Aversion and Revelation

"Hey Jack," Tony greeted as she walked behind the bar.

"Hey, Tony," he looked surprised. "You're early."

The teen smiled. "I know. I planned to walk here but then I caught a ride."

"From who?" the bartender was curious.

"Emily. She was nice enough to ask when she saw me on the side of the road," the black haired girl laughed.

Something finally clicked for the brown haired man. "Wait, why were you walking?"

Tony grabbed a rag and started to wipe the bar. She wouldn't look at her new employer. "Nolan and I had a fight."

"About what?" Now Jack was concerned, not just for Nolan but for the young girl in front of him.

Tony bit her lip, wondering how much she should tell the townie. "Well, everyone knows that he's my father, and he thought I told. I didn't."

"So who did?" Jack wasn't sure if he believed her.

The teen shrugged. "Nolan knows, I don't. He apologized but I was upset already. He…he was going to throw me out." Tears appeared in her eyes and she blinked them away. "I wouldn't blame him if he did, but I hadn't told anyone. I was as shocked as he was."

Jack felt compassion overtake all previous feelings of distrust he had toward this girl. "That's terrible."

Tony looked up at him, "But it wasn't his fault!" she replied quickly. "Nolan told me what would happen if I told, and since he thought I did, his reaction was only natural."

Jack frowned at the girl's defense of Nolan. He knew that Nolan was suspicious of others, and that he often closed himself off because of his suspicion. However, despite knowing all his faults, the brown haired man couldn't fully absolve his friend. "A father shouldn't abandon their kid."

Tony's mouth quirked into something like a smile, "He's new to this, so am I."

Jack smiled faintly. He liked the resilience in this girl. "It still wasn't right."

Tony shrugged. "He's fair, that's more than I can say about the foster homes I was tossed around."

Jack looked visibly startled. "You went into Foster Care?"

Tony nodded. "My mother died when I was fourteen, so I had no one else to go to."

"Why didn't you try to find Nolan?" Jack felt terrible for asking, but he wanted to know. He wanted to make sure her story made sense.

Antoinette laughed. "I was intimidated, you know? Besides, who would believe me if I said that THE Nolan Ross was my father? Take into account the fact that I'm a minor, and nothing adds up well for me."

"Oh, wow," Jack muttered. "You thought that through."

Tony nodded seriously, "Well, I had a lot of time to. Finally I was able to get into their system and change my age to a year older so they could let me go."

Jack shook his head, confused, "So, wait a minute, you're only seventeen?"

Tony smiled, "No sir, according to government records I'm eighteen, old enough to carry liquor to tables."

Jack laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Alright, then I guess I'll help you get started…"

Tyler stumbled around the pool table, laughing with false abandon as he watched his friend get plastered. Daniel was currently the object of a girl's lustful desires as she hung on him like seaweed. The girls with them were easy, but Tyler didn't care for them. He scanned the bar, hoping to find someone who would.

His eyes landed on the black haired waitress. She looked young.

Tyler turned toward the townie girl leaning his way. "Hey, do you know who that is?"

The girl stopped chalking her queue and looked over. A gleam Tyler recognized all too well filled her eyes. "You mean you hadn't heard?" she asked quietly, conspiratorially.

Tyler smiled, "I just got into town."

The girl giggled and leaned forward, delighted to spread gossip. "Her name's Antoinette Mason, and she's that nerd Nolan Ross' bastard kid!"

Tyler looked back over at the teen and gave her a considering look. She certainly was beautiful, and the daughter of a man richer than anyone in the Hamptons. She was interesting.

Tyler turned his attention back to the sleazy girl and smiled. "I'll go get us some drinks," he said as his excuse to leave.

She shrugged and went to tease his (admittedly better looking) friend about him scratching his shot.

…

"A rum and coke and whatever's on tap for table five," Tony said as she slid the ticket to Jack.

He began to fill the order. "Tony, I gotta say, you're doing great."

The teen smiled. "I've done this before."

