Avengers compound – Reunion
A few days later Pepper, Tony, and Morgan were going to spend the day with all the Avengers. Tony notice from the morning that Morgan is much more excited to go to see the Avengers than she usually is. Tony is wondering why but decides to leave it just think it is great that his daughter is so excited to see her "family" as they have decided the Avengers are to Morgan. All of the Avengers is gathered in one big room at the compound. They are only waiting for the Stark family. The moment Tony parks the park Morgan jumps out and runs into the compound. She knows her way around. She has been there so many times. Pepper calls after her but Tony reminds her that Morgan knows everyone in this building and she knows her way around.
Morgan enters the big room where all the familiar Avengers have gathered along with some new faces she hasn't seen before.
"Hey, Morgan." Morgans uncle Bruce who is a green giant greets the little girl. Morgan is too preoccupied to greet him. she is searching for someone.
"are you looking for someone?" Steve asks Morgan.
"yeah the little girl," Morgan says and walks around to search for her among the Avengers.
"what little girl are you talking about Morgan? There is no little girl in here." Uncle Rodney says.
"yes, there is. Daddy said the little girl was going to be in here so we could play." Morgan insists not really interested in listening to the Avengers contradictions to what Morgan believe her father promised her.
"where is she?" Morgan asks once she has walked around and searched among all the Avengers in the room.
"Morgan what is the little girl's name?" uncle Bruce asks.
"I don't know. She is daddy's friend. She was daddy's friend when she was a little girl. I saw her in the movie." Morgan explains. Morgan is sad that she can't find her.
"so it is a girl your dad was friends with when he was a little boy?" Rodney asks. Morgan nods.
"Cap do you know who that is. You knew Howard Stark better than any of us." Bruce asks.
"no, no idea dr. Banner."
Hope Van Dyne steps out of the crowd. She has been standing in the corner talking with Scott and her parents. She puts on her helmet and shrinks herself down to be the same height as Morgan and walks over to stand in front of Morgan. She takes off her helmet so Morgan can see her face.
"Hi, my name is Hope. I was your dad's friend when I was your age. So I think it might be me you are looking for."
A big smile spreads on Morgans face. "I told you she was here uncle Bruce," Morgan says in a triumphant tone.
"Hey, not that tone," Pepper says the moment she and Tony steps into the room.
"But mommy uncle Bruce said that the little girl wasn't here and she is," Morgan says and points to Hope who is the same height as Morgan.
"I see," Pepper says amused that Hope has shrunken herself to the height of a 4-year old.
"Hey, Hope." Tony says and walks over to Morgan. "you have grown since the last time I saw you." Tony says with a joking smile.
"very funny Tony."
"Daddy? Can I play with her."
"honey. Hope is a grown up she just shrink herself. She is just a little girl like you saw on the video." Tony explains and he starts to see the disappointment in his daughter's eyes.
"Morgan I would love to play with you." Hope cuts in. a big smile spreads on Morgans face.
"really?" she asks. "I have my markers and paper in backpack."
"I used to spend a lot of time color together with your dad when I was little. We used to sit under a table and your dad would tell me stories while we were coloring." Hope tells Morgan.
"My dad tells me the best stories. Not the short ones. They are terrible. But the long ones about superheroes are really funny. They are my favorite."
"I thought you loved the short stories," Tony says kneeling down next to Morgan so he becomes approximately the same height as Morgan and Hope.
"no Daddy." Morgan giggles.
"let me guess something like: once upon a time… Morgan did something… the end." Morgan nods. It makes Tony laugh.
"Yeah, your dad used to tell me similar stories." Morgan look surprised at her dad.
"did my daddy also tell you good stories?"
Hope nods.
"yeah especially if I where scared he would tell me stories that would make me not scared."
"can you tell me some of them?" Morgan asks.
"I am not as good as telling stories as your dad," Hope says suddenly not sure of what she got herself into.
"it is okay," Morgan says.
Hope look over at Tony to get his permission to continue being with Morgan. Tony nods in acceptance and Morgan and Hopes walks over to a corner where Morgan usually sets up her play area whenever she visits the Avengers compound. Morgan discovers there is a table placed in the corner.
