Sparrows and Iron

Chapter 14

This was by far the worst decision anyone had ever asked Jenny to make. One family or the other. The future she knew or the past she could change. How could she choose?

As she paced the corridors of her childhood home, she was vaguely aware of the curious stares she received from passing students. Trailing a hand along the wall like an anchor, Jenny lost herself in her thoughts. This would hurt, no matter what she chose.

Wandering out to the garden, she found herself resting in the shade of the tree her great grandfather had planted. It was funny, she thought, how it was still here. In her time, nothing remained of it but scorched splinters due to Scott... But that wouldn't happen for another three years to come.

When she was first learning to fly, Jenny had used this tree to practice gliding from. In her preteen years, she would sit in its highest branches and watch the students go by. Even after it was destroyed, the pieces were used to make her new furniture for sentimental reasons. It was so strange now to see it whole again. Much like herself...

She had been an innocent child with deep family roots, until something that no one could have predicted had shattered her world. But even so... She had been made into something just as good. But what would have happened if her life had never been broken? Should she take the risk and find out?

Hesitantly, Jenny reached for the lowest branches. Getting up was much more difficult now that she couldn't fly. Once she reached her destination, she observed the quiet life around her. It was beautiful, normal... It was how her life should have gone.

But was it what she wanted? Tony, the other Avengers... What would their relationship to her be like if she were still an X-Man? There was no way to know for sure. Tony had told her to do what she needed to, but what if she lost him? He... He was okay with that?

Even with the multiplying pros and cons, the choice was becoming clearer and clearer.

There was obviously only one path to follow.

-Present Day, Avengers Tower-

Tony blinked awake, feeling strange and subtly out of place, like all the furniture had been moved two inches to the left while he was asleep or something. Whatever it was, he couldn't quite identify it... Oh well, it would dawn on him eventually.

Stretching the rest of the exhaustion from his system, he smiled down at the sleeping figure beside him. He leaned closer and kissed her forehead, brushing a strand of hair from her face. She murmured softly and blinked up at him.

"Morning sweetheart," Tony said softly.

Smiling back at him, she sat up and returned the greeting.

"Good morning... What time is it?"

Tony shrugged.

"Who cares? It's our day off."

She gave him a stern look.

"Tony, I still have things to do."

"Nope, not today. You and I are going to just take one day to ourselves."

There was a brief stare down between his puppy eyes and her quickly relenting glare.

"Fine, but only for a little while."

He grinned.

"Great! I promise you won't regret it, Pepper."

She just rolled her eyes, smiling playfully.

"I better not."

Pulling her close, he kissed her softly.

"I love you."

"I love you too, Tony."

The 'off' feeling was quickly fading. Everything was as it should be.