Heroes of New York

FOUR - GUARDIAN

Chapter Four

~Pepper Potts~

     As soon as I got the call about the Jacksons, I started thinking up ways to prepare for having Percy here, or at least to keep an eye on him while he needed me to. The kid was seventeen, he probably didn't either want or need much of a guardian at this point.

     I'd still ask Tony to set up a room for him in case he decided to stay over, but I decided there should be a bit of a wait on that - what with not having seen Percy since he was a toddler. He most likely didn't even remember me.

     Sally was my second cousin, and though we didn't talk much after we grew up, I still loved her like a sister, and to hear what happened to her and her husband - I was more than happy to take in her son.

     I was told I'd have to head down to the police station today for a quick background check, and then I'd be allowed to meet with Percy there before taking him with me.

     Before I left, I knocked on the door to Tony's lab, hoping he wouldn't be so focused on his projects that he couldn't hear me. Fortunately, he answered.

     "Yeah?" he shouted over the noise of machinery and ACDC.

     "Tony, I'm going down to the police station to pick up Percy, I'll be back in an hour or two."

     "What? Who's where? Did someone get arrested?" Tony asked, poking his head out from behind the door.

     I sighed. "I told you this already. My cousin's kid might be staying with us for a bit."

     "Right, yes," he muttered. "The kid whose parents are in a coma, right."

     "Yes, Tony. Okay? I'll be back soon, don't work too long," I told him.

     "Yeah, yeah sure, Pep," he said, sort of offhandedly, already thinking about the next big project and obviously not listening to me. He headed back into the lab.

     I grimaced, then looked upward.

     "JARVIS? Make sure Tony takes a break to eat before I get back, please."

     From the ceiling, JARVIS's English accent voiced, "Of course, ma'am."

     With that, I walked over to the elevator, my high heels clicking in the empty hall behind me.

☤ ☤ ☤ ☤

     After a few questions and a quick search for any police record, I was given the final green light as the guardian of one Perseus Jackson. The cop at the desk seemed to think it was her duty, however, to warn me about him. Apparently, he had quite the police record, was a suspect in several crimes, and a witness in even more. He'd never actually been arrested, and there was rarely enough evidence to bring him in on anything, but for all intents and purposes, Percy Jackson was a delinquent.

     I couldn't believe that a child of Sally Jackson, the kindest woman in the world, could possibly have grown up to be such a criminal, but the police database said otherwise. Some of it was entirely unbelievable - blowing up a school, setting a cheerleader on fire, stealing a cop car (which was in California, so the New York Police couldn't really do anything about it) - but from what I'd heard, Percy had always been a troubled child, and he hadn't grown up in the best circumstances. An abusive step-father, little money, moving from school to school, dyslexia and ADHD.

     I stopped the policewoman when she tried to accuse the kid of blowing up the St. Louis Arch back when he'd been kidnapped at the age of twelve.

     "Look, I'm just gonna wait for my nephew over here," I pointed to the chairs near the door, "and if you say one more bad word about him to me or anyone else wherein it doesn't involve an actual investigation, I'll have you written up for harassment of a minor."

     Clearly, the woman was a rookie as she obviously believed me and simply nodded silently, returning to her desk work.

     Someone chuckled behind me. "You know, technically I'm your second cousin, once removed," said a deep, smooth voice.

     I spun around, gasping, "Oh, Percy! Look at you, you've gotten so big."

     It was true, the last time I'd seen him he'd barely come up past my knee. Now he was taller than me, even in my heels. His skin was tan and his hair (black as night but with an odd little grey streak) wild and windswept like he spent most of his time at the beach, the light scent of sea salt seeming to prove that. He smiled, and his eyes crinkled a bit with the sincerity of it. He was carrying a black duffle bag over his shoulder, which looked absolutely packed full of stuff.

     "Hi, Pepper," Percy said, sounding a little embarrassed.

     I smiled back at him and opened my arms for a hug. He hesitated slightly, then seemed to mentally shrug and go in for a bear hug, nearly lifting me off my feet. Despite his height, he somehow managed to bury his face in my neck and clung like a child seeking comfort, which I suppose is what he was. I smiled softly, rubbing his back with one hand and running my fingers through his hair with the other.

     "Thanks," he whispered, gripping me a little tighter before letting go a straightening. "Now, do we need anything else here, or should we get going?"

     "No, I think we're all ready. Anywhere you want to go before we head to the tower?" I asked him.

     Percy shook his head, then gestured to the door, hitching his bag up on his shoulder a little farther. We walked out, heading down the street. Stark Tower wasn't far from the station we met in.

     "Just a few blocks," I said, "you can actually see it from here, between those two buildings."

     I pointed out the tower to him. He gaped.

     "Woah, you live there? Man, I knew you were well-off but wow. If you don't mind me asking, isn't that the place where a bunch of superheroes live?"

     "Sort of," I shrugged. "Most of them don't live there full time, but they all have a designated place for them to stay in the tower whenever they want it."

     He gazed at the tower a little bit in awe as we walked, mumbling things under his breath about architecture and someone named 'Annabeth'.

     "Now. Percy, I know you have your own life outside of all this. Of course you're welcome to live at the tower, but you don't have to stay with me all the time if you don't want to, I think you're old enough to be on your own when you need to be. I'll pay for your rent and expenses at the apartment, and I can sign anything you need me to for school, just try to keep out of trouble, and let me know if you're leaving or when you think you'll be coming back. I'll give you my number as well as Tony's as soon as we get you settled." I looked over at Percy, who nodded, a little wide-eyed at all the information.

     At that moment, we stepped up to the sidewalk in front of Stark Tower (though better known today as the Avengers Tower). Percy craned his neck trying to see the top of the tower. I chuckled and glanced over at him.

     "Ready to go in?"

Sorry, it's a bit short, I've been swamped by exams. Thank you all for the lovely comments and all the votes. 

Love you all! Another chapter in two weeks, mes amours <3