I was running through an empty field, my bare feet getting cut on the rough rocks I stood on. I could hear the shouts of the people chasing me. They were closing in. I never saw their faces. As I spun my head around to see how far away they were, my foot suddenly got caught on an unexpected root. Before I hit the ground, my mind processed how odd this was considering there were no trees or anything within an 800 meter radius that could create the root. A sharp pain went through my entire left side as I came crashing to the ground. A scream ripped from my throat, the pain intensifying with every passing second. I suddenly remembered the people after me as their shouts grew louder. Any second and they would find me, sprawled on the ground. There was too much pain to even try and stand up. I began grabbing tuffs of grass, trying to pull myself along but going at an incredibly slow rate. The last thought that crossed my mind before they closed in on me was how annoying that buzzing sound was.
I suddenly shot straight up in my bed. My breath was coming out in gasps as I tried to recall the nightmare I was having but the details were slipping away like sand through a sieve. Why were they chasing me? The annoying buzzing sound that had penetrated my dreams was coming from my alarm clock beside my bed. With a groan I hit the off button and checked the time. 7:45 a.m.
The sharp pain in my dream hadn't left when I'd woken up. My left shoulder was throbbing in pain, indicating I'd slept on it wrong once again. Ignoring it, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood up, making my way to the door. Without bothering to change I left my room to head for the kitchen. I use to change before breakfast, having not wanted to be seen by a random woman in my PJ's but after a while I decided, who cares? Its not like I'm gunna see them again.
I heard voices floating through the room as I made my way towards it. I instantly recognised Pepper's, obviously talking to the woman who had come home with Dad last night.
"I do anything and everything Mr. Stark requires, even occasionally taking out the trash," Pepper's voice sounded professional while still sounding condescending at the same time, "Would that be all?"
I tried to stifle a giggle as I entered the room. Two set of eyes immediately locked on me. Pepper gave me a warm smile before leaving to prepare the car for this woman to leave. The blonde haired woman (in the shirt I'd given Dad for a Christmas present, I noticed with anger) gave me a small smile and stepped forward.
"You must be Morgan Stark." She spoke with confidence.
"And you are?" I asked, in the same tone Pepper had used.
"I'm Christine Everhart," she made a movement which looked like she went to offer her hand for me to shake but stopped and let it fall by her side. "I must say, I was surprised when I learnt Tony Stark has a daughter."
"Yes well, he doesn't talk about it often. Especially since my mother was a one night stand, just like you," I didn't bother trying to be nice to these girls anymore. A small flicker of surprise and anger crossed her face before she controlled it. "She left, came back a year later and dumped me on his doorstep, barley 3 months old. Of course a paternity test was done to make sure I was Tony's daughter before he took me in. He tried to find my mother but, she disappeared. Poof." My voice had a nice dramatic touch to it as she looked at me sympathetically. "By the way, get the morning after pill. Don't want any siblings around here."
I left her standing in the middle of the lounge room, shock written all over her face, as I left for the kitchen. I sat on one of the bar stood next to the bench after getting out a bowl and pouring some cereal and milk. The clicking of heels against the floor altered me of Pepper's approach.
"Is she gone?" I asked, looking up as Pepper leaned against the bench beside me.
"Yes, Miss Everhart is gone. And I wish you would stop telling that story to every woman who..."
"Ends up in my father's bed?" I finished for her.
She gave me a look but still said "Well, yes."
"What? It's fun! By the way, Happy Birthday!"
I jumped up from my stool to give her a big hug. She smiled warmly and thanked me before she stood up straight, adjusted her jacket slightly and left. She was probably right. I should stop telling that story. It wasn't even true. The truth was my father and mother had fallen in love at 24. Not just lust, but full blown, head over heels love. I know, hard to imagine from Tony Stark, but it's true. They had me 2 years later. I was told Dad was ecstatic when I was born but that soon changed to sadness when my mother was killed in a car accident just 3 months later. I suppose that might explain why Dad is why he is. Too sad to stay with someone in case she replaces my mom. I don't know. I will never understand what goes on in his head but I think he has never really gotten over it, or her I should say. Anyway, each year on her birthday and death date we visit her gravesite and place flowers. I get sad of course but I never really cry. I just wish I had the chance to meet her and grow up with her before she was taken away.
I was pulled out of my thoughts by the slamming of a door. I stood, emptied my bowl into the sink, placed it in the dishwasher and left the kitchen.
"Morning Morgs," Dad was heading towards the stairs that lead to the garage. Can't keep a man from his cars for long.
"Dad, aren't you leaving for Afghanistan soon?" I hated thinking of Dad in a place like that but no matter how much I had argued, he had said he had to go. I had finally given up and accepted he was going to go, but he was Tony Stark, he'd be alright, right?
