Truth, Love, and Home: Tony Faces and Accepts His Family
Disclaimers: I do not own Marvel, Disney, Fox, Sony, or any characters, movies, and ideas associated with the before mentioned companies. This is a work of entertainment. There is no monetary gain or other profit being made from this fiction. I am not making money from this and no copyright infringement is intended.
Summary: Tony Stark has a secret daughter that only he, Pepper, Happy, and Rhodey know about. She visits him during her stay in New York for official business. The team is shocked and surprised by her and Bucky sees it as an opportunity to give Steve a nudge to go back into the world after Sharon.
Chapter 2: Watching from A Screen
Tony wakes up with a pounding head ache and sees aspirin and water with in his grasp. Moving to grab them, he feels something slip from his shoulders and sees a blanket on the floor. Sighing, he picks it up and tosses it over his shoulder. Ta king the aspirin, he sees the pizza and sighs. Despite his ass hole behavior, she still loves him. Looking up, he sees the clock. It is four in the morning and the only people up would be Steve and Bucky. He takes a slice of pizza and sits back on his work bench. "FRIDAY, play file Em graduation ceremony one."
He watches in silence as a little girl in long golden brown braids toddles up to a stand and receives a piece of paper stating that she's graduated kindergarten. Smiling, he sips his water and watches as she quietly moves off stage. The teachers congratulate her and she smiles and nods and thanks them in French. An old feeling creeps up into Tony and he sighs. She was in a French boarding school. "Next, please."
Watching, he sees a chubby girl on the cusp of puberty wearing thick plastic rimmed glasses standing at a podium. Listening, he hears his daughter give her valedictorian speech in German. Looking, he guess that she's about twelve years old and sighs. She graduated in Germany and another boarding school. Biting his lip, he looks up. "Next, please FRIDAY."
Tilting his head, he realizes that this is after her graduation ceremony. She's packing her bags when a nun walks in waving a paper. He doesn't realize what's going on until he sees a college seal on the paper. His heart clenches when he realizes that it is her first college acceptance letter and that her smile never reaches her eyes. She accepts the paper and nods muttering what he assumes to be thanks. Clenching his fists, he looks at the ceiling. "Is there any where I'm with her?"
FRIDAY remains silent for a long moment. "No, sir."
Blinking, Tony looks at the holographic images. "What about her MIT graduation? Didn't I go to that?"
There is another pregnant pause from FRIDAY. "No, sir. You were scheduled to give the commencement speech but you were otherwise occupied."
Sitting up he looks through her graduation files and discovers more about his daughter in an hour than he has known in her entire life. She doesn't smile in any of her ceremonies and seems bored by attention. Choking, he watches what should be the happiest moments of her life being treated as if they are solemn and depressing events. Turning to his mini-fridge, he grabs a bottle of vodka. He's too sober to deal with this.
Bucky and Steve walk in to the common room at five in the morning and see Em making coffee and looking at her tablet in deep thought. Surprised, Bucky knocks on the door way. "You're up at the ass crack of dawn? I didn't think Stark's could know what the early morning darkness looked like."
Looking up, she yawns and sips her coffee. "I do, most of my research takes place at this hour so I'm used to waking up at least two hours before now. The coffee should be ready if you want some."
Nodding, Steve looks at her and sees a lot of Tony in her features, but they are softened by the person who was her mother. Taking the cup offered by Bucky, Steve sips. "What are you doing today?"
Sipping her coffee, she puts her tablet down and rubs her eyes. "Going over notes, looking at some business things, nothing major really, until seven o'clock. Then after seven I have to meet with few local businesses, study the improvements to arc-power technology, relay those readings to Switzerland, Germany, Dubai in Saudi Arabia, and finally Japan. After informing the respective countries of changes, I schedule days that Mr. Stark is available to make the required upgrades. After that it is all out of my hands."
Raising a brow, Steve looks at her. "He doesn't share how to fix it with you?"
Shaking her head, she sips her coffee. "No, arc-technology is his brain-child and he doesn't want to share. I'm not going to fuss over it." She looks down at her pad and frowns. "Quit giving me those pitying looks, please."
Bucky and Steve look at each other and raise their brows. Bucky pats Steve's shoulder and smirks. Walking over he takes the Stark Pad from her hands and smiles. "You aren't getting this back until you agree to and have an "ass crack of dawn" danish with me and Stevie."
Shocked, she looks at them and raises a brow. "You're holding my Stark Pad hostage until I agree to eat with you two lunatics?"
Nodding, Bucky smiles. "Yep. What do you say?"
Sighing, Steve takes the Stark Pad from Bucky. "That there are better ways to ask to eat with us?" Handing it back to Em, he blushes. "Sorry, he's a jerk."
Rolling his eyes, Bucky smirks."Punk. Come on, one little pastry with a couple of old fellas. We will make it worth your lost time and trust us, we know about lost time."
