, gesturing for Tony to follow him.

As soon as they left the room, Pietro turned to the remaining Avengers.

Clint, Natasha, Bucky and Bruce.

"You're just gonna let this happen?" he asked, his accent still strong.

"We don't have much of a choice, do we?" Bruce asked calmly; "This was her choice."

"Like hell it was," Pietro muttered as he stormed out, leaving the four alone.

"I don't wanna agree with Speedy there, but I think there's something going on," Bucky mentioned, folding his arms across his chest.

"You're being overprotective," Clint stated, getting up from his spot; "I get it, we all wanna be that way when it comes to Veronica, but we have to accept she's growing up. I'm gonna go train." As soon as he was gone, Bucky opened his mouth again.

"I'm serious. I heard them talking at the hospital, I'm sure something happened."

"I know," Natasha agreed, leaning her elbows on her thighs.

"What did you hear?" Bruce questioned.

Bucky sighed; "Not a lot." He thought back to the hospitals hallway; "Something about him never having loved her. He actually admitted it openly. And then he said we didn't know what they'd done, and Veronica said we didn't know what he'd done."

"That does sound..." Bruce started.

"Weird," Natasha agreed.

"Steve said I was overreacting," Bucky admitting, finding a seat next to Bruce.

"Steve believes the best in people," Natasha mentioned; "I don't."

"Do you think Pietro knows?" Bruce asked; "The two of them have become quite close."

"I don't see an issue in asking."

"So, a gift, you said?" I mentioned, hoping that'd give us something to talk about.

"Yep," James said calmly, taking his hands out of his pockets and rolling his sleeves up.

"What is it?" I asked, trying to sound calm as I turned my back to him.

"Me," he said quietly. I heard his steps close in on me and closed my eyes.

"We're back together," he whispered as he turned me around, forcing me to face him. My eyes went towards the floor, but was forced back when I felt his lips against mine. I quickly attempted to step back, but was stopped by his arms holding me around my waist.

I instead turned my head to the side, forcing him to let go and instead let out a little laugh.

"Always so strong-willed," he mentioned; "Aren't you happy we're back together?"

"I'd be happier if our reunion was at your funeral," I mumbled, taking a seat on my bed.

"Well, I'm happy we're back together," he said with a shrug, sitting down next to me; "I tried keeping updated on you, but you haven't been replying April's text or calls." I looked at him.

"You know April?"

"I do. Very well," he admitted; "I told her to become friends with you."

"That's sick," I mumbled, honestly not surprised.

"Mh. You and I could do something sick," he mentioned, his lips slowly closing in on my neck.

"What the hell does that even mean?" I complained, leaning away.

"Want me to show you what it means?" he suggested, pulling my waste down until i lied beneath him on the bed.

"I'd rather have you show me what defenestration mean," I stated, pushing him off of me.

"You're so... Feisty," he stated; "Anyway. You and that guy, what's his name?"

"Pietro."

"Yes, you and... Pietro, you're a thing?" he questioned, leaning up on one elbow to look at me.

"I mean more to him than I ever did to you," I stated coldly, continuing to stare into the ceiling to avoid his gaze.

"What does he mean to you, then? More than I did?"

"Yes."

"Don't lie," he warned quietly, running a finger up my arm.

"No," I admitted quietly, making him smile.

"I thought so."

"Why? What do you care? You don't even like me," I commented, getting up from the bed and stepping away.

"So stubborn," he said with a sigh; "You know, I always liked you. And I was attracted to you, too," he added, lying back on his back.

"Attracted to your body," he mumbled; "The way you moved under me."

"I didn't," I interrupted; "Didn't move. You might've forgotten but you actually held me pretty damn still!"

"Anyway, I did actually mind you and him talking," he said, closing his eyes.

"You did?" I asked, cursing myself deeply.

"I did," he repeated; "I don't like seeing how he thinks he can take what's mine. I don't like him."

"He's a good guy," I muttered as I sat down on my desk chair, as far away from James as possible.

"Pietro?"

Natasha's voice sounded through the dark, making the look on Pietro's face even darker as he paced back and forth.

"Great," he mumbled, not slowing down.

"You cannot ignore them forever," Wanda pointed out.

"I can try." He walked up to the door and opened it to see only three of the Avengers out there.

"Yes?" he said coldly.

"We think there's something going on with James and Veronica," Bucky stated bluntly. Pietro thought for a second before moving to the side.

