The next chapter is shorter as well, around the same as this one. But the one after that is long. Like 5,000 words I think. The ones after that will probably by around 3,000 maybe. But if they're too short, I'll try to update quicker.

Before you read this chapter, remember to hang on to the good moments while you have them.

Enjoy

Words: 2,000

Tony sits himself down with a sigh, lifting his arm to wrap around Pepper. He sends her a smile before they both turn their attention back to the scene in front of them.

"Kind of makes you want one." Tony mumbles into her ear, earning him a quiet giggle.

"We already have two." She gestures out in front of her to the teenagers on the couch.

"Oh, I know," Tony nods, smiling towards his kids as they laugh together, video game controllers in both their hands. He swears that's the only thing anyone does around here. "But, you know, another one. One we have legal rights over and all that."

Laughing, Pepper pushing Tony away slightly with a hand on his chest. "I'm pretty sure you do with Peter." She tells him. Pausing, Pepper looks her fiancé in the eye. "You're being serious, aren't you?"

"Why not?" Tony shrugs. "I can see it. I've dreamt it."

"Oh, have you now?"

"Yup," He nods. "Clear as day."

"Yes!" The loud cheer cuts through the adult's conversation, bringing the attention back to the teenagers. "Pay up." Ada tells Peter, towering over the pouting boy.

"Whatever," Peter grumbles but smiles when he stands and walks out of the room.

"What's payment?" Tony asks Ada when he comes to sit on the couch with her.

"Candy."

"Of course it is." Tony mumbles with a huff. "So, how was uh, your little chat on the roof the other night?" Eyes widening, Ada opens her mouth but no sound comes out. "Nothing goes on here without me knowing about it."

"Yeah, that's not creepy at all." Ada says with furrowed brows before her shoulders drop in defeat. "FRIDAY snitched, didn't she?" Shrugging, Tony purses his lips and continues to look at her in question. But he didn't look upset, Ada thinks in relief. "I didn't mean too. It's not like I knew Loki would be on the roof at three in the morning."

"Why were you on the roof at three in the morning?"

"I went to see the stars." Ada mutters weakly before shaking her head. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. Loki was chill, he seems like a good guy. Annoyed by everyone around him and guarded, but good."

"He tried to take over the world." Tony deadpans.

"We both know that wasn't really his fault." Ada says with a shake of her head. "And it's not like anything happened."

"I worry." Mr. Stark states and Ada cocks her head to the side. "What?"

"Just never thought I'd hear you admit that." The teenager shrugs but smiles. "I get that with everything that happened you're cautious, but I don't think you need to be."

"Can't help it." Tony sighs, throwing his arm over Ada's shoulders as Pepper joins them.

"Ada, sweetie, will we see you Friday?" She asks while leaning forward to look over Tony.

"Sorry," Ada shakes her head with an apologetic smile. "Got school then I'm going to dinner with my dad then going out with friends. But I'll stop by Saturday."

"Okay good, wouldn't want you to miss out on your gift."

"You got me a gift?" Ada asks. Why is she surprised?

"Of course we did," Tony scoffs. "You think we wouldn't?"

"Is it a giant stuffed rabbit?" Pepper laughs while Tony groans, leaning his head on the back of the couch. "I actually think that would be awesome."

"Don't put ideas into his head."

"To late," Mr. Stark says. "You're getting one."

"Oops." Ada whispers with a wince right before a bag of skittles hits her in the side of the head. "Rude!"

"Children, don't fight." Pepper chastises them gently, smiling fondly when both teenagers send her smiles.

"Mr. Stark, you wanna play?" Peter holds out a remote to the man in question.

"If you're sure you want to get beat again." Tony takes the controller and sits forward.

"Ha, in your dreams."

Leaving the boys to play, Ada joins Pepper for what the woman calls 'girl time'. The teenager hadn't realized how much she'd missed spending time with her mother until then. Pepper was so much like her, Ada nearly cries.

They talk about nothing and everything. School, friends, boys. Ada apologizes for disappointing on that topic. There just wasn't anyone in her life she sees like that. Though, she did discuss her plans on getting Peter and MJ together finally.

Pepper even lets her help with wedding plans until they have to part ways.

Instead of going to find Peter, Ada decides to wander and finds herself entering the library. She wasn't the biggest reader, but sometimes a book could catch her attention. Though, she does love the smell of the pages.

"A good place to be," She starts after catches sight of the figure lounging in a chair. "You know, with your whole 'avoiding everyone' thing."

"Obviously not good enough," Loki grumbles without looking up from his book. "And who said I was avoiding?"

"Uh, me," Ada points to herself while leaning against the shelf next to him. "Not that it's not obvious. You're never around."

"Is that disappointment I hear in our voice," Loki smirks, lifting his head to look at the girl. There's no joy behind it, Ada can see it in his eyes.

"You know," Ada sits on the chair opposite of him with a loud sigh. "No one here hates you." Loki scoffs and turns the page of his book. "It's true. I mean, they're wary sure, but they'll come around."

"You sound so sure."

"I am." Ada says confidently with a single nod. "And I know I can say for sure that I don't hate you."

"Why don't you?" He asks, genuinely curious. "Hate me?"

Ada watches him close the book he was reading and set it aside, giving her his full attention. "Well, I could go into sappy detail about, you know, all the bad things in the world and not wanting to add to it. But, honestly, I just don't. I don't hate you, there's really not much else to it."

