****** SEQUEL DISCLAIMER***
Hello and welcome to the Vishanti Venture.
This is a sequel to the story I wrote that is called No-One But You (Only The Good Die Young)
It specifically follows the Vishanti trio as it becomes established. The trio members are Tony Stark, Dr. Stephen Strange, and Steve Rogers. This sequel follows the life of the Tony Stark you met in the first fic and it begins several years later.
I want to clarify one character for the reader. "Sarah" is technically Morgan Stark. This story begins in her perspective and I want that to be clear if you haven't read the first fic entirely. She is the daughter of Tony Stark and she has been given a different name for protection.
She was named "Sarah Rogers" after Steve's mother, and legally Steve Rogers is her father. But, she is Morgan Stark.
This entire story is broken up into 2 fics. Each "Chapter" that is titled has a different story arc connected to it and each story arc is complete.
The Vishanti Venture:
8. Crescendo Chapters
9. Infinito Chapters
10. Diminuendo Chapters
11. Riposa Ora (Rest Now) Chapters
12. Vishanti Venture Chapters (In progress)
Chapter 1: Crescendo Chapters: Stop, Focus
Howard Stark's home - December 31st, 1992.
Whitney Nefaria returned from her adventure in Italy. She felt like she deserved a vacation and she wanted to check up on her family back home.
It felt so strange for her to not have Sarah near her. She was too young to travel that far of a distance. Plus, Tony and Steve needed to actually spend some time with her. They had been bouncing around with their drama and upsetting Sarah too often. She brought all of that up to Maria after she arrived at the Stark home.
It was time for them to have a serious discussion about Sarah. Everyone needed to be on the same page when it came down to how she would be raised. Whitney thought that the set up was a bit of a mess. She knew what her daughter needed and didn't need in her life so, it was time to chat.
They all agreed and met up at the same place. It was New Years Eve and Sarah was already exhausted from her extremely busy baby day. She was asleep in the nursery and that gave her family unit the opportunity to have their discussion.
In the living room you had Howard, Maria, Tony, Steve, and Whitney. They all sat in a happy little circle. It felt like a pow-wow but without all the cool clothing. Tony thought that because his mind often went to odd places during meetings.
Whitney started the show. She wore a lovely lavender dress and she meant business. Steve and Tony kinnnnddddaaaa forgot how stunning she was. They both recalled.. stuff. She gave Steve and Tony a big smile. They both looked at that smile and they interpreted it in different ways.
Steve looked at Tony for a clue. Tony looked back at him because he didn't have one.
WHITNEY WAS ALWAYS A MUTE.
"I've had tons of fun waiting for you two to get your shit together. You're together again and I'm glad. Yippee. Now, it's my turn to give you my input on Sarah." She smiled again.
Steve and Tony both crinkled their faces and shrunk their noses up. They didn't like to be talked to like that. How rude. They heard Howard laugh quietly and he tried to hide it with a cough. Everyone glanced at him as he cleared his throat.
"At some point I am going to give Sarah my apartment. It was purchased under my alias Whitney Frost so that could deflect at least one stupid person that will try to kidnap her or whatever. It will be hers and you two will have ZERO JURISDICTION in that apartment. Understood?" She pointed at Steve and Tony.
"What exactly does that mean?" Steve wanted some clarification. He sat up a little straighter and his voice had just a smidge of a commanding tone behind it. Steve never hesitated to challenge Whitney. He enjoyed it, actually. She enjoyed it as well. Her smirk grew wide.
"She does not need to live with the two of you when she gets older. She will have her own apartment when I am ready for her to have her own apartment. And, you will have no jurisdiction within it. If she wants you to visit you can but, it is hers to do as she pleases."
Whitney crossed her arms and she sat in a delicate manner. Steve kinda glared...
Tony thought it was a glare? But he kinda thought Steve was squinting a bit because he was studying Whitney's expression?
Either way, it was a bit tense between them. Tony thought about the jurisdiction thing for a moment.
"Well, where the hell are you going? If we have no "jurisdiction" in the apartment and someone tries to kill her what are you gunna do Whit?"
Tony didn't think Sarah having her own place was safe. What if she became a party animal, like him? He laughed at the thought, but his thought was serious. Steve still had that stare glare going on.
