Tony Stark had never been so silent in his life. He hadn't spoke to anyone after leaving the church. Not that he had said much there anyway. He was mute and lost in thoughts as things happened around him. From the day he could talk and walk he was always trying to garner attention from his uninterested father. He was loud, obnoxious and never shut up. A point which was also a form of defiance as when his father was working he demanded absolute silence. So much so that although they lived in a busy city their house was always silent. An empty silence for his thoughts to remind him how unwanted and not good enough he was. He then decided that in his life he would be as loud as possible. Until now. In fact, those thoughts were at the back of his mind and he hadn't even realised the strangeness of his inherent silence until Peps voice broke through the quiet.
"Are you alright Tony?" Her soft voice spoke to him.
He blinked and sat up from his slouched position on the sofa inside his hotel room. It wasn't grand. Not even remotely but it was the best this place had to offer but he didn't even complain.
"Fine Pep, just... just thinking that's all" He said back, the usual bright vitality of life missing from his voice. It was unusual, he had abruptly never heard himself sound so... defeated and there has been plenty of cause in the past.
His girlfriend slipped a little closer to him and wrapped her arm around his waist in comfort.
"It's alright to be freaked out. We all are here you know, your not in this alone" She quietly reminded him.
He gave a brittle laughter, "Yes, not alone. I have this big family of Avengers offering unconditional support and to who, me? The guy who has fucked up so royally I'm surprised I haven't started World War III yet" He snapped irritably. The inventor stood abruptly and made his way over to the bar and grabbed himself a glass of scotch.
His lover remained silent knowing nothing she could say would help.
"Yes, all these people here to give me everything I've ever wanted when what did she get? Hm?" He finished his glass and placed it on the bar harshly, "Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not even someone to fuckin' tuck her in at night. Did you hear what she said about it being 'not exactly hug central around here'? That obviously means she's had nothing her whole life and it's all my fault!" The passion was seeping back into his voice but in anger more than anything else.
Tony felt sick. Physically sick. He had felt guilt so strongly after he found out what his weapons had done to so many innocent people but now? The thick hot feeling of guilt and shame settled into his stomach so deeply it felt like lead. He was never one to let things stand in his way, he was given everything in life and things he didn't have he worked damn hard to get. The one thing he treasured most though was the one thing you couldn't buy or work for to get. It was either there or wasn't. Love. He was no expert on the matter but he was fortunate enough to feel it from his mother before her passing so he knew about it. Who knows the man he would have become without her. He thought about this more often than he cared to admit. The fact that his daughter hadn't even been given the barest amount of human decency that every child deserved.
Well, it made him feel sick.
He rushed to the toilet and threw up his glass of scotch and the meagre food he had consumed in the last week. It wasn't much. He spent most his time dry heaving up bile but even as his stomach was burningly empty it was still overwhelmingly full with shame.
What kind of a man was he? He was never a responsible man but he cleaned up after his messes dam it! He was not that kind of a man. At least the thought so.
This girl... Mia... his... daughter.
He coughed and wiped his mouth before standing and rinsing his mouth.
Then again, Bruce was currently running tests to see if she was indeed his daughter. This all may be some sick dream he had yet to wake up from. The thought was only mildly comforting as he recoiled at his own selfish thoughts. Although mostly in despair part of him was... ecstatic. He worried about caring for a kid but his daughter was no ordinary kid, was she? No, she was beautiful and brilliant and funny and witty and kind and sharp as a tac and didn't care what anyone thought and was proud of who she was.
She was perfect.
He smirked internally at the thought. No, she was not perfect. Perfect was boring and she most certainly was not boring.
She was a Stark.
He remembers walking in to see her tinkering with some old piece of machinery. He felt a nostalgia wash over him and both wished to be invisible to watch her closely and to join her and teach her whatever she was playing with. He was proud to see how easily she knew what she was doing, he could tell she understood all the pieces and wires and how they related together and wanted to know how she knew. Who taught her? Did she figure it out like him? He felt a warm kinship with her at that moment. She was just like him, wasn't she?