"Well if you keep this up I may have to fire Declan." Jack pushed the tray with the two drinks toward her then strode to the other end of the bar to take care of someone's bill.

Tony pulled the tray closer to her and was about to pick it up when a slick, serpentine voice stopped her.

"Hello beautiful, and who might you be?"

Tony stiffened as she turned to face a young man who looked to be several years older than her.

"Not interested," she replied, taking in his appearance. He had long, brown hair that was artfully tosseled on his skull to look like perfect bed head. His light blue eyes peered down at her.

"My name's Tyler, I'm rooming with the Grayson's for the summer," he said, sticking his hand out.

She straightened her back and went to give the table their drinks. 'Tyler' decided to follow behind.

Tony delivered the drinks with a smile then turned to scan the bar, Tyler still by her side. Unfortunately, no one needed her. Tony silently cursed and then went to duck behind the actual bar. Tyler took the stool before her and leaned forward as she cleaned glasses with a rag.

"So what's your name?" he asked.

Tony placed her hands on her edge of the bar. Her lips were pressed together and rolled in, giving off an air of annoyance. She wished the guy could pick up on it.

"Look Tyler," she spat. "You are barking up the wrong tree, and it seems like bunny boy over there," she gestured to Daniel. "Has the right idea."

"Bunny boy?" Tyler interrupted, smiling.

Tony raised an eyebrow, "Ever see his mouth? It's too small for his funny lookin' rabbit teeth."

The man before her laughed in earnest.

Miss Mason rolled her eyes and went back to cleaning the glass. "Do you want something? A drink?"

The brown haired man smirked and rested his chin in his hand. "I'm fine just looking at you."

…

Boy was he trying hard. But he couldn't afford to lose her. He had no money, he couldn't go back to Harvard, and his brother still didn't know he had escaped the hospital. He needed some form of stance in the damn Hampton Society, so why not pick something (or someone) he might enjoy? He swung both ways when necessary, a three on the Kinsey Scale, the perfect bi. He would do whatever he had to do in order to get what he wanted. This girl…Antoinette, was simply a means to a very beneficial end.

"Tony! I need a draft!" the barkeep called from the opposite end.

Antoinette nodded to Jack and used one of the glasses she had been cleaning to fill the order. Like an old time saloon, she slid the drink down the bar into Jack's waiting hand.

"Uh…thanks," the rugged owner said, blinking in surprise.

"So your name's Tony? That short for something?" Tyler asked.

Tony turned back toward him. "As a matter of fact, it's short for 'Go the hell away'."

"I would have never guessed."

"Listen rich boy," Tony growled, her eyes lighting with fire. "This isn't happening, not now, not ever. You are very close to going over the fine line of pedophilia, and trust me, no amount of Romeo and Juliet laws are gonna be able to save your ass. So leave me the hell alone, and go back to Danny boy."

The once-rich young man was impressed, no one had ever told him off like that. Now he was even more interested, if only for pure entertainment. He smiled and nodded.

"Fine, fine, I'll go," he watched as the girl visibly relaxed. "I'll see you around Antoinette Mason."

He could feel her eyes glaring daggers at his back as he sauntered away.

…

Missing the entire exchange by mere minutes, Nolan walked into the bar. He went to the direct corner of the bar and slouched down, hoping to avoid attracting Tony's attention.

"Nolan, hey," Jack looked surprised to see him sitting among the usual barflies and trendy new patrons.

The blond man smiled. "Hi Jack, give me a bourbon."

Jack turned around to retrieve the tumbler and bottle. While he did so, Nolan watched his daughter. Tony weaved in and out of the tables expertly. She paused to chat with some customers and cleared the tables of others. Nolan could tell she hadn't waitressed only a "few times" as she'd claimed.

"Nolan?"

He turned back to see Jack nudging the drink toward him.

Nolan grabbed the glass and took it in one gulp.

"Easy there buddy," the barkeep said, looking worried.

Nolan grabbed the neck of the bottle and poured himself another. When Jack moved to take it away, Nolan pulled it back.

