July 31, 1999

ASPP

Avi jumped up and down as she waited with her mother while her father bought the tickets for the zoo. Her father walked over to them once he got the tickets and wrist bands.

"Alright, we got tickets to the petting zoo, the seal show, the carousel, and the sting rays." Tony told them as Lily put on a wrist band on Avi and herself. Lily turned to her husband with a raised eyebrow.

"Do you think we'll have time for all of that?" She questioned.

"Absolutely, anything for the birthday girl." Tony told her and picked up his five year old. "Where to first, owlet?" Avi points to in the north direction.

"The owls, daddy! I want to see the owls!" She squealed with excitement. Tony and Lily chuckled at their daughter's excitement and walked in the direction towards the avian house.

"Birds of a feather." Lily whispered to her husband as they watched their daughter run to and from each and every bird exhibits. Tony let out a low chuckle as Avi started to "whoo" with a snowy owlet.

"Come on, owlet. It's time to see some other animals." Tony told her which caused her to pout slightly before nodding in agreement. Avi took a hold of her parents hands and cast a glance back at the birds before looking up at her father.

"Daddy?" Tony looked down towards her.

"Yes, owlet?" He questioned.

"Can I have a avian house?" She asked him. Tony and Lily stared at their daughter in shock for a moment. They looked to each other, Lily with a smile and Tony with a raised eyebrow.

"Maybe when your older, owlet." Avi stared at her dad and mum for a few moments then nodded.

"I want an owl in my avian house, daddy! Oooh! And peacocks!" Avi started to ramble off all of the birds she wants in her future bird house. Her parents gave her encouraging smiles as she tells them about her dreamed bird house. They walked to the petting zoo while Avi continued to talk about the birds she wanted, Tony showed their tickets to the lady at the the entrance and they walked in. The first thing Avi took her parents to was the little Saw-whet owl that was sitting on a young man's shoulder.

"Mummy, it's so tiny." Avi whispered to her as she watched the small owl with wide eyes filled with a wonder that only a child could do or have.

"Yes, it is Avi." Lily whispered back to her daughter. As she watched her daughter talk to the young man about the owl, Lily was already setting up her daughter's eleventh birthday gift with her Stark phone.

"You're buying her gift for her eleventh birthday already?" Tony asked her in a hushed voice. Lily shrugged.

"Doesn't hurt to be prepared." She answered. Tony gave her a crooked smile and shook his head fondly at her.

"Daddy look look!" Tony turned and saw his daughter hopping on one foot and pointing at an Great Horn owl, who was fluffing its feathers. "It's so soft looking daddy!" She squeaked with a toothy grin. Tony chuckled and lifted Avi into his arms to let her get a better look. A small 'o' escaped her lips.

"You really like birds huh, Avi?" She nodded quickly, never moving her eyes from the large bird of prey. There were plenty of other birds at the zoo, but Avi had eyes only for the owls. "How big did you want that bird house to be, owlet?" Avi turn her green eyes towards her father and stretched her little arms as far as they reach.

"Bigger then the whoooole zoo!" She cheered. Soon one of the Zoo workers came out with a Snowy owl on her arm and began to tell the audience facts about the Snowy owl. When she was done, everyone clapped and cheered as she and her owl friend left. Avi turned to her dad and mum with furrowed brow. "Daddy?"

"Yes, Avi?" He asked as they walked out of the petting zoo heading to the Sting Rays.

"What's a bird of prey mean?" She questioned with a tilt of her head.

"A bird of prey is a predatory bird. Their distinguished by a hook bill and sharp talons; a raptor. They hunt on smaller animals like other small birds, mice, fish and so on." Tony told her, "But humans are at the top of the food chain. We eat them." Lily and Avi shot him a horrified look.

"WHAT? I don't wanna eat them daddy!" Avi cried while Lily slapped him on the back of the head.

"ANTHONY EWARDS STARK!" Tony winced, realizing he was in deep trouble when they got home.

