A Difficult Choice

"Thank you Peter," Serena replied with a little smile and a slight blush. Tony would be able to see the difference between this Serena and the one who had grown up without her mother. Having her mother around had softened Serena's edges just slightly. She was still tough and extremely smart, but being able to talk to her mother while growing up had changed her.

"Is that a new jacket?" she asked as her mother handed her her smoothie.

Isabella smiled at Peter and Serena. The two of them were clearly in love, though they continued to remain friends. Serena adored Peter and he adored her, but each of them was waiting for the other to make the first move. Isabella had even gone so far as to question her daughter about her feelings for Peter, but Serena had just blushed and told her that they were just friends. Isabella knew better though. That blush and smile had told her everything she needed to know. She thought Peter would be a good fit for Serena. Serena was a little more relaxed around Peter. Though she knew Peter was intimidated by Tony, she knew Tony liked him. Peter was hardworking, intelligent, and a good man...and clearly he cared very much for their daughter.

Isabella thought that maybe they would like to be alone so she picked up her smoothie glass and gave Tony a little smile and indicated with her head that he should follow her. Together they went up to the roof where they were alone and were able to look out over the city. Isabella was quiet for a moment before glancing at Tony. "Do you know what today is?" When he thought about it and shook his head she continued on. "Today is the day you rescued me."

Ofcourse Tony knew what Isabella meant but he was certain that he had covered his tracks. Obviously he hadn’t covered them very well. She knew and he wasn’t certain what to say to her. He came up and put his arm around her thin waist. “I did what I had to do to get you back. And I’d do it again,” he said not willing himself to feel bad about that. Isabella was alive and he felt whole and complete again. “I was hoping that you would not know, You are just too smart for your own good sometimes,” he said. Isabella was far more than that. She had changed him, significantly. Changed who he was, how he lived, everything. She and Serena.

“Peter watched them go and then looked over at Serena. “Yeah, It’s new, I was hoping you’d like it,” he said and tried not to blush. He always did that whenever she gave him a compliment. It was her eyes on him though that brought about the blushing. That’s all Serena had to do. He saw her smiling at him and he knew that she ‘liked’ having that power over him. “When you look at me like that…” he began then turned toward her. His cheeks seemed to burn with color now with what he was about to say. He had wanted to ask this several times before...ok more than just several, A LOT of times before but he always faltered. ‘Oh just DO IT PETER!’ It’s just a kiss! Do it..do it..DO IT!’ ‘OK! I’ll do it jeez!’ He argued to himself. And then he smiled up at her and put his hand on her cheek. He rubbed the softness of her face and then leaned in and kissed her.

Isabella looked up into Tony’s eyes as he put an arm around her. She could see the pain his eyes and knew that he had been through a lot. She knew Tony and knew that he would have hidden his pain for all those years. She reached up and gently placed her hand on his cheek. She caressed his skin with her thumb. “What did you have to do Tony?”

Serena felt Peter’s eyes on her and she looked back into his eyes. Looking into his eyes made her knees feel weak. Peter had that effect on her. She loved him and she couldn’t imagine her life without him. He made her happy. He made her laugh. He made her feel that she could do anything. She could sense as they looked into one another’s eyes that something special was about to happen. As Peter leaned on towards her her heart began to beat harder in her chest. She closed her eyes and kissed him back.

Tony’s eye did not falter or look away. Guilt compared to the pain of losing Isabella, was a trivial thing. “I made a deal with a devil but it’s done now and not for you to worry about. I think you paid enough already. We both have paid,” he said and she’d know what he was talking about then. The loss of their unborn child. “But I’d say we have alot to be thankful for, don’t you?” he asked. “Serena is a great kid and part of me...my memory recalls how she was…” he began but would not say it aloud. “So it is Peter she had settled on ya think?” He said plainly trying to make their conversation lighter than it just had been.

Peter pressed into the kiss, her lips were so warm and he felt the heat drive across his neck. He didn’t stop though, he kissed her lips one way then pivoted the other. He felt her cheeks getting hot to and the stirring he felt down below. Suddenly he pulled back to look into her eyes. “Whoa,” He whispered breathlessly and was pleased to see her chest breathing hard to. “If I knew it would feel like this, I’d have done this sooner,” he said grinning like a silly fool. But he was her fool. He glanced back toward the doors that led out to the roof then back toward her with that same look in his eyes. He wanted her lips again.

Isabella was concerned about what Tony had done, but she decided not to push the issue. Whatever he had done they would both deal with the consequences together...as they had with everything else. She wanted to know more about her death, but she figured that would be too difficult for Tony to talk about. When he brought up Serena and Peter she removed her hand from his cheek and smiled as she thought about the two of them. “I think he had always been the one. He’s been trying so hard to impress you.”

Serena felt her heart beat increase as Peter’s lips touched her own. Nothing had felt more right than this. She wrapped her arms around him as the kiss deepened. Her cheeks flushed with desire. As Peter broke the kiss she couldn’t help but smile at him. Her eyes sparkled with the feelings surging through her. She leaned in and kissed him again but a moment later they heard someone coming and she pulled back just as Steve and Kate walked in.