"Jarvis, could you please wake Dad up in the most annoying way you can manage? And then gather the others." I closed the oven with my hip and turned to put the baking sheets on the counter. Three pots of coffee were sitting on warmers, orange juice and milk were available. I had a stack of bacon that weighed more than I did, balloons, and presents.
Shopping for Dad was the actual hardest thing. What do you get the billionaire that has everything and likes no one? Sentiment. And as a writer, I'm very good at tugging heartstrings.
"What the hell was that?" Dad grumbled as he walked in the kitchen. He froze at the sight of the food and decorations. "And what is that?"
"Happy Birthday!" Dad looked at me in confusion - likely forgot it was a thing. I did the same thing.
"You convinced him to celebrate it?" Rhodey asked as he shuffled in. Pepper was just behind him, with Bucky seeming to materialize from the shadows.
"No. I didn't ask, I just did. Cinnamon rolls are a family tradition. It's not a birthday without them." If anyone heard my voice crack, they were nice enough to not mention it. "Well, come on, sit down, dish up! I made bacon and eggs too, because someone-" I gave Bucky a pointed look "-would clear us outta house and home. Like seriously, where the hells do you put it?"
"Was this why you had that giant Cinnabon monstrosity delivered to me last month?" Pepper asked, snagging a piece of bacon. She went to pour herself a cup of coffee, looking at the three pots in askance.
"Yes. You'd have gotten a fancy breakfast too, but you weren't in Malibu at the time, so I improvised. First pot is Highlander Grogg, second is your medium vanilla roast, third is half-caf for Rhodey and Barnes."
Dad was still staring at the breakfast in front of him like he'd never seen it before. I walked around the counter and pulled him into a hug, ignoring how absolutely shocked he was.
"You did this for me?"
"Course I did. You're family, aren't you?" I looked at him, trying to figure out what he was thinking. But he was unreadable. I cupped his cheek and casually wiped the tear with my thumb. The pain on his face was breaking my heart.
Dad darted forward, pulling me into his arms and spinning us around. Once he stopped moving, I exchanged looks with Pepper and Rhodey. He shouldn't be this happy about a small gesture.
"Thank you, so much," Dad whispered. He let me down, but didn't let go of me, trying to hide the fact that he was crying on my shoulder. I ran my fingers through his hair, smiling at him, even though he couldn't see me. "This is... This is amazing."
He pulled himself together enough to let go of me, wiping at his face, only slightly embarrassed. He knew he didn't have to hide around us.
"Well then, let's eat! I didn't slave away over a hot kitchen for this long just to let it get cold!"
And with that, the serious mood was broken. Pepper started pouring and passing out coffee, Bucky went straight for the bacon and eggs. I probably should've made more - damn super-soldier. Dad sat in the seat directly in front of the cinnamon rolls, still looking overwhelmed. I grabbed two, dropped them on a plate and handed them to him.
"These are amazing," Rhodey said with his mouth full. I laughed.
"Thanks, but those came out'a can. Only thing I made was the extra frosting for miss sweet tooth over there, and the eggs for the bottomless pit." Pepper glanced over, her bun dripping with frosting. Dad and I started laughing again.
"You try eating enough to stay full for more than an hour with the serum in your blood!" Bucky grumbled, pouting at me over his breakfast.
"Dude, I barely eat enough for someone my size. I'd'a died decades ago if I had your metabolism." I shoved half a roll in my mouth, hiding behind my hand. "'Sides, Jarvis' diet put me up six pounds, thank you very much. I hit 121 this morning."
"Most of that is muscle mass," Rhodey pointed out. I shrugged.
"Don't care. First time I passed 120 in my life; I'll take it."
"Do you know all of our birthdays?" Pepper asked suddenly, looking at the calendar in confusion. The day wasn't marked,
"What part of I know everything is unclear? October sixth, April tenth, Today, and March tenth." I shrugged, pouring myself another cup of coffee. "Once we get the rest of the team, it'll be fun, so many birthdays, so little time. We should buy stock in this company, cause it's gonna skyrocket just because of how much I buy to feed the entire Avengers team."
"When's your birthday, Doll?"
"Oh, that's long since passed." I very carefully kept my face and voice casually unconcerned. My therapist might have been working with me on my issues with accepting things from others, but I'm fairly certain if one of them got me a birthday present, I'd go straight into shock. Not to mention, they didn't need to get me anything. I was happy enough with just having them in my life.
Jarvis knew my birthday, he had to in order to put together my identity, but I swore him to secrecy. If I found out he told anyone, even Dad, I'd be installing Windows seven directly on his hard drive. Apparently that was enough of a threat to guarantee his silence.
"But today isn't about me! It's about Dad, and it's present time!" Dad looked at me, very pale. I couldn't help laughing at his expression - it was the same one I made when people started giving me presents on my birthday. Fear, reluctance, defeat, and the tiniest sliver of excitement. He and I had spent too many years pretending we like the gifts we'd been given (like that karaoke machine mom bought me for my 24th. I don't even like karaoke - unless I'm completely drunk.) Yet another thing that made us perfect as father and daughter.
"Grey..."
"Aht, button it. I'm in charge today, a'ight?" Dad looked defeated and accepted the box Pepper put in front of him.
It was his first mini reactor. Proof that Tony Stark has a Heart. The reactor was only visible from the top and the front. The other three walls were pasted with pictures of Dad with Pepper, Dad and Rhodey at MIT, and even a few stills of me and Dad being family without trying. I was even choked up looking at it. I looked at Pepper, a watery smile on my face. She nodded. She knew.
"Here," Bucky muttered, dropping something in front of Dad. He looked up at Bucky in surprise, clearly having not expected anything.
It was a notebook of blueprints. Some already drawn out, others blank and ready for ideas. I saw sketches of suits, iron and tactical for the lot of us, as well as a few ideas for weapons. It was simple but thought out.
Dad reached out and patted Bucky on the shoulder, giving him plenty of time to move if he didn't want it. Dad seemed to beam when Bucky accepted the affection. That meant more to him than the gifts.
Rhodey put a clothing box in front of Dad, revealing matching hoodies. One said Stark, Mark One. The other said Stark, Mark Two. Our names were on the back with Father and Daughter respectively running down the sleeves.
