Title: Beautiful
Author: Night Of The Land
Rating: T
Summary: Pre-Movie/AU Tony Stark, play boy, billionaire, genius...big brother? Enter Antoinette Stark, high school student, down to earth. The two are completely different, until you get see the math and science scores… oh and the sarcasm.
A/N: I think that this has to be a record. lol two times in one week. The world is gonna come to an end.
Chapter Two: TGIF
Pepper Potts sighed as she scrolled though her BlackBerry, the important appointments highlighted in red, the ones no so much so in the normal ink colour. Today was Friday, late Friday afternoon to be exact, a fine time in her opinion; however she knew that her work didn't end even on a Friday. Tony Stark was a hard man to keep track of, even more so to keep on track. For all his scientific and mathematical genius he was the most ADHD person she had ever met. She sighed again, tapping her nails on the black marble kitchen counter tops, as she stood waiting for her boss. The man would be late for his own funeral. She didn't know what he would do with out her. His life would surely fall apart. Well, that is if the little Stark, Antoinette, wasn't around.
Speaking of, Pepper thought, as the younger Stark came into the kitchen, her head nodding to the beat of whatever she was listening too on her iPod. The teenager was the complete opposite of her brother in personality. She was the calm, coolheaded, responsible one, whereas Tony was the brash irrational one. In appearances, however, the two were dead ringers.
And in intelligence, she added to her mental commentary. Both of the Stark siblings were scary smart. And not only was the younger scary smart, but scary talented. Well, that goes for them both. Tony not so much in art but music, the man was just....she struggled for a better word and not finding one settled for scary.
Antoinette looked up from her iPod, and smiled, "Hey, Pepper." She greeted, "Boss man still in the shop?" she asked, a knowing smirk coming to her face.
Pepper grimaced slightly, "I'm surprised you can't hear that dreadful noise." She replied, before rolling her eyes.
Annie grinned, and pulled the earbuds from her ears. "Want me to go get him for ya?" she asked, wrapping the cord around her iPod setting it on the counter.
At Pepper's still slightly pained look, she laughed and left the kitchen heading for the workshop. Her long black ponytail swishing as she walked. Pepper shook her head as she left, smiling gently as she looked back down at her now vibrating BlackBerry.
Annie cringed as the AC/DC became louder with each step. How in the hell could her brother listen to that pounding music as loud as he did and not be deaf? It was freakish. Fingers in her ears, she descended the stairs. At the bottom she peered through the glass paneled walls, seeing her brother half inside the hood of one of his various remodel cars. Rolling her eyes, she punched in the entry code and at the same time turned down the music.
"Pepper, don't turn down my music." He whined, not even looking up from the engine he was tinkering with.
"Sorry, Mr. Stark. But it's not your gorgeous P.A. merely the annoying little sister." She replied, walked over to where he was tinkering.
He looked up at her approach, giving her a sheepish half smile. "Sorry, Ann." He said, wiping a hand over his face, smearing grease all over his face.
Antoinette laughed slightly. "You do know that you were supposed to have left for a meeting a half an hour ago, yes?" she asked, hopping up onto the nearest workbench.
Tony's eyes widen slightly, and he turned to the clock that hung on the wall. "Shit." He murmured, wiping his hands on an already dirty rag. "Why didn't Ms. Potts remind me?" he mumbled, as he began putting various tools away. The man may have been the most unorganized person in history; he was anything but in his sanctuary.
"She did…..twice, dear." Annie told him laughing as he swore again, before he paused, "What meeting is it again?" he asked, frowning.
"The executive board meeting in New York." She told him, kicking her legs back and forth like a little kid.
"Shit" he muttered again, tossing the soiled rag into the bin and headed for the stairs. "C'mon, Ann!" he called as he bounded up the stairs.
Annie laughed as she followed at a slower pace. She could hear her brother rushing through the house.
Walking back into the kitchen, she smiled at Pepper her gave her a mock peeved look. "See," she said, holding her arms out to the side taking a deep bow, "I'm magic."
Pepper shook her head, "I guess you are." She replied, listening as hard soled shoes clomped down the stairs, and not a minute later Tony Stark appeared, grease free his hair slightly damp, clothing rumpled but presentable.