Chuckling, she looks at them. "Fine. Only because Steve gave it back. I don't know how I let myself be talked into this, but I will eat a pastry with you two."
Bucky smiles and looks at his watch. "I have got to run. I promised Sam that I would meet him in the park for a run. Steve can show you the way. He's not allowed to run on his leg yet."
Steve is about to protest but Bucky is already out of the door and has left him alone with Em. "Um, hi."
Turning the Stark Pad off, Em smiles. "Hi. I don't believe we were ever formally introduced."
Extending his right hand, Steve smiles. "Steve Rogers. That was Bucky, he's my best friend and one of the inmates at this asylum."
Taking his hand, Em laughs. "I'm Elizabeth Maria Stark, my father owns this looney bin and I'm pretty sure that I'm a temporary inmate myself."
Smiling, Steve lets go of her hand and pours himself a cup of coffee. "So, what were you reading?"
Sipping her coffee, she looks at the tablet and sighs. "I was actually reading over the arc-reactor upgrade plan that I have to email the clients. Each is in a different language and I was correcting a few language errors."
Sitting with her at the table, Steve nods. "Found any?"
She nods and sips her coffee. "Quite a few, I had just finished correcting the Japanese report when you two walked in." Holding the cup close, she looks at Steve's wrists. "You draw?"
Confused, Steve nods. "Yeah, how did you know?"
Pointing with her hands still wrapped around the mug, she tilts her head. "Dark smudges on your wrist. Charcoal?"
Steve nods and smiles. "Impressive. Not many people pin point this as charcoal dust."
Confused, Em looks at him. "What do they confuse it for if not charcoal dust?"
Rubbing his neck, Steve looks at her. "Oil, grease, things that the manly Captain America probably does that isn't artistic."
Rolling her eyes, she scoffs. "I'm so sick of people being placed into categories on the basis of physical appearances. There is no singular mold for the human mind and it's workings. People are placed as either muscled men who are grunting, filthy, douche bags that do nothing but fight and drink beer and all that jazz; meanwhile pretty women are worried about their hair, make up, figure, clothes, and what the latest home decor trend is. I hate these stereotypes."
Looking at her, Steve nods. "Yeah, I don't grunt."
Looking incredulous, she chuckles. "Pepper said you were super serious. You actually made a joke. I'm impressed."
Raising a brow, Steve chuckles. "Bucky said you tossed a cheesy pick up line at him and I've yet to hear one, so color me impressed too."
Smirking at him, she puts her cup down. "Oh, you want a cheesy pick up line? I bet I can pick you up any day!"
Chuckling, Steve grins. "Give me your best shot!"
Smiling, she picks up her mug and taps her fingers against it. "Okay, but I would like to inform you that I appreciate art in all of its forms and yours is the best form I've seen yet."
Steve laughs as Natasha walks in raising her brows. "Wow, that was really good and cheesy at the same time. Pick-up lines for women to use on men. You should write a book."
Em blushes and her head falls on the table as she laughs. "Oh, wow! I should really learn better timing."
Smiling, Steve looks at his watch. "Speaking of time, we should get to the cafe. The best danishes are the freshest!"
Standing up, she looks at her feet. "Let me put on some actual shoes. I know I'm not the best dressed in my sweats but I can pass for morning work out type."
Natasha watches as Em retreats to her room. "She likes you. She's a bit guarded though."
Steve almost chokes on his coffee. "What? Me? No. I fought against her dad. She couldn't like me. Really?"
Smirking, she looks at Steve. "She does like to press Tony's buttons but she is guarding herself around you. I bet if you get to know her then you can see that her bravado is just a mask."
Shaking his head, Steve smiles. "She's probably just, I don't know. Being nice. She seems nice. Besides even if I did like her she's a Stark. What could I possibly give her that she couldn't get on her own?"
Looking at Em's door, Natasha smiles and grabs a water bottle. She walks towards the common room door. "Love." Walking out, Natasha leaves Steve speechless and confused.
Turning, Steve sees Em walk out wearing sneakers and her sweats. "Hi, ready for danishes and rowdy old men?"
Nodding, Em follows him. "Sure. I hope you don't mind spending your time with an eccentric, unknown billionaire's daughter who dresses like a slob when she can get away with it."
Opening the common room doors, Steve smiles. "Not at all."
Tony wakes up at eight with Pepper banging on the glass doors. Blinking, he sits up. "FRIDAY, open the doors. Hi, Pep."
Frowning, she looks at the bottles. "You're hung over. Great, the Japanese representative is refusing to have you enter his facility unsupervised."
Frowning in confusion, Tony looks at her. "Why?"
Glaring, Pepper holds out a translated email. "Apparently you were drunk last time and threatened to inject the "Hulk" gene in a lizard and unleash it on Japan. According to this you then proceeded to take your shirt off and shout "Tony smash!" Is any of this ringing any bells?"
