Chapter Thirteen

"There was a dream and one day I could see it, Like a bird in a cage I broke in and demanded that somebody free it And there was a kid with a head full of doubt So I'll scream til I die and the last of those bad thoughts are finally out..." - A Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise, The Avett Brothers

Ada found herself staring across the ocean as she thought of everything that was happening. Between the incident with putting her necklace on, Tony's reckless behavior, and everything else, she didn't know how to handle the situation. Her thoughts were churning with anxiety. She didn't know what to do with Tony, given that he was clearly losing sleep, and he had been acting worse than usual. Knowing that something was wrong with him had bothered her. And she suspected that it would only get worse before it got better.

"Ada, it's good to see you, again!"

She froze mid-step at the familiar sound of Emmett's voice. She'd almost forgotten that they'd planned on meeting today. With everything going on, she couldn't keep her schedule straight. Still, that didn't stop her from grinning with relief when she saw him standing not far from her.

"I'm sorry," she apologized with a shake of her head, "I kind of forgot about… this."

Guilt swept through her as Emmett took a step forward, closing the distance between them. She felt her heart racing as new sensations swept through her when he touched her necklace. She hadn't had the heart to take it off since that night. Not when she still had a dozen questions in regards of how it appeared, in the first place.

"It's fine," he murmured distractedly. "Where did you get this?" he asked, obviously drawn in by what was encrypted on the back of the locket. Ada simply rose an eyebrow before explaining that it had been given to her by her mother, as a parting gift. While she had no actual proof of that, at least it made a valid excuse, "It is beautiful. Whoever your mother was, she had good taste."

She couldn't hide the smile that followed, especially when he pulled her into a kiss. There was something almost mesmerizing about his kisses. Ada didn't want to admit that it was purely because Tony had been so overprotective of her. She never realized until she had started seeing Emmett how much she longed for something like this. The kind of affection someone other than family could give her.

"What was that for?" she breathed out after they pulled apart.

Her voice was barely a whisper as she leaned into his strong arms. For someone who invested most of his time and energy into technology, Emmett was surprisingly strong. Then again, she reminded herself that that was nothing more than a hypocritical thought.

"Just a—"

Emmett was never given a chance to finish his statement when something suddenly pried them apart. A yelp escaped from Ada's lungs as she realized Tony had caught them, red handed. Her eyes widened with disbelief as she saw him standing behind Emmett, dressed in the Iron Man suit.

"Do that again, I dare you," Tony practically growled out the words. Ada rolled her eyes when she heard the defensiveness in Tony's voice. She could practically feel him glaring at both herself and Emmett through the mask. His arms were crossed in a defiance stance. "So, you wanna explain why you were kissing my daughter, kid? Or, am I gonna have to haul your sorry ass to jail, myself?"

"Dad, stop!" Ada snapped after realizing where this was headed. He'd already raised an arm with his open hand, ready to fire a repulser shot when she pulled the arm down, "I'm sorry, I should have told you… Emmett and I are dating." The words felt hollow in her throat as the mask finally slid off. Emmett had been looking between Tony and Ada, his own eyes wide with horror after realizing what Tony was about to do. "Look, I know I should've told you sooner, but, I knew you would've just reacted this way."

Tony just stared at her for a few seconds, his expression impossible to read. He just kept looking between Ada and Emmett, as if expecting one of them to start explaining themselves. Ada knew it wasn't much of an excuse, and that there would be hell to pay for not telling him, sooner. But, she also knew that she had been in the right to keep it a secret until he was ready to hear the truth.

"How long have you two been… dating?" he asked, looking as if he was going to be sick at even mentioning the word 'dating'.

Idiot, Ada thought, resisting the urge to glare as she wondered if he would ever let her do the things that normal teenagers did. Considering Tony was the one who constantly brought home women with him from the many frat parties he left, she could just as easily use that against him.

"It would be about two years, now, sir," Emmett replied, his voice polite as ever, despite the obvious fear in his eyes.

Tony's eyes widened to the size of saucers, at that point. By now, Ada was struggling not to grumble under her breath in annoyance. She partly understood his worries. Being the overly protective father that he was, even if he was her adoptive father, meant that he had a lot of responsibilities on his shoulders. One of those responsibilities included watching over the type of men and boys she dated over her lifetime.

"Maybe this is something we should discuss over dinner," she suggested, hoping that would help alleviate any worries he felt, "You know, like, right now?"

Truthfully, Ada had been hoping to break down the tension between Tony and Emmett. Of course, nothing seemed to be working.

"You and I are going to discuss this later, young lady," Tony said in a tone that told Ada this was far from over, "And, as for you, I suggest you get out of here now, before I decide to fly you out, the painful way," he added to Emmett after glaring at him.

She hadn't missed the way Emmett's gaze darkened at the thought of being flown away by Iron Man. The whole thing would be nothing more than sheer embarrassment. A shiver ran through Ada as she looked at Tony, suddenly aware that this really was far from over.

