Caitlyn had been born in 2002 to Joanna Nivena in a small hospital in Salem, New England. Her father had not been there. It was never hidden from her, she knew who her father is, she knew he was Tony Stark. And he knew that she had been born or his assistant at least knew. Joanna had received a card and a cheque....which she tore up. She didn't want his money. Within the week Joanna had Kaitlyn on the road, Joanna was an Acro Dancer in the Circus.....well she had been before she'd gotten pregnant and since her father was the Ring Master, Joanna and Kaitlyn were welcomed back with open arms, Joanna returning to Acro dancing and Kaitlyn raised within the big top. It didn't take long for Kaitlyn to catch the performing bug and she took to it like a natural. By the time she was eleven she'd gained the title Catgirl. A gimmick her Grandfather had given her seen as her mother was Catwoman. They became a mother and daughter act that pulled in people from across the world to watch,. Combining gymnastics and dance to create spectaculars in catsuits. Two years later Franklin Nivena, Joanna's father, Kaitlyn's grandfather died and Joanna took over as Ring Master. It would be another two years before Joanna died. Nothing fancy. A heart attack. Mid-show. The first time Kaitlyn met her father was at her mother's funeral.
"Kaitlyn?" he'd approached her from behind when she was the last one to leave, he'd waited till it was over. Cat had glanced to him over her shoulder, her face hidden in her hood. "I'm..."
"I know who you are" she interrupted turning back to her mother's grave. "What do you want?"
"With your mother's death......and the fact you are still a minor...." Cat sighed, her shoulders slumping. "You are to come and live with me...." she'd turned to him.
"You don't want me....so why don't you just hand me over to child services for the next nine months....and I'll stay out of your way....I don't want your money....I don't even want your name....you can forget about this little mistake and carry on with your life" she turns and walks to where a few members of the Circus wait for her. Their lion tamer and their married Russian gymnasts. Tony had followed her and grabber her arm to stop her.
"You're not a mistake" he told her softly. After everything that had happened in the last few years he'd realised his mistake in ignoring his kid, so yeah, he'd been trying to track her and Joanna down for a while....unfortunately he'd been too late to reconcile with Joanna...but he can damn well try with Kaitlyn. "And I would like to mend things....."
"Too late" Kaitlyn had told him tugging her arm free of his hand. "I just want to go back to my family" she motioned to the three figures ahead of her.
"I am your family" Tony said.
"No, you are some guy that knocked my mother up fifteen years ago....those guys" she motioned to her friends again. "They are my family" Tony sighed and pulled an envelope from his pocket.
"Well this is a court order....you are going to be living with me whether you like it or not....I was just trying to be nice" she stared at the envelope and pursed her lips in annoyance before looking up at Tony who raised an eyebrow back at her. She looked away and hung her head. "Good, that's settled" he slipped the envelope away. "I have a car waiting.....we'll stop by the Circus and grab your things before we head back to New York"..........That was six months ago.
.................................
Cat walks through the living room towards the kitchen on her and Tony's floor in the tower, it's one of the only floors the Avengers are not allowed to go without expression permission from Tony and seen as he hates the idea of letting his daughter mingle with the supers, that rarely happens, it also means she's not allowed on the Avenger floors either. She's not even sure they know she exists. Cat grabs her school bag and enters the elevator keying in her passcode before the doors close. FRIDAY knows better than to talk to her when she has her headphones on. Johnny Cash's ain't no grave playing as she rides the elevator. Unaware that an Avenger is stood right behind her. Peter Parker. Leaning in the corner out of the way as he looks over the girl, she cute, in the dark clothing kind of way, like black somehow suits her. She reaches up and pulls her headphones down.
"Hey, FRIDAY?"
"Yes, Miss Nivena"
"Where is he?" she asks.
"I'm afraid Mr Stark left for a meeting in Miami....." Cat hangs her head.
"He's still in bed, isn't he?" she asks quietly, interrupting the AI.
"I'm sorry, Miss Nivena"
"Yeah, me too, no worries, FRIDAY......" Cat sets her headphones back on her head and rubs her arm. Since she moved in Tony had promised to do breakfast with her before school, that was six months ago, and he had yet to follow through with it, even once. She's not holding her breath any more. She reaches up and pulls her hood over her head and disappears within it. Peter looks to her softly, Tony is clearly important to her.....even if it isn't felt the other way around. Peter pulls his book bag further up his shoulder and scratches at the back of his neck with his other hand. He really should make himself known, he reaches out to her shoulder before pulling back, he nods and takes a deep breath before touching her, she jerks and screams turning to face him, lifting a hand to pull her headphones off.
"I'm sorry" He tells her quickly. "I...I didn't mean to scare you" she clutches her chest and glares at him. "I'm Peter...." she softens a little, he's cute, she smiles.
"Caitlyn...but just Cat is fine" she tells him turning back forward.
"So what are you doing in the tower?" He asks her.
"What are you doing in the tower?" she asks back with a smirk. Peter huffs and smirks a little. The elevator opens and Cat walks out and towards Happy who smiles at her. Peter raises an eyebrow.
.............................
"Hey, Kiddo, I brought Chinese" Tony tells Cat as she steps out of the elevator after school, he smiles at her, Cat purses her lips and walks past him towards her room. "Cat?" he asks watching her go, he flinches when she slams her bedroom door. "FRIDAY?"
"183 missed breakfast promises, Sir" Tony cringes and looks to the Chinese.
"Yeah, that's gonna take more than Chinese.....what does she like?"
"Data unknown...." Tony frowns and looks back towards Cat's room.
"She's been here six months....how can you not know anything?"
"Your instructions were.....keep her away from the Avengers......and keep Avengers away from her.....perhaps if you spent some time with her"
"Yeah..." Tony pokes at his food before standing and heading down the hall. "What's she doing right now?"
"Crying, Sir..." Tony cringes.
"Why?"
"Her mother died, Sir....and she has had to move from her home in the Circus to New York to live with a man that is suppose to be her father" Tony glares at thin air at the AI, who had somehow grown fond of Cat. Tony sighs and moves to her door before knocking.
"Cat?" he hears her sniffling.
"What do you want?"
"Can I come in?"
"Why?" she mumbles on the other side. "I'm not hungry so....you can just....eat"
"Kaitlyn Nivena" he states.
"I've got homework" she mumbles and walks away from the door. Tony sighs and presses his head to the door. Inside Cat pulls her hood over her head and climbs out of her window onto the ledge outside.
...................................