"You're strange."

Giving a surprised laugh, Ada nods. "Yes, so I've been told." And for the first time, Loki gives a genuine smile.

Multiple text messages greet Ada when she wakes up Friday morning. Her lips pull back into a wide grin as she reads all the birthday wishes from her friends and the Avengers. Pepper. Even Happy sent her a simple 'happy birthday'.

The smile stays on her face the entire time she gets ready for her day and when she exits her room and walks into the kitchen to immediately be pulled into a hug.

"Good morning to you too, Rosa." Ada laughs while wrapping her arms around the woman.

"Ooh, look at you," Rosa pulls away, sliding her hands down the teenager's arms until she takes her hands into her own. "You're growing up."

"Yes," Ada nods with another chuckle. "But I look the same as yesterday."

"But you weren't sixteen yesterday." The woman reminds her with a tap on her nose.

"I suppose." She shrugs with a grin. Ada can't remember the last time she smiled so much on her birthday. "Are those waffles I smell?"

"Your favorite." Rosa nods and leads the girl to the counter just as Nathan walks into the room. "I made plenty."

"Happy Birthday, dear." He greets, placing a kiss to her forehead while setting a small box in front of her.

"Thanks, dad." Ada smiles at him as he sits next to her, his back facing away.

"Go ahead, open it." He motions to the box and Ada gently picks it up and lifts the top off. "It was your mothers. One of the only things of hers I kept." Nathan tells her as she lifts the silver chain between her fingers. The pendant is small, a circle surrounding a tree. The tree of life.

"I remember it." Ada nods. She can't remember her mother without it. She'd always grip it tightly in her hand when something was bothering her. And Ada would try to trace the tiny branches with her fingertip. Taking the chain in both hands, Ada slips the necklace over her head, letting it rest over her shirt. "Thank you."

"That's not all..." Nathan trials off and Ada looks to him with furrowed brows, watching him pull something from behind his back and place in front of her. A black leather sketchbook with straps holding it closed. "I know I haven't supported you in the things you want to do. But I'd like to start trying. You're a great artist, Ada, you get it from your grandmother on your mother's side."

Ada bites her lips to prevent her smile from stretching over her face when a noise catches her attention. She looks up to see Rosa wiping her eyes and raises a brow at the woman. "That was sweet." She shrugs before turning away to collect breakfast.

"Thanks, dad, this means a lot." Ada stands from her seat and wraps her arms around her father in a tight hug before pulling back. "Are we still going to dinner tonight?"

"Yes," Nathan says, nodding in thanks when Rosa sets a plate of food in front of him. "You come home after school and we'll head out soon after."

"Okay," Ada nods before stuffing a bite of waffles into her mouth. "And I'm still good to go out with friends after?"

"Yes," Nodding, Nathan glancing at his daughter. "And I suppose, since it's your birthday, you can stay out late." Ada turns to him, eyes wide with excitement but Nathan holds up a hand to stop her. "But, you text me every hour and let me know you're okay."

"I can do that," Ada is quick to tell him. "And what if, say, I wanted to spend the night when someone."

"Do I know this someone?"

"Uh, no, but I can introduce you."

"Is this friend a boy?"

"Wha- dad, no," Ada shakes her head, huffing when Nathan chuckles. "Haha, very funny. But no, her name is MJ."

"You can stay the night."

"Yes! Okay, thank you!" Ada hugs her father once more before they, Rosa included, finish their breakfast and the teenager is off to school.

The day is the same, other than a few people telling her happy birthday in passing. It used to bother her just a little, but today it didn't. She smiles in return and thanks them. She texts the group chat throughout the day when she can. Informing MJ that she can stay over, talking about plans for after dinner, and discussing her math teachers not so pretty shoes.

The end of school doesn't come quick enough. Ada waves to the group of people she'd walked out of her last class with before rushing through the front doors and walking home a little faster than she normally does.

Nathan isn't there yet, she hadn't expected him to be. There are flowers on the table with a note from Rosa but the woman herself is gone, leaving the teenager to get ready by herself. She'd set her outfit out the night before so it didn't take long. Just a casual but dressy outfit. With pants, not a dress.

The sound of the door closing reaches her ears just as she's pulling her hair into a ponytail. "Dad?" She calls out while peeking out her door.

"Yeah!" Nathan calls back as he heads to his own bedroom. "Just going to change then we can go."

"Okay," Ada mumbles, wondering why he needs to change one suit for another one. Making sure her necklace is secure around her neck, Ada grabs her phone and jacket before waiting in the living room for her father.

"Ready?"

"Yup."Ada gives a single nod before pushing off the side of the couch and taking her father's arm to walk out of the apartment.

If she'd known then that everything was about to change, she would've looked back one more time.

Ominous enough? Maybe, that's what I was going for anyway. Hehehe

I had imagined a little more between these last two chapters, but my brain couldn't come up with anything and I was just really ready to get on with the story. So, I hope you guys are excited. I want to post even more than you want to read it. You're reaction are the best, I love reading the reviews so mcuh! Even the smallest ones saying that you've enjoyed it!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being here and reading my work!

I have important life things I need to do but I can't because all I want to do is write. Ugh.

Teaser: Only a pained whimper escapes.

'-'