Coming home

Pepper waited anxiously as the plane came into view. She had been waiting three months for this moment, she could only imagine how everyone else felt. Countless press, security forces, and EMT's surrounded her waiting for the same thing.

Their long lost boss was finally coming home.

It had been a few days since Pepper got the call. She didn't dare tell Jenny. There was no telling how she would have reacted. Pepper had no idea what condition Tony was in. An over excited Jenny would definitely make it worse.

The sound of cheering snapped her out of her thoughts. Rhodes was walking out of the plane with Tony close beside him. Tears formed in her eyes at the sight.

00

Jenny was shaken out of her sleep by an awkward silence. She staggered out of bed and checked her phone. It was still early, a little after 8:00. But where was Pepper? And why didn't she wake her?

She crept downstairs only to find that Pepper wasn't in the living room on her laptop while chatting on her phone. She wasn't even home.

Normally, Jenny would have panicked, but she was sure Pepper had a good explanation for leaving her home alone.

She shrugged it off and went to get ready for school. She would most likely be late but she didn't really care anymore. Tony was still missing and she would most likely never see him again. She shuffled back upstairs back to her room, she stripped and dove into the shower. Seeing that she didn't have time to wait for the water to heat up, she braced herself and stepped in, shivering when cold the water touched her skin. It still bothered her that Pepper left her home. She was only nine, not old enough to take care of herself. She shut off the water and stepped out. She quickly dried off and walked out of the bathroom. She quickly got dressed, brushed her teeth, fixed her hair as best she could since it was still wet, grabbed her books and went back downstairs.

She was quite surprised to find Tess's white SUV waiting in the driveway. Normally Happy would take her to school, Tess always brought her home. She shrugged it off and walked outside to the car. J.A.R.V.I.S locked the door behind her.

"I'm making you guys late aren't I?" She asked as she climbed in.

"No, not at all. We actually got a late start ourselves." Tess smirks as she winks at Kaden in the rear view mirror. He slid further down in his seat.

"Let me guess, you overslept?"

"Actually he was trying to fake sick. But as a nurse, I could tell."

Jenny couldn't help but laugh. Kaden didn't like school, sometimes he was desperate enough to fake being sick just to stay home.

"I didn't know you were a nurse!"

Tess laughed. "I just started a month ago. I can't believe all that studying and college finally paid off."

"So does this mean no more babysitting?" Jenny asked with a worried look.

"Don't worry, I'm still available whenever you guys need me."

They continued to chat until the school came into view. Jenny pulled out her phone to check her texts. She was surprised to find several from Pepper. One in particular caught her attention.

'I know it's a school day, but listen very carefully. Stay in the house. Do not go outside till we get home.'

Her eyes went wide as she saw a sea of press surrounding the front lobby of the school.

"What's going on?" Kaden asked as he gazed at the crowd.

"I don't know. So bizarre for an elementary school." Tess said.

Jenny didn't know how to answer. She should have checked her phone before she left the mansion.

Tess concluded that it was too hectic for them to go to school. So she turned around and drove away.

Jenny didn't feel like going to Tess's house so she asked to be taken back home.

The house was silent when she arrived, as usual. She went up to her room, dropped her backpack on the floor and collapsed on the bed. She lay staring at the ceiling wondering what she was gonna do. She had no idea when Pepper was coming back. Should she call her? Text her? She wasn't sure. But she did have the whole house to herself, she was free to do what she wanted.

Her stomach rumbles to remind her that she hadn't eaten today. She forced herself off her bed, and trudged back downstairs to the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator to find a fresh carton of strawberries. Her favorite. She grabbed them and went down to the garage to watch tv. Normally, she wasn't allowed down there, but no one has to know.

She stopped dead when she heard a faint hissing sound coming from the lab. She had gotten so used to the silence that any noise startled her. She cautiously stepped down into the garage.

She nearly dropped her fruit when she saw Tony sitting on one of his work benches tinkering with a device.

She was so happy to see him that she couldn't speak. Tears stung her eyes as she ran over too him and wrapped her arms around him. Startled, Tony carefully set down what he was working on and turned to return the hug.

"I missed you so much." She sobbed.

"I missed you too, princess."

"Never do that again." Jenny managed to choke out, burying her face deeper in his chest. "Where were you? Why didn't you come back?" Jenny asked when they finally broke the embrace.

Tony smirks. "That's a good question. Something I will tell you right after you clean up your mess."

"What mess?"

He gestured behind her. She turned to find her favorite snack scattered in a sticky mess by the couch where she had dropped it.

"Sorry." She quickly cleaned up the mess then ran over to his waiting arms. He hoisted her up on his lap and hugged her close.

Jenny snuggled closer to him. She was glad he was finally home.

00

Pepper never imagined this much press would hound her about Tony's return home. She partly blamed their curiosity about Jenny since most of their questions were about her.

"Miss Potts, is it true that you have frequent contact with Mr. Stark's daughter?"

Pepper smiles to hide her irritation. "Yes, I see her everyday."

"Are you a paid nanny for the child?"

'What kind of question is that?' "No, I am still working as Mr. Stark's assistant."

"When will we get to see her? It's been some years now."

"You'll see her when Mr. Stark allows it. But for now, she will remain under the radar. No more questions." She quickly walked off the stage and made a beeline for the door, but not before someone approaches her. She quickly dismisses his saying she will not be answering anymore questions. The man introduced himself as Phil Coulson and puts her at ease when he says that he is not from the press and then gives her his card. She accepts and promises to call before heading off to her car. She's had a rough day and was desperately in need of a drink. She was sure Tony had a huge supply. She pulled into his driveway, shut off the engine and walked in.

She smiles when she sees Tony sitting on the couch working on his phone with Jenny curled up on his lap. She seemed to be fighting sleep but eventually dozed off as Tony pulled her closer to him. It was really nice to see them together again. She slipped off her heels in order not to disturb them and quietly walks to the kitchen. She searches the cabinet before she pulls out a bottle of her favorite vodka and grabs a glass.

"Fix me one while you're at it. I could use it."

She turns to find Tony leaning against the breakfast nook.

"Sure thing Mr. Stark." She quickly makes the drinks and hands one to him. The two drink in silence for few minutes. Pepper really needed it, the press would no doubt overwhelm her by morning.

"How was it?"

"What?"

"The press conference."

Pepper scoffed."You didn't miss much. They mostly wanted to know about Jenny."

"As usual." Tony finished his drink and fixed himself another.

"How's she doing?"

"She's a little shaken up about what happened today."

Pepper's eyes widen. "What happened?"

"She said the paparazzi surrounded her school this morning. Tess had to take both her and Kaden home."

"But I sent her a text saying to stay inside."

"She didn't see it till later."

"And J.A.R.V.I.S didn't say anything?"

"I was unaware of your request Miss Potts." The A.I informed them, causing Jenny to stir in her sleep.

"You gonna take her to bed? It's getting late?"

Tony shrugged. "If I take her upstairs, she's not gonna let me leave." He set his glass on the counter. "I've got to get back downstairs."

He walks back to the couch and gathers Jenny's small form in his arms and carries her downstairs.

Down in the lab, he carefully lays Jenny on the sofa. With her asleep, Tony could get back to what he was working on. Rhodes was curious about how he escaped from that cave buried deep in the middle of nowhere. He was about to let everyone know.