Six months Later- Nora's POV

Learning that both of my soul mates were dead and that I would never get to meet them hit me harder than expected. Nana just said I was mourning and that it would get easier with time. Then she passed away in the middle of the night three months ago and I was now mourning not only the future I can't have with my soul mates but also the closest thing to a mother I had. The universe has it out for me. I tried acting like it didn't matter that I was over it but that didn't work. So I took a page out of my dad's playbook and buried myself in work. The first thing I did was sign up for all the courses I possibly could. I had taken all the AP courses possible and passed all the Exams that went with them so I started college with junior standing. Next I decided to not only focus on one or two majors but three. The first was Mechanical Engineering because well, I'm a Stark its in my blood. The second was Physics. Grandpa's journal and theories of time and space got me really interested in the subject. I had a few theories of my own I wanted to do research and maybe invent my own teleporter like the ones from Star Trek. The third Major was Biochemistry. I like Biology and I like Chemistry so it's a two for one deal. When I told Uncle Rhodey he looked at me like I was insane. He even tried to talk me out of it.

"Nora I get you like science and you are really good at it, but don't you think triple majoring is a bit excessive. Its your first year of college why don't you take it easy take a few courses outside your major, explore other options, maybe learn another language?" he tried to reason with me.

"Uncle Rhodey I already finished all my GE's, I speak English, Spanish, French, German, and Russian, I'm taking Latin for fun this semester, and I'm already planning to do a year abroad. I think that's enough exploring don't you think?" I retort.

As I end my mini spiel dad walks in to the lab, dressed in last night's clothes and obviously hung-over.

"Tony, try and talk some sense into your daughter. She should not be taking 32 units each semester for the next four years. It was hard enough to taking the minimum requirements but three majors, that's horrible," He tells dad as he realizes how bad he looks "but not as horrible as you look right now. What happened to you?"

"Went to a bar, met a girl, had a drinking contest, did some body shots, finished or tried to finish a bottle of two thousand dollar scotch and then the night gets fuzzy." He slurs the last part of the sentence. Well at least he's semi coherent and didn't puke. It's the little things that count.

"I'll go make some coffee, and-" dad interrupts me as he decides to puke that two thousand dollar bottle of scotch on the floor. Guess I spoke too soon. "And I guess something to clean that up with." I muttered as I walked upstairs.

I go upstairs and make the coffee; extra strong with a shot of espresso just the way dad likes it. I pour it into his giant "I'm a drunk moron and I deserve this hang-over" engraved mug and make my way downstairs.

Uncle Rhodey is lecturing dad, not that he ever listens "Tony what is wrong with you, why did you drink this much, don't you know how much it bothers you daughter, or how much it worries her to see you like this?"

"Of course I know it bugs her, I can see it in her eyes. Those big green eyes that just stare into my very core and make me see what a horrible father I am. Why do you think I drink? It's the only way I can deal with it all." At this point he starts sobbing until he falls asleep on the futon.

I walk in the room and Uncle Rhodey just Says "How much of that did you hear?"

"Enough, it's not the first time he says it and it probably won't be the last." I say as I place the mug on the table in front of the futon so it's right in front of dad and it'll be the first thing he sees when he wakes up.

"Nora you know he loves you right." He tries to reassure me.

"I know, he's just reliving everything he's been avoiding since his parents died and mourning in his own way. Its okay he just needs time. And everything will go back to normal, it always does."

"How are you dealing with everything kid?" He asks me.

"Honestly, I don't know. I mean I'm sad but I'm done crying. She wouldn't have wanted me to wallow in self-pity. Nana would have wanted me to move forward and make the most out of everything and that's what I plan on doing, which is why I enrolled in the early start program at MIT. I move in this weekend."

"What that doesn't give us a lot of time to plan. We have to start packing and-"

"Rhodey it's all handled. I already shipped all the things that I was going to take. My plane tickets are bought and printed out. The car service is ordered. It's all done." I say.

"Wow I can't believe its already happening. It feels like it was only yesterday Tony was asking me if I'd be your godfather and now your off too college."

"Yeah time really does fly. Maybe that should be the title of my physics thesis, Time really does fly." I laugh.

"Does your dad know?"

"If he didn't I don't think he'd be drunk right now. I think he doesn't like how fast everything is changing. It scares him more than he wants to admit."

"Did you just psychoanalyze your dad?"

"Got bored and read a psychology textbook. He's also a bit of a narcissist but you don't need a degree in psychology to see that." We chuckle. "I'm going to take a nap have Jarvis let me know when he wakes up please."

"Of course kiddo, go get some rest."

I walk upstairs and go into my room. "Jarvis lock and soundproof my room please" I go to my bed and sit on the edge next to my bedside table. I open the drawer and pull out the frame Peggy gave me with the photo of Steve and Bucky. I look at it and cant help but start sobbing. "Why does everyone always leave me? It's not fair. Why me? I deserve to be happy yet all I feel is pain. What did I do to deserve this? I wish you two were here, I don't want to be alone. I'm tried of being broken, of not being good enough. I want it all to stop. Its hard to pretend everything is okay when its not. I don't remember when the was the last time I actually had a real smile on my face. I'm not strong enough. I can't do this anymore. I just want it all to go away." I curl into a ball on the floor and drop the frame and it lands under the bed. I start sobbing uncontrollably. I stay like that until I feel something lift me up and put me on the bed. I open my eyes long enough to see my dad covering me with a blanket, giving me an apologetic look, he hands me a pint of ice cream and a spoon. I scoot over so he an sit next to me and we stay there each eating our ice cream in silence.

He breaks the silence, "When you were born I had no idea what I was doing. The only thing I knew was that I made a promise to your mother that you would be looked after no matter what. No matter what you always came first. I thought that would be impossible for me but when I held you in my arms for the first time every doubt in my mind just disappeared the only thing I could think of was I made this little innocent perfect thing and I have to protect her from everything including myself if necessary. When I called Anna I thought she would say no. She was heartbroken when Jarvis died but she didn't even hesitate when she said to agree. She was the most selfless person I had the pleasure of knowing and I will always be grateful for that."

"Does it ever get easier, living without them?" I ask my dad.

"You never stop missing them but it gets bearable with time." He says. Time, it always comes down to time.

I nod at his answer. He scoots over and pulls me into his arms. "I'm sorry I got drunk. I'm a jerk and deserve this hang-over."

"I'm not going to say its okay, cause its not but I forgive you." And with that we go back to eating our Ice cream in silence.