(Untitled)

[forhawkeye]

There are moments that stick with you, infuriating, shocking, frightening moments -- pick your emotion, it doesn't matter, because there are just some things you don't forget, some things that, no matter what, will never leave you. I really hope tonight isn't one of them

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[with_diamonds]

The persistent rain had left Lucy unsettled for reasons she didn't want to admit even to herself, making her more restless than usual, a feat which was, really, quite impressive. It was too early to sleep, and having found herself unable to pace any longer, she'd ventured out into the storm, a coat drawn tightly around herself, hair plastered to her cheeks and neck. Any water would dry; the persistent sinking feeling in her stomach wasn't so easily gotten rid of.

What she wasn't expecting was to find someone else in the same predicament, nearly walking into a frantic-looking Kate. All instincts telling her that something had to be wrong, her mouth fell open, hands held up to keep her from going any further. "Jesus, Kate," she said on an exhale, voice just loud enough to be audible over the steady downpour. "What happened? Are you - is everything okay?"

[forhawkeye]

I've lost track of just how long I've been walking alone when there's suddenly someone right in front of me. For one quick, stupid second, I think that it's Nate, despite the fact that I'm pretty sure he's not a) a girl and b) Lucy. Instinctively, I move in closer to talk, too jumpy to want to start yelling just to be heard over the rain, though that doesn't stop me from grabbing her arm none too gently to get sell my urgency.

"Have you seen Nate?"

[with_diamonds]

Immediately, Lucy felt something twist in her stomach, her face falling. A question like that usually only meant one thing, and while it wasn't as often accompanied by a demeanor like Kate's, disappearances too commonplace to warrant this sort of insistence, it was hard not to automatically assume what she believed to be the worst. The hand on her arm barely even registering, she swallowed thickly, needing that split second to compose herself enough to speak.

"No," she answered, shaking her head and immediately looking apologetic for it. "Not since, I guess, a couple days ago. Is he -" She hesitated briefly, not wanting to come right out and say it. "Is he missing?"

[forhawkeye]

I nod once, then let go of her arm, starting back on the path without looking back. If she's following, I'm not entirely sure, but I don't have time to check. Standing around talking about it isn't going to get anything done.

[halfscarlet]

The weather made something as simple as walking across the path to school miserable, and after doing it four times over the course of the day, Billy'd changed three times and considered throwing his books into the dryer twice.

Camping out at one of the tables in the rec room, Billy's hair was only just starting to dry out when he noticed Kate stalk in. To say she looked worse off than he did was a understatement, and that was enough to make Billy perk up in suspicion.

"Kate?"

That she was an excuse to keep from doing anymore homework was a given.

[forhawkeye]

He's not here -- neither of them are, for that matter, and if that doesn't get a fresh wave of frustrated panic, I don't know what will -- but the sound of a familiar voice stops me short from running back out into the hallway. Trailing mud in my wake, I pull down the hood of my coat with more force than absolutely necessary as I hurry towards Billy, spraying water everywhere, and not giving a crap.

There are a lot of things I could say to him, but all of them save one can wait until we're out of already out of here and back on the move. He'll understand. I mean, he's more than a friend, he's family -- an Avenger. This kind of stuff, it's just what we do. "I need you."

[halfscarlet]

Billy blinked at Kate as she walked over, and it didn't take her telling him anything to know something was wrong. "As long as it doesn't involve getting a mud bath, sure," Billy replied as he closed his books and got to his feet. "What's wrong?"

[forhawkeye]

"Nate's missing," I say, already turning towards the door, not wasting any time, because Billy, at least, I can trust to keep up. "He'd talked about going sailing today, which would've been fine if it wasn't raining cats and dogs, but I guess the idiot decided to go anyway, because I found--"

I stop just short of actually saying it, pausing for a second to pull up my hood, busy my hands long enough that I can force the words out without breaking down. "I found the mast of his boat, Billy, washed up on the shore."

[turnthebadinme]

She has to go home eventually. Serena knows that, but with the rain coming down outside, it's so much more tempting just to stay stretched out on the rec room couch with a fat novel, cozy and dry. Seeing Kate just redoubles her urge to stay right where she is.

