"Jar...help me…."
I shot up out of my bed gasping for breath. It felt like I couldn't get enough air into my lungs. I hate nightmares. I glanced at my clock. It read three am. I sigh when I realized I only got an extra hour of sleep and knowing me, I wasn't going to get anymore.
I feel around for my crutches. Apart of me wanted to go down to the lab but that meant Tony would be woken up and would come supervise me. He deserved to sleep. I turned on my lamp light and notice the bag of art supplies we had gotten yesterday at the store. Surprisingly, Pepper was okay with the spray paint design as long as it looked nice and not like something on the side of a train. And it had to be censored, which was fine with me. I didn't necessarily feel like painting my walls just yet so I dug through the bag for the sets of pens Tony had bought me to use in my sketchbook.
I flipped to the back and began to sketch. I felt like I was dreaming. My pen connected all the lines and details way before my brain could catch up. It was calming in a way.
I awoke with a start as someone knocked on my door. I stretched and tried to slap some color into my cheeks.
"Yeah?"
"Can I come in?" Morgan answered.
"Yep," I say as I turn towards the door as the little girl excitedly entered the room.
"What's up Half-Pint?"
"Mommy told me to come get you for breakfast. Who's that?" she asked to the drawing I had started last night.
I glance at the drawing and quickly cover it up, "No one. Someone who I used to know."
"Oh. What happened to her?"
"What are we having for breakfast?" I ask purposefully side stepping her question.
"Pancakes. Then Mommy and Daddy are going to take you to school and Uncle Happy is coming to play with me!"
I swore underneath my breath as I had completely forgotten the school test. I then realized that I had just swore in front of a four year old.
Morgan laughs at the ashen look on my face.
"Do not repeat that word!"
"I know not to. Mommy owns that word. I can tell her you used her word!"
"Or not?"
She raises her eyebrow as if she was waiting for something and she indicated towards my sketchbook, "Draw me something."
"And you won't tell Pepper or Tony?"
She nods.
I turn to grab a piece of paper and then turn back to her, "You do this a lot don't you?"
She nods, "Daddy always gives me popsicles."
Ten minutes later, Morgan is running into the kitchen with a brand new picture and I'm crutching in slowly behind her.
"Mommy! Daddy! Look what AJ drew me!"
Tony looks up from his tablet as we enter and Pepper turns around from the stove. Morgan reaches Pepper first an begins to show her the picture I drew as I slide into the seat next to Tony.
Pepper looks up from the drawing to be with shock and amazement expressed across her features. I blushed and focused on putting pancakes on my plate. The blueberries looked really good…
"Daddy, look!"
I heard Tony shift to get a better look at the picture. I wonder if they have strawberries…
"AJ, this drawing is incredible," Pepper said.
I looked up and made eye contact with her. I knew the blush was creeping all over my cheeks as I say, "Thanks. It's just a sketch."
Tony rolls his eyes, "Just a sketch. A stick figure is just a sketch. How long did it take you to do this?" he asks as he flips the paper around to show me.
The drawing was of them as a family. During my first day with them, as they were watching Frozen I had observed them with Morgan. I didn't want to intrude so I just watched as I stood by the bathroom in the hallway. Tony and Pepper had been sitting on the couch looking at each other over Morgan's head. The way they looked at each other with so much love was cute. I haven't seen two people who love each other more than them and it was all over their faces. I also got a glimpse of Morgan's face and she two was smiling, but that was because of the TV. It was a beautiful memory and I figured they might want a visual reminder.
I shrug, "Ten or so minutes."
"Ten minutes?" Tony asked in shock and Pepper looked at me surprised.
I smile, "I sketch a lot. It's good to draw down memories."
Tony nods and then Morgan starts up some conversation about unicorns.
After we finish eating Pepper looks at me and Morgan, "You two need to get dressed. Morgan, Uncle Happy will be here soon. AJ, put on a nice non-t-shirt and pants. We need to go the school and take the placement test. Understood?"
We both nod and head to our separate rooms to change
As soon as AJ and Morgan are both out of hearing distance, I drop my tablet on the table and turn towards Pepper.
"Genius. I'm calling genius!"
She nods, "I didn't completely believe you before, but you may be right. He may not be you level of intellectual genius, but he is most likely an art prodigy. It looks like someone took a picture of us! It's beautiful!"
"He did take a picture. With his mind," I say pretty shocked, "He's going to have to go to a much better school!"
"Hold your horses Tony. He still hasn't taken the academic test. We'll make a decision then."
"Fine," I grumble.
I was surprisingly nervous for this test. I've always been a very good student, but I haven't gone to school consistently since I was practically nine years old. I didn't know what to expect.
I was barely listening as Pepper gave me instructions on what to do. I snapped back to attention when she asked if I had any questions.
"Um...when do we get the results back?"
"This afternoon. Tony and I were thinking we would go out for lunch and then head back to the school. Is that alright with you?"
I nod and at that moment Tony parks the car. He reached into the glove box and pulled on his signature sunglasses and a baseball hat. "You ready?"
I shrug, "As I'll ever be."
As we walked into the building a perky lady in a purple suit walked out from the building.
She reached out to shake Pepper and Tony's hands, "Hello, I'm Jessica Wilde. It's a pleasure to have you Mr and Mrs. Stark. You must be AJ?"
I nod and stick out my hand to shake hers, "I am. It's a pleasure to meet you Ms. Wilde."
She smiles, "You as well as. You are such a polite young man. If you will follow me, I'll show you where AJ will be taking the test."
We begin to follow her. Ms. Wilde and Pepper are up front talking about the test results and what not and Tony drops back to talk to me.
"So," he says barely above a whisper, "do the manners just turn on and off? I don't think you were nearly as polite when you met Pep and I."
"I was starstruck and in shock when I met you. I didn't know Morgan was your kid and I was too freaked out about meeting Pepper Potts Stark to care."
He looks at me hurt, "You didn't freak out about meeting me? Tony Stark, genius, billionaire, philantropist, and Ironman?"
I gave him a pretend confused face, "Why would I be more shocked about meeting you? Do you have any idea how much Pepper has made Stark industries grow? And the stuff she did to help people during the decimation? She's my personal hero."
Tony glowered, "I brought everyone back. I almost died! Do you know what extreme radiation poisoning feels like? It hurt! I should have been dead!"
"How did you survive, then?"
He stops short, clammed up, and his tone was serious again when he said, "That's a conversation for another day."
I was about to apologize when Ms. Wilde and Pepper turned around to us.
"Ok AJ. This is where your test will be administered. You can meet them upstairs when you are done. Ok?"
I nod.
Pepper smiles, "Good luck, AJ."
"Thanks," I mumble. I glance towards Tony, but decide it's probably better to just go into the test.
He catches my eye and smiles warmly, even though I know I had said the wrong thing earlier, "You'll do great kid."
I nod and walk into the room. I sit at a desk and begin my test.