"Maybe now I'll get some of my hoodies back," Rhodey grumbled, watching with pride as Dad pulled his on right off, passing the other one to me. I tugged it on over my tank top, desperately trying to keep my composure.
"You're up, Grey. Think you can beat us?" Bucky teased, trying to bring some levity back to the room.
"Oh please, I'm better than all of you, and you know it."
"Oh, God she is a Stark," Pepper complained. Her smile was too wide for either of us to take offense.
I pulled out my present and handed it to Dad. It wasn't wrapped - I'm too bad at wrapping gifts for me to waste time on it. It was a scrapbook. Stark Family; Est 1990.
I had worked with Jarvis for three days straight, getting everything done perfectly. With the flash drive that contained everything from before, I was able to create a scrapbook that made it look like Dad raised me. It was difficult, but Jarvis is a miracle worker, and made it happen.
Dad's hands were shaking as he opened it to the first page. It was the day I was born. In reality, it was when the adoption agency lady handed me to my parents for the first time, but Jarvis worked his magic and it looked like the nurse handing me to Dad to hold while Rhodey looked on. Somehow, Jarvis managed to get the expression on Dad's face perfect.
Grey Maria Stark, born in Cambridge, Mass. 1990
Some pages were pictures of Dad that I'd been dropped into, others were of me that Jarvis put Dad in. My first Easter, my first trip to the zoo. My first day of kindergarten, where Dad dropped me off. My Elementary School graduation. My first violin recital. Graduating High School, even my first attempt at college. All right up until just before he was taken by the Ten Rings.
Grey and Tony, celebrating the impending success of the Jericho Missile. It was a photo of Dad that Jarvis had taken, where he'd been just slightly leaned over, and he put me there, beaming, looking like I was holding Dad up while he laughed.
"How did you... Grey?" I chewed at my lip, smiling slightly. "This is incredible. How did you pull this off?"
"Before my phone died, I still had access to everything online in my world. Jarvis helped me copy over all of the pictures and memories." So, I wouldn't forget, and so I had something to keep. So, I had that one link back to my old life. From before. "From there it was just photo selection and manipulation. I'm crap at photoshop, but you are a genius that built a very helpful AI. I told him what I wanted, and he made it work."
Dad was staring at the picture of me at my High School Graduation. I'd dressed up way too much, because even before I was a Stark I was a dramatic pain. On the other page, next to it was a collage of my senior prom pictures. I'd worn an honest to God hoop skirt and looked amazing. I happily had Jarvis photoshop Dad over the pictures of my ex-boyfriend. That was one I wasn't going to miss. Senior Prom 2008, the Stark is Strong with This One.
"Way to make the rest of us look bad, Grey," Bucky said, breaking the heaviness in the room. "Jeez, make us look like we're not even trying, why don't'cha?"
Dad let out a startled laugh and used the distraction to wipe his face. I bumped my shoulder against him, letting him see that he wasn't the only one choked up about it. It might have been my gift to him, but the fact that he accepted me so easily was so much for me.
Shifting Universes
I dropped to the ground, instinct sending me straight down without questioning. Good thing too, or the knife Bucky threw at me would've gone straight into my eye.
"Grey!" Bucky shouted. I glanced up and he looked stricken. I frowned as I clambered to my feet, immediately rushing over to check him over. Jarvis had told me Bucky was distraught, so of course, I ran in blindly. "My God, are you alright? I'm so..."
"What's wrong?" I demanded, running over Bucky's apology without really hearing it.
"What's wrong? I just threw a knife at you! Fuck, Grey... I'm too dangerous to be around... I think maybe... Maybe-"
"You finish that sentence with anything related to ice or to cryo, and I'm going to bitch slap the fuck outta you, you understand me?" I glared up at Bucky, poking at his chest until he took a staggered step back and sat heavily on my bed. "I ducked! The first thing you taught me was how to avoid you or get out of your grip if I needed to. Which, by the way, I'm still peeved with. You are not a threat to me!"
"Grey, You are still covered in bruises from me!" I shoved Bucky back until he was lying flat on the bed before I straddled him, forcing him to stay in place until I'd said my piece. I watched him swallow as he stared up at me. I could tell he was fighting with himself on what to do. He wanted to grab my hips and pull me forward until I was grinding on him, but he was still mad at himself for the last time he did that.
"Yes, I do have bruises from you. Three of them are hickies because you're a possessive bastard who likes marking me as your property. The one on my thigh was a complete accident because both of us were too blissed out to notice."
"And the one around your neck?"
"That one was my fault." I let a slightly sheepish expression take over, even scratching the back of my head. "I did not think you were trying to kill me, I thought you were about to start fucking me. Had I been any more awake I probably would've noticed the difference."
"Grey... You were unconscious, and you would've what... just let me?" Bucky didn't finish the question, but I knew what he was asking. Had he not been trying to kill me, but actually trying to sleep with me, would I have let him, even if I was unconscious.
"Much to your disappointment, yeah. Even if I'd woken in the middle of it, I wouldn't have stopped, or protested, or complained."
"Grey... I don't want to be like them." I knew who he was talking about. The men, the masters that flooded my past like sewage. The ones that took and took but never gave, never cared. Bucky sat up, his face suddenly very close to mine, his hand ghosting over the bruise it had left just the other night. I bared my neck and leaned into his touch, submitting instantly.
I couldn't help it, Bucky was a drug, and I was definitely an addict. Just one touch from him was enough to calm me down, or fire me up. I was smitten. Was I ridiculous? Absolutely. Did I care? Nope. Bucky was my endgame.
"You could never be like them. Because I love you. Like I'd never loved them, like I never loved anyone before. Were you to hold a knife to my throat I would trust you with it. If you ever break me, I will still give you the broken pieces." I paused, not letting myself think about what I was saying. "Bucky, you're it for me. If this doesn't work, if you don't want me - there's no one else. But as long as you're happy, that's all I need."
Bucky pulled me into a kiss. Long and slow, and loving in ways I'd never known before. I melted into his arms, letting myself drop my weight on his thighs. He kept one hand on the back of my neck, the other drifting down to hook my thigh and pull me even closer. Something had shifted between us, but I would figure out what later, I was too busy melting into Bucky's arms.
