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1. 𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳

I sat there in the middle of the chair, waiting for an answer to pop up. Therapy. Lovely. How many times do I have to be here? Last time it didn't work. We all know how much I hate talking about my feelings.

But I did think it was a good idea to go. I'm a normal mom, Crystal Rogers, mother of two, been together for about 20 years now, head of Stark Industries, and I want to scream but I guess it's better to vent than do that, sadly. So I sat there, playing with my hair, waiting

"Crystal." Dr. Janet Goodman snaps me out of my thoughts. I blinked repeatedly and looked at her. She sighs. "Hows is your relationship now with everyone after you left Firestone?"

"Better. I don't have to worry about enemies destroying my home, or taking me away. Steve and I became closer, the kids love it when I'm around, especially Natalie since it happened more when she was born." I went on.

"Do you have any dreams lately?" I shook my head. "Not even one?"

"Nope." I popped the p. "It feels refreshing. I don't have to watch a love one die again."

"I have one more question before we end the session." Dr. Goodman shifts in her seat. "If something would happen to your kids if any enemies come into your life again, what would happen?" This one hit me. What do I do? So many things.

"Nat and Tony are my whole world." I gulped. This was something I didn't want to talk or even think about. "And if they were taken away from me, I think I'll lose it." I just nod. "At that point, what is the point of living if everything was taken away from me? Me and Steve-"

"Not you and Steve. Just you." She points at me. "What would happen to you."

"I would lose myself. Go crazy, bad."

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I picked up dinner, it's Thai night. Steve comes out from the backyard and kisses me. He helps me out with the food, setting it up.

"How was therapy?" He steals a shrimp from one of the plates.

"Same old shit." I sighed. "How are you feeling today? On a scale of 1-10, how bad do you want to cry yourself to sleep?" I looked at him. "It was fine."

"You have to loosen up a bit." He shakes me. "Wheres the Crystal that always makes a snarky comment?"

"She's sleeping." I wrapped my arms around him. "Do you want to wake her up?"

"That's sounds so good." We started to kiss.

"Tonight?" Steve whispers a yes and kisses my collarbone. "Kids! Chow time!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. Steve grabbed the soda and water and placed them on the table. We heard the stomping from the rooms. The kids came running down the stairs one behind the other. The soothing sounds of them arguing.

Nat, now 16, bleached the front stands of her hair blonde, a spectrum piercing, glasses, dressing up in baggy jeans and sweaters that she bought from thrift store.

Anthony, who only goes by Tony, his hair was white, due to his powers, an earring that he been begging Steve to get, his little mole on his upper right lip. Oh, he also has the exact same personality like somebody...

"Thanks mom!" Tony grabs his plate and was gonna leave.

"Park it back over here." I said, snapping my fingers at the seat. His head drops and comes back to the table. Tony slouches as he ate.

"It's family time." Steve said. "We have to eat together. After this you can stay in your room, playing video games." Tony sits up and continues to eat. I look at Natalie, who seemed out of it.

"Nat? You okay?" She snaps out of it.

"No, I mean yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking." She picks up her wrap.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Dean." Tony sings. Steve and I looked at her. Natalie's eyes popped out.

"Shut it you little rat!" Nat growls.

"Whos Dean? A friend? A friend I haven't met yet?"

"He's nobody."

"He!?" Steve nearly chokes on his drink. I jumped up and helped him. "Dean is a boy?"

"Can we not talk about this?" She glares at her younger brother. "I'll swear to you, ill take this bracelet off and have you thrown across New York right now."

"Come Natty, I'm playing. I mean Dean would never date you, you don't have the Stark smile, he wouldn't find you adorable." Tony slaps her arm. Natalie was about to risk it and take the bracelet off.

"You won't have a smile by the time I finish with you."

"Okay!" Steve and I broke it up, basically on top of the table. "Can we just have one normal dinner?" The two sat back down and looked at each other. The table was quiet and Nat left to go to her room, while Tony was sneaking upstairs. "Tony." Steve turns to the stairs. "Did you think I forgot? Get back here and tell your mom." I put down the plate in the drying rack and turned to them.

