In My Eyes

Ch•19- End Credit Scene

       "And get this, it turns out that April was actually The Mandarins daughter! We've been friends since the fourth grade! I never in a million years would've thought that she was actually my enemy. She was faking her friendship the whole time!" I explained dramatically with a steamy cup of hot chocolate in my hands.

      Natasha and I were strolling around Times Square, just catching up on life since we last saw each other. She held a cup of coffee. Nobody paid attention to the Daughter of Iron man was we went. I wore sunglasses and beanie to try and hide myself from the public.

      "So, this Killian guy injected this Extremis in to your blood stream and turned you into a Super Soldier?" She raised her perfectly plucked eyebrows at me, taking a sip of her coffee.

      "Yea. It was awful! But I ended up killing him after it was all over. And I punch April out. I think she's being held in some Juvenile Psych Center or something"

"Wow" Nat smirked "Badass. If SHIELD was still around, I'd recruit you in a heartbeat"

      "So, what happens now?" I stared down at my drink. The steam was peaking out from the small straw hole in the top "now that there is no more SHIELD. How do we... you know, work?"

"I think the Avengers Initiative is still on full throttle, don't you think?"

"Won't we need SHIELD, though?" I asked.

       "No, not entirely" Nat shrugged, tossing her cup in to a trash can that was at least thirteen feet away, and made it perfectly "let's finish what Nick started"

      "You're right" I smiled, nodding my head "We shouldn't stop now. I haven't lost hope in the Avengers. Let's do it"

"Awesome" Nat smirked.

     "But... Like... How? Where's Steve? Thor? You heard about that thing in London, right? How Thor was battling some red tornado type thing. And what about Clint? We can't continue the Avengers if we don't know where they are"

      "Jessi" Nat rolled her eyes "Do you know who you're talking to? I'll find them. I found Banner while he was in hiding, didn't I?"

      "Very True" I admitted, looking down the city street to Stark Tower. The only letter of 'Stark' remaining was A, the rest got blown off during the New York Battle. I had an idea.  "While you're off doing that..." I stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and stared at the tower, titling my head to the side "I think I found our new Headquarters"

                                      ***

        I stood in the living room of the Tower. Pepper was sitting on the couch, doing some paper work and Dad was cooking. I know, crazy right? I've never seen him cook before in my life.

      I was facing the window that over looked the city. The sun was setting across the sky, leaving nothing but orange and purple. Ever since the Extremis, orange has not been my favorite color. Nat had just dropped me back off at the Tower and once again disappeared, I think she went out to find Thor or something.

       I stuck my hands in my jacket pockets to hide them from the air conditioned home. My fingers felt a tiny piece of paper stuffed deep in the pocket. I hadn't noticed it before.

      I checked behind me to see if Dad and Pepper were looking, they weren't. I took out the paper and read the small print.

To Jessica

From Natasha, but technically it's from Tara.

      Tara. My Mothers name. I find myself thinking about her less and less as my life goes on. She seems like a trinket from the past, my last ever thread of normalcy. I opened up the paper, and inside was a note in my moms cursive handwriting. My heart started to beat.

Dear Jessi.

      By now I'm probably gone. Of course I have no idea when I'll die, but I want this note to get to you when I do.

     All I ever wanted was for you to have a normal life. That's why I kept this from you. I set up this life for you, a private, secluded, beautiful life, one that you deserve.

      Yes, if your reading this now, you probably already know what I really am. Or, if you don't, here's the news... I am an Agent of Shield. Wow, glad I got that off my chest. I know that you have questions, questions like why I kept this from you, and where do you go from here. But, my good Friend Phil Coulson will take care of you until you find your Father. Tony Stark.

      Nobody knows that he's your Father, not even SHIELD. I was sent to spy on him but I ended up falling in love and was blessed with you. But we called things off and I left him before you were born. I had to focus on my job. I knew that I didn't want you involved in this life style from the moment I laid eyes on you. I wanted to keep you safe. So SHIELD help me set up this little illusion life, I'm a flower shop worker and your my daughter, nothing more.

      I'm sorry for keeping all of this from you. I wish I could tell you all of this in person. I love you. I've seen over the past years that you have abilities Jessi. You're smart, strong, unafraid, and all the things I wish you weren't, but you are, and once again I love you for that. I knew that one day you'd somehow figure out who I really am. And there's nothing that I can do about it, you're just so gosh darn intelligent.

      Just promise me Jes, no matter how crazy things get, no matter how bleak things look my love, promise me that you will take care of yourself, trust, love, care for others. Please just be you. That's all I want. Be your own best friend, always tell the truth. When you get a job in whatever field you decide, work through the pain, even if you don't want to, do you best. And please do not ever out smart your own common sense, that will get you killed.

And again I'm sorry for keeping this from you. I figured you'd learn when you're old enough. Don't forget me, and don't forget you.

Mom.

      The note slipped from my fingers and floated to the ground. Nat must have slipped this in my pocket while we were out. I looked out to the city, completely and utterly confused, yet, it all made sense. All of it. Like how Coulson found me before SHIELD even knew that Tony Stark was father. Phil knew me, SHIELD knew me, Nick knew me, Maria Hill knew me.

I have the blood of a Agent of Shield in my veins.

     "What's that?" Dad asked, coming to stand next to me. I was frozen in place, my eyes locked on the fading sunlight "Jes, Jessica!" Dad shook my shoulder, snapping me from my trance.

      "My Mom" I picked up the note and held it against my heart "She... She was a... an Agent..." Dad's eyes widened "A SHIELD Agent"

        A/N: Dun Dun Dunnnnnn, big plot twist, amirite? I'm sure a lot of you had already figured that part out though. It took a long time to finally bring it to light but here it is.