Marvel Avengers Fan Fiction ❯ Talia's story ❯ 4: The younger brother ( Chapter 4 )

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-One Year Later-

 

“Harley!” Talia rushes to where a small explosion is heard. Harley gives Talia a sheepish look as she sees him tinkering with his stuff. 

 

Talia gives an unimpressed look to the eleven year old, “What is it this time?” Harley purses his lips, “I don’t know what to call it…” Talia smiles at the boy she met a year back. 

 

Talia had decided to go somewhere else to start her life again. Looking through a map of America, she decided to go to Tennessee. “What’s the worst that could happen?” She had thought to herself. 

 

Well the worst thing that could happen was that she found a ten year old boy living alone in a garage. Now she worked to give them enough money to survive in the harsh cold weather. 

 

Harley was the sweetest boy she had ever met. His pure innocence and interest in science made her heart swell. She’d protect this boy with her life. 

 

One day, Harley had addressed her as his sister by accident. Talia froze. 

 

“Did you…just refer to me as your older sister?” She quietly asked. Harley stopped what he was doing, turning to face her, “Yeah! Aren’t you now?” 

 

The ends of her mouth turned up and her vision blurred. 

 

“Oh Harley..” She grabbed him and pulled him into her arms, holding him tightly. The boy rested his head on her shoulder. 

 

That was months ago. 

 

Talia found a job at a diner to work during the day, and worked at the bar during the night. She did what she could to provide food for the both of them. 

 

Talia walked to Harley, adjusting her grey and white bracelet, “I’m going to the bar now.” Planting a kiss on his head, she patted his shoulder. “Bye Talia!” He bid her goodbye. “Remember to get the newspaper from Edna next door!” Talia reminds from the door. 

 

“I know! I’ve lived here since I was six!” Was his response. Talia smiled and exited. 

 

The bar wasn’t an ideal place to work for a sixteen year old girl, but Talia took what was given to her. Serving the two giant cups of beer, a gruff man gave her the cash and left the counter. 

 

The girl sighed, there was still three hours until she could go back to Harley. 

Talia heard a whistle as she was filling the cups with beer. “Hey chick!” Talia squeezed her eyes shut, before gritting her teeth and giving the man his beer. 

 

“What’s a beauty like you doing here?” The man, probably over the age of 30, had a sinister smirk on his face, an unkempt beard to match his smirk. 

 

Refraining herself from rolling her eyes, she forced a smile and told him, “Here’s your drink, sir.”

 

But the man grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer to him, chuckling. Talia grimaced at the smell of alcohol in his breath. “Come on, I just want to talk, babe.” He whispered in her ear. 

 

Ripping her hand out of his grasp, Talia clenched her jaw, “I am not your babe, pedofile.”

 

The man was surprised at her strength, but his face turned red as he raised his voice, “What’s wrong with you?” 

 

The bar manager quickly ran over, sensing the tension, “Sir, she’s still new here, don’t mind her.” The man huffed and stalked back to his seat. 

 

The manager turned to Talia, “Talia dear, I think that’s enough for tonight.” The girl nodded fearfully and removed her apron, placing it on the counter. Grabbing her shoulder bag, she walked out of the bar. 

 

Her hands rested by her side as she walked tiredly to the garage. Talia hears voices, but not just Harley, a man’s voice. 

 

“Well, my sister went to the bar to work, and my dad went to get scratchers.” Talia’s eyebrows furrowed. Who was Harley talking to? She stealthily moved closer to the voices.

 

“I guess he won ‘cause that’s six years ago. Mom and lil sis left with him.”

 

The man’s voice said, “Which happens, no need to be a pussy about it.” Talia frowned further. Cursing in front of a kid?!

 

“Here’s what I need,” The man started, “A laptop, a digital watch, a pneumatic actuator from your bazooka over there, map of town, a big spring and a tuna fish sandwich.”

 

“What’s in it for me?” Harley asks. 

 

“More like, why the hell are you here?” Talia moves so that she’s visible to them, in her hand, a knife pointed to the man. Talia frowns even further, if it was possible, when she sees Tony Stark. 

 

The man matches her expression and points to her, “Aren’t you the girl who ran off after the battle of New York?” Tony turns to Harley, “She’s your sister?” 

“She practically is.” Harley told him. Talia spotted the lifeless Iron Man suit and kept the knife in its holder by her thigh. “What are you doing here?” She questions the hero. 

 

Tony shrugged, “Crashed and burned.” Harley handed her the newspaper, letting Talia read the headline. “Why are you here?” Tony asked her. Talia sighed, “Needed to start anew.” Her eyes go white and she stills. But in less than a second, they return to their original color. 

 

Sighing, Talia moves to the kitchen to fix herself a sandwich. 

 

“So what’s in it for me?” Harley repeats his question. 

 

“Salvation. What’s his name?” Tony asks the kid.

 

“Who?”

 

“The kid that bullies you at school, what’s his name?” Talia’s eyebrows furrow.

 

“How’d you know that?” Harley questions Tony.

 

Tony ignores his question and opens a compartment on the suit and takes out a metal object, “I got just the thing.” Looking up to Harley, he continues, “This is pinata for a cricket.” If looks could kill, Talia would have been convicted of murder. 

