"Maybe that was indeed a bad idea.."
It had been dark and it had been freezing. The two children had walked with gloved hands gripping onto one another, snow crunched under their footsteps and white puffs of air escaped their lips. "Well it's your fault..you shouldn't have been out here in the first place!" her voice left her lips loudly, it was two in the morning and Jay was tired out of her mind and not being able to sleep for almost a month didn't help.
It had been a month now since she's been living with her family and she loved it, she had also spent her first Christmas and her parents got into a little argument with the bunny that her dad had bought and Jay couldn't stop laughing with Loki. It was too funny to see a bunny with breasts, Clint even touched them and that was too much for everyone to handle.
But returning to the main events that were now happening, Loki had called her (finally having a cell phone) telling her that he had been outside exploring again but somehow had gotten stuck. But when she arrived there he had been hanging off a bridge over the little ice glazed lake and he couldn't pull himself back up, she smacked him upside the head several times and called him a big idiot several times and Loki could only pout like a child. He wouldn't have needed to call her if it weren't for his powers, they've been acting strange lately and he's been trying to figure out why.
"Why were you even out here?" she asked, her slightly bed head hair flew as the wind blew, she had given her beanie to Loki, he wasn't wearing the proper clothes again well minus the gloves but he still had her navy blue scarf wrapped around his neck. Which she smiled at.
"I was night exploring." he said entwining their fingers together and holding her smaller hand tightly. He scowled at himself for doing so but he couldn't help it, just being in this form made it so much easier but he knew it wasn't right to get too close not until she grew up more. "Night exploring? Do you want to get lost?" she scolded him for being so childish she wouldn't even do that, as much as she wanted to she wouldn't do it. Loki apologized and chuckled and Jay couldn't help but have a crooked grin splash onto her face. It was contagious "Just don't do it again you idiot. You should be lucky I was able to sneak out to save your little a-!" he looked at her before she could finish her sentence and she closed her mouth into a tight line, her silent way of apologizing.
As they walked through the empty park to get back home two people had been watching them. "Are you sure?" the other nodded in confirmation, "You better be, because if we bring the wrong one again he'll definitely kill us." the first one said stuffing his hands into his pockets. "We'll strike soon. Not now." his voice sounded like a snakes tongue and the other pouted "You fool, we need to be sure! Do you want to have that head of yours cut off?!" he questioned nearly frightening the other, he shook his head and the first mumbled a 'good' before leaving with his partner.
The next day Jay had been seated at her desk, sketches of a girl with beautiful dark hair had been sprawled all over the place but she wasn't awake. Her face had been glued to an unfinished sketch while her pencil laid on top of the same paper. It had been early morning and Tony usually would wake up during this time to exercise and make his morning health drink. As he had finished dressing he opened his daughters room to only yell out.
Jay jolted up and fell off the chair her sketch had been stuck to her face and the pencil had ended up flying up in the air to hit her on the head. "What is he doing here?!" Tony pointed at the sleeping boy on her bed and Jay ripped the paper off her face to examine the girl she had drawn. She was the only person who she could draw from her now daily nightmares, "Oh uhm he called me saying he had been locked from his house again and wanted to know if he could stay over." she said between yawns, Tony sighed and asked her what time they had fallen asleep. "He fell asleep after an hour he came and I just fell asleep like.." she paused as she looked at her alarm clock "T-two hours ago..? Yea.." she said scratching her neck and slumping back onto the floor "Again? Jay you sure you don't want me to get you sleeping pills?" her dad asked as he now crouched in front of her but she had already fallen back to sleep. He sighed and soothed out her hair, it been like that for a while now and Tony had taken her to the doctor but he said that she would be fine. He's suggested sleeping pills but Jay protested and so did Pepper thinking she was too young for them. Plus the last time she had to take a pill she nearly choked so Tony didn't want that happening again but he still always asked but she still always protested.
