"And the vision that was planted in my brain

Still remainsWithin the sound of silence"- Simon & Garfunkel

"I'd like to go visit Steve. And the others, too."

When Harper revealed she wanted to go back to New York, Pepper was a bit surprised, whereas Peter understood what she truly wanted, and he wished he didn't.

"Why not ? It could be... They'll be happy to see you," Pepper answered.

Steve hadn't left the Avengers facility ever since he'd come back, even though he wasn't one of them, technically speaking. Well, he wasn't as...strong as he used to be before he went back and lived his life with Peggy. Pepper made plans with Happy so he would come and get her daughter later that day. She was packing her suitcase as she tried to comfort Morgan.

"I promise I'll be back soon," she told her. "I'm just going to check on our friends."

"Like Thor with thunder ?"

"Like Thor with thunder."

The girl smiled before she wrapped her arms around her sister's legs.

"You'll be back soon, huh ?"

"Of course."

Morgan ran to the kitchen, still smiling, right before Peter came into Harper's room with a stern look on his face.

"Please tell me you're not lying to her."

"What ?"

"Tell me you're really going there to check on the others."

"I- I am."

"Good, 'cause I'm going with you."

"I'm sorry, what ?"

"I thought I'd go too and stay home a little," he explained. "Now that you're leaving this house, I- hem... I don't see what I'd be doing here, without you."

Harper's shoulders fell slightly. She was dying to ask him to stay with her at the compound, even though it was still being rebuild. Of course, the sorcerers had been immensely helpful in making the place habitable. However, she knew that if Peter stayed with her, she would be devastated by remorse and would end up not leaving at all. She took a step forward and hugged him tight. She laid a soft kiss on his lips.

"Ready ?" she asked.

"Ready if you are."

She smiled tenderly before linking her fingers with his. They got downstairs, in the living-room, where Happy was drinking a cup of coffee with Pepper.

"Ha, you're here. I'm almost finished. Is your stuff ready ?"

"Yeah, I'll put everything in the trunk."

Harper went outside and left Peter alone with the adults. Pepper walked up to him and put her hands on his shoulders.

"Take care of my daughter, okay ? I know she'll listen to you if..."

"Don't worry, I- I'll look after her," he promised. "And Steve will be there."

Pepper nodded before she hugged her daughter, who had just come back. Harper hugged her back : it meant even more to her since she hadn't told her what she would do once in New York. After a last goodbye hug for Morgan, the two teenagers climbed on the backseat of Happy's car.

"So you're visiting the Avengers ?" Happy asked.

"Yeah, and I gotta say... I kinda miss New York."

"Don't you like your new house ?"

"Yeah, but... You get it."

Happy nodded : of course he did. He couldn't even imagine how she must be feeling, living where her father had been spending his last five years, without her. She didn't know this place as well as the compound. The whole ride was pretty silent : Peter couldn't talk about New York and not try to know more about her plan because he knew Harper would get mad ; as to Harper, she was too busy thinking about her plan and also about Steve. How would he react to her visit ? Would he be happy to see her ? Or would he suspect anything ? Moreover, she couldn't help but think she was going back to where it had happened. She had no idea how she would handle it. Tons of question marks were dancing around her head ; the only sure she was positive about was her determination to bring her father back. Everything she had found was concrete. All she had to do was manage to get to the airport unnoticed and then...

"We're here."

It would be an understatement to say that the Avengers' facility had lost some of its magnificence. A lot of rubble was still there even though the site had been cleaned a few times. For the most part, the building itself had been rebuild ; only the left wing was still work ongoing. As Happy got her suitcase out of the car, Harper breathed in the New York air. She looked around : awful images of the battle came back to her and yet, she also thought about every single happy moment she had spent here. Those who involved Tony and Natasha were the ones that hurt the most. She felt Peter's hand on her hip.

"Everything okay ?"

"Yeah, it's just...a lot."

"I know."

He squeezed her against him and soaked up the delicious smell of her shampoo. He pulled away just enough to see her face. He put his hands on her cheeks and pressed his forehand against his.

"Promise me you won't do anything crazy," he whispered.

"I-"

"I heard what you said, while Morgan was sleeping. Promise me you won't put yourself in danger."

So...he knew.

"I can't promise you that," she confessed.

"Harper, please..."

"Peter, no," she repeated as she almost ripped herself away from him. "I can't promise you that because I don't really know what I'm heading into. I have a pretty clear idea but everything has its...mishaps."

"Tell me at least where you're going, for God's sake !" He almost yelled. "I- I deserve to know."

"If I tell you, you'll follow me."

"So what ?"

"So... I don't want you to follow me," she confessed, upset.

"You don't want me by your side then, that's what it is ?"

She regretted her words immediately : Peter's hurt eyes broke her heart.

"No, that's not what I meant."

