Wow…so there is truly nothing I can say but to apologize. It's been close to three years since an update and I have no real excuse other than loss of muse. I will try to keep updated with this story for now on, and not allow it to reach such a hiatus.


Twice now, Lola was given the opportunity to skip ahead in her grade. She had just started her Third Grade class and not a month later, her parents were given the news that Lola would do well to skip ahead to the fifth grade.

"It's too big a leap." Pepper had commented after Lola had gone to bed for the night. Tony stood, arms crossed at he stared at the city skyline. "She'd be entering middle school at ten years old."

"She'd do fine." He mused and he heard his wife sigh, coming to stand next to him.

"I have no doubt about that, but still…she's so young and you know how kids can be to anyone different." Pepper trailed off, watching the city below. She felt Tony's hand on her waist and she leaned against him as he pressed a kiss against her temple.

"We'll leave it up to her." He murmured against his wife's hair. Pepper smile, moving to pressed her lips against Tony's.

"It's a big decision."

"And she's a smart girl. C'mon Pep, give the girl some credit. We'll talk to her about it in the morning." Tony offered the woman a grin and she rolled her eyes, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Zelda sniffed at Lola as the sunshine peeked through her window. The little girl woke up with a scowl, burying her palms into her eyes.

"It's too early to be awake…" She grumbled, eyes squinting at Zelda who wagged her tail happily at the sight of Lola. Lola smiled sleepily and moved forward to hug the Direwolf. She and Zelda left her room to wander down the hall and into the kitchen. Mom and dad were already awake. Her dad was trying to flip a pancake to impress Pepper but only managed to have it hit the floor with a wet plop. Zelda swiftly abandoned Lola to rush to the pancake and began to scarf it down, tail wagging madly. Pepper scowled at her husband who grinned back sheepishly, eyes landing on Lola.

"Lolo! Morning kid! Come eat some floor pancakes!" Lola beamed as she raced over to hug her mother, watching Zelda finish the pancake.

"Hi baby, you sleep good?" Pepper murmured.

"Mhm." Lola pulled herself into the chair beside her mother and grinned up at her. Tony placed fresh pancakes down and sat with his family. He poured a generous heap of syrup onto his daughter's plate and she offered her father a smile.

"Lola, honey." Pepper began as she watched Lola devour the first pancake with her Asgardian/Jotun appetite. Lola glanced to her mother, pancake sticking out of her mouth.

"Ya muaa?" She managed through her food and Tony sniggered, looking down at his plate. Pepper waited for her daughter to swallow before continuing.

"We received a letter from your Principal, yesterday." She began lightly and Lola's brows furrowed.

"Why?"

"He has noticed your academic achievements and has suggested you move forward to the fifth grade." Pepper murmured, brushing a strand of her daughter's hair from her face. Lola frowned, glancing to her father who looked up from his own syrupy mess.

"But I'm eight." She argued and Tony offered her a small smile.

"A very smart eight year old." He replied softly.

"Who is testing out of the third grade and always makes comments on how easy her homework is." Pepper stated, eyes warm as she regarded her daughter. Lola sat in silence for a long moment, mulling over her parents words. School was easy. And Lola was smart. She knew this. She enjoyed it actually. The thrill of finishing her work before her classmates. Would she no longer be the smart kid in fifth grade? Would they laugh at her?

But was she not a smart girl like everyone said? And a smart girl would do the smart thing and challenge herself. She would go out of her way and do things she was not completely comfortable doing. Lola glanced down at her hands.

"What about Caleb?" She felt silly for asking but he was her closest

"You'll still see Caleb. Nothing will change." Pepper assured her daughter who nodded, suddenly feeling very much like an adult.

"Okay, I'll do it." She stated, puffing her chest out stubbornly. Pepper smiled, eyes tender as she reached to stroke Lola's cheek and Tony offered her his pancake.

