;im still trying to get out of writers block so have a quick chapter I'm not 100% happy with. i own nothing but the plot and any OCs;
Jack followed the silver car all the way to the heart of New York City. The vehicle finally stopped outside a large tower with the word "Stark" in large light up letters on the side.
The car pulled into a garage with at least 20 more expensive cars lining the walls.
"Someone likes to spoil himself." Jack mused landing and sitting on one of the cars. He accidentally froze the tiers with the "G" end of the large wooden staff he always carried. "Whoops.." He muttered. "Hope he isn't planning in driving anywhere in this car anytime soon."
The Winter spirit changed his attention from the cars to a red haired woman wearing a white blouse and black skirt and black man in a military uniform where standing in front of an elevator who where waiting for Katherine and Tony.
Stark parked the car in front of them and helped his niece out of the vehicle. The red haired woman's already swollen red eyes burst into tears as she ran strait for Katherine.
"Hi Pepper." Kat greeted. Pepper instantly picked up the four year old and bear hugged her. "Oh my god." She whispered. "Oh dear god. thank god your ok."
"Hi, Rhodey." Kat said as the black man took her from Pepper. "Hey, kido." Rhodey said giving her a hug. "How are you?" "I'm ok." She replied.
Tony sighed and rested a hand on his forehead before rubbing his eyes. Pepper turned to Rhodey. He nodded in reply, understanding what she was asking.
"Hey, Kat. Want to go to make cookies?" He asked. The four year old's face light up. "Can we?" She asked. "Of course! We can go right now!" He replied heading to the elevator. "What kind do you want to make? I'm sure there's sugar, chocolate chip, or Carmel-chocolate." "Can we make all of them?" She asked while he walked into the elevator. "Whatever you want to make." He said as the doors closed.
Tony sat down on the curb and hid his face in his hands. Pepper instantly sat down next to him and placed her hand on his shoulder.
"This is all my fault." He muttered running his hands through his hair. "Tony..." Pepper said gently. "there's nothing you could've-" "Don't tell me there was nothing I could've done." Tony snapped. "It was stupid of me to trust Fury with them."
He sat still before he cursed, slamming his fist against the ground. "I should've been there!" He almost yelled. "Tony, i'm sure you'd be killed too then who'd look after Katherine?" Pepper asked slightly taken aback by his anger.
Tony waved off her excuse. "Don't you get it?" He almost yelled. "If I was maybe John and Lindsey would've survived! Maybe Kat wouldn't have been orphaned! Maybe she wouldn't have seen her parents die right in front of her on her god damn 4th birthday!"
By now, Tony was on his feet yelling. His face was burning red with anger while his mind was still clearly at war with himself.
"Poor guy." Jack thought. He understood the pain of having your sisters life on the line. Difference was, Jack had saved his sister. Tony never got the chance.
Pepper stood up and attempted to calm him down. "Tony, Fury didn't put you on the case. They where hidden for almost a year, nobody would've thought they'd be found so easily."
Stark sighed and ran his hand over his face while he walked over to his car. "I should've been. I could've saved them." They stood in silence for a while till Pepper walked over to him. "Come on." Pepper said taking his hand. "Katherine needs us- needs you more than ever right now." Tony nodded and headed to the elevator.
Jack remained where he was, trying to let the whole situation sink in.
It's one thing for a kids parents to die, but to watch them get killed... then there was Tony who lost his sister and now blamed himself for her death. That's just plain torment on these innocent people.
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The spirit of winter sat on the edge of the windowsill at the top of the large tower, "Stark tower" as Tony called it, the traumatized four year old now called home.
Katherine had spent the rest of her birthday baking and eating cookies with ice cream while watching humorous movies with Pepper, Rhodey, and Tony.
Rhodey eventually went home, taking some of the cookies with him. Tony and Pepper talked in quiet voices about getting a few friends together and throwing Kat a late birthday party while they cleaned the many pots and pans left in the kitchen.
Katherine was fast asleep on the couch with invisible, to non-believers, golden dream sand swirling above her head. Her dream showed a couple with a small child, Kat and her parents no doubt.
Jack smiled. Leave it to Sandy to help a four year old forget her troubles.
The four year old started to squirm in her sleep. Sweat started to roll down her forehead as she gripped the pillow she was laying on. The dream sand started to dissolve above her head. The man and woman vanished and the child was left alone, sobbing on her knees.
"What?" Jack almost shouted standing up as the dream sand disappeared completely and the four year old started to wail in her sleep. "That's not supposed to happen!"
"Kat?" Tony yelled throwing a dish rag over his shoulder.
The four year old up strait gripping her head and screaming as if she was watching a horror movie. Tony instantly ran over and picked up his sobbing niece.
"Katherine are you alright? What happened?" Pepper asked sitting next to Tony, who had Kat on his lap. "Nightmares." Tony mouthed while Kat slow started to stop crying.
"Kat?" Tony asked gently. "Kat are you alright?" The four year old shook her head while she buried her face into her uncles... Glowing chest?
"What the heck is that?" Jack asked aloud just noticing the glowing circle in Tony's chest.
The winter spirit shook his head. "Don't worry about that." He thought. "Worry about the screaming and crying little girl."
Tony gathered Kat into his arms and carried her way with Pepper following. "Come on, why don't we go in my room and read books in bed? Would you like to do that?" "Yes." Katherine mumbled while they walked upstairs.
Jack sat back down on the windowsill and rested his head against his staff. There's gotta be something he could do. There's just got to be.
;poor kat... Her first nightmare. It's ok Sandy, you tried. Thanks for reading and please leave a review!;