"Let's back up a bit before I answer that question. How do we want her schooled?" Whitney deflected the question. Steve and Tony looked at each other. They both had an answer for that one and Steve decided to speak first.
"We've discussed having her attend Xavier's school. She will be protected there and they do have a branch in New York."
"Protected how?" Whitney didn't know who Xavier was. She trusted Steve's judgement but she didn't know anything about the school.
Howard actually chimed in.
"I've had a contract with that school for a very long time. She will be protected there by a strong group of mutants. It's a good school as well. She'll get to meet all kinds of individual people." Howard really liked the school and the idea.
Tony liked the idea as well because it was a private school. He didn't want her to go to any public school. She'd be too vulnerable. He was a bit quiet because he was in thought about the ultimate question.
"All right, you've sold the school to me. I still want to check it out before she goes. When she graduates she can either work, go to a university, or go.. to space. I'm not sure but I think I will give her the apartment then. She will need her space." And Whitney intended to give it to her.
She was not the type to smother. Whitney loved her daughter and she wanted her to enjoy her life.
"You boys and your drama won't be getting in the way of her space. I also don't want her to live with you once she starts getting older... it's not gunna happen." Whitney gave them both a nice smile but SHE FUCKING MEANT IT.
Their faces twisted up again. What was with the insults?! Tony's jaw was almost to his knee.
"And what is so wrong with her living with us?" Tony barked his question at Whitney. He was insulted. Stevvvveeee kinda saw where she was coming from. He kept his mouth shut.
"I've lived with the two of you.. your daughter doesn't need to be anywhere near your sexcapades. I don't care how far away the room is." She decided to be blunt so Tony would stand down. The grandparents kinda wished the meeting was not at their house. Howard and Maria had a mixture of reactions.
"That whole thing you just said belongs on the 'Howard doesn't need to know' list. Ok? I agree with Whitney. She'll need her own space. And, you guys will be close enough to protect her from alien people or spider people. Change the subject pleeeeaaassseee." The grandfather couldn't take it.
"Next topic. Her father.." Whitney looked at Tony. They changed her name to protect her. They made Steve the legal father on paper. Whitney wanted to know how Tony wanted to be addressed by Sarah.
At that point, she called them both her "fawmers" but Whitney knew at some point she was going to really relate titles to each person.
Tony stared back at Whitney. That was the ultimate question in his mind. He still felt like her being associated with the Stark name was a risk. He looked at his parents. They were considered to be her grandparents no matter what. Steve didn't have his parents. So, by their marriage the grandparent thing would make sense to Sarah.
That was even a risk. Tony was paranoid that she would get sold off to the highest bidder. Presented like cattle to some..power hungry fuck. Tony's mind went to a dark place. The darkest place on earth. A dark cave that smelled like burning ..
"Tony?" His mother's voice brought him back. Tony wiped his cheek and he gave it some more thought.
"I don't.." Tony looked at Steve. He was a better father for her. Tony knew that he couldn't compete. He remembered the fact that he took her flying. Remember that?
That shit was photographed. It ended up in the paper. Tony couldn't risk it anymore. He was a friggen danger.
"I don't want her to know. I'll be .. a friend. Or however it turns out. But, I don't want her that connected to me."
Everyone heard Howard scowl in his seat. He didn't like that idea at all. His pride always fought against Tony's decision.
"That girl looks just like you. You're not going to be able to hide that forever. That is your daughter Tony and she is going to figure it out. Other people will figure it out as well." Howard had to slap some logic in his son's head. Tony was too focused on all the danger he went through as a Stark.
If he wasn't a Stark, Obidiah would have never noticed him. He would have never coiled around him like a fucking snake.
"When she is older we can tell her. I want her to be old enough to really understand the risks and why the decision was made. If she's told too young she might put herself in harm's way. She could get hurt just by talking to people, you know? Simple shit like that could get her killed. Or worse.."
Tony just looked off at.. something. His father didn't friggen get it. All Obidiah had to do was PRETEND to be a human being and then BAM.. Tony was carted off to the slaughterhouse. But, that was all in the past right? Nothing like that could happen to Sarah..
