Chapter 38
Jamie was still asleep when the car pulled into the private entrance to the parking garage below the tower. With Happy's help opening doors, Tony carried Jamie inside. The rest of the team was waiting in the penthouse, anxious to check on her.
"How's she doing?" Clint asked as soon as the group left the elevator.
"She's ok. Shaken up, but ok," Tony responded, moving to the couch then positioning Jamie to sit on his lap. Tony debated taking her to bed, but he couldn't, couldn't stop holding her. The contact with his daughter doing just as much to calm himself as it was helping her.
"What happened?" Nat asked Pepper.
"Two men tried to rob the restaurant where we were having lunch. One recognized me and saw that Jamie was with me so they changed their plans to include kidnapping us for ransom."
"Are you alright?" Steve asked, concerned.
"Yes, I'm fine. Jamie used her emergency button on her necklace as soon as the men showed up so help came quickly," Pepper commented, looking over at Jamie. "She noticed something was wrong before I did, just not soon enough for us to leave before it happened."
"What do you mean?" Clint questioned.
"She said that something was wrong. I presume she could sense their feelings."
"What's going on?" Peter asked, worriedly, just joining the group but aware that something bad happened because he was with Tony when FRIDAY announced Jamie's call for help.
"Two men held us hostage, we're ok though. Tony and Happy showed up before anything really happened," Pepper responded, with a reassuring smile.
Peter hugged Pepper then turned to look at Jamie. "Are you sure she's ok?"
"Yeah, she's just coming off of the adrenaline," Steve responded, putting his hand on Peter's shoulder to reassure him.
"I'm going to put her in bed," Tony said to the group warily, needing to get away from the current discussion before panic settled in.
"I'll help," Pepper offered, quickly moving to open Jamie's door then pulled down her covers giving Tony enough room to gently lay Jamie down then covered her up.
Tony placed a gentle kiss on Jamie's head then moved to Pepper's side.
"She's ok," Pepper commented seeing the emotion on Tony's face.
"I could have lost her."
"You didn't, she called for help right away. She knew what to do."
"I've never been more scared in my life," Tony admitted.
Pepper wrapped her arms around him reassuringly. "Our daughter is home safe."
Tony nodded but chose not to say anything more.
When Tony and Pepper returned to the living room, Clint was on the phone in the corner of the room talking to Laura. Nat was on Tony's laptop at the counter, already learning everything she could about the would-be kidnappers. The others took up seats around the room, none talking as they processed what happened. Tony joined them, contemplating the what-ifs.
Nat spoke once Clint rejoined the others, "They're nobodies, just some small-time crooks who were in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"This is my fault," Tony seethed, angry with himself and frustrated that the others didn't get it.
"What? Why?" Bruce asked incredulously.
"She's connected to me. She has a target on her back, they all do." Tony whisper-yelled waving his arm wildly in the direction of Jamie's room, Peter, and Pepper.
"She has the necklace and we keep a close eye on her," Steve consoled, accepting the truth in Tony's words but unwilling to let his propensity for guilt to take over. "It doesn't get much better than having the Avengers looking out for her."
Tony nodded, willing to move on especially considering the soul-crushing alternative: not having them in his life, being alone again.
"Should we let her sleep here or take her to Clint's for Christmas?" Steve asked the team.
Tony quickly responded, "I can't not be with her right now."
Everyone nodded, feeling the same need to be close.
"Let's take her to the compound," Bruce suggested. "We can all meet up there for Christmas."
Tony looked at Pepper and Peter, waiting for them to respond since they will be affected the most. Peter announced with a bubble of excitement, "Absolutely!"
Pepper nodded, knowing both Peter and Tony wanted to go, acknowledging her own desire to be close to Jamie right now, as well.
Clint nodded, "I'll check in with Laura," then left the room to make the phone call. Upon his return, Clint shared the consensus, "Laura's onboard with the change in plans."
Bruce smiled, thinking about having Christmas at the compound meaning he will also get to celebrate Christmas morning, something he hasn't wanted to do since he was a young child, something he didn't realize he would ever want to do again.
Steve offered, "I'll contact Dr. Strange, see if he will help gather everyone up since it's getting late."