Shifting Universes
"Alright, Mark Two?" I asked, sliding over to the holotable, watching as Dad started editing the original suit. "What's the idea?"
"Sleeker, less explosive. More energy efficient."
"Repulsor tech then," I said. Somehow, Dad and I were already able to dance around each other, already knowing what the other was going to do. Even Rhodey and Pepper still used tiny clues to navigate around Dad, I just did.
"You think?"
"Better than flame-throwers," I pointed out. "How's the new tech?"
"Coconut." I laughed. We'd switched out the original arc reactor for the new one a week before his birthday. "Still can't believe I can taste it."
Sometimes it was hard to believe Dad'd only been home for three weeks. Other times it was hard to believe I didn't actually grow up with him. Tony was everything I wanted my dad to be. Someone who was there, and wanted to spend time with me, but was willing to give me space when I needed alone time. Dad understood that about me, in ways my original family didn't.
Dad and I rotated around each other like an orbit. He'd push me and I'd pull him along. Then I'd push him, and he'd pull me. Give and take, push and pull, yin and yang. I wanted him to be healthy, so I pushed and pushed and nagged and nagged. He wanted me to be better, so he did the same. Three weeks, and already Dad was the most overprotective Dad on the planet. Even during our 'combat' training, he was constantly making sure I was alright. He asked me how my meds were doing every day and made sure I was eating at least two meals a day. I don't think the dad I grew up with even knew I was on meds.
"Any progress on the nano-tech?" I blew up the hologram of the flight stabilizer, trying to learn about what Dad was doing.
"See, this here is what keeps it from exploding," Dad explained, pointing to a circuit in the wrist. "That will be trigger tech to steer and control. Yes and no. I've got it stable, so it won't explode, but it isn't strong enough to withstand a direct hit, or a bullet."
"So, what's this one?" I pointed to what looked just like a lever, but it wasn't attached to anything. "Have you considered a stronger metal? Adamantium, like Buck's arm? Would the Starkanium work?"
"It's just a hatch to let loose missiles or flares, whatever we end up putting there. I could... that would work." Dad stepped back and thought about it. "It's dense enough to deflect, even with a thin sheet. It doesn't take damage; we've seen that from Barnes himself. Jarvis, see if Bucky's available. I want to poke at that arm a'his for a minute. And no, Starkanium wouldn't hold up. And I hate that name, stop calling it that."
"The boot thrusters are finished synthesizing. They are ready for your more personal touches." Jarvis' voice cut me off, but I grinned and, at Dad's nod, walked over to grab them off the production line.
"Ready for this?" Dad asked, looking at me. I sat them on the ground and waited for Dad to help me climb in them. As the lighter of the two of us, I would be test driving them.
He had me strapped up in the boots, a mini reactor on my hip to keep me powered up until the whole suit was ready.
"Alright. Start mark, half a meter back," I walked over to where Dad wanted me, nervous and excited about this. My fear of heights was well known back home, so seeing if I could overcome it here would be interesting. "Thrust at ten percent, just to see if it achieves lift."
"Ready Bambi?" I asked.
"Of course, Grey," my new AI said in my ear. She was already my best friend. I even slept with my comms in so she could wake me up without waking Bucky. "Ready to stabilize once you're in the air."
"U, roll it, Butterfingers, you're on standby for fire safety. Grey, when you're ready." I wish I'd paid closer attention to the movies. I'd have insisted on padding. Or something. Because somehow, I'd forgotten how the first flight test went.
I went up, smacked into the ledge, and dropped. Thankfully that was just as Bucky walked in.
"I can't leave you alone for five minutes, can I Grey?" I winced in Bucky's arms, sore from the concrete. Thankfully, nothing was broken. But I was going to be bruised for a few days.
"Don't tell Pepper," I mumbled, closing my eyes.
"No need, Pepper's here," Pepper said behind Bucky. Dad and I both groaned. "What happened?"
"Ten percent's too much. Way too much," I said, wiggling until Bucky stood me upright. I looked at Dad before cracking up. "Padding next time, yeah?"
Butterfingers turned and blasted us all with the fire extinguisher. I just closed my eyes and accepted it, while everyone else started sputtering and running away.
"Well, that... sucked," I muttered, wiping foam off my face. "Someone get me outta this clown-suit?"
Dad came over and hit the servos that released my legs enough to get out of the boots. The reactor stayed on my hip. It would stay there until we got everything officially ready to fly. I accepted the towel from Pepper and started wiping all the foam off of myself. I was only mildly successful.
"Bucky, Dad wants to take a look at your arm, we're thinking adamantium for the nanotech. You okay with that?" I looked at him, knowing that there was a chance it could spark an anxiety attack.
"Sit with me?"
"Of course, Pepper and I just needed to talk. We can do that anywhere."
Dad led Bucky to a chair, waiting for him to get settled, before Dad grabbed me and physically dropped me on Bucky's lap.
"Personal teddy bear," Dad muttered as he walked away, looking for whatever tools he wanted. I just shook my head and giggled as Bucky wrapped his right arm around me, pulling me sideways to lean against his chest. I tucked myself under his chin and turned to Pepper.
"Would you want nano-tech like me and Buck, or a full suit like the boys?" I pulled open the book of blueprints, showing her both options. "Nanotech offers more variety in things, but if you've got a full suit, you can put Rescue in sentry to watch your back if you need."
"Couldn't we have both? Wouldn't the nano-tech be able to hold shape without me in it?" Trust Pepper to see what Dad and I couldn't. I opened my mouth, then closed it, ideas and thoughts running through my mind way too fast. I almost laughed at the fact that they didn't come to me as invention ideas, but fanfiction ideas.
I made grabby hands toward the pen on the desk until Pepper handed it to me, and I started scribbling on a fresh page.
IM2, Monaco, no case, Pep's tech over arms? Shield Brothers.
If it can hold a shield, it can hold sentry.
Dual power source - bracers, and mini-mini-reactors? How was IW powered?
Had reactor tech but was encased in the nano. How would sentry work then?
If the bracer is nanotech, not just box. Could pull reactor from Pep to Rescue if Sentried.
"Damnit Stark, watch it!" Bucky griped. "I can actually feel that you know that, right?"
