Wow! I am really glad this story is getting a good response! Enjoy
Chapter 2- A Father First
It hadn't taken Tony long to leave the tower. Pepper sighed softly and looked to the photo of Marianna and Tony again.
"Miss Potts, I am sure the girl harbors no hatred towards you." Jarvis spoke.
"It's not that, Jay. It's just… I haven't seen her since her mother's funeral. I tried really hard to get her and the twins into Tony's custody and I feel like I failed them." She replied.
"I am sure she forgives you though. She does have her father's leniency." The A.I. replied in a comforting manner. "Shall I call up the best department stores to set up three floors?"
"Tony said two." Pepper replied.
"Miss Potts we are having a teenage girl, an eight year girl, and an eight year old boy. I highly doubt all of them wish to share anymore rooms with each other." The AI stated.
Pepper let out a small laugh. "True. Inform me when Tony lands in L.A. I need to get info on the kids." She stated.
Tony was fidgety. This was almost as bad as the Mandarin. True they were completely opposite issues but both things had one common factor: someone he loved was involved and that meant it was serious.
"Sir we're landing." The pilot announced.
"Good." He replied. The landing was quick and event-less. Tony was glad that it was a short ride. He quickly got into his private vehicle. "East Lost Angeles… Now!" He stated.
"Yes sir." The driver replied hastily leaving LAX to the city. Tony was getting impatient. "Where too?"
"Take a left at the next exit." He replied. The vehicle made its way into a decent looking area with a small house. In front of it was a man who seemed to be in his late twenties. His dark eyes and light hair seemed to give him an air of anger and hatred.
Tony glared at him and looked to his side. There she was. His daughter and two more children who were being abandoned because someone couldn't handle them, three kids who should've been with him; all of it made his blood boil.
"Take them." Derek said.
"With pleasure." Tony said getting out of the car and walking towards them. He hugged Marianna tightly. "I'm here to take you home."
The dark haired girl hugged her father back and said, "You're late."
The little with dark brown hair and big hazel eyes asked, "Are we gonna be split up?"
Tony pulled back and kneeled down to the kids. "Pssh. Kid, Uncle- no wait, Call me Daddy. Daddy is gonna take you to live with the avengers. You wanna meet them right?" He said hugging the girl and her brother who shared the same adorable features.
The little girl nodded shyly while the boy gave an enthusiastic grin.
"Jordan's shy!" The boy announced.
"Shut up Daniel!" The girl cried blushing.
Tony smiled and then stood. "Get in the car." He ordered softly. Marianna looked at him and nodded prodding her two cousins inside the vehicle. Tony turned to Derek. "You've got some nerve." He stated.
"When I heard you were running around with a freak show, I decided that I didn't need to bother with my sisters' freak children." The younger man replied smugly. "I don't need their bullshit."
"They never did shit to you." Tony replied. "You know you're a lucky I'm a public figure or I would kill you where you stand."
"Hmph say what you will! I am done with those freaks." He retorted carelessly.
Tony huffed. He really could not afford bad media right now. All he knew was that he got what he came for and that was his children. He walked away thinking of all the ways he could have turned that man too ash.
Marianna watched the scene awkwardly. She wasn't going to say she hated her uncle but at that moment she knew that they had always been more like strangers than family. Her deep blue eyes went to the children who chatted excitedly about their new life. She put some of her dark curly hair behind her ear and suppressed a sigh.
Tony walked in quietly. "So we're gonna be at a nice hotel for a few days while Pepper gets all the legal stuff worked out! We just need to tell her what you guys like so she can make your floors all perfect." He said returning to his normal self.
Marianna smiled. "Still haven't asked." She asked with a grin.
"I'm working on it." He huffed.
"Just pull something out of a Nicholas Sparks novel or a cheesy movie. Or buy her a piece of Disney land." She said with a laugh.
"I can't believe you still remember Pepper." He replied.
"I knew her for three years, Daddy." She said with a sigh. "I still wonder why you don't marry her. She's the only woman that can deal with this."
Tony smiled. "She is…" He said.
"Who's pepper?" Daniel asked.
"Pepper is daddy's secretary who puts up with all his weirdness." Marianna replied with a small laugh.
Jordan giggled. "She sounds awesome!" She stated in childish glee.
"Oh dammit!" Tony muttered when he saw the hotel. Paparazzi. Just fabulous.
Thank you all again. I promise as time goes on you guys will understand what happened.