Rose took a deep breath as she entered her house, duffel bag in hand. She stepped into the elevator and it closed as she pressed the button for the second top most floor. Her floor.
Exiting, she tossed her duffel bag on the couch and headed to her bedroom
"JARVIS remind me later to have my gym clothes washed up. I'm too tired right now"
"It's been added to your reminders, mam" the AI responded
Rose did a random spin and entered the bathroom and stripping off, slipped into the bathtub for a relaxing bath to help her aching muscles.
An hour later, Rose stepped onto the top most floor. She had changed into khaki shorts and a black tank top, and slip-ons. Her rose-gold hair was up in a messy bun, few stands loose on her face. She looked at the smoothie in hand, which was now empty and she tossed it into the nearest garbage can, attracting the attention of the other person in room
"Hey, you are a little late" Pepper smiled, as Rose walked to her
"I came about an hour ago. What can I say? My relationship with warm baths is very comforting" Rose said dramatically, making Pepper chuckle
Rose, smiling, turned her attention to the screen in front of her
"So, Dad is…."
"yup" Pepper nodded "Connecting the grids lines"
Just then another voice came over
"Good to go on this end. The rest is up to you." Tony said,
"You disconnected the transmission lines? Are we off the grid?" Pepper asked
"Stark Tower's about to become a beacon of self-sustaining clean energy." Tony proudly said
"Well, assuming the arc reactor takes over and it actually works." Rose piped in. Pepper snorted but tried to cover it with a cough
"Good to know you have faith in me, munchkin"
"And that was exactly why I had rechecked everything before I left. You're welcome, by the way"
"Tomato-tomahto, Rosie. Light her up."
Pepper and Rose exchanged a look and Rose pressed a few buttons and soon the tower lit up
"How does it look?" Pepper asked, as she looked at the hologram of the completely lit up Stark Tower
"Like Christmas..." Tony said, content in his voice "...but with more- me."
"And here I thought we worked on this together" Rose snorted, earning giggles from Pepper. It was never hard to make Pepper laugh. Especially when it was bickering between Tony and Rose. It was always amusing
"What did she say?" Tony asked
"N-Nothing" Pepper replied, giving Rose an amused look "but I was saying that we've got to go wider on the public awareness campaign. You need to do some press."
"That's what I have Rose for" Tony chuckled
"Yeah, no. I promised Fleur and Andy that I'll babysit the kids this week. No can do, sir" Rose answered "And I thought you made this whole thing, right. You should be in front of the press, not me"
Pepper tried very hard not to laugh at the crestfallen look of Tony. To watch him being sassed by Rose was always amazing.
"I'm in DC tomorrow." Pepper continued as if she wasn't interrupted "I'm working on the zoning for the next three buildings."
"Pepper, you're killing me at the moment. Remember, enjoy the moment." Tony whined
"Then get in here and I will." Pepper almost purred
"Should I go around the city for a drive while you both, uhm" she cleared her throat "e-enjoyed the moment?"
"Why not" Tony answered
Rose shrugged and turned around but Pepper stopped her "You know he's kidding, right?"
"Pep, that's Tony Stark. No one has any idea when he's kidding and when he's not. Well, maybe except me. And he's not kidding. So, you both enjoy your moment and maybe I'll go see Draco. He wanted to know how the tower went"
"You aren't going to see that ferret" Tony's voice came over
"And that's exactly why?" Rose asked, a smirk playing on her lips, as she saw him enter through the landing pad
"You are not going to see that ferret and that's final. Because I'm your dad and I said so" Tony added as soon as he saw he open her mouth to retort
"Levels are holding steady- I think." Pepper interrupted the two, looking at the holographic image of the tower and some reports. Rose turned around and checked the reports
"Yup, they are"
Rose turned around as tony approached the two women
"Of course they are, I was directly involved." Tony beamed and crossed his arms "Which leads me to my next question. How does it feel to be a genius?"
Tony turned off the display and Pepper and he faced each other.
"Well, ah, I really wouldn't know now would I?"
"What do you mean? All this came from you." Tony looked at Pepper "And you" he turned to Rose
"No, all this came from that." Rose snorted, tapping Tony's arc reactor
"She's right" Pepper nodded with a smile
"Give yourself some credit, please. Stark Tower is your baby." Tony looked at them both "Give yourself-" he paused, thinking "twelve percent of the credit. Each"
"Twelve percent?" Both the women asked
" An argument can be made for fifteen." Tony offered as pepper walked off to the nearest table
"Well, I don't remember you working sleepless nights on how to stabilize arc reactor enough to not have repulsive energy theories" Rose scoffed
"Neither do I. And really? Twelve percent of my and Rose's baby?" Pepper asked, sitting on the couch
" Well, I did do all the heavy lifting." Tony said, walking to Pepper but paused talking hearing a faked cough "Okay. I did majority of the heavy lifting. Like 60%. Literally, I lifted the heavy things and sorry but, the security snafu?" he turned around and looked at Rose, who was joining them "That was on you."
