Tidal Wave [Peter Parker]

Part 2- Jarvis

Sage woke up around 2 a.m. and couldn't fall back asleep. Her mind seemed to be running around in circles, she grew restless, tossing and turning to no avail. After an hour, she threw back the covers and dangled her feet over the edge of her bed. The wood floor was cool under her bare feet.

She looked down and realized she'd fallen asleep in her joggers and a school sweatshirt. Part of her wanted to explore the tower and ultimately the curiosity won.

She snuck into the hallway and into a large open living room and a kitchen. She paid little attention to them because it was dark and she couldn't see much. She didn't know where the lightswitch was and didn't want to wake anyone. Instead she went to the elevator and down one floor.

This floor was slightly different than the one she'd come from. It was colder, more metallic. The first room she happened upon had both doors propped open. Sage walked into the large room and was reminded of a ballet studio, if a ballet studio had punching bags, knife training stations, target ranges and gun racks.

She turned in a slow circle to see the whole room, she was awestruck that this was all below her bedroom. A small yelp escaped her lips when she saw a tall man holding a military grade sniper rifle. He turned around at the sound.

She was able to see his face but she didn't recognize him, his skin was red and he had metallic plates surrounding his head. She started to back up.

The man closed his eyes as if in pain, when he opened them he said, "Sage?"

She stopped, "How do you know who I am?"

"My name is Vision," he said as he set the rifle down. "I am a compilation of many intellectual properties including J.A.R.V.I.S."

Sage's eyes widened, "Jarvis?"

"Yes, he has given me an informative download about your relation to the Stark family."

"Jarvis saved my life."

"Indeed," Vision said. "That would explain the emotional connection I feel upon seeing you. Though I have no recollection of you, he does."

"Can I talk to him?" Sage asked.

Vision shook his head, "I'm afraid that's not how my amalgamation of interfaces perform."

Sage's eyes watered, he might not be Jarvis but he sure sounded like him. She was looking forward to finding Jarvis but now she new he was gone. He was the only familiar thing in this strange place and he was gone. She never got to thank him for saving her.

"Microexpressions are showing that you are in distress," Vision said.

She stared into his blue oddly mechanized eyes, "I was just hoping to thank him but..." her voice trailed off.

Vision nodded, "He knows."

That was the breaking point. Her emotions had gone unchecked for too long. She stepped forward and hugged the last connection to Jarvis she had.

At first he was rather surprised by the act of affection but he accepted it nonetheless. He even returned the gesture.

Vision ran through his database searching for the keywords 'cheer up', 'happy', 'depression' and 'homesickness'. "Would you like a small tour of the tower?"

If she closed her eyes she could remember the night of the accident, when Jarvis commandeered an ironman suit to rescue her. Tony was knocked unconscious by the blast. With her arms around Vision she could pretend that it was Jarvis in the suit.

She nodded with her head still pressed firmly into his chest. Vision dropped his arms and eventually Sage did the same. "Sorry," she said as she composed herself. "I just, well I didn't see my dad a lot as a kid but Jarvis was always there."

Vision nodded, "I see, but I am not J.A.R.V.I.S."

"Yeah, I'm still working on that, but it would be nice to have a familiar- voice?- to show me around."

Vision gestures around him, "This is the main training room. There are a few more specialized training rooms as well as experimental rooms, several labs, weapon vaults and an endless amount of storage rooms. We also have a dance studio and an empty Olympic size swimming pool." He started to leave, "Let's head upstairs."

Sage walked alongside him, he was much taller than her. They got in the elevator and Vision continued, "there are many people who live in the tower, myself included."

He proceeded to recite a long list of names but Sage only recognized a few of them. By the time he finished they were in the living room and on their way to her room. He bid her goodnight at her door.