ASPP

October 31, 2000

ASPP

"Trick or treat!" Avi cheered at the old couple in front of her. She gave them a big smile showing off her two missing front teeth. The couple chuckled and the woman bent down to Avi's level holding out a bowl of candy.

"And who are you suppose to be?" She asked her.

"I'm Peggy Carter from Captain America!" Avi told her with pride being dressed up as her grandmother. The lady smiled and gave her a handful of sweets. "Thank you!" She told them and skipped back to her mother and uncle James. Lily smiled as her daughter return to her side.

"One more house, Avi then it's time to go home." She told her daughter.

"Okay!" Avi grabbed her uncles hand and dragged him to the last house. Once they return from the house they walked back home. Avi and James eating a few piece of candy on their way. Lily shook her head at the two and took the candy away. The two pouted at her as they walked into the house. Lily took Avi out of James arms and put her on the ground, pushing her towards the stairs.

"To the bathroom with you. It's time to get ready for bed." Lily told her. Avi pulled her puppy dog face but her mother just crossed her arms and nudged her up the stairs. Avi huffed at her mother but walked upstairs to the bathroom. Once they entered the bathroom, Lily started the bath while Avi began to get out of her custom. Avi hops into the tub playing with her bath toys while her mother washes her body and hair. Lily quickly and safely washed the shampoo out of her daughter's hair and plucked her out of the tub. She took one of the light blue towels and wrapped it around Avi's body, quickly drying her off. They walk into Avi's room, Lily went to Avi's wardrobe and pulled out a pair of underwear and a Captain America nightie made by Lily's mother. Avi let out a cheer at her mother's choice and got dress, while Avi was getting dress Lily's stark phone went off. Lily steps out of Avi's room and answers her phone.

"Hello?" She asked.

"Hey." Lily let out a soft sigh at hearing her husband voice.

"Tony." She whispered.

"How you doing?" He asked.

"We're doing fine. I've miss you." She told him.

"I've miss you too. I'm a few hours away from London now. I should be home by midnight." He said. Lily let's out another sigh. "I won't have to leave for awhile after this, Lils."

"I know, Tony." Avi's head pops around her door and stares up at her mother with wide eyes. Lily smiles to her daughter for a moment. "There's someone who wants to talk to you." Lily hands her phone to Avi, who takes it and place it to her ear.

"Hello?" She asked, curiously.

"Hey, owlet." Avi gave a bright smile to her mother.

"Daddy!" She squealed. Tony let out a chuckle. "Mummy and uncle James took me trick or treating! I was dress as Grammy!"

"That's amazing, owlet. Did you have fun?" He asked her.

"Lots, daddy." Avi glanced at her mother then to the phone in her hand. "When are going to be home, daddy?"

"I'm a few hours out from London, baby girl." Avi pouted.

"I miss you lots, daddy." She whispered in a upset tone.

"I miss you lots too, Avi." Tony said. Lily looked at her watch for the time then turn to her child.

"Time for bed, sweetheart. Tell daddy goodnight." Avi give her mother a upset look but did as she's told.

"Night, daddy. Love you."

"Night, owlet. Love you too. I'll see you in the morning." Avi handed the phone back to her mother and went into her room. "She's upset, isn't she?" Tony asked his wife.

"Yes, she is." Lily said as she leans against the door frame to her daughter's room, watching the little girl crawl into bed. "You've been gone for almost a month, Tony. She's not use to you being gone so long. Especially during a holiday." Tony sighed tiredly.

"I've talked to Obi about this but I'm the face of the company, I have to be there when they need me." He told her. Lily's lips turned into a frown at the mention of Obi.

"I don't trust that man, Tony." She told him.

"I know you don't, Lils." Tony said, simply not wanting to fight with his wife again about that topic. "I love you, my dove." Lily blushed slightly and smiled.

"I love you too, firecracker." She replied. They said their goodbyes and hung up their phones. Lily went into Avi's room and tucked her sleeping daughter in better then joined James down in the living room.

