The house was mostly clean by the time the two not-Avengers and Too-Blind-Too-Furious rolled by. The only thing that needed fixing now was the structure of the building, and the windows. The window men had- according to JARVIS refused to come setup until they were sure the building wouldn't drop on them.
Worse yet, Pepper had been calling. Seeing as Natasha was failing at her job as my PA, Pepper had filled up her absence. She was fielding to me a lot of calls, from business and media. The PR guys had been calling me too- well Pepper who forwarded them to me- so I was talking to them, talking to Pepper, minding Nikki, while mindlessly cleaning the house.
After her morale improved Nikki helped clean. On threat of further beatings, clearly. She'd had a lot of training in cleaning up a mess- this one just had less blood than usual. Nikki diligently swept away debris from any room she was sent in, as long as I promised she could use her choice of debris for her next B&E. It was an easy agreement, with my foot resting on her neck and a broomstick aimed towards her gut.
(We were such a loving family.)
I had changed out of my clothes too- they had practically been my pajamas. Now it was a dark blue shirt with short sheer sleeves, and jeans.
JARVIS alerted me to the cars pulling up. I was tying up all the issues on the phone in neat little bows- well as neat as I could make bows.
SHIELD agents came in first, straight out of a Men in Black movie no doubt. I kept them in the corner of my eyes as I put two chairs back into place.
Tony was walked in by Fury. It did nothing to calm me down.
Tony didn't even break stride when he saw me. He walked up to the chairs that had to be pulled out from storage. All the others were fucked up. I'm half convinced Nikki stole the material from a schoolyard fence, then made them into chairs. Who wants metal chairs in LA? He dropped himself down in one. He held out an arm for the other.
"Come on, Becks, take a seat." Tony offered.
Wow, a chair in my own house. He's so chivalrous.
I declined the chair, giving it to Nick Fury instead. The man accepted. I stood between them, texting away problems on my phone. A SHIELD agent brought a fancy bottle of water for us. Tony was still coming off a hangover. I could do without anything from SHIELD. With that water, they brought a robe for Tony. Apparently they didn't like him just wearing the tight black shirt and leggings.
"That thing in your chest is based on unfinished technology." Fury explained once they had both properly settled.
"No, it was finished." Tony countered. He had a sip of the water provided. So what that they took it from our fridge, I'm not touching it. "It has never been particularly effective until we miniaturized it and she put it in my-"
"No. Howard said the arc reactor was the stepping stone to something greater." Fury explained. "He was about to kick off an energy race that was gonna dwarf the arms race. He was onto something big, something so big that it was gonna make the nuclear reactor look like a triple-A battery."
The Tesseract, of course. Maybe he did see it for what you had in mind for it.
But I know SHIELD saw it was a way to make new weapons.
The ones from Avengers.
So keep your praise speech for then, alright?
"Just him, or Anton Vanko in on this too?" Tony questioned.
Fury seemed to know that was exactly where Stark would go. "Anton Vanko is the other side of that coin. Anton saw it as a way to get rich. When your father found out, he had him deported. When the Russians found out he couldn't deliver they shipped his ass off to Siberia and he spent the next twenty years in a vodka-fuelled rage. Not quite the environment you want to raise a kid in, the son you had the misfortune of crossing paths with in Monaco."
"You told me I- we hadn't tried everything." Tony corrected. He glanced at me as I sent an angry text to our patent office. "What do you mean we haven't tried everything? What haven't we tried?"
"He said that you were the only person with the means and knowledge to finish what he started." Fury admitted. He made his own cup of water.
"He said that?" Tony questioned, his eyebrow raised in a skeptical arch.
Not gonna lie, I snorted at the comment again. Howard Stark, proud of his son? Not after what I've seen of this world. Even the Howard from Captain America seemed more focused on the inventions, the creations, than the people wielding them.
"Are you that guy?" Fury asked Tony. "Are you? 'Cause if you are, then you can solve the riddle of your heart."
"I'm not the guy. She is." Tony countered. "She did more to fix this than I did."
"Shut it." I told him.
"See? She's talking to me again!" Tony told Fury. I let out an annoyed sigh. "I'm a bigger fan of my kid than Dad ever was of his. Don't know where you got your information."
"What do you remember about your dad?" Fury questioned.
"He was cold, he was calculating. He never told me he loved me. He never even told me he liked me, so it's a little tough for me to digest when you're telling me he said the whole future was riding on me and he's passing it down." Tony explained. "I don't get that. You're talking about a guy who's happiest day was when he shipped me off to boarding school."
"That's not true." Fury countered, with all the surety of a man who had seen it before his eye.
"Well, then, clearly you knew my dad better than I did." Tony told him.
"As a matter of fact, I did." Fury admitted. Two SHIELD agents walked up, carrying a crate of Howard's stuff. The texting I was doing cut off- a troubling feat. "He was one of the founding members of SHIELD."
"What?" Tony asked.
"Right, yeah, course he was." I nodded my head.
"I got a two o'clock." Fury glanced at his watch, standing up.