"Actually, no, I didn't realize that. Sorry, Barnes," Dad said, sheepish. I glanced over my shoulder to see Dad poking at an exposed circuit on Bucky's arm. Bucky tightened his grip on me as he watched Dad work, trying to fight off the anxiety. I nuzzled into him a bit, reminding him that I was there. That I wasn't gonna let anything happen to him. He looked away to press a kiss to the top of my head, relaxing. "Grey, I think I can make this work. Especially with the design ideas for the tac suits Bucky-bear designed, if we have those on underneath, double protection."
"And double movement. It'd allow us to shift from the suits to stealth if necessary, without running the risk of us being unprotected." I chewed on the end of my pen, thinking. "That would make IM3 not obsolete, but significantly easier to deal with. The nano tech would accommodate the additional weapons, could yours and Rhodey's?"
"They could. Maybe not the first few editions, but by go time? Easily. Thanks, snowflake, that answered the questions I had, and gave me an idea or seven." Dad closed up the part on the arm he had open, and clapped Bucky on the shoulder. Bucky and Pepper went back upstairs where Rhodey was working through paperwork for the Airforce.
"Speaking of, Dad, we need to talk," I said, trying to get this out of the way now. Maybe, if I got really lucky, I could prevent the Iron Monger bullshit. It wasn't likely, but I could try.
"Why don't I like the sound of that?"
"This is one of those downsides to being omnipotent. I know all about the good, and about the bad. Dad, I know who was behind your kidnapping," I said, steering Dad to the couch in the back corner.
"You said it was the ten rings."
"The Ten Rings were the SOBs that grabbed you, but they were hired to do it. Remember the ransom video they made? You did not tell us that the man you paid us to kill was the great Tony Stark."
"You know who it was." I nodded. "And it's someone close to me, that's why you're hesitating. They're not family?"
"No, Daddy, it's-"
"Grey, Obadiah is upstairs," Bucky said, sticking his head in the lab. I swore, loudly.
"Rhodey?"
"Nested."
"Great. Ghost and observe. I'll stay put."
"Grey?"
"I don't trust him, Dad. And neither should you." Dad gave me an unreadable look, but ultimately went upstairs, making sure he left his Stark Mark One hoodie on the toolbox.
I paced back and forth, knowing - thinking - that this was the scene with the pizza. Fifty-six and a half points, right? The board - Shit. The board of directors meeting was yesterday, Pepper mentioned that. Stane's trying to lock him out.
"Jarvis, I know Dad owns controlling interest, but I don't own any interest in Stark Industries. Right?"
"That is correct Miss Stark." I hummed to myself, trying to think.
"See if we can't change that. Any that comes up, it's mine, got it?"
"Of course, Miss Stark." I ran my fingers through my hair, wishing I had Hardison or Felicity Smoak, or even Tala.
"You're gonna wear a hole in the floor," Dad said as he came back downstairs, a slice of pizza held out as an offering. I grinned and took it, inhaling half of it in one go - despite the fact that it was cold, and covered in pepperoni. "The board's trying to lock me out."
"Stane's behind it," I said without preamble. Dad looked at me, defeat clear. He nodded. "I'm sorry, Daddy. I really am."
"No, I get it. Weapons are too profitable for him to want me to end it. I'm not surprised." He wasn't surprised, but he was heartbroken. "Right, that's enough for today. Bed, go."
"You too, Dad."
"Yeah, I'm behind you, I just want to finish this up." I stared at him, my hands on my hips until he relented. "Fine, fine."
Shifting Universes
I sat up in a blind panic, my mouth filled with cotton, heart racing a thousand miles an hour.
"Bambi, nightlight," I muttered, looking around the room. Bambi slowly brought up the brightness until I was able to see more than shadows. I sighed and rolled out of bed, knowing I wasn't going to get back to sleep again tonight. For once I was glad Bucky hadn't come to my room in the middle of the night.
"Grey, are you alright? It's one in the morning. This is early, even by your standards."
"Bad dream, love. Happens to me too sometimes."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"It's not worth waking anyone up for," I sighed.
"You can always talk to me, Grey." I smiled at the ceiling as I walked toward my bathroom.
"Steve and Dad have a falling out, in 2016-ish. Ostensibly about the accords, but in reality, Steve feels guilty for not telling Dad that Buck was the one that killed Nana and Papaw. Then Zemo gets involved and reveals it, blah blah blah, big fight in an airport parking lot of all things."
"And that's your nightmare?"
"I wish that was the nightmare. When Dad sees the video footage, and finds out that Steve knew, Dad is understandably upset, and lunges for Steve for keeping the secret. Because Steve is being attacked, Bucky jumps in, and it's two super soldiers against Dad."
"Grey?" I shook my head, forcing the image out of my mind. But it just came back. It always came back.
"Dad was laying on the ground of a Siberian Hydra bunker, Steve holding him down by straddling him, hitting him with the shield. He hits the face plate with enough force to knock it off. Then brings the shield down on the arc reactor. Hard enough to cave in the chest plate." I shuddered, freezing despite being wrapped in a hoodie.
"Surely there were repercussions for Captain Rogers?"
"Sure. Two years on the run without a shield, but ultimately, no." I sighed, running my hands through my hair, pulling it sharply. I wasn't going to let that happen. It wouldn't happen. Bucky wouldn't let Dad get hurt like that. "I think I'm gonna shower and maybe read for a while."
I left my hair wet and curled up on the couch, a book in my hands. I could still feel the freezing cold from Siberia, causing me to shiver and shake on occasion, despite the thick blanket I had draped over me.
"You good, kid?" Rhodey asked a few hours later, shaking me awake. I looked around blearily, squinting at Rhodey until he pulled my glasses off me, throwing his face into HD.
"Yeah." I yawned, stretching as much as I could without actually moving. "Ow, dear Gods, I shouldn't have slept here."
"Leg?" I nodded and leaned on Rhodey until I could support myself enough to get to my meds in the kitchen. "What brought you to the couch?"
"Bad dream. Didn't actually expect to fall back asleep, usually I can't." I leaned against the counter and smacked the coffee maker into functionality before pulling the medicine cabinet open, taking down what I needed. Behind me, Rhodey started through the motions of putting something together to eat.
