So, how did you all like the first chapter? I hope that you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
The contents of this chapter changed the dynamics between Tony and Noah drasticly. Almost everything written here is different than what I had originally intended. I've really been enjoying that though. It's happened in both this story and my other story, Clear Nights. It's fun to see how a story shapes itself as you write it.
Okay, enough blabbering. I just want to say thank you to everyone who has read this little story. Please let me know what you think. It means a lot to me to hear what everyone's thoughts are.
Enjoy!
After the donut shop, Director Fury, Natasha Romanoff, and Noah took Tony back to his charred mansion, and Agent Coulson would arrive shortly after them. Once they deposited Tony at his house, an agent would be on the premises to watch over him, specifically Agent Coulson and Noah. S.H.I.E.L.D didn't want Tony getting into any more trouble, and the best way to make sure that was by placing him under house arrest. Natasha drove the black van, Director Fury sat in the passenger's seat, and Tony and Noah say in the back two seats. During the drive, Tony continued to question Noah about her age.
"I could have sworn that you were fourteen, maybe fifteen, sixteen at most."
Noah flashed him an innocent look, "and that mistake has cost many people their lives."
"So, if you're a fully trained agent like Natasha, and presumably deadly, then why are you tasked to watch over me. That doesn't seem like the kind of fun a field agent would enjoy."
Noah shrugged, "this opportunity is, by far, better than regular field work, even if it is just helping to baby sit a man who is almost double my age."
"I'm not sure how to take that comment," replied Tony with a chuckle.
"All you need to know is that being here, helping you, is more fun than any field work. Ever."
Tony tilted his head to the side, "And why is that?"
Noah pointed to the arc reactor at the center of Tony's chest. "Because of this. I've heard great things about you Mr. Stark, and to help you figure this element issue out will be an experience like no other."
"Wow, flattery does get you far."
"I just call 'em like I see 'em."
Tony remained quiet for a moment. "And you're sure that we've never met before, not even briefly?" he asked, leaning over and inspecting Noah's face.
Noah nodded and blushed slightly. "I'm sure, Mr. Stark."
"Call me Tony. 'Mr. Stark' makes me feel old, and you've already done enough damage regarding that subject."
A short while later the van pulled up the drive-way. The mansions exterior looking haggard and in need of a face lift, thanks to Tony' and his birthday fiasco. A few of the lower clearance level agents inspected the house and its condition and safety. The rest of the group filed into the now open concept room, and Tony grabbed a chair for himself and Fury. While the two talked about Tony's arc reactor, Noah looked around. Despite the rubble that littered the entire house, it was still an amazing place. She stepped onto the back patio and leaned against the railing, looking out at the ocean while the soft breeze rustled her hair. A smile formed on her face when she heard her name pop up in the conversation behind her.
"You told me I hadn't tried everything. What do you mean I haven't tried everything? What haven't I tried?" complained Tony, "And are you sure that someone so young is capable of helping me? I'm a genius and if I can't figure out this element issue by myself, how is a girl like that suppose to instead?"
"Tony, there's more to Agent Logan than meets the eye," defended Fury, and Noah felt a wave of pride wash over her. "She may look young but don't let that kid you. She's a highly sought after agent, and you'd best appreciate her help. Besides, two genius minds are better than one, right?"
"Wait, she's-"
"Your father said that you were the only person with the means and knowledge to finish what he started."
"He said that?"
"Are you that guy? Are you? 'Cause if you are, then you can solve the riddle of your heart. With some help."
Noah drowned out the rest of the conversation when her phone began beeping. She glanced at the message on the screen, and then left the breezy patio and headed to the front of the house. When she reached the front door two men carrying a large silver suit case walked past her, and Agent Coulson and Natasha followed behind.
"Agent Coulson, it's nice to see you again," greeted Noah, sticking her hand out.
The bald agent grasped her hand and shook it, "Agent Logan, like wise. I hear that you'll be helping me with this new initiation project that Fury is setting up."
Noah smiled and nodded, "That's correct. This will be an interesting adventure, but I'm glad I'll have someone like you to go through it with."
