AN: Hey, new story idea! Don't worry, i'm still working on all my others I just keep getting annoying plot bunnies who won't leave me alone. As usual I don't own anything. I hope you enjoy!
Not many people believed that Tony Stark had a heart.
Pepper was one of the first people in a long time to realise he had a good side. It wasn't enough to keep them together - though they were still on friendly terms - but at least she knew it was there. Since the battle in New York the Avengers had been living rent free in his tower. They didn't have to pay for food, clothes, anything. He made sure there was plenty for all of them to do at any given time and if they wanted to travel anywhere he loaned them a car or jet or motorbike as and when they needed it. He did all that for them and only one of his 'friends' really understood that he did all that out of thoughtfulness, out of kindness rather than just enjoyment of throwing his money around.
Bruce was the next person to understand that he had a heart hiding under that metal armour, shiny blue light and snarky comebacks. Bruce saw it when Tony spent hours making sure everyone was okay that nobody needed anything especially Bruce himself, for whom Tony had not only provided all the material goods he could ever need - including his own lab - but also showed Bruce that he was worth something, that he did deserve the friends and the family that the avengers provided him with.
The real proof, however, that Tony Stark had a heart was his daughter. Not many people - Pepper was the only real exception - knew he had a daughter. Her name was Harriet Stark, she was twenty-two years old and she was everything to Tony. He wanted her to grow up without being in the spotlight so when she turned four Tony sent her away to school in Scotland. "It's going to be a game," he'd told her, "a big game of pretend. You have to pretend your name is Harriet Connelly. Do you think you can do that?" She had agreed and from then on they'd had to spend most of their time apart. They got to spend the holidays together though, and they treasured that time together.
When Afghanistan had happened she'd flown to the states to help Pepper - or probably more accurately to sit and worry with Pepper and holding each other when they cried. When he got home she was the best thing for him, she knew when he needed company and when he needed space. She genuinely understood what was happening with the arc reactor and was smart enough to be able to help him to some extent. When he had nightmares she didn't let him sleep alone.
Then she'd had an incident of her own. After the battle of New York, she graduated with a Masters degree in mechanical engineering and an honours degree in physics but Tony wasn't there. If he'd actually gone to his daughters graduation he could have prevented it from happening. Someone had a grudge about the fact that she'd graduated top of the class and grabbed her at the after party. They'd violated her, beaten her, cut her and stabbed her, dumping her in a field where they'd poured gasoline on her, lit her on fire and ran away. She was meant to contact him that night and when she didn't and her friends didn't know where she was he informed the authorities. It had only been 12 hours so he wasn't overly worried until he got the call, then he wanted blood.
But she was physically well now. She had been stabilised in Scotland and then transported back to the US to recuperate in New York. When she arrived it became clear that she needed to go back into hospital and had two operations before she came to Stark Tower to recover. Harriet's room was on the same floor as the rest of the Avengers but she'd requested that nobody be aware of her presence until she was feeling better. When she needed something she notified JARVIS so that Tony or occasionally Pepper could take it to her.
She was recovering from the psychological effects. She was still jumpy around other people, Tony was the only person she was comfortable touching her, even Pepper wasn't allowed too close. She was back to her usual snarky, sarcastic glory though - when she first got back she was so docile and shy Tony was terrified for her. But she was recovering, beginning to understand that this wasn't her fault, that this was something done to her not because of her. If she didn't need him so much right now Tony would be out killing the bastards that did this. They were already in jail but that was too good for them, he wanted their blood.
Harry knew the Avengers were out on a mission. Her dad - the only person in the world who still called her Harriet - had told her they were leaving and had said that he'd come in as soon as they were back. He was treating her like she was made of glass at the moment and she appreciated that more than she would admit too.
She walked over to the mirror, she couldn't really get over the change in her appearance that the last couple of months had wrought. Her hair had been mostly burned away so as before it was down to her waist it was now cropped to chin length. Her face, now that the bruising had pretty much faded, was the same as it always was. She'd been lying on her front when they'd burned her so most of the burn scars were on the back of her legs and back up to her neck - she would have to get used to wearing blouses with collars or people would think she had a bad tattoo. Her front, though saved mostly from the burns, was a motley of semi-healed cuts and semi-faded bruises. She'd had several broken ribs so still had light wrappings round her chest and further bandages on her abdomen were due to being stabbed - she'd had to get a hysterectomy because of that wound and below the bandages she knew their were six ugly staples holding her together.
"I'm becoming awfully self obsessed," she mused to JARVIS as she pulled a dressing gown over her vest-top and shorts that covered her from neck to toe, "I'm sure I never admired myself in the mirror this much before."
"Probably understandable Ma'am," JARVIS replied in his british accent, "weren't you saying just yesterday that it's a whole new you?"
"Ha-ha JARVIS, you're hilarious." The day before she'd decided to stop wallowing, she had managed to get her hair cut properly, get in touch with friends that were worried about her, ordered new clothes and shoes and then given up and lain on her bed for the rest of the day just thinking. Being productive had helped a bit, she'd only had one panic attack all day. "Well at least I tried, bastard. Now is everyone still out?"
"Yes Miss Stark."
"Awesome, will you put on the coffee machine in the kitchen please?"
"Of course, Miss Stark."
"Thank you J!" That sorted, Harry meandered towards the elevator. Even though it was just one floor, the stairs were still a bit beyond her. When the door of the elevator opened onto the open - plan common area she was dismayed to find someone else was in the tower. "JARVIS," she mock scolded, "you didn't tell me we had company."
"My protocols were overridden ma'am," JARVIS said, apologetically.