"Leave it," he snapped.

Jack surrendered and moved down the bar to pour seconds, or thirds, or whatever number his customers were on, leaving the multi-billionaire alone with his thoughts.

Nolan felt awful. He watched Tony as she worked.

He wondered about all the things he had missed in the first seventeen years of his daughter's life.

Her first steps, first word, first day of school, first lose tooth…so many firsts. Did she get her license? Had she ever had a boyfriend? Had her first kiss?

Once Nolan continued on the long list of 'firsts' he realized that he missed a lot. Each passing moment made him take another gulp of his drink. He also realized that he knew so little about Isabella and their daughter. Apparently, Isabella had turned to alcohol to soothe her worries. How did that affect Tony? Nolan noticed some odd habits his daughter had, or odd reactions to certain things, lsike the shaking. She didn't like people getting too close to her, and when Nolan had been dragging her out…

Well, it didn't look good from any angle.

Then there was the foster care, who knows what that did to her.

Nolan shook his head and watched his daughter go about her work, feeling fiercely protective over her. As he poured another glass, the techno genius figured that the alcohol would only help him at this point. He only hoped Tony didn't notice him. That wouldn't go over well.

…

Hours later, Tony looked around as the dwindling crowd left the bar. She saw someone hunched in the corner but they were concealed in shadow, plus, Jack was blocking her view.

"Hey Jack," she called, walking toward the pair. "I'm done with the tables, need anything else?"

The bartender turned and shook his head, "You've got bigger problems on your hands kid."

She gave him a quizzical look, but then Tony figured out what he was talking about.

Nolan was putting his phone away. He probably just finished showing Jack the video of Emily talking to that therapist. The blond had said something about that earlier…

"Hey sweetie," Nolan greeted, giving his bastard a half wave.

Tony froze at the obvious drunken slur in her father's tone, "When did he get here?"

"A little while ago, you were just too busy to notice."

Tony assessed her father. "And now he's blitzed."

Jack rubbed the back of his neck, "Yeah. Can you drive? Because if not you guys can bunk upstairs…"

The girl shook her head. "I have my license. I'll drive."

"So you can drive! Legally too!" Nolan proclaimed.

Tony closed her eyes and shook her head. "What is he babbling about?"

Jack shrugged. "He's being going on and on…something about 'firsts'."

The bastard gave her father a hard look. "Why are you here?"

"To see you," Nolan slurred.

Jack took his leave, muttering something about counting the tips.

"Why? We had an argument remember?"

"I felt bad, I was worried, so I called…I called," he scrunched his face. "Who did I call?"

"Emily, you called Emily," Tony felt the disdain she felt toward drunks ebbing at her being, her thoughts. She tried to push it away.

"That's it…Emily," Nolan put his head on the bar.

"Jack we're gonna go," the teen called down to the bartender.

"Wait, let me help you with him," Jack said as he saw Tony put Nolan's arm across her shoulders.

"I got it," she shot him a wry smile. "I've done this before."

"I'll help you get him into the car then," the older man's tone left no room for argument.

Tony nodded her resignation. The mismatched trio headed out to the street. Many would have thought it was an odd sight; a young girl supporting a tall blond man dressed in expensive labels being followed by a concerned looking sailor/bartender.

…

Jack helped Tony get the drunken billionaire into the passenger seat.

"Gimme the keys Nolan," the teen ordered quietly.

The blond fumbled for his keys until he finally found them. He handed them to his daughter with a big grin.

"Put your seatbelt on," Tony stated as she slammed the car door shut.

Jack caught her arm. "Tony."

The girl tried to pull out of his grip, but he wasn't having it. She looked away from the bartender.

"Go easy on him, OK?" Jack asked. Then he noticed the tears in her eyes. "Hey, what's wrong?"

She shook her head, but Jack took her shoulders in his strong, calloused hands. "Tony, what's wrong?"

Shaking her head again, she answered, "Nothing. My Mom…its nothing. Honestly."

Jack pulled the girl into a hug. He wasn't usually so forward, but he felt as though this kid needed some form of affection.