"Kate, hey," she calls warmly. "God, it's really coming down out there, isn't it?" It's only then that she notices the look on Kate's face - she's not sure what it is exactly, something like determination or focus. "Everything okay?"

[forhawkeye]

"Serena--"

It's a stupid reaction, but for a second I feel like I've been caught doing something wrong. Serena's known Nate for longer than me, and he means just as much as to her as he does me, and she doesn't know, has no way of knowing, and I'm the one who has to break the news. My heart catches in my throat as I turn to look at her, and for the second time tonight, that same blind sort of panic as before threatens to overwhelm me and slow me down, though there's really no more time to waste, too much having passed already.

"I--" I start again, and I blink hard, once. I can tell her without stumbling over every other word. I'm better than this. Drawing myself up, I straighten a little, still dripping water onto the floor. "It's Nate. He's not gone, his stuff's still here, but he's... Serena, he's missing."

[turnthebadinme]

"What?" Serena closes her book and gets to her feet, brow furrowing, but the movements are all automatic; she understands the words, but it hasn't quite processed.

"What do you mean, Nate's missing?" Wincing, she shakes her head. It's a dumb question. Already she's telling herself that at least he isn't gone, because she's lost too many people, but with the way it's raining out there and how dark it must be, it's easy to imagine he might have got lost somewhere in the jungle. "When did you last see him?"

[forhawkeye]

"Yesterday, at the barbecue," I say, and it's easier, now, to be the calm one when there's someone else to freak out for me. Hands dropping down to my sides, I curl my fingers into loose fists, needing to hold onto something, even if it's just thin air. "That's not the point. He was going sailing. I'd thought, you know, with the weather-- I found the mast of his boat. I don't-- I just..." Trailing off, I take a deep breath in, and fix her with as level a stare as I can manage given the circumstances, though I doubt it's reassuring in the least. "I need to find Tony Stark."

[notawastedlife]

More simulations, more projections. He couldn't take sitting and watching them run, so he'd gone back to his old project of building a motorcycle out of junk.

For a moment, when Jarvis spoke he thought it was to announce a result. "Mr Stark, Miss Bishop has just entered. Shall I send her down?"

No, then. Better distraction, though. He glanced at a readout on the weather outside and furrowed his brow as upstairs, Jarvis informed Miss Bishop that Mr Stark was down in the workshop and the door would be open when she got to it.

[forhawkeye]

It's hours later by the time I get to the mansion. I'm shivering and wet, my coat soaked right through, and while I'm sure Pepper Potts will have a few words to say about the mud I've just tracked into her house, I can't bring myself to care. Following Jarvis' instructions, I make my way down to the workshop, half-running despite how exhausted I know I probably should be. Adrenaline's better than Red Bull, I'll give it that.

Walking through the door, I finally yank down the hood of my coat, though I don't bother to look around and see if I'm interrupting something. Knowing him, I probably am, but I really don't give a crap.

"I need your yacht," I say without preamble, and my teeth can stop chattering any time, now. "And if you don't want to give me that, then I need Iron Man." A beat passes, and I wipe the back of my hand under my nose as I sniffle, trying to ignore just how good a relief it is to be somewhere dry when Nate's still out there. "And just so we're clear, you can't say no to both."

[notawastedlife]

"If you think you're going to sneeze, just stay over there. My yacht?" Tony said, frowning at her. "Or- I can't say no to both? I can say no to a lot of things. Let's take this from the top. Lemme hear it."

[forhawkeye]

"My boyfriend's missing," I say, trying to keep my voice level. Calm is pretty much the opposite of what I feel right now, but getting hysterical isn't going to help anyone.

"The mast of his sailboat washed up on shore, hours ago, and for all I know, he's still out there -- in the water or on the other island or... whichever, and I'm not stupid enough to go out swimming in this weather to go look. You're the only other person I know with an honest-to-God boat, and besides that you're..." I make a vague, frustrated gesture. "You."