"Tell me what?" I put my hands on my hips. Tony had shuffled down again. Steve pulls up a seat and waits for Tony to speak up. "Tony..."

"Our son, he used his powers at school. He made someone slip and almost hit their head."

"In my defense!" Tony points out. "It slipped out, get it?" He elbows Steve, who was shaking his head.

"Tony, we talked about this. You can't use your powers at school." I used my stern mom voice. "You know how much trouble you can get in if someone saw you?" I pinched my nose. "Many people can be scared or the wrong people will use it against you. I'm talking from experience Anthony Jensen."

"But Nat-"

"Listen to your mom Tony. And don't bring your sister into this because she has a bracelet and you don't. It's dangerous and we talked about this several times, the next time you do this, we're not going easy on you. Go upstairs while me and your mom talk about your punishment." Tony hops off the stool and stomps to his dark lair. I opened a bottle of wine and filled the cup up. "Hey, take a deep breath." Steve comes to me, rubbing my shoulders, placing small pecks on my neck.

"Teenagers." I huffed, chugging the glass of wine. "One of them just became a teen." Steve and I went to finish the laundry, getting our clothes and stuff for work tomorrow. The kids stayed in their rooms, doing whatever they do. It was late, and it was time to go to bed. Steve headed to Tonys room and I went to Nats. I knocked on the door and saw her on her bed reading. "What you reading there?" She closes the book, traces her fingers across the old book.

"Strange wanted me to read more about astroprojection and like other stuff." She shrugs. I picked up the raggedy book. It was old, looked creepy and scary. Witch stuff I guess. "He wants to meet me tomorrow for a session, so afterschool imma head over there. Can I borrow the corvette?" She begged.

"Fine." She smiles. "I want it back in one piece. Straight to school, Stranges place and back home, do you understand? No mall, no friends."

"Yes! 100%!" She stands up and hugs me. "Thank you! Thank you!" Nat already had a license, could drive but its just letting her go was the tough part. She's my baby, she's leaving me.

"Homework done?" She nods. "Okay, lights out. I dont want you to sleep too late. Finish your thing and to bed."

"Yes mom. Good night." Me and Steve switched room and I leaned against Tonys doorframe, crossing my arms, watching him read.

"Nice try." I said. It was dead give away. One, Tony hates reading, two, the book was upside down, and three, its Tony. I reached out for his phone and he hands it to me. "You might be smart but hiding things isn't your specialty." I sat next to him on his beanbag. "You know I love you right?"

"Yes mom." He looks at me. "I won't do it again."

"Good, but you saying that doesnt mean your off the hook. Goodnight my beautiful boy." I kisses his head and closed the door behind me and entering my room. I quickly brushed my teeth, did a mask and got into my pjs and sat in bed, reading. Steve walks in.

"Kids are in bed." He unbuttoned his shirt. "Coffee is set for tomorrow and lunches are done."

"Good, ill pick up ice man tomorrow at school, Natalie is gonna be with Strange tomorrow afternoon." Steve plops down next to me, resting his head on my lap, still reading. He takes off my glasses and sets them on my nightstand.

"Ill drop him off. We'll try not to ruin your meeting this time." Steve started to play around with my hands, fingers. "Kids, right?"

"And you said you want more. I think the three of you are fine." I joked.

"Hey, Im not childish." He sits up,

"Said the man who just whined." I patted his cheek. He yanks me towards him, me laughing as he got on top of me and I started laughing. "Alright, I guess you're not childish." Steve had sat down on his side and got in the covers. "Hey, do you know Nat talks to this Dean?"

"Its all news to me. I don't like him."

"You don't like any boy who stares at Nat. Im gonna tell her to have him over for dinner Friday."

"You're kidding?" I gave him a look. I wasn't.

"Oh come on. How bad can this boy be?"