Halloween
It was these moments in a child's life where they could really bring out their creativity, their imagination, their wishes to dress up like something spooky, something terrifying or something they've always wanted to be, and although he was a grown man with a six year old daughter, Tony Stark was too one of those children. Halloween was one of his favorite holidays, he loved getting all of the candy and dressing up, although he'd never admit to enjoying wearing the spooky makeup and costumes.
This Halloween however, was shaping up to be Rebecca's favorite. The evening was to begin with Fright Night at her school where the children could run around playing games while the parents all had a barbecue while they supervised and hosted little games. Then, when it hit nightfall, the trick-or-treating began. Rebecca had been excited for days now to dress up and run around with all of the others kids, and she insisted Tony also dress up, as well as Pepper.
"Oh, honey I don't feel like dressing up, I have to work the next day." Pepper sadly declined when Rebecca invited her to her Fright Night.
"Please!" she begged. "You can dress up as a fairy or a princess if you want, it doesn't have to be scary! But...scary is better."
Pepper had been with them now for almost a year, and Rebecca has grown quite attached as children tended to. She insisted Pepper join them on special occasions, even though it made Pepper and Tony look like there relationship was more than professional. Tony didn't care what the media thought though, as long as his daughter was happy.
"C'mon Potts, stop being so professional for once, it's Halloween." Tony joined forces with Rebecca.
Pepper smirked. "Oh, and what does Tony Stark plan on wearing as a costume, huh? Can't go as yourself to this one, can you?"
Rebecca answered that one for him. "This one right here!" she pointed at her little scrapbook she had made as a class activity, showing all of the numerous Halloween costumes. "It's a vampire! The costume comes with fake teeth and fake blood!"
Pepper observed the image, trying to picture Tony as a vampire. "Well, I suppose I won't want to miss that, will I?"
Rebecca lit up. "So you'll come?"
Pepper laughed. "Okay, I'll come. But, only of you pick out the costume for me."
"I will! Oh, it'll be so scary!" Rebecca squealed excitedly before running off to climb up to the kitchen bench and flick through the pictures, looking up at Pepper every now and then to picture her in the costume, testing how terrifying it would be.
"Thanks," Tony whispered, taking a seat across from Pepper. "She's really been wanting to spend some more time with you."
Pepper's heart warmed at that, she loved that little girl so much. "Well, I'm looking forward to it as well."
"I know you sometimes worry...about how people see us, uh, our relationship." Tony tried to begin. "But this is all for her, and I don't want those reporter's and their stories to stop you from being with us for the night, it's all she wants."
Pepper smiled. "No, I don't care. I'd do anything for her."
Rebecca has just gotten out of the shower and was in her night gown when she heard Pepper at the door with Happy. She squealed with excitement and ran to the door.
"Pepper's here!" she called out to her dad. She made it to the door just as Pepper twisted the door handle, jumping up and down that she was finally here. "Yay! Come see your costume!"
Pepper giggled as the little girl pulled at her arm, dragging her to her room to show her what she had picked out. Happy followed closely behind, a smile on his face at the sight of Rebecca being so excited.
"Hey, thought you said Rhodes would be here?" Happy asked Tony when he appeared.
"Shh!" Tony scolded, looking around to see if Rebecca was in sight. "He'll be here soon, I kinda...persuaded him to dress up."
Happy gave him a look. "Uh huh, and how much did that set you back?"
"Fifty bucks, no biggie." he shrugged.
Rebecca had spent the past hour in the bathroom as Pepper did her make-up. Being different, and staying away from all of the girly costumes she knew all the other kids would wear, she opted to go as a zombie. They'd bought a big bag of face paints and fake blood, all ready for the designing. Pepper had a screech to go by, making the whole situation easier as she worried she'd ruin the whole costume for her.
"There you go." Pepper lifted her up to sit on the bench, looking at her reflection. "One brain-eating, terrifying, little zombie."
Rebecca's face lit up with a huge grin. "I look so scary! Everyone's going to think I'm a real zombie!" she told her excitedly. "Thank you Pepper!"
"You're welcome sweetie. Now, go find your dad while I get into my costume, okay?" she instructed.
