In My Eyes

Ch•15- Strong Enough

"Why? It works, doesn't it?"

      "Yes it works but, I just don't think that I'd work in it, you know?" The confused look on his soft face told me that he didn't understand "Let's just be real here for a sec, Parker. Look at me, I'm not Iron Man, I never have been and I never will be. The Avengers are super human, spy's, Gods, and a one hundred year old man. And I'm just me. If anything, I'm a sixteen year old girl who's in waayyy over her head. My Father is Iron Man, I'm not"

      "That's not true! I've seen your work and the way you fight! You're the coolest girl I've ever known, or seen rather, but, you're Jessi Stark! Daughter of Iron Man, you are like... the smartest and the toughest and-"

      I groaned, standing up from the bed and stomping to the door "You're just like everyone else. Everyone thinks that I'm some perfect, intelligent, bullet proof machine that can do whatever, but I'm not Peter, I'm just not" He stood up from the bed and met me at the door.

      "These past couple of days have proved that I'm not strong enough to be everything that I'm suppose to be. That's why we're here recruiting you, because my Dad knows that you will be able to get the tough jobs done that I can't. He has this gut feeling about you, something that I know he doesn't have with me"

      "But like, he's your Dad. If anyone knows how truly strong you are, then it'll be him!" Peter protested, the awkwardness in his voice slowly shedding.

"He also knows how weak I can become" I added "and how hard I can fall"

      "Don't worry" Peter reached over to his dresser, grabbing a few colorful M&M's from their brown package. I could help but chuckle appreciatively as he handed me a few "We can can both prove ourselves together then" he said encouragingly. Part of me began to feel that he was right.

***

      "I've never been on a plane before" Peter admitted, rubbing his hands along the arm rests of the jet seat. We were seated in the lounge area with refreshment and light music playing from the speakers. We had just got on the jet that would take us back to Berlin.

      The plane sat on the tarmac outside of the Queens airport. I sat at the corner on the leather couch, gazing out the city beyond the circular window window. Peter sat on the couch across from me, his legs bouncing up and down nervously. His feet wouldn't stop tapping. I watched him with amused eyes.

      Now this is the Peter that I'm use to, awkward and nervous for no reason. He held a small camera in his hands. He had been vlogging his whole experience. He even snuck in some shots of me when he thought that was wasn't noticing... I was.

"This is actually a private jet" I corrected "but, you know, same thing"

"Is this your Jet?" He asked, turning on the camera and filming the seating area.

"It is, did you not see the Stark logo?"

      "Sweet" He rubbed his shirt sleeve on the smudged window to get a better look at the city. He brushed some hair behind his ear that had fallen across his forehead before peering out the glass. I watched him twist around in his seat, and adjust the camera so it was filming his face "So, I'm here on a plane. We're about to go to Germany, and that's-" he pointed to me "that's Jessi, say Hi!"

I pressed my lips into a thin line and gave an awkward wave.

      The front entrance door of the jet opened, revealing a very aggravated looking Happy Hogan. His curly brown hair was ruffled and he held a large suitcase in his hands "What's up, Happy?" I asked, sitting up slightly from my slumped position on the couch. Happy was in charge of bringing Peter and I to Germany with the new suit that Dad had made for him.

      "I just got word from Tony" he sat down on the cushioned chair across from me, placing his hands on his knees "He just got word from Romanoff that Steve's shield, and Sam Wilson's bird suit are all gone. Like David Copperfield gone"

      "Gone?" I repeated, squinting my eyes in confusion. Peter sat quietly next to me, glancing between Happy and I . He shut off his camera and dropped it in his lap "What do you mean gone? It's not like it could just disappear!"

      "Someone snuck them out of the facility" Happy rubbed his eyes "Tony is not happy about it". I sighed, leaning back against my seat "Jessi..." Happy said in warning tone "Don't tell me that you have anything to do with this" he looked hard at me "You can't keep playing both sides, you're either with your Dad, or-"

      "Why do you automatically assume that I'm involved?" I snapped, cutting him off "I don't know who took them and I don't know where they are. And I'm not playing both sides..." Peter still looked lost but he kept quiet "Look, I care for Steve, we all do. But what he's doing is too extreme. I thought maybe that Bucky is innocent, and just maybe he was framed, but now... I don't know"

      "The way he's running, and the way Steve is trying to hide only proves Bucky to be more guilty. Steve has broken the Accords which have now been finalized, now he must pay the price" Happy gave me a stern look. This wasn't fun and games anymore, this is the real deal.

      "I can't continue to float from side to side whenever I feel like it" I continued "I must choose now, work with you" I gestured to Happy "and stick with the Accords. Or go against everything I know and role with Steve... and I think we know what I choose. I choose the only side that I could possibly be on" I linked my fingers together and stared down to my feet "I'll help you guys find him, I'll do just about anything you ask. But please don't ask me to fight, don't ask me to fight my family"

      A/N : I feel like we've learned a lot about Jessi in this chapter. How she feels about her life, where she stands in the middle of this war. It's safe to say that she's officially Team Iron Man!!

Or is she...?