Interesting. "Well, not just anyone can do that." she said looking at the figure standing in the middle of the common area curiously as he turned towards her. Ah, that made more sense. "Director, how can I help you?"
The tall, imposing man looked at her with a neutral expression on his face. "I don't know who you are, and I don't much care but I was informed there was a civilian living in the tower and I'm here to take the necessary steps."
Well, from the amount her father went on about the team it didn't take a genius to work out which of the characters he'd described had ratted her out. She would be having words with a certain archer with a penchant for ventilation systems about the respect due to her father for letting him into their home. "And those steps are?" she enquired brusquely.
"You're a liability." he stated then went on when Harry tried to interrupt. "There are documents you need to sign for your silence on pain of death, and consent on certain matters."
"Uh huh," she replied, unimpressed by the mans attitude. She suddenly understood why her father seemed to be constantly fighting with this person. "Permission for what exactly?"
"Access to you're files including the altering of information as and when it is necessary. Access to any autopsy report to alter your cause of death if related to those living in this tower or our agency. Permission for agents to tail you."
Harry laughed a little, walking into the kitchen area and pouring her newly made coffee courtesy of JARVIS. She turned back to director Fury to see a raised eyebrow. "I'm sorry, it's just... well, I really don't see why I'd sign any of that."
The man before her laughed. It was not a happy sound. Behind him through the floor to ceiling windows she could see the quinjet coming into land on the roof, maybe the director was out of time. "I can give you some incentive to sign them," when she gave an imperious 'do go on' gesture he continued, "If you don't i'll have you sent away where Tony Stark can't find you, where no one will care what you have to say or, i'll simply have you disposed of."
Harry raised an eyebrow, somewhere Tony Stark couldn't find her? She was well aware her father would tear apart the world to get her back. "Ah, there seems to be a problem here. I'm not happy with any of the options put in front of me. What do you think Mr. Stark - who provides your organisation with maybe 80% of your funding - would do if he found out you were threatening me?"
Fury pulled back the side of his leather trench coat - seriously? Why did the man feel a leather trench coat was necessary? Who wore a leather trench coat? Maybe he thought he was in the matrix - and put his hand on the weapon holstered at his hip. "I don't know what you are to Stark. I don't care if you're his in house yoga instructor or his fuck buddy. I just know you're a threat to the security of his team and i don't think he'd put you above them, no matter what he told you."
She winced a little at the implications of that little speech which made Fury suspect that he was getting somewhere. "I think, for the head of an intelligence organisation, you're being a little dense." Still sipping her coffee she gave the man a bland smile.
In response he pulled out his gun, not pointing it at her, just holding it in his hand. "Are you going to sign these papers or are we going to have a problem?"
It was the perfect moment for Tony Stark himself to come out of the elevator, red with rage - presumably JARVIS had told him what was happening - and made his way to his daughters side. Standing in front of her, he took her hand and asked, "Are you okay, darling?"
She nodded slowly. All she'd felt in front of Fury was reckless bravado - she certainly knew who she got that personality trait from - but now that she was safe she was shaking slightly and her legs felt weak. Her father being the genius that he was, saw all those signs and if possible became even more infuriated. He turned to Fury and demanded "What the hell?"
Harry looked around briefly at the other Avengers that had followed her Dad out of the elevator, trying to work out who would be on which side of this stand off. She recognised them easily from the stories Tony had told her as well as from the news coverage of the battle of New York. Natasha Romanov was obvious as the only woman. She looked almost perfect, the only thing giving away the fight they'd just been part of was the darkening bruise across her cheek bone. Her face was neutral and she was watching the conflict with guarded eyes. She worked for SHIELD first and foremost so it seemed to be pointless to count her as an ally.
The archer, Agent Barton looked much worse, with grime on his face and uniform and a gash on his arm. He was her squealer so she had to assume he was against her presence anyway. She realised too late that everyone had a forced neutral expression, it would really be pointless to try and work out who was for her or against her.
Captain America looked like he wanted to berate Tony for allowing a security risk himself.
Bruce Banner looked like he'd hulked. In fact it was obvious that he'd hulked as his shirt was in tatters, he was clutching the ruined waistband of is trousers and he looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here.
Tony was ranting in the background as she calculated the best way to get them out of this situation, "This is my tower, how dare you tell me who can and cannot stay here? How dare you threaten my guests?" He continued with the threats and insults as Harry sighed and walked over to the others, shrugging off her dressing gown as she went. The assassins eyes snapped towards her as she approached and she rolled her eyes as their hands went to their guns. Dr. Banner tensed as she approached him and gave a tentative smile when all she did was hand him her dressing gown.
She walked back towards her father and Fury, clearly she would have to be the adult here in the mens pissing contest. "Well Mr. Stark" She said as she put her hand on his arm and he immediately calmed down. "Do you think it would help matters if you told the Director and your team your deepest darkest secret?"
Tony smiled down at her, glad she seemed alright, better even. There was a spark in her eyes he hadn't seen for a while. He glanced around at Fury who was still spitting mad; Natasha and Hawkass looking almost curious; Bruce looking ridiculous in a bright pink dressing gown; Thor looking longingly at the kitchen and Steve looking a mixture between angry and curious. "Well kiddies," He began, "let me tell you a story abou-"
"The short version please." Harry interrupted, very conscious about the number of weapons currently in the room.
Tony smirked. "Fine. Everyone I'd like you to meet my daughter, Harriet Stark on whom I assure you, you've made an awful impression upon. Harriet," he gestured around the room. "meet the assholes who are determined to set back your recovery time."
AN: What did you think? Leave a comment if you get the chance =). Thank you!