The Unknown Variable

I own nothing, I am too tired to fight with anyone, I shall just hit you with my notebook.

I came back to reality after spending an hour in my mind, sorting through memories and knowledge.

Mortem wasn't there when I 'woke up' but I knew he would be back whenever his Duties allowed.

I popped my back and shoulders as I stood and stretched. With a yawn I opened my door and stepped out into the lab.

"Dad?" I called, but the lab was completely empty and dark which was strange for the lab to be in that state. Huh, it looked like he wasn't here.

With a frown on my face I quickly leapt up the stairs. My senses were on high alert and my sparks danced on my fingertips, charged and ready. My invisibility was flickering around me, causing me to fade from sight every other second or so.

I stepped carefully into the living room, my eyes narrowed and my steps silent. With everything that had gone on recently, I was high-strung and a bit paranoid, yes, I admit it.

But, I was ready for anything…

"Evening Pen!"

I screamed as I spun around, my heart pounding in my chest and my sparks jumping wildly between my fingers, only to come face to face with my father…who was laughing hysterically.

"Dad!" I exclaimed with a glare, trying to calm my racing heart. He had startled me…

A smirk appeared on Tony's face as threw his arm around my shoulders. "Someone's a bit jumpy." He teased.

"Oh quiet you!" I pouted sticking my tongue out at him in response.

Dad rolled his eyes and gave me a smile as he said, "You slept late."

"Yeah" I drawled, still upset that he had scared me so. "Dying tends to do that to you."

I instantly regretted saying that as Tony's grin vanished and a grim looked appeared on his face.

"Hey," I said, causing Dad to look at me, his eyes filled with pain. "I'm alright."

He sighed, and managed a weak smile before pulling me into a hug.

"I'm glad." He whispered into my hair. "But I doubt that it'll ever stop haunting me…"

I wasn't sure if I was supposed to hear that or not, but my heart clenched at his words.

Of course me dying had traumatized him, why wouldn't it have?

I winced, knowing that things were far from over, before hugging him tighter.

Distraction time, "Come one Daddy," I stated dragging him towards the fully stocked kitchen, "I'm starving."

But we didn't have to worry about any of that now.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Tony asked extremely worried.

Well, my plan had worked; my death wasn't in the forefront of his mind…for the moment.

I rolled my eyes with a smile and turned the heat down on the stove.

"I know what I'm doing Dad." I stated with a smirk. "Not all Starks have the tendency to blow up the kitchen."

I knew Dad was pouting at that, I just knew he was. He was probably remembering the incident a few weeks ago. As far as what happened…well, let's just say that Tony has no idea how to cook and within 15 minutes the whole kitchen was covered in flower, eggs, syrup, and ketchup.

Even though I didn't have much cooking experience in this life time…I just had some instinctual feeling that was guiding me through the motions. Like with my violin, cooking must have been a passion of mine and I just couldn't consciously remember it.

That was way, I currently had bacon, scrambled eggs, and pancakes all cooking at the same time, with an unblended smoothie sitting in the blender, and nothing had blown up, burnt, or gone up in smoke yet.

Though Dad was waiting for 'the other shoe to drop' so to speak, and was being quite vocal about it.

"Dad," I stated after a moment of silence, Tony was standing literally right behind me, watching my every move. "Your hovering is really getting annoying. How about you make yourself useful and turn the blender on."

I slid a golden brown pancake onto the steaming stack.

"…alright." Tony sighed and walked over to the other counter where the blender sat on the gleaming surface.

There was a moment of silence, where the only thing that could be heard was the sizzling of the bacon grease and butter from the pancakes. Then, it was interrupted as I heard Dad whisper to himself,

"Now...how do I turn this thing on?"

A ball of dread appeared in my gut as I was quick to say, "Dad, make sure that the lid is securely on before…"

However, my warning was too late, as just as I said that, I heard the blender whirl to life loudly, and instantly, the whole kitchen was splashed with pink goo…along with us.

Thankfully…or not so much, my instincts had flared and a shield had sprung to life, keeping our dinner from being covered…but sadly, it didn't protect me. How was that fair? I glared as the shield dropped; my own powers had betrayed me.

I grimaced as I wiped the pink goop from my eyes and stated, "You're supposed to put the top on before you turn it on."

I looked over towards my father and had to bite back a laugh, he was covered, from head to toe, in the sticky mixture.

He opened his mouth, but instead of replying, he spat out a large portion of the mix…and I couldn't hold back my giggles.

"That is why," Dad and I turned around to see Pepper standing in the doorway looking amused; "Tony was banned from the kitchen ages ago."