Harper looked over to Happy. He was waiting for Peter in his car and he seemed to caught up in his phone-call to care about them. Harper still decided to get away from the car, just in case. Peter crossed his arms on his chest.

"Then what did you mean ?"

Harper knew he was hurt and she blamed herself : what else could she do ? She had to be careful to what she was going to say next.

"What I mean is I don't want you to be involved in all this. You've already done so much for me, for all of us. I- I can't ask you to risk your life for me. Not anymore. It would be selfish."

Peter could feel his blood boiling up inside him at how unconsciously and carelessly Harper was acting. She was diving into a dangerous mission, on her own, and she didn't even knew the risks or even the results of what she was doing.

"Selfish ? You wanna know what's selfish ?"

He wasn't yelling at her ; the harshness of his voice and the sadness of his eyes were enough.

"What's selfish, Harper, is to throw yourself in harm's way without even thinking about the consequences. You don't care if something happens to you. I know you don't care because I didn't care either when my uncle Ben died, see ?"

Tears were beginning to roll on his cheeks and Harper felt like she could hear her own heart breaking even more : Peter never spoke about his past. He would much rather stay joyful and supportive, as everyone loved him.

"But we care. If you don't come back, how do you think your mom will feel ? And Morgan ? Steve ? And all the others who have already lost so much ? And how...How do you think I'll feel ?"

Harper looked away from him and closed her eyes. She couldn't bear to look at his face, his insistant look, his broken voice, she couldn't bear the fact that he was right.

"Peter, you don't get it. I- I have to do this. I owe him that. Do you think everyone thought he was crazy trying to bring us all back ?"

"No, but..."

"Exactly. I owe him at least to try. And if I fail..."

"Promise me one thing, then."

"What ?"

"Wherever you're going... If you can't find what you're looking for, promise you'll come back."

Harper hesitated for a while. Could she keep such a promise ?

"I promise."

"Good. I'll give you one week, which is how long you told everyone you'd be here, right ? After that, I'll warn the others."

"Thanks," she whispered. "Peter ?"

"Hm ?"

He turned around right before he climbed in the car.

"I love you. You know that ?"

"I know. And I love you too, that's why I told you all this. Think about it. One week, alright ?"

He didn't say anything else before leaving for Queens with Happy. Harper looked as the car drove off. The sound of a cane hitting the floor made her look the other way.

"Well, if it's not my favourite Stark..."

"Steve !"

She rushed to hug him : she still wasn't used to this new Captain Rogers, though. At least, she could tell he was happy now, and that's what mattered. The old man held out his arm and she grabbed it with a smile. With her free hand, she carried her suitcase.

"How are Pepper and Morgan ?"

"I can see it's been hard for Mom. She smiles when she's with us but she's still crushed from...you know." She cleared her throat. "Morgan cares more about us than herself even though she's only five. Dad was right. She is amazing."

Steve smiled with both compassion and nostalgia.

"And how are you ?"

"I don't know."

"Harper..."

"No, it's true, I... I can cry and laugh in a minute. I can't even speak to anyone properly anymore. Even with Peter, it's... Things have changed. Or maybe I have."

"Do you thing you dont love him anymore ?"

"What ? No, never !" she answered immediately and confidently. "I love Peter more than I've ever loved anyone. I love him more every day, if that's even possible."

"It is."

"Did you feel that way about Peggy ?"

Silence.

"Sorry, I get that you don't want to talk about it."

"It's okay. Basically, yes, that's how I feel about the love of my life, you know ? Because when you find that, you can't love anyone else that way. Do you understand ?"

"I think so."

"I can tell there's something else on your mind."

"I'm fine."

"I saw you guys fighting. Wanna tell me why ?"

There where in the main room of the building, now, and Steve was sitting in his usual chair.

"You have to promise me not to tell anyone."

"Scout's honour."

"Let's say I came here for a reason. I'm not staying in New York."

"And where are you going ?"

"It'd be better if you didn't know. Sorry. But I know what I'm doing, don't worry. At least, I think I do. Peter doesn't really agree with my plan but I... I know I can do it."

"Is it important enough to fight with him ?"

"It is. And once I'm done, it...it'll be better. Everything will be right again."

"I'm starting to worry here, Harper."

"You shouldn't. Stress is bad for people your age."

Steve rolled his eyes and slightly smiled.

"I trust you, Harper. You wanna know why ?"

She nodded impatiently.

"I trusted your father. It took me some time but I ended up trusting him with my life. Proof I was right is that you're standing here in front of me. So I think I can trust you too. You're as fierce as your father was, if not more. Just try to be careful."

"I will be, I promise."

Steve sent her off and she took that time to put her suitcase in her room. She didn't bother unpacking : she wasn't planning on staying here. Actually, she was leaving the next day : Brussels better brace itself for hurricane Harper Stark.