They were all staring. These big kids who sat at real desks and not those little tables that connected together. Those were for little kids. These desks were big kids. This room was for big kids. And they knew it too. With the little grins they shot each other and Lola as she walked to her very own desk and set items on it.

The teacher was nice enough, old and tall with a beehive like hairdo. She introduced Lola to the class and they watched her intently. The girl was suddenly aware in what a two year age difference did between her and her new female classmates. Sure they were not as big as her mom but they were bigger than her, their faces not quite as baby like as Lola's.

She sat at her big girl desk, feet not able to touch the floor. Most of the children lost interest in her quickly, but a few would shoot glances at her and whisper.

Lola wished Caleb was here with her.

The next few months passed slowly, without Caleb there. Lola had yet to make a friend. Most of her classmates were friendly enough, but some were very rude.

The girls were the worst. Or at least, a few of them. While the boys had no interest in the little girl in their class, there was something about her that irked Allison Harper and Meghan King the wrong way. They giggled at her and made loud comments on Lola's age. Lunch time was divided between grades. Kindergarten through 2nd had the first lunch. Third through fifth had the second, while the sixth had the third slot. Luckily, this meant Lola got to see Caleb and her old classmates who were quick to invite her over. When Lola would eat lunch with Caleb it was met with sniggers. Not just because he was a stupid third grader but because she was a girl so they must be in loooooooveeeee.

Recess was spent with the sixth graders and this left Lola often by herself. Allison and Meghan were quick to pick at her. If she was on the swing, they would kick her off because it was their turn. If she was on the monkey bars, they would run her off from their too. Maybe it was a game for them, but for Lola, it left her missing her old classmates very much.


First Crush


His name was Tyler and he had eyes as blue as the sky. He sat two rows away from her in her fifth grade class and she often caught herself gazing at him. His hair was a fluffy brown and made Lola think of the chocolate mousse uncle Clint had made for her.

And he was nice.

He always greeted her in the mornings and even something as simple as that had Lola giggly. He was smart too, in his own way. He was great with History but his math skills were less than thrilling. Lola wondered why one section of school was considered so important to be good at while another, no one cared of you could name several dates in history.

Lola would return home, and rush to find her mother to tell her about Tyler. Pepper was always there with a smile, amused at her daughter's first crush. Tony was not as thrilled at the idea, but what harm was there in a little girl liking a boy...beside the age difference.

"She likes a boy in her class." Pepper had murmured to Bruce and Steve one night while the team were over for dinner. Bruce's eyebrows had risen into his hairline while Steve frowned.

"Isn't she a little young to be having a crush?"

"Oh Steve, it's puppy love. It happens to everyone!" Pepper grinned and looked to where her daughter was fiddling with Clint's bow while the man stood arms crossed in the background. The bow was nearly as big as she was and it was adorable to see. Natasha took her seat by Pepper and asked what the plan was for Lola's birthday.

Alas, puppy love never did last and one day Lola returned to school to see Meghan and Tyler holding hands. Lola returned home in tears and Pepper was quick to comfort her, allowing the little girl to wallow in her misery, assuring her that she would move on and that there were plenty of fish in the sea.

The course of true love never did run smooth.


That year, Lola's birthday was spent at the park with members of her former class. She refused her mother's insistence that she have some kids from her class attend.

"I want to have fun mom. They would ruin it." Lola had firmly stated and Tony watched on, heart heavy that his daughter was having such issues with her classmates. The party was a blast. Lola ran and laughed with all her old classmates and Caleb looked like a proud peacock to be at her side. Lola ran around, her hair flying behind her and a wild glint in those lovely green eyes of hers. It was an added bonus that Lola was family to the Avengers. Tony could only wonder how those brat classmates of Lola would react if they saw Iron Man bringing his daughter to school one day?

He would find out a week later, when he flew a late Lola to school and literally walked her to class. The open shock on all those snotty little faces was great. Tony only wished he had a camera.