The more he watched the happier and more filled with awe he became. She was hilarious and had a razor sharp wit that he wanted to boast came from him. She was also kind and affectionate with Bruce. Not that he felt any jealousy seeing her seated on Bruce's lap and not his. Not at all.
Tony returned to the front room only to see Pepper holding a glass of water and eyes shining with apology as the rest of his team had settled into their room minus Bruce, it was irritating but knew that his 'friends' just had to get their word in, didn't they?
He signed and plopped down heavily on the sofa, for once in his life not breaking the ice. Everybody, including Happy and Rhodey looked at him oddly waiting for a quip but one never came.
It was Clint that broke it, "So, you have a daughter?" He said in a questioning manner as if he of all people knew anything about this situation.
He rolled his eyes, "We don't know for sure yet, nothing can be done until the results come back"
The room was silent for a while. It was Natasha who addressed the elephant in the room, "Don't be so dense Tony, of course she is your daughter. The question is, what are you going to do now?" She asked, looking directly at him with an expressionless face.
He frowned, "What?" was all he said back.
Rhodey cleared his throat and gave him a pointed look, "What we mean is what are you going to do now? Are you going to set her up for life? Give her a few bodyguards and sent up a trust fund? We need to know what your thoughts on this are Tony. You've been... disturbingly quiet on this and we need to know what you think about all this" He finished in almost a pleading manner, "God, that's something I never thought I'd have to say" He muttered under his breath before sighing deeply.
Steve's eyebrows drew down and he frowned, "Well, she's coming back with us to New York, right? Of course she is" He announced to everyone then his frown was directed towards the Iron Man Pilot, "You are not just going to abandon your daughter here, are you? There's plenty space at the tower and it's not as if you'd have trouble providing for her" His gaze then swung to Rhodey, "and I can't believe you would even suggest such a thing, Colonel, Mia is a child, not a burden" The full-blown Captain America disappointed stare was directed at his best mate.
The man didn't look too pleased at the reprimand, "Hold up now, I am just trying to not freak Tony out. It's hardly the best idea to be pushing this on him when he's got so much to deal with already. Obviously I don't think abandoning the kid is the best idea." He said back.
The Captain didn't look too happy either, "Maybe you should stop trying to baby him, he is a grown man and a father. He needs to take responsibility this"
Eventually, everyone began putting in their moneys worth with Pepper trying to mediate.
"How is it I can start arguments without even opening my mouth?" Tony asked the room loudly. It fell silent.
He sighed and finished his water, "Look, I get that you all trying to help or be supportive or whatever but I don't need your advice. Yes I'll be taking her in, I have already filled in the forms for an official adoption, have contacted social services to run a background check on Pepper to see if she is suitable for adoption, I have contacted HMRC and the immigration office to see about making her an American citizen and got JARVIS to order a bunch of things an eight year old kid would want and began remodeling the guest room in the penthouse. Responsible enough for ya, Capsicle?" He drawled at the end. Although trying to prove a point he felt quite foolish. What if Mia didn't turn out to be his? He was growing attached and hadn't even spoken to the girl, it was embarrassing.
The room was obviously quite surprised. He turned to Pepper, "I am sorry that I didn't tell you I wanted you to be official guardian of her but I didn't think it would be granted to me... considering my past. With all your standing and power they would be a fool not to give you it but me well... they would be a fool to even consider me" He let out a laugh that sounded a tad bitter and hoped that his absolutely-hates-surprises girlfriend wouldn't mind his oversight.
Braving a glance into her eyes he saw them swimming with tears with a joyful but heartbreaking face, "You-you want me to be the one to adopt her? But she's your daughter Tony, I don't-" She began sounding flummoxed.