"Probably but the Hot Rod is calling. I'll come say goodbye before I go though." He flashed me a smile before jogging down the steps. I let a sigh escape my lips before heading upstairs for a shower and change of clothes.
After a refreshing shower, I travelled down to the garage where Dad and Pepper were talking. As I entered the room, I heard that once again, Dad had forgotten her birthday. I shook my head and sat down at my work station, watching the pair talk. It had been obvious to me for years that deep down Dad held a special place for Pepper in his heart, whether he knew that or not, and sometimes the way I caught Pepper looking at him made me think she liked him back too. Of course both would never admit to each other (well maybe Dad would if he realized how much he liked her).
"Don't worry Pep, I got you a present!" I piped up. They both turned and began walking my way, Dad giving me an 'evil' stare behind Pepper's back for sucking up.
"Thank you, but you shouldn't have."
"Too bad, it's in your briefcase ready and waiting for you to open it," I smiled brightly at her, hoping she'd like the small butterfly necklace I'd bought for her, with real diamonds in it. Cost over $6000 but hopefully Pepper wouldn't work that out.
She returned my smile before turning back around to face Tony. "Come on, grab your suitcase and get back down here, you got to leave now."
Tony let out a fake (or was it real?) sigh before trudging out the door and up the steps. Me and Pepper rolled eyes before she followed him and I turned to my computer. I brought up my designing program and began working on the car I had been designing for over 6 months. A few minutes later, Pepper and Tony returned, with his suitcase in tow. Happy walked into the garage using the other door.
"Ready to go now, sir?" He asked, walking over to his car.
"Yep," Tony chucked his suitcase in the back of the car but instead of jumping in the back, he made his way over to his Audi R8.
"Sir, aren't you coming in this car?"
"How 'bout a race?" Dad knew even Happy couldn't resist a race. Happy smiled, nodded and said "You're on," before jumping in the front seat.
Dad quickly came over to me and gave me a big hug. I tried to stop the tears forming in my eyes. No matter how many times he went away, I always managed to get a few tears. But I think today I had a right to cry. My father was going to a war torn country for 2 days. Anything can happen.
"See you later baby," he kissed me gently on the cheek before saying a quick goodbye to Pepper and hopping in the front seat of his Audi. Happy got the head start as he left the garage first, Tony hot on his heels. As he squealed out of the garage, the few tears I'd been trying to hold back finally escaped and slid down my cheeks.
Pepper noticed this and immediately came over to hug me. She always knew exactly what to do to make me feel better.
"Don't worry Morgan; he's going to be fine."
"Yeah, I know. I just worry about him. Sometimes he acts like a 12 year old."
"Sometimes?"
We both laughed at this as I wiped away the few stray tears from my cheeks. Pepper soon left in her own Audi, saying she needed to run some errands and make sure everything was ready for when Tony returned. I thanked her once again, and reminded her of her present waiting for her.
I returned to the designing program but after staring at the screen for ten minutes, I realised I wasn't going to get anything done today. I moved upstairs to the living room and flopped down on the couch. I flipped through numerous channels on the huge Plasma TV. News, News, The Simpsons, Don't forget the lyrics, The Price is right, News. Nothing.
"Jarvis, time?"
"It is 11:12 a.m."
"Thanks Jarvis," I rested my heads on one of the soft pillows and slid my eyes closed. My mind started to drift. Before I knew it I was waking up to one of the most uncomfortable feelings in the world.
I rushed to the toilet quickly and walked back into the living room to find the sky darkening outside. I walked into the kitchen and saw the time on the microwave said 5:32 p.m. Holy crap. I never normally sleep during the day. I guess everything with Dad in Afghanistan and worrying so much just tired me out.
I grabbed a two minute meal out of the freezer and stuck it in the microwave. I couldn't be bothered to do anything more for dinner. Once it went 'ding!' and I'd let it cool enough, I grabbed a fork and went back to my spot on the couch. This time I just watched the news. Car crashes (I had to look away from the footage, even though it wasn't even the least bit gory.), floods, stock market fall. I quickly finished my barley edible meal and walked up to my bed room. Despite my nana nap, I was still exhausted.
My head had just hit the pillow before I was gone. After what seemed like just seconds, I was being shaken away and a bright light was shining. A quick glance at my clock told me it was 12:45 in the morning. Why was Pepper waking me up at this time in the morning?
As I looked up to her, my eyes still trying to adjust to the light, the first thing I saw was that she was wearing the necklace I had given her. A smile began on my face but as I looked up into her eyes, it quickly disappeared. Tears were streaming down her face, her eyes red and puffy. She'd been crying.
"What's wrong? What's...happened?" Mid-sentence, I realized what must have occurred. Dad.
"He's...he's been....captured." Pepper sniffled.
No.