PROLOGUE. LADY BY THE SEA
THE START OF SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL

IN THE SPOT WHERE HER HEART should be laid an organ stricken with pain. She had it coming and there was no one to blame other than herself. Perhaps she had been too carefree and open which made her poor heart vulnerable to dangerously charming boys. Or maybe it can be boiled down to the simple fact that she's still just a teenager who believes that true love exists in a tumultuous world like high school. Whatever the reason for why she left her heart out in the open, it doesn't change the fact that Lindy Kersey is utterly heartbroken over a boy with who she didn't even have a relationship with. And for a girl who others claimed felt too much, she felt nothing as she laid on her bed staring mindlessly at the high ceilings of her room. 

      Feeling her heartbreak as strongly as she did makes the nauseous feeling in her stomach sink even further. If her mother, Aralia, was here she'd only make matters worse. Aralia wasn't a terrible mother, she was probably the best mother to ever exist, but more importantly, she was strong. After all, being branded as one of Earth's Mightiest Defenders had to stand for something. Lindy knew that Aralia would lie in bed with her and cuddle with her until she felt a little less empty, wipe away her tears with her warm fingers, and whisper words of encouragement to ease the pain. The idea in itself seems nice, something Lindy probably needed, but it'd serve as a reminder of how utterly different they are. Aralia has seen the worst and unexplained, she has ended empires and rose their people to unimaginable heights. On the other hand, Lindy's sister and brothers have won battles, fought in wars, and made names for themselves.

      And then there's little Lindy Kersey: half-human, frail, oh, and unnecessarily emotional over just about everything.

      Sure, her siblings won't make fun of her for being so vulnerable. At least, not Mailis or Orion, they were the ones who still viewed her as a baby. But for the most part, they've all grown used to her 'mortal' issues.

      Screw it. Lindy wishes her mother was here right now. The image of an Avenger cuddling their child over heartbreak was probably laughable, but she could care less. All Lindy wanted was someone to hold her, to tell her that her heart will be loved one day, and to indulge in some rocky road ice cream for dinner. But all she has at the moment is her grumpy bodyguard who's in the living room dealing with her incessant playing of Taylor Swift music and canned soups in the cupboards.

      "You are not permitted to go inside! Lady Lucinda is — "

      "Sulking by the sounds of it. Move aside Nemo, I need to talk to the kid." Before any more could be heard, it wasn't long until the door to Lindy's bedroom bursts open and in came Tony Stark strutting in like he wasn't interrupting her 'sulking' session. The man looked terrible with his black eye and his wrinkled suit with his dress shirt having the first few buttons popped open. But she's seen him look worse and this was definitely not it. 

      "You didn't knock," Lindy scowled as she sat up from her bed before she kicked all the used tissues beside her off. Wiping her puffy eyes with the back of her sleeve, she stared at her mother's close friend as he sat down on her bed. "What do you want? I'm busy."

      "Oh clearly," Tony said sarcastically. He sighed once Taron appeared at Lindy's doorway with a weapon in hand and a glare fixated on the billionaire. The superhero had one hand settled on his hip and the other against his forehead. "Okay, relax, I'm not going to kill her so you can put your pointy dinner knife down. I'm just here to talk with Fish and then afterward you can continue with your whole guard dog act because we know you don't get paid enough to do all of this."

      Taron didn't ease up at Tony's words. Even though Lindy has practically grown up around the team it never changed the way Taron did his job. Then again she should be grateful that she has someone around to make sure she doesn't end up dead. She was never athletically gifted like the rest of her siblings nor has she honed any of her innate 'power.' However, over the years Taron has become more of a guardian rather than a bodyguard with her mother taking care of her royal responsibilities all while juggling her duties as an Avenger. 

      And Taron didn't care that the man in the room was deemed as one of Earth's protectors. If he wasn't from their world Taron didn't have a reason to trust him.

      "You have ten minutes," Taron warned the Avenger as he pointed his dagger towards him. He turned towards the youngest royal. "Lady Lucinda do not forget that we have your studies later tonight. I must remind you that it is of most utter importance that we continue them before the next full moon."

      Tony waved his fingers goodbye as Taron begrudgingly left. Settling on top of her bed and against Lindy's many throw pillows he took in the sight of her messy room that left evidence of her emotional state.

      "So Fish, where's your mom? She's not answering any of my phone calls and we have very important things to discuss," Tony started as he gingerly picked up a tissue he was laying on top of. He didn't hesitate to make himself comfortable on her bed, but Lindy didn't miss the way he winced once his left arm rested against her pillows. For as long as Lindy could remember, Tony has been one of her mom's closest confidants with the two developing the oddest friendship that anyone could imagine. 

      Lindy shrugged as she brought her knees to her chest and rested her chin on top. These days, she hasn't spoken with her mom as much, but there was no complaining at this point. The woman is a queen to a kingdom and she had responsibilities that came before her. But she'd be lying if she didn't admit that she wishes her mother could be as present for her like she is for the kingdom.

      "I think the Arctic Ocean," Lindy answered before she ran a hand down her face tiredly. "I don't know, it's been a few days since we last spoke. Taron told me she's holding another meeting with the Council so it's probably going to be a while."

      "You have any way of contacting her? Do we throw a sand dollar out into the ocean and use the payphone you guys have down there or what?"

      "No, what — she's on business, Tony. That means no bothering or communicating with her until she's done," Lindy insisted as she got out of her bed. She picked up the tissues off the floor and headed towards her trash can before she picked up her remote control and turned down the music. "What's so important that you need to talk to her? Alien attack? Natural disaster? Mutant European siblings again?"

      "Worse, it's Steve," Tony answered curtly as he swung his legs over the bed and off to the side. His face grew dark at the mention of his teammate. "He's doing something stupid again and things are probably going to escalate. I'd figure having your mom there would help because she'd take my side of course. And so I could rub it in that old's man face that she chose me over him."

      Lindy's face hardened. All anyone could talk about these past few days was the Sokovia Accords and how Steve Rogers aided a criminal. Judging by what Lindy has been hearing Tony isn't wrong about her mother taking his side. Not because Aralia is closest with Tony out of everyone on the team, but because she knows her mother holds regrets over what happened in Sokovia. And while many may consider the event as a success with the defeat of Ultron, Lindy was one of the few who got a glimpse at the aftermath the team faced. She was the one who witnessed her mother crumbling down in her room, crying into her hands over the deaths of the innocent who simply got caught in the crosshairs of their battle.

      "How long do you have?" Lindy asked him quietly, fully aware of the pressure he must be facing from the government.

      "34 hours." Tony ran his hands over his face as he sighed. He looked to his side and gave Lindy a tired smile, trying his best not to worry the teenage girl too much. "While we're both comparing our problems what about you? Failed math test? Or worse, did you sprout a tail during swimming?"

      "You really wanna know?"

      "Eh, I got time."

      Lindy leaned against the wall in front of Tony with her arms around herself. Her problems seemed minuscule compared to the problem at hand, but the tight feeling in her chest didn't budge even in the slightest. Knowing Tony though he wouldn't make fun or play down her feeling. No matter how much he teased her over the years, she was still, in his eyes, that dumb niece of his that used to hang from Thor's arm like it was a swingset.

      "A boy broke my heart," Lindy said finally with a sad smile on her face. "It's kinda stupid. We weren't even dating and all that. But . . . he got a girlfriend and it just made me sad, you know? Part of me just thought that I was special and that maybe he felt the same way. It's dumb, I know."

      "You know when I was your age I also had a problem with ladies."

      "When you were my age you were in college and all the girls there were older than you."

      Tony shrugged his shoulders. "You said it, not me."

      Lindy gave him a dry smile. Nevertheless, she appreciated his effort to make her feel better. They never had those cute niece and uncle moments seen on television and Lindy didn't expect him to slip into a father figure role just for her. But she also knew that he'd do just about anything for her. Not just because she's the daughter of one of his closest friends, but because she's grown up right in front of his eyes.

