Tony POV
I parked my car outside of the "Home for girls" orphanage. Fury had asked me to meet him here.
"Why on earth would I want to go there!" I yelled into the phone when I got the call.
"I'll explain everything when you get here" Was Fury's answer before he hung up.
I never wanted kids. I had no use for them. They were a handful, bratty, trouble and I did not need to deal with that.
I walked into the orphanage and greeted the young man sitting at the front desk.
"Do you have an appointment sir?" He asked me.
"Yes. I'm here to meet Nick Fury."
"Right this way" He led me down the hall, into a room.
In the room, was a least a dozen beds, all were filled with sleeping girls.
"Over here Stark" Fury's voice came from behind me.
I turned to see Fury sitting in a large chair.
And this I could not believe.
On Fury's lap, was a little girl. She had to be no older than two. She was very tiny compared to him.
"Stark, I'd like you to meet Antonia Maria Cortex. Hey little one. This going to your Daddy." he said as the toddler looked up at me, her deep blue eyes sparkling.
"Hold on." I was completely caught off guard. "You want me to adopt her?
"Stark-" Fury began but I cut him off.
"You know how I feel about kids. I can't take care of one, and with my work, who will watch her while I'm gone? And-"
"We have all of that arranged. Someone will be there to look after her while you work or need to go on a mission."
Who cares if everything's arranged, I still had no use for kids.
"Fury" I looked him dead in the eye "No"
Just then, the little girl, er, Antonia, leaped down from Fury's lap and toddled over to me. She wrapped her tiny arms around my leg and looked up at me, smiling.
I couldn't help but smile back.
I had to admit it, she was adorable. She had long wavy black hair, deep blue eyes, rosy cheeks, I might just take her home.
"I'll have to think about it" I said to Fury after he had put Antonia to bed. I stood there, watching her sleep. She was curled up in a way that made me want to pick her up a cuddle her. I gently touched her cheek, she put her tiny hand over mine.
"I'd knew you'd comply sooner or later. I can't thank you enough. I really need someone to take care of her. She'll be be here when your ready for her." Fury gave me a slap on the back.
I grabbed my keys and headed out the door.
On the flight home, I began thinking. Why was Fury so urgent for me to take in this little girl? I figured she was in danger. But who would hurt someone so innocent and so sweet?
And why did Fury want me to raise her? Me. Out of all seven billion people in the world. Why me?
"Good evening Sir" J.A.R.V.I.S greeted me when I got home.
"Pull up all the information you can find under the name of Cortex." I sat down on a stool in my lab.
"Yes Sir" replied the A.I. "There seems to be nothing available. Except for the fact that they were once agents on the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division'."
They were S.H.I.E.L.D agents. That explained a lot.
Whenever one of the agents had a child, the entire S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters went to great lengths to make sure these kids were safe.
I had never joined but always knew what was going on. But I never heard of an agent Mr. & Mrs. Cortex. I had never heard anyone even talk about them before.
Now I was going to take care of their kid? Was I ever going to find out who they were?