There's no sunshine
This impossible year
Only black days and sky grey
And clouds full of fear
"What're we watching, Mar?"
Maria Stark, six and a half years old, sat on the ground; looking over all the movies.
"This one!"
Theresa smiled wearily at her baby sister.
"Really, again?"
"Yeah!"
Theresa sighed and put on the movie. As her sister worked, Maria took a bite of popcorn.
"Is daddy gonna watch with us?"
"Dad's… out right now," Theresa said, carefully picking her words so not to reveal their father's playboy ways "Besides, he's seen this movie enough to know it by heart."
"I do too," Maria said, and as the movie began, she started to prove that point.
"You don't have to quote along, I get…" Theresa said under her breath before sighing, shaking her head at her sister's enthusiasm. She couldn't help but smile, though.
"I wish I could be like that when I'm older," Maria said.
"Maria?" Theresa said, gaining her little sister's attention "You can."
"Girls, come on. Leave the saving of the world to the men? I don't think so."
And storms full of sorrow
That won't disappear
Just typhoons and monsoons
This impossible year
"Maria, how do you feel about your sister's disappearance?"
"Maria, are you seeing a psychiatrist?"
"Maria, did your sister say anything to you before she left?"
Maria ignored them all.
Theresa wouldn't be gone long.
She was just on her own because she was sad.
Maria didn't blame Theresa; she'd be sad too if what had happened to Theresa happened to her.
She was probably somewhere far away and when she came back, she'd bring Maria all types of presents.
She'd be back soon.
There's no good times
This impossible year
Just a beachfront of bad blood
And a coast that's unclear
The four week mark just hit.
"We have to tell her, Tony."
But… He couldn't bring himself to.
If he could live in the blissful ignorance, he would.
What was so wrong about letting his daughter have that?
"Dad?"
Tony looked over at Maria, who was standing in her pajamas and looking at him with surprisingly heavy eyes.
"Yeah, Munchkin?"
"Is Theresa ever coming back?"
It was quiet for a moment.
"Of course."
"Are you sure?"
"Hey," Tony said moving to crouch at her level "It's okay… Even if she doesn't; I'll find her."
"Do you promise?" Maria asked, Tony swallowing hard.
"Yeah, I promise."
Maria managed a small smile.
"Okay, I'm gonna go back to bed."
"Night, Munchkin."
"Night, Dad."
Once Maria had left the room, Tony let his head fall into his hands.
What had he done?
All the guests at the party
They're so insincere
They just intrude and exclude
This impossible year
It hit her all in one burst.
It'd been sudden; she'd just been coloring.
Theresa always loved her drawings and Maria was drawing a picture of their family; she was going to give it to Theresa once Dad found her.
But, then she realized;
Theresa was gone.
And she was never coming back.
Maria froze as emotions hit her like a tidal wave.
She left because of you.
Theresa is gone because of you.
Theresa is dead because of you.
The next thing Maria knew, she was tearing up the drawing. Then, she quickly turned on the other drawings she'd done; shredding them into a million pieces.
"Miss Stark-."
"Shut up, Jarvis!"
Maria grabbed the metal pencil cup and threw it on the ground before grabbing the item next to it; a glass figurine.
The sound of the shattering glass broke whatever destructive spell Maria had been under.
Her breaths became choppy as she began to cry.
Hiccupping, she plopped down on her bed.
Theresa is gone.
And it's all your fault.
There's no you and me
This impossible year
Only heartache and heartbreak
And gin made of tears
"How'd it go?"
"Okay."
"Did you like Dr. Bedford?"
"He was okay."
"What'd you two talk about?"
"He asked me to talk about whatever I wanted. I didn't know what to say, so I talked about homework."
"That's okay; you're supposed to talk about anything you feel like."
"Do I have to go again?"
"… Yes, Maria; it'll help."
"You know what would help more?"
"What?"
"Theresa."
The bitter pill I swallow
The scars souvenir
That tattoo, your last bruise
This impossible year
"You okay, Munchkin?"
"I'm not hungry," Maria murmured, slipping out of her seat and heading off towards her room.
Tony soon followed, finding his daughter lying on her bed, looking at the picture Theresa had given her of the two of them.
"What is it?" Tony asked.
"Is Theresa dead?"
Tony shut his eyes and swallowed hard.
"… I don't know." Maria looked over sharply "I'm not going to lie to you, Maria; you deserve more than that. And that's my answer; I don't know."
"What do you think?" Maria asked.
"I think she's alive… No matter how crazy that seems, I'll always think she's alive."
"I think she's alive too."
"Then that's it," Tony said simply "That's all we have right now."
Maria looked over at him before scooting and patting her bed, Tony lying down beside her. Both flat on their backs and staring at the ceiling.
"Where do you think she is?" Maria asked.
"If I knew, we'd have found her," Tony pointed out. "Where do you think she is?"
"Somewhere far away from a city… She likes stars."
There's never air to breathe
There's never in-betweens
These nightmares always hang on past the dream
Dad was out at a club and Pepper had gone home.
Maria was all alone in her room.
It was always times like these when the tears began to fall.
She was scared and alone. She wished Pepper or Dad were here; she hated being alone.
She was never sure if they were going to come back.
Maria sniffled; it hurt. Everything just hurt.
But, then she felt something that wasn't hurt.
It was comfort.
She didn't understand at first; the last time she'd felt anything like this, it hadn't been a good feeling.
But, she caught on quick.
And even though it was just the feeling, she knew what they were trying to say.
"Please don't be sad; we're here for you."
A fresh bout of tears started, but it was a different type of tears.
She was still sad, but she wasn't alone.
"Please don't leave," Maria said through her tears.
They must've felt something in her feelings, because she felt a burst of love and comfort. Maria began to cry harder; knowing what they meant.
"Never."
There's no sunshine
There's no you and me
There's no good times
This impossible year