Tony decided to keep his doubts and protect his daughter. That meant disassociating himself with her for a while. He already did it little by little. He gradually let Steve take the reigns. It was getting easier for himself to get phased out.
Tony felt like Sarah adored Steve. He loved to watch her kick around in her seat and whistle to get his attention. She became so happy whenever he was near.
"When she is eighteen we will tell her. Not on her birthday of course that is too heavy to digest. But, around that time we'll feel it out and tell her." Steve pitched that idea and the others thought on it.
"My father waited until I was close to that age to tell me who he was. He was more dramatic about it but, I think that is a good idea." Whitney's situation was different. Her father was crazy and the Frost family died unexpectedly.
Her reaction to the news was an unhappy one. She didn't think that Sarah would take the news in a bad way. It all depended on her personality that was still in development.
"Where will you go Whitney? When you leave the apartment?" Maria wanted to know if she intended to marry Roger. Whitney fixed her dress and she thought about it.
"I will remain close. I've decided to take control of the Maggia. We intend to re-group in New York and open up for business." She already had a few additional plans in the works. Tony glanced over at Steve because that stare glare showed up again.
"What exactly does that mean? Your daughter grows up a bit and you return to crime?" He didn't like the idea of the Nefaria family backpedaling on their arrangement. Whitney looked at the forever charming Steve Rogers.
"It means my people start branching out even further. We already own businesses in that area. That deli that you like? We employ everyone in that building.. we keep tabs. There is no crime in that. Sarah will have her freedom but the Nefaria family will keep watch. That is what we do."
Tony had his tech, Steve had his S.H.I.E.L.D. and Whitney had her family. Whitney would not back down from her system either.
"If you're nice to me, I'll give you the names of all the businesses we currently own. We need to really trust each other and keep her safe." Every business was purchased and run in a way that was hard to trace. Everyone in the Nefaria family had a second or third name.
The only record keeping that was done was untraceable. A protected accountant that was located .. where?
Who knows. And nothing was ever digital. Whitney knew that Steve, S.H.I.E.L.D., and even Roger had nothing concrete on her family business. The only issue she saw was with the older Tony Stark. She didn't really know what information he had.
Whitney was deep in thought. Maria brought her out of it with another question.
"Do you all want Sarah to be an only child? I was hoping at some point to have more grandchildren. Maybe with Roger?" Maria wanted to hug and kiss more beautiful babiessss. She had baby fever.
Everyone else kinda cringed. Tony definitely cringed. Whitney kinda blushed? Steve's eyes enlarged. Howard just shut his mouth. He physically shut it with his hand. Whitney actually glanced at Tony. For some reason she looked at him.
The question managed to fluster her up. Her body felt red hot.
"I certainly do not want to have anymore children. Roger might but.. uhh. The security of Sarah is my main focus. If I did have another child...well, I would.." She refused to finish that thought. Whitney tried not to look at Tony but, she failed.
"Those two are more than welcome to adopt." There. She deflected where her real focus went and she smiled at Steve and Tony. The burden of the question was off of her shoulders. Now, Tony and Steve looked a little flustered.
"Cooooool it mom. Get that idea out of your head. No more babies." Tony cleared his throat and he hoped that idea went BYE-BYE. Very bye-bye. Maria frowned.
"Happy New Year everyone." Howard noticed that it was after midnight. They all looked at the grandfather clock in the living room. Thoughts started to seep into everyone's minds as they thought about the new year.
~~~~/~~~~
MIT Recruitment Office. November 21st, 2009.
"My name is Sarah Rogers. Did you want my student ID number?" Sarah sat at the edge of an oblong shaped table. She was in a meeting with a school guidance counselor. Sarah had to make sure that all her information was processed and ready to go.
"Go ahead and type in your ID." The man gave her an instruction and she moved closer to the table to get it done.
She was accepted to the school that was her top choice. She was beyond excited but she actually managed to contain herself. Her next step was to get all the ducks in one long row. She finished entering her number and then she smiled.
"Ok, I see everything. Thank you." The counselor did some typing and some scrolling. Sarah's impatience was obvious. One of her legs started to move around and shake.
"You had one of the highest scores on your entrance exam. Congratulations! Do you know who still holds the highest score?" Sarah started to smile. She knew exactly who still had the highest score.