"Ready, Ms. Potts?" he asked, giving her a charming smile.
Pepper rolled her eyes at him. "After you, Mr. Stark."
He nodded, and turned to Annie, "No parties, no taking the Audi anywhere, and don't do anything I wouldn't do." He told her as he headed for the door.
"That's not much, Tony!" she called after him, laughing as Pepper snorted slightly. "Be careful?" Annie requested of Pepper.
"Of course." The P.A. replied, smiling as she followed her boss from the house and to the car.
Antoinette waited until the car was gone and out of sight, before she ran up the stairs to her bedroom. Bursting in the door, she headed straight for her walk-in closet. Flipping on the light, she perused the racks, trying to decide on something to wear. Tapping a finger on her chin she thought. Making an "Ah-ha!" gesture she grabbed several hangers and headed from the closet to the bathroom.
About 15 minutes she reemerged from the bathroom dressed in a midnight blue halter dress that showed just the right about of cleavage and 3 inch stilettos. Over her shoulder a black handbag was draped. Her hair was pulled back chicly from her face, with a few stray pieces hanging into her large dark brown almost black eyes, the long dark curls hanging down her back in gentle ringlets. Highlighting her eyes was a light dusting of silver eye shadow.
With a devilish grin she headed for the garage/workshop. With a spring in her step she heads to the small cabinet that Tony keeps the keys in.
"Mr. Stark instructed me to see that the keys to the Audi remain in their place." The overly cheerful voice of Jarvis spoke from the ceiling.
Antoinette rolls her eyes. "He said the Audi, not the Jag, or Ferrari." She replied, grapping the keys to the Jag. "What my brother doesn't know won't hurt him." she grinned.
Pressing the unlock key, she spoke to the ceiling, "Jarvis, any calls can you reroute them to my cell, please and thank you." She said before she sped from the garage.
Despite the fact that she wasn't the most popular person at school she associated with many people who were far more important than those dickheads. As she sped into the night she contemplated on what her brother would do if he found out where she was going. He'd kill her fist off, then have a heart attack himself.
She chuckled as she shifted gears and sped down the highway, doing a quick mental calculation. At her current speed (close to 70 mph) she should reach her destination in lest than 30 minutes.
Twenty minutes later she was pulling up out side the Los Angeles convention center. As she did she grimaced then put a smile on her face that could fool even her brother. Stepping out of the car, she handed the valet the key and began her meet and greet.
Half way down the walkway to the main entrance an older woman took her arm gently.
"Ms. Stark!" she said happily, "May I just say, how honored we are to have you here tonight. When the invitation was extended to you and your family we were not expecting a personal visit. We are, indeed, deeply grateful for the donation that you have submitted. That sum of money will be able to fund our projects for many more years."
"Mrs. Jones." Antoinette greeted with a smile and a small nodded of her head, "It is my honor to be here tonight. With all that you do for our community your organization is more than deserving." She moved to the side, to allow the press to take a picture of the CEO of LAHI (Los Angeles Help Initive) and herself.
After the photo op was finished she turned back to Mrs. Jones. "My brother sends his deepest regret that he can be with us tonight, he was however called away on important business." She told her in the most sincere voice she could muster.
"Of course. Well we are happy to have one Stark present." Mrs. Jones told her with a wink, "Please don't let me keep you, enjoy yourself tonight."
Annie smiled again, and allowed herself to be showed the way into the Center. All around were men and women, prominent business owners, CEOs and their assistants, dressed to the nines. She should have felt out of place, what being a teenager at a charity gala. However she was the most comfortable she's been in weeks.
With charm that would have made her brother proud she worked the room, speaking to everyone present, even the ones who looked down their figurative glasses at her.
It was nigh past midnight when she returned home, after putting gas in the Jag that is. She pulled into the garage happy to see that her brother had yet to return home. That was a good thing, she had time to shower, change her clothes, and get into bed all before he got back.
"Any problems while I was gone, Jarvis?" she asked, as she returned the key to its spot in the cabinet.
"No, Ms. Stark." The voice replied, sounding rather bored, "No messages, emails or telegrams."
