Rosalind Stark
Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel or any characters or variations of Marvel/Avengers. I only own my OCs.
Chapter Eight: Packages
Tony ended up in the garage. He got in one of his cars and drove. He ended up at his lawyer's office. He parked poorly not caring what happened to his sports car. He walked a brisk pace up into the building and his lawyer's office.
"Mr Stark can I help you?" asked the secretary. She was packing up for the day.
Tony didn't acknowledge her. He headed straight into Mr Williams' office. She rushed in after him.
"Tony, it's been too long," the man rose to shake his hand.
"I need to have a word with you," growled Tony. The secretary looked nervous.
Mr Williams dismissed her for the day. Once she left, he turned to Tony. "What's this about? Usually all of your legal matters are taken care of by Pepper," The man leaned back on the front of his desk.
"Have you been getting packages for me and not passing them along?" Tony asked his question looking as though he were ready to slug the man.
"No, I haven't. Who would these packages have been from?" Mr Williams asked still leaning on the front of the desk.
"Vivian Ewart," Tony replied clenching his jaw.
"And who is Vivian Ewart?" asked the lawyer waiting to see if his client planned to explain.
"Rosalind's mother," Tony was beyond angry.
"Tony, I don't know of a Vivian or a Rosalind. What documents would I have included them in?" Mr Williams rounded his desk to be able to check his files.
"A confidentially agreement and my will for starters," Tony snapped.
The man frowned but typed away on his computer. "I'm sorry Tony. I have no records for these names, and the last will I have on file is a decade old… Are you sure another lawyer didn't draw it up?" suggested the man taking off his reading glasses to give Tony his full attention.
Tony was still angry, but it no longer seemed to be directed at the man across the desk. "I always use you. Pepper uses you. You're our go to guy," ranted Tony now starting to pace.
"I'm not sure when you wrote all these agreements, but I should remind you that I was never your father's or Obadiah Stane's go to guy," Mr Williams reminded the irate billionaire.
xxXXxx
Natasha got up and started for the door. "Natasha where are you going?" asked Steve. Darcy and Jane were now with Vivian. Bruce and Loki watched over Rosalind.
"Going to find Stark," she answered coolly before disappearing into the elevator.
xxXXxx
Tony got back into his car and pulled out his phone. "JARVIS call Pepper," he ordered.
After numerous rings he was about to give up.
Then she answered, "Tony? What's going on? I was fixing to call you actually."
"You were?" Tony felt ever so slightly comforted that Pepper was checking in on him.
"Yes I was. Good news, you are now a very wealthy man," she sounded pleased with herself.
"Pep, I'm already a very wealthy man," he grunted.
"The contract went through Tony. You are now forty million dollars richer," she elaborated.
"Great, thanks Pep… Do you remember Vivian Ewart?" Tony asked not caring about the money.
"You think she's going to want more money since we just closed the contract?" she asked sounding a little bothered after hearing Viv's name.
"No, no. I was just thinking who drew up the papers?" he asked holding his breath.
"Stane had his lawyer draw everything up. Technically he is still on retainer with Stark Industries I believe… Care to tell me what's going on," he could hear the aggravation growing in her voice.
"I was thinking about getting in touch… maybe trying to visit Rozz or bring her out to New York or Malibu," Tony reasoned.
"Tony, Vivian doesn't want contact with you, and who is Rozz?" Pepper snapped lightly.
"Rozz is short for Rosalind," he answered hoping he hadn't given himself away.
"Tony, I don't know what has gotten into you, but you need to get over this," he could practically hear her pinching the bridge of her nose. "Go spend time with Peter or something," she suggested.
"Pep just tell me who the lawyer is," he ordered holding back the anger that was building for a second time.
"Thompson," she answered before he hung up on her.
Tony ordered JARVIS to direct him to Thompson's office. He started to pull back on to the road when the door was pulled open and Natasha got in. Tony glared, but knew better than to try to get the assassin to get out.
xxXXxx
"Steve can we make mac and cheese?" asked Rosalind taking a break from her work.
"Sure," he helped her onto a step stool to help him cook.
"You never let me help," grumbled Clint. Steve smiled, but didn't acknowledge him.
Loki was sticking close to Vivian. No one was mentioning the earlier fight between her and Tony. The two were quiet.
xxXXxx
"Tony Stark, it's been a while," chuckled the old man that was gathering his belongings up as Tony and Natasha enter his office.