With his daughter scooped up into his arms, Tony led his family along with the rest of the Avengers through the magician's portal. Laura was waiting eagerly on the other side, desperate to see for herself that Jamie was, in fact, ok.
"I'm going to put her in bed," Tony announced.
"I'll help," Laura chimed in, immediately, wanting to help take care of Jamie any way she could.
Tony nodded then headed down the hall of bedrooms.
"What's wrong with her, Dad?" Cooper asked concerned as he watched his new sister being carried to her room.
"She's ok now, just tired."
Cooper challenged, "She's not ok, what happened?"
Despite his concern sharing the danger Jamie was in, Clint smiled, recognizing that his son was growing up and much more observant. Clint explained, "Two men attempted to kidnap Jamie and Pepper during a robbery where they were having lunch." Cooper's eyes widened. "Like I said, though, she's ok, just tired from the ordeal." Cooper nodded, looking toward the hallway.
Watching his son carefully, Clint asked, "Are you ok, buddy?"
Cooper nodded, "Is it alright if I check on her?"
Clint smiled proudly at the tenderness his son showed toward Jamie. "Sure. Just don't wake her up, alright?"
Cooper nodded then took off.
Nat scooped up Lila. "Auntie Nat, why are we all here? I thought everyone was coming to my house tomorrow."
Clint interjected before Nat could respond, "Jamie's not feeling well so everyone came here instead."
"Oh, did she throw up?" Lila responded. Her innocence made everyone smile.
"No, but she's tired. I imagine she will feel much better when she wakes up."
"Ok. Want to play with me?" Lila asked Nat.
"Sure baby. Did mom pack some toys?"
"Yup, she said I could bring anything that could fit in the box," Lila said pointing to a large plastic bin.
"Great, pick out something to play with."
"Ok," Lila said then hurried off to the toy bin, Nat following close behind.
Laura coaxed Cooper away from Jamie's room once he was sure Jamie was ok, hoping to keep the extra noise in the room to a minimum so the girl wasn't disturbed. A few minutes later, Tony also left his daughter's room, reminding FRIDAY to alert them if there's a problem. Tony noticed Peter pacing in the hallway when he shut the girl's bedroom door.
"You ok, Underoos?"
Peter looked up at Tony's voice then asked, "How's she doing?"
"She's fine, really, kiddo. She just needs some sleep," Tony replied then brought Peter in for a hug.
Peter nodded, then spoke, "I feel like I let her down. I'm her big brother, I should have protected her."
Tony smiled sadly, quickly making the connection between the other's response to his own guilt and the response he is about to offer Peter regarding his. "Pete, you can't protect Jamie from everything; it's not your fault. She is as safe as a kid could be without locking her in a padded room."
Peter nodded but didn't really feel much better. "Come on, kid, let's go see what the others are up to."
Peter nodded but didn't begin walking until Tony prompted with a hand on his back.
When the duo entered the living room, they saw similar subdued expressions worn by everyone.
"How about we head over to the game room or put on a Christmas movie?" Tony asked, hoping to ignite the holiday feel.
It was Lila who responded, "I want to watch the Grinch movie!"
"Which one?"
Lila's features scrunched up as if she ate a lemon, "Not the new one!"
Dr. Strange responded, "What's wrong with the new one?"
"The Grinch isn't very grinchy, just sort of grumpy."
Everyone smiled.
"Ok, so the original or the other one?" Tony asked, updating the choices.
"The movie!"
Tony instructed FRIDAY to turn on the movie while Steve and Bruce brought in the decorated artificial Christmas tree from the front lobby. Nat added garland and lights also from other parts of the compound to make the living quarters feel more festive.
"I hope Jamie doesn't mind us redecorating," Steve commented, thinking about her reaction to Christmas a few days ago while rehanging the ornaments that fell from the branches in transit to the living room.
Bruce nodded. "Yeah, but she would have been around decorations at the Barton's if we hadn't moved the party here."
"Yeah, you're right. I'm just not sure what the best thing for her is right now. She was already struggling and now add everything that happened tonight."
Bruce nodded sadly but continued his work hoping their decision would be received well.