"Good. Get out of the house." I suggested for him.
Fury only gave me a fond quirk of the mouth.
Tony stood up. "Wait, wait, wait, wait. What's this?" Tony pointed to the crate.
"Okay, you're good, right?" Fury asked us.
"No, I'm not good." "Yes I can handle it."
"You got this? Right? Right?" Fury pressed, ignoring Tony's answers.
"Got what? I don't even know what I'm supposed to get."
"It'll be done." I told him. Better for everyone he leave the house soon before he accidentally give Tony a heart attack.
Natasha walked into the destroyed room. Beside her was Phil Coulson.
Holy shit Phil.
I was in no way ready to see Phil.
Phil you glorious bastard.
"Natasha will remain a floater at Stark with her cover intact. You remember Agent Coulson, right?" Fury explained.
"Yeah." Tony answered, non too enthusiastic.
"Hello." I greeted warmly, giving the agent a genuine smile.
"And Tony, Becky, remember, I got my eye on you." Fury cautioned. He smirked as he turned away. He left the mansion. The SHIELD agents on guard followed with him.
Tony turned to Natasha. I gave her a side eye over my shoulder. "We've disabled all communications."
"I noticed that." I held up my phone. "Pepper is gonna kill me when I see her next."
Natasha kept up her smile. "No contact with the outside world. Good luck." She walked out.
She walked out, Nikki walked in. Nikki must've got torn her clothes, cause now she wore booty jean shorts, and a white wife beater. She watched as Natasha walked out.
"What's with Red-" She spotted Coulson. She made quick work of covering up her shock. "Who's that?"
"Agent Coulson." I told her. When Phil turned to her, I mouthed 'Agent Phil?!' with a wide grin.
Nikki gave a nod. "Right...look I know you joked about sending me to jail-"
That got me laughing. If anything just to have an excuse to laugh. Nikki did too.
"Please." Tony turned to Phil. The agent did also. "First thing, I need a little bodywork. We'll put in a little time at the lab. If we could send one of your goon squad down to The Coffee Bean, Cross Creek, for a Starbucks run, or something like that, that'd be nice."
"I'm not here for that." Phil told him. "I've been authorized by Director Fury to use any means necessary to keep you on premises. If you attempt to leave or play any games, I will tase you and watch Supernanny while you drool into the carpet. Okay?"
"I think I got it, yeah." Tony nodded, lips flat.
"Enjoy your evening's entertainment." Phil invited, motioning down at the crate.
Tony looked down at it. He paid attention to the labelling sticker with his dad's name on it.
"Dude. Tell me your secrets." Nikki requested. "Can you shut up Becks too?"
"He can try." I corrected her.
Phil only smiled at Nikki. He gave her a short nod.
Nikki glanced at me. "I like him."
"Me too." I grinned, proud of the little agent. They grow up so fast...
I was getting ready to move the crate downstairs. Tony had apparently thought that just cause I spoke to him once that I was going to keep talking to him.
"So Becky. Where should we-"
"Agent Coulson, would you mind keeping an ear out for my father as he gets ready? By that I mean, takes a shower? Cause he's been a mess since last night. I can smell him from here." I told Phil.
The agent nodded. "Of course."
"Good." Without looking at Tony, I turned to Nikki. "Dumbass!"
She saluted. "Ma'am?"
"Head downstairs. I'll meet you there."
Nikki cheered. "Is it-"
"Yes."
"WOOHOO!"
"Look, Beck-" Tony began.
I teleported downstairs, taking the crate with me.
==NM2==
The crate had been left to the side of the lab. I was getting together all the pieces that I needed for what would be happening while Tony read over the notebooks.
"Ms Stark, Ms Stevens is on her way." JARVIS forewarned. "She appears in a mood."
"She's always in a mood." I stated. Nikki showed up at the door to the lab. Sure enough, she looked mad. "You can let her in."
"Of course."
The door opened with a whoosh. Nikki stormed into the lab.
"You weren't gonna tell me Tony Stark fucked a super alien?" Nikki asked, offended.
Aw shit… "Oh, Phil you dirty gossip." I mumbled.
"So you did know!" Nikki yelled.
"Never came up." I replied. My hands were busy organizing the finishing touches.
"Never came- I'm gonna stab you in the eye." Nikki pulled a knife from her underwear.
"You can try." I countered. Grabbing one of her new toys, I pressed the button.
The knife flew out of her hand. It latched onto the round device in my palm. Nikki gawked.
"I took it while you slept, added a homing device in the handle." I explained. Nikki continued to gawk at me. "Wanna know about the rest of your toys?"
"Yes Ma'am." Nikki replied, sounding much more compliant than before.
She walked towards the work bench. Once there, I showed off her new suit.
The suit had been laid out on a table. In form, it was a lot like mine. Though the color was overall a lime green, it didn't look tacky.
"Since we don't know what powers you have yet, I just went with basics." I explained. Holding up the torso part of the suit, pointing at various points. "I already showed you the knife thing. Basically, