Zinny makes her decision which her dad isn't happy about. But it'll be good for them. Also a special thanks to TinyTerrorJustBecause who basically wrote this chapter for me. You're my hero sissy. I wouldn't be here without you.

Tippy: Yeah, she's gonna take it. But you already knew that. Fury wouldn't hesitate to take her in the second something goes wrong. And knowing Zinny something would go wrong.

BuckyBarnes07: Thank you! I'm glad you like it!

MuffinHipsta: Trust me, I know drunk people do stupid stuff too. But Tony still made a big mistake that's going to have some consequences he's not happy about.

Winter kiss: You actually have TinyTerrorJustBecause to thank for Captain Booty. She started it!

Ryane: You know, they totally didn't have a ship name until now. Stinnia! It's official. And just a couple more chapters until Steve finally comes into the picture!

Enjoy!

My dad hugs me as soon as he's in the room. It takes me by surprise, considering the last time we had seen each other. I don't know if he remembers the night of his birthday party or if this is because he was worried about me disappearing on him. I don't know if he even knows what happened after the party.

"Zinnia…" He sounds so broken, but I can't bring myself to pity him. Sure he was drunk, but I wasn't about to use that as an excuse.

"Do you even remember?" I let him go, taking a step back. "Or were you too drunk?"

I can see the pain on his face, the wince at the mention of his birthday. "I'd rather not relive that night. You weren't the only person that I hurt that night."

"Oh really? That's shocking."

I can tell he wants to say something smart back, but he doesn't thankfully. "Vanko is dead."

"I know. I was told."

He gulps, looking around the room. "Look, Zinnia-"

"Don't. I don't want your apologies. I've learned not to take them seriously. I can't even take you seriously anymore. First you yell at me for trying to save your life, say you should have left me with SHIELD and then turn around and force me to use my powers because you were too drunk to know what was going on? What if I had hurt someone? I could have killed someone! I could have died! God, you're just so…." I wipe the stray tear off my cheek. "I thought you had changed. I thought you cared."

"I do care! So I made a few mistakes over the past couple weeks but they haven't exactly been easy weeks for me!"

"You could have said something! You could have told me what was going on! But once again you cut me off and treated me like shit! And you want to talk about having hard weeks? I was kidnapped twice, given powers I never asked for that I can't even control and everyone and their dog is out to get me because you decided to stop making weapons and become a superhero! I got the short end of the stick on this one because they all want to use me to get to you!"

"Zinny.."

"No. I'm not done. You've done nothing but put me in dangerous situations since I was little."

"I've been trying to keep you safe!"

"Look at how well you've done!" I'm screaming at him now. "Look at how many times I was stuck with a drunk dad who couldn't even take care of himself! I was kidnapped too in Afghanistan and held captive for three months, then kidnapped again six months later and given powers that have done nothing but destroy us! Then, you go off and decide to race in the Grand Prix yourself, only to get almost killed by a man out for vengeance. What happens next? You get so mad at me for saving your life that you almost send me away for using my powers, then turn around and get so drunk at your birthday that you encourage me to use my powers and possibly get other people hurt! I almost died using my powers in Monaco. I could have easily died using them at your party. Then, I get kidnapped by your crazy rival, get handed off to the man that wanted to kill you and get a bomb strapped to my chest." I can tell by the look on his face that he hadn't been told about that part. But I'm too much on a role to stop now. "If it wasn't for your new assistant, who happens to be a SHIELD agent, we wouldn't be standing here having this conversation. So you want to talk about the past weeks being difficult? You want to try and say you were keeping me safe? I don't see any right for you to make those claims."

He's quiet and I think for the first time in his life, Tony Stark is speechless.

"You don't even know what it's like being afraid to be in a room with someone because you could lose control and hurt them."

"But you never did hurt anyone."

"That's not the point! I'm done being afraid. I'm done being out of control. SHIELD offered to let me stay with them and train, and you know what? I'm taking that option."

"No. Absolutely not."

I can't help but laugh at the irony of it all. "See? There you go again! You just can't make up your mind, can you?"