"Bambi finally asleep?" He asked as she plops down onto the couch.

"Yes. Tony called and they got to talk to each other for a bit." She said.

"That's good, Avi's been a bit down in the dumps lately." James stated as he turns on the telly. "How long until he's in London?"

"Still a an hour or two out." James hums as he flips through the channels. Lily let's out a huff and grabs the remote from him after watching for ten minutes. "You Potter men are so indecisive." She grumbled and choose the football game that was on for him. James sent her a thumbs up and a smile that she rolled her eyes at. She got up to get them a drink and a snack as they watch the game.

ASPP

One hour and a half later

ASPP

Lily and James jolted awake at the loud bang that came from outside. Lily watched James with wide green eyes as he walks over to the window and looks out it. He quickly spins to her with a pale but determine face.

"Lily, go upstairs and get Avi and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off. . ." Lily runs from the living room up the stairs to her daughter's room. She quickly opens the door and slams it shut behind her. She rushes over to her daughter and gently picks her up.

"Mummy? What's that noise?" Avi asked her sleepily.

"Shush, baby girl." Lily whispers to her. "Mummy loves you so much, Avi. Remember that, I love you and your daddy so, so very much." Tears are running down her cheeks as she place a kiss to her daughter's head. Lily spins around when the bedroom door bursted open, a cackle of high-pitched laughter coming from the hallway. Avi let's out a scream of fright at the sound of the blast. Lily clutches Avi to her chest as she backs away from the cloaked man entering the room. "Not Avi, not Avi, please not Avi!" She cried to the man.

"Stand aside you silly girl . . . stand aside now." The man ordered.

"Not Avi, please no, take me, kill me instead . . ." Lily set Avi on her bed and stood in front of her. "Not Avi! Please . . . have mercy . . . have mercy . . ." Lily sobbed. The man raised his wand at her.

"Move girl, I will only warn you once more. Move aside." The man hissed. Lily shook her head, sobbing louder.

"Please . . . not Avi . . . not my daughter! Please . . .!" She all but wailed at the man. The tip of his wand began to glow an erie green.

"Avada Kedavra!" Avi let out a scream of terror as her mother is hit with a beam of green light and drops to the floor. Avi stares at her mother with wide frighten eyes then turns to watch the cloaked man as he glides over to her. The man lets out another erie crackle as he steps over Lily's body. Tears are rolling down Avi's cheeks as the man points his wand at her. "Avada Kedavra!"

ASPP

Tony looked outside of the dark tinted window. It was always miserable weather in England. 'This is exactly why Malibu is better. Seventy degrees year round and hardly miserable.' he thought to himself. Lily would always just roll her beautiful green eyes and twist her lips into a smile. Avi had her smile and her eyes. And pretty much was just a carbon copy of her mother in both spunk and looks.

"Sir . . ." Happy said cautiously. Tony looks up at him through the mirror. He pointed at the open front door. Lily never left the door open . . . Tony jumped out of the car and ran up the walkway. He stopped dead when he saw one of Avi's shoes by the patio.

"LILY! AVI!" Tony shouted bursting through the door. The house was in shambles - furniture overturned, burns on the wall and in the center of the living room, was James. Glasses missing from his face and his dark eyes staring up at the ceiling. Tony choked on the acidic feeling climbing up his throat, his heart quickened. "LILY! AVI! TALK TO ME!" he managed to strangle out.

"DADDY!" Avi voice cried from upstairs. Tony flew up the battered stairs ad skidded into Avi's room. His stopped dead when he saw his daughter, wailing, shaking her mother's shoulder begging her to wake up.

"Mummy, wake up. Please, mummy wake up." She choked, "Daddy, she won't wake up. Mummy won't wake up." Her lips wobbled, from her forehead was dripping blood that had made a red line down the middle of her face, splitting it into two. Tony reached over and lifted Avi away from her mother's body. Tony couldn't help but notice the lack of heat coming from her.