"Come on in."

"There's happened some weird stuff, and all of a sudden they're back together?" Natasha explained; "It seems weird."

"We were hoping you knew what was going on," Bruce added.

"I thought I did," he admitted; "But I am not sure anymore."

"What do you know?" Natasha asked. Pietro glanced between them.

"Just... That Veronica did not want to be back together with him," he lied.

"Well, apparently, she does now," Bucky pointed out.

"I don't think that she does," Pietro mumbled; "Did you see her face? She was scared."

"So what? He's... Forcing her into dating? How would that even work?" Bruce asked.

"Most likely only would if he had some kind of dirt on her," Natasha pointed out with a shrug.

"He doesn't. She's done nothing wrong," Pietro interrupted.

"Does she know that?" Bruce tried asking calmly.

"She did say something about them, or him, having done something she didn't want us finding out about. James was ready to tell us, but Veronica said we'd kill him if we knew," Bucky mentioned.

"Wanda, do you know anything?" Natasha asked suddenly, turning the entire rooms attention to Wanda, who'd sat quietly until then.

"I... I know some," she admitted; "Not all."

"What do you know?" Bruce asked.

"I," she stuttered; "I probably shouldn't say."

"Wanda, this is important. We're only trying to help her," Natasha promised. Wanda's eyes flickered between the group.

"All I know is that she's had... Unpleasant dreams, about him," she admitted.

"When?" Bruce asked her.

"Every night," Pietro mentioned.

"Why hasn't she said anything? Or come to any of us?" Natasha asked Bruce.

"I don't know. How have we not heard her screaming or crying or anything?" he questioned back.

"I have..." They all looked at Pietro, who awkwardly cleared his throat; "I have been staying with her to avoid it."

"You what?" Bucky asked.

"Pietro, why on earth would you do that?" Natasha agreed, making Pietro shrug.

"I didn't want to. Well, I did it, but I only did it because Veronica asked me to and I couldn't say no," he promised; "But it's been getting better."

"How much better?"

"A lot better. The training has been tiring her out, and her being more in control of her powers means she doesn't fear them as much. All that is left is the dreams about James, and they are not there when she feels safe."

"That's why you've been staying in there?" Bruce asked quietly, making Pietro nod in embarrassment.

"It's okay, Pietro. We're not angry," Natasha assured.

"I think... I think I should probably retract," Bruce admitted.

"You okay?" Natasha asked, concern flowing through her voice.

"Yeah, I just need to calm down a little," he promised.

"Okay. We can continue this tomorrow," Bucky decided, guiding his friends out after thanking Pietro.

"You need to tell them what you know," Wanda stated once they again were alone.

"I don't know what to tell," he admitted, sitting down on his bed.

"The truth."

"I don't know the truth! I know that James has done something bad, but I don't understand why she agreed to get together with him," he admitted. Wanda looked at him.

"You'll figure it out."

"I will," Pietro agreed; "Even if she does not want to be with me, I want her to be happy. And she won't be so with him."

"I'm proud of you," Wanda mentioned, putting a hand on her brother's tense shoulder; "You should probably get up there. Doesn't she usually go to sleep around this time?"

"Do you think she wants me to come to her tonight?" Pietro asked, looking at his sister.

"I cannot tell you what she will say, but her thoughts are pretty loud, even from down here. She wants you."

"I hear your dads been getting a lot more invested in your life," James opened a conversation up.

"Yeah," I replied.

"Do you think he'll come to kick me out because I'm a boy and it's late?" he joked.

"Yes."

"Oh," James muttered; "Well, I could always stay the night."

"Or you could stay the night at a cemetery, because if you suggest that, he will kill you," I said calmly.

"We'd have to be really close in order to stay warm if we were out at night," James mentioned, a smug smile on his lips.

"As close as we could with the six feet of dirt separating us," I retorted.

"I should get going," James decided; "Remember our deal."

"I will," I promised, wishing it wasn't true.

"No talking to Pietro," he reminded me.

"You're really controlling. I don't like it," I commented as he kissed my cheek.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he promised before leaving through my door.

I did my best to hold it together as I prepared myself for bed. Removed my makeup, brushed my teeth and got in my pyjamas. I slowly went over to my door and touched it.

Pietro would be arriving soon.

I took a step back and looked at it.

"JARVIS... Lock the door."