He stopped her with a finger to her mouth, "Don't be ridiculous Pep, if I brought her in she would be mine as much as yours anyway. Having you her guardian would be better besides, what if something happened to me as Iron Man? She would go back into the system and be deported? No, she already has this connection to me and now she has one to you too. Plus, she definitely needs a responsible parent. I think that's the one thing I may be incapable of doing" He smirked at the end but even the levity did not take away the sheer emotion on her face.
She laughed a little and wiped her eyes, "Oh thank god Tony, I... I know she isn't mine but I-I hoped I could help a bit and maybe have some sort of..." She huffed and appeared really emotional, "This is just too much Tony, thank you, I promise I will do everything I can to be the best mother figure I can be" She laughed a little in sheer joy.
"I know you will and you will be excellent. She needs someone who knows what they're doing" He commented and sat back casually, feeling a little uncomfortable at the personal conversation in front of everyone.
"Amen to that" Clint cheered. Tony sent him a glare.
Steve and Rhodey were quietly congratulating Pepper whilst Tony was feigning outrage at them for not doing so with him when Natasha spoke up, "Now we have got that all sorted out, what are you going to do about SHIELD?" She asked looking at Tony again.
He scowled, "What about them?" He said petulantly.
She didn't even blink, "They are going to find out eventually and have some sort information on her given her association with the Avengers. It will be easier if we let them know and let her meet Fury for her protection before they start digging around on their own" She explained.
Clint nodded his head in understanding and even Rhodey seemed to be accepting but looking a little uncomfortable. Cap was frowning but not speaking up. Pepper looked flustered but appeared to be considering it very carefully.
His chest puffed out, "Absolutely not, there is no way in hell Director Hook is going anywhere near my daughter. He can suck it up and remove his peg leg from his ass, SHIELD's not having anything to do with her" He said uncharacteristically seriously.
Natasha simply nodded as if she expected this reaction.
At that moment there was insistent banging on the door. Happy – quiet this whole time – moved to immediately check to see who it was and then answer it. Everyone but Clint and Natasha looked to see Bruce enter the room clutching a crumpled up piece of paper in his hand.
The results.
Tony sucked in a shaky breath and stood, Pepper immediately tucking herself into his side. The rest of the team stood aside from Natasha who sat comfortably watching with an expressionless face.
Bruce was panting and hair a mess. This shot lightning bolts of anxiety through his chest. What did that mean? Wasn't there a general consensus that Mia was his daughter? That she had to be. She was so much like him and was so adorable and he really wanted to show her his lab, teach her how to remodel an engine, build her her own robot, make an omelette for her and...
It was at that moment Tony knew. He had a moment of swift clarity. He had fallen in love with the little girl with shiny blue eyes and bouncy curls. She was so brilliant, funny and affectionate. Even if he wasn't her father he still wanted to be. Tony had never imagined himself as father and thought that even if he knocked up Pepper then he would want his kid to be just like Mia. He... actually wanted to be her father. He felt proud at the thought he could help guide such an amazing little girl.
He wanted to be her father and Tony Stark always got what he wanted.
In the meantime, the room was all sweating bullets and Pepper was shivering slightly at his side. It was him that gave her a reassuring and comforting smile knowing that whatever Bruce said didn't matter. She was going to be his and Pepper's little girl.
"Amelia Maria Wilson... well..." The whole seem seemed to hold their breath. Bruce ran his hand through his hair again and gave puffed of breath before looking him directly in the eye,
"Well, she's definitely your daughter" He finished.
The room was obviously waiting for a reaction from him although he noticed a few sigh in relief. Tony bounced on his toes and beamed blindingly brightly at the room,
"I KNEW IT. I knew she had to be. She's just too awesome and brilliant not to be" He smirked and continued bouncing in excitement, smugness rolled off of him in waves.
Pepper let out a watery laugh and the whole room were relieved but secretly wondering what this meant for the future dynamics of their team.
One Stark was bad enough.