"Vivian Ewart," snapped Tony.
The man smiled, "That woman finally showed up at your door huh. Stane always said she would."
"What," Tony's eyes were wide.
"Tony, we can discuss this another time. I need to get home to my wife," the man tried to push pass the two.
"We'll leave once we get the packages," Natasha said firmly blocking his exit.
Thompson led them out of his office to a storage room. "They are all addressed. Stane was the only one to open any of them," he explained both heading for the door.
"And the agreement," called Tony.
"I'll send a copy to your residence tomorrow," the man continued out the door
Tony and Natasha started looking through the shelves. They sat all the packages addressed to Tony to the side. They ended up with twenty-three packages.
"Open them here or take back to the tower?" Tony asked looking at the stack of envelopes and boxes.
"Tower, easier to transport unopened," Natasha started taking them to the car.
xxXXxx
"What's the atomic number for iron?" asked Clint.
"Twenty-six," Rosalind answered as she helped Steve prepare dinner.
"What does Ga stand for?" Clint shot another question at her.
"Gallium," she answered again unphased. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the archer's struggle to stump the child. He was becoming more and more frazzled with each question.
"Bruce you pick a question," groaned Clint dropping into a chair in defeat.
"How many bones are in the human body?" Bruce asked.
"At what time?" Rozz asked looking up from the pot she was stirring.
"Yes she doesn't know!" Clint cheered.
"She didn't say she doesn't know, she asked a follow up," Vivian corrected.
"An adult body," Bruce answered.
"Two hundred and six bones," Rozz went back to helping Steve.
"She's right," Bruce announced to the waiting Clint. He groaned.
"The other answer was two hundred seventy at birth," Rozz answered making sure to make eye contact with Clint.
"She's right again," chuckled Bruce.
Clint groaned louder.
"Is she just a tiny Tony or were you like this?" Darcy asked patting Clint on the back.
"I was advanced but only by a few years. She's leans more toward Tony," Vivian again looked proud.
xxXXxx
Tony and Natasha had brought all the packages up to his lab. Tony ordered JARVIS not to inform anyone of his return to the tower.
Tony stared at them not knowing where to start. Having enough of waiting, Natasha strolled over and picked up one of the three opened packages. It was full of pictures. She handed them to Tony. He started flipping through them. She watched him noticing the writing on the backs.
She pointed it out with to him flipping one over. "I'll leave you to catch up," Natasha left him down in his lab.
Tony looked through the photos reading the backs. He pulled the large envelope the pictures had come in. He found a letter from Vivian.
xxXXxx
Peter was out on patrol as Spider-Man. It was later than he usually stayed out, but he wanted to help find Doom as soon as possible.
"Karen that guy looks familiar," Peter asked his favorite suit lady.
"The man is Justin Hammer of Hammer Industries," she informed him.
"So not a bad guy or?" he asked. Hammer was acting very uneasy, but Peter didn't know much about him.
"Justin Hammer was recently released from Seagate Prison," she answered.
"So bad guy," Peter swung closer to keep an eye on Hammer.
"Justin is mildly dangerous, but is more likely to have dangerous associates," Karen went on.
Spider-Man kept close to building to avoid being seen. "Like Doom dangerous or gang dangerous?" Peter whispered watching as a man handed Hammer an envelope before they parted ways.
"Known ties to terrorists," she responded.
"Got it dangerous friends," Peter nodded. Hammer got into a car and pulled away. "Should I follow?" Peter asked Karen trying to decide.
"I don't suggest it, Spider-Man," a voice from behind spoke. Peter held his breath as he slowly turned. "SHIELD has a tail on Hammer, take the night off," the man in a suit informed him.
"Who are you?" Peter tried to sound older as he asked his question.
"Agent Coulson. You don't have to do that by the way. We already know you're a teenager," Coulson smirked.
"Oh how did you?" stammered Peter.
"We've caught your voice on tape a few times," clarified Coulson.
xxXXxx
"JARVIS can you let me in please. I brought Tony his dinner," Steve called to the AI as he stood outside the locked lab door.
"Yes Mister Rogers, but I warn you Sir is not at his best," warned JARVIS.
Steve sighed figuring Tony must have gotten drunk after his fight with Vivian. He entered to find opened boxes and envelopes everywhere.