Looking over at the sleeping boy he examined him carefully, and then back at his daughter, he could see her dark circles now and he decided to pick her up and set her on the bed tucking her in more than he intended to but as long as she was separated from Luke she'd be fine. "Jarvis, keep an eye on them." he ordered and left the room knowing that he wouldn't fail him.
Hours had passed and she was still asleep but her friend wasn't. He had sat himself at her desk to examine her drawings, it's been the first time he's seen them since the last time he saw her in his home. He saw the sketches of Thor that were left unfinished and the sketches of Odin and Frigga and him in her now almost finished sketchbook. She had their bodies done perfectly but not their faces his trailing eyes then discovered the one sketch on the floor.
"Sif..?" he mumbled lowly as he reached out to grab it, he had been confused now. The other drawings of his family were left unfinished and yet here he was examining this sketch of the beautiful Lady Sif who had been done, well sort of, just the face and her upper torso had been finished. Her eyes and nose and mouth had been set, but the last time Jay had seen Sif was when they were young but in this picture it showed her how she looked now. "You remember her..?" he said almost heartbroken, he looked at her and she had been smiling in her sleep.
He examined the picture some more and looked at the unnoticed sketches of Sif that had been all over the desk, they had been drawn by her age. From child to teenager to almost adult. But he was confused on how his friend knew how she looked like now.
Jay popped up in her sleep eyes wide and Loki caught her actions and almost fell off the chair but thankfully he didn't "I had a weird dream." she said and got out of bed leaving the room without another word. He scrunched up his face in confusion as he saw her walk off.
Making her way to the kitchen she looked out the grand windows and the television that had been left on. "Where's mom and dad?" she asked herself to have Jarvis answer for her "Miss they have gone out for something happened at their work place, do not worry Thor and Bruce will be coming over." he said and she nodded yawning and stretching during the process. Opening the fridge she took out some bacon and some waffles and cooked them on the oven. Jay had gone to the bathroom in the hall to brush out her hair and wash her face, taking notice of the dark circles that had drowned her eyes. After she was done the food had been finished, setting them on a plate she munched on them until Loki came over to steal some of her bacon "Impressive you can cook." he said between bites and she sniffed and rubbed her neck "It's not that hard to make." she then rubbed her nose and Loki almost dropped the last piece of bacon he had between his fingers.
She looked at him with a smile and flipped her bangs away from her face. Loki blushed and turned in his stool continuing to munch his last piece of bacon
"Hey you're ignoring me now?" she whined as she poked his back from across the island table. He turned over to see her smiling more now, she had been leaning over the table and she was so close that it had made him uncomfortable. She patted his head and went to brush her teeth coming back later with minty clean breath.
"Where's my little anklebiter!?" a loud roaring voice made the girl jump to run up to him "Over here!" she laughed out and jumped into Thor's large muscled arms "Uncle Thor! Uncle Thor!" she chanted and kicked her legs as she was held, she looked over to see Bruce "Uncle Bruce!" she said and reached her arms out to him and Thor actually passed her to him which made Bruce a bit uncomfortable since he wasn't used to holding anyone, especially children. "Bruce!" she wrapped her arms around his neck and giggled.
Looks like today was another family bonding day, and Loki smiled.
The next day was a school day...well more like a-
Homeschool day.
Jay wasn't really fond of the arrangements but her parents wanted to try it out, if she didn't like it then she'd be enrolled in a private high school which didn't really matter as long as it was an actual school with other actual people.
Her teacher, Mrs. Rockwell was a women in what seemed to be in her early thirties, her ginger hair had always been dropped down in curly waves and her makeup had been applied to match her skin perfectly, she was a chubby woman but still beautiful either way. Her blue green eyes popped out nicely, she usually wore skirts that went well with her curvy figure, Jay had to admit that her legs went well with those skirts too. Her style was formal but also floral like, sometimes she stick cute bows in her hair that would match her blouses or her heels by color. Her style had also showed that not only can she be formal but cute as well, Mrs. Rockwell adored bunnies and other cute animals and her grading book or other books like binders showed that too. Today she had little pink ice cream designs on her blouse that matched perfectly with her pink pencil skirt and white heels, Jay adored her fashion sense while her own was completely different from hers. Mrs. Rockwell was also a sweet woman but could turn into a fierce lion if ever needed to which Jay also admired.
Today was just review for her tests she'd have on her next visit which the brunette wasn't really excited for. But school was school. As her teacher fumbled around the board that Tony had given as a gift Jay had trailed her eyes off to the windows where the snow flew with the wind silently. Her parents have been going to work a lot lately, more than usual as a matter of fact and their child could only wonder why.
"Jay, sweetheart help me with board please?" her teacher called out for her, apparently Tony had designed this board with commands if it were to be used properly and it was also foldable so Mrs. Rockwell could take it everywhere in her purse which amazed her at first. Mumbling the command the board needed her ginger haired teacher thanked her sweetly and continued to review the math questions that Jay knew she'd successfully answer. After math was over they reviewed on reading and speaking, since Jay wasn't very good at it. She could speak but sometimes she would mess up on words and their meanings, Mrs. Rockwell had told her to write words that she couldn't pronounce or define in her notebook and to define them and come up with sentences later.
This was the part of the day she hated because this was elementary school work.
After that part was done they went onto History, which was boring. They reviewed over the events that took place in this weeks chapter and went over the names that would be on her test and other important events that Jay already knew. After another hour it was time for her scientific studies which made her actually pay more attention, this subject really wasn't her best but nor was she horrible at it either but Jay paid attention either way.
After another hour of review for all of her tests she left her student alone with a sweet smile across her lip glossed lips a goodbye leaving that mouth of hers. The brunette draped her upper torso onto the island table "So boooorred.." she whined silently to herself her hair falling over her eyes "Jar, when are mom and dad coming home?" she asked twirling a strand of hair between her small fingers.
"Right now as a matter of fact."
And he was right, the elevator doors showed her parents. Tony had been yelling into his phone again while Pepper had just finished reading some files, it seems that her father was yelling about a machine that someone broke.
"Just fix it and hurry up with it's testing results!" he yelled and hung up on the person he had previously yelled at. "How was school?" her mother asked as she set her purse down on the table she had been laying on "Fine." Jay responded as her mother moved her hair away from her eyes. "You look sad, everything fine?" she asked which caught her fathers attention "I'm fine, just tired." she yawned out and jumped off the stool her books in hand, she left to her room.
"She's always tired.." Pepper mumbled out with a sigh. Tony who had hung his jacket in the hall closet looked at her in worry, Pepper had been growing tired too as she worried for her daughter. She remembered yesterday that she woke up from the sound of their daughter screaming from a nightmare. Jay could only be soothed by Pepper and Tony felt useless, whenever he tried she would panic and demand for her mom.
It broke his heart sometimes to see her like that.
"Just another quiet day I guess."
For the first time she actually had a goodnight's sleep. No waking up and no staying up and no popping up in the middle the night. She had a nice sleep and she was happy about it, "Dad! Dad! Can we go out today to the art store? Please?" she begged him as she jumped on his back in his little office. "Now?" he sounded mad which made her slide off his back. Guilt rose up in her as she twiddled her thumbs around.
"Never mind, I'll go back to my room."
Tony looked over as she walked out, her head hung down. He didn't mean to make her feel that way, but he had been so frustrated lately with work. He sighed and drew his head back, looking at the ceiling.
Jay plopped onto her bed and groaned, she had finished the papers in her old sketchbook and she wanted a new one fast but seeing as her dad was stressed out with work she decided maybe not, trying to think of something productive to do she got an idea of making that broken emerald shard into a necklace.
After she finished which didn't take long since all she needed was some thick tough string to tie the emerald to. She noticed that it was very quiet, which worried her. Getting up from her desk where she left a big mess of strings and string pieces that she had cut up she went to check up on her father in his little office but when she got there he was asleep. Quickly going to one of the hall closets she took out a blanket and wrapped it around her dad, kissing him on the cheek she told him to sleep well.
