Alright! Chapter 3! Disclaimer: I WISH I owned everything related to Iron Man...but sadly....I do not..... :( Nicki's P.O.V.!
Nicki's P.O.V.:
The room was dark because there were no lights or windows. I sat on the beaten up couch that was my bed in the small closet-like room that was mine. I quickly grabbed the small portable t.v. from underneath my 'bed' that I bought at an antique store with my own money. I hastily turned the knob to the news channel where the press conference was just starting. Tony hadn't even come out yet.
The screen of the t.v. illuminated the room with its dull glow, revealing all the printed and taped images of Mr. Stark on my wall that I got from using the school computer lab. The small mirror nailed to my wall could also be seen, showing a reflection of my somewhat tan face, muddy, dark chocolate-like eyes, and straight very dark, almost black, brown hair. I looked nothing like the lazy, ugly, fat, retarded man in the other room who adopted me. You may say this is harsh, but after my life experience with him, it's not.
The man had a giant bald spot with the remains of his flaming red hair. His skin was ghostly white, total proof that he never went into the warm Malibu sun like normal people did, like I did. I was tanner than the average person however, I figure I probably have Italian heritage.
The man's eyes were of a murky green color which complimented his pig fat, greasy body quite well. He never worked, hence the lack of money and a small house within the very worst area of Malibu. I was mostly on my own in shopping, often going with friends who would help me buy clothing…even food sometimes.
This man, Ted Stanley, had adopted me from an orphanage with his girlfriend when I was born. He would do anything for her, and adopted me at her request. A few weeks later, she left him, leaving me alone with him. He has abused me while laying in a recliner ever since.
I was deep in thought up until I noticed that Tony had appeared on the screen. Excitedly, I turned its volume up to almost the loudest it could go. Poor Tony, I could tell he was nervous. He hadn't had a lot of success in press conferences.
"Hey! Turn that bull crap down, you little pr-!" I didn't want to hear him yell, I turned it up more.
"Not now!" I shouted, to shut him up. "I'm listening to Tony Stark!"
"What the.." Here we go. He cussed and floundered around outside. "I will beat the – out of yeh! I'll will kill you in your f-! You little-" I drowned most of it out, listening to Tony, afraid however, of this man, now banging as loud as he could on my double locked door.
I sighed, then all of a sudden.
"I am Iron Man" Tony said from the t.v. Everyone went mental, including me.
"WHAT?" I basically screeched. "Oh my, God! That's incredible!" I was astounded at this man and his accomplishments, yet at the same time, I wondered why he would say something like this instead of keeping it a secret. Heck, he should have kept it a secret; in fact he acted stupidly in saying this. Yet, this made me even more intrigued by him. I was so conflicted.
"Damn you, kid!" The voice came from the door, like it was spitting fire. I was too in shock from Tony Stark's news to care. He could die, for all I was concerned, the pig of course. I shut the t.v. off and went to the door and unlocked it unconsciously. All the while thinking about Tony being even more of a hero than he was before, how cool he was for doing this, and how much this would affect him professionally. But God, he was amazing!
There the pig stood when I opened the door. I came out of my little fantasy world, my sanctuary, and into Satan's den. I realized what was about to occur. I saw his wild, drunken eyes and the grease pouring down his neck. I was in hell.
Slap! A wild, sharp, numb pain engrossed my cheek. I was used to this by now; this was nothing in comparison to what it could have been. The slap had caused my ears to ring and my heart to race. The pain made my eyes water, but I refused to cry no matter how great the pain. I refused to give him the satisfaction. I stared at him with all the hatred in the world, the universe. My hatred towards him was equal to the amount of love a good father gives to their child, something I would never have; a family. I would always be a hidden and forgotten slave.
He told me to shut up after that and he smiled at me. I was his dog, his punching bag. I wasn't a human being in his eyes. I didn't feel like a human being inside this house either, I didn't know what being human really meant. The pig went back into his smelly, greasy, mud filled pen to watch football for the rest of his life. I had never been in that room; I never said a word really to this man. I just lived there and got beaten.
I went into the kitchen and sat down at the table. I just sat there, staring at the paint peeling on the walls. There was no escape from this hell. I wouldn't be able to go to college, he wouldn't pay for it. I couldn't run away, he doesn't own a car. I refused to call for help, I was too afraid. Ask me to do anything else and I'd do it. Therefore, I was beyond disappointed in myself for not being brave…for not standing up for myself.
I then heard a sound that I'd thought I'd never hear; a car pulling into our driveway. Ted had visitors? I didn't get up from the kitchen to see who it was. I just sat there in fear of getting in trouble. I heard a car door shut.