"Who might that be?" She raised her eyebrow and waited to hear the counselor's response.
"Tony Stark. He's our top Alumni at MIT."
"No kidding? Will I get to meet him?" She held a sarcasm behind her voice but the man didn't catch on. He had no idea that Tony Stark was technically her co-parent. She didn't consider him to be her "step-father" but, in Sarah's mind ..he was second in charge. Technically, he was third in charge because her mother was the queen beeee.
Steve Rogers was her father of course. He was known all over the world and Sarah was very proud of him. She really tried to follow in his footsteps. His philosophy on life and his values became rooted in Sarah. She was his biggest fan. But, little by little something started to happen.
As she grew up, strange comments started to occur. She never told anyone, but Sarah started to listen when people would mention that she "didn't look like her father". It made her think twice when she heard the comment, "you must take more after your mother."
People never meant any harm. They would talk to her about her father all the time and that subject always seemed to pop up.
When Sarah turned seventeen she started to really internalize it. She even dyed her hair blonde just to stop the comments. She told her mother and father that she just wanted to try out the color.
She kept the truth from everyone because Steve Rogers was her father. He was her father, and her connection with Tony Stark was very different. She never thought about it, but if she had to describe it then he was her closest companion. She went to him for advice about her parents, math homework, and everyday stuff.
As you know, Sarah attended Charles Xavier's school for gifted youngsters. She graduated early and she started working right away. At age sixteen she got a job at the Daily Globe. A newspaper based in New York. She was a copy-editor and she enjoyed it. She put off additional schooling and just enjoyed her time at home.
Whitney gave her the apartment when she turned eighteen. Sarah started to work more and she was very independent.
The word "promiscuous" was used to describe Sarah when she attended Xavier's school. They had infrequent parent-teacher meetings and that word was used. Steve's mind went straight to Tony when he heard that word.
That was his word for Tony back in the day. Whitney was equally promiscuous. Steve was clearly outmatched and it amused him. Before Sarah cut ties with Xavier's school she met a mutant by the name of Roberto da Costa. He was known in the mutant world as "Sunspot". Over time Sarah started to officially date him.
He was a passionate person. Sarah really liked him and their relationship carried on for a long while. The mutant was intimidated by Steve right away. Steve didn't even have to do anything. He just had to be present and Roberto was nervous. Whitney thought that he was "OK". She only described him that way.
Tony was the only one of the three that gave her a concrete opinion. Because he "wasn't" Sarah's father, he got to hear a little more about their relationship. His best prediction of Roberto actually came true.
"He's a suit, just not on parade." Tony always dropped her hints. The comment didn't make sense to Sarah for a time. When Tony flat out told her, "I don't like him. He's a sleezeball." That made more sense.
Later on down the line, Roberto eventually asked Sarah to introduce him to Tony. He wanted to be introduced in a more formal sense? She couldn't figure out why and he wanted to meet him that way for months. His interests in technology were not apparent. Roberto finally revealed that he purchased an organization called A.I.M. and he realllllyyy wanted to get nice and cozy with Tony Stark.
The business suit emerged and was officially on parade. He showed her his true face. Everything else that he opened up to her about seemed fake after that. He looked like a completely different person. Sarah was devastated for a little while. She dumped him and never spoke to him again.
Then, boyfriend number two arrived on the scene. The second one came into her life through her father's work with S.H.I.E.L.D. He had been in some serious trouble and he literally fell onto Steve Rogers. Or, so she was told.
Sarah was not involved with the organization in any way. Her father brought that troubled individual into S.H.I.E.L.D. and he became his apprentice. His name was Sam Wilson and he was very sweet. Passionate like Roberto but without all the vanity and ego. Sarah saw him at random after she caught his eye.
He actually asked for Steve's permission before he even attempted to start a relationship with her. Steve understood that behavior more than Sam knew.
Sarah wasn't sure if she trusted him because of the whole Roberto bullshit. She had her guard up. Steve tried to help her see around that because he adored Sam. Tony and Whitney also thought that he was a much better match.
Sarah gave it a shot. They dated for a few months. She liked him but she felt like she wasn't being fair. Her mind hadn't really gotten over the Roberto thing so after a while she decided to just remain friends with him.