"Well done Jay, you passed all your tests!" Mrs. Rockwell smiled at her and Jay smiled back, not really caring because she really hadn't been worried for it, Mrs. Rockwell stared at her student who had looked down at her hands. Her smile fading. "Is there something bothering you, sweetheart?" she asked from the island table, Jay shook her head "No, just tired." she said and brought her legs up to her little chest on the couch. Mrs. Rockwell stood up and went to her large purse to take out something Jay couldn't see. "I know this is a late Christmas present but I didn't know what I should've gotten you until I found this." she said bonking her student lightly with the present. Taking the gift lightly she ripped the wrapping paper with a thank you, it had been a book.
"Tales of Asgard?"
She looked up and asked her what was so special about this book that she would get it for her. Of course she meant no disrespect, she had actually read a book similar to this one once but she never got to finish it entirely since she wasn't the best at reading. "Well when we reviewed over that Mythology chapter a while back I noticed that you were really interested into it and I was at the book store a while ago and found this book of Norse Mythology. I thought of you and decided that this would be a nice gift for you." she ruffled her brown silky hair. "I thought it also bring back your little cute smile."
Jay had looked at her, stunned at her words and watched her leave through the elevator doors with this weeks pay check. Looking down at the book that she held in front of her legs she groaned in frustration and threw the book at the other couch that was only a couple feet away. She looked down at her necklace and scowled.
"I told you that I was just tired."
"How about you take her to a therapist to check what's wrong?" Bruce asked after swallowing down his fresh hot cup of coffee. Tony rubbed one of his temples and blinked his eyes open widely sipping on his cup of coffee too "She doesn't even talk anymore, well not as much as she used too. The only time when she does talk is when she sees Nat, Thor, or Luke. Sometimes even you but mostly Luke or Nat. Anyways if she doesn't talk about it at home or with anyone else then I highly doubt she'll talk with a therapist or even actually consider one." he said between munches on his breakfast muffin, his friend that sat across him looked over at the child who had been reading in the book store that was across from the café in the mall. She sat on a bean bag in the little reading area in the store, she had been flipping through a manga book that Bruce knew she was fond of. He saw her giggle at a line from a book and Tony followed his friends gaze at the book store and frowned lightly, Jay had usually been stuck in her room the past couple days and he had watched over her as she read stories on the internet or watched shows on there, sometimes he'd find her staring at the book her teacher gave her almost two days ago. After passing her room the other day he took notice of the necklace around her neck and asked her about it, she told him that she made it and that was it. He remembered passing through her room yesterday to check up on her and found pieces of paper that were ripped apart all over her floor near her desk. He had cleaned them up as she napped on her bed. "It's been almost two weeks Bruce and I think this is actually the first time I've seen her smile for a while." he turned back to look at his friend who had finished his cup of coffee.
The next day, Loki had been at the park and Jay spoke to him only all the while they had been there. She constantly continued to ask him how he had managed to pull this 'kid' form of his but he never gave her full answers. She guessed and they were all wrong "I bet you're a sorcerer!" she said guessing again and Loki paused and shook his head, and that made her pout "What? That's the only thing I can think of now! Plus, it's the only logical answer, come on Loki we've witnessed magic before and I know you have more than I have in my life!" she whispered as she made a tiny snowman with her hands on the floor. "If that's so how do you know?" he teased her with a question and noticed the necklace that had been glowing inside of her coat through an unbuttoned hole. Catching his gaze at her necklace she searched for his and unzipped his thin coat to reveal his glowing matching peace "Because of this!" she smiled her face had been close to his again, and Loki bonked his head against hers, staying in that position "Shut up." she giggled and smashed the little faceless snow man on his head and stood up to run away from him. "I knew it!" she laughed out.