"If you need anything…"

"I'll call you," she finished.

Jack released the teen and watched her get into the car. He waved as she pulled away and received a wave in return. The brown haired man ran a hand through his hair and sighed. He quite frankly didn't know what to make of Antoinette Mason. She seemed like a good kid, maybe with a troubled past, but basically good. He didn't think Nolan knew how to handle her, and assured himself that he would bring it up to his rich friend later. Right now, he had to get on that website.

…

Tony pushed the brake as the light changed from yellow to red. She drummed her fingers against the wheel. After a few seconds of staring straight ahead she glanced at her inhibited father.

Why had he suddenly decided to show up at her new job and get blitzed?

According to Jack, Nolan hadn't gotten drunk once since he had known him, and Tony knew through her own research that the computer whiz didn't get drunk enough to make the tabloids. So why did he choose tonight? Was he that upset about their fight? What she had said?

The blare of a horn from the agitated driver behind her alerted the teen to the fact that the light changed. Tony muttered a curse and stepped on the gas.

"So when did it happen?" Nolan asked, quietly, sounding like his old, cocky self.

Tony flicked on the turn signal, "When did what happen?"

The blond man rolled his head against the headrest to look at his daughter. "When did you find out I was your father?"

Tony was quiet for a long few moments. She waited until she had completed the turn, then she answered his question.

"I grew up knowing your name," she began, staring at the road. "My Mom talked about you all the time, cursed you even, said you were no good. She said she regretted sleeping with you."

Out of the corner of her eye she could see hurt register on his face, in his eyes.

"When I was five, she took me to some big event. I don't remember what it was, but you were there, speaking about your company."

"I was?" he asked.

Tony nodded. "Yeah, Nolcorp." She spat the company name as if it were poison in her mouth. "I remember that part clearly. She was holding me against her hip. She shifted so I could see you clearly, then pointed to you and said 'You see that man? That's Nolan Ross. That's your Daddy'. Then she looked right at me, gave me this terrible look and told me, 'He doesn't want anything to do with you, and he never will.' Then she told me 'He'll never want you, just like he never wanted me. He only cares about himself.'" The teen girl hit the dashboard with her fist. "Can you imagine hearing that when you're five? Hearing your Mom say you'll basically never be worth anything in the eyes of the man who helped make you?"

Nolan reached a hand out a grabbed her smaller one. "I'm sorry Antoinette."

Tony turned her head and glanced at him briefly, "You're drunk."

"I'm sorry about that too," Nolan replied, squeezing her hand.

"You won't remember any of this in the morning," she muttered, seemingly to herself.

"No, I'll remember."

"No, you won't."

"I'm the parent and I say I will so I will."

The entire time, Nolan clasped her hand tightly in his. Tony let him.

"We're here Nolan," his daughter said as she parked the car.

"OK," was his complacent reply.

She slowly (reluctantly?) pried her hand from his. "Stay in here until I get you alright?"

He nodded. His eyes followed her figure as she walked up the drive and opened the door. Tony briefly poked her head inside, then began walking back toward the car. Nolan had the passing worry that she might fall on the way, walking around in the dark. He leaned against the door and squinted. Was she even wearing shoes?

That was his first question as soon as she opened his door.

"Where are your shoes Tony?" he asked.

She didn't look at his face, not once as she undid his seatbelt and shifted under his arm. "I took 'em off. I can't carry you if my shoes keep slipping off."

"Oh," was all he said as she hoisted him out of the car.

Tony kicked the door shut and proceeded to lock the expensive vehicle. They pair began the walk into the house.

…

Once inside, Tony slammed the door shut behind her. She glanced up the stairway that lead to their bedrooms and sighed.

"I'm gonna need some help her Nolan," she said.

"OK."

Slowly, carefully, Tony helped her buzzed parent up the stairs. They staggered the hall until the pair arrived at Nolan's door. Tony turned the door and unceremoniously deposited Nolan onto his bed. She then walked over to his drawers and opened them, pulled out something for the father to sleep in. The teen threw the clothes on top of the barely moving body on the bed.