We stood in a comfortable silence until Pepper came in looking wonderfully put together compared to me, in leggings and a hoodie, and Rhodey who clearly came in from his run before he woke me up. I poured a cup of half-caf, black, in a mug and held it out blindly. Sure enough, Bucky was there, taking it out of my hands.
"How do you do that?" Rhodey asked, looking at us. "I never even hear him coming."
"You wake up first, because you go for a run between zero five and zero six. Pepper wakes up at zero six and takes forty-five minutes to an hour to get ready - depending on the day of the week, so she always appears here at two past seven." I paused for a drink of my coffee, letting it steam up my glasses for a moment. "Bucky is always right behind her, even though he woke up before her most days, he doesn't come in because he still thinks he's intruding, despite me telling him a thousand times that he's not. Unless he sleeps in my room, and I bring him out here with me."
"How?" Pepper asked, looking at me.
"I memorize routines. If I can't predict people I get twitchy."
"How do you manage Tony, then?" Rhodey asked jokingly. "Kid's the most unpredictable thing I've ever met."
I heard Dad around the corner pause at Rhodey's question. I swore to myself that if he was upset at Rhodey's question, I was gonna smack them both.
"Actually, he's the easiest to predict. He wakes up thirty minutes before his alarm but refuses to leave the comfort of his blankets until he has to. Coffee is always the first priority, with even the end of the world coming second." I smiled at that. Mom used to tell me that the world could end but I wouldn't notice until I had my coffee in hand. Turns out Dad's exactly the same way. "Most times he'll get halfway to the hall before realizing pants are a thing, and then he gets to the kitchen, ready to drown himself in caffeine."
I turned around and pulled down Dad's mug, filling it and holding it out in front of me.
"So come get it, brat, or I'll drink it for you." Dad came around the corner, smiling at me as he took the mug.
"How'd you know?"
"I may not be a super-soldier, but I can still hear everything in the house. Including your little half-shuffle step you do in the mornings. Besides, you're my Dad."
Shifting Universes
"Butterfingers, you're still on fire safety, but if you spray me again without cause, I'm donating you to a city college, hear me?" I gave a stern look to the robot until it seemed to lower his 'head' in either sadness or agreement. "Alright, one percent thrust capacity. If I end up on the floor again, then that's where I go. Dad, we set?"
"Go ahead." I started the thrusters, and the stabilizers on my palms and giggled nervously as I actually rose up off the ground. We were in the training room - not the garage, I was not going to risk any of those beautiful cars. Bucky and Rhodey were at the other end, arguing about weapons, or tactics, we couldn't tell. I landed and took a half step to stay upright.
"I didn't die!" I cheered out. "And Butterfingers, don't follow me with it either, you'll jinx it, and I'll spontaneously combust. I don't plan on pulling a Johnny Flame."
"Two point five, ready kid?"
"Hope so!" I evened out, waiting for Dad to give me the all set, and lifted off, leaning in various directions to stay upright. "Wow this is so much core work, fuck me."
I was half laughing, half panicking until I got the suit to even out and keep me balanced.
"This could've been so much worse," Dad said, watching my panicked expression. I landed, cutting the thrusters a foot above the floor, landing roughly.
"Aht! Don't." I turned to Butterfingers, glaring at him until he stopped aiming at me. "Okay, cool. We can fly! You're up."
"What?"
"Oh, come on, I'm the test dummy, but you have to be able to fly too. Can't have just me flying around."
"Oh, right. Okay, let's get you out of that and I'll try not to get myself killed."
Everyone ended up taking a turn at the level I'd had it at. Somehow, Pepper and Bucky were the best at it. With Rhodey in third, and Dad still above me. Pepper thought it was fun, Bucky was stone faced until he was back on the ground, then he was excited.
Shifting Universes
"What exactly are you doing?" Rhodey asked as I flipped over another couch cushion.
"Contemplating homicide," I muttered back, falling to my knees to crawl half under the couch in an attempt to look under it.
"Yeah, I'm gonna need more to go on."
"I had a half off coupon for the pair of vans I'd been looking at. But of course, it had a set window of time, and that started today. And now, ow, now I can't find the damn thing." I sat up and started rubbing the spot on my head I'd smacked on the couch.
"What can't you find?" Dad asked as he walked in the room, wiping his hands off on a rag.
"Coupon for the shoes I wanted. They're nearly fifty bucks a pair."
"Grey... Fifty bucks is pocket change," Dad said slowly, as if he was unsure what the problem was.
"To you maybe! Please remember, I don't have a real job. I've been freelancing here and there to make some money, but that doesn't pay that much. Definitely not enough to drop fifty bucks on a pair of shoes I don't actually need." I threw myself on the couch proper and pouted for a minute. I didn't need them, but I had a thing for shoes, and the new High Tops that came out were super cool. "Whatever. Maybe after I get this next project done."
"Grey, you can just buy the shoes. I don't care - you can put it on my card," Dad said, still bewildered.
"She won't," Bucky said. They all turned to him in surprise. "She sees it as your money, don't'cha doll?"
I blushed furiously, refusing to meet anyone's eyes. He was right, of course. But I wasn't going to admit that. I had issues with money, that was never gonna change.
"Alright, Barnes, since she won't, explain."
"She did this at the store the other day too. She sees Stark Industries, and the money that comes from it as yours, not hers. Therefore she doesn't want to spend it, or at least, is convinced she can't spend it." I glared at Bucky and stood to interrupt. Rhodey put his hand over my mouth. "The two hundred bucks of baking supplies she got? Those were off'a her card."
"Sergeant Barnes is correct, Sir. Miss Stark refuses to pull money out of any bank account except for the one she created for herself," Jarvis added. I seethed and shoved myself away from Rhodey. There was some small bit of vindictive pleasure as he staggered back, not expecting the force behind my actions.
"Yeah, because none of you get it, do you?" I demanded, glaring around the room. "Before I got here? I didn't have a savings account. My bank account default was zero. Asking my parents for help? Yeah, they would. But then I'd hear about it, and how we can't help you forever, we have our retirement to plan for. While they bought my sister a house while she was at Grad School, but since I was the college dropout, all of my stuff came with strings attached. I've held a job in one form or another since I was sixteen. Her first adult job wasn't till college. So tell me again how fifty bucks is pocket change, Tony!"
"Grey..."
"Doll..."
"No. No, you don't get to go back and try to fix this. Both of you are aware of my issues with money, Dad I know for a fact that my therapist told you about it. Did none of you bother to wonder why I nearly hyperventilated when Dad offered to buy me a car I was just kinda looking at? I mean for fucks sake, I outright stated last night at dinner that I'd taken on six different projects at once in order to pay for the tattoo I'm getting in a few months."
"Work for Stark Industries," Rhodey said, knowing he was the only one whose head I wasn't likely to rip off.
"I tried that. I put in my resume - which is very nice, by the way. And Pepper laughed at me. Like, to my face, laughed at me." I tried to blink away the tears that were rapidly blurring my vision, but it wasn't working. I didn't even know when I started crying. "And I can't exactly work anywhere else because SHIELD and who knows who else will catch wind of me being Tony Fucking Stark's daughter, and we can't have that for another couple'a years! So no, thanks. I'll stick to my freelancing jobs."
I shoved past Dad, knocking against his shoulder since he wasn't going to move, and stormed to my room.
"Grey?"
"I'm fine, Bambi. I'm just tired. Lock it down for me?"
"Of course, Grey." Bambi said softly. I was under the covers before she'd dimmed the lights. "Do you want me to wake you up in a bit?"
"Sure. I have to finish that damn article anyway. I just need a break. Can you keep the others away from me? At least for tonight?"
"Of course, Grey."
The last thing I heard before I fell into a depression-induced nap was Bucky knocking on my door, and Bambi telling him to beat it.
Shifting Universes
"I think I made a mistake," Rhodey said as he walked in the door. I looked over at him in confusion and worry, fear creeping up my neck.
"What did you do?" Bucky snarled. I put my hand on his, stopping him from reaching for his gun.
"The cookies you made for my mom? She loved them."
"Of course she did. I'm amazing at what I do," I said shortly. I was still a little mad at everyone for the fight we had the other day.
"She not only wants more, but she wants you and Tony to join us for dinner this week."
"You told her about Grey?" Bucky demanded. He surged to his feet, and while I tried to grab him, it didn't work.
"Woah, hey! Woah, no, I didn't say anything!" Rhodey said frantically, backing up. "I only said that her name was Grey, and she was a good friend!"
"What's going on here?" Dad demanded, looking between a nervous looking Rhodey, and a murderous looking Bucky. "Grey?"
"Rhodes mentioned me to his mom since I made the cookies for her birthday. She wants to meet me. Wants to have us all over for dinner." I rattled off.
"Then we go to dinner. I trust her, and I know she won't go talking to the press. When's dinner?" Rhodey looked sheepish.
"Tonight?" I groaned and left the room, needing to put better clothes on. I was in my room before Dad could argue anything.
"Make sure you call Pepper!" I shouted over my shoulder.
Shifting Universes
"Anthony Stark, how dare you keep my first Grandbaby away from me!" Nana Rhodes (as she insisted I call her) scolded while holding me tight in a hug. I was content to snuggle into her arms and be held.
"Come on Ma, don't be like that," Rhodey said, looking put out that I was the new favorite. "It was better to keep her out of the spotlight. You know how bad Tony had it, he was just trying to protect her."
"From me?" I snickered slightly, knowing Rhodey accidentally put his foot in it. Nana Rhodes let go of me and walked over to glare at Dad. I busied myself by putting a plate together for Bucky, who was hiding in the corner. He didn't trust himself around new people just yet.
"Here, you need to eat," I said softly, holding it out to Bucky, before curling up on the couch. I didn't mind coming out to meet Nana Rhodes, but I was exhausted.
"And what are you doing that has you looking so tired, dear?" Nana Rhodes asked, looking over at me. I let out a jaw cracking yawn before I could answer.
"Just work kicking my butt, Nana. I think I took on too many projects at once." I tried to brush it off as no big deal, but her eyes narrowed at me.
"What are you doing for work, Grey?"
"Freelancing mostly. Writing articles, proofreading papers and the like. Money's not great, but it's something."
"First job?" I snorted.
"I've been working since I was sixteen, Nana, under a different name, to keep me off the radar, but yeah. I look too much like Dad now for people to not question it." I shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant.
"Why don't you work at Stark Industries with your dad?" I ducked my head down and hid from the question.
"It's not a big deal, Nana Rhodes. I don't mind my freelancing."
"She doesn't need to work; she has Stark Industries money as my daughter!" Dad said, still incredulous as to why I wanted to work. Not that I wanted to, I had to.
"Anthony, I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to my grandbaby. Grey, that didn't answer my question."
"It doesn't matter."
"Grey Maria Stark, you answer my question right now, young lady," Nana Rhodes said, her hands on her hips. I cringed and stared at my feet.
"They won't hire me," I said, almost too quiet to hear. "I asked, even put in my resume through HR. They saw the department I applied for, so they sent it up to Pepper."
"It was a nice resume," Pepper said lightly, glancing over when she heard her name.
"And yet you laughed at me?" I demanded, my hurt turning into fury. "If you didn't want to hire me, fine, you could've just said that, Pepper. You didn't have to laugh in my face."
"You laughed at her?" Nana Rhodes asked, turning her ire onto the redhead. "At my sweet grandbaby who just wants to be independent? Like any good woman would want to be?"
"It wasn't meant like that!" Pepper protested, but Nana Rhodes had turned to move on to the next person in line. I wondered if she was going to yell at everyone on my behalf. Part of me was thrilled, because no one ever defended me like this before, another part was mortified because she didn't have to do that, I didn't want to be a bother.
"As for you, Anthony, you raised a right proper lady here, but how could you fail to recognize that she's actually uncomfortable with the flashy money and fame that comes with your last name! She isn't "playing modest" she's not used to the same lifestyle you had with Howard!" Dad looked really uncomfortable. I felt bad, he didn't deserve to get yelled at like that. "Rhodey, you should'a known better. I raised you better than that."
"Mrs. Rhodes," Bucky said, trying to cut in, likely knowing how uncomfortable I was.
"And you!" Bucky reeled back as Nana Rhodes brandished her wooden spoon at him. I hadn't even seen her pick one up. She smacked the spoon against his hand, causing it to splinter into pieces. Bucky hissed and pulled the now slightly bleeding hand to his chest, more startled than in pain. "You're supposed to be on your lady's side. Supposed to have her back in everything, not side against her. Have I made myself clear?"
There was a round of 'yes ma'am' from everyone while I stood and started looking over Bucky's hand, making sure none of the splinters got stuck under the skin as he healed.
Nana Rhodes went back to cooking at the stove, and Pepper came over to me and Bucky looking sheepish.
"I don't think I've been yelled at like that since I snuck out of the house at sixteen to go to a frat party," Pepper said. I let out a startled laugh. "I didn't mean for it to come across the way it did. I wasn't laughing at you; I was laughing at the fact that your resume is actually better than both mine and Tony's. And then Morrison called, and I couldn't avoid that call. So I am sorry, Grey."
"It's whatever."
"Grey, stop doin' that,'' Bucky said, twisting our fingers together. "You don't have to brush things like that aside."
"Bucky..."
"Aht. Stop, or I'll get Mrs. Rhodes back here." My jaw shut with an audible click.
"He's right, Grey. You don't have to push things aside to make me feel better. So how about this. I don't think SI has an open position for you. But, we can make one for you. Keep you in my office, maybe something related to Marvel Comics? So we can transition it over to the Avengers?"
"How's that coming anyway?" I asked, letting Bucky tug me against him. "Have we managed to get all the rights?"
"Quietly, almost everything. Oddly enough, Hawkeye has been presenting us the most problems." I snorted.
"Sounds right. He'll probably give us the most problems as a person too." That caused Pepper to laugh.
"We'll work something out when we get home, alright?"
"Sounds good. Thanks, Pep."
Shifting Universes
"Alright, Bambi, you there?"
"Of course Grey." Dad and the bots put the full Mark Two suit on me, attaching it to the framework I'd been practicing in.
"Engage Heads Up Display and drag in my preferences. Let me know when we're up and running, babe."
"We're locked and loaded, Grey."
"Run through surface calibration and give me a virtual walk-through, I want to see that everything's running properly."
"Damn, Grey, that's hot," Bucky crowed as I stood there in Mark Two.
"Bambi, since everything's set, start power down and disassembly."
"Wait, why?" Dad asked. "I thought you were taking her for a spin!"
"I'll ice over," I said, holding still so they could get me out of the suit. "We need to put them in gold titanium alloy, or at least, mostly in that to prevent icing over and dropping like a stone. Get a round in production in the alloy, and we'll go for a run, deal?"
"Why are you smarter than me?" Dad pretended to pout as I stepped out of the last of the suit. I winked at him, reaching for the sketches Bucky had put together for us.
"Any time I sound actually smart, I'm probably just repeating something you'd said. Trust me on that, I'm dumber than a box a'rocks. Bambi, while Jarvis runs those, can you help me on the tac suits? I want something pulled together before this idiot I call Dad gets it in his head to do something stupid." I flipped open to the first sketch for her to scan.
"I can do that, Grey, do you want me to put the weapons in production as well?" I turned to Dad and Bucky.
"Do we need weapons production, or can we use what we have?"
"I've got a few ideas about that," Bucky said. "Have Bambi leave it for now."
"You heard him hun, just the suits. Take measurements from Jarvis' servers. He should have them. Let us know when something's ready."
Shifting Universes
"Dad!" I bounced off the wall of the lab, wincing before I turned. "Hey, are you going to the - the.. Jarvis? The fuck's it called?"
"Firefighter Family Fundraiser, Miss Stark."
"Yeah, that's the bitch. You goin' to that? The press isn't expecting to see you. Everyone thinks you're bedridden."
"Pepper?"
"Already there, wearing the dress you bought her for her birthday."
"I didn't buy her anything for her birthday," Dad pointed out. He'd been in the cave.
"I know. That's the point. I had her pick it out, then swiped your card. Bucky's there tailing her, looking all dapper and shit. I've got him on comms."
"You think she's in danger?"
"No, but I'm paranoid, and Stane's there, so I ain't chancing shit," I snarled, corralling Dad up the stairs. "C'mon, Jarvis is still fabricating the suits, they've got another four hours. So go, shower, dress, impress."
Dad waved me off, heading up to his rooms.
"Oh, and when you see Coulson at the bar, tell him you can't talk to him without Tala present. If he asks where I - she? If he asks where Tala is, make something up. We're goin' for spooky shit with her, a'ight?"
"Yes mom!" I laughed and turned toward the kitchen. I was thinking mac and cheese for dinner. Yeah, that sounded good, I was starving.
Shifting Universes
"Gimme a scotch, I'm starving," Tony said to the bartender.
"Mister Stark," Phil greeted.
"Hmm? Oh, Coulson. You know I'm not allowed to talk to you without Miss Merlyn present," Tony pretended to scold, accepting the scotch.
"So Miss Potts said. And where is Miss Merlyn?"
"Last time I checked in with her, she was settling down in a nest," Tony said, tilting his head to look like he was thinking about it. "So, likely somewhere up high where she can still see me. Her people are around here though."
"I thought you didn't like bodyguards," Phil said, mentioning a press conference from 2006.
"I don't, but Tala scares me more than the terrorists do, so I've stopped arguing with her," Tony said. He knew Bucky was listening in, even if he couldn't see the soldier. He turned and saw Pepper and Tony's mouth went dry. He walked away from Phil, leaving him standing there, confused. Shield still hadn't been able to find anything on a Tala Merlyn. One didn't exist except for the 87-year-old in Kuwait, but Phil highly doubted it was her.
"Pepper, you look great. I didn't recognize you. Nice dress," Tony said, catching her attention.
"It was a birthday present, from you," Pepper said, smiling.
"I have great taste," Tony said, a soft look on his face he saved for his family. "Want to dance?"
"Um, okay," Pepper said, letting Tony lead her away. She nearly forgot deodorant that night, but Grey was amazing and saved the day again.
"Am I making you uncomfortable?" Tony asked, pulling Pepper close. He closed his eyes for a moment and let the world fade away, so it was just him and Pepper. His heart was hammering behind the reactor, and he hoped that he didn't do anything to scare Pepper away.
"No, I'm just dancing with my boss in front of everyone I work with, in a dress that has no back," Pepper said, explaining her anxiety. "Feels like there's a target on my back."
"That's just Barnes' sniper scope," Tony joked. "I could fire you, if that would take the edge off."
