No Matter the Age

Jet X Cathy

Prologue:

A knock at the door late in the evening pulls Jimmy away from his homework at the table. His mother leans over in her seat to get a view at the door, watching out for her son in case the man from upstairs had come back around. Before opening it, Jimmy calls through the peep-hole just out of his line of sight,

"Who is it?"

"Your new neighbor." call the muffled voice on the other side. He sounds young, and somehow familiar thinks Cathy, but Jimmy recognizes him immediately.

"Jet!" he cries, tearing open the door and throwing himself at his hero.

"Jet?" mutters Cathy, excitement rising in her chest and a lecture forming in her mind. She makes her way over to the door of their apartment and surveys the man. He hugs Jimmy fiercely, his long windswept hair falling over one eye in a sloppy way the drove her nuts. The smile on his face is as wide as her son's, so she tucks away the lecture she had been preparing for a later time.

"Won't you come in?" she gestures to the sofa, crammed next to the door in the narrow confines of the room. "I'm sure we'd both love to hear about what you've been up to these past two years."

"Don't mind if I do." Jet stood, hefting a large box in one arm and Jimmy in the other. Jimmy, who was far to big for his mother to lift, yelled in delight at being so high, at at the sheer joy of having Jet back.

"Here, this is for you two." handing Cathy the package as he entered and shut the door behind himself, Jet threw Jimmy gently at the couch before sitting next to him.

"Jet, Jet!" Jimmy shouted, still excited beyond reason. "Got any new stories about the super cyborgs for me? I bet you've been saving the world and fly around every day; that's what mom said!"

"Jimmy…"

"Did you beat up any enemies other than Black Ghost? Oh! How about space! We're learning about the NASA space program in school right now, and I want to be a combat astronaut!"

"A what now?" asked Jet, a look of confusion and puzzlement on his face. Cathy, who had already been over this giggled as she took a seat on the far side of the couch.

"A combat astronaut! Like a cowboy, but in space! Then I could help you on your missions." The look of hope and expectancy in Jimmy's eyes was audible. Jet glanced furtively up at Cathy, asking, "Is this kid serious? How do I respond to that?" She smiled and shrugged, indicating that anything would work as long as it came from him.

"Ahh…, sure thing. But first," Jet ruffled his hair. "You've got to get through school and eat lots of greens."

"What? No fair Jet." the boy complained. "That's what mom said." His excitement turned to sulking, despite stubborn refusal to let go of Jet's coat.

"I can deal with homework and school, but there's no way im eating my greens."

"Then what'll you do when you grow up weak and wimpy? No green means no muscle." Jet lied blatantly, winking at Cathy and flexing. His mechanical joints creaked audibly and the single mother suppressed a laugh.

"What!? No way, that's not true!" Panic on his face Jimmy tugged at Jet. "You're lying to me aren't you. Don't tell me I need to eat all my greens!"

"Ok, maybe not all of them. But definitely most of them, alright."

"Mhh, alright!"

"Speaking of food, will you be staying for dinner Jet?" Cathy distracted them.

"If that's alright with you." Jet leaned back on the couch, happy to be back.