Hi everyone, thank you for being so patient with me. Here is the newest chapter!
The next morning Tony watched his daughter playing with the science kit they had bought. He couldn't believe how much his life had changed and how happy he was that it had. The liquid changed colour and she looked up excited.
"Look it did it!" she beamed.
"You like science, huh?"
"Yeah,"
He held out his hands.
"Come with me." He began to lead her down into his workshop. "This is what Daddy does for work. I build things. Robotics."
"Wow." She walked around, looking around the various pieces of technology.
"Don't you even think about it!"
Mim turned frightened. She had never heard her father use that voice before. He noticed.
"Not you, Honey," he said rushing to her and picking her up, he kissed her forehead. Then he turned in the direction of a metal arm. "I know you, Butterfingers you'll drop it on her head." He said, it moved it's arm lower as though it was upset but dropped the spanner onto the desk.
Mim looked at it curiously, she wriggled down from her father's grasp and walked over to it.
"Dummy don't touch her," her father warned the arm. She touched the cool metal it went lower so she could touch it. She giggled when it spun the three finger like pieces as though it was excited. Tony sighed.
"You made it?" she asked her father.
"Yeah," he said. Looking at his daughter then the hand. "Maybe that's enough of in here today. We need to get ready to meet everyone at the beach." He said scooping her up and heading out of the lab. Mim waved goodbye to the mechanical arm as it disappeared out of sight.
"Nana Peggy, are you from England like me, Uncle Remus, and Jarvis?" the little girl asked as the older woman rubbed suncream onto the child's back.
"I am,"
"Are you happy here?"
"Yes," she said smiling at Tony.
"Do you miss the trees?" the little girl asked her.
"I live in a part of the country that had lots of lovely trees. Do you miss trees?"
"Yeah, I like the pretty ones that have flowers on them." She said, as Peggy rang the rest of the cream over her shoulders and upper arm.
"All done Sweetheart," she said.
"Thank you," Mim said politely. The deep water caught the young girl's eye. As the waves rolled onto the beach, she watched in fascination as the blue turned white. She looked at her father a little anxiously. If she went in would the water take her with it?
"You wanna go dip your toes?" He asked offering her his hand. Sensing her anxiousness. Though they had made lots of process in the pool. He knew the ocean was an entirely different thing.
She nodded rushing to him and grabbing his hand. The two rang out the water, she laughed as her father lifted her up by the hand he was holding and placed her down into the crashing wave.
"It's salty," she said, squinting her eyes and trying to get the salty taste from her mouth. Tony crouched down and helped her wipe her eyes.
"Sorry Munchkin I should have warned you," he said wiping the water away from her face. The two played in the ocean a little while longer, as Tony lifted her above his head mimiakinf a helicopter he heard the little girls gasp of excitement.
"Those girls are pretty, and they are kissing!" the little girl gasped. Tony spotted the couple on the shore, and he lowered her back into the waves.
"Yeah, that's what grown ups do when they love each other," Tony told his daughter.
"I like the blue costume the best," she said. "I like how it has the swirly patterns on it." She informed him.
"Good to know," he said picking her up, and balancing her on his hip. "I think it's time for some lunch, I can see Pepper pulling out plates."
"Hey Remus," Tony said quietly to the werewolf.
"Yes?"
"Can you have a little chat with Mim later about LGBT stuff."
Remus's eyes widened in surprised.
"I think it would be good for her to hear more about it from someone within the community. I don't want it to be a big thing part of the bird and the bees. Just how love comes in different ways, you know." He said.
"I'll talk to her tonight," he promised. Tony nodded, turning his head towards the little girl accepting a sandwich from Pepper.
"I dated a man for 6 years," Remus said after explaining a little more about the LGBT community in general while the two shared some hot chocolate. "I like men and women. And I loved this person very much."
"What happened to him?" she asked.
"He did something unforgivable" Remus said, touching her face, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.
She was everything now…
"Come here," he put down his mug and opened his arms out, she hugged him as tightly as she could, she could feel his smile as he squeezed back. The hot tears flowing down his face. He kissed the top of her head, giving her another squeeze.
"I'm sorry that he went away," she said.
"Me too," he said. "He's gone, and I have to accept that."
"Did he die? Like Mummy and Papa James, and Uncle Peter?"
"No," Remus said. "He did a bad thing, a thing the person I loved could never do, he is in prison. A different person…" he snapped out of his thoughts, recalling the reason they had begun this chat. He pulled away from her gently.
"Do you understand everything we talked about?"
"Yep, you can love and marry boys or girls, or people who are both neither or change into the other on the outside." she said matter-of-factly. He opened his mouth to correct her about the marriage, but then decided that it could be a conversation for another day, she didn't need to know about the discrimination just yet.
The group got the little girls hair washed, and into her pyjamas. By around eight she fell asleep on the sofa and was carried to bed. When Tony came back downstairs he headed straight for the liquor cabinet and grabbed the Firewhiskey.
"Heard you had a rough chat with Mim," he said, offering him the class.
"Not really." He said as he took it. "She grasped the concept of LGBT people and same sex relationships very quickly, didn't have the heart to tell that they can't get married in most places." He took a sip.
"Jeez Remus, that's not what I meant, and you know it."
"I am fine talking about him, and what he did." He took another sip.
"That's weird cause, you don't say his name. I think you should talk to the therapist too. You lost everyone you cared about in one night," Tony put his hand on his friends' shoulder. "That's a lot to deal with, and that's on top of the war, and your anger issued furry episodes. I really think it would do you good buddy. That's all I'm going to say."
Remus took another sip, thinking about Tony's words…
The next few days went by without any major incidents. They had begun the selection of tutors for Mim, and had created more strategies on how they would approach the preparation both his fame and her own as she grew. By midweek they had already made several deposits and bought some school supplies. The billionaire was making a quick lunch for the group when he heard the bell ring. Wiping his hands on the kitchen towel he frowned. I looked up at the time. Pepper and Peggy weren't planning to come over for another few hours… Glancing to make sure that Mim was still in her room, he made his way to the entrance. Tony opened the door to see an old man wearing deep violet robes with silver constellations, his old face framed by his long silver hair and beard. Half-moon glasses resting on his crooked nose…
What do you guys think? We still have a few more chapters then I am going to speed through time a little. I reckon we will get to Hogwarts early in the new year. I wonder who is at the door :P Such a vague and normal description. What a cliffhanger to leave you all on :P
Please leave your guesses to who it is, and what you are thinking of the story so far. And where you think it will go in the future?
Xx
