The Sparrow (Soul Mate)

7.

Tony stands with Pietro in the villa's back bedroom, their bedroom. Things had been quiet after Pietro had told Jack about the whole soulmate thing. Tony wears his scolding face as he rounds Pietro who takes a deep breath and turns to him.

"You would send her back to her time, knowing she will never, ever, find her soulmate, telling her that it happens here and now more often then ever before, that people find that person they are meant to be with and then sending her away believing that and knowing she won't find her soulmate...why is that better then me telling her that she has people here? People here that will love her and cherish her and adore here....why is what you wanted to do better?" Pietro asks Tony who sighs a little.

"Because she doesn't belong here" Tony argues.

"But she belongs with us" Pietro snaps. "It should be her choice" he points out. "Not yours or mine it should be hers....based on all the evidence, you're a scientist isn't that what you do?" Tony clenches his jaw and nudges his head against Pietro's because he is right, Pietro is right. All the evidence. "She had a right to know" Pietro mumbles.

"I know" Tony whispers. "But if she chooses to go" Pietro nods sadly.

"Yeah" he sighs. "Then I'll let her" he assures Tony, they share a look. "It's unfair to make this choice for her, Tony" he states, Tony nods and presses his forehead to Pietro's.

.................

They both find Jack asleep on the couch, a bottle of rum empty on the floor, Tony sighs a little, Pietro moves towards her, crouching at her side and touches her shoulder.

"Let her sleep it off" Tony scolds lightly. "We can talk to her about it tomorrow" Pietro drapes the light blanket over Jack as she sleeps. "Come on" Tony takes his hand and pulls Pietro into the adjoining bedroom, closing the door behind him. Jack's eyes open and she sits up brushing the blanket off of her. She clenches her jaw as she stands.

.................

Tony finds Jack on the beach as the sun rises behind him, she's sat with her knees pulled up to her chest. Her hair drifts in the breeze, the morning sky warming her skin. She looks stunning. She looks soft and warm and yet he knows that she is dangerous too. He moves towards her, her arms wrapping tighter around her legs.

"Have you been out here all night?" Tony asks sitting beside her.

"I couldn't sleep" she answers pulling her knees to her chest, her eyes on the sea.

"Jack" he starts leaning closer to her. "We're not going to make you stay," he tells her, she looks to him. "If you want a way home, then we'll find one"

"And if I want to stay?" she asks, he nods.

"Then you can do that" she looks back out at the sea and sighs. They both remain silent for a moment. Both thinking. He doesn't want her to go, of course, he doesn't, but if that's what she chooses to do then he can't stop her. Even if he wants to. He takes a breath and then lets it out. "What do you want to do?" he asks her, she sighs and looks to him.

"I want to swim" she answers as she pushes herself to her feet. He watches as she starts to undress. "I want to feel the ocean" she adds. "I just want.....swim" she watches him as she wiggles free of the jeans on her legs. He can't take his eyes off of her as she strips bare, and he probably should. She's covered in tattoos. Everywhere. And scars. She steps back into the sea, letting it lap at her feet. "Coming?" she asks him and turns before diving into the water. Tony takes a breath before looking around. He knows they're alone. It's his island there is only them here but he still checks before he is stripping down too.

................

Pietro stands on the beach waiting for them when they leave the water. Tony moves to Pietro and kisses him softly before going to get dressed, Jack dresses in silence aware that there are still unsaid things between the three of them. She hasn't decided what she wants to do yet, stay with her soulmates, in this modern world, give up being a pirate, or return to her time, alone, forever alone, but a pirate. Piracy is her life. It's all she knows.

"Can we go back now?" she asks them pulling on her hat. Pietro looks to her.

"Back?" he asks her.

"To the city" she answers quietly. "Can we just go back now?" Tony moves to her side and touches her arm.

"Whatever you want" he assures her, looking to Pietro who nods in agreement. "There's no rush," Tony tells her. "It's going to take us time to figure out how to get you back if we can figure it out" she raises an eyebrow. "Look, we're going to try, but time travel" he touches her wet hair and then tries to smile. "You are the first to do it and..."

"It was an accident" she realizes, he nods. "So I might not have a choice about staying after all?"

"We're going to try really hard to find a way, Jack" Tony assures her warmly. "I promise you" she gives him a tight smile and nods.