"I'm glad you said that, since I'm hoping that you'll be Mr. Starks primary baby sitter for now. I'll just be here for the muscle and to look good."
Noah laughed and nodded again, "Alright, I guess I can live with that."
Fury stood up from his chair just as Agent Coulson, Natasha, and Noah reached the patio. "I got a 2:00."
"Wait, wait, wait, wait," stammered Tony as he climbed out of his seat. He quickly noticed the silver crate at his feet, "What's this?"
"Okay, you're good, right?" asked Fury.
Tony looked between the group of people while shaking his head, "No, I'm not good."
Fury nodded, "You got this. Right? Right?"
"Got what? I don't even know what I'm supposed to get," pleaded Tony.
"Natasha will remain a floater at Stark with her cover intact, Agent Logan will remain here to help you with your search for a suitable replacement for the palladium, and you remember Agent Coulson, right?"
Tony glanced at Coulson, "Yeah."
"And Tony, remember, I got my eye on you," threatened Fury, a very serious look on his face.
Natasha turned to Tony, "We've disabled all communications. No contact with the outside world. Good luck." Noah watched as Director Fury and Natasha both left, going their separate ways, and leaving her with Coulson and Tony.
As if on cue, Tony turned to Coulson, "Please. First thing, I need a little bodywork. I'll put in a little time at the lab. If we could send one of your goon squad down to The Coffee Bean, Cross Creek, for a Starbucks run, or something like that, that'd be nice."
Coulson shook his head, "I'm not here for that. Agent Logan and I have been authorized by Director Fury to use any means necessary to keep you on premises. If you attempt to leave or play any games, I will taser you and watch Supernanny while you drool into the carpet. Okay?"
"I think I got it, yeah."
"Enjoy your evening's entertainment." Coulson turned and walked away.
Tony narrowed his eyes at Noah, "How about we make a deal..."
"You heard Coulson, our job is to make sure that you don't leave the premise or make any funny business."
"I know, I know. I get it, I can't leave, but I imagine those rules don't apply to you."
"Although those rules don't directly apply to me, I am obligated to stay here and watch over you."
Tony sighed and rolled his eyes, "I'm sure Agent baldy can watch over me. Here's the deal, you go get me some Starbucks, a very caffeinated drink if you would be so kind; and I'll give you a nice, large tip. It will be worth your time."
Noah looked up at Tony, a flash of anger in her eyes, "I will not be bribed into doing something, Mr. Stark, just because you believe I'm a child and would fall for such tactics. Now I suggest that you open that box and get to work. From the looks of it, you don't have any time to waste."
With that, Noah turned and walked away, leaving Tony to the contents of the metal case. She walked around the side of the house and out to the front drive way. She slipped into the remaining black Van and started it up.
"And what are you doing?" Coulson asked, startling Noah.
She turned and smiled at him, "If we're spending all our time here, then we're going to need some rations."
"I know what you're doing, and Fury wouldn't like it," said Coulson, giving Noah a look.
"That's very correct, but you're not going to tell him. Now what do you want from Starbucks?"
Two hours later Noah returned to the Stark mansion with a couple of bags of food and three venti-sized Starbucks drinks. She handed Coulson one as she entered the house, and she held another in front of Tony.
A small smile formed on his face, "I thought-"
Noah pulled the drink away, and very seriously said, "Never try to bribe me again."
Tony nodded, "Got it. Now put that down on the table. I don't like to be handed things."
With a roll of her eyes, she placed the drink on the table beside him, turned, and walked away. "Now, do you mind if I put some things in the fridge?"
"Sure go ahead."
Noah walked over to the large kitchen area and pulled open the fridge door. "Tony, your fridge is completely empty."
"That's probably because I had a raging party that destroyed half my house."
"Well, you have some supplies now. That's the last thing I need, for you to keel over and die while I'm watching over you."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, mom!"
Noah shook her head and continued to put the food away. When she finished, she shrugged out of her leather jacket, fixed the straps on her leopard print tank-top, and grabbed her drink. She walked to where Tony was digging through the contents of the box and sat down on a footstool, peering into the box. "So, what's in the cryptic box that Fury gave you. Anything interesting?"