Then there was a knock on the door. Luckily, the pig didn't stir, so he was probably asleep. I walked across the room to answer the door to this strange visitor. In the door near the top, there were two windows; out these windows I could vaguely see the visitor's hair. The hair style was so familiar; I knew that hair, weirdly enough. I stopped staring, trying to place it to open the door.
The event happened like a slow moving dream. Well, I thought it was a dream at first. When I opened the door…it was him, in all his perfection. Time moved slowly. My heart started beating even more rapidly than ever, causing it to break and land in the bottom of my stomach. It couldn't be real, it just can't. But it couldn't be a dream, because I knew what being awake felt like all too well. So it must have been him and it must have been real. I felt like screaming, hugging him, attacking him all at the same time. Something restrained me, just barely however. I began to sweat and shake, and I had to stop myself from hyperventilating. All these events happened in less than a second, a second that lasted a lifetime.
But then…he spoke. I felt like dying at the sound of his voice. I felt my face in a mouth wide open, jaw dropped and saliva dripping gape. I felt like such a fan girl.
"Um…hi." He said, clearly somewhat nervous due to my facial expression. I quickly blinked and set my jaw to a normal position. "You probably know me but…I'm Tony Stark." Oh my God, he held out his hand for me to shake it. I felt my hand swell up as it neared closer to his. His hand was warm, firm, and oh so comfortable to touch.
"I'm looking for a Nicolette Stanley." He took his mysterious sunglasses off revealing his beautiful, soulful, perfectly chocolate, brown eyes. HE KNEW MY NAME! I must have won an award or something for science! Tony was presenting it to me! But why? He then asked. "Are you…her by any chance?"
"…Yes!" I breathed. I could barely respond. Tony's face all of a sudden filled with something that I wasn't expecting. It was like warmth and realization…as if he found someone who he had lost. He smiled genuinely, studying me from top to bottom, but not creepily, but as if he was searching for something.
"…Wow." He shook his head in what appeared to be amazement.
"Uhh….what?" I was now very confused. Something was up. He laughed at this statement.
"Yeah…you're adopted right?" He smirked…very cutely I might add. How did he know this?
"Yes..but how…?" He laughed again at my bewildered expression.
"What if I told you that I knew what your real last name is Ms. 'Stanley'." He said my last name sarcastically. This was the moment I've been waiting for my whole life, I didn't even care that my obsession was standing at my front door. If he was telling the truth, I would get to figure out who I was. I didn't say anything in response to this, I just gaped.
"Or should I say Ms. Stark?" Tony grinned at me.
It took me a few seconds to realize what he said."Wha…wait. I'm your….dau-" He cut me off.
"Sister, actually. Please, don't make me feel old with that daughter crap." He was still grinning at me, laughing. He seemed so happy, so pure. For me, both my biggest, wildest dreams came true; I got to meet Tony Stark and find my family. Umm…but I also felt creepy about being completely in love with my own brother.
"Whoa. Wait. Are you sure?" This was unbelievable.
"Nicki, I've never been so sure of something in my life. Wait. You go by that right?" Tony, well my brother asked. I didn't know how this came to be. It was destiny to have idolized Tony Stark for me, it must be.
"Yeah I do Mr. Stark..but" He interrupted me.
"You're going to call your own brother by 'Mr.'? Wow, you're making me seem very old here. Call me Tony." He laughed. I did somewhat recognize a similarity in sarcasm. He became really shy and serious all of a sudden. "Anyways…um. I know you probably have a great set of parents here who love you. I mean…if maybe you'd want to just come and visit sometimes…if you didn't necessarily want to live with me, of course. But I'm guessing I won't be expecting a permanent addition to my home here." My stomach dropped; I felt sick. My perfect world didn't last long, quickly becoming a nightmare once again.
"No…Tony. You have to take me from this place." I don't know what it was, I didn't even know if this was true fact, but something within my heart told me that this was my family. I intended on living with my older brother and it wasn't, I knew, that I had idolized him. I felt safe around him just within these five minutes. I began to tear up. He looked worried.
"He hits me…" I had never really come out loud and said it to anyone before. I had told people some things, like the pig not being the best father, but I hadn't found anyone trustworthy enough to tell the darker side to, even though most had guessed it. "I have no family here. Believe me." Tears were streaming down my face. I couldn't see anything through my blurred eyes, but I felt something. It was a hug…a genuine brother to sister hug…one shared by family…something I experienced for the first time.
"…Go get as much stuff as you can." He whispered into my ear. "I'll wait here for you. Where is he?"
"I-in the l…living room…" I choked. He released me, gently pushing me to hurry up. I ran into my room and packed it all up in a heartbeat. I grabbed my homework, favorite books, all my clothes and accessories in my closet, and my blanket. But there were a few things I left. There was my t.v. on the couch…and all my Tony Stark posters. As much as I loved them, I now had the next best thing.