Rebecca walked slowly around the corners, trying to make her appearance a surprise when they seen a zombie pop out, and looking so real as well. As she reached the living room, no one was there, and that's when she heard a noise from the kitchen, and when she turned, an arm grabbed her on the shoulder from behind with a roar.
"Ahh!" she squealed as she turned around and came face to face with a ghost-faced man in a robe.
The terror was short lived when Rhodey collapsed with laughter, kneeling to the ground and taking his mask off. Rebecca huffed and crossed her arms, angry that he scared her like that.
"Nuh uh, I'm the scary one!" she stomped her foot as Happy appeared in the room as well.
"You sure are scary!" Rhodey looked over her costume. "Sorry Beccy, I couldn't resist kid." he tousled her hair.
"No! Don't touch!" she slapped his hand away. "I have to stay scary."
Rhodey was still laughing, much to Rebecca's disapproval, an Happy couldn't help hold his hand over his mouth as he watched. Both Rhodey and Happy loved spending these holidays with Rebecca, after all, they were her designated uncles. She was the light in most of the lives around her ever since she was born, the only child amongst all of those adults.
"All right, behold." Tony's voice boomed as he walked into the room. "I v'ant to suck your blood!"
He was wearing the main pieces of a tuxedo, except he had attached a long cape-like robe that stood up around his neck, similar to Dracula. Pepper had taken care of his makeup, covering him in a pale foundation and darkened eyes. His fangs were visible over his lips, the tips stained red and a trail of fake blood flowing down his chin onto a red pool on his white shirt.
"Whoa, dad! You look just like a vampire!" Rebecca ran over to him, and he lifted her up into his arms as she assessed his fake teeth.
"That's because I am!" he pulled his most threatening face and pretended to lung at her neck playfully, causing her to squeal uncontrollably with laughter and thrash around in his arms.
"Stop! Stop it! My costume! I need to stay scary!" she managed to yell out when he had a chance between boasts of laughter.
"Hey, enough of that." Pepper's voice came from down the hall.
Her feet weren't visible beneath the long black dress she wore that swept along the tiles, creating a gloomy feeling. The sleeves of the dress came all the way down to her wrists and continued up her hands, and the tall, black hat stood sharply on her head. Her hair was teased intensely, and her eyes were dark and smokey. Her lips were painted black and glossy, and she had a pale green shadowing across her face to replicate a witch. She looked every bit the part, and Tony couldn't take his eyes off of her.
"Yay! I knew I picked the right costume!" Rebecca laughed in excitement again.
"And, and, and..." Pepper turned and pulled out an old broomstick designed for a witch and held it beside her. "Even got a broomstick."
It was at that moment that Tony knew he could never stand to let Pepper go, she couldn't leave them now, not ever. Just seeing how much effort she went to to make Rebecca happy, and the fact she treated her like her own child with the way she cared for her, she was the one he needed with them.
"Look at this one!" Rebecca gasped as they walked past other children and their parents in the streets, knocking on all of the doors. She was having so much fun, and Tony and Pepper walking around with her made her night so much better.
The school Fright Night was more enjoyable than Tony had expected, and he loved watching Rebecca running around having fun with her friends, just taking a break from life. Rebecca had won a prize for her scary costume, and Pepper had won the prize amongst the adults.
"Whoa, look how big this lollipop is!" Rebecca lifted it out of her candy bag to show Tony and Pepper. "I've got so much candy!"
"You'll get a major sugar high off of all that." Tony looked into the full bag. "You'll be all hyped up and-"
Tony was cut off by Rebecca sticking a lollipop in his mouth while he was bent down looking at the sugary collection she had gathered from different houses. She laughed when he seemed taken aback by the candy in his mouth.
"It's a sour one." Pepper told him as he was pulling an unimaginable face, holding back a laugh at the sight. "But...you're figured that out by now."
Tony took the lollipop from his mouth, trying to regain his taste buds and rid the sourness. "How...do...you...eat...those?" he asked in between moving his mouth about.
Rebecca shrugged. "It's yummy."
"Yummy? I can't taste anything."
"Stop being such a baby." Pepper laughed, taking Rebecca's hand and leading them to another doorstep. "Okay, now knock on the door."
Rebecca excitedly walked up the porch steps and gave four loud knocks on the door.