"I don't actually think you could tie your shoes without me," Pepper said, leaning into Tony more.
"I'd make it a week," Tony said. The banter between them always came so easily. Tony wondered why he hadn't seen it before Afghanistan, but it was always Pepper. She was always there.
"Really? What's your social security number?"
"Five," Tony answered. He knew he was wrong, but it was the game they played.
"You're missing a couple of digits there," Pepper said, hiding a laugh. Her eyes were dancing with glee and contentment.
"Just the other eight, but that's what you're for," Tony said. "The other eight, and the rest of my sanity."
Tony fell strangely serious at that.
"Tony?"
"Why didn't I notice you before?" Tony asked, closing his eyes and jumping off the cliff into oblivion. "It took me getting kidnapped and held hostage, and everything else for me to realize how much I need you."
"Tony..."
"No, don't stop me, because I'll lose the nerve. Grey might have pulled me out of the dark, but you were always the one holding the door open." Tony tightened his hold on Pepper, trying to find the words, the right phrase, something, anything to let her know what he was wanting to say. "And I was too blind, no, too selfish to see it. It's always been you, Miss Potts."
There was a heaviness between them, one that Tony was sad he'd brought up, but he wasn't going to lose his opportunity. He knew there were things that Grey wasn't telling them, and he knew, deep down, that what she wasn't saying was that he died to save the world. That Tony Stark, once the most selfish man in the world, gave up everything to save everyone.
"Want some air?" Tony offered quietly. Pepper nodded and followed him to the balcony. "I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"I just needed to say it, and I didn't mean to put pressure on you, or have it all out like that, I just-" Pepper cut off Tony's rambling by pulling him into a kiss. "Oh."
"You okay?" Tony looked startled and starstruck at the same time. He just smiled and nodded, absently pulling Pepper's hand into his own, twining their fingers together.
Shifting Universes
"Miss Stark, we have reached the paint portion of production, as Sir isn't here, would you be willing to assist?" I looked up at the ceiling, where Jarvis was talking, and grinned.
"On my way, Jay. Can you have the specs up and waiting for me?"
"Of course Miss Stark."
"Bambi, I'm gonna have your opinions in on this too. So, wakey wakey." I jogged down to the lab, dropping into Dad's chair in front of the main computer monitor. "Let's start with Iron Man, Mark Three, please loves."
The gold suit was pulled up, showing me every side. I rotated it and thought about what Dad wanted
"Okay, Jay, toss some hot rod red in there, it's Dad, he doesn't know the meaning of the word subtle. Rescue? Make her the same color as the dress Pepper wore tonight. It's Dad's favorite color on her, and it's romantic. Ish." I adjusted the darkness of the shade of blue and swiped it off the screen, sending it off to production. "War Machine is gonna be silver and matte grey. Small red accents - Rhodey would shoot me if his suit was as ostentatious as Dad's. Iron Soldier... Mostly black and silver, see if we can't mimic his tac suit, but put a white star on his chest - around the reactor light."
"Like Captain America's suit?" Jarvis asked for clarification.
"For now. I'll ask him later if he wants the blues of his commando's uniform. Besides, this is only Iron Soldier Mark One."
"And your suit, Grey?" Bambi asked.
"Iron Peacemaker. As tempting as it is to pull Hufflepuff's colors, that's not what I want... show me forest green and silver? Hmm, no. Too Slytherin. Swap the silver for the alloy's gold?" I grinned at it, already in love with it. "Can we throw on some black accents? Great. Show me all five, me in the center."
It was a good look. War Machine and Iron Soldier in the back in the muted silvers, greys and blacks, Iron Man and Rescue in their bright colors in the middle, and me in the front, dead center to stroke my ego, in my Iron Peacemaker suit.
"Hmm, can we put Rhodey's rank on his suit? He's a Colonel, the suit should reflect that. Do the same for Bucky. Put the army and air force insignia on the hip - right side. Nah, smaller than that, something subtle. Just for representation. Perfect. Send'em out."
"Grey, the tac suits are finished." I nearly jumped out of the seat in excitement. Hey, I'm a cosplayer, dressing up like this was me on the daily. "And Sergeant Barnes left you instructions on how to properly add on your weapons - he said they're in your locker in the training room."
I let out a whoop and ran to scoop up my tac suit, before nearly sliding down the stairs to the training room. It fit like a dream and reminded me of my Black Canary cosplay from a few years ago. Then I opened the box of weapons and rolled my eyes. Bucky had half an arsenal set aside for me. Alright. Three guns, back, thigh, and ankle. A bo staff, separated to smack people with - because I loved doing it during training. They were clipped to my opposite thigh. And four different knives strapped wherever there was room. And that wasn't even including the ammo packs for my guns, and the several for his semi-autos that we agreed I'd carry for him.
I still had plenty of mobility, movement wasn't hindered, and the suit even came standard with my new fancy ankle brace Dad perfected for me.
"Bambi, bring up training scenario three, I want to see how it feels in this."
Scenario three was designed to mimic when Hydra came out of the shadows in Winter Soldier, where you were surrounded by agents, and half wanted you dead, the other half were on your side. With Bucky's help I'd gotten familiar enough with hand to hand to hold my own until I was able to draw a weapon or get back-up to my location.
There were a few moves I'd been working on myself, tying in the long-thought-forgotten gymnastics skills I used to have, and mimicking Natasha Romanoff and Sara Lance.
"A new best time, Grey," Bambi said as I slowed to a halt, panting. "And with the least amount of casualties of those on your side."
"That's what I like to hear!"
Shifting Universes
"Grey, we got a problem," Bucky's voice came through my comms. I sighed. "That reporter talked to Tony and now he's headed back to the house, furious. He had words with Stane."
"Right, shit, that's Gulmira. Grab Pepper and ghost. Jarvis, call Rhodey, patch him through. Buck, get home, fast as you can." I turned and ran back up to the lab, absently holding my weapons in place, even though it wasn't needed. "He's gonna beat you home, and he'll likely be gone before you get here, but I want you to quarterback."
"You goin' in?" Bucky asked. I took a deep breath, glancing down at my hands. Still clean, still clear. No red in my ledger, not yet.
"Depends on Dad."
Time to work for a living, I guess.