My giggles turned into full blown hysterics and Tony pouted, crossing his arms and resembling a five year old.

"I'm not that bad!" he protested, causing Pepper to look at him fondly and for me to laugh even harder.

"Yes you are." I managed to state between laughs.

"But I made that omelet!" Tony cried, looking towards his new girlfriend for help.

"A onetime fluke," Pepper deadpanned before smiling. It was nice to know that Pepper could have fun too…maybe there was hope for our relationship yet.

There was a moment of silence where all three of us looked at each other, before Dad started chuckling and soon all of us were in hysterics.

I even swore I heard Jarvis laughing and a click of a camera…though I could be mistaken.

"Oh!" I exclaimed after a moment, I had forgotten that I was cooking.

Thankfully, nothing was burn, though the pancake was bit browner then the others…but it was fine.

"So," I stated as I turned back towards the adults after turning off the stove. "Breakfast for dinner anyone?"

Pepper had kicked Dad out to shower while she set out, determined to help me clean up this mess.

"Pepper, I can do it myself." I stated for the third time, I had been trying to assure her that I didn't need her help cleaning up.

"What do you mean, you don't need my help?" Pepper asked, glancing around at the mess that was the kitchen. Thankfully, Pepper's tone wasn't snappish; she was honestly confused and perplexed; which helped me keep my attitude in line as well.

"It's nothing personal." I assured her, I was really guarded when dealing with the older redhead…we had gotten into arguments over smaller matters. "But I've got it under control."

"How?" Pepper asked, crossing her arms and looking at me, wondering if I was trying to start a fight.

I charged up my sparks and a shield appeared on the far wall, before slowly sliding across the whole kitchen, gathering up the goop until it was in one spot, and then, I twisted the shield so the mess was within a sphere that floated right into my hand.

"Like that." I stated with a shy smile, it was the first time that I had used my powers around Pepper…besides my sparks flying a bit yesterday, and I was happy that she hadn't freaked out.

Just because Mutants were a lot more common these days, and that she was dating a superhero, didn't mean that she was that opened minded…or at least, that was what I had been afraid of.

"Must come in handy…" Pepper stated, obviously not sure what to say now that the kitchen was spotless.

I froze as I heard Dad descending the stairs…with a smirk I charged up my sparks and jumped into the air, my sparks levitating me out of sight over the doorway.

Pepper looked at me confused, but I motioned her to be quiet as I held the ball of goo over the door.

Her eyes widened slightly as she figured out my plan, but didn't say a thing. That also got her another point in my book.

Before everything had gone to hell a few weeks before, Dad and I had pranked each other every chance we got, and what was better to get his mind off of the resent disasters then restarting that?

I giggled quietly as I heard Tony walking down the hallway, "Pepper….Pen's in there…right?" he asked.

Before Pepper had the chance to answer Tony stepped into the kitchen, and I dropped the ball, letting the shield dissipate a foot from his head.

He froze and gasped as he was showered in the goo. Thankfully…for him…he hadn't taken a shower yet.

"Penny!" he exclaimed as I dropped to the ground in front of him, laughing my head off. Oh, his face was just too funny.

He spluttered and tried to wipe off his face, but there was just too much of the gunk.

"Gotcha Daddy." I stated gleefully.

A smile appeared on Dad's face as he stated, "Yes, yes you did."

He reached up, and taking a handful of the goo, he threw it at me.

I ducked just in time, but a gasp caused me and Dad to freeze, Pepper had been standing right behind me…and how she was wiping the pink stuff off of her face.

A smirk appeared on her face and I breathed a sigh of relief, few…

Then, a large blob of the stuff hit me in the back of the head. "Eep!" I exclaimed, spinning around and glaring at my father.

He was laughing at me and Pepper, causing us to look at each other, before back at Tony.

"Oh, you're so on!" I yelled, as Tony's eyes widened in horror and he fled with a grin on his face.

Before I could chase him, Pepper tapped me on the shoulder; I turned around to see her standing there with two cans of whipped cream, and a smirk.

Okay, that defiantly won her a lot of points in my book.

And that dear folks was how the legendary Goo War started.

This was actually fun to right, and you'll see…prob next chapter, what caused Pepper's change of attitude.

No, she isn't going to be bitchy any more…I never planned on keeping her that way. Things might be a bit tense between the two for a while…but besides that…they both are going to work on fixing things.

Otherwise, who else will torment and keep Tony in line?

Hehehehe…
Not many chapters left…can't give you a specific # because I haven't written them yet… -.0

Thanks to everyone,
Cp