Disclaimer is in chapter one

A/N Thanks to those precious few that took the time to review and feed my authory narcissism - my continuing to post this here is for you!

The Awakening, part 2

Tony was dreaming; he knew it beyond a shadow of a doubt. He knew it like he knew the codes to dismantle every half-way important server in existence. He felt the stirrings of anger toward his so-called-friends that had actually held him down and drugged him, but the dream was so amazing that just for one little moment more, Tony didn't care.

In this dream, his daughter didn't hate him, and was in fact cuddled up close to him. Her warmth seeping into his body wherever they touched came with a lovely sense of peace that he'd missed ever since Darcy had been taken by Aldrich.

Hell, Tony thought sadly and gripped his dream-daughter tighter, I haven't felt this peaceful since before our stupid fight…

A small puff of warm air against his skin, sent shivers down Tony's spine as the reality began to set in. He'd undergone enough nightmares and trippy dreams after various intakes of substances to know that although feelings came in dreams, there was no way that one could actually feel the moisture of sighs into one's own skin. Tony froze when he finally grasped the truth.

This was no dream, no fata morgana sent to tempt him into staying asleep, hidden away from the world just a little longer. No, Tony nearly whimpered as the truth settled in him, this was real life. Darcy was snuggled up to his side and seemingly sleeping peacefully.

Over the next couple of hours, Tony didn't move a muscle. He was petrified of waking his kid up and disturbing her much more healing sleep-cycle…and also a bit scared about the talk the two of them needed to have if he had to be honest if only to himself. Sadly (finally! Tony's heart seemed to dance with relief) the hint of dawn crept steadily closer, exploding into a beautiful sunrise that seemed to bring with it Darcy's awakening.

At first she snuggled closer to him, and then she was frowning a little and looking for all the world as if she wanted nothing more than to keep sleeping by his side. Eventually though, Tony watched silently as she returned to consciousness.

"Mmhh…" Darcy yawned adorably and Tony, despite drowning in guilt, couldn't withhold a small chuckle. In the next second, he dearly regretted it when his enjoyment caused Darcy to completely freeze up midway through another yawn.

"Welcome back, Baby-Girl." Tony greeted her when Darcy after a full minute still hadn't moved an inch.

The words seemed to kick-start the girl's mind back into gear as she quickly sat up and started eyeing him very closely. "Are you okay? JARVIS said you had been drugged! You look sick, I'm so sorry for everything! I won't ever act so stupid again, you don't deserve that. You're so nice and generous and I forgot that other people matter more; they've been around forever and ever. I'm so sorry, Tony."

The distraught father was completely blindsided by the word vomit that flew out of his kid's mouth. She was sorry? The entire notion blew his mind and Tony said the only thing he could in the situation.

"You are not the one that has to apologize, Baby-Girl. No, stop looking at me like that," he added semi-sternly even as he gently drew her back down to rest by his side. "I'm the one that need to grovel here. You are perfect just as you are."

"I've done nothing but cause problems since I arrived," Darcy pointed out and Tony gripped her chin softly and lifted her head up so their eyes locked.

"Listen to me, Darcy Maria Lewis-Stark. This is very important, okay?" Tony waited a breath for her expression to turn questioning before continuing seriously. "You have done nothing wrong. You are perfect. You, Baby-Girl, are the most important person in my whole wide world and beyond. I'm the one that needs to apologize."

"Why?"

Tony nearly cried at the sincerity in Darcy's question. She truly had no idea why he needed to apologize. "Because I acted like the worst parent I know when I left after Happy's accident. My own father," the billionaire clarified when Darcy looked confused. "He was a great man but not the best of fathers. Anyway, don't for a second think I did nothing wrong in this mess. I acted like the spoiled brat I've been accused of being ever since adolescence and got huffy at you because you basically felt scared about me leaving you. That was wrong of me, and I'm so sorry."

There was a long pause as the abused girl pondered his words, and then Tony couldn't help but grin a little when she finally muttered, "I wasn't scared to be left alone…"

Darcy hugged him when he didn't contradict her, but when his next words registered she sat back up and down right glared at him.

"I'm sorry that my actions were responsible for another man hurting you, Baby-Girl."

"Killian is the one responsible and not you, Da-Tony! I think we're too hung up on blaming ourselves for all the misery and not those who's actually to blame."

As unbelievable as it seemed to the eldest Stark, it looked like Darcy didn't even blame him a little for her trauma. The relief and joy was near palatable and he quickly reached up and dragged her back into his now quivering arms.

"If I may say so, Sir, those are the smartest words ever uttered in my presence and I would advise the both of you to remember them closely in the future."

JARVIS' unexpected voice made the Stark family smile a tad sheepishly at each other before they lay back down in the massive bed to enjoy just being together.

"Turn on some kiddie movies, Jay and let the world know that the Starks are taking a much needed day off. Oh, and get some snacks in here somehow. We're hungry." "

As you wish, Sir" JARVIS replied, his tone hinting at a fondness, which should've been impossible considering his A.I. status.

Tony drew a quietly giggling Darcy closer as the enormous TV-screen emerged from his floor and began playing the newest Disney movie. He knew they still had a lot of things to work on in their relationship. There was the whole Extremis cure to research, the effect the whole thing had on his daughter's mutant gene and so forth along with several key people to notify about her return to consciousness, but for now the father and daughter just enjoyed being together.

It was the best thing of all in both their minds.

0o0o0

TBC…