CW: past sexual assault, past child sexual abuse, alcohol abuse, eating disorder mention

Toni woke up in what looked like a fully equipped med station. She stared around her panic rising, kidnapped again, who had taken her now. Then she glanced at a medic looking her over.

"Don't hurt me" Toni shouted, sounding too young for her liking.

"You're back with us." The medic said with a smile.

"Uh Uh And um where exactly am I with you?" Toni asked and cleared her throat mentally grasping for composure.

"In a SHIELD Medical transport." The Medic said.

Then the events came back. She felt sick, Nicky must have brought her here.

"Toni."

A smile crossed her face. Her uncle Nicky was standing there, he had actually come for her and she couldn't pretend it wasn't amazing to her that he liked her enough after what she did at the funeral.

"Hi, agent Fury," Toni said though, re-arranging her face to passive. Knowing getting reattached was probably not smart.

"Ms Stark" Nicky raised an eyebrow at the address, "And it's Director now."

"So you really did it. You always told me you'd run the joint."

"I keep my promises."

"Turns out."

"I called the people on your 'you found me passed' out list."

"That's good."

"They became increasingly threatening as I went down the list,"

"Well, you did call them and tell them you had me captive."

"Stop being so melodramatic you know you aren't captured."

Toni just rolled her eyes

"I hope you understand what happened last night will be handled covertly. SHIELD is not usually used to break up parties."

"Yeah I know, people hurt me but this world is too much of a bitch for the people who say they care to do anything about it. Reputation and power are always more important." Toni drawled.

"Toni." Fury said harshly, "I will ensure they don't hurt you again. I intend punishment to happen, it will just happen behind the scenes. Things are complicated when people who have that level of influence are involved to keep everyone safe."

"No you just have to do it behind the scenes because your precious work is more important than me, everything is more important isn't it? I know I was a bitch to you, but hey, my parents died, maybe I deserved some slack. But I was no longer useful in your power claim so I was nothing you need to care about anymore."

"Antonia Stark. You are acting like a child. I came when you called. When I make agreements I do not break them. You are just stubborn and angry. You have reason to be, but at this moment you must act your age and understand this is how things have to be. Don't take it out on the only person who gave enough of a damn to come for you."

Toni glared at him. Though the blue hospital gown undercut the glare, so did the tears standing in her brown eyes, a piece of her soul peeking through the coldness that slowly ate away at the light.

"We will arrive shortly and your friends will pick you up."

"Your wording is off Director." Toni's tone icy, "I have one friend, the others just work for me. I'm sure you understand work, ambition, power leaves little room for a family. Much less friends."

"I don't work for you and I don't need you for anything." He said and left the med bay.

To most people being told that you aren't needed would sound cruel. But Toni knew what he meant. There wasn't anything politically advantageous in him being kind to her. Fury just actually respected her enough as a human being to think it was cruel to let old stupid creeps rape her. Kind of a low bar sure, but it was still impressive. Not many people dropped their lives to help her, she could count one. Well now maybe two, but who knows really. Fury was still what he was, and he still let a lot of things happen.

Toni was given some SHIELD issue clothes to wear, she would never admit to the amount the Medic helped her change, still too dizzy to do so herself. She was given back her purse and phone.

"Fury disposed of the clothes, figured you wouldn't want to see them again."

Toni nodded, good call.

Once they got to their destination which was apparently a deserted yard of some kind, the back of the transport opened and it turns out it was disguised as a semi. Toni stepped out and was pleased to see Pepper, Happy and her beautiful platypus waiting for her.

Toni walked out as steady as she could but then fell into Rhodey's arms burying her face in his shirt.

"Oh, baby girl, what did they do to you?" Rhodey asked

"It wasn't SHIELD," Toni mumbled.

"Who hurt you baby girl?"

"It was a few senators who will not be able to do so again. I may be a heartless leader but no one likes men like that." Fury said

Suddenly Toni's heart was stronger than her learned cynicism. She turned and her legs dragged her back to Nicky. She was standing less than a pace in front of him staring at his face.

"Uncle Nicky, thank you. You didn't have to come but you did. I didn't think you would."

She said a few tears falling from her eyes, though neither commented on it or the fact that Fury was hurting as well, the muscles around his mouth were just a bit too tight.

