Welcome back to another chapter! This chapter I introduced Kennedy's Journal as a way for me to make time pass faster, tell me what you think of it.

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Kennedy's journal

Dear Journal. Bucky gave you to me and said that I might like to have a place to write about everything that has happened to me in the last few months. I don't quite understand how this is supposed to help, but I thought i'd give it a shot. I have been living with the Avengers for three months now, and during that time a lot has happened. Peter and I have undeniably become best friends, on my first few weeks here Peter put sticky notes on the elevator buttons so I could tell which floors we're which. We've gotten into all sorts of trouble together, one time we put smelly cheese in the vents, and it was hilarious to watch everyone go crazy trying to find out where the smell was coming from. But Peter comes and goes, he is usually only here on the weekends because he stays with his aunt on school days. It's friday so he should be here later. Peter is going as spiderman for halloween, Tony says if it was up to him he would let me go with Peter to the party, but Fury won't let me leave the tower. When Peter isn't here I usually spend most of my time with Tony and Pepper. Pepper is always around when I need someone to talk to, and Tony likes to teach me new things. I know this might sound weird, I mean, they're superheros, but the Avengers (especially Pepper and Tony) Are starting to feel more like a family than anyone I've met in the last five years. It's a nice feeling to think that there's someone who really cares about you, it's a feeling I haven't felt in a long time, even Steve has changed his mind about me, and loves when I join him while he's training. But anyway, the last few days I have occupied myself by trying to convince Tony to let me into his lab, but so far he is holding fast to his statement that the lab is off limits. But I'm getting really curious, I know Tony said no hacking, but it couldn't hurt if I just hack the door a little bit right? F.R.I.D.A.Y. just told me to go down stairs, so I guess I'll write more later.

I close the brown leather book and rush to find TOny, F.R.I.D.A.Y. said he is in the common room, and sure enough when I get there Tony is sitting on the couch waiting When he sees me he holds up a strip of blue fabric.

"What's that?" I ask, reaching to take it from him, but he pulls it out of my reach.

"It's a blindfold." suddenly everything goes dark.

"Hey! What are you doing?" I reach up and find the fabric over my eyes, I try to pull it off, but Tony stops me.

"Just leave it on and come with me." I can hear him grin, he's obviously excited, so I comply and let him guide me. I feel his hands on my shoulders as he gently pushes me forward. I move slowly, uneasy that I can't see. I trust Tony not to let me run into things, but I put my hands out in front of me just in case. Tony Steers me by moving my shoulders, and after a second I feel my fingertips touch something, I reach for it trying to figure out what it is, while Tony's hands leave my shoulders, I'm disappointed when I realize it's just a wall. Why would he lead me to a wall? Then I hear a dinging sound and feel the floor lerch beneath me, after a half second of panic I realize we are in the elevator. When we stop moving Tony's hands are back on my shoulders, he turns me around and guides me out. A plethora of smells meet my nose when we walk into this new room, but the main impression I'm getting is of oil and metal. I can't imagine where we are, I don't remember any of the floors smelling so metallic. Tony pushes me a little farther, then we stop. I feel him untying the blindfold, then bright light streams into my face, when my eyes adjust to the brightness I look around and see various tables and workbenches scattered throughout the room, some are set up with computers, The walls are lined with racks and pegboards filled with more tools than I have ever seen in my life. After taking in the full extent of the room I turn towards Tony, my eyes wide and my mouth hanging open.

"Is this what I think it is?" I ask hopefully, his smile confirms my hope before he even answers.

"If you think it's the most technologically advanced laboratory in the western world, then yes." He spreads his arms out trying to gesture to the whole of his laboratory. "Come on, I'll give you the grand tour." He walks farther into the lab and I follow as he goes around showing the things he is working on, and some of his favorite tools. I take it all in with awe, I am finally inside Tony Stark's l lab, I have been trying to get in here for the past three months. I listen closely, not wanting to miss a word, as Tony continues to talk about his beloved lab. "As you can see I'm kind of a slob, I'm usually too involved in my projects to clean up after myself. And you might notice that in contrast, that area over there," He points to a part of the room sectioned off with red tape, "Is meticulously tidy. That's because it's Peter's section and he is a clean freak." I walk over to the red taped area and see that indeed nothing is out of place, the desk is mostly filled with electronic components as well as some chemicals and a large screened computer. I am tempted to mess with his stuff but Tony keeps talking before I can. And that area over there," He points to another section of the room, also taped off but with pink tape, "That's your section." It takes me a second to comprehend what he said, but when I do I let out a gasp.

"Are you serious?!" I ask in disbelief. He just smiles and nods. I smile so big it feels like my cheeks might rip, and without wasting another second I rush across to the pink taped area. Inside the square I find a long workbench fitted with a mini holotable as well as a separate computer, next to the workbench is a pink padded rolling chair. This might just be the best day of my life, even better than the day I met all the Avengers. Tony watches me as I explore the computers.

"These computers are biometrically coded so they will only work for you. Unless of course F.R.I.D.A.Y. detects a security breach, in which case I can use it, but they do have some security measures to keep you from hacking to your heart's desire. I didn't know what your favorite color was so I just did a pink theme, I hope that's okay. Oh yeah, and if you ever need any tools just ask." As he talks about his gift a thought occurs to me.

"Why would you set all this up specifically for me? I mean, I'm only here temporarily until Fury decides to take me away." Tony smiles and shrugs.

"You and I both know how long it takes for Fury to make decisions, I figured you might as well have a place to work while you're here." He answere nonchalantly, pretending it's no big deal. THe cheek tearing smile is back on my face as I jump up and wrap my arms around Tony's torso, he seems shocked by the hug but after a second his strong arms wrap around me. An overwhelming feeling of calm and safety washes over me, and for a moment I feel like I'm ten again, wrapped in my father's loving arms.

"Thanks Tony," I whisper into his shoulder, "Thanks for everything."

"No problem Firecracker."

Tony's POV

I stand in the middle of my lab hugging the orphan girl who has somehow snuck into my life, and I feel suddenly protective, as if it just became my responsibility to keep her safe, and you know what? It's a responsibility i'm happy to have. Our hug is interrupted when F.R.I.D.A.Y. announces.

"Excuse me sir, but you have an incoming call from director Fury." I release Kennedy and tell F.R.I.D.A.Y. to put it through to my office.

"I gotta take this, but have fun in here and if you have any questions just ask F.R.I.D.A.Y. Oh and don't touch my stuff." She gives me a thumbs up and I leave the room, headed toward my Stark Industries office. In the room I am met by Fury's face projected on the wall.

"Hey Fury, nice to hear from you. What's up?"

"Stark, nice of you to pick up for once. How's the girl?"

"Kennedy's fine, she's been behaving herself, and everybody loves her."

"Good to know, and you'll be glad to know that you're done playing babysitter, Coulson will be there in a few hours to pick her up." Panic springs up in me as I hear his words.

"Pick her up? And take her where?" I ask as if it's the most important question I've ever asked.

"To the orphanage Stark! Haven't you been paying attention? That's what I've been working on for the past three months!" I frantically try to organize my thoughts, this is not how I expected this conversation to go.

"But you can't just spring this on her, that's not fair, she's gotten comfortable here."

"It can't be helped Tony, I can't hold a minor hostage any longer, I don't have any legal rights here, I have to send her back to the orphanage she came from."

"That orphanage? You can't send her back there, she escaped when she was ten, how bad do you think a place has to be to make a ten year old girl favor living on the streets?"

"Like I said, I don't have a choice, there's nothing else to talk about." Before I can get another word in Fury's face disappears from my wall and I sit down in my desk chair with a sigh. I close my eyes and try to get my breath to even out, rubbing a shaky hand over my face in an attempt to clear my head.

"F.R.I.D.A.Y. where's Pepper?" I ask after mostly composing myself.

"Mrs. Stark is in her room." I don't waist any time getting to my room and when I get there I find Pepper searching for something in a drawer.

"Pepper I need to talk to you." she turns to meet my gaze and her expression turns to worry when she sees the distress painted on my face.

"What happened?" She asked, abandoning her task to rush over to me, she holds her hands out and I squeeze them tightly.

"Fury's sending Coulson to pick up Kennedy."

"What? When?" She pulls me to the edge of the bed and we both sit down.

"A few hours, tops."

"But that's so sudden, can't they give her anymore time?" I watch the wheels in her head turning as she evaluates the situation.

"He said he doesn't have a choice, she has to go."

"I know this isn't the best circumstances, but we've always known she would have to leave, it's never seemed to bother you before.'

"I guess I didn't expect to get so attached to her, but I've gotten so used to her being here that I can't imagine her being gone." Pepper is silent for a moment, but I can tell from her downcast expression that she feels the same as I do. She's trying to be logical about it, of course we always knew she would leave, but behind her logic she is just as upset about the news as I am.

"How did she sneak into our hearts so easily? She was only supposed to be your mission," Pepper finally speaks up.

"You might even say she hacked her way into our hearts." I add, unable to resist the joke even in the unpleasant situation. It earns me a sad laugh from Pepper.

"I guess we'd better go tell her before Coulson gets here." I nod then ask

"Is she still in the lab?"

"Well Peter got here a few minutes ago and I think they went up to Kennedy's room."

"Alright, let's get this over with."

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Wadda you think? are you surprised? Okay I have a challenge for you guys, don't comment saying that you like the chapter. comment and tell me what your least favorite thing about it, be as brutally honest as you can possibly be, do you hate my writing style, is my grammar terrible, is my writing confusing? basically try to offend me (don't worry you won't) with your criticism.