"Change," she walked out of the room. "I'll be right back."

…

Nolan began the confusing process of trying to undress then redress while plastered. As he did so, his thoughts wandered in a lethargic matter, finally settling on his conversation in the car.

That had been a terrible thing to do to a child.

How much had Isabella changed since he saw her? What would make her change so drastically from the sweet girl he knew? The obvious, easy answer would be his success and abandonment. He could imagine the hurt and pain she felt every day she stared at Tony. He felt a keen sense of loss and longing every time he looked at their daughter because she reminded him so much of her mother. As he tugged the shirt over his head, Nolan wondered what Tony felt when she looked at him. They had the same color eyes, but did she hate him? Did his daughter feel anything toward him? He felt something for her, although he tried to stop himself from feeling it so quickly. Caring, true, deep caring kept seeping through his doubts and reservations, making him look at his bastard kindly, making him want to protect her. That was why he went to The Stowaway. He had been worried about her. He knew Jack didn't let anything bad or illegal happen at the bar but that didn't stop the father from worrying about his attractive spawn. Who knew what could have happened? Sure, nothing did happen, and truth be told, he wouldn't have been much help if something had, but still…he worried. He worried about her a lot now. He worried about all the times he missed and all the times to come.

While his thoughts were spinning about his skull he found himself suddenly in the change of clothes, well, minus the shirt. He felt suddenly comfortable in his pajama bottoms. So comfortable in fact, that he fell back onto his bed.

A knock on the door resounded through the silent room, "Nolan? Can I come in?"

Nolan was stuck in twilight, that in-between place of consciousness and unconsciousness. He felt as though he were sleeping, but he could still hear things, still see. He heard the door creak open as someone came inside.

Who was it? The thought boggled around his mind before a face filled his vision.

"Nolan."

Isabella? Yes, it was. It was her. The girl who had robbed him of his heart and inhibitions as a teenager, she was above him. She was so beautiful. Nolan strained forward. He wanted to kiss her; she was so close, so close…

He was just about to do it. His face was so close to hers, maybe six, seven inches.

"Isabella," he whispered. His hand reached toward her.

Suddenly, she wretched away from him, stumbled back, and the illusion was shattered.

Tony was braced against his dresser, her back flat against its drawers. She was gasping and shaking violently.

Oh shit, was Nolan's only thought.

…

Antoinette was frozen as Nolan Ross leaned up closer and closer to her face. She had flashbacks, memories, of someone else, of someone worse. She could only stare into his glazed gaze as he got closer and closer.

"Isabella," he whispered, his hand reaching toward her.

Tony screwed her eyes shut as she flung herself away from her father. Her back collided with the dresser and her hands clawed to grip onto something. She began gasping and shaking so much that she was afraid she would fall.

Lucid understanding suddenly struck Nolan. He shot up and shoved himself off the bed.

"Antoinette," he said, shock, surprise, and worry clear in his tone.

She swallowed harshly. She looked at him, tears emerging in her eyes.

"Tony I'm—" he took a step toward her.

"S-Stay away!" she shouted in a rough, strangled voice. "J-Just s-stay away from me."

More images flooded her mind. Tony had to clench her jaw to keep from screaming.

"What's wrong? Tony I'm sorry, I didn't mean—" Nolan looked confused, worried too.

"Nothing!" she said too loudly. The teen cleared her throat. "It's nothing Nolan." She blinked away the tears and forced herself away from the dresser. The raven haired girl made herself stop shaking. "Just get back on the bed Nolan, I'll…I'll tuck you in." She thought about how odd the words sounded, coming from a child and addressed to a parent.

Nolan nodded dumbly and plopped back onto the bed. Tony walked over and pulled the blankets over the drunk. When she was finished she shut the light out, and without a word, left the room.