"I'm just surprised you still have the card."

"I memorized the number, along with the guide book."

"Good."

"I mean it, thank you. You gave it to me when I was a little girl, you didn't have to come. Like you said I'm not a kid any more."

"Toni Stark, I didn't give an expiration date, nor did I give you parameters on who had to hurt you or a limited number of uses. The line is always open."

Toni nodded mutely as Fury presented her with the sunglasses and she accepted them eagerly.

"I figured you'd want them back."

"Thanks, Uncle Nicky."

He grunted in response

"Tell agent-agent and the other sneaky spies thank you."

"I will."

"Stay safe and maybe don't be so far away." Toni couldn't help but add.

"Oh, Toni I am never really that far away. I keep tabs."

"Course you do Director."

Toni put on her sunglasses and walked to Happy's waiting car.

"Explanation please Tones?" Rhodey asked

"Oh, Rhodey Bear when we get to the hotel please." Toni's shoulders sagged, her hand on the door.

"ok," He said

Rhodey crawled into the back Toni laid her head on his shoulder. Pepper sat in the front.

"So are we friends with SHIELD now?" Pepper asked.

"God no, never. I don't trust them one bit, Fury's... Fury, but spies are still spies "

"Noted."

Toni turned on her portable JARVIS hub and was informed that she was never allowed to go anywhere without him ever again, please. Toni agreed without question. Later they were all in the living room Toni figured she had no more stalling time.

"What do you want to know"?

"Let's start with who made you unconscious and end up with SHIELD?" Rhodey answered.

"Remember I had that thing for Obie."Toni froze, "fuck fuck fuck."

Toni jumped and grabbed her phone.

"Obie." She said

"I understand the party was interrupted last night," Obie said coolly.

"Yes," Toni said weakly

"Your safe enough?"Obie asked

"Yes," Toni answered blankly

"I'm not pleased as it isn't constructive. But SHIELD is efficient with secrets, and hiding information I doubt will cause much fuss." Obie said with a sigh

"Of course." Toni nodded

"I'll visit soon."

Toni felt dizzy but stayed standing. "Course Obie."

"I love you, my girl."

"Love you too," Toni mumbled

Her body wilted onto the couch.

"You okay?" Happy asked

"Yeah, I just had to update him."

"Sounds like he already knew." Pepper commented.

"Kind of. But okay the party was boring enough but someone put something in my drink..s."

Toni ignored the various facial expressions and continued, "Some men, they tried to ...well to sexually assault me. I got away before they could do much more than kiss me. Umm, I called Uncle Nicky and he got me out."

"Oh god baby girl. I'm so sorry." Rhodey pulled Toni in. Toni felt numb, it was all so bad but like also blase. It would all happen behind the curtain and Toni would just be that much more sad, and numb and angry.

"The director is your Uncle?" Happy asked after Toni pulled back from Rhodey

"I told you about my Uncle Nicky before, right Rhodey?" Toni asked

"Yeah, but you never told me how powerful he was, or that I doubt he is your biological uncle." Rhody answers

"Course not, Howard was an only child, and Contact with my Mom's family was not a priority numero uno."

"So who is he?" Pepper asked,

Toni stood crossing her arms, "He was Aunt Peggy's, also not my 'real' aunt, just an old family friend, replacement with SHIELD when they had dealt with Howard. Howard was a man from his times, so a racist dick and also didn't much care for anyone who could beat him and Nicky is ruthless. So Nicky often got free time in his visits while one of the other's would talk to Howard about murder, guns, whisky or whatever. Nicky was nice talked to me, thought my stupid metal dog was worthwhile, told he'd help me if I got hurt. That's how I got to him, gave me his direct line. Yeah, my childhood lacked the warm and fuzzies so much that my butler and spies were the only people who liked me. Well mom sometimes but I'm not sure she, you know, had it together"

Happy looked at his feet. Rhodey looked guilty and Pepper looked, was it pity? Toni wasn't sure, but she hated sadness of any kind on Pepper. She was too smart, kind and pretty to be sad.

"It's fine though I'm not bitter or anything," Toni said knocking the hair from her eyes with a shake of her head.