      "I can't guarantee that I can relay the information fast enough for her to get it, but I can try," Lindy settled as she pushed herself off the wall. "Not sure if the Council will appreciate me popping in, but I can try my best to get her to you."

      "There's not enough time for that," Tony declared with a sigh as he stood up. He gave her a small smile, but she recognized that look in his eyes well enough. It was the same look that convinced her to secretly get piercings behind her mother's back and the same look that convinced her to ditch a day of school so she can pick out gifts with him for Pepper's birthday.

      "All that training you did with your mom and guard dog, did you get any better?" was the first thing Tony asked. Lindy stared at him with a befuddled expression which only forced the billionaire to snap his fingers together to catch her attention. "Hypothetically speaking, if I were to drop you off on a battlefield how long do you think you can last without me watching over you? Or you know, last without potentially dying?"

      "Long enough," Lindy answered warily. She didn't have the heart to tell him that she still has a long way to go before she could even match Taron's level. And there was the fact that she had trouble controlling her own strength with water manipulation. "I have a math test tomorrow — "

      "Okay, let's not forget how generous I am and how I suddenly forgot about the time you called me to your school to pick you up from a fight without spilling a word to your mom," Tony proposed with a pointed look. Lindy sputtered as she gave him a look of betrayal. "You know what, it's slowly coming back to me if I think about — "

      "What do you want me to do?" Lindy interrupted him. The heavy look in her eyes made him falter, almost unsure as to who was standing in front of him. "I'm . . . I'm not a hero, Tony. I can't do what you guys do."

      "I'm not expecting you to be a hero for this, kid. I just need your support."

      No one's ever needed her as selfishly as it may sound. Her mother had a handful of children who were perfect candidates for the throne. They were strong in every single way and none of them needed a Royal Guard as Lindy does. Her friends could go by without her, no boy has ever given her the time of day, and even Taron didn't need to rely on her powers for his safety despite being magicless. Hearing those words should've sent some form of gratification to the pit of her stomach. But the only thing she felt was dread and fear.

      She has silently failed as her mother's daughter and joining Tony will only later prove everyone's suspicion of her: Lindy isn't fit as a hero or a queen, and she is nothing like her mother.

      Tightening her hands into fists she finally met Tony's waiting eyes.

      "Okay, but I can't guarantee that I'll be much help."

      "Don't worry about it, I'm about to go pick another recruit," Tony explained as he stood up. With his hands on her shoulders, he spun her around and walked her out of her room. "You're gonna love Germany, Fish. I'll even give you a few hours to explore it and I'll give you a nice hotel room. Room service and a view of the pool."

      "If I agree to do this you need to promise me that you won't tell mom about that fight," Lindy warned threateningly as she glanced over her shoulder and gave him a pointed glare. "And pick me up from school after volleyball practice. In the nice car. The red one I like."

      "Yeah, yeah, I got it. You want me to show off my sports car so what's-his-face will regret it. You know you're so superficial nowadays. And you better not stink up my car."

SHE WONDERED IF THEY COULD hear her heart beating. Despite being a good distance away from where Tony, Rhodey, and Steve were, she couldn't help but feel out of place. Hell, everyone knew that Lindy didn't belong on the battlefield. Even the newly appointed King T'Challa probably had an inkling when he first met her. There was no hiding her scrawny, teenage girl body and her inexperience. Natasha even pulled her aside and reminded her of the basic strategic fighting skills she had engrained to the last detail. Lindy wasn't going to die, no one would allow that, even Steve who stood on the other side. But that doesn't change the fact that her first mission — if you could even call it that — was against seasoned professionals who did this for a living.

      Running away didn't seem like an option and it wasn't because of her loyalty to this stupid, dysfunctional family if you could even call it that. Even if they didn't say it, Lindy knew everyone had to be comparing her to her mother. In many ways perhaps Aralia is the perfect heroine with a moral compass that never wavered in the face of evil. But whereas she remained firm in her stance there was her daughter who may never be able to harness the immense power passed down to her. It wasn't as though she wasn't sure of her own capabilities, but she feared that even her best may never be enough for those who expect more from her, who expect her mother out of her.

      Lindy tugged on the ends of her uniform despite how comfortable it was. Knowing Tony there were almost close to no flaws on the training gear he had created for her long ago. Albeit she had definitely grown the last few months, the uniform fit snuggly against her body. And despite it being used only to train for her self-defense lessons, she couldn't help but feel like she had finally fulfilled some sort of unspoken hero requirement — even if her uniform is lame compared to everyone else's.

      At the sudden feeling of someone next to her, Lindy quickly moved her fingers to maneuver the water in the pouch attached to her hip. In a matter of a few seconds, thin strands of water quickly expanded into a thick wall of ice that separated her from the stranger. With one hand keeping the ice wall intact, the other waved a thick, tentacle made out of water that was ready to strike.

      "Woah, woah, it's me!" the stranger whisper-shouted as they held their hands out before staggering back.

      Lindy stared at him warily. He wasn't dressed like any villain she's ever seen. If anything he looked like one of those weirdly tacky superheroes on the cover of those kid magazines she got in elementary school. But the bright red and blue shone brightly under the clear sky and the emblem on his chest sent a flash of recognition through the young heroine. His gear was professional and no villain would ever be so bold to wear colors so bright, nor would they cower at the sight of her.

      "You're the hero from New York," Lindy said in recognition as she lowered both her hands. The ice melted immediately leaving Lindy to sweep the water off the floors and back into the pouch. The tentacle followed in suit. "Spider-Guy, right? You're the other recruit Tony was talking about."

      "It's — it's man," the hero meekly corrected. He quickly cleared his throat after Lindy arched a brow at the squeaky and cracked voice. "It's Spider-Man. I am Spider-Man. And you are?"

      Lindy pondered as she stared at his hand that was reached out to her. Giving out her name didn't seem like a smart idea. Aralia never outwardly told the public about her half-human child, deciding it was best that they only knew of the few like Lindy's half-siblings. And as far as everyone outside of the team, everyone simply thought Lindy was just the child of another busy and absent parent who was raised by a manny. Then again Taron would probably threaten anyone who dare call the Royal Guard a manny.

      "I'm uh, Siren's kid," Lindy finally decided before she hesitantly shook his hand. "No hero name yet."

      "Oh, sick! So you're an Avenger's kid! That's cool!" Spider-Man reacted only to cower when Lindy shushed him for how loud he was being. He mumbled an apology. "So where is your mom? Is she here? Mr. Stark didn't tell me much, only to meet you here."

      "She's busy," Lindy curtly responded. Her nerves refused to allow her to calm down and her stomach tightened in ways she didn't think were even possible. "Sorry. I'm . . . I'm just really, really nervous right now."

      Spider-Man cocked his head to the side as he stared — at least she was hoping that he's staring, she couldn't tell with his mask — at her intensely. "Why are you nervous? Don't you do this type of thing regularly?"

      Lindy scoffed, "Yeah like they'd ever let me join them. I just didn't think the one time they'd let me join I'd be fighting against Uncle Steve."

      "Hey, no one said you had to kill the guy," Spider-Man pointed out, his positive tone making Lindy sick. Unlike her, he didn't see the gravity of the situation at hand. He almost seemed to be having fun. "All we gotta do is just contain him and let Mr. Stark handle the rest. And before you know it, everything's gonna be alright."

      "You don't know that."

      "Are you always this pessimistic? Quick question, do the Avengers have, like, dinner nights? I'm just wondering because I saw this newspaper article of them at this McDonald's and — " Lindy's puzzling stare only made his words falter. But her look wasn't out of anger or annoyance, it was of curiosity. "Did I do something wrong?"

      "Nothing," Lindy muttered as she looked down to watch Steve converse with Tony, Rhodey, Natasha, and T'Challa. Her fingers curled around the rails of the roof as her mind ran several different scenarios. It felt like the pounding of her heart was about to burst her eardrums. "We need a plan. I'm assuming you were told the same thing as me so we need to figure something out."