…

"Of all the irresponsible things you could've done behind my back!" Tony ranted on as he paced around the living space, with Ada sinking further into her seat after each accusation. He'd been at this for the last thirty minutes, now, and had Happy sitting in the corner while taking mental notes on how to punish her. Though, after putting up with Director Fury for two years, along with Clint Barton, Ada had quickly learned how to deal with people yelling at her, and Tony's words had no effect on her, "Do you have any idea how pissed I am?"

He finally stopped pacing and turned to glare at her once more. Ada held back a sigh of frustration as she noticed the black veins along his neck again. Worry clouded her thoughts when she realized that those veins were not normal. They'd begun getting worse with each passing day, and were now noticeable from a distance.

"Yes," she replied, keeping her own voice toneless.

Working with SHIELD had its advantages. Ada knew how to put on a mask and hide her emotions, annoyed or not. Though now, she was more worried than annoyed after seeing those veins on Tony's neck. Something was clearly going on with him. And, of course, he was too stubborn to admit that.

"Good, because you're grounded." Well, she didn't see that one coming. She nearly rolled her eyes at the obvious statement. "Jarvis is gonna have your room under lock down after eight at night, for one month straight. You hear me?"

"Sounds fine with me," Ada shrugged it off, struggling not to smirk when she caught the glare that followed.

"Alright, then two months," Tony corrected himself. Ada just kept on a poker face, though, it was getting difficult to keep on a straight face after catching the look Happy gave them. Tony wasn't exactly father of the year, and he wasn't exactly good at following the rules. Even if they were his own. "Good?"

She simply gave a nod, crossing her arms as she finally stood up to face him.

"Dad, no matter how many times you punish me, or try to ground me, it's not going to stop me from dating Emmett," she pointed out. Tony opened his mouth, ready to argue when she stopped him, "Look, like it or not, I'm sixteen. I'm at the age where I can make my own choices on who I can or can't hang out."

"Ada, you're still my baby girl," Tony reluctantly admitted, wrapping his arms around her in a hug. "Last thing I want is for any of those assholes to hurt you."

"I'm going to make mistakes, dad. I'm a teenager, it's what we do," she couldn't help but smile as she looked at Tony, knowing that this was still new territory for him. Even though she had lived with him for ten years, now, that didn't make his job any easier. "That's where you come along and act like a parent."

Tony let out a sigh of frustration when he realized the valid points she made. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew she was right.

"I hate it when you go all Vulcan on me and use logic against me," he grumbled crossly.

Ada grinned at that and stuck her tongue out at him, "I know you do," she laughed.

He finally let it go once the tension simmered down. Ada rose an eyebrow as she caught the looks Happy gave them both. He'd been there as a mediator, and now, it didn't even look as if he was needed. Though, Ada suspected Happy would've been more than thrilled to help Tony with whatever assistance he needed in 'fathering'.

"Alright," he sighed once again and looked at her seriously, after giving Happy a nod that it was okay for him to leave, "Look, I get that you're sixteen, now. I'll let this one slide, but, only if you promise you'll be honest with me."

She chewed the bottom of her lip as sudden doubt clouded her thoughts. Of course, she was keeping a huge secret revolving around her powers and her training with SHIELD. Something in the back of her mind told her that Tony would react very differently, if he knew the truth.

"Deal," she replied.

"Good. Get yourself packed for tomorrow. We're still going to Monaco."

With that thought in mind, and those final words, Ada gave him another hug before heading back to her room. She was thankful he at least understood that she was old enough to start dating. She just hoped he hadn't traumatized Emmett too much.

Her room itself had changed a lot since she moved into the mansion. The bed now rested on a rising platform that was circular. Large panel windows looked out onto the ocean, providing her the perfect view of any sunset and sunrise. The ceiling itself was painted a dark blue, and when she turned off the lights, the reflection of the night sky could be seen. She still had the little stuffed cheetah that Pepper had gotten her placed on a bookshelf, that was also lined with several books she'd collected over the years.

The mansion itself was laid out so that walk-in closets in every room, including guest rooms. Ada herself had her closet organized with all the clothing Pepper had gotten her, along with clothing she'd accumulated over the years. There were a few things that Tony had gotten her throughout the ten years she'd lived with him, and, she couldn't thank him enough.

Thoughts of Tony left her shivering with unease as she sat on her bed.

The strange patterns along his neck were getting worse. It was something that couldn't go by unnoticed. Ada knew for a fact that something was wrong, and whether Tony wanted to admit it or not, was beyond her.

She let out a sigh and stood up once more, packing things just to clear her thoughts. It wasn't until hearing her phone ring that Ada paused. She rose an eyebrow after noticing who the caller in question was. After trying to get a hold of him a dozen times the other day, she could only assume that he'd been on a mission, that week. Though, knowing that this was Clint, it didn't entirely surprise her that he avoided her at all costs.

"You called?"

Typical. His gruff-as-ever tone didn't intimidate her. As much as Clint tried pulling off Fury's moves, he failed miserably. That didn't stop Ada from debating whether she should tell him her worries about Tony, or, start with 'Natalie Rushman'.