"no…" Morgan explains loud. "who ruined my play corner?"
"it is okay." Hope quickly says. "remember I told you… your dad and I used to hide under a table when we would play together."
That makes Morgan smile. "okay." And Morgan quickly crawls under the table followed by Hope. Pepper and Tony just look at them and then Tony turns to Pepper when he feels her warm breath angst his neck.
"I thought you said Hope didn't remember?" Pepper whispers to him. it makes Tony smile. All these years he though Hope Van Dyne had forgotten everything about him and how they used to spend a lot of time together at SHIELD.
"who is that little girl?" Tony hears a female voice asks.
"it is Tony Starks, daughter." Steve answers.
"stark?" The female voice that Tony now has identified as Janet Van Dyne. "as in Howard Starks family?"
"yes." Steve answers. "it is Howard Starks, granddaughter."
"Anthony had a daughter? He was always such a sweet boy to Hope."
"He is a Stark," growls Hank clearly irritated just by the sound of the Stark name.
"it is always a pleasure to see you to Dr. Pym," Tony says with a smile and walks over to Hank and Janet.
"Anthony, is that really you?" Janet asks with a big smile.
"yes and I just go by the name Tony now. It is good to see you again Mrs. Van Dyne." Tony greets remembering how she always was so kind to him when he was spending time with Hope. "I heard what happened to you in the quantum realm. I am happy to see they brought you back."
"thank you, Mr. Stark"
"just Tony." Tony says with a smile and wraps an arm around Pepper." And this is my wife, Pepper."
"it is great to meet you," Pepper says.
"are you also an avenger?" Janet asks.
"No…" "yes." Tony cuts in which results in a confused expression on Janets face. "she is." Tony insists when Pepper is going to object.
"I have a suit and I was in the battle against Thanos but I am not officially an avenger. I have another job…"
"Mommy." Morgan calls. "speaking of which." Pepper says and leaves to go see what Morgan wants.
"Tony I am so sorry to hear what happened to your parents," Janet says once Tony and Janet as taken a step away from the rest of the crowd and is standing by the window.
"Yeah, thanks."
"you lost so much at a young age. I am so happy to see you found true happiness."
"thanks," Tony says looking over at Pepper and Morgan. Morgan is sitting halfway under the table as Pepper is sitting on the floor fixing Morgans hair.
"your father was a great man. I was sad that he and Hank couldn't get along. Mostly because of you and Hope. You seemed so close."
"yeah… she was like a little sister to me." Tony admits and takes a sip of a drink that Rodney just handed to him. Tony then realize what he said and withdraw his comment.
"sorry I… I…"
"It is okay," Janet says and places a hand on Tony's arm. Just like his mother used to do.
"your husband never liked me. I guess being America's playboy he had every reason not to." Tony says look over at where Hank Pym is standing talking to dr. Banner. Tony can constantly feel Hank Pym watching him.
"it seems like you put that behind you just like your father did," Janet says and looks over at Pepper, Morgan, and Hope who is now joined by Peter Parker. Peter has crawled under the table but he is too big to actually be under there so half his body is sticking out. Just like Tony used to when he would hide with Hope.
"I see so much of your father in you, Tony."
"years ago I would have taken that as an insult but now I take it more as a compliment."
"you should be proud of who you are, Tony. Everyone in here looks up to you." Janet says and Tony looks around to see his family as he has come to think of the Avengers.
"thanks, Mrs. Van Dyne. That actually means a lot coming from you."
"I think I am going to see how my little daughter is doing," Janet says and that makes both of them laugh and Janet walks over to the table where Hope is and leaves Tony alone.
Soon after the dinner is ready and Morgan, hope, and Peter come out from under the table.
"come on Hope we are going to sit down here." Morgan takes Hopes hand.
