Chapter Three: Good Golly, Miss Holly
"Tony, what the hell are you doing?" Bruce creased his eyebrows in confusion as he watched dozens of article pop on Tony's screen. What the hell had gotten into Stark, he was acting weirder than usual. "You can't just stalk people."
"It's not stalking, Banner," Tony clicked his tongue. "And don't let stars and stripes hear you swearing or he will make you put a dollar in the swear jar. I'm just finding out information, and no I'm not cheating on Pepper if that's what you're thinking. She told me that if I ever did that she would cut my balls off and I honestly don't want to see if she's lying or not."
"But who is Holly- "Bruce stopped midsentence as the screen in front of them froze slightly. He frowned as he looked at the picture of a small girl that couldn't be more than six or seven years old and not the hot supermodel that Bruce had been sure Tony had been looking for. The girl had long, black hair in Wednesday Adams pigtails, pale skin, and pretty green eyes. In the picture she was wearing a light, blue summer dress. "That's Holly Potter? Is she on SHIELD's most wanted?"
"Banner," Tony spat sarcastically. "The kid is seven."
Bruce flushed. "Well SHIELD has done weird things I wouldn't be surprise if they decided to run their own little red room." He peered at the picture curiously. "Can you at least tell me what we're looking at exactly."
"We are looking at Holly Lily Potter from England," Tony murmured to himself. "From number 4 Privet Drive. She is seven years old, almost eight and her parents Lily and James Potter apparently died in a car crash when she was barely a few months old."
Bruce looked at him quizzically. "Why are you spending so much time on this? Where did you even meet her?"
"At the Stark Expo this weekend." He murmured as he looked down the information.
Bruce raised an eyebrow. "You still have those? I thought for sure that you wouldn't anymore. Not after what happened last time."
"Yeah, well there are good for publicity stunts," Tony said as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Yes that's the one Jarvis, Petunia and Vernon Dursley, they're her aunt and uncle. Who apparently have a son name Dudley. Weird name." he clicked on Holly's school grades which apparently Jarvis had also gotten ahold of and found out that Holly was an average student, a sort of bookworm, and overall a quiet, sweet girl the kind that teachers favored. She had gotten most of her vaccinations when she was a child, but apparently had not been to a doctor ever since.
"Tony," Bruce asked his confused. "Why does this matter so much?"
Tony didn't answer for a moment as he read the rest of her file, there wasn't much of anything else. "I just didn't like how her aunt and uncle were treating her-and I don't know I felt a kind of connection towards her. She kind of reminded me of myself when I was young."
Bruce tried his best not to snort. "You were shy and quiet?"
"Why is that so hard to believe?" Tony asked as he turned off Holly's information. "Besides if this kid is being mistreated I like to keep her out of it."
"Mr. Stark, does have a heart Dr. Banner." The AI quipped and Tony rolled his eyes.
"I know," Bruce said, still slightly bewildered by the AI. "I just think that he needs to use it every once in a while."
"Jarvis," Tony asked ignoring Bruce's comment. "Where's Pepper?"
"She is in a meeting, sir," Jarvis said. "And might I remind you that she asked you not to interrupt her again. Her meeting will be over in 45 minute."
"Fine," Tony said. "I'll wait for her."
"You want to what?" Pepper rubbed her temples an hour later and she went towards the master bedroom that she and Tony shared. She took off her heels and looked at Tony as if expecting him to say something else. "You want to go to England? To check up on Holly? Why? Where is this coming from Tony?"
"I," Tony's shoulders slump. "I just want to make sure that she's all right. You saw what her aunt and uncle were like. They weren't exactly warm and fuzzy."
Pepper sighed, she would be lying if she said that the little girl hadn't been in her mind either. Holly hadn't exactly been thrilled to see them and they had been acting like dictators for a small country, but that did not mean that she wanted to go to England and barge in the Dursleys' home. "I know, sweetie," she rested her hand on Tony's hip. "But unfortunately, we cannot control the world and how people act. We can't barge into the Dursleys' life and I know that they looked bad at the Stark Expo, but maybe they treat Holly better at home."
"She's an orphan like me," Tony said as he looked slightly embarrassed. "I read her file. Her parents died in a car accident, that's why she's living with her aunt and uncle."
"Poor girl," Pepper murmured.
They didn't speak for a moment as Pepper rested her hand against his chest. Tony kissed the top of her head. "Pep,"
"No- "
"Pepper- "
"Tony, no," Pepper said. "It is none of your business."
"Let's just check on her," Tony said with a raised eyebrow. "We'll check on her, we'll tell them we were in town planning a British expo or something. If she's decent, we'll go back home and I won't mention it again." Pepper hesitated for a few seconds before she nodded. Tony kissed her. "Thank you."
"Tony and Pepper left for England?" Steve blurted out a few days later as he, Bruce, Natasha, and Clint meet at Stark tower for their usual Friday night dinner. "Why? Stark didn't mention it."
"Why, Cap do you miss him?" Clint asked sarcastically as he grabbed a couple of dumplings. "Kissy kissy- "
Natasha threw a threw a throw pillow at Clint's face. "That's enough," Natasha replied as she dipped some sauce on her egg rolls. "Did they really go to check on that little girl, Banner? Stark, doesn't strikes me as the sentimental time." She elaborated for Clint and Steve. "Tony and Pepper went to check on some little girl that lives in England."
"Is she part of an organization? Or an experiment?" Steve questioned as he looked at his fortune cookie.
"No!"
"Sorry," Steve said sheepishly. "SHIELD is weird sometimes. What was so special?"
Clint snorted. "Maybe Stark is having a middle age crisis."
"Maybe," Natasha opened a beer. "Or maybe is something else."
Holly was helping Aunt Petunia fixe breakfast one ordinary July morning, Aunt Petunia was frying the bacon and slightly spying on the new neighbors through the small window while Holly was fixing up the toast. Uncle Vernon and Dudley were already at the breakfast table. Uncle Vernon was drinking his coffee loudly and Dudley was trying to finish the remaining chocolate cake from last night's dessert.
Holly looked at the small chicken calendar than hung from the dishwasher and she counter in her head like Professor Murray had taught her to do in school. If her addition was correct, she only had 14 days left to go before her birthday and she would be eight years old, which was good because eight was her favorite number.
"Dudley, get the paper." Uncle Vernon said.
"Make Holly get it."
"Holly, get the paper."
Holly sighed as she finished buttering a piece of toast and headed outside. Dudley was always bullying her because he was a few weeks older than her. She went outside and grabbed the newspaper. She found a familiar, tawny colored owl staring at her. She smiled. "Hello, Mr. Owl." The owl had delivered strange packages before. She didn't know his name so she just called him Mr. Owl. Mr. Owl had a tiny package on his left leg, while he usually just delivered a note.
She untied the package and found a red pen, it had a gold lion on top. Weird pen. There was also a note folded inside:
There are no unwanted children, just unfound families
Holly looked at the note quizzically, wondering what it meant. She turned back to stare at the owl, but it was already gone.
-End of Chapter Three-
Thank you so much to everyone for voting! The winning poll was that I would update shorter chapters, but much more frequently. Just please keep in mind that I'm working on a lot of stories so please be patient! Speaking of which, have you guys seen the Captain America Civil War Trailer, I personally think it looks much better than Avengers 2 even with the heartbreaking Stony scene.