 

“I’m kidding, it’s a very powerful weapon. Point it away from your face, press the button on top. It discourages bullying. Non-lethal, just to cover one’s ass.” 

 

Harley reaches out to take it but Tony pull’s his hand away. “Deal? Deal? What’d you say?” Tony asks. Harley purses his lips and takes the object, “Deal.”

 

Talia snatches the weapon from Harley and turns to Tony, “You’re giving an eleven year old a weapon to use against a bully?” Tony shrugs. 

 

“You don’t get to stomp your rich butt in here, bribe my brother, get him to do who knows what!” She scolds Tony like a mother, although she stands at his shoulder.

 

Talia turns to Harley, “Someone’s bullying you at school and you don’t think you should tell me?” Harley dipped his head down in shame, “I didn’t want to worry you.” 

 

Talia squatted down and raised his chin to look at her, “We do open communication right? I worry more if you don’t tell me.” Harley nods and hugs her, burying his head in her hair. Talia sighed, patting the boy’s head, embracing him tightly. 

 

After introducing himself and knowing Harley’s name, Tony interrupts, “You know what keeps going on through my head? ‘Where’s my sandwich?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

“Hey.” 

 

Talia takes a deep breath before answering ‘The mechanic’, “What?” She continues folding Harley’s clothes that lay on the couch. The said boy was exploring and gawking at the Iron man suit.

 

“What’s the Eight?”

 

Talia froze. She thought about her answer very carefully, “Not ‘what’. It’s ‘who’.” Tony licked his lips, “Alright, who’s the Eight?” Trying to ensure her breath is even, Talia shrugged, “I can only guess it’s a group of people.” 

 

“Does this group of people include you?” Tony asked, opting to sit next to the girl. Talia stopped all movements and faced the wall in front of her, “I….I don’t know.”

 

Tony observed her. A disappointed and hopeless, yet confused expression sat on her face. “What’s your story, kid?” He asked after a few moments of silence. Talia decided that her shoes looked very interesting. “Too long. Too complicated.” Was her answer. Tony scoffed, “That’s all of the Avengers’ stories. You gotta be more specific.” 

 

It was Talia’s turn to scoff, “Let’s just say I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth like you, Mr Stark.” She turned to face Tony, who was staring at her, trying to decipher her expression.  

 

“You know, you’re always welcome to the Avengers compound and stuff.” Tony told her. Talia shook her head, “I’m not a hero. I’m not like you guys.” Tony glanced at her, saying, “You sure?”

 

Talia let out a breath. “Then again, you and I may have some things in common.” She stated, grabbing the pile of clothes and disappearing into the corridor. 

 

“Vague. Too good at avoiding things,” Tony commented to himself, “Like a certain red-headed assassin I know.” He turned to the boy, “Wanna take me for a walk ‘round the neighborhood?”

 

Harley jumped up at the request and nodded eagerly. Tony turned to shout in the direction that Talia disappeared, “Ms Portal! ‘M gonna take Harps for a walk!” 

 

“Keep him safe!” Tony assumed that was approval and led Harley out the door. 

 

“You know, you’re always welcome to the Avengers compound and stuff.” Talia pushed the bitter feeling down as she laid in her bed. This was supposed to be a new start… 

Hours later, Talia woke to the sound of the door opening. “Talia?” Harley called out. “Yeah sweetie?” Talia bounded to the main space to see Harley alone. “Where is he?” She asked cautiously. 

 

“He left.” Harley shrugged and walked to the Iron Man suit. “He said I have to help him fix the suit.” Talia groaned and rubbed her face, “You know what? I’m going to the diner. Be safe sweetie.”  As she went to change into her uniform, Harley mumbled, “Best not to tell her that I nearly went to heaven.” 

 

All day, Talia moped around. “You okay, Lia?” Her manager, Cristie, asked. “Yeah, all’s well.” Talia forced a smile. 

 

A few days later, Talia came back to the garage to see it newly refurbished. “Woah..” She awed. Harley ran up to her, holding a piece of paper that showed that it was Tony who did all this. Harley looked at Talia, waiting to see the cheerful expression at least cross her face. But it never came. Talia clenched her jaw. She needed a new start, but now that the Billionaire knew where she was and tried to help, she did not feel at ease. 

 

“I can’t stay here.” She told Harley. Harley put on his innocent frown as he asked, “What? You like living in dumps?” Talia sighed, “I can’t live here, knowing that he knows where I am.” 

 

“Are you gonna leave me too?” 

 

Talia lifted her head to see Harley’s eyes growing glassy. “Oh sweetie…” She pulled him towards the couch and made him sit beside her. “I never want to leave you. But I have to go.” She told him. 

 

“Can I come with you?” Harley asked, giving her his best puppy eyes. Talia let out a small laugh, “I suppose you could tag along.” Harley jumped into her arms and they both laughed, rocking each other back and forth. 

 

“We leave tomorrow. Go pack your stuff and sleep.” Talia instructed. Harley mock saluted her and rushed off to do as she said. Talia laughed at her brother’s antics. “I’ll never leave you..” She silently swore. 

 

Talia left for her bar job, and Harley decided to watch television while waiting for her. He could have her pack with him so he wouldn’t forget anything. 

 

But Talia Harrington never returned that night. Not in the morning. Not in the next three weeks. Not in the next two months. Not in the next year. 

 

Poor Harley.