It was a luxurious party,

People wore glamorous dresses, there was light music going on in the background. A long table filled with food on the side, a bar, and numerous people talked to each other with glasses in their hands.

And right now, each and every one of them was waiting for one thing. Jay was standing at the edge of the room. He watched all of them with a warm smile on his face.

Until the sparkling fountain fireworks shot forth near the stage, and Tony walked on stage, holding the mic, "It's the time!! 2009 is here!! It's on us!"

"10!!"

"9!!!"

"8!"

Natasha held the cup in her hand, glancing towards him, "we should have the New Year kiss. To continue the role we are playing?"

"1!!"

"Happy New Year!!!!"

Jay glanced towards her, facing her, leaning forward, and kissing her. A long, deep kiss, "Happy New Year, Natalie."

"Happy New Year, Jay." Natasha continued looking into his eyes every after she said that.

"You two, are you going to keep staring?"

Jay and Natasha looked away, shifting their eyes towards Tony, "Happy New Year. Mr. Busy Man."

Tony laughed, hugging his shoulder, "come on, I am free today. Let's drink to our heart's content."

Jay glanced towards Pepper, rushing towards them, "are you sure you have the time for that?"

Tony patted his back, pushing him, "I have all the time I need. Thanks to you for sharing the work with Pepper."

He stopped, gulping down scotch from the glass, pointing towards Natasha, "Natalie, right? You should come too."

Natasha light smiled, walking towards them, "Sure."

Tony went to the bar, "what do you want?"

Jay leaned over the bar, "anything strong."

Tony grinned, patting the bar, "how about the strongest that there is? Give me two shots of Spiryus!"

Natasha leaned over, "make it three."

The bartender looked towards them, "Sir?"

Tony stared at him, "is there a problem?"

"No!"

Jay watched him skillfully pour the vodka in shot glasses, pushing it towards the, one by one.

Tony held it in his hand, "who's going first?"

Jay took the shot glass, drowning in one go, feeling his throat burn, the pit of his stomach burning, his heart sinking, "ugh, that's good."

Natasha chugged down her cup right after him, drinking it. She squeezed her eyes shut, coughing more and more.

Jay rubbed her back, even though he knew she was acting. Brave enough to drink, not enough to make Tony think any less.

Tony grinned, "it's my turn."

He chugged in one go, groaning, "Ughh! *Cough*" Even though he wanted to cough more, but he had to hold back, clenching his fist.

Lucky for him, Pepper came to save him, "Tony, other guests want to meet you. Especially our new investments."

"New investments?"

"The ones that Jay made? You are the face of Stark Industries," Pepper pulled him of the war, taking him with her.

Tony pointed at Jay, "I would have won that!"

Jay rolled his eyes, shifting the shot glass, "hit me."

Natasha glanced at him, "your investments?"

Jay watched the bartender fill the shot glass, "it's your job. Find out yourself."

He picked up the glass, drowning in one go, putting it down, closing his eyes, "Hoh..."

Natasha glanced towards the bartender, "red wine for me."

The bartender walked over while Natasha glanced at him, "look, I know you are angry."

Jay smiled lightly, his scarlet eyes glancing towards her, "Natalie, I am not angry. In fact, I am not anything with you. Before, even though I said I was out. I wasn't, not completely. Now, I am out. It's as simple as that."

Natasha whispered, "you can't be out, not when you are taking care of people like Felicia. You need to be responsible for them."

"Felicia was first and last. If something like this happens again, I will give it to Felicia. And the next, those two can handle, and the next, those three."

Natasha looked down at the bar, "if that is the case, then I will have to inform Fury about these people."

"Do it, and Shield will get destroyed."

Natasha frowned in disapproval, "what are you talking about?"

Jay took in another shot, letting out a burning breath, "I didn't know before why Primo was attacking Shield agents. But when I saw Felicia, I understood. For her, he gave her the chance to gain powers. I wonder what he left inside Shield agents? Maybe a bomb?"

Natasha gripped the glass when Jay smiled, hanging his head down, "if you tell Nick about it, then he is going to interfere in their lives, one way or the other. I wonder, what would tick Primo off? Make him fire a warning shot? And who will be the one to become the sacrifice of because of that desire to control? Fury is going to check what marks indiscretion. I didn't want to be one to sacrifice one of the agents. You can do the honors."

He patted her back, walking off, outside the party hall, turning to a corner, opening a portal, entering, with the portal closing behind him.

He looked around the large dining room, his eyes falling on Felicia, sitting in front of food, watching it, not eating, "Happy New Year."

Felicia held the fork in her hand, "I want to go home..."

"Do you have your powers under control?"

"Most of them. I think?" Felicia looked up eagerly, making Jay nod, "ok, use them on me, and you can leave."

Felicia clenched the fork, "I can't do that. But I can make sure that my powers don't affect others!"

"Not good enough," Jay sat down on the table, rubbing his head, "do you think everything is going to normal when you go back?"

"You will have to answer the questions of the police, deal with the looks of your classmates. Your teachers, maybe even deal with Rick's family. What if you lose control of that? You will only invite more attention. Some people might figure out that you can bring bad luck, getting branded, avoided, among other things. What are you going to do then?"

Felicia stood up, "that is just a scenario. That might not happen!"

Jay calmly looked at her, "what will you do if that does happen?"

"I will handle it," Felicia calmly replied.

Jay nodded, opening the portal, "then you are on your own."

Felicia smiled, walking towards the portal, stopping just short of walking inside it. She struggled, turning back, sitting beside him, "you are different? What happened?"

Jay leaned back, glancing towards her, "my first break up in a long while."

"Depressed?"

"No," Jay pressed his lips, "all my relationships till now were based for a reason, on lies, on secrets. I recently realized that none of my relationships with such people will be fruitful. Sooner or later, we are bound to separate. Which would mean I will be alone. So, I am done with that, trying to keep up with them. I felt you were my responsibility. Now, I have done my part...I can get on with my life."

"We met because of reason?" Felica asked in wonder.

"Yes, we did. As I said, I felt you were my responsibility, that I should protect you from others and your powers."

Felicia leaned on the table, crossing her hands, putting her chin on her arms, "I kinda feel sad that you don't care anymore. Or that you never cared."

Jay ran his fingers through her platinum hair, "I do care. It's just that you are ready enough. I wanted to make sure that you were ready enough so that nothing goes wrong. Now, it's on you. I have warned you, you can do what you want."

Felicia closed her eyes with a relaxed look, "I spent Christmas alone, and now the New Year. I just wanted to be with someone. But standing in front of the portal, I realized that I have to deal with a lot of mess. And then, you were here, looking for company?"

Jay smiled lightly, seeing her so comfortable from getting her head patted, "maybe..."

Felicia opened her eyelids, revealing her green eyes, distant, "I was so sure that I wouldn't like getting touched. I didn't like it when Natasha touched me. But why does yours feel so comfortable? So...fatherly?"

"I don't know? Because I have a pretty face?"

Felicia shifted her eyes towards his face, "yes. That you have. More pretty than mine. Makes me jealous."

Jay stood up, "want to get something to drink?"

Felicia held her hand, standing up, "you broke up? Why?"

Jay leaned forward, kissing her forehead, "I can't give you a relationship or loyalty. This is a bad idea. Let's just have a normal night?"

Felicia kissed him, closing her eyes, "then let me have my Happy New Year kiss."

"That I can do."