"You're my daughter. Yo belong back home with me. I refuse to let you go."

"You can't make choices for me anymore."

"You're still my daughter. I know what's best for you."

"No, dad, you don't." I can feel the emotions swirling around in my head, and I start to get nervous.

"You wanted to be home with me so that's where you're going."

"Dad-"

"You think SHIELD is going to help you? You can get better help at home."

"Would you just listen!" He goes silent and I'm shocked I don't hear anything breaking. "Dad, I'm an adult now. I know you think you know what's best for me, but it's too dangerous for me to stay at home. I need to start making my own decisions and SHIELD can help me better than you can. You tried to help me and you couldn't and look where we are now. You were too busy being Iron Man to help me. SHIELD has the resources to help me learn more about my abilities. I love you, dad, but I can't live in fear anymore. It's better if you just stay away until I can control my powers enough that I'm not afraid anymore."

He's silent for a moment and I wait for the explosion, the disagreement, the demand for me to return home, but it never comes. Instead, he surprises me. "Fine. Maybe you're right. Stay with SHIELD. Get help. But you know I'll always be there if you need me."

He looks down at me and I can tell he wants to say more, but he doesn't. Instead, he turns on his heel and leaves the room. I know he's not good at goodbye's. I try not to take it personally, let it upset me. But I can't help the nerves that are riding over the other emotions currently smacking me in the face.

I'm alone for a few moments before Director Fury comes back in. I wonder if I made the right choice, if SHIELD really can help me. I knew there were ulterior motives behind it all, I mean, they are a government agency. But I had to trust that it was nothing bad.

"So. You decided to stay."

I nod, trying to fight the urge to cry. "Yes, sir."

"Good. You'll stay here for the rest of the night and head out in the morning for the training facility." He gives me a look I can't read. "It may not feel like it, but you made the right choice. Making decisions as an adult is one of the hardest things you'll ever have to do. But I can reassure you, you made the right one here."

I can only hope he's right.

Spending the night in a SHIELD facility warranted very little sleep on my end. I was nervous about being away from my dad for the first time in a situation where I was also going to be away from home. But I also knew it was going to be good for my dad and I to have a little space from each other. Things had obviously happened that I was unaware of, and it had caused an unintentional rift. Space would be good for us. Or I could hope it would be. I didn't know when I'd see him again, or if I'd see him again. His superhero status made the "if" part a possibility.

The thoughts kept coming all night, making sleep a foreign thing to me. That, and I had spent a whole week sleeping. That probably had something to do with it too. I knew tomorrow would be a long day and I would regret not getting more sleep, but I would just have to tough it out. I'm on my own now.

I'm woken early in the morning by a female agent who offers me breakfast. I'm grateful for the food, not sure how long it had been since I'd eaten. She explains what's going to happen once we get to the facility. The intake process would be shorter for me, since I was already in their system from my stay in their facility in California. I would have to give a fresh blood sample and a routine drug test though. After those go through which wouldn't take very long, I would be given a tour of the facility before meeting with the head of the science division at the facility for some tests regarding my powers so they could get a better understanding of them. There would be a break for lunch, depending on how long the tests take. Then afterwards I would be shown to my living quarters and given a basic schedule that I would follow until otherwise told. Getting used to a schedule was going to be difficult. I was used to just rolling with the punches.

I'm given a change of clothes after I finish eating and I'm lead to a shower area to get cleaned up. It feels nice, taking a warm shower after a few days. It gives me time to think too. There was no going back now. My dad was probably back in Malibu now, going on with his life, planning Stark Tower while I was going to powered people boot camp. Not that I wasn't excited to learn more about my powers. I was more nervous about going new places. Normally I wasn't nervous, as I'd been on almost every continent once in my life. But my dad had always been there with me. This was the first time I'd be doing something new without him there. My feelings were conflicted. I knew I needed to grow up and get out on my own. Start living my own life. But my dad had always been there for everything. Now I was doing this alone and the thought terrified me. I knew this was going to be good for me, but at the same time I was scared. This was certainly going to be an interesting experience.