"Tony?" Steve called setting down the tray. Tony popped up reading what looked like a letter. "Tony what is all this?" he asked gesturing around.
"My daughter's life," Tony answered in a nearly sad tone.
Steve headed over to take a closer look. "May I?" Steve asked starting to pick up a letter.
"Sure," Tony mumbled continuing to read the letter in his hand.
Steve skimmed a hand full of letters.
'Tony, Rozz wants to know if you'll come to her soccer game. I promised I would ask, but I've already started coving.'
'Rozz has decided her favorite food is blueberries. I wonder where that came from.'
'She's officially been kicked out of public school. I've enrolled her in a private school near the university I work at.'
'Tony, since I've never heard back from you, I am guessing you don't care or at the very least don't have time for Rosalind. But I will continue to lie to Rosalind because she deserves to be loved by her father. She loves sending you packages, so regardless of how you feel, you will be receiving these for a long time.'
'Update 'you' bought Rosalind a giant stuffed animal and flowers for Valentines Day. She loved them both. She named the very large teddy bear Clark.'
"I feel like the worst dad in the world," Tony announced pulling Steve's attention away from the letters.
Steve smiled patting Tony on the shoulder. "That's a start," Steve set the letters back down. Tony looked at him confused. "Two days ago you didn't feel like you were a father," Steve explained.
Tony nodded. "Viv sent me updates and pictures. Rozz drew me pictures and got me father's day presents. Viv even lied and would buy presents for her and say I sent them… I've got to fix this. What do I do?" Tony sincerely asking for advice was a rare occurrence.
"What do you want to do Tony?" Steve didn't feel right giving him advice without asking first. Steve knew what he would do in his shoes, but he was more traditional than Tony.
"As corny as it sounds, I think I want to be a dad. I might suck at it, but Rozz hasn't seemed to care yet," Tony smiled weakly at his admission. Tony grabbed some pictures and started showing them to Steve. For the first time he felt like a proud parent showing off.
xxXXxx
"Just get everything out of the safe and send me copies okay. Thanks," Vivian rolled her eyes hanging up her phone.
"Mommy what's Aunt Vicky sending you?" Rozz asked looking up from her game of cards she was playing with Bruce, Loki, and Clint. Everyone looked surprised Rosalind even heard the conversation. She was usually in her own little world.
"Just some old legal documents, it's about bedtime," Vivian glanced at the time.
"But Steve's not here," whined Rozz.
"So Steve's been spoiling you huh?" Vivian smiled starting to get up to crutch toward the room her daughter was using. "Come on I'll tuck you in as long as I don't fall over," she laughed. Rozz scampered after her mother.
"Sirs, Miss Potts is on the phone and is demanding to speak to someone," announced JARVIS once Vivian and Rozz had left to the room.
"Tony's in his lab," Clint told the AI assuming the Pepper really wanted to talk to Tony.
"Miss Potts wants to speak with another resident of the tower other than Mr Stark," replied JARVIS.
"I'll talk to her," offered Bruce.
"Before I patch her through, may I suggest that someone keep Miss Vivian from entering the room," JARVIS warned. Natasha nodded heading for the hall.
"Hello," Pepper called over the system.
"Hi Pepper, JARVIS said you wanted to talk to someone," Bruce greeted her.
"Hi Bruce, I wanted to see what's going on with Tony. He's acting strange, and he hung on me earlier this evening," Pepper voiced her concerns.
"He's okay. A little anxious is all," Bruce assured her.
Pepper took a deep breath. "Has he receive a call, a letter, or any sort of contact from a woman named Vivian Ewart?" she asked.
Bruce was silent trying to decide what to say. "Stark has had no contact," answered Loki before Bruce could decide how to answer.
"Loki? I thought I was talking to Bruce," she didn't seem fond of the trickster.
"You're on with us all except Tony and Steve in the living room," called Clint.
"Okay then, is Loki telling the truth?" she asked the group.
"Yes, he is," answered Bruce deciding it would be best to back the god.
"Good, Ewart's a gold digger Tony had a run in with a few years back. If she comes by, call me and security. I've already alerted the tower's security staff, but they don't have access to your floors or the roof, so all of you will need to keep an eye on Tony. I think he may be having some sort of mid life crisis," Pepper went on.
"Of course Lady Potts, we will watch over Man of Iron while you are away," proclaimed Thor.
