2.
GOLD-DIGGING KONSTANTIN AFTER STARK'S MONEY?
IS STARK INDUSTRIES DOOMED?
KAZIMIERA KONSTANTIN'S POSTHUMOUS MARRIAGE TO TONY STARK SO SHE COULD TAKE HIS INHERITANCE?
"Enough of that-" Rhodey snatched the tablet full of news from Kass's hands. "That's not helping at all."
"It hurts."
"I know, but you can't let this crap get to you. Pepper's on it, trying to shut it all down. And if anyone can do it, she can."
"No I mean it hurts that they think I'm just after his money. Brush aside the fact that I love him with all my heart. He left us the inheritance for me and our then unborn child. But all they can say is I'm a gold-digging bitch-" She cut herself off, tried the breathing exercises her therapist had assigned her. Deep breaths - in, out... In, out..." He saved the world, but in many ways, the world hasn't changed."
Rhodey nodded sadly. "A tough reality."
When she returned home she found Morgan in her high chair and Regina standing before her, making funny faces and noises trying to illicit some response from the baby.
Kass collapsed backwards onto the couch without calling hi to either of them.
"Thad bad, huh?" Regina called.
"Oh yeah."
"Yeah, I can imagine. Sorry Sis. But hey, if you need anyone-" Regina made a cutting motion across her throat. "-I'm your woman."
"Thanks, and while I would like to kill some of the reporters, don't worry about it." She sighed again. "Why did Tony have to be so big and famous?"
"Because he was rich."
"His dad was, he just inherited it." She rubbed her hands hard over her face. "It's funny how people like us who come from very little think that money will solve everything, when really it just creates a whole shit ton of other problems."
Regina was still playing with Morgan. "Here here to that."
KAZIMIERA KONSTANTIN: THE THIEF WHO STOLE STARK'S CONSCIENCE
CELEBRATIONS CONTINUE AROUND THE WORLD AS FAMILY AND FRIENDS CONTINUE TO REUNITE
WHO REALLY IS KAZIMIERA KONSTANTIN?
WAS THANOS RIGHT?
KONSTANTIN'S TIES TO THE BLACK MARKET GO DEEPER THAN ORIGINALLY THOUGHT?
IS STEVE ROGERS REALLY ON THE MOON?
Blah, blah, blah...
She scoffed at the most recent headlines. On and on and on it went, forever, an endless loophole. She knew she shouldn't be reading more of this, it didn't help at all, but she was drawn to it.
News had already boomed after Tony's death, but her choice to marry him posthumously sent it skyrocketing even further. In the beginning she hadn't wanted to get married - the source of another big fight and separation between them - but she had warmed to the idea, and then she'd realized she was pregnant, but their family was never meant to be, not whole, not the three of them together.
She was so grateful for Morgan, for the life she and Tony had created. She could not deal with his death on her own. But it cut deep, the knowledge that Morgan would never know her dad, and that he never got to know his daughter. He wouldn't even know he had a daughter. Her heart swelled painfully with this knowledge, and she felt strangely guilty. Her therapist had had her working on recognizing that guilt and unpacking it, but she mostly avoided it, if she was being perfectly honest.
She knew she would never improve if she just kept avoidng the hard things, but someimtes the pain was just too much and the wound too fresh. Kazimiera Konstantin was not the type of person to shy away from many things, but pain and lonliness were certainly two of the exceptions.
As she was checking on Morgan napping in her crib, the home intercom system beeped.
"Ms. Konstantin," F.R.I.D.A.Y.'s voice chimed. "Someone's entered the house."
Kass's heart skipped. "What? How?"
"I don't know, it's unclear-"
"Where?"
"Downstairs-"
Kass wasted no time in thundering down the stairs, ready to throw herself into action if need be - were they in danger? Did she need F.R.I.D.A.Y. to activate instant-kill? She didn't just have to worry about herself anymore, now she had Morgan too.
No, it turned out, she did not need to leap into action and/or take any drastic measures. She recognized who it was right away: two colorfully dressed figures stood there in the living room.
"Oh, it's you. The wizards."
Dr. Stephen Strange and Master Ekaterina of the Mystic Arts stood there in all their wizard glory.
"Sorcerers," she was quickly corrected.
She held up her hands in surrender. "Apologies. Don't either of you know how to knock? Or use a door?"
"Kazimiera, we are here on urgent business," Strange said, and the rushed tone of his voice definitely added truth to the 'urgent' part of his statement.
"Okay, so much so that you just had to portal yourself into my house and trigger our alarm?"
"Yes, in fact," Kat insisted. "Have you heard of the Multiverse?"
Duh duh duhhhhh! ;) Haha!
I don't want to waste any time - let's find another universe with Tony in it, already!
Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :)