In My Eyes

Ch•20- Imminent

           I fiddled with the ends of my hair as a lion attacked a wildebeest on the tv screen "I miss him"

          "Me too" Dad brought over a cup of steamy hot chocolate for me. He set it down on the table next to the couch. I sat up in my seat "but he's off doing his own thing, whatever that is. I just hope he's content"

          "I just hope he comes home soon" I sipped my drink, burning my tongue at the sudden heat. But it barely fazed me at all.

          "Is that all that's bugging you Jes?" Dad asked, sitting down beside me on the couch. The cushions jiggled under his weight. I made sure my drink didn't spill on me "there's more that meets the eye here, I can feel it"

          "I just..." I set my mug down on the table "... I don't know. I want... freedom I guess" I didn't know where any of this was coming from, but when I finally said it, I couldn't stop "I want to go out there, be me, I want to fly! I want to help people and do things that don't involve me having a chaperone 24/7. I want to act my age for once. Go to parties, hang with friends, get drunk on the Brooklyn bridge!"

"Whoa Whoa Whoa Whoa!" Dad held up his hand "slow down there"

"Sorry, I was rambling"

          "So basically what I'm getting is" Dad draped his arm over the back of the couch "you want freedom, a world without limits, no strings... am I correct?"

          I was suddenly reminded of someone else, someone dangerous. His red eyes flashed in my mind "I guess I do sound a lot like Ultron" I placed my elbows on my knees and cupped my cheeks.

           Dad stared down at the couch for a moment. I was about to get up and go to bed, but he stood up first "Wait here" he instructed. I tilted my head in confusion but did as I was told. He disappeared out of the living room and headed down the hallway. I heard him enter the door that leads to the lab. I spun around on the couch and draped my hand over the back.
"You ready?" Dads voice spoke from the speakers set up around the ceiling.

"Oh" I glanced around the room "sure, I guess... what's happening?"

"This..." his voice faded.

             Below my feet, the floor started to tremble. Not rough like an earthquake, but a subtle shake. I brought my feet up to the couch and crossed my legs. An open space that separates the kitchen counter and the living area began to open up. The floor below was the lab. I stayed put on the couch as the lights in the room began to dim. The main source of light now was the fire place.

           My heart pounded. A mechanical thing was forming. It slowly rose up from the open hatch in the floor. I sat up higher to get a better view. The first thing to appear was a helmet. The eyes glowed white. Shoulders were next, followed by muscular arms. I slowly pulled my hand up to my mouth.

            A suit, it seemed to glow in the dark. I delicately rose to my feet. The suit planted itself on the floor after the open hatch carefully closed back up.

           The suit was a cobalt and silver color. It was similar to Dad's suit. The figure of the suit was just like the Mark 42. I smiled "Shut up!"

          "I didn't even say anything" Dad walked back in to the room, his hands linked behind his back.

          "Shut up!" I squealed, balling my fists up in excitement "what is... what is this for?" I ran up to the suit. I ran my hands up and down the arms, feeling the titanium allow beneath my fingers. It was like something out of a dream. All those nights, and days, that I spent visioning myself in that suit.

           "I was gonna wait until your birthday, but I figured... what the hell" Dad flung his arm over my shoulder and pulled me in for a side hug. I scrunched my nose up and smiled as my body was crushed against his.

           "You better not fly that thing in the house" a light voice warned from the hallway. Pepper leaned against the wall in the dim light, wearing long pajama pants and a t-shirt. A smirk rested on her pale, freckled face. She looked like she just rolled out of bed, which she just actually did "We just had the floors redone"

            "No Pep" Dad strolled over to Pepper and kissed her on the forehead. He put his arm around her waist and looked back over to me "the kid was just about to take it out for a spin outside" he nodded his head to the window, out towards the city.

            I did a double take, scratch that, a TRIPLE take to the window, baffled by the words coming out of my Dad's mouth "I was?" I blinked.

           "Yea" Dad pulled up the sleeve on his arm and revealed a watch that was wrapped his wrist. He tapped the screen of the watch, and the suit opened up in response. The inside of the suit was built to fit me. I stood back, not knowing how to process all of this "don't be shy" Dad gestured. I stepped forward.

            The suit came forward and started to attach itself to my body. It coated my arms, then moved down to my torso and waist, and last my legs. It fit like a pair of my favorite jeans. I felt the chest lock together, the reactor in the middle bursted to life. I lifted my hand up and wiggled my fingers. A laughed escaped my lips.

            "This is unbelievable" I whispered. The helmet closed over my face. Friday greeted me in her familiar AI voice. I glanced over to Dad and Pepper "thank you!" I jumped before taking off towards the window.

             Dad pushed a button on his watch and the screen door slid open, allowing me to fly out. It took me a second to gain balance after my feet left the patio floor. Snow bounced off the helmet of the suit. I flattened my palms at my sides and accelerated. The cars below moved at snails pace in comparison to the suit.

             Some lone walkers who trudged through the snow that night looked up to the sky at me. They looked confused to see a blue and silver iron man suit. I giggled and spun up towards the Empire State Building that stood tall a few miles away from here. Times Square was just below, shining like the sun as always.

             If you stood in the square at 1 in the morning, it would still be hard to tell if it was actually night time. I rounded the corner of a building and skillfully stepped on to the side of the roof and pushed off. I flew up straight in the air, heading right for the State Building. I flew up the side of the structure and landed on the very top.

            I planted my foot on the small space at the top and balanced myself. The Stark Tower was visible from here, so was the Chrysler building and the Brooklyn bridge to my left. The world trade tower was across the way.

I smiled, spinning around slowly to take in the whole view.

            I remembered the first time I ever saw the Iron Man suit. It was silver and sleek, the eyes glowed white. That day, that moment, wether I knew it or not... that was the day I met my destiny. It has stared me in the face all these years and now it's finally here. Ive found who I am. I've found my family, my friends.

           Back when I first started all those years ago, I thought I knew who I was. I was only a kid then. The world seemed so small and innocent. Now, it's bigger and the threats are greater. Enemies are imminent. But at least I'm not alone, not anymore. The next few years will be big for me, I can feel it. Everything will fall in to place as its suppose to be. I will see Banner again, Thor will return. Things will be picture perfect.

What could go wrong?

                A/N : I can think of something that will go wrong.... 2 words, Civil War.