She wanted more time and space and Sarah just wanted to do her own damn thing. Their romance was short lived. Sarah didn't want to throw it all away. She just put it on the back burner for now.
So there she was, Sarah received the information from the counselor about her future school and she headed home. She called her father first. She told him the big news and she squawked about it for the almost her entire commute to the apartment. Steve said that he would head her way. Then, she called her mother. Whitney agreed to meet her as well.
Next up was Tony. She decided to tell him in person. She took her normal track back to the apartment tower and she checked the mail in the lobby. Before Sarah headed to the elevator she sent Sam Wilson a quick text message. She sent him updates and reports when she felt like it. He did the same.
Her message was sent about MIT, and then Sarah headed to the elevator. She pressed the button to summon it to her. She was headed straight to Tony's lab. He was there often and she always hung out with him when she could. Before the elevator arrived she noticed someone walk up beside her.
Sarah turned and looked. She saw the person and gasped a little bit.
She knew exactly who it was. She had seen him a few times as she grew up. Sarah also knew that he worked with her father sometimes and she only saw him in passing. Her mouth opened and she jumped to speak.
"Thor?" Sarah felt a little odd but she smiled. Thor turned in her direction. He gave the young woman a smile but she was not recognized. He was on his way to Tony Stark's lab. The Thor Odinson that Sarah greeted was not the same one that she saw when she was a child.
That one was from the future. The one that stood beside her actually belonged in that dimension. They had never officially met and he wasn't as involved as the other Thor.
"Hello. Good day." He smiled at the mortal, turned his body, and then he looked at the elevator. Sarah stared ahead at the elevator as well. She scratched her head and felt awkward. Thor was so short with her.
"I know you. You don't recognize me obviously but, I knew you when I was a kid" Crap crap crap. She thought that was such an odd thing to say. He turned back to her and finally looked at Sarah. The elevator arrived. He looked at her face. He did not think he was on Earth at all when the mortal in front of him was a child. He studied her eyes.
"Your eyes look familiar to me. But, I'm sorry I can't quite place you."
"You fight alongside my father? You know, Avenger stuff?" Thor had to do a double take. He looked at her again and he took his time with it. He noticed the brown color that existed at the roots of all that blonde hair. She wore jeans and a shirt that made no sense. He took in her entire appearance and he stopped at her eyes.
"Are you Anthony Stark's child? I had no idea he had any children.." Sarah's mouth fell open. No.. Thor guessed verrrryyyy incorrectly. Sarah's mind took off in a million different directions and she responded.
"No. My father is Steve Rogers."
"Oh, my apologies. I'm a bit.. jet-lagged? That is a term here." He tried to clear up his mistake and he looked at her hair. He could tell that it was artificially blonde. Thor understood immediately what the situation was. It was Stark's child. That was obvious to Thor at that point.
"Jet-lagged?"
"I just dimension hopped. I do it often and that was the source of my mistake. My eyes are all jumbled. Jostled is a better term, I believe?"
Sarah just smiled. Right.. that was the source of his mistake. Sarah became curious and she looked back at Thor.
"How does one dimension hop?" She wondered if humans could accomplish it. Thor chose his words carefully. He didn't want to make another mistake. But, Thor also created his own agenda in his mind. Sarah seemed very affected by his words. Now, she had questions.
"Your father can answer that. He's dimension hopped. Just ask him. Lately, he's been trying to keep up with me but... I'm afraid it's impossible." He had to smile and Sarah held a look of total confusion.
"It can't be impossible if it's been accomplished. He'll be able to keep up with you. You'll see." Sarah placed her hands on her hips just like the father that was in her mind. Thor recognized the stance as she challenged him. He could see the behavior of Steve Rogers within her. He was a bit fascinated for a moment.
When Thor spoke of her father, he referred to Tony. But, there he looked upon a version of Steve.
He wondered what her mother looked like. Thor smiled and he glanced at the elevator. They lost their opportunity to enter. The father situation intrigued him but he kept it to himself.
Thor was happy to hear her subtle challenge. OH. An explanation to something that was said came to his mind and he had to clarify.