Shaking his head, he grabs the second water bottle and fishes in his tool box for some ibuprofen. "Nope. I must have been pretty wasted."
Sighing, Pepper puts the Stark Pad on the table. "You were. Don't forget to spend time with Em before leaving to upgrade the reactors. She loves you Tony. She wouldn't have done this if she didn't."
Nodding, he looks at Pepper. "You don't think she hates me?"
Pepper shakes her hand and gets him another bottle of water. "She doesn't hate you. I think right now, she's doing what is best for her. She's still finding herself Tony. She's making her own legacy."
Looking down at the Stark Pad, he nods. "A warm light for all mankind for all mankind to share."
Tilting her head, she looks at him. "You said it again."
Tony frowns and looks at the Stark Pad. "I don't know why. Loki said it regarding the Tesseract. I don't know why it won't go away."
Crossing her arms, Pepper frowns. "Maybe you should talk to Dr. Penn. You've been saying that a lot lately."
Distracted, Tony nods and walks to the door. "Yeah, I probably should. Schedule an appointment for me." Walking, he sees Em walking passed with a group of foreign investors. She's speaking another language and nods politely to Tony as they continue to the meeting room. Frowning, he looks at Pepper. "I thought she was doing light work while she was here; Light work does not involve meetings."
Shifting her grip on her Stark Pad, Pepper nods. "But you were late and a Stark was needed to meet with our potential Italian investors. Unless you want her brokering deals without you I suggest you get showered and dressed very quickly."
Rushing, Tony jumps into the bathroom and quickly becomes presentable. Looking at this phone he see's that it is now eight-thirty and he walks in with a smile. "Sorry, I'm late. Thank you Elizabeth for filling in during my absence. You may go now."
Smiling and nodding politely, Em gets up and shakes hands with each of the investors and thanks them for their time. Walking passed Tony, she whispers. "I've got the notes on the Pad on the table, their terms and conditions are in the notes. Enjoy your meeting, sir."
Looking at her, he watches his daughter walk away in a detached business manner. Her face is unreadable and her posture reads power. Pride and sadness fill his chest but he's got to broker a deal. "Gentlemen! Let's talk business!"
Sam, Bucky, and Steve are walking through the lobby when they see Em wearing a dark blue pant suit talking on the phone. Listening, Bucky hears her speaking Japanese. Raising his brows, he looks at Sam and Steve. "Wow, she's fluent."
Following Bucky's line of sight, Steve sees and hears her. Tightening his jaw, he feels flustered. Not only is she intelligent, but she exudes power. He suddenly feels Sam and Bucky staring at him. "What?"
Chuckling, Sam shakes his head. "You are turning red. Are you okay?"
Smirking, Bucky looks at Steve. "He's got a crush. I know you Stevie. You actually do like her!"
Folding his arms, Steve looks at his friends. "You are a jerk, Bucky. Guys, just drop it. Even if I did like her -and I'm not saying that I do- what could I give her? I have a tiny apartment, one year of art school that I took in 1943, and I'm out of date. What could a schmuck like me give a woman like her?"
Raising a brow, Bucky looks at him. "You really-you're an idiot. You're- Sam talk to him! He's giving up before the first coffee date!"
Throwing an arm around Steve's massive shoulders, Sam points to her. "Just because she could have anything she wants doesn't mean she has everything she needs. You've got a strong heart, you're sensitive, and you see the good in people when they can't see it in themselves."
Looking down, Steve shakes his head. "What good could that do her?"
Nudging Steve, Bucky makes Steve look at him. "Even the most powerful people need to be lifted and held."
Watching Em, Steve sees Tony talk to her. He doesn't listen to their words but their body language screams. Tony fidgets as he speaks to her and she keeps a guarded posture and reacts as if it is another business transaction. He watches as she smiles politely and nods. Tony pats her shoulder and walks away. His heart rips itself apart when he sees her mask of professionalism break momentarily; she takes a deep breath and puts her mask back together and continues to the elevator. Looking at his friends and at the elevator, he bites his lip. "You may have a point."
Tony sighs as he sits in his private jet. He's going to Tokyo and he's got Em to thank for it. He knows that they shouldn't let him come back but he's the only one who can fix the reactor. . He promised to talk to her tonight and she is going to make dinner. Rubbing his face, he looks at his Stark Pad and sighs; he won't make it to her speech. "Sorry, Em. It looks like I will be watching your next great moment from a screen." He puts Pepper on video conference. "Hey, I know what I said and promised, but I've got to get these reactors upgraded. I told her and she said she understands. Is it bad that I wish she would yell, cry, and scream at me?"
Sighing, Pepper shakes her head. "No, I wish she would scream at you too, but she won't. Hurry back, Tony. Have a safe trip. I love you."
Smiling tiredly, Tony looks at the screen. "I love you too. See you all soon." He puts the tablet on the table and sighs. He wishes he could stop making his family last priority.
