Chapter 1 – Discovering
Anna came into the house with her headphones on, just coming out from the pool, as she looked at her mother who had a worry expression as she looked at the news lady in the tv who spoke about some rich guy who return to the land of living or something. She was never the one for news programs so she ignored it.
"Hey Mom." She called out to her but still nothing. "Mom, everything ok? Nope. Mom can I use your car?" She took a step back when she didn't answer; she kind of hoped she would after the all 'accident'. "Mom can I smoke? Ok. I'm going to take your car keys and go for a ride and smoke a bit." She says walking to the coffee table and getting the Mercedes keys as she went to the entrance she was about to open the door when her mother's voice came through the house.
"Nicole Maria Anderson, you stay right there or you're grounded."
"Mom, I'm already grounded!"
"I will ground you until you're old enough to have grandchildren." She turned to her mother with a fake innocent smile but her mother wasn't having any of it. That woman is acting very strangely lately. "Put down those car keys, now."
"Fine, you never let me have any fun."
"That's because you're grounded young lady."
"Seriously mom!? What's the deal, you've been like this for 3 months."
"Nothing you need to worry about. Now, go to your room."
"Can I least build something?"
"No you cannot build any more robots."
She did a face that showed she wasn't pleased with her mother decision as she went upstairs and saw her younger brother against his door with a knowing grin.
"Got something to say Devon?" She calls him by his middle name knowing how much it pissed him off.
"Funny, Maria, very funny." Blaine screams as she turned to him and gave him the middle finger and then went to her room, turning on the music, making sure everyone in her house could listen to her rock beat very clearly. Yeah take that mom.
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In Los Angels
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"Tony you're ok?" Pepper asked him noticing the billionaire sitting on his sofa with a haunted look on his face as he stared at some picture. Pepper walked behind him and saw the picture of a young Tony Stark hugging a woman. Pepper knows enough about Tony Stark to know what it's Pam Anderson.
"Stane told me something before he died."
"Oh Tony whatever he said it was to mess with your mind."
"He told me that Pam was pregnant when she left me."
"Tony." Pepper tried to speak to him, try to assure him somehow but she didn't know. Joanna is a subject that he doesn't like to bring up but Pepper knew enough about the only woman who managed to break Tony Stark's heart. That picture of the couple is another prove that he still things about her that and the ring on her finger. That woman is the only one who managed to make Tony have a real relationship and think of steeling down. While Pepper never knew her, the woman was beautiful, with flowing blonde hair and pretty hazel eyes.
Suddenly the man got up like nothing was wrong.
"JARVIS."
"Yes sir?"
"I need you to look up files of Pamela Joanna Nivena."
"Sir, I believe you that you have forbidden me from searching that name at any occasion, especially if you are drunk."
"Well, now I am telling you to overrule it. I want main events of her life after she left."
"Miss Nivena is now Mrs. Anderson, married in the summer of 1996 to a surgeon named Cooper Anderson two years after giving up her modeling career. She currently has no job but occasionally works for charities events. The couple has two children, both born before the couple married. Actually their births certificated were alternated following wedding."
"JARVIS, the kids." Tony says to the AI and then drank a glass of whiskey.
"Miss Nicole Anderson was born in September 24, 1994 and Mister Blaine Anderson was born October 11 the following year."
Tony Stark is a genius so he didn't needed to do a lot of math to realize it. So soon he put his hands on his face. He has two kids. Two teen kids he knew nothing about.
"JARVIS blood."
"By my calculations showed that it's impossible that both Miss Nicole and Miss Blaine are Doctor Anderson's children. However it's very likely that are yours sir."
"Pictures. Now." He says sitting down on the sofa as in the table appears a picture of a young boy with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. The boy is a perfect mix of him and Pam with the typical Stark dark hair and Joanna's hazel eyes that haunted him for years.
"Blaine Devon Anderson is the youngest; he's going attend his sophomore year at Dalton Academy, a private school. The family moved a couple of months ago to Westerville, Ohio. He seems to have a large interest in music and theater. He's got a B to B+ grading with a GPA of 3.1. His highest scores appear to be English and History."
"So, he's got Joanna's brain." Tony comments as Pepper sends him a dirty look but he just ignores it. The woman kept two kids from him; he's got the right to be angry at her. "Nicole."