"Trick or treat!"
The man and woman at the door lowered down to Rebecca's level and looked over her costume, gasping at the detail.
"You're such a scary little zombie!" The woman commented. "Are you sure you're not a real one?"
Rebecca shook her head. "Nuh uh, it's makeup."
"Well, with a costume like that you sure do deserve some candy!" The man pulled out a bowl of assorted candies and put two handfuls in her bag, and that topped it off.
"Thank you!"
For the rest of the night, they walked around the streets collecting candy and looking at all of the Halloween decorations people had made. There was no way Rebecca could for any more candy in her already overflowing bag, no matter how much Tony ate to try and make room, he gave up after only picking up the sour ones.
"Hey there little zombie, how was trick-or-treating?" Happy asked when they all climbed into the back seat.
Rebecca did her best to lift the huge bag of candy and show it to him. "I got heaps of candy!"
"I can see that!" Happy turned around excitedly. "Pick me out one."
Rebecca smirked. "Okay then."
Tony and Pepper knew what she'd give him. That same lollipop that made Tony cringe at the memory of the sour overload.
"Gee, thanks." Happy smiled when she handed it to him.
As soon as he put it in his mouth, he knew what was happening. His face, involuntarily, made the most unflattering expression, and his eyes squinted almost shut. Rebecca sat up and watched his continually hilarious reaction as Tony and Pepper chuckled at the whole situation.
After Happy had calmed enough to drive, they were on their way home, and slowly the streets disappeared as they went further out of town to their house. Tony looked over to Rebecca who hadn't spoken in a while and discovered she was sleeping peacefully against the door, her mouth stained red from the candy she had eaten on the way.
"I thought sugar was like caffeine to kids." Tony commented quietly, careful not to wake her.
Pepper smiled when she looked over and seen the little girl fast asleep. "I think she burnt all the energy she had."
Before they knew it, they were back at home in the driveway. Happy, with his years of professional experience, had bypassed the busy roads and taken them on a different route, bringing them back home quicker. Tony followed Pepper out of the back seat and walked around to Rebecca's side, carefully opening the door and cradling her head as he lifted her into his arms. He wouldn't loved to see their situation through someone else's eyes at the moment. A vampire carrying a little zombie into the house, followed by a beautiful looking witch, and then there was Happy.
Tony walked into the living room and sat Rebecca down on the couch as he continued to sleep peacefully, her makeup still perfectly set. Tony took off his black cape-robe and poured a coffee for him and Pepper since Happy was still outside taking a phone call.
"Thanks again for tonight, I can tell she had way more fun since you were there." Tony pushed the hot cup toward Pepper's hands.
"I told you, I don't mind, I had a lot of fun too." Pepper warmed her hands around the cup, looking over to Rebecca on the couch. "Good luck handling her tomorrow, she'll be on another sugar high all day with all of that." she gestured toward the bag of candy.
Pepper stayed until she finished her coffee, but then decided she wouldn't make Happy wait any longer to drive her home, so she left. Tony followed her to the front door, still thanking her for coming along with them for the night, and for how much fun Rebecca had. It wasn't long until the car pulled away from the house and Tony went back into the living room, covering his daughter in a blanket and dimming the lights, making sure she was comfortable in her exhausted state.
As Pepper drove him, she couldn't help thinking of what a wonderful time she had with Tony and Rebecca. It would be this night she would remember years from now as the night she realized they were in fact a family. An untraditional, dysfunctional, completely out-of-whack, crazy family, no matter how much she convinced herself the relationship was professional, she couldn't bare the thought of leaving either Tony or Rebecca, and she vowed she never would.
Ahh! Okay, I really hope you liked this! It's a longer chapter than usual, but hey, it's my Halloween special! I really wanted to explore with the little childhood memories Rebecca had of these little moments in her life. I thought the whole idea of everyone dressing up for her was cute and showed how much she was to everyone. I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Anyway, as usual I'll ask if you'd please continue the reviews and let me know what you think. Also, please review with any ideas of events or situations you'd like to read about as I will be more than happy to write them for you! Thanks for reading!
Also, if you follow my other story, 'I Am Iron Man', the newest chapter is up and I'm just letting you know that the next chapter will indeed be in Monaco. Thanks!