Chapter Text
Jenna looked up from her paperwork at the click of expensive heels on the hardwood floors. The office looked very different after Jenna had taken it over. Her more flamboyant design style had shown up in the grass green accent wall and curving bamboo furniture. Where Tony tended toward opulent modernism she preferred something warm and organic. Pepper smiled as she walked in. She looked the picture of efficiency in a structured deep blue skirt and tailored white button-up top with a tiny frill at the collar that gave a hint of femininity to her no nonsense appearance.
"Hi Pepper," Jenna said with a slight smile, "Must be a slow day, you haven't reminded me of an appointment yet."
Pepper smiled back, "You have the Governor's Charity Ball tonight at 7," she replied holding up her blackberry to indicate the highlighted appointment. She glanced at her watch, "Which means you need to stop working in one hour to get ready."
Jenna pulled a face before sighing heavily, "I can't get out of it, can I?"
Pepper tilted her head in confusion. Jenna was usually perfectly willing to handle the PR side of the CEO job while Pepper focused on time management and contract negotiation.
"It's October 23rd," Jenna responded to the red-head's silent inquiry.
Pepper's face dropped with sadness as she realized what the date meant to both of them. She had been so busy with the acquisition of Xenon Tech that she had lost track of the days.
Jenna nodded looking down at her black pants and shirt. It had been two years since Obidiah Stane had pulled the arc reactor out of Tony's chest and left him to die on the plush white couch in his living room...
After the grief had come a bone deep need for revenge. Both women were well aware of how well money greased the wheels of justice to spin in a person's favor, and Obidiah also had favors owed from several political giants. Neither woman was willing to allow his connections to prevent justice. It had taken nearly four months but she and Pepper had hunted Stane down and made sure he paid for Tony's murder. After the drive of revenge was gone, Jenna felt hollow. Stane was dead but it didn't bring her brother back. And on top of the anger and pain of loss was the guilt. She had been out that night. For weeks afterwards all she could do was wonder if she could have stopped it. If she had been there, could she have saved her big brother?
Pepper had saved her from her own pain. She had heartlessly reminded her that Stark Industries wouldn't run itself anywhere but into the ground. Or worse, right back into the arms race that Tony had worked so hard to pull it from. So Jenna pulled herself out of her stupor, used cover-up to hide the dark circles under her eyes, and took the reigns of Start Industry. Which was about the time she realized she was woefully incapable at business. What had she expected? She had trained in Textile Chemistry and Metallurgy not business management.
But she had Pepper and the competent red-head handled most of the business matters for her. She was more of a figure head. So she attended parties and shook hands, she smiled her false smiles and made small talk with kings of industry. And very quietly she changed her will to make Pepper the CEO in the case that she was unable to fulfill the role. She wouldn't leave the company in the quandary that Tony's dea- that happened before.
Pulling herself back to the present she finished up the last of her report on a poly-carb fabric that might be a good base for flexible military grade armor and closed her computer. The only good part of being CEO of Stark Industries was being able to indulge her inner geek and see all of the newest armor and fiber technology advancements months before they hit the market. Turning to her titular assistant she squared her shoulders, "It's been two years. I can handle one party." Pepper squeezed her hand reassuringly before they both left to get ready for the Gala.
Jenna groaned as she leaned against the wall in the entry and pulled off her sky high heels. Her feet throbbed with every step, reminding her of the hours she spent talking to politicians and high profile guests, promoting the image of Stark Industries. She slowly walked into the penthouse of Stark Tower. It had been Tony's last project and she had been determined to see it done to his exact specifications. It had only been completed six months ago but she loved living here. It was the closest thing to feeling at home that she had come.
"Good evening Miss. How was your party?"
"Hi JARVIS," Jenna said to the dimmed ceiling, "Boring as expected. Lots of talking to liars and pretending to care about someone's vacation."
"My sympathies Miss. Shall I run you a bath?"
Jenna considered it for a moment but finally decided in favor of the siren song of her bed, "No thanks JARVIS. I'm just going to get some sleep instead."
"Of course Miss. Pleasant dreams."
Jenna smiled at the disembodied British voice before padding down the hall and into one of the bedrooms that was originally marked as a guest bedroom. It was bigger than most master suits and included a walk in closet and an en suite bathroom but was small by Tony's standards. She didn't really have the same opulent tastes as her brother and the lavish master bedroom was a bit much for her. Instead that room was filled with things that reminded her of Tony. A twisted wrench from the first time Tony blew up his lab with her in it. Her first chemistry set, a gift from him on her 10th birthday. A pair of sunglasses that she had stolen from him when she was 15. She had told him it was because she liked them better than the girly ones but secretly it was because she wanted to see the world through his eyes.
Once inside her bedroom she barely managed to change into a pair of blue sleep shorts and t-shirt before dropping into an exhausted sleep.