"Miss Nicole Maria Anderson." Tony shallow hard at the middle name. Maria. Just like his mother. At least Joanna had some decency. Physical Nicole had not a lot of him. She got Pam's blonde hair, the round shape face, the high cheekbones, pouty lips, pretty much everything but her eyes. Her big dark blue eyes here just like his mother's that he almost felt like he was staring at her ghost. "Miss Nicole seems to have inherited your intelligent sir. She maintains a perfect 4.0 having AP Honors classes in subjects like Math and Science. She was the captain of the volleyball team that won nationals awards and has various medals for gymnastic as well. She's going to be frequent a high school, sophomore year as well, in Lima, Ohio next year."
"What? That makes no sense whatever. She should be a junior. At least."
"I believe Miss Nicole was expelled from her last school making her miss the last weeks of school year."
"Expelled?"
"I believe sir that she is too much your daughter. However I can't access the files of the school to known the reasons why she was expelled."
"Jarvis I want the address. Now."
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Ohio
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Pam got up from the sofa on the living room as she heard the doorbell since Eloise was cleaning the kitchen after lunch she had to take it herself. When she opened the door she froze in the place.
"Hello Joanna. Got something to wanna tell me?" Tony Stark is at her door.
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"Do you want tea or coffee?" Pam asks nervously as she walks around the living room trying to figure it out how she's going to play this out. She is very aware why he was at her door. Tony wouldn't just come by without any reason, no, he came because he knew.
"I want my children." He says with anger in his eyes that helped cover the pain he was feeling.
"I. What children?" She tries to play the innocent card but fails miserably.
"Our children: Blaine and Nicole. Don't even try I can do the Math very well."
"Tony."
"Don't even try telling they aren't mine." He screams, something Pam never heard in her life coming from him. "I came here to the right thing, to talk to them and slowly get somewhere with you no matter how must I hate you for what you done. If you even try lying to me, it will be my lawyers knocking on the door next time."
Pam sits on the sofa in front of Tony feeling very small all the sudden. She never wanted this day to come. She knew how her children would react. Blaine would cry and ask how she could keep it from her. Nicole is going to kill her and their relationship was bad enough without this.
"Blaine is in a music summer camp. He only comes back next week. Nicole is. Nicole is in the garage. It's no use calling her while she's down there." Tony couldn't help but noticed how similar they both seemed to be already.
"Why?"
"I was scared. Young. Stupid. When I found out Stane gave me a way out at first I didn't take it but we where already fighting so much and barely seeing each other. I heard you talk with Rhodey that you think we should break up I made the decision. I took the money and went far away as I could, until I couldn't anymore."
"You came back that night. You could have told me. Instead."
"We got Blaine." She says with a sad familiar smile. "I was stupid, when Cooper propose, I got cold feet and I went to you. That day I wanted to tell you but I ended up getting drunk at that party, how cliché of me. When I woke up I realized what I wanted. I didn't want to ruin it. So I came back and told Cooper about that night, being him to forgive me. He loved me so he did. When we found out, Cooper made sure everyone knew it was his."
"I want them to know me Joanna. I have the right. They have the right."
"I can't just tell them like it won't change everything in their lives. I can't tell them they father is not who they think it is. I can't just drop that."
"There is no need too." A female voice spoke behind them as they turned to see Nicole standing there with her long blonde hair pulled into a messy ponytail, wearing a Guns and Roses black tee with denim red short-shorts. Her body has marks of oil around her and she was wearing old black ripped converses.
"Nicole why are you all dirty? I told you-"
"Cut the crap mom I'm really not in the mood for another one if your reprehensions."
"Hi, I'm."
"Anthony Stark. Owner of Stark Industries and one of the most brilliants engineers in the world. Oh right and apparently my father. Close your mouth mother. It not like it's that big of a secret, it's literally impossible to have my blood type and be Cooper's daughter."
"You already knew." Her mother says shocked with fear.
"Don't worry perfect Blaine doesn't know. Yet." She says with a grin, clearly happy with the turn of events or at least with her mother discomfort at the situation. "Now you guys can go memory lane with each other. I came to get food." She says leaving them alone and walking to the kitchen.
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Tony walked in direction to the garage after two hours of arguing with Joanna- Pam as she likes to be called now. His head and ears were starting to bleed to this point so he needed a break from her. Before he walked inside he could her Metallica's "The Unforgiven" blasting from inside. There is really no doubt she's his daughter. He walked inside but stopped when he saw a 20 inches tall painted in rusty red robot.