"actually Morgan. My mom, dad, and my boyfriend are sitting over here." Hope points to another table where Hank, Janet, and Scott are seated. Morgan giggle. "you have a boyfriend?" Morgan asks. That makes Hope realize that that is actually the first time she has ever called Scott that. He has always just been her partner or her friend or someone that just annoyed the heck out of her. Hope looks over at Scott how clearly overheard their conversation.
"Yeah, I have a boyfriend." Hope says more to Scott then to Morgan. "how about.." hope says and turns her focus back to Morgan. "you sit with your mom and dad and I sit with my mom and dad and then we continue the story after we ate?" morgan nods in agreement to that compromise.
"you want to sit with me, Peter?" Morgan asks. "sure." Peter says and Morgan takes his hand and they walk to the table where Pepper and Tony are seated. As soon as Morgan seems occupied with her food Hope grows herself back to her regular size and walks to the table and takes her seat next to Scott.
After the meal, it seems like everyone is talking to everyone and everyone seems to have a good time. Tony finds himself walking outside to get some fresh air and some peace and quiet for a moment. He is shortly after joined by Hope. She hands him a beer. They silent take a sip and just stands there for a moment.
"so you are with the pissant?" Tony finally asks with a smile before he looks over the view.
"Yeah, Scotty. He is actually a really great guy."
"I'm sure he is…" Tony takes a sip of his beer. "I mean he is a totally wise ass who crack wits all the time. It must be annoying."
"Yeah, I grow up with a guy who was like that so I am used to it."
Tony pretends to look surprised and then realize what she is actually saying.
"Oh, you mean me," Tony says and that makes Hope laugh.
"it is good to see some things never change with you, Tony." Hope takes a sip of her beer and once again there is a pleasant silence.
"what happened?" Tony finally asks the question that has been nagging him for years.
"what do you mean?" hope asks.
"us. We had a great time and suddenly one day you and your parents left. I never saw you again until suddenly we are fighting this giant titan together."
"our fathers had a fallout. Howard wanted my Dad to hand over the ant man suit to SHIELD. He didn't want to." Hope explains and takes a sip of her beer. "besides my father never liked that you were a total playboy who was hanging out with his little girl."
"you where 9 I was 17," Tony argues and it makes Hope laugh.
"I know. My father sees you as a Stark which has become synonymous with the word playboy in my father's world."
"I guess I can see why," Tony admits.
"I used to be really angry with you." Tony finally admits after another few minutes of silence. That breaks Hopes' heart she never thought about how Tony must have felt. She now realizes that Tony lost everything within 3 years of his life.
"you left and then 3 years later my parents were murdered." Tony sounds angry with her now.
"Tony…" Hope turns to face Tony. Tony turns to her but he looks right past her. "We are both Avengers now. I suppose. So… I know we can't turn back time and be the same as when we where kids but can we work together as Avengers?"
Tony seems to consider it for a moment. "I already lost every one of my family once. Morgan is everything to me. I don't want to see her hurt." Tony says as if it is a condition for him. Hope nods. "I understand that Tony. She is amazing. She is a lot like you." Tony smiles by the thought of how much Morgan is taking after him.
"I know," Tony says and takes a sip of his beer. "I see Morgan is enjoying spending time with you and with all of the Avengers. They have become her family. I don't want her to lose her family as I did."
"I lot my family too, Tony," Hope says. Tony nods. He knows that but he has been so angry that he never thought of how Hope felt back then.
"I know."
"the avengers is family to both of us. Can we put our fathers dispute behind us?" Hope ask and reaches out her hand to Tony. Tony consider it for a moment and then takes Hopes hand and shakes it. "deal."
then they hear footsteps coming closer and soon Pepper comes into sight.
"hey…" Pepper says and walks over to Tony and Hope.
"where is Morgan?" Tony asks.
"she is trying to convince Steve Rogers to take her sledding on his shield." That makes both Tony and Hope laugh.
"I'll like to see that," Hope says.
"I'll meet you inside," Tony says and Hope quickly disappear out of sight.
"you are okay?" Pepper asks and stands in front of Tony.
"never better," Tony says and kisses his wife. Tony lost every family member he had within 3 years but now he had gotten an even bigger family.