As the wind whipped at her face, Frigga tried to jog through the crowds on the busy New York streets. Finding the action unnecessary, since she wasn't moving any faster than those walking around her, she took a side alley that she knew would take her the long around way to her destination. It didn't matter where you were in the city, you could always see Stark tower, fueled by its clean energy and bright lights even after being destroyed twenty three years ago. However, despite always being able to see it, getting to the building was another thing altogether.
"I don't understand why I always seem to think that it's closer than it really is," Frigga said aloud. She tightened her grip on her bag and began to jog again.
It was times like these that she appreciated the hours of practice she had been forced to go through her freshman year when she was a part of the track team. Even as a senior, she made it a point to go running every afternoon through the park where she and her sister had always played at when they were little kids, and, in return, she had kept her toned legs and great stamina. She never had been fast.
After another fifteen minutes, five minutes longer than her original path would have taken her without traffic, Frigga was slightly panting in front of the double, glass doors that opened to the reception area. Her boots clacked on the white tile floor as she approached the desk at the back of the open room. A few people who were waiting in the sitting area glanced at her then returned to reading their newspapers or finishing their coffee from Starbucks.
She gave a small smile to the receptionist when she reached the desk.
"Hello, Mrs. Patrick, how are you today?" Frigga asked. The middle aged, blonde receptionist had been hired since the tower's reconstruction.
"I'm doing very well, Ms. Frigga. Mr. Stark is waiting for you. The usual floor. Jarvis will let you in," she replied, then pointed at the elevator before returning to her computer.
"Thank you."
After entering the elevator, Frigga noticed her wind destroyed hair and the perspiration that was still evident on her forehead. Gasping slightly, she combed her fingers through her black locks and wiped the back of her turtleneck sleeve across her face. After fixing everything and brushing away invisible dirt on her jeans, the elevator stopped with a ring announcing her arrival.
"Hello, Frigga," an invisible voice greeted her.
"Hey, Jarvis, how are things going around here?"
"Nothing unusual. Mr. Stark is in his lab. Shall I tell him of your arrival?"
"No, I'll take care of it."
"If you insist, if you need anything please tell me. Have a good day, Frigga."
"You too Jarvis, thank you." She giggled before taking the usual path.
She found the boy genius surrounded by floating holographic screens with formulas and schematics strewn about the room, completely oblivious to her presence. Although the twenty one year old had his mother's personality and work ethic, he was the spitting image of his father with his short, dark hair and dark eyes which were currently focused on a blueprint in his hands. He was the tallest of his family, coming from recessive genes somewhere on his mom's side, and even had a few inches on Frigga herself.
"Why is this not coming out right?" Howard muttered to himself.
"You didn't pull this equation's answer over to here," Frigga said, pointing out the mistake on the paper.
"You have got to be kidding me," he muttered, hiding his face in the paper. Frigga giggled at the childish action and peeled the sheet from his hands and face looking it over for herself.
"And good morning to you, too, sunshine," she said glancing at him. She knew for a fact that Howard had not slept all night evident by the bags under his eyes and his pale complexion. "Have you eaten anything yet?"
"Does coffee count?"
"Howard," Frigga said with a sigh, "how many times have we had this conversation? Sleep and food are necessary in order for humans to survive."
"I'm always around robots so I sometimes forget that I am human," the genius said with a smile. Frigga rolled her eyes and, noticing the couch behind Howard, gave him a hard enough shove to send him falling backwards. "Whoa! Frigga, what…"
"You stay," she said cutting him off, "I'm going to go find something for you to eat, and no, another cup of coffee will not get you through the day."
"Frigga…" Howard started, sitting up in the process.
"No." With that last statement, Frigga left the room, hearing a soft thud as Howard succumbed to her wishes and fell back onto the couch, like he always did.
The lower levels of Stark Tower was designed to hold hundreds of offices and meeting rooms. The upper levels, on the other hand, were for Tony's pleasure only with which he shared with Howard when he got old enough. Now an adult, Howard had inherited a whole floor to himself which he redesigned to serve as a living quarters as well as his workshop.
In his tiny kitchen, Frigga threw some bread into the toaster on the counter. After setting the controls on the toaster, she moved to the fridge and grabbed the orange juice and strawberries that she knew would be on the top shelf. Howard always had strawberries and orange juice and he always kept them in the same place since he moved in. She poured the orange juice, cut the tops off of the strawberries, and grabbed the toast that popped out of the toaster then placed it all onto a tray which she quickly carried to Howard.
Upon her return, Frigga found him sound asleep cuddling a throw pillow on the couch. His brown hair was disheveled and his mouth was slightly open as he snored softly. Frigga smiled to herself as she placed the tray on a table and seated herself on the couch's armrest. He was like a little kid. A cute kid hidden inside of a cute adult.
She blushed after thinking that last thought. The day he or his father created a mind reading device would be the end of her. Of course practically every girl on the planet was after him. He was smart, handsome, and dedicated above all else. He was the whole package and lots of girls wanted to unwrap it. Unfortunately, she could, technically, be considered a part of that group. Not that she wanted all of his attention…well, perhaps she did want it, but she didn't need it at the extremeness that the masses did. No, she was just content being near him. Seeing the different sides of him, the ones he hid from the public eye, was enough for her.
Or at least that's what she told herself.
Sighing, she checked her watch; she had twenty minutes to get to school. After figuring that she was bound to run into traffic, she picked up her bag, gave one more glance over her shoulder at the sleeping figure, then headed for the elevator, giving Jarvis an order to forward all calls to the machine and to practically lock down Howard's floor at least until ten o'clock.
She had been in the elevator for two floors before it stopped and opened. In front of her was the other Stark child: Samantha Stark.
"Well hey there, Frigga," the strawberry blonde greeted her cheerfully.
"Good morning, Sam. Running a little late today?" Frigga asked while she once again pushed the button for the first floor.
"Nope, I always leave around this time when I'm not meeting up with Tori or Sarah for coffee."
Although she looked like her mother, Sam Stark was her father through and through, even adopting her father's quote of being a genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist. The fifteen year old was currently a sophomore in high school, deciding to skip only two grades rather than four, and making her only two years under Tori and Frigga.
"So what were you doing here so early?"
"Howard texted me to come by this morning to see something he finished testing."
"Riiiiight." Sam gave her a look then left the elevator as it opened to the lobby.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Frigga asked her once they got outside. The sidewalks were now packed with people and both girls were caught up with the flow of the traffic as they walked to school.
"Puh-lease, my brother hasn't made anything new in almost a three weeks. He keeps tinkering with this one idea but it hasn't even hit prototype stage yet, just equations and blueprints."
"And that has to do with me because…?"
Sam gave her another look, this one that seemed to scream 'you are the stupidest person on earth.' "Oh god, Tori was right. You two are made for each other," the younger girl muttered to herself and began to walk faster.
"What? Wait, Sam! Hey, wait up!"