"She said bitterly with a bitter tone," Rhodey said making eye contact with Toni

They shared a small smile. For a brief moment, it didn't matter that most of the world saw her as just a broken girl, a pawn in their game she had a few people who cared. And She cared for them.

~~~~~

Toni was standing in the bathroom drumming her fingers on the sink, her teeth bared. Her mind kept circling back to fear so primal the spiralling thoughts were so loud it made her ears ring. She breathed out a long breath and glanced up, of course, JARVIS wasn't in the ceiling but somehow that's where she always looked for him. Toni's muscles felt tight pinning her to the spot she was in.

"The fuck am I gonna do baby boy?" Toni asked, her voice strained.

"I believe the first course of action would be to purchase a pregnancy test."

"No JARVIS what am I supposed to do? Then how do I do whatever I decide to do when I can't move."

"Ms Toni there is no reason to panic yet. There are multiple reasons you might be having a gap in your periods. It's not impossible for hormone irregularities to happen once in a while. Also, your nutrition is not generally adequate or many other things."

"It's not been this out a whack since I was dating Stone. At the time I was skinny I could've died. I'm not there right now."

"Yes but I'm trying to make you see, take this one step at a time."

"Right yeah sounds good," Toni replied. Toni still felt the acid in her stomach swirling at the idea part of Obie was growing inside of her. It was terrifying, even more so having to tell him. JARVIS was correct though, nothing could be done till she knew for sure. A deep breath allowed her to disengage from the sink.

She finished getting ready for the day. It was a bit out of order considering she had woken up really early after a nightmare and was already riding the wave of Irish coffee enough that she really shouldn't be driving. But she had to go to the store.

Before Toni could spiral off into that worry she bumped into Pepper.

"Toni." She said with a large sigh.

"What I do now?" Toni said defensively.

"Not answer me when I was calling for you, I was worried."

"Why?" Toni muttered, straightening her jacket, finishing going to the kitchen and biting into a bagel.

"Well you've been under stress and I know that you don't exactly handle stress the best," Pepper explained.

"Yeah, that's valid."

"I just came here to get your signature."

"It's Sunday!" Toni said surprised, "Right J? I thought Sunday was Pep's day off?"

"Yes, it is Sunday," JARVIS confirmed

"I know but Mr Stane said he needed this today."

"Okay." Toni's voice went small. She grabbed the tablet from Pepper's hand. Toni had finished a design for in-house digital signatures. Not commercial yet but better than the other companies trying it out. But as she saw Obie's signature above hers on the form her heart let into her throat making her forget her pride.

"Thank you, Ms Stark," Pepper said

"Where's Happy," Toni said, spinning around, her mind falling back into panic. She needed to know now.

"It's his day off" Pepper replied

"Why'd I give you guys the same day off?"

"You don't usually, he is meant to be Saturday. But it's his mother's birthday."

"Oh right. Umm, can your driver take me to the store?"

"I don't have a driver."

"What?' Toni said

"I only have a driver for official events or when you let me use Happy."

"I'll give you a full-time driver."

"Thanks. But why can't you just drive yourself wherever, like a normal person? You know how too."

"I'm still too drunk," Toni muttered, weight crushing her chest to the point one thing would tip her over. Fingers digging into her palm, trying to keep breathing.

"Wow guess I'm a bit surprised that stops you," Pepper said with an edge that Toni found completely unnecessary.

Not to mention the comment dredged up the memory of the call, her parents dead. And the ever-present anger at Howard, which she hella did not need right now.

"I'm a stupid asshole but I am not my father!"

"Wait, what?" Pepper said

But Toni couldn't answer everything was too much. God, she hated feeling so fragile, but right now she didn't want to fight. She just kept trying to bring her heart rate to a point it wasn't hurting her chest.

"Howard was driving drunk when he killed himself, Maria and my namesake," JARVIS told Pepper.

"Oh, Toni I'm sorry. That was unfair."

"I just have to call a driver or something. But I don't trust most of them." Toni said, mostly to herself. Trying to implement J's suggested focus on one step plan.

"Where are you trying to go?"

"Drug store, grocery store, pharmacy or something like that."

"Well, I can take you there."

"Huh? Why would you'd do that" Toni asked

"Well, why wouldn't I? There's one like ten minutes down the road."

"Oh right. Guess I do forget not everyone has drivers all the time."

"Come on. But you need shoes."

Peper watched Toni feeling slightly confused, Pepper was used to Toni being strange. She'd been since day one, but usually, there was some method to the madness. So she had to admit to being a bit curious about what Toni needed this bad from a grocery store.

"Let's go," Toni said as she came back in hopping from foot to foot sliding on her sneakers.

Toni noted Pepper's clear anticipation. She was drumming her fingers and kept glancing back at Toni with a concerned look.

"Ask me then," Toni said, apprehension creeping into her voice.

"What do you need to buy so bad?"

Toni faltered, she had invited it so she had to answer now. Toni steeled herself and said, "A pregnancy test."

"What?!" Pepper said slamming on the breaks and swerving onto the shoulder so hard it felt like whiplash.

"A pregnancy test," Toni said, rubbing the likely bruised back of her head. The seats in this midrange car were not like the ones in her normal cars.

"Uh, Toni you should have started with the fact your pregnant"

"Might be. Might be pregnant"

"Who might be the father of the baby"

Toni wavered, glancing at Pepper. To say it was Obie would be to break the rule. She wasn't allowed to tell anybody, it was their secret. It had always been their secret, to say Obie was the one who might've knocked her up would be to admit they had been having sex. And she knew Pepper would not be a fan of that, she just wasn't supposed to know.

"I'll tell you who the father is if it comes back positive," Toni said slowly, staring at her shoes.

"Okay, okay that's fair." Pepper relented

Pepper looked at Toni. She looked close to crying, and Pepper started driving again. Toni was clearly freaking the fuck out. She really ought to not make that worse. Toni was young, and not at all stable enough to be pregnant, much less be a mother.

Add on to that everything she knew about Toni' parents gave the distinct picture of a rather abusive childhood. Which was not that surprising anytime she saw Howard Stark her "giant asshole" alarm blared, adding on to that he'd killed Toni's whole family by being a drunken idiot. Having shit parents hardly ever made people more excited to be a parent. Hell Pepper was older, and not nearly as much of a hot mess as her friend and she was terrified to ever have kids. They arrived at the store.

"I'm going to get it for you, Toni. I doubt you want images of you buying a pregnancy test all over the tabloids." Pepper said.

"Oh yeah, thanks," Toni said.

Sitting in the car was extremely nerve-wracking. She drummed on the door the whole time trying to keep the panic at bay. Thoughts of Obie, her mom, throwing up, getting fat and a million other upsetting shit-filled her mind. Pushing them away was hard. She jumped hard when Pepper climbed into the car and passed her a small brown paper bag.

They drove back to Toni's place in silence. Walked to the bathroom with only a greeting from JARVIS breaking it up.

In the bathroom, Toni's hands were shaking so bad Peper took the cardboard box from her. Toni looked up and Pepper gave her a weak smile as she opened it. Toni took the small plastic stick and Pepper read off the directions from the box. Toni figured mostly to do something. She could figure out how it all worked, though she guessed she did need to know how long to wait.

Pepper stepped out so Toni could pee on the stupid thing. Toni was glad he came back in. She could do it with just JARVIS but the human hand on her shoulder was more comforting than she cared to admit.

When JARVIS let off an alarm Toni picked it up and sighed so big it had to be some kind of record. Negative. It was the best test result Toni had ever gotten.

"That's good," Pepper said, running her hand over Toni's hair.

"Yeah really good," Toni said with a smile creeping across her lips. Relief flooded her.

Two days later Toni got her period and she was pretty sure it was the only time she was glad to have it come. Today it reminded her Obie hadn't gotten her pregnant instead of a reminder he could do it.

However, five days later Obie showed up at her door. And they did what he wanted. Somehow it felt worse, like this moment of relief and freedom was followed by him reminding her or having her have to remind herself over and over that she belonged to him. That in the end, he was the only person who had loved her as a stupid kid, the only person who really knew her. Someone who knew what she was worth.

It all felt extra painful right now. No matter if it was true, or that she did love him it made her feel so broken. Just like every moment was Obie playing puppeteer with her on the other end of the string.