Cat swings her legs off of the bridge she sits on, her hood pulled up over her head and her jacket pulled around her to keep her warm. It's not that she hates Tony, it's just....she spent the last fourteen and a half years without him.....why does she suddenly need him now....other than the fact her mother just died. Cat hands her head and wraps her arms around herself.
"What are you doing sitting up here? How did you even get up here?!" A suit wearing figure drops to her side, Cat looks to them and cocks her head.
"What are you supposed to be?" he looks down at his suit.
"Spider-man" he tells her. "And you should be careful..." he motions to the edge of the bridge. She shrugs and looks back out at the water beyond.
"It's just a little fall" she mumbles leaning forward and looking down at the water. "Do'ya think it's cold?"
"Probably" he tells her, his hand hovering over her arm, in case she slips, jumps or falls. She looks to him and laughs.
"Relax, Spidey" she purrs. "I'm not here to jump...." she leans back and he relaxes a little. "It's just the only quiet space in the City I could find....also the only place in the City that I can't see the Avenger's Tower" she grumbles and then looks to him. "No offence....cause I'm guessing you are one of the costumed heroes?" He shrugs back.
"I'm new" she smirks at him. Spider-man looks around and then to Cat. "How did you even get up here?" he asks, she chuckles.
"I climbed..." she answers swinging her legs again. She shrugs. "It's not that difficult" she sighs and stands, Spider-man man stands with her. "I should get back before someone notices I'm gone....." she then laughs. "Yeah, like that's going to happen" she mumbles and swings down the ledge to the one below them, Spider-man raises an eyebrow watching her swing and climb back down to the pavement bridge road.
.................
Cat sits with left over Chinese, her headphones on her head connected to the tv in front of her. Tony walks up to her from behind.
"Cat?" he asks then grabs the headphones from her head, she turns to glare at him. "Can we talk?" She looks back to the tv.
"About what?" she asks digging into her food. Tony sighs and moves to sit on the coffee table in front of her.
"I get that the last few months have been hard...." Cat shoots him a look.
"Made worse by the fact I've had to do it alone.....away from my family"
"I am your family, Kaitlyn" he tells her.
"No, you're not.....my family is the Circus...the people I grew up with, the people who were always there for me when I needed them.....you are just a man that's only just stepping up....where were you when my grandfather died?.....or when I was bullied at school for being a carnie?....where were you when we needed you...when I needed you??" she sets her food down. "You think you can turn up after 14 and a half years and suddenly act like the father I never had...." she stands from her seat. "That doesn't make us family....." she goes to walk away, Tony sighs and grabs her wrist.
"Whoa, hey, I'm not done..." he tugs her back into her seat. "You're right...about all of it...I should have done more...I should have" she looks to him. "I failed you....and I failed your mother....and I can't make it up to her, I can't apologize, I can't tell her how much I wish I had been in your life....how much I wish I could have been there to see you grow up....but I can try and fix it with you.....you have to let me though, Cat, you have to let me try"
"I have....you promised we'd do breakfast every morning before school....You're never here..."
"I know...." Tony changes the hold on her wrist to take her hand instead. "Not that much of a morning person.....how about we do dinners instead?" he asks as she looks up at him. "Please" she pulls her hand from his and stands.
"Okay" she whispers grabbing her food, Tony watches her. "But tomorrow....I'm tried and I have school" he nods and stands to awkwardly touch her arm.
"Good night, Cat" she nods and walks away. Tony waits till her bedroom door closes before groaning and dropping onto the couch. "Being a dad's exhausting" he groans and rubs his eyes. "But I think that went alright" he tells himself with a nod.
.................................
Cat grabs two apples as she passes through the kitchen on the way to the elevator, which opens for her as she approaches, she smiles.
"Thanks, Friday"
"You are welcome, Miss Nivena" Peter looks to Cat as she enters the elevator, he offers her a smile.
"Hey, Cat" she smiles back.
"Peter" She states throwing the apple to him, he catches it and raises an eyebrow. She raises her own to her lips and bites into it. Peter looks to his apple.
"How did you know I was going to be here?" he asks, Cat smirks and taps her nose. Peter smirks.
"Honestly, I didn't.....I was going to eat that myself" Peter looks to his apple and holds it back to Cat. "I'm joking" she pushes his hand back. "I asked Friday, she said you were in the elevator"
"Oh" he smirks at her.
"You know...other than Happy and Tony...and Pepper...you are the only other person I've seen in the tower....." she tells him.
"Really?" Peter asks. Cat shrugs and looks away from him to eat her apple. Peter looks to his own. They both remain quiet the rest of the way down.
.................................
Peter watches Cat walk out of the elevator and towards Happy who smiles at her and she seems genuinely happy to see him back. Peter leaves the elevator himself and walks across the lobby.
.................................
"What's wrong with the kid?" Bucky asks looking at Peter who sits tapping his text book with a pen, he'd been thinking on Cat all day, that itching of a mystery, she is something to do with Tony, or maybe Pepper, a sister perhaps, but then her hair isn't red enough for her to be related to Pepper, Happy then, maybe his sister, or his kid. Peter frowns. Is Happy the sort to have a kid? Natasha shrugs around her coffee mug. Steve frowns.
"What do you mean?"
"Normally he is three pages in...." Bucky points out. "He's not turned even one...."
"Peter" Steve calls for the youngest Avenger who looks up. "Everything okay?"
"Oh...urh yeah" he answers. "Just....." he sighs and closes his book. "There's this girl" Bucky and Natasha smirk.
"Who knew he had it in him?" Natasha teases. "Little thing he is" Bucky smirks down at her.
"Alright, leave him alone" Steve tells them as he himself smiles. "What girl?"
"I met her in the elevator" he tells them turning back to his text book.
"The start of every cheesy romance movie" Tony mumbles walking through towards the elevator. "What are you guys talking about?" he asks looking back.
"Peter met a girl"
"Ooooo you go Glenn Coco" Tony teases, the others stare at him, Natasha raises an eyebrow.
"You....just quoted Mean Girls" she tells him. "What are you, a teenage girl?" Tony smirks as he faux flicks his hair, the others chuckle.
"Aren't you staying for dinner?" Steve asks, Tony shakes his head.
"I've got plans" he tells them as the elevator doors close.
......................
Cat sits doing her own homework on her and Tony's floor. She looks up at him and raises an eyebrow.
"We did agree on dinner" he tells her sceptic look. She looks back to her books. "What are you working on?"
"The American Revolution" she answers as he moves to the fridge.
"Riveting" He mumbles. "You want left over Chinese?" Cat shoots him a look. "Is that not allowed?" she sighs and closes her homework before standing up and pushing him out of the way, Tony grumbles as he sits at the counter.
"How about chicken curry? I saw a sauce in the cupboard earlier"
"What ever you want.......I like pretty much everything when it comes to food...."
"Alright..." she grabs the ingredients as Tony smiles.
............................
"Hey" Spider-man greets Cat as he sits at her side again on the bridge. She looks to him and shakes her head.
"That suit's ridiculous" she tells him looking back to her book.
"I like it" he tells her, she smirks and shrugs.
"The acrobats back in the Circus wore similar suits...just without the mask"
"The circus?" he asks.
"Yeah....my Grandfather was the Ringmaster, my mother a gymnast, I was to follow in her footsteps" she tells him looking to him, she smiles sadly. "I miss them....my carnie family"
"What happened?" he asks.
"My mother died.....so I had to leave the circus....live with.....another relative"
"What about your grandfather?"
"Oh he's dead too....a few years now" she tells him, standing and tucking her book into her jacket. "See you around, Spidey" she climbs down to the road below, Spider-man watches her go. Now he knows that there is another relative in the tower. Probably Tony, or Pepper....or Happy. Yep. He's not any closer to figuring her out.
............................
Tony knocks on Cat's door just as she is slipping through the window.
"Kaitlyn?" she looks up at the door and pulls her hoodie off and throws it into the bottom of the closet and tugs off her gloves.
"Yeah?"
"Can I come in?" Tony asks.
"Just a second" Cat kicks off her boots and grabs her goggles from her head and throws them into the side, she then points at the ceiling. "Not a word" she warns Friday. "Okay....Tony" she drops onto the bed and crosses her legs turning on the tv. Tony opens the door and looks to her.
"So...you want to go out for dinner tonight?" he asks. "You like sushi, right?"
"We should....stay in" she tells him. Tony frowns and moves to sit with her.
"You don't want to go out?" she shrugs and fiddles with the comforter. Tony sighs. "You don't want to be seen with me" he tells her softly. "Okay, I get it....I get a lot of press....and to be fair, we don't know how this will come across" he tells her. "Pep's been....telling me that it's to shield you....from bad press, you don't want to know some of the things they could come up with....they can be mean" Cat looks to him. "And you're just this....sweet" Cat smirks. "Opinionated, bright, young girl.....and I don't want you to have to....deal with that....so I get it"
"Do they deliver sushi?" she asks.
"No....but I'm Tony Stark....so they will" she shakes her head and smiles. "Finally" he teases touching her cheek.
.................................
Cat laughs as Tony struggles to hold the chopsticks.
"Can't I just use a fork?" he throws them down. Cat picks them up and smirks.
"Here" she rips a sheet of paper from her notebook at her side and folds it up, slots it between the chopsticks and grabs the tie from her hair and ties the sticks together. Tony raises an eyebrow at her. "We had a Japanese samurai act when I was seven....I used to sit with them when Mom was performing....and they taught me this trick" she holds out the chopsticks. Tony takes them from her and smiles.
"Tell me about her" Tony tells her. "Your mother....I mean...I briefly knew her....when the show was in Miami....a few weeks" Tony pokes at his food. "Jo....she was..." he smiles. "Beautiful and sexy and she had a wicked sense of humor....." he looks to Cat who smiles a little. "I don't know how much she....talked about us"
"She loved you" Cat tells him. "But..."
"I was a dick" Tony tells her. "She...told me she was pregnant.....I knew....but....I was more interested in drinking and having sex....and....you don't want to hear about that" Cat shakes her head. "I loved her too" he tells her. "I did....we just....it wasn't meant to be" Tony pokes her knee with the chopsticks. "Was....was she happy?"
"I think so.....I mean she loved the circus, she loved the act....she never....dated, there was never anyone else...just me and her" she pulls the slice of fish from the rice and plops it in her mouth before licking her fingers. Tony smirks at her. "What?"
"Nothing" he shakes his head grabbing a rice ball.
..........................
Cat yawns and stretches out on her bed before curling up again, the sun light hitting just the right spot, right over her, she smiles, she loves the sun spot.
"Miss Navena" Cat sighs.
"Yes, Friday?"
"Mr Stark has requested you in the kitchen" Cat frowns and looks to the clock on the bedside table.
"It's half 7....on a Sunday...why is he up?" she turns over and sits up. "You did check that it is actually Tony and not some....doppelganger?"
"I am 100% sure that it is Mr Stark in the kitchen" Cat climbs out of bed and grabs her hoodie before leaving her room. Tony looks up as Cat walks into the kitchen, he smiles as she looks over him, wearing a pink apron covered in cats.
"Morning, Kaitlyn"
"What are you doing? I thought you didn't do mornings"
"Well I am doing this morning" he tells her. "I even made pancakes" Cat takes a seat at the counter and frowns.
"You made pancakes?" Tony looks to the plate of pancakes he'd stolen from Cap's kitchen.
"Sure, I made them" he forks his own pancake. "Seen as it's Sunday.....you want to do something?"
"Like what?" she asks cutting into her own pancakes.
"Want to check out my workshop?"
......................................
Cat pokes her head up and looks across at Tony, she holds up a wire.
"What does this do?" Tony looks to her and smirks, her eyes wide, sparkling with excitement.
"That's....for the blender" he tells her.
"Oh" she plugs it back in and goes back to looking over the wires.
"Hey, Tony.....is there a reason Friday was trying to stop me from coming down here?" Bruce asks walking into the labs. Tony looks up like an alert meerkat.
"What are you doing here?" he looks around nervously. Bruce frowns at him.
"I do work here....wait, do you have a girl down here? Cause we talked about you not bringing girls into the labs"
"No, what? No....I just...wanted to lab to myself" Cat sits with her back against the console listening to her father not tell his best friend that he has a daughter, her happy, excitement is gone. She glances over the console, they both have their backs to her, she looks around and then up before silently jumping up into the vents.
.............................
"Whoa...hey, chick in the vents" Clint Barton states as Cat crawls past his nest. "Who are you?" he asks watching her go, she can't hear him over her headphones. Clint raises an eyebrow and then follows her.
..............................
Cat drops down when she reaches her floor, Clint pauses and peers down as she moves to the fridge and grabs a cream soda can.
"Friday.....can you block off this floor to Tony?"
"If that is what you wish, Miss Nivena" Cat sighs.
"Yeah..yeah it is...."
"And if he asks why?" Friday asks. Cat scoffs.
"You can tell him that I will talk to him again when he is no longer ashamed that I am his daughter" Clint's eyes widen, Tony has a freakin' daughter, a daughter he's keeping hidden from them all, holy crap he has to tell Natasha. Clint scrambles through the vents.
................................
Natasha doesn't even flinch when Clint drops onto the bed beside her.
"Tony has a daughter" Clint tells her, Natasha reacts to that, she turns to him eyes wide.
"What?"
"Yeah, living two floors down.....cute little thing too...I saw her in the vents"
"I have to see" Natasha jumps up and pulls on a pair of jeans.
.................................
Cat opens her bedroom window and lowers her googles to her eyes before slipping out.
.................................
"Access denied" Friday tells the two spies.
"What?" Natasha asks. "Just let us take a peak"
"You have no access to this floor" Natasha and Clint share a look.
"Then I'm sorry" Natasha tells the AI before pulling out her flip blade. "You know we're too curious for our own good"
.......................
Cat leans against a gargoyle and scans the streets below, a hunter searching for prey. Without any hesitation, she launches herself from the edge of the roof onto a fire escape one floor below and - using drainpipes, window ledges, and light fixtures - descends to street level with amazing nerve and agility.
......................
Above her Spider-man watches her move, he smiles and follows after her.
......................
Nobody notices Cat slide from a store awning onto the sidewalk. An out of town Conventioneer (male, 30's) is watching the tv in a store window. Cat brushes past him, and a split second later he clutches at his pockets and spins round...
"Hey!" Cat runs, wallet in hand, pursued by the Conventioneer.
.......................
Cat leads the Conventioneer on a pell mell tour of the glamorous, brutal, and intensely vivid city. Plunging canyons and soaring spires; neon signs and HD screens selling sex, violence and money on streets teeming with raucous humanity. It's colorful and loud, grotesque and beautiful. Cat grabs an apple and a carton of milk from a storefront, and darts down an alley. The Conventioneer runs right past.
........................
Moments later. Relaxing, Cat crouches behind a dumpster halfway down the alley. She pours some of the milk into a makeshift saucer, to share with the big calico alley-cat that soon joins her. They exchange meowling greetings. Cat munches on the apple, and examines the wallet she stole. Pocketing the cash and credit cards, she slots the wallet through the grating of an old air vent in the wall. Cat and the Cat climb swiftly up from the street into hiding in the shadows of a firststory fire escape.
"Theft?" she looks to Spider-man as he drops to her side.
"Are you going to turn me in, Spidey?" He looks to her and then to the cat who hisses at him.
"Why did you steal it?"
"Fun" she tells him sitting back against the wall. "Girl's got to get her kicks somewhere...." he sits behind her as she pulls the cat to her chest and strokes his head. "Plus it's just a few bucks and some cards.....nothing he'll miss"
"And you need the money?" Spidey asks her, she sighs.
"No....not really" she looks to him. "Maybe I'm just acting out...." she teases.
"Stealing isn't you" he tells Cat.
"That's the thing though, isn't it? You don't know me" she pulls herself up and bounds up to the roof. Spidey sighs and looks to the cat.
"What?"
....................................
Natasha flicks through Cat's books as Clint flicks through a phot album.
"There's no pictures of Tony" Natasha holds up a crude drawing of Tony and turns it to Clint.
"There's this" she points out, Clint looks to it and smirks.
"Wonder why he kept her from us" Natasha shrugs.
"Maybe he's trying to keep her safe and away from our world" she explains.
"Hey" Natasha looks to him. "Do we tell them?"
"No" Natasha shakes her head. "This is up to Tony.....it's a kid we're talking about..."
"Cat?!" Tony shouts, the two spies share a look before they both climb into the vents. Tony knocks on the door. "Cat, you in here?" he sighs getting no answer before he leaves, Natasha and Clint share a look before the window opens and Cat climbs in. She shrugs out of her hoody and throws it into the bottom of her wardrobe before stiffening. Clint and Natasha share another look as Cat moves to where the two spies had been stood, she touches the table top and then looks around.
"Friday...who was in my room?" no answers. "Friday?" Cat looks around before she frowns, her eyes snapping to the vents, straight at the two assassins, she raises an eyebrow and then smirk, she grabs a flip blade from her bedside table and pulls open Friday's control panel in her room. "Okay" she whispers before rearranging some of the wires inside.
"Miss Nivena" Friday statics. "I thank you for resetting my systems"
"Don't tell Tony I know how to do this"
"Of course..."
"Tell me who the two bodies hiding in the vents belong to" Natasha and Clint share a look.
"Agents Romanoff and Barton..." Cat turns to look up at the vents.
"They're spies....not very good ones if a fifteen year old could sniff them out" she states grabbing her headphones. "I'll pretend this never happened" she tells the spies before leaving her room.
...............
Cat sits watching tv, though she has her headphones on, a plastic takeout box of sushi in her lap. Tony shuffles in half asleep and looks to her.
"Kaitlyn?" he asks, she can't hear him through her headphones. He sighs and moves to her pulling them off her head. "Kaitlyn" she glares at him and snatches the headphones back. "Where were you? You disappeared"
"I went to my room" she tells him looking away. Tony sits at her side and pinches some of her food.
"What's the matter now?" he asks.
"Are you ashamed of me?" Cat asks.
"What?" he looks to her. "Why would you think that?"
"You don't want me to meet the Avengers, in fact you've actively gone out of your way to stop me from seeing them....and today...." She sighs. "And I get it....you didn't want me and that's fine" she stands. "Cause I didn't want you either...."
"Kaitlyn" he grabs her wrist.
"Stop calling me that" she snaps. "It's Cat...my name is Cat..." she tugs her hand free. "I live here...I am bound to bump into someone else....unless you plan on keeping me in this apartment forever...." He stands and sighs.
"I'm not ashamed of you" he tells her. "I'm ashamed of myself..." she looks to him. "I abandoned you and your mother...I don't want them to find out about you...because I don't want them to think so low of me...." She looks down and wrap an arm around herself. "It's selfish of me, I know....but I have done some pretty bad things in the past and....this would just be the cherry on the top for them to hate me..." he touches her cheek softly. "It is in no way...because of you ...why would I be ashamed of you?"
"I'm sorry" he shakes his head and hugs her.
"I should be saying that to you, if I made you feel unwanted" she hugs him back.
................
Cat drops out of the vents and looks around the room she's landed in.
"Jesus, Mary and Joseph!" she turns to Peter who stands in his bathroom doorway clutching his chest. "You scared the crap out of me, Cat"
"Sorry" she smiles sheepishly.
"How'd you know this was my room?" he asks.
"Just did" she shrugs.
"Everything okay?" he asks as she moves to his desk, an open book on the top about the American Revolution.
"Yeah, just...one of those days" Peter moves to his wardrobe and pulls out a zip up hoodie before moving to Cat, who's shivering.
"Are you cold?" he asks wrapping the hoodie around her shoulders, she looks to him.
"I forgot to put one on before I went in the vents" she tells him. "Thanks" he smiles at her. "You know...I don't know anyone but you and Tony in the city" he looks to her softly. "And this spider-boy I suppose" she tells him moving around his room again.
"I think it's spider-man" he tells her. She looks over her shoulder at him and then kicks a box under his bed, she raises an eyebrow.
"You smell the same" she tells him. "Which means either...you have a twin who is spider-boy....or it's you" Peter rubs the back of his neck. "It's okay...I'm not mad..."
"You're not?" he asks, she shrugs.
"It's an escape....just like when I put my suit on to perform..." he smiles at her, she smiles back and shuffles on her feet.
"So...how come you came looking for me?" he asks.
"I needed to see someone....normal" she looks to him and smirks. "Guess you are normal as I can get"
"You wanna watch a movie?" he asks, she nods.
"That sounds nice" he sits on his bed and pats the space beside him, she shuffles closer and sits beside him.
.......................
Peter wakes with Cat's head on his chest, his arm wrapped around her, he smiles to himself, he's not one to flirt with girls, or talk to them....at all but there is something about Cat, it's easy with her. She groans and nuzzles into his chest, Peter stiffens and looks to her. He strokes her hair and wraps his arm tighter around her. She purrs against his neck and he smirks listening to her.
"You awake?" she asks with a yawn.
"Yeah" he reaches down and strokes her cheek.
"Thanks" she tells him softly. "For letting me chill out...." She sits up and smiles at him. "And for not telling....that I leave the tower" he smiles back at her.
"Everyone needs an escape" he tells her. "You're just crazy enough to find your escape at the top of bridges...or stealing" he teases, she chuckles and nods.
"Peter" Clint knocks on his door. "Come on kid you over slept" Peter looks to the clock and curses.
"Coming!" he shouts back and looks to Cat who smirks.
"Don't worry" she whispers. "I wasn't here" she jumps up into the vents and disappears, Peter smiles and climbs out of bed to get dressed for school.
.....................
Peter smiles as the elevator opens on Cat's floor and she steps into the elevator, an apple hanging from her mouth, but she's not alone, Tony's with her. He looks to Peter and scowls before placing himself between the two teens. Cat smirks around her apple and leans against the elevator wall, Peter smirks and glances to her, she winks across at him as Tony types away on his phone.
"Okay, so Pepper and Happy are going to join us for dinner..." Tony tells her. "I've already put in an order to that sushi place that you like....and then...well..." Tony clears his throat, Peter raises an eyebrow as Cat turns to Tony. "You were right" Peter sucks in air, harshly, Tony shoots him a look before he turns to Cat. "About what we talked about"
"We talked about a lot of things..." Cat tells him.
"About...how you think I am....ashamed of you" she raises an eyebrow at him. "So...I'm going to introduce you to the Avengers" Cat looks to Tony as he looks away. "If you want?"
"No" she tells him, Tony looks to her surprised. "That wasn't what I was getting at....it's the lengths you went to stop it from happening...I don't need a forced meeting...just..."
"Alright" Tony states. "FRIDAY...lift all restriction regarding Cat and the Avengers"
"Done, sir" Cat smiles at Tony who raises an eyebrow back. She rolls her eyes and looks away. Tony smirks and kisses her head.
"You can't hate me forever, Cat" he whispers to her and leans back, Peter raises an eyebrow as Cat looks to him, she shrugs and looks away.
..................
..................
Peter looks to Cat who sits on his bed, cross-legged as he does his homework, she has her own open in her lap. She'd been there waiting for him when he came back from school, she'd smiled and he'd let it happen, sat at his desk and they'd both started on their homework. Peter looks to his watch and then to Cat.
"Don't you have dinner plans?" she looks up at him, eyes wide, startled like and then she looks to her own watch.
"Damn it" he smirks as she grabs her books and jacket. "Can I come back....after?"
"Of course" she moves to the door. "You're not taking the vents?" he asks.
"Restrictions lifted...." She sighs and then turns back to him. "I'm his daughter" she tells him. "Tony's..." Peter stares at her. "Yeah" Peter stands and moves to her.
"Alright...I can work with that" he teases and she looks to him. "You're a Stark...." She shrugs.
"Guess so"
"You're still my friend" she smiles.
"Thanks" she whispers. "I just...wanted to get it out there...before any of the others told you"
"I'll see you after dinner" he tells her, she nods and leaves, Peter blows air from his lips and looks startled. "She's a Stark" he whispers to himself. "Oh God, I'm screwed..." he thinks on Tony finding out they've been spending time together, or when he finds out Peter has a massive crush on the girl.
......................
Cat leaves the elevator on the Avengers floor after dinner, she smiles at the Avengers, who all stare at her, Clint and Natasha share a look. Peter smiles warmly at Cat as he stands from his seat and he and Cat leave together, Cat smirks and then chuckles. Peter joins in wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
"It's so weird just walking in" they share a smirk as they head into his room, Peter shutting the door behind him, they're followed by footsteps as Steve follows them down the hall, Peter looks to Cat and smirks.
"Wait for it...the dad talk.." Steve knocks on the door.
"Peter, you know...we should talk...about...girls and rules" Peter goes for the door and Cat stops him.
"Let me?" he nods, she opens the door and smiles at Steve. "Hey"
"Oh....hello..."
"I'm Cat...Tony's daughter...don't worry, I am not about to violate your spiderling" she shuts the door and looks to Peter who is bent over laughing. Cat looks to him and starts laughing herself.
................
Steve blinks at the door.
"What?" he asks before heading back to the others. Who look to him. "She's...."
"Tony's daughter" Natasha states, they all look to her. "Clint figured it out....She's a Stark"
"Tony has a kid?" Bucky asks.
"How long she been here?" Bruce asks.
"About six months, we think" Clint adds.
"When did you two find out?" Steve asks them.
"I saw her in the vents...yesterday...she seemed pretty upset with Tony" Realisation crosses Bruce's face.
"I think I know why....they were in the labs....and I disrupted them, Tony said he was on his own...." Tony leaves the elevator on his tablet and every single Avenger looks to him, he looks up and then sighs.
"You met Cat then" he mumbles.
"Where've you been hiding her for...what fourteen, fifteen years?" Tony sighs.
"Look before I tell you this....I was a different person back then...alright?" they all nod. "I met her mother in Miami...in 2002 and well you know....and then....Kaitlyn was born..."
"And you wanted nothing to do with her?" Bruce asks.
"At the time...yes" Tony admits. "Then after everything" he motions to the Avengers. "....I tried to find them...but...tracking Carnie's is difficult"
"She's a Carnie?" Clint asks. "And you've got her away from her family"
"I am her family" Tony adds.
"Carnie's think of family differently, it's not just about blood, it's about bonds, I still go to see my Carnie family every Sunday" Clint states, they all look to him weirdly. "Didn't know that about me?" he asks, they all shake their heads. "Well.....yep" he turns to Tony. "You should let her see them...at least let her talk to them.....she's probably missing them like crazy" Tony nods and looks down.
"Where is she anyway?" he asks.
"In Peter's room" Steve answers, Tony raises an eyebrow. "They're friends..."
"When did that happen?" he asks.
"She probably needs someone her own age to talk to" Natasha offers. "And it's Peter...he's a good kid" Tony grumbles.
.....................
Peter laughs laying back on his bed, clutching his stomach.
"I can image his face..." Peter looks to Cat who smiles sitting on his dresser. "Violate your spiderling" Peter chuckles. She jumps down and moves to lay next to him. "Do you have any more homework?" he asks, she shakes her head.
"No, I'm good, you?"
"Nope" he looks to her. "Movie marathon?"
"On a school night?" she gasps dramatically. "Sure, rule breaking runs through my veins" he chuckles and wraps an arm around her as he turns on the tv.
...................
Peter could get used to this, waking up with Cat curled into his side, her arm curled around his chest, her body pressed up against him, nope, stop thinking, he clenches his jaw as she squirms against his side. This is where being a teenage boy is going to ruin everything about this, she's going to be grossed out. Cat curls around him and then stretches out with a groan.
"Peter?" she asks. "You awake?"
"Yeah" he answers stroking her side, she sets her head on his chest and smiles. "You know" he starts. "If your Dad were to find out you were sleeping in here..." Cat leans up and stares down at him.
"Are you afraid of Tony?" she asks.
"A little bit" Peter answers.
"It's not like we're doing anything...." She tells him, with a smirk. "I mean....you're not taking advantage" he pinches her side as she chuckles.
"Yeah, but when your Dad could actually shoot lasers at me....."
"Repulsers" Cat corrects.
"The point stands" Peter reaches up to stroke her cheek. "I don't want him to take you away from me" She leans forward and kisses him, Peter closes his eyes and kisses her back. Maybe not so grossed out, he reaches up and threads his fingers through her hair and pulls her closer. She shifts her weight till she straddles his waist, he sits up and wraps an arm around her waist and goes back to kissing her, he could kiss her for a life time and he feels it wouldn't be enough, she threads her fingers in his hair and purrs, he smiles pressing his forehead to hers. "Well..." he clears his throat. "That escalated quickly" she chuckles and curls her fingers in his hair. "Not that I mind...I mean...this is...." She smiles and kisses him again.
"Spider-boy" she coos pulling back. "Was that your first kiss?" she asks quietly, he raises an eyebrow at her.
"Why? Was it bad?" she shakes her head.
"No...." she smiles. "I liked it"
"And...yes..." she raises an eyebrow. "It was my first kiss"
"Awww...I wish I'd known, I would....gone slower"
"Yeah?" she nods. "Like how?" they share a look, she kisses him again, softer, sweeter, slower. He kisses her back just as so.
...................
Months go by with Cat sleeping in Peter's bed at night and then going back to her floor through the vents in the morning, they spend their time doing homework, making out and watching movies, some nights they'll even sneak out of the tower and find a quiet spot in the city to watch the stars. And Peter is sure he's in love with her. With the Stark girl. Oh God. Tony's gonna kill him. Peter lays, thinking on just that, as he stares at this ceiling, covered in webbing, webbing that Cat had sprayed everywhere when trying it out, they'd laughed for hours that day just shooting each other with webbing. He sighs and looks to Cat who is currently sleeping against his side, curled up like a little kitty cat. He threads his fingers into her hair and she smiles in her sleep and stretches before curling up again.
"Cat" he whispers, she groans. "Come on, we have to get up" she lifts her head and moves it to his chest, he strokes her hair and smiles as she smiles at him. He leans closer and kisses her, her hands moving to his chest, she lifts herself up slightly and straddles his waist, he slips an arm around her waist and under her shirt at the back, she's all warm from sleeping, he smiles against her lips, she pulls back, they stare at one another before he moves first, kissing her again, sitting up with her and holding her closer, she wraps an arm around his neck and her fingers up into his hair. He pushes her backwards till she lays flat on her back with him settled between her legs, his fingers trace along her side, touching her everywhere, god she feels so good underneath him like this.
"Peter" she whispers, he pulls back and presses his head to her shoulder.
"We should....stop" he tells her, she squirms beneath him and he groans into her shoulder.
"Peter..." he looks to her. "My dad would kill us" Peter nods agreeing.
"Well....he'd kill me" Peter corrects. He strokes her cheek and smiles. "Cat..." he whispers and then kisses her before pulling back. "We've probably gone about this completely wrong way" he teases, well half jokes. "But....would you like to be my girlfriend?" she smirks at him and then nods.
"Yeah, yeah, I would love to" he grabs her face and kisses her. Clint then hammers on the door.
"Kiddos come on, school" Cat smirks and Peter chuckles and touches her face softly before getting up.
"We'll wait" he tells her, she nods and smiles at him.
....................
Cat stretches out on the communal couch and across Peter's lap, her head nestled on his lap, a cushion thankfully separating his growing excitement and her head, that would be utterly mortifying, given that her father sits in the armchair across from them. He watches them, glares at Peter. Peter turns more uncomfortable, he stands abruptly and Cat falls back into the seat.
"I have homework" he mumbles and walks away, Cat frowns watching him go before she hangs her head.
"Go after him" Tony tells her, she looks to him, he nods and motions towards Peter. She stands and follows him.
...................