…

Nolan listened to Tony's footsteps pad down the hallway. He strained to hear the creak of her door open and close. Right before he closed his eyes, he thought he could her quiet, restrained sobbing. He wanted to move, he wanted to get up and ask what was wrong, to comfort his kid. But his limbs felt so heavy, and it felt as though someone was sitting on his chest. His eyelids dropped over his eyes, locking shut. Nolan reluctantly surrendered to sleep, Tony's cries echoing in his head.

Nolan woke up to a thudding beat pulsing from downstairs. He dragged himself out of bed, wandered into the bathroom, and once he finished (peeing, throwing up...one usual, one un), stumbled into the hallway. He had a wicked hangover, one that nearly made him crumble to his knees. The loud music downstairs didn't help things either.

"Tony!" he called, despite the fact that doing so didn't help anything.

"In the kitchen!" was her reply.

Nolan followed the sound of the blaring music into the kitchen. He found Antoinette in front of the stove, cooking something.

"You always fold just before you're found out, drink up its last call, last resort, but only the first mistake and I..." Tony sang along with the lyrics, quite nicely too.

The blond billionaire took a seat at the island. "What is that?"

"Fall Out Boy, Dance Dance," she replied.

She pushed a plate in front of him, "Eat that, it's a peanut butter, honey and banana sandwich. I know you don't wanna eat but this'll help with the hangover."

Nolan opened the top piece of bread and looked at the concoction dubiously. "How?" He finally took in her appearance. She was wearing a pair of plaid Juicy Couture sleep shorts ($48) and what appeared to be one of his dress shirts…a white one. "And are you wearing my shirt?"

Tony laughed as she placed something from the pan onto a plate. "Fructose, and potassium, which is one of the things you lose lots of when you drink. Bananas are a natural antacid to help with the nausea, and are high in magnesium which can help relax the blood vessels causing your headache. And yes, I am."

Nolan just gazed open mouthed at her, "You know all this how?"

"Mom drank a lot; I had to get creative with the remedies. Eat that then you can have breakfast."

Nolan put the top piece of white bread back on the sandwich and took an experimental bite. He found the taste to be surprisingly sweet and smooth. He finished the sandwich, and although it was probably his imagination, he did feel better.

Then Tony plopped a plate full of hot, greasy, fantastic smelling food in front of him. She then put a glass of orange juice. She then sat to his right with the same plate of food but instead a glass of milk.

"What is all this?" he asked, surprised.

"An English Breakfast," she took a bite of what looked to be fried eggs. "Eat, everything on that plate has everything you need in order to function as normal."

"Where did you get this?"

She looked at him with a 'duh' look. "After my run I drove to the store, then I showered and changed into these."

"So…you didn't sleep in them last night?" Nolan was surprised. He also vaguely registered that she said she went for a run. "You run?"

"No, I fell asleep in my clothes, and yes, along the beach."

Nolan shrugged then looked at his plate, picking up his fork. Bacon, fried eggs, real link sausage, thick cut hash browns, and toast were just some of the things he recognized on the plate. Fried mushrooms and beans spilled into each other, and a grilled wedge of tomato perched on the edge of his plate. Nolan had a feeling that if he hadn't just eaten the sandwich, his nausea would have kicked in at the sight of all the food. He took a tentative bite of bacon and swallowed, waiting for his stomach to roil in protest. When it didn't, he looked at Tony and smiled.

"Well I'll be damned," he said with a grin.

His daughter rolled her eyes and bit her toast. "Truth will always be truth, regardless of lack of understanding, disbelief or ignorance, W. Clement Stone."

Nolan cut a piece of sausage, "Meaning that I shouldn't be surprised when I know so little about what you can do."

"Basically."

The pair sat in relative quiet as they ate their breakfasts, only breaking the quiet for brief conversation. It wasn't an uncomfortable quiet, but a warm, companionable one. Nolan thought that this was the best breakfast he had ever had, even if the company was less than willing. He ate everything on the plate, after which Tony put two pills of aspirin in front of him with a cup of water. He smiled gratefully as he took them. Without a word, he began to help his daughter clean the dishes. The music played on in the background.