"Just a bunch of things about my dad: old newspaper clippings, some old video reels, blue prints. Pretty much just everything about him and his work," answered Tony. He shifted through the video reel canisters, and threw them back in the box.
Noah grabbed one of the discarded canisters and examined it. "Why don't we put one on? See what's hidden in these frames."
"Couldn't hurt, but I highly doubt that there's anything of use on here."
The two of them set up Tony's old movie projector and the accompanying screen. While Tony was fiddling with the video reel, he looked over his shoulder at Noah. "So, Agent Logan. Do you have a first name?"
Noah nodded in response as she flicked through one of the experiment documents. "It's Noah. Noah Logan."
"Nice name. What else is there to know about you?"
Noah looked up, brows lifted, "What's the sudden interest?"
"I just want to know more about the pint-sized agent that's watching over me. How did you become a fully fledged agent at twenty-one? Don't you have to go through a rigorous training regimen, and aren't graduates usually older? Like twenty-five or something?"
"I was a special case," she explained, turning her attention back to the papers in her hands. "I had specialties that none of the other trainees possessed, which put me at the top of my classes. And since I possess a higher intelligence level than most students, I complete the required training for the science division and the tactical division at the same time, and in the shortest amount of time. "
"That's quite impressive for a girl your age."
"I don't know where it comes from, I just know how to use and manipulate it," Noah replied and shrugged.
Tony nodded continuously, "Well, I guess S.H.I.E.L.D must be extremely pleased to have you working with them and not against them. Ah, here we go. Movies, ready, you got the popcorn?"
Tony dimmed the lights as the projector started, and he joined Noah back at metal box. She flashed him a smile as he grabbed a leather-bound book, and he sat down on the chair beside her. Noah halfheartedly listened to the voice coming from the projector, and only looked up when the voice said Tony's name.
"Tony, what are you doing back there? What is that? Put that back. Put it back where you got it from. Where's your mother? Maria?"
Noah glanced from her documentation to Tony, "Lovely dad you got there..."
"This is the man who I remember, not the one that Fury was going on about," explained Tony without looking up from the book in his hands.
"No wonder you turned out the way you did," Noah commented under her breath. She quickly side-eyed Tony, and if he heard her comment, he didn't show any signs of it.
"Tony?"
Both Tony and Noah looked up from the papers they were examining. Howard Stark stared back at them as he spoke, and his demeanor was completely different from mere moments ago. He was no longer the uptight business man, but rather the calm and relaxed persona that any father would have. "You're too young to understand this right now so I thought I would put it on film for you. I built this for you and someday you'll realize that it represents a whole lot more than just people's inventions. It represents my life's work. This is the key to the future. I'm limited by the technology of my time, but one day you'll figure this out. And when you do, you will change the world."
Noah glanced away from the screen and looked at Tony, as Howard's last words rang through the open room, "What is and always will be my greatest creation is you."
As the reel finished and the video flicked away, Tony's eyes flicked towards Noah. Suddenly his eyes widened. "Who did you say your parents were?"
Noah shook her head, "I didn't..."
Tony stood up suddenly. "Lights on," He said to the automated system, "You. Stand up and wait right there," Tony grabbed a photo from the box at his feet, and walked towards Noah. He held the photo frame next to her face.
"What is it?" she asked. She locked eyes with Tony, not daring to back down. She wanted to know what was going on, why Tony was comparing her to a picture.
"Why do you look like my father?" Tony asked.
"What?" she exclaimed, almost starting to laugh. "You're crazy. There's no way that I could-"
Tony handed her the old, faded photo of his father standing beside Captain America. From behind the glass was a face that looked almost identical to hers, the same softer features stared back, and it was as if she was staring into a mirror. Except the mirror changed her gender. "I don't get it. How do I look like him?" Noah asked, pointing down at the man in the picture.
"I don't know. You tell me..." demanded Tony, a hint of anger and suspicion in his voice.