      Spider-Man shrugged as he overlooked the same scene she did. "I trust you. You take the lead and I'll follow."

      Lindy snapped her head to the side and stared at him incredulously. "That's not how it works! I've never done this before!"

      "Me too. But you're an Avenger's daughter, you probably know what to do."

      "Are you kidding me? I could lead you to your death. Me being her daughter doesn't mean anything."

      "I doubt that," Peter replied easily as he stepped onto the ledge and crouched down. He didn't even blink at the gust of wind that could've knocked him over. In fact, he seemed comfortable even at this high of a height. "All I'm saying is that you just seem to have a plan, that's all. Do you?"

      "I guess," she whispered. Spider-Man held his hand out for her which she gingerly took. Before she knew it she was readying herself on the ledge beside him. She gulped as she took in how high they were standing before she forced herself to look away. "Just . . . focus on making sure they don't leave. Fucking hell, I'm assuming you're my way down?"

      "Not a big fan of heights?"

      "Working on it."

      Lindy flinched as Spider-Man's arm coiled around her waist as he began to stand up. She looked up at him as he focused his gaze down below, preparing himself to swing them both down there when needed. Lindy could only watch in awe as he stood firmly, almost as if the big height difference was nothing to him.

      "Is it cool if I just drop you when we're at least ten feet off the ground?" he suddenly asked her. He looked over at her and his eyes widened once he saw the panicked look on her face. "I have this cool idea on what to do and I thought it'd be better if you didn't land with me. But we can make it five if you're scared. Or three? What's a good number?"

      "Underoos! Fish!" the two heard call Tony shout.

      "That's us," Spider-Man murmured as his hold on her waist tightened. He looked at her like he was waiting for her cue. "You ready?"

      Lindy blinked tightly and held her breath.

      She jabbed her finger into his emblem as she gazed into his eyes. "Don't you dare drop me, alright? Ten feet and nothing higher or I'll kill you."

      He smiled. Or at least, she thinks he's smiling. She wasn't sure.

      "Wouldn't dream of it."

      Without another word, he shot a string of web at Steve's shield forcing them both to drop from where they previously stood. Lindy cursed as the wind blew her mask away leaving her face open for the world to see. Spider-Man noticed the blue fabric fly off into the wind and glanced down to look at the girl in his arms only to freeze entirely.

      "I'm Lucinda!" she shouted through the winds for him before she shot her arms out in front of her to create a large pillar of ice. Lindy freed herself from his hold once they were ten feet away from the ground like they had discussed before she landed on top of the slab of ice almost perfectly. No stumbling, no hesitation.

     Perfect. Just as he had thought.

     It was only until he nearly landed face-first onto the ground that Spider-Man remembered about his own plan. He grabbed onto Steve's shield with his webbing and tied his hands together before he landed not too far from where Lindy stood.

      Lindy glanced at Spider-Man who seemed to return the gesture. And suddenly the nerves in her stomach were no matter. Fighting and entering a world so unfamiliar to her own wasn't as daunting as it was at first. The idea of free-falling was once something she was terrified of but fear had released its hold on her heart. 

      Their glances were short, but Lindy could only hope that he recognized the look in her eyes when he saw her.

      I trust you too.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

This prologue was a fucking bitch to write. I don't know how to describe this but writing is hard for me now? Like I used to write paragraphs with really complex details and descriptions and now it's just meh. But this is the best that I can give you at the moment and I hope that's ok with y'all.

I didn't want to write the entire airport scene because 1) fight scenes are a pain in the butt and 2) it doesn't do much for Lindy and Peter. Though I will say that you'll see them in the airport scene when (if) I write my Steve and Bucky fics! This was just a little brief snippet on their dynamic and kind of how this partnership first came about!

Fish and Underoos!

Anyways let me know what you guys thought!

Much Love Guys.

written: July 27, 2021
published: November 10, 2021