"Oh!" Rose raised her brow, sitting next to Pepper but opposite to Tony
"My private elevator." Tony started. Pepper paused pouring champagne in the glasses and fixed him a look
"You mean our elevator." Pepper corrected him, pointing fingers between herself and Rose
"Yeah, it was teeming with sweaty workmen." Tony said and took a glass, looking at his women "I'm going to pay for that comment about percentages in some subtle way later aren't I?"
Pepper and Rose exchanged a secret look
"Yup!" Rose chuckled, taking the second glass of champagne while Pepper took the third
"Not gonna be that subtle." Pepper added
"And when you plan that, give me a heads up. I'll have a week planned away at my London house"
Pepper agreed
"I'll tell you what, next building is gonna say 'Potts' on the tower." Tony offered
"On the lease!" Pepper exclaimed
"And the third one will hav-" Tony looked at Rose, but was interrupted by his AI
"Sir, the telephone. I'm afraid my protocols are being overridden."
"Ah" Tony slightly winced and picked up his phone. Agent Coulson was on the phone
"Mr. Stark, we need to talk."
"You have reached the Life Model Decoy of Tony Stark. Please leave a message." Tony said in a monotone
" This is urgent." Agent Coulson added
"Then leave it urgently." Tony added
The elevator opened and Coulson stood in there with his phone
"Security breach!" Tony cried and looked at Rose "That's on you!"
"Phil! Come in!" Pepper got up and smiled at the agent, walking to him, followed by the other two
"Hi Phil" Rose smiled at him
"Ms. Stark" Coulson nodded
"Phil?" Tony asked
" I can't stay." Phil quickly added
"Uh, his first name is Agent." Tony tried and failed
"Come on in, we're celebrating." Pepper said
"Which is why he can't stay." Tony said with a fake smile
"I thought it was more the merrier" Rose looked at her father with a smirk, who fixed her a frown
Agent Coulson extended a laptop towards Tony "We need you both to look this over, as soon as possible."
Tony stared at the laptop.
"I don't like being handed things." He grumbled
"Moments when I'm glad I'm unlike you" Rose muttered "Here" she extended her glass to Coulson, who took it and she took his laptop
"Official consulting hours are between eight and five every other Thursday." Tony said, looking at the laptop in Rose's hands
"This isn't a consultation." Coulson said. Rose shrugged, turning around and heading for the work table, Tony hesitantly following his daughter
"Is this about the Avengers?" Pepper asked and then quickly realized what she had said "Which I know nothing about."
"The Avengers Initiative was scrapped, I thought, and neither of us even qualify." Tony piped in, pointing his index finger between himself and Rose, as she worked on the laptop
"I didn't know that either." Pepper said
"Yeah, apparently Rosie and I are volatile, self-obsessed, don't play well with others."
"Actually she put me in as a, I quote, 'grudge holding spoiled brat'" Rose scoffed
"That I did know." Pepper said "Though the second part ain't true"
" This isn't about personality profiles anymore." Coulson said
"Whatever!" Tony snorted and looked at the laptop screen "Ms. Potts, got a sec?"
"Half a moment." Pepper told him and walked to the father daughter duo,
"You know, I thought we were having a moment." Tony whispered to her "the three of us celebrating"
"Rose and I were having twelve percent of a moment." Pepper said as Rose snorted. Tony gave both the women a look
" This seems serious. Phil looks pretty shaken." Pepper added
"Yeah. I've never seen Phil so…panicked"
"How would you notice- why is he Phil?" He looked at both Pepper and Rose, just as Rose expended everything on various holographic screens over the room
"Um, guys?" Rose called over her shoulder, as both Tony and pepper looked at the screens, standing next to Rose
"What is all this?" Pepper asked, resting her arm on Rose's shoulder
" This is-" Tony started
"Avengers Initiative" Rose finished, looking over various footages
"I'm going to take the jet to DC tonight." Pepper muttered, still gaping at the videos
"Tomorrow." Tony almost whined
"You both have homework. A lot of homework."
"Well, what if I didn't?" Tony turned to Pepper
"If you didn't? You mean when you finished? Well, um, then" Pepper leaned in and whispered in Tony's ear.