"Yeah… do you know anyone by the name of Natalie Rushman?" she asked casually, folding a pair of pants and a t-shirt into her suitcase while putting her phone on speaker, "Woman showed up at the mansion this morning for an interview. As an intern."

From the files she'd read, Natasha was not a woman she would want to piss off. It had surprised her that Natasha never once mentioned that she knew who she was. Then again, she was likely on an undercover mission of her own if she decided to apply for a job working for Tony.

"Sorry, the name doesn't sound familiar," he replied almost automatically. Ada rose an eyebrow at that. She could almost hear the reluctance in Clint's voice, telling her that something was clearly bothering him, "Besides, why would you call me, of all people?"

"Because she resembles someone similar to a woman in the SHIELD database," Ada retorted, ignoring the snort that followed on the other end of the line, "Look, why did SHIELD send an agent to look after my dad? I know you know something's up, whether you're willing to admit it, or not."

If she didn't know any better, she would have thought that Clint was struggling not to laugh hysterically at her accusation. Considering he was the one who taught her most of what she knew, now, she wouldn't be surprised. The archer had become somewhat of a mentor to her, as annoying as he could be.

"Look, Ada, I have to go. Unlike you, I've got important work that needs to be done," he finally snapped after a moment's pause.

"Ass," Ada muttered under her breath, ignoring the laughter that followed.

He hung up seconds later, leaving Ada to figure out what to do from there. With a sigh of frustration, she finished packing the last of her contents and tossed her phone on the nightstand. Clint always seemed to know how to get under her skin. He was the last person she should have called, but, a part of her was afraid of calling Coulson. Jimmy was out of the question, since he never met Natasha Romanoff in person. So, the archer was the only other option she had aside from Fury.

She supposed for now, knowledge of the Black Widow would have to wait. She did technically have more things to worry about. After all, the trip to Monaco was going to be the only vacation she had before going back to work with SHIELD.

…

Nadia had stopped running. She was too exhausted to keep it up. The men giving chase were relentless in their attacks. By now, several small villages and towns had been destroyed during their search. She and her newborn child were truly the last of their kind.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered to no one in particular.

Tears started streaming down her face as she reached the outskirts of an abandoned village. She had to rest for her sake and the baby's sake. It was already crying for food and showing signs of starvation.

All the first-time mother could do was stare down at her child, wrapped in warm blankets, looking so tiny and fragile. It was like looking down at a mirror. Her daughter had the same raven-black hair she did. Same brown eyes and caramel colored skin. Nadia breathed in deep and held her daughter close. She had to do this for her child's sake and for the sake of their people.

"I say these words before the spirits of our ancestors," she began as she held the baby up. Her hands began to glow an eerie white, and the blanket around the baby began to glow as well. "Take care of my daughter, send her to a world where she will be safe and accepted."

The men giving chase came to a halt when they saw the blinding light. Nadia's eyes had even turned white as the baby began to disappear. She ignored their shouting as the child vanished completely. The leader of the group approached her once she collapsed to the ground, all energy drained.

"Where did you send it?"

He kicked her in the ribs so that she was turned to face him. The white glow in her eyes started to fade, and, she could only glare at him. Exhaustion had swept through her. Using that gift had taken everything, from her. She knew that she would not be able to fight this man off.

"Somewhere you will never find her," she rasped. "Our people will survive."

A new sense of determination had taken over when she lost her daughter. Suddenly, she began to stand up, ignoring the sword the leader of the group had unsheathed. Despite the exhaustion sweeping through her, she found strength in knowing that her daughter would remain safe, and out of their clutches.

"How wrong you are, dear Nadia," he sneered. The woman let out a shout of pain as he swung his sword across her cheek, leaving a thin trail of blood running down her neck. "You've just made the biggest mistake of your life."

She never had the chance to respond. Quick as a flash, he drew his sword. The only words that came out was a chilling scream, followed shortly after by an eerie silence. The men standing behind him didn't even flinch at the sight. This was what they were trained for, to kill the last of her kind.

"Go forth and search for that child," the leader ordered, pointing his sword towards his allies. "Do not let her survive."

…

Dread swept through Ada the moment she woke up, struggling not to scream in terror. Her heart was racing at a rate that she didn't think humanly possible. Visions of the woman who was slain before her eyes came rushing back. The same woman she had been following throughout her dreams, dead at the foot of the very soldier that had chased down all of her people. It took a few seconds for Ada to finally calm down; her hand clutched her chest as she steadied her breathing and let out a shuddering breath.

By the time Ada did manage to calm down, she reached for her notebook and began writing down what she had seen in full detail. Images of the baby she had seen came rushing back, as well. Ada frowned, realizing that the baby the woman had fought so hard to protect had looked a lot like her. That thought alone sent shivers of dread through her.

God, these nightmares are getting worse and worse, she thought bitterly, knowing that sleep would be difficult to come by now. All she could do now was hope that the night went by quickly enough, and that she could catch up on rest while in Monaco. Otherwise, these next few days were going to be hell for her.