North (A Robert Downey Jr Fanfic)

"Nuthin but a G Thang"

"Will all passengers please secure their safety belts and prepare for departure?"

"Everybody set?" Vanessa asked, checking her own safety belt. She glanced at her daughter and noticed her fretful disposition "you ok Pen?"
"Yep," she responded in a clipped tone.
"Put your headphones in and try to relax," Vanessa said, trying to set her daughter's mind at ease.
"Penny, airplanes are awesome!" Exton shouted from his buckled seat, pumping both of his arms above his head.
"Penny's never been in an airplane before," Vanessa said. Ex looked at her quizzically but moved on swiftly and focused out the window, waving to the air traffic controller.

They were all riding together on a private plane with six seats, a bathroom and a kitchen. Ex and Penny were sitting next to each other and Robert was next to Vanessa with his daughter in his lap.
"Once we get up in the air, you kids can roam around," he said and planted a peck on his daughter's cheek. She was squirming like a worm, desperate to get off of her Dad's lap.

"How long does it take to get there?" Penny asked, fidgeting with the armrests on her seat.
"Only about four hours," Robert said, then leaned over to whisper to Vanessa,"is she gonna be ok?"
"Yes. Weren't you nervous your first time on an airplane?"
"--and what happens when we land?"
"We get off of the plane and there will be a car waiting for us. Then we'll go to the house I'm living in--"
"With Auntie G!" Exton shouted.
"Yep. Auntie G has a daughter and son close to your age, Pen. They're excited to meet you. We have to drop these two off first."
That seemed to ease Penny's tension. Vanessa noticed her shoulders relaxing as she eased into the seat.

"Are you sure there's room for all of us?"
"Yes, plenty. The house I'm staying in has three bedrooms so I think we're good."
"And that's her guest house?"
"Yeah. Her place is wonderful. You'll love it."
"I'm sure it is," Vanessa let out a deep breath that she didn't realize she'd been holding in.
"I guess Penny's not the only nervous one," Robert said, reaching for Vanessa's hand and kissed it.
"Can you blame me?"

***

Vanessa's whole body vibrated with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. Even though she was under the safe cover of a black SUV with heavy window tint, she felt like she had a neon sign pointing right at her: HERE'S ANNIE THOMAS! Maybe that feeling of being exposed would never go away. Robert asked her to trust him and she was trying her best.
"Mom, is that the ocean?" Penny was glued to the window, craning her neck to take in the landscape.
"Way off in the distance, yes."
"Can we go there?"
"Of course we can," Vanessa said to her eager daughter. She was as desperate as Penny to get back to their old "favorite place".

After navigating a decent amount of traffic, the driver pulled up to a massive iron and wooden gate and pushed a buzzer, announcing their arrival.
"This won't take long," Robert said, patting Vanessa on the leg. He got out, removed his children from their seats and planted their feet on the stamped concrete driveway. The little ones scrambled away and ran to the giant front door of the home with Robert on their heels.
"Bye Penny! Bye Nanessa!" Exton beamed and waved his hands up in the air.

"Whose house is this?" Penny whispered, leaning over Vanessa to get a good look "it's huge!"
"I'm sure it's where Robert lived when he was married to Susan."
"How come he doesn't live there?"
"Not sure. They probably want to keep things as normal as possible...for their kids."
Penny pointed towards the house.
"Mom, is that her?"
Vanessa glanced out the window and even though the vehicle's windows were impossible to see through, she felt Susan's gaze fall upon her. Instantly, she felt compelled to slide down the seat and cower on the floor until they'd left the property. The reason wasn't defined, maybe it was because Robert was still "married" and they were sitting in the driveway of what was presumed to be his home. Maybe it was because of the imaginary neon sign floating above her. Maybe it's because she was smack dab in the middle of the city that she'd washed her hands of ages ago. Any of those reasons were good enough to feel like she was exposed.