Bound By Purpose

Purpose

It's mid day when I drop down out of the sky onto the lawn. It's quiet but the commotion of my inexperienced landing has definitely stirred those in the house. I'd landed on all fours facing the ground. When I look up Laura has emerged with a shotgun. I stand immediately holding my hands up.

"Laura it's me!" My helmet retracts mid sentence and as soon as she sees me she's dropped the gun. She seems a little surprised but altogether relieved.

"Clint told me you were coming." She shrugs. "I just didn't think it'd be... well..."

I start to make my way to the porch where she's stopped. "I didn't mean to frighten you. Tony thought it'd come in handy." This seems to frighten her, I hadn't meant it in that way.

She stops me before I reach the door. She takes a deep breath. "How bad is it?"

I clench my lips, not knowing how much Clint told her. I try to smile to ease her stress a little bit. My mechanical hand rests lightly on her shoulder. "It's not ideal, but they'll get the job done. I have faith in them." She just nods and pushes the screen door open. I step inside and I scan the rooms. I come across the faces of the two youngest Bartons staring at me in awe. I smile and wave timidly and then they've both sprung up and have run to hug me, suit and all. I let out a sigh of relief and hug them both tight before Laura shoos them away. I didn't mind it at all.

Laura heads towards the kitchen, "Your room is made up." 

I didn't think they'd keep all the things I'd left behind... Of course they would they were good people. "Thank you Laura."

She smiles lightly. "We're happy to have you back." This brightens my mood. I feel I have a real purpose here. During my short time here before, I'd grown to love the kids and my room reminded me of what I had when I was younger. I head up the stairs trying to be light on my feet. Laura had laid out some clothes, a towel, and some soap for me. A hot shower did sound perfect after everything that had happened in the past 24 hours.

"JENNA let me out please." She does it without answer. My legs feel like jelly as I step down. 

I take my time in the shower and then dress and braid back my hair. Everything was just how I left it in my room. The window is even open to let in a cool breeze that rustles the curtains with each breath.

By the time dinner rolls around I feel clean and confident. Laura calls for me but JENNA has awakened and is showing an urgent message, not from the team, but from a news source... Definitely not American. "JENNA what am I looking at?"

"I tapped into a feed from Tony's suit. It seems they're having a disagreement." It's mass destruction. Tony is flying around, Banner is taking out the city. My hand covers my mouth in shock. I turn to the stairs, Laura should know. 

"Laura would you come up here for a moment." I try not to startle the kids with my tone but I know that Laura will understand the urgency. She's made it up the stairs in an instant. When she sees the terror on the reporters face and the innocent people running from the destruction she nearly drops to her knees. I catch her side and carefully set her on the side of the bed.

Laura is strong in this moment. Without wavering or any form of tears she puts her hands over her swelling stomach. "Is Clint okay?" I turn to my suit hesitating to ask.

"JENNA?"

"This is from earlier today." I let my left hand find hers and hold them still focused on my suit I couldn't bare to see the moment where she receives bad news. "Sources saw all members of the Avengers, including a human Dr. Banner boarding a jet and taking off. The destruction caused here has already caught the attention of governing bodies across the world..." My pressure recedes and then Laura jumps up even as the broadcast continues.

Still no tears from her. "I'll be with the kids downstairs when you're ready for dinner." I'm left looking at her. "I don't need to know what he does or why he does I just need to know if he's still alive to come back to me." I take a sharp breath, I'd once felt that way about a man, it didn't pay off in the end, but for them, I pray it will. When she's left the room and the coverage begins to repeat I get up to go down but stop short of the door.

"JENNA. What's our media saying?"

The images dance from channel to channel. It comes to rest on CNN where they are covering the destruction. Several experts are talking about the extent of the devastation. It jumps to the next channel that shows me jumping out of Avengers tower with my suit, they've already found out it was me. My face flashes across and then another expert comes on, a general this time. He questions the state of the Avengers as a whole. Questions me, and why I deserve to have a suit. He keeps pressing the issue of the free reign the team has retained since the fall of SHIELD. I shake my head, everything Steve had worked for. "Turn it off JENNA." The feed flashes for a moment but it comes to rest on another channel. It was people, real breathing citizens. I squirm not wanting to here the disappointment of the people. There is no yelling, no disappointment. The people being interviewed seemed solemn but they were hopeful, they all professed their faith in the Avengers and recalled the day New York was attacked. I lean forward, elbows on my knees watching, tearing up just a little. This was what I did it all for right? To protect the people? With or without a suit I would do just that.

"Have you seen enough Ms. Moore?"

I stand up wiping my eyes. "Quite enough. Update me if you hear anything else from Clint or Tony." The image of the young girl being asked the questions disappears and I am left staring at the open door down the stairs where those beautiful children reside. No matter what happens next I know that I've found that reason to fight again. It had been hazy for the longest time but there it was again now, in the faces of those young and bright kids, burning brighter than ever.