Annie smirked at the last bit. She and Tony had become rather creative while programming the AI. He had somewhat of a sense of humor.
"Thank you, Jarvis." She said as she mounted the first se of stairs, shoes in hand. She'd forgotten how much heels hurt.
She entered her room, tossing her shoes into the closet, and took a shower. Not even bothering to try and dry her hair, she let it hang free. Rolling her shorts up one last time she flopped on her bed, and was soon sound asleep.
She woke up a few hours later to a relatively silent house. As she lay in the dark of her room she could just barely hear the sound of music from the basement. Grinning tiredly, she wrapped a blanket around her, slipped her bunny slippers on and headed for the stairs.
She stood for a moment watching her brother work at the workbench, not even bothering to open the door yet. She just watched.
She had seen Tony change so much from the boy she remembered from her childhood. Not that she remembered much, just impressions really, of her life before her parents had died. She did remember however that they had been a happy family, often spending many evenings together eating dinner or playing a board game.
Then, both Mother and Father had been killed. It was a day that she didn't want to remember. That day had been a long time ago, and the past did not need to be revisited.
She keyed in the code to open the door, and stepped into the workshop/garage. Tony's head lifted slightly from what he was tinkering with, but he didn't look around. She sighed, pulled up a stool next to him. "Bad meeting?" she asked.
Tony matched her sigh, and set the part he had been working with down on the workbench. "No, yes. Oh, hell, what do I know, anyway?" he said, giving her a look.
Antoinette laughed sarcastically, "A whole hell of a lot." She replied, before sobering, "Something happen?"
Tony shook his head, "No…..just doubts." He looked over at the photo that hung on the wall next to the key cabinet. "I'm just not Dad." He whispered so low she wasn't sure she had heard him.
"I know that, Tony. Pepper knows that. And the board knows that." She said, frowning, "You're your own person, Tony, They can't see that 'cause they're just stogy old men who have no desire for change." Shaking her head she, grabbed his arm, "Good change, Tony, good change." Giving a sarcastic grin she continued, "I'm only 18 and I know that. I've seen the finance reports, I've seen the new products; Stark Industries has never been stronger."
Tony still stared at the picture. So much for my pep talk, Antoinette thought to herself. "Should I just leave it Stane to handle." He murmured.
Annie shuddered, "That creeper?" she asked, to which he nodded, "No, Tony, you have a great mind for not only inventing but for business. And besides," she grabbed his shoulders to turn him around to look at her, "You've got me and Pepper."
He smiled at her, "Shouldn't I be the one giving the inspirational speeches?" he asked mockingly.
She frowned at him, "Nope!" she gave an impish grin, "I'm the more mature."
Her shriek echoed around the room as he picked her up and tossed her over onto the couch. He laughed as she gave him an indignant look, he smiled innocently before he attacked, tickling her mercilessly.
She shrieked and laughed, tears running down her face as she fought to get away. "Tony!" she yelled, laughing, battling his hands.
She may seem to be frustrated on the outside, but inside she was enjoying seeing her brother carefree and happy. She hadn't heard him laugh like he was now in months.
Finally he let her go, both still laughing. After a few more minutes, he looked down at her, "You enjoy your night out?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
She rolled her eyes, "How do you always know?" she asked, still hiccupping from all the laughter.
Tony waged his fingers in the air, "Mysterious older brother ways." He said then laughed.
Antoinette humphed, but nodded all the same, "It was a charity gala, if you must know."
Tony nodded, "I know, I saw the invite." He smiled, then looked at the clock on the wall, "It's almost sunrise, think we better go to bed?" he asked.
She seemed to contemplate it for a moment then shook her head fighting a yawn, still laughing.
Tony grinned shaking his head at her, "Well, you can stay up, but no amount of caffeine in the world could keep me awake right now." He smiled, then helped her off the floor.
Together they walked up the stairs still laughing. Before they went to their separate rooms, Tony gave her a quick hug, "Love you sis." He whispered to her, a haunted look in his eyes.
"You too, bro." she replied, smiling, then yawning.
Giving her a push toward her room he head for his own. And as he lay down to sleep, the sun staring to just peak over the horizon, he knew that there always needed to be a Stark at the head of Stark Industries.