INVISIBLE | P. PARKER

TWELVE

TWELVE;
DEEP TALKS

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CASSIE'S STOPPED BREATHING. She didn't know where she was and the white walls confused her; for a second, she feared everything was an illusion. That Pietro never saved her, she never saw Peter again and she probably was dead by now. But those horrible thoughts were dismissed when Tony leaned on in front of her face.

"You're awake now." He noted, raising his left eyebrow. "Quite a heavy sleeper you are." Cassie sat straight on the rather uncomfortable bed.

"Where am I?" She questioned, her brown eyes traveling around the room. It was full of all the technology she could ever think of.

"Stark Tower, of course." Tony smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. "Oh, where are my manners?" He rolled his eyes with sarcasm, something Cassie enjoyed. "This is Doctor Bruce Banner."

"Hello, Cassandra." He nodded, carefully shaking her small hand. "I have news for you."

"About what?"

"Do you remember how fragile you were after using your powers in Germany?" Tony asked, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

"The Maximoff twins informed me that your body wasn't responding to the torture and experiments HYDRA put your through." Cassie gulped, remembering the pain and the screams. "Well, we have the theory that those experiments are finally responding, and it's too much for your body to handle."

"Which means...?" She trailed off, anxiously playing with the sheets covering her pale and short legs.

"You won't use your powers until we feel like you are ready." Bruce explained, taking off his rectangular glasses to look at her. "We will help you, don't worry."

"But–" She croaked, her voice was still raspy and her throat hurt every time she spoke. "Where's Pietro? And Wanda?"

"We'll talk about that later." Tony stepped in, turning around to leave the room. "Don't move, or leave. I know it will be hard for a teenager, but I'm serious. You can't and won't leave this place."

"Alright, geez." Cassie huffed, resting her pounding head on the pillow.

She wanted answers and she was hungry. Her stomach growled, making her groan with annoyance and look around for someone that could bring her some food, but she was alone in the big room full of technology and strange equipment.

"Hey." Her heart skipped at beat when Peter's voice echoed the room, her head snapped to the door and smiled weakly at his direction. "How are you feeling?"

"Like a truck just hit me, literally."

"At least your super-hero self helped you get out of that one." He pointed, taking a seat on metallic chair next to her bed.

Silence embraced the both of them. Cassie looked down at her small hands playing with the edge of the sheet as she decided to start apologizing or simply stay silent. Peter noticed, of course he did. He always noticed the little things.

"I'm sorry." She quietly said, searching for his chestnut eyes. "For being rude to you." A loud sigh left her lips. "And I don't hate you. I didn't know what I was thinking... or saying." Peter sent her a reassuring smile. "I felt really bad, because you were really sweet and–and practically forced Tony to save me, and I yelled at you and told you all those horrible things."

"Hey, hey," He placed his soft hands on her shoulders, the sweet action made her heart melt, but she didn't say anything. "You don't need to apologize to me. I get it, I really do." Cassie frowned, looking directly at his eyes. "I know we are not the closest friends, but you showed me that you are a friend worth fighting for. I knew from the moment you helped me in Spanish classes and paired with me when no one else wanted to, and when you attended Uncle Ben's funeral without me asking you to go." He rambled. "You've always been there to me, it's time I return the favor."

Cassie smiled softly, looking down at her hands, "Thank you, Peter." She whispered, holding his hand and giving it a squeeze. "I'm glad I have you."

"Do you–Do you want to talk about it?" He offered, shifting uncomfortably in the chair.

The girl noticed, and slowly made a space for him in the large bed. Peter sent her a quizzically glare, until he understood and hesitantly sat next to her. His brown eyes scanned her, taking on how beautiful she looked despite the bags under her eyes and the small cuts in her forehead.

"I don't know." She exhaled, combing her brown locks.

"You know," Peter began, resting his head in the wall. "When Uncle Ben died, all I wanted was to be left alone. Whenever Aunt May tried to make me speak my feelings, I shrugged it off and lied to her about being fine. Then I understood that was the reason I couldn't get over the fact of his death, and it still hurt like that day, because I didn't talk to anyone about it." Cassie looked away with a troubled expression on her features, her mind was debating whether to speak up or bottle everything up like she always did. "I know you are a private girl, but you know you can trust me, Cassie."

"I–It's not that." She shakily sighed. "I don't want to cry for him, you know?" Peter nodded. "Because he doesn't even know who I am, I'm a complete stranger to him. And I hate that, because he was my best friend." Cassie wanted to congratulate herself, she didn't cry, and if it hurt talking about Charlie, she did a great job hiding the quivering from her voice. "We always had each other, and now that he's not with me... I feel lost."

"Well, you have me–And Aunt May, and Mr. Stark too!" The boy smiled, trying to make the sad girl better. It worked. "I promise you that we will help you, and more now that you are going to be here and I will work with Mr. Stark–" Cassie's confused frown made him stop rambling. "Wait, didn't Mr. Stark tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"Uh–This is awkward..." He trailed off, scratching the back of his neck. "I guess I'll tell you myself." He shrugged, looking down at the brunette with a small smile. "You are moving here, with Mr. Stark."

"Oh. That's, uh–unexpected." The girl mumbled, playing with the tips of her hair. "At least I have somewhere to live." She laughed quietly, making Peter do it, too.

"And he probably didn't tell you that you are going back to school." Peter admitted, looking away from her chocolate eyes. "With me."

"That would be great." She smiled, resting her head in his shoulder and making the boy blush.