"Peter?" she asks entering his bedroom, he looks to her from his bed. "We did our homework earlier" she tells him, he nods.
"I know......" he whispers, she sits in front of him on the bed, he takes her hand. "Just...got a little" he cocks his head and looks to her. "Excited with your head in my lap" he assures her. "And with your dad glaring at me"
"Oh" she hangs her head. "Sorry, this is really uncomfortable for you, isn't it? Tony being my father" she pulls her hand away from him, he kisses her though.
"I don't want to change it though" he promises her. "I love you" he admits, she smiles and clutches to his shirt. "Was that too soon?" he whispers. "Man, it was wasn't it?" she pulls him closer and kisses him again.
"I love you too" she whispers against his lips, he smiles and threads his fingers through her hair, she chuckles and he lays her back.
"Whoa ho ho" Tony walks in and motions to them, they pull apart "All right, ground rules" Peter and Cat look to him.
...............
Peter sets his hands over Cat's eyes, she smiles and leans back into his chest, he smiles back at her.
"Happy birthday, Cat" he tells her warmly, just under two years now they've been together, and they've just been getting stronger, the ultimate pair, but ground rules were set, mostly by Tony. No sex until they were both 18, it was fair, he was too young to be a grandfather and they were too young to be parents, and no pda's in the communal rooms, Tony doesn't want to see that. And they'd promised each other each other. Even went as far as to get promise rings, though they wear them around their necks instead of on their fingers.
"Peter" she whispers, he kisses her neck and wraps his arms around her tightly. Waiting has proved difficult for the both of them, but now they are both 18. She turns to him and wraps her arms around his neck, he smiles warmly at her. That look never went away, the one everyone says soon fades, pure adoration and love, she pulls him closer and kisses him. Tony clears his throat and Peter and Cat part, she shoots her father a look. "Really?" she asks, he smirks and her and set a wrapped parcel on the side.
"I figured me and you, kiddo, we'd have breakfast together, go shopping, and then be back for your party" Cat looks to Peter who shrugs, they both know Tony is planning on wearing her out, so that she and Peter won't do anything later. But a deal was a deal. "Just us" Tony adds, as if needed.
"I just came to give Cat this" Peter holds a small present out to Cat who cocks her head and takes it.
"I thought we'd agreed that...you wouldn't get me anything" she tells him. He smiles.
"It's not just for you, it's for us....so don't open it until later" he glances to Tony and then kisses Cat's cheek. "I love you" he tells her, she smiles wider back at him.
"I love you too" she tells him before he leaves, she turns to Tony. "Dad" she warns.
"You're my little girl" he reminds her. "And I don't like the thought of you growing up that much"
"I thought you liked Peter" she points out sitting at the breakfast bar, Tony sits at her side.
"I do" he tells her. "When he's not fondling you" She smacks his arm.
"Dad, I love Peter...." she tells him. "And as of midnight I'm an adult now" he sighs and kisses her forehead.
"Okay" he offers and then slides the gift towards her. Cat takes it and opens it. "Happy birthday" he tells her warmly. Cat raises an eyebrow at the gift. "I know I've not been all that supportive about you and Peter, I know that" he tells her. "So I was hoping this would make up for it"
"Two tickets to Paris?" she asks looking to him.
"Happy will drive you both to the airport after the party tonight, four days, five star, everything's paid for....just you kids go nuts" she smiles warmly at him. "Peter knows"
"And I just...."
"Yeah, well..." he shrugs and takes her hand. "Our start was...rocky, but I do love you" he tells her, she smiles and nods.
"I know" he strokes her cheek.
"So...." he clears his throat and looks away. "Breakfast" she nods and hugs him. "Oh" he wraps his arm around her and smiles.
................
Peter wraps an arm around Cat and pulls her closer. She'd escaped from the party for air on the balcony.
"Hey" he whispers in her ear, she smiles leaning back into his chest. "Are you ready to go?" he asks her. "Happy's waiting for us" she nods and turns to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and her fingers into his hair.
"Paris, huh?" she asks him, he smiles and kisses her.
"Paris" he whispers against her lips.
................
"I gotta hand it to your dad, he knows a good hotel when he finds it...hey..tiny chocolate" Peter teases grabbing the tiny chocolate from his pillow as he lays back on the huge bed, Cat chuckles from the bathroom. "Maybe he's finally ready to accept us" he tells her getting comfy. "You know nearly two years later" he smirks as he peels the wrapper from over the chocolate.
"He's been trying" she tells him opening the bathroom door.
"I know, I just thought he'd want you to be hap...." he cuts off looking to her, she's stood in a matching lingerie set Natasha and Pepper had helped her pick out for this moment, red and blue, a small spider on the left cup of her bra. "Wow" Peter breaths sitting up, Cat wraps an arm around herself.
"Is it too much?" she asks quietly, Peter shakes his head and stands from the bed.
"No, god, no, you look..." he reaches her and pulls her arm away, smiles down at her. "Beautiful. You look beautiful" she lifts her head and smiles at him, he strokes her cheek and then kisses her, his free hand curling around her waist to tug her closer to him. "I love you" he tells her against her lips.
"I love you too" he lifts her up, her legs wrapping around him, he turns and sets her on the dresser. He pulls her face closer to kiss her again, he can never get over how much he loves kissing her. "Peter" she whispers touching his shirt, he nods and helps her undo the buttons, she pushes it over his shoulders and pulls him closer to her. He strokes up her back and unclips her bra, she pulls back a little and lets him pull the straps down her arms, he kisses her jaw.
"You're beautiful" he tells her dropping her bra to the side before stroking her arms, she touches his chest, draws her fingers down towards his slack buttons. He sets his forehead to hers. "Are you sure?" he asks her. "We can wait a little longer if you want..." she brushes her thumb over the button on his trousers.
"Do you want to wait?" she asks him.
"No" he shakes his head. "I mean, as long as you want to....do it...now" she nods and undoes the button, Peter raises her face and kisses her as she pushes his slacks down his legs. He lets out a nervous breath and closes his eyes.
"Peter" she whispers touching his neck and holding his forehead to hers, he looks to her and nods, lifts her up and carries her to the bed, laying her down gently he leans back and slips his fingers into the edges of her panties, he looks up at her, she nods and he pulls them down her legs, her breath catches and she squirms a little, Peter looks at her, laying there, naked, for him, he smiles warmly at her, before it turns lustful as she looks to him, her eyes blown, her cheeks flushed, and he loves that he knows that she wants him. He strokes her legs as he crawls up her body, already shaking beneath him. He's prepared for this day, he asked for advice, avoiding Tony, he read books and watched videos, because he wanted this to be perfect for her. They can't take this back, they can't have a do over on their virginity. He kisses her as he strokes up her thigh.
