Unforeseen¹

Chapter 30- Sweet dreams

Five weeks later

"I said no, Jayden, I mean it."

"Please! I have to! If anything is gonna be anywhere, it's gonna be there!" Her legs ached as she matched his hasty pace down the corridor.

"It's no different from the others!" Tony dismissed, shooting her a sideways, disapproving glance. "And neither is your persistent begging that the answer is always no."

"But it's the-"

"Last one, I know," he interrupted sharply. "It makes it no different. If anything is there, I'll find it."

"You might not see it. It might be something only I can see!"

"I think I'll manage," he scoffed. "You are not coming."

"Why not?"

He paused and turned into her path so suddenly that she barely avoided crashing into his armoured stomach. She glared challengingly as his steely gaze regarded her.

"You didn't seriously just ask that?" He raised a hand.

"I'm serious! My abilities are useful. Theo, when he decides to show up, is useful! Why can't you use that?"

"Because I refuse to put you in unnecessary danger! You're a little girl, Jayden. Children shouldn't be put into life-threatening situations like this."

"Correction, no ordinary child should be put in these life-threatening situations. I don't exactly fit into that category, do I?" she pushed, her voice rising.

"The answer is still no. It will always be no until the day I'm no longer in charge of you!" he matched her velocity, making her step back. Her expression fell as she sulked towards her shoes. She heard his sigh, accompanied by a heavy metal hand on her shoulder. "I just want you safe."

"That'll never happen if the Superior is not brought down," she huffed, still glowering at her shoes.

"I've said it before. This isn't your fight anymore. We have it covered."

Her head snapped up with a fierce glare. "It will always be my fight."

Tony sombrely gazed at her. "I know you'll always be pulled into something, whether I like it or not, but right now, I can keep you away. Even if it's just for this one battle."

Jayden went to open her mouth, but her words were lost to her. She couldn't argue with that, especially when he said it so earnestly. He nodded; the silence meant this conversation was over, at least for the time being, and released his hand from her shoulder after a final squeeze.

"C'mon, we better get going. We're late." He murmured, turning and continuing at a quickened pace.

Dragging her feet, she reluctantly followed, feeling stuck between a rock and a hard place. Everything felt wrong, and the unknown Superior still lurked in her thoughts. She couldn't be rid of him. It was suffocating, and she couldn't stand it, but there wasn't anything she could do about it.

With a swell of frustration, she threw her hand out, and with her abilities, a door slammed as she passed. The loud bang echoed down the corridor as Tony once again halted and twisted to her.

"None of that. My mind is made up. I'm done playing nice. You are not going on this mission, and that's that. Accept it, or you're not bow shooting for a week." He threatened, placing a firm hand back on her shoulder to steer her slightly in front.

She didn't bother to argue as he moved her towards where all the Avengers were waiting. She could feel his scowl on the back of her head and his grip tightening in a final warning as she grudgingly dragged her feet. She huffed but ceased the movement, knowing he wasn't bluffing about her archery.