" Square deal." Tony agreed
"Yeah, you do that" Rose almost gagged "And I'll spend some time with Draco"
Tony gave her an annoyed look
"Fly safe, Pep." Rose smiled at the redhead
Pepper nodded with a smile, giving Rose a hug and Tony a kiss, while Rose turned her back towards them
"Work hard." Pepper kissed Rose on her head and then walked off. Rose, noticing something, expended it and her eyes widened.
She looked over her shoulder at Tony, and found him looking at a departing Pepper
"Dad"
Tony jerked his attention to his daughter
"Yeah?"
"Look at this" Rose pointed at a blue cube with Tesseract written under it
Rose yawned as Tony sat next to her on the couch. It was still quite early in the morning and the two had spent the entire night doing their homework on the shortlisters
"thanks" Rose yawned again as Tony passed her a coffee cup, holding one for himself
"so, are we good?" Tony asked
"Mostly" Rose answered "JARVIS close all the books"
The digital copies of the books disappeared as Rose leaned back on the couch. She removed her glasses and sighed, taking a sip of coffee
"So what's our play?" Tony asked
"Well, you head to the party. I have to make a short trip to London. Looks like my week plans are officially ruined"
"cool" Tony patted her shoulder as she stood up.
She walked to her room, keeping the empty coffee mug on the table
"Ms Stark, I have to remind you to have your gym clothes washed up"
"Got it, J" she said, entering the bathroom for a nice hot shower
After changing into some comfortable clothing, Rose headed for London. She apparated at rural London and just walked to her destination. She smiled seeing the house
"Rose!"
"Hey Andy" Rose smiled at the old woman, who was easily in her nineties but didn't look a day older than 60 "How are you?"
"I'm good, hon. How are you? And your father?"
"Me and Dad are just fine. Ted?"
"In his room" Andy smiled
"thanks" Rose smiled "And I didn't forget" she headed and gave the woman a tight hug "You are still beautiful"
"I'm flattered, Rose"
Rose beamed at her and then walked into the house, heading to a familiar room. She quietly opened the door and found a sleeping four year old on the bed. It was a customized bed, which she had personally runed so that it would adjust to the demands of its owner. Rose's gift to Teddy for Christmas. She quickly went and sat on the bed next to Teddy's head. She removed her bag and set it on nearby table
"I know you are awake" she whispered playfully. Teddy giggled, his face burying deeper into the pillow
"No I'm not" he giggled
"Yes you are" she chuckled and pounced at him at once. Soon peals of laughter rang around the house as rose continued to tickle him.
"Mum-Mummy" Teddy squealed, laughing hard "s-sto-stop-stop" he said between the breaths
Hearing a hard chuckle from behind her, Rose stopped. She looked over her shoulder and Teddy raised his upper body
"Hi Aunty Hermy!"
Hermione laughed a little more as she stepped in. Rose got off of her godson as Hermione sat on the bed
"Thought you were supposed to come next week"
"Change of plans" Rose shrugged
"What's it?"
Rose lurched forward a little, as teddy had pounced at her from the back and wrapped his arms around her neck, keeping his tiny head on her shoulder
"SHIELD contacted me and Dad"
"They got you a mission?"
"Worse. You remember the Tesseract?"
Hermione froze as her eyes widened
"I do" she muttered
"It's been stolen." She sighed
"that means….the other s-"
"Yeah" Rose nodded "But SHIELD is being very zipped up about it. They don't know that I have more info on the tesseract than they do"
"They're underestimating you" Hermione muttered
"That seems a better option. No one has any idea about the Tesseract and what it is really capable of. I think they should be kept in dark on this one."
"You think it is a good idea?"
"It is" Rose nodded "If I told them the truth, it is only going to make them more paranoid. I cannot afford that. And if the word spread around, the magicals are gonna get involved"
"That won't be pretty" Hermione muttered "It'd be all WW2 once again"
Rose nodded
"Promise me you'd be back"
Rose smiled softly
"I'm not leaving this guy" she reached and kissed Teddy's forehead "or anyone else anytime soon"
Hermione smiled and hugged her tight
"Take care. And don't do anything stupid or reckless"
"Yes, mam"
Both the girls chuckled, but then stopped when they heard a low grumble
"What was that?" Hermione asked in fake scared voice
Rose pretended to think for a minute "Oh no! It's the…it's the…" she played along and then quickly turned to Teddy "It's the hunger monster!"
Teddy squealed as Rose grabbed him by his waist "Come on baby, we need to calm that hunger monster, now!"
After having lunch with Hermione, Teddy and Andy, and spending a couple more hours, Rose decided to leave
"I should get going now. Dad is expecting me"
Andy nodded with a smile. Rose gave both the women tight hugs and then left. She quickly took out her phone
"J? Where's dad?"