....................
Peter and Cat both just clutch to one another, holding, touching, basking in the post-sex feeling. Peter moves slightly, pulling out of her, she winces slightly and closes her legs as he lays next to her, wrapping an arm under her neck and taking her other hand.
"Soooo" he starts, they share a look and then start laughing, he leans over and kisses her. "That was....worth waiting for" he tells her softly. She smiles at him.
"Yeah, it was" Peter strokes Cat's arm as she lays with her head on his chest. He smiles all dazed at the ceiling, he's glad they waited, he's glad it was with her, but come on, he wishes they were doing that earlier. He pulls Cat closer and she lifts her head to nuzzle into his neck.
"Did you bring my gift with you?" he asks her, she lifts her head and looks to him.
"Yeah, of course I did, it's in my purse" he kisses her head and then climbs out of bed moving to their bags, grabs her purse and then pulls out the small gift box before moving back to bed, she sits up against the bed's headboard. Peter sits back on the bed with her and holds the box out to her. She takes it and opens the gift wrap before lifting the lid on it, she frowns at him. "What is this?" she asks, he smiles at her.
"It's a key" he answers, she shoots him a look.
"I know that...."
"It's to an apartment in Upper Manhattan" he tells her softly. "Around the corner from Columbia" she looks up from the key to him. "I want you to move in with me when I start there in September"
"Peter" she whispers, he smiles at her. "Are you sure?" she asks him. "Are you sure you want me with you?"
"Of course, I want this, I want you, more then anything, I want a life together" she lunges forward and kisses him, he smiles and kisses her back. "Is this a yes?" he asks with a smirk, she nods and chuckles.
"Yes" she tells him. "I would love to" he wraps an arm around her waist and lays her back, pulling her legs around his waist.
"You okay to......go again?" he asks, she nods.
"If you're gentle....I'm a little sore" he nods and kisses her.
........................
Natasha sits next to Cat and smirks, it's unnerving, Cat raises an eyebrow at her.
"Can I help you?" Cat asks. Natasha grabs the tv remote and switches it to dvd, which shows Cat and her mother's circus act.
"You know....you'd make a good, if not great, agent with those moves" they watch as fourteen year old Cat tumbles and flips. "A little more training, some fine tuning and....well...."
"Are you serious?" Cat asks. "You really think Tony will let me do that? Or Peter?"
"You're eighteen now and I put off asking till now because of that. I've had this dvd for two years" Natasha answers. "Look I've asked Clint and he agrees with me. Coulson's willing to sanction it all just say the word"
"Can I think about it? Talk to Peter?"
"Of course" Natasha tells her. "Take your time, you want to watch a real movie?" Cat smiles and nods.
..............
Peter leans down and kisses Cat who kisses him back before he sits at her side, she instinctively curls up into his side.
"Hung out with Nat today" Cat tells him, he hums and looks to her.
"Really? I thought she scared you?"
"She does" Cat admits. "She offered me a job" Peter raises an eyebrow. "With SHIELD"
"Is that something you want to do?" he asks turning to her.
"I don't know" She admits. "I mean....new SHIELD is doing good now, it's helping people" she smiles. "I want to help people" she moves to her knees. "And doing it with training and resources...." Peter kisses her and smiles pulling back.
"Then do it" he tells her. "If this is what will make you happy, will it?" he asks her.
"Yeah, I think it will" she answers, Peter takes her hand.
"Then I will support you" he kisses the back of her hand, she leans against him wrapping his arms around her. "Whatever you want"
.............
Cat leans in the doorway of her now empty bedroom, she smiles a little as Peter wraps his arms around her waist.
"Second thoughts?" he asks setting his chin on her shoulder.
"This is the first place I lived for longer then a month, spidey" she teases softly. "I'm going to miss it"
"It's not like we're moving across the world" he pulls her closer. "Down the street, and you work here" he teases, she smiles and nods. "You'll be back here tomorrow"
"I know" she agrees. "I just..." she shrugs, he rubs the back of her neck and tips her head around to him.
"I know" he kisses her. "It's your home, it will always be your home, just like Tony said, and it's only down the street" she wraps her arm around his neck and smiles. "You've not changed your mind, have you?" he asks her.
"Of course not" she tells him. "I love you" he smiles and pulls her closer.
"One last time?" he wiggles his eyebrows at her, she laughs and kisses him, tugging him into the room.
"Be quick, Dad'll be back in half an hour" she warns, Peter shuts the door behind them and lifts her up, carries her to the bed.
..............
Peter and Cat fall back onto the bed with content sighs, hands held tightly, Peter smirks and looks to her.
"So that's it" he tells her. "We've done it on every piece of furniture in our apartment" Cat chuckles and looks to him.
"Really wish Steve and Bucky hadn't walked in on us in the kitchen though" Peter nods.
"Yeah, that...that was awkward" he agrees and pulls her closer, Cat sets her head on his chest and then they both start laughing. "Steve's face!" Peter states laughing. Cat clutches her side.
"I thought his head was going to explode" Cat tells him turning to straddles his waist. "I've not seen a face that red since we went to Hawaii and Pepper got that sunburn" Peter laughs and pulls her down to cuddle her.
"She was red" Peter agrees.
"Unfortunate side effect of red hair" Cat mumbles and nuzzles into his chest. "Chinese for dinner?" she asks, he strokes her back.
"Sounds perfect" he tells her. "You know" he starts. "This is it, Cat" she turns her head to look at him. "The start of our future, we live together, we love each other....one day I'm going to marry you and we're going to have a family together" she smiles warmly at him. "Little spider-cats" he teases, she smirks and kisses him. "You want that too, right?" he whispers, suddenly hit with uncertainty. Cat smiles.
"Peter, nothing would make me happier" she answers. "But cat-spiders" he laughs and rolls them over.
"Spider-cats" he corrects, she smiles at him.
"Our children" she tells him, he strokes her cheek. "Just not right now" she warns him. "You're starting Columbus and I'm starting my training with Nat.......in a few years" he nods.
"Don't worry, we have plenty of time for all that and more" he kisses her. "I promise I'm not going anywhere" he brushes her hair back and smiles. And he means it. There will be no one else for him, ever. He knows it and she knows it. This it it. Them. Their future is in each other.
~~ The End ~~