"I remember something. Another version of me lended his assistance to your father a long time ago. They defeated Thanos together. That is most likely the version of me that you saw." Thor smiled again as the elevator returned to them and the doors finally opened. They both stepped in and Sarah put her hair behind her ear. Thanos? Her father did everything he could to keep Sarah out of all that Avenger business.
She knew about it vaguely, and at that point her father rarely used his shield. Threats didn't occur for them like they used to so, he didn't really have to. Sarah also knew that Tony was Iron Man. She remembered that suit. She flew in the sky with him and it was something she could never forget. It never happened again and she wanted to ask Tony about it.
...she wanted to ask him a few questions, actually.
Sarah and Thor both went to press the button for Tony's lab. They both stopped and they awkwardly laughed. Uhh...they were both headed in the same direction.
"I'm heading to Tony's lab."
"I am heading to the bottom floor."
They both stated the obvious at the same time for, some reason. Thor looked at Sarah's eyes again for a moment. He could see something that Sarah was obviously unable to see. She was unsure what to say. Sarah glanced at Thor and then she started to look at the mail that she picked up.
"Your father is one of the most noble mortals I have ever encountered. He's known throughout the universe as the Thanos Slayer. I admire him."
"Same here. Can I quote you on that and tell him that you said it?" She dropped a journalist pun and Thor actually smiled.
"He knows already. What is your name?" He realized that she never identified herself. Sarah smiled and she tucked that hair behind her ear again.
"My name is Sarah." She looked back at the elevator doors and she waited for it to reach the bottom floor. She wondered if Thor lived in the apartment complex. Many members of the Avengers lived there. The apartment tower was full of them but, Sarah had better shit to do with her day.
They arrived on Tony's floor and she looked at Thor again. Thor stood in silence for a moment and they both walked out. He followed her toward the lab. Thor and Sarah both entered the workspace and the demigod looked upon the young woman's actual father.
He could tell they were related immediately. He wondered why all the secrecy?
...humans. Thor sighed and he crossed his arms. Tony was hard at work. He was engaged with something that Thor knew about and he barely noticed the two of them walk in.
Call him butter, because he was on a roll. That very handsome brunette finally noticed some movement. He looked up from his work and he stared at the two people that entered his lab.
They both went to speak to him at the same time. Uhhh.. Tony brought a rag up from the table and he wiped the sweat off his brain container. Thor got a word out first.
"Anthony, you asked for me?" He was summoned and there he was. Thor did not use those, telephones.
"I have a question for you. But, it's gotta wait. I've got the squish machine here." Tony looked at Sarah. He started to rub his hands with the rag. That was Sarah's cue and she leapt toward him.
"What? I can't know what the question is?" She assumed it was "Top Secret" material. Tony turned his head to the side and thought it over. He pointed at his work.
"This is the 56th version of a robot called Dum-E. I've sent him to a location that Thor provided me and he returns completely ZAPPED. Fried. Burnt to a crisp. I was about to start human trials and it's .. not a good plan." There. He told her his filthy secrets and Sarah looked at the machine.
"Did you send it to a different dimension? .. wait." Sarah looked at Thor. She remembered what he said. A comment about her father. Thor stepped a little closer and he also looked the machine over.
She looked back at Tony.
"Are you working on this for dad?" She had to know. Tony swallowed and he stared. He thought her question was odd. It made him nervous. Sarah looked down at Tony's notes.
"Are those calculations for dimension hopping?" She tried to grab the pages. EEEK! Tony grabbed his notes and his eyes peered over in Thor's direction. Tony tossed those notes far far away.
"Have you two been chatting?" He waved his hand between the two of them. Urrhhhrmmm... Thor was officially deemed un-trustworthy. Tony saw that smile.
"We just met in the lobby. He's actually not the same Thor that I saw as a baby. He says that one defeated someone named Thanos with my dad? Who is Thanos?"
OKKKK. THOR WAS GOING TO DIE. Tony snapped his fingers together in a rhythm and he pointed at Thor.
"Zip it hammer boy. And as for you Sarah. You are up to, what today exactly?" Thor was gunna GET IT. Tony didn't care if he was out of the loop. When Sarah was gone he was gunna kick his ass! Sarah got closer to Tony. Her excitement level hit the roof. She planned to look over those calculations ...later.