Pepper watched them while Tony had his head on her shoulder. "Maybe we could use Luke to get to her.." she suggested but when she received no response she noticed that Tony had fallen asleep on her shoulder with his sunglasses on the edge of his nose. She rolled her eyes and laid her head on top of his sleeping one.
"What's wrong with the Cap'n?!"
Jay questioned in the back seat, panic rising in and out of her like her breathing. Tony was driving and Pepper was on the phone speaking to Natasha. "He's been hurt sweetie." her mom said speaking to the phone again.
"Dad?"
"I am driving, please just calm down." her eyes drooped down and then she just stopped asking, but how was she supposed to calm down? She had been home making paper airplanes and paper hats and ships with some left over paper that she was able to find until she got a call from Jane frantically asking where her parents were. Then the next thing you know her dad is talking on the phone and then telling her to get ready fast because they were leaving to the hospital.
Right when they finished parking Jay sprung out of the car leaving her parents to call after her but she ignored them. As she made it through the entrance she asked the lady at the desk about Steve but she didn't tell her anything because she thought that Jay was a child by herself. Finally after Tony asked she gave them directions to his room while Pepper signed them in.
Making their way to Steve's room, Jay noticed the children's side of the hospital, and she remembered that this was the exact same hospital where Jane had brought her in. Looking through the doors window she saw Steve sitting up and looking out the window as her Aunt Nat spoke to him. Barging in Steve snapped his head to look at her with a smile on his lips.
"Cap'n!" she said formally, hand raised up to her forehead in a salute "At ease son." he called her and she followed his order. Their relationship was different out of everyone else, they treated one another as soldiers but still had the bond of father and daughter would have even though Tony was her father, and not Steve.
Bruce had excused himself to the cafeteria a while before they came and Thor had been leaning against the wall near the windows, Jane sat at one of the chairs with an exhausted Tony beside her. Natasha rubbed the small back Jay had and told her what happened. Clint also listening.
"Cap'n will be fine though right?" she asked a bit teary eyed, Natasha was the only one who was actually answering her questions so she asked as much as she wanted to.
Jay looked over to find him sleeping now. She rubbed his head and went off to the bathroom. Leaving a bruised up Cap'n asleep on his bed.
Heavy footsteps followed her, she looked back to notice they were only doctors entering a patients room. Looking around the white hallway suspiciously she shrugged her shoulders and continued her way to the bathroom. Upon entering a lady had been leaving greeting the child with a smile and left the bathroom completely. Jay noticed that nobody else was in the bathroom so the more stalls that were free then the quicker she could pee. Entering the stall and doing her business she flushed and opened the stall door to wash her hands, after turning the faucet off she heard a stall door squeak. Lifting her head up to check if someone else had entered she didn't see anyone but the open stall door moving slowly. Shaking her hands to scatter the water off of her hands she chose to ignore the stall door, opening the door to leave she hadn't expected what had happened next.
"I got her!" a raspy voice cheered, Jay panicked and tried to break free from his grasp, he had covered her mouth to prevent her from screaming and twisted her left arm behind her. "I can see that you idiot." another voice said, his voice sounded snake like and Jay continued to panic as she was lifted off the ground in the same position, brown wavering eyes searched for a living walking person for help but there wasn't none and that just made her panic more but thank god she was a big fan of action movies because that was going to come in great handy right about now. Bringing her legs up she kicked him roughly on the shin and the mans most sensitive spot, which made him drop her and she took that opportunity to make a run for it.
"No! Hurry and get her!" and when she heard that snaky like voice she looked back and the supposed men ripped off their skin to show slimy black bumpy skin and she wished she hadn't looked back for her she had a poor gag reflex.
"That's disgusting!" she yelled as she kept on running and when she got back to the room she saw everyone still there talking only difference was that Bruce was there "Jay?" he asked and noticed her sweaty skin and heavy breathing "Don't Jay me! There's these..these things chasing me!" she yelled and fell to her knees on the floor coughing and gagging. "What things?" Jane asked worry filling up inside of her and that's when a loud crash of glass breaking and people screaming echoed everywhere "Those things." she said and got up slowly.
