A/N: I got bored and this happened...
This is the second time I've mentioned Pippi Longstocking in one of my Ironman stories, and I've never even read one of her books, which I find rather amusing...
Anyways, hope you enjoy...
Happy reading.
Disclaimer: I don't own them...
Tony rapped his knuckles softly on the wooden door, rocking on the balls of his feet as he patiently waited for the silent "Come in" from the other side.
When he didn't get one, he gently opened the door just enough so that he could poke his head into the room. His eyes did a quick scan until they landed on the rooms' only occupant. She sat cross legged in a plush leather office chair, half way across the room; she flipped back one of her strawberry blonde braids so that it rested over her shoulder, probably out of annoyance, and looked back at him.
She did not look happy to see him.
At all!
She sighed loudly as she put her pen down and kicked the chair away from her desk, knowing that he wasn't going to leave until he got what he came for, he was stubborn that way, and predictable. She swivelled the chair around so that she faced him.
"Can I come in?" he asked as he opened the door a fraction more.
"Sure, why not." She replied a little on the sarcastic side. She rolled her eyes as he stepped into the room, he once again started to rock back, and forth on his heels, his hands behind his back.
She frowned. It was highly annoying when he tried to be innocent.
Tony didn't say anything, instead he seemed quite content just to stand there; it was infuriating, she had work to do; he obviously didn't know what that meant.
She raised her eyebrows inquisitively, "Well?" there was no warmth to her tone, it was sharp and to the point, he flinched, yep! He'd hurt her feelings.
"I err just wanted to say goodnight, Pip." He said with a small smile, hoping that he'd be forgiven.
Why was she mad again? She was mad and upset, yes, but for the love of God he couldn't for the life of him remember why.
"Pip?" she questioned, leaning forward in the chair, her left leg coming out from underneath her, her foot now planted on the floor to keep her balanced.
"Yeah, y'know, as in Pippi Longstocking...I thought it could be like a nickname or something..." he scratched the back of his head, something he did when he was nervous, when the words that spilled out of his mouth were not as good or as fluent as the ones in his head.
"Pippi Longstocking? You're comparing me to...Pippi Longstocking?" she stared at him in disbelief, serious, really? I mean come on...! She thought, Pippi Longstocking...?
"Well, yeah. You kinda look like her, I mean you've both got red hair, and freckles and well, you do tend to put your hair up in braids. A lot!" he said making overly dramatic gestures with his hands, "And come on!" He said, his almost pleading with her. Almost, "it's better than 'Annie'"
She coughed, and suddenly questioned his sanity, "Annie, how in God's name, is Pippi better than Annie?"
He started to gesture with his hands again, this time moving them in circular movements as he thought about his answer, "For one, Annie's an orphan, she has short hair that's well...curly...and redder than yours and, um, she's a little annoying and she's not a pirate and pirates are cool, and it just is okay!" he huffed, this was frustrating, he didn't have time for this, he pinched the bridge of his nose, closed his eyes, swallowed all the profanities that were on the tip of his tongue and counted to ten.
He got to three before she started laughing. He looked at her, slightly dazed; he frowned not truly understanding what was so funny.
"Hey Dad, has anyone ever told you, that for a genius you can be really stupid sometimes?" she took a few deep breaths to calm down the laughter that was still bubbling in her chest and watched him as he stuffed his hands in his pockets.
It was only then that she noticed how smartly he was dressed and remembered that he was supposed to be attending some charity auction thingy, she remembered Mom telling her this morning, she had argued that she didn't need a babysitter, and Mom had only agreed so long as she did all her homework.
Besides Jarvis was there to keep an 'eye' on her.
"Yes actually" Tony said feeling quite chuffed with himself, "Your mother might have told me once or twice," he said thought fully,"she might have even sent me a memo..."
"Riiiight!" Annabelle Stark looked at her father and smirked, "Try not to hurt your back while you dig yourself a hole, okay?" he got the feeling that she meant it.
"oh ha ha," he said as his only daughters eyes light up, a smile now lighting her face, this he knew was progress. "I have a ladder, I'll just climb out!" he said pointing his nose high in the air.
"There isn't a ladder long enough for you to climb out of this hole." she said as a-matter-of-fact.
"I'll make one!" he said whining like a four year old before poking his tongue out at her.
He shoved his hands in his trouser pocket again and felt his hand rest over the small box that hid there, his fingers touching the ribbon he'd neatly placed on top.
She looked down at her hands, and twiddled her thumbs; she didn't look up again until he cleared his throat, the noise vibrated through the room.
"I err, better go." He said scratching the back of his head again and turned his body slightly to the open door.
She nodded, "Yeah, of course," she smiled lightly at him, "Goodnight Dad."
"'Night Pip." She rolled her eyes but she was still smiling, that was a good thing, she was so much like her mother it was uncanny.
He didn't bother kiss her cheek goodnight, no she as too old for that now, but he did flash her another smile as he closed the door part way behind him.
He knew how she didn't like her door closed all the way; she couldn't sleep unless the hall light drifted in to her room, it was the kind of thing that she didn't expect him to know, but was grateful to learn that he did.
The minute he left her room she walked over to her bookshelf and removed a few books, and there pressed snugly in a little alcove was a very well read Pippi Longstocking book, one that had torn and crinkled pages.
She sat back down in her chair, and opened it up to the first page, smiling as she read the first page.
He looked at the little box that sat in his palm as he stood outside his daughter's bedroom, the red bow almost mocking him, he contemplated going back in a giving it to her, but he, Tony Stark, was chicken.
He did not, however put it back in his pocket, he placed it carefully in the gap between the wall and her door, so later on she would stumble over it, and think much like any girl, that the birthday fairies had been to give her something special. He been so busy at the office all day he'd barely had time to acknowledge that today was his daughter's birthday.
It was no wonder why she'd been upset with him all day. At least now, he thought, after our 'talk' she might be on the way to forgiving me.
"You ready, sweetie?" he looked up the hall to see Pepper, in an emerald green dress that flowed beautifully behind her, and showed off her exquisite back, walking towards him as she attempted to place a pearl earring in her ear, she couldn't quite manage it though.
"Come here." He said lovingly pulling her to him, and taking the piece of jewellery from her and clipping it into place, he had never in his life imagined that one day he'd be gentleman enough to help a woman fix her earring, and never in his life did he think that he would enjoy the simple act.
It was strange how over the past few years he had domesticated himself.
And what was even stranger was that he liked it.
She looked up at him and smiled, "Thank you."
She placed a kiss on his lips before he took her arm and linked it in his, and without another word led them down the hall and out to the car, where Happy stood waiting to take them wherever they wanted to go.
The small box with its red bow, for the time being, forgotten and stranded in a place between a door and a wall, sat calmly, happy in the knowledge that its contents was safe and secure. Bedded in folds of the softest tissue paper, the small key warm, yet alone and waiting to be found by one Annabelle Stark.
Her new car sitting idle in the garage, with a message that read:
Happy 16th Birthday, baby girl... Bet you thought I'd forgotten, Love Dad, xxx
FIN.
A/N: Well, whadda y'think?