"Oh yeah! Guess what?!" Sarah barged over and she gave Tony a hug. He gently hugged her back. His eyes caught that bleached blonde hair and he kindaaaaa felt a sharp pain or two in his chest.
"What's up?" He used his foot to coerce some more of his notes out of sight. Her hug tightened and then she stepped back. Tony gave Thor a smile. Yeah, he had to wait and he was gunna GET IT. Sorrryyy..
"Ok. I called dad and he says hi. I called mom too and she says hi as well.. now, guess which school I'm officially going to grace with my amazing presence?" She was beyond excited. Tony took a moment to think it over. He kinda stared at her for a bit and then he had to busy himself. He got rid of that rag he forgot about and grabbed a different tool from the table. He started to swirl it around.
"I can't guess because you applied to what? Fifty?" He laughed and stared at the contraption in his hand. Tony had a bunch of things on his mind. According to their plan back in the day, it was technically time to tell her the truth. He looked at his eighteen year old daughter and he had to distract himself.
Hello, water bottle. He dropped the tool and held up the bottle. Tony offered her some and she shook her head no. You don't .. share water bottles? Sarah laughed because Tony was an odd one. She was too impatient. He didn't give a guess and she needed him to knowww.
"MIT." Sarah smiled and Tony almost dropped the bottle of water. He seriously almost took a nosedive himself. That news really hit him in the feels. Sarah's personality and behavior always took after Steve. She really loved him and admired him. Sarah friggen worshipped Steve and because of that, Tony didn't expect to hear her say MIT.
He just stared and his mind filled with thoughts. Sarah bleached her hair blonde with her friends on her seventeen birthday. When they saw her, Steve and Tony thought that it was definitely time to tell her who her actual father was. A year friggen later? They couldn't do it.
She was so attached to Steve. Tony was afraid that the news would..upset her. He wanted to tell her. He started to think that they waited too long. His mind filled to the brim with regrets and thoughts. Tony kinnnndaaa spaced out.
Thor just crossed his arms. Humans amused him. They twisted themselves into pretzels with all their emotions. Thor was pretty close to laughing. He waited and remained silent.
"Tony?" Sarah saw an un-readable look on his face. He looked almost sad.
"MIT huh? That's a really good school. I didn't get to stick around for my Master's and all that but.. I had a good time there. Congrats kid." He glanced at THOR. Whut do you want?
Tony remembered MIT. He had a good time until he was taken out of good old skewl. His life was in danger all the damn time so he had to be plucked out.
He achieved his Bachelors degree beforehand so.. he graduated. ANYWAY. He smiled at Sarah and gave her some love. Tony hugged her tight and he looked around the lab.
"So, when does your dad get home? He never tells me because he likes to keep me in suspense." Steve was supposed to be overseas. He had some S.H.I.E.L.D. business to take care of and Sarah smiled.
"I'm not gunna tell you Tony." She laughed at him and he sigheddd. Friggen FRIG. Tony just rolled his eyes and he glanced at Thor. The God of Thunder had to WAIT some more. Tony stared at his daughter.
OK, TELL HER NEVER? TELL HER NOW? TELL HER NEVER? TELL HER NOWWWWWWwwww?
Tony picked up that water bottle again. He sipped his damn water from the bottle.
"What's going to be your main topic of digestion at MIT?" He was curious. Sarah excelled at every field she felt like gracing with her presence. At that point, Tony felt like she chose to dabble. An actual major? He wasn't sure where she was with that.
"Cognitive Science." She thought that Tony was in a strange mood. She figured it had to do with her father being gone. Tony started to drink his water at a slower rate.
He knew that she had a part time job at the Daily Globe. He expected her to try to advance her way up at the Globe or be like Steve and get into an art school.
The MIT thing really made him feel... stuff.
"They have a Ph.D. program that interests me. And, I've been curious about their courses on computational neuroscience. Dad was seriously speechless when I told him the course choices I was looking into."
Yeahhhhh Tony figured that Steve would have been a bit speechless. It was definitely time to tell her. In Tony's opinion it had gotten out of hand at that point. Hmmmm Tony had a thought.
He scratched at the side of his head and he looked at his daughter.
"What about the connection of that with some serious robotics? Does that interest you?" He just had to wonder. Sarah's head tilted to the left. Her big o'eyes. Tony couldn't get enough of them.
"I mean, Massachusetts is so far away. You could learn all that and then some if you just ...accept an internship at this wonderful place called Stark Industries? Just this small, local business." Tony looked away and he gave Thor a grin. Hold that thought Thor.
"Are you trying to recruit me to Stark Industries?" She laughed and Tony gave her a smile. He wasn't trying to recruit her anywhere. He just didn't want her to go to Massa-freakin-chusetts.
Tony thought about the aftermath of telling her the truth. She'd know and then POOF she be off to MIT? UH lame ...Tony already felt like they had more to learn about each other. Her interests were beginning to shift in his direction. It was sorta strange.
Right.. he forgot to respond.
"No, no.. I want you to just go out there and be a sponge. Soak up as much info as you can. But, if a neuro-scientifical connection to robotics interests you let me know. I work on that stuff all the time." He worked on that and then some. Tony gave her a sincere smile and Sarah started to nod her bleached blonde head.
"Will do. I'm going to head up to mom. I'll see you later ok?" She gave Tony another hug and she smiled at Thor. Hhhrruuummm.. Tony caught onto something..
"You're going to see me later because someone is going to show up this evening, RIGHT?" Ahhhhhaaaa Tony held a devilish grin. His main man was going to come home. Tony hadn't seen that friggen stud in over a week. Sarah screwed up. She gave away the secret and she sighed very loudly.
"Don't tell him I gave it away. You better act surprised." Sarah pointed at Tony and then she headed out. As soon as the coast was clear THOR stepped up to Tony's work table.
"That was adorable. You really shouldn't hide your parentage Anthony."
"Shut up about that. Look at my robot." It was burnt to a crisp! Tony couldn't figure it out. He sent one of the earlier models to Thor's realm. He was able to do his thing and it returned with no issue.
Now? Everything he sent over to yonder-land came back to him all jacked up. What gives?!
"What is happening to my tech?" Tony pushed it closer to Thor and he sulked a little. Thor pushed it back in Tony's direction.
"You sent this tech to my realm and you started collecting materials.. correct?"
"I was harmlessly searching for new metals. Is that a crime?" Tony crossed his arms like Thor. In comparison, Tony looked scrawny. Whatever. He crossed those arms regardless.
"It's not a crime, but you are upsetting someone. This is the result." Thor pointed at the busted up tech. Tony seriously gasped. Who the EFF?
"Who is doing it Thor?" He needed to knowwww. Tony was irritated with it all week. When he wasn't at work he distracted himself with his dimension hops. Steve was overseas remember? That meant Tony had to keep himself preoccupied with a project.
He only sent tech to other realms and dimensions at that point because of the risk. He planned to get to the human trials, soonish? Not if some jerk was fucking up his tech.
"I am not going to tell you who is doing it. I can only warn you. If you continue to disrupt the realms you will have consequences Anthony. They are already in the works and I will lend my aid to those consequences."
Wow. Tony received his warning and he scowled at that blonde brute. That kinda sounded like a threat. Thor just gave him a smile and he decided to ask a question.
"Who is Sarah's mother? You've kept them so well hidden. I honestly had no idea you.."
"You're done. Don't talk about Sarah. That is Steve's daughter, not mine. Get with the program Thor." Tony shut that down quick. He shoved his busted up robot into the recycled parts bin.
Tony had too much on his mind. Thor just stared at him for a moment.
"I'll find out myself. Take care Anthony and consider that to be your final warning. If you send one more item into another realm then someone will retaliate against you."
Tony rolled his damn eyes. Thor left the lab. Ghhgrrreeeattttt. Tony held a glare and he gathered up all his papers and notes. He packed them all together in a nice little pile and he set them on his work table.
Tony closed up shop and he headed up to the top floor.
Chapter End:
The Crescendo Chapters officially begin. I know I know I'm horrible and I just can't write an ending apparently. Oh well, whatever. The people have spoken.
I've had some feedback about Sarah. I've decided to focus on her for this chapter and carve out a bit more closure to the story. Enjoy! Don't like it? Don't read it!
Thanks for reading if you do and feedback is always greatly appreciated.
Stay tuned for more.