"Find her!"
Usually normal people would panic at this moment when there's a giant creature chasing your child. But these people weren't normal and Jay knew that, but at the moment they remained calm which caused her to yell at all of them. "Are you just going to sit there and not do anything?!" she could almost feel tears threatening to break free but she wasn't going to allow that. Natasha grabbed the frightened girl into her arms and ran out of there "Wait! What about the others?!" she yelled and noticed her mother and Jane now following them. "They'll take care of it, now do me a favor and close your eyes and don't open them!"
But she couldn't, not when she saw the creature, it had grown bigger and had been using all fours to walk but as soon as it spotted them it had started to sprint towards them. "It's coming quick!" she yelled in panic and held onto Natasha tightly. "I said to close your eyes Jay!"
This time she did and the tears had stung lose from her eyes, she could feel the cold winter air smash into her face as they made it outside "Pepper, Jane hurry and get the car ready!" she yelled and they ran past her following her orders. Taking out her gun from her thick jacket she aimed for the creature that had smashed through the hospital doors. "Cover your ears." she ordered her and she followed, Jay could hear the blurred sounds of the gun, it made her jolt whenever she pulled on the trigger.
When the creature went down, Jay opened her eyes thinking it was safe. "But there was another one." Natasha looked at her with wide eyes, going to set her down the other creature had smashed through a third story window, and made both girls lost in shock then creature landed in front of them which made them fall back a great distance crushing onto shattered piercing glass.
"Damn it!" Natasha looked over to see Jay on the floor almost six feet away unmoving. Getting up to reach her the giant black creature slammed his large slimy foot on her back causing her to yell out in pain. "You're not taking her." his snaky voice pierced her ears "Thor hurry up!" she hissed out and finally hearing her call of plea his hammer smashed against the slimy creatures face.
"You needed me?" he teased as he brought her up on her feet. She scowled at him and turned to find Jay still on the floor unmoving "Jay?!" Natasha called out in worry as she limped up to her. Thankfully the redhead heard her groan in absolute pain. Thor watched the slimy creature shuffle on the ground until it stood up, it's friend had started to wake up and move too and Thor couldn't help but grin in excitement. "This reminds me of my younger days." he mumbled as he spun his hammer around.
"Jay come on get up." Natasha pulled on her limp arms, the broken glass had prickled her skin and scratches had painted her arms. Then the familiar sounds of tires screeching finally reached Natasha's ears and the gray blue car stopped right in front of them. "Sorry, there was some trouble finding the car." Jane said Natasha just stuffed the girl into the car and entered in it too. "It's fine, just drive." she said looking down at the unconscious child she laid on her lap.
Pepper had been on the phone speaking frantically, her wild hand gestures showed that she had been frustrated.
"Ow.." Natasha looked down and saw the girl blinking her eyes awake, "Ow. M-my arm..!" she hissed out in pain as she had pain struck through her right arm. "Calm down, Jay we're going somewhere safe just relax." Jane yelled from the drivers seat, Jay whipped her head towards Jane "We..we need to find Luke!" she hissed putting her pain aside and worried for her friend instead. Jane looked back at her eyes wide. "We can't..ugh..fine!"
"Jane look out!" Pepper yelled and the brunette turned back to the road and made a rough turn as she drove through New York. "Sorry!" she apologized and kept on driving and Jay had ended losing consciousness again.
Sorry for not updating this the other time, after re-reading it I felt like it needed editing and I went a bit too much on it. But anyways, the creatures that we have here have been created by me. They'll be explained most likely in the next chapter or soon if I can't find a way to pop them in there. But for now all I will tell you is that there called "Mutants." (Common name I know but it's better than nothing.)
Also another note, this story will most likely be updated every other Saturday or Sunday if I am unable to post on it's actual day for posting. Thank you for reading!