"Daddy, she won't wake up!" She hiccuped, clutching the shoulders of his suit. Lily's red hair was splayed all around her head and covered her face, except her faded lips which were partially open.

"It's ok, Avi it's ok." He shushed, petting the back of her hair. "It'll . . . all . . . be . . . ok." He whispered, walking backwards out out of the room, unable to look away from his wife's body. He turned around when he reached the stairs and raced down them and out of the house. Happy met him halfway up the walkway while hanging up his phone.

"I've called the police, sir." He told him.

"Thank you, Happy." Tony spoke barely in a whisper.

"And I've contacted Peggy as well, sir." Tony closed his eyes as he grimaced.

"Alright." They walk back to the car and waited for the police and Peggy to show. Avi was still muttering about Lily and Tony clutched her tighter to him, trying to calm her down by speaking to her softly. Peggy was the first to arrive on the scene with the police and ambulance after her. Soon, the whole street was in chaos. Neighbors started to come out of their houses to see what was going on while the police and ambulance began to take care of Avi and the scene. Tony stayed by Avi while the EMT lady bandaged the cut on her forehead.

"Well, it's not deep Mister Stark but it will scar." She told Tony as she wiped the dried blood off of Avi then wraps an orange blanket around her.

"What's that for?" Tony asked, confused. His brain was still trying to work out the part that Lily was dead.

"A shock blanket." The EMT lady looked up at him. "Your daughter is in shock." Tony nodded and picked up his silent child. He walked them over to Peggy, Tony put Avi in the backseat of Peggy's car to talk to her alone.

"Tony, where's Lily?" She asked once he had shut the door. Tony tensed up for a moment then shook his head as he turn to her. Peggy covered her mouth with a shaking hand. "No! No, no, no." She sobbed. Tony brought her into his arms and held onto her as she wailed. He released her when she calmed down.

"Peggy, I need you to take Avi to the house in New York. She shouldn't be here and I need to get everything in order." Tony told her.

"Tony, she needs you." Peggy said to him. Tony pointed to the car that held his fragile daughter.

"She just witness her mother's murder, Peggy. She's not safe here anymore. She needs to get away from here and I don't trust anyone but you to do that." He said, desperate. Peggy started at him for a moment before nodding.

"All right. All right. How long do you think it'll take?" She asked as she walked to the driver side of the car.

"A month or so. I've got two funeral and a lot of stuff to look through to see if it's salvageable." Peggy looked at him in shock.

"Two?" Tony bit his lip.

"James was watching them. I guess he took it onto himself to protect them, to give them a chance to get out." Peggy pulled her son-in-law into a tight hug. Tony just stood there until she release him.

"Why don't you say your goodbye's to Avi before we leave." Tony nodded and went to the backseat. Avi looked up at him when the door open.

"Hey, owlet." He whispered as he crawled into the backseat.

"Daddy." Her voice was hoarse. Tony pulled her onto his lap and held her to his chest in comfort.

"Grammy is gonna take you to New York, okay? I'll be joining you in a little while after everything here has settle alright?" Avi stared up at her father. Her bright green eyes now dulled in color and her skin was paler then normal.

"Daddy?" she asked.

"Yes, owlet?"

"Are mummy and uncle James with papa now?" Tony breath stuttered at her question. He ran a hand through her chocolate hair.

"Yes, baby they are." He choked out. Avi looked down for a moment before looking back up at Tony.

"Captain America will protect them right, daddy?" She questioned with a tilt of her head. Tony let out a wet chuckle and nodded.

"Absolutely, owlet." Avi nodded. Tony put back on the seat and buckled her in. "I'll see you soon, owlet. I love you so much."

"I love you too, daddy." She whispered and he shut the door. Peggy got into the car and started it up. Tony stood on the sidewalk with his hands in his pockets as he watch the car drive away from him. Once the car was out of his sight, he finally broke down into heartbreaking sobs collapsing to his knees.