"Master Nicole there is an intruder… … shall I blast him now Master?" Tony blinked at the voice as the grin eventually appears in his face. He noticed his daughter turned to them with a semi closed eyes as if she was actually consideration the option.
"No MATIAS no blasting is need right now. You can rest." She says as Tony noticed the robot turning off. He was clearly impressed.
"Did you make it?"
"Yep. Actually he is more in the making progress. Everything around here is." She comments pointing to her garage as Tony noticed the mess around the place. He also takes noticed that the cause of the oil in her body is because of an old red Chevrolet Camaro. He doesn't comment on that because despite her clearly work on it, the car was perfectly clean and in the middle of the room. It came with story he's sure. So he just keeps the conversation in safer options.
"Does your robot looks like HK-47 as a coincidence or you designed based on it?"
"Please he literally quoted him when you enter, what do you think?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. Gosh, she has every bit of Stark's attitude in her.
"No R2 or 3PO?"
"I'm making a R2 for Blaine's birthday and HK-47 is clearly the most awesome and badass of them all."
"Master I believe it's time for you to drink more water." Tony looked at her with an amused smile once she recognizes the new voice of the robot.
"Thanks MATIAS." She says to the robot as she walks to chaotic table and takes a bottle of water. "Yes he sounds like Liam Neeson too. Sue me."
"No I like it." Clearly her brain is a clone of his. "I have JARVIS who also sounds British. He's an U.I. system that controls Tony Stark's Mansion and the suit."
"You're kidding?" She says like a kid at Christmas. Yes she hear about Iron Man last night whn she was reading one of her mechanics sites. "How did you do that? I have plans to create ELOISE since we moved but it's becoming hard."
"ELOISE?"
"Eco-Loving Organization Intelligent System Extraordinary. I want this new house to be eco friendly and I want ELOISE to be pretty much my JARVIS. What does it stands for?"
"Just A Rather Very Intelligent System."
"You clearly have a much better imagination. MATIAS is my My Adorable Technologic Intelligent and Amazing System. I've been creating him since I was 8. Well back then it was a computer, the last couple of years have been better for MATIAS." She says touching her robot like you do to a pet's head. "But I want to make him bigger and competent."
"Makes sense and if you need I can help you with ELOISE." He offers as he notices her expression becoming a bit softer.
"I would like that." She says as she notices Tony is about to leave. "Tony." She calls him as he turns to her. "I know it's not your fault. I don't blame and either will Blaine. And I love Pizza and donuts. Or food in general. Yeah just food is fine." He smiled at her realizing what she meant with that so he left his phone number on the table before he left. Maybe this wouldn't be that hard.
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One day before Blaine finished his time as summer camp, Tony was surprised with the phone call. Nicole told him her parents were out of town and she needed a second opinion on her ELOISE clean water project that was becoming a problem. She also demanded that he brought pineapple pizza and lemonade.
So hours later, they were sitting in the garage eating pizza after two hours of back and forward mechanical and computer arguments.
"What is your opinion on homosexually?" she asks him suddenly and he almost spits his coffee on her.
"Homosexuality?" He confirms as she nods. Clearly that was something important for her or she wouldn't just ask so suddenly. He wasn't comfortable enough yet to ask her about private questions (he actually doesn't want to imagine her dating, wow father's instincts came fast), but he noticed she was close to her grandfather since it was the only picture she had in the garage besides one with Blaine when they were kids. "I have to problems with it, anyone loves however they love." Tony almost let out a breath when he realized he gave her the right answer by her smile.
"Blaine is gay." She announces like it's not a big deal. To him it wasn't but he was surprised by the way she didn't care about it. She has an open mind that is for sure. "He came out like 5 months ago. Cooper isn't particularly a fan of that 'decision'." She speaks decision like she hated that word. He took noticed she never once spoke of Cooper, her step-father, like ever.
"Once again, I have no problem with it."
"Good. But let Blaine be the one telling you. Don't confront him about it."
"It's like you never told me anything."
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"You have to be kidding me. Iron Man is my father." Blaine screamed in the living room after a couple of days after his return, Nicole, tired of her mother not growing a pair and telling him, told him the truth herself. While she was eating chips. Like she was telling him she brought a new pair of sneakers. Ok maybe she needed better tact. She will put it on the list of things she needs to work one.
"So wanna come with me to the shopping I need some things for school and some pieces for the car."
"Everything about you is making so much sense right now." Blaine tells his older sister.