"Thank you Thor. I have to go," Pepper told them before hanging up.
Natasha strolled back into the room.
"Loki, why did you lie?" asked Clint.
"Vivian has voiced her concerns about Miss Potts in passing. I assumed Miss Potts would feel the same… My assumptions were correct were they not" shrugged Loki. Natasha watched him closely. The god knew more than he was letting on.
xxXXxx
"Night Mommy," Rozz was already half asleep with Lokitty and Mr BOOregard in her arms.
"Night," Vivian kissed her forehead before heading back out to the living area. Everyone stared at her as she reentered the space. "Is something wrong?" she asked making her way back to the couch.
"Nothing for you to worry about," Loki smirked.
xxXXxx
Steve had returned to the common space where Bruce pulled him aside and informed him of Pepper's call.
Vivian was currently dictating an email to JARVIS to send out to her classes since she would be out with injuries for a week at the very least.
Everyone else was laughing and having a quiet night. Vivian finished telling JARVIS to send it to certain contacts in her email.
"JARVIS likes you way better than us," commented Clint.
"We bonded over the few days I spent at Tony's while I was pregnant. Lord knows Tony was too busy to spend the day with me," Vivian smiled obviously only poking fun at Tony.
"Dr Ewart, I mean Vivian. What happened to your research?" Jane asked. Vivian looked a bit surprised by the question.
"I'm assuming you're talking about my PhD acquiring research. The stuff that made me known and a little hated," Vivian took a breath. "There were only two paths of continuation for my research. They both would require human test subjects, which are difficult to get people on board with. Then there are the results. My results would be living babies that I would have to observe throughout their life span," she explained.
"So it was just too much?" asked Darcy confused.
"No, it would have been expensive, but I could have worked with private adoption agencies and sperm banks and made it work. It was one of the paths I could have taken. The problem is I would have been forced to please clients make perfect children not see how traits and mutations survive through genetics. The second path was to use my own body. I could have had a child every few years done open adoptions with nice families. Nearly all my genes are recessive, which would have made me a good control subject in theory. I would have gotten my research, and they would have gotten the baby they were waiting for," Vivian further elaborated on her paths of research.
"But you didn't?" Jane asked. Her research was her life, so she couldn't see how Vivian could let hers go so easily.
"Nope, I got pregnant the old fashion way. I always figured it would be easy to give a baby up, but once I was pregnant with Rozz, I knew I could never do it. As soon as I felt her kick for the first I was attached. I mean I called Tony in the middle of the night about it," she laughed at the memory.
"What'd Tony think of that?" laughed Bruce.
"He thought I had gotten sick or something. He freaked. Then I explained then he freaked out about that," she continued to laugh.
"Sounds about right for Tony," chuckled Steve taking a seat next to Vivian.
"I thought once you had paperwork drawn up you two didn't see each other?" Natasha asked the relationship of the couple becoming more unclear the more they heard.
"Yes, but the paperwork took awhile to draw up. Then we had to wait until she was technically born to finish it up," explained Vivian knowing the assassin was likely wondering if she was lying.
"I'm sure Pepper was involved in everything," Natasha watched as Vivian tensed at the mention of Pepper. Loki glared at her warning her to drop the subject.
xxXXxx
"JARVIS order frames for these photos," ordered Tony. He had a stack of photos that he wanted to keep out.
"Of course sir, would you like me to order albums for the rest?" inquired the AI.
"Sure," Tony shrugged.
xxXXxx
Everyone had gone to bed or left the common area except Vivian. She started to get up when she heard a creek of someone entering the space.
"Hello?" Vivian called nervously.
"Miss Vivian may I have a quick word with you," came a voice suddenly behind her.
She jumped. "Oh hi Loki. What about?" she asked settling back into the couch.
"About Anthony… and Miss Potts," Loki watched closely approaching the couch.
She raised an eyebrow, "Anthony? Tony lets you call him that. He must like you."
"You could say Anthony and I are close," a smile played on the god's lips.
"Alright then what would you like to know about them," Vivian decided to move on.
"Miss Potts doesn't like you. I assume because you bed Anthony before she could. Anthony also mentioned a spat you had with Miss Potts… I'm curious as to why you don't care for her? You seem to have no interest in Anthony outside of holding him accountable as a father to Rozz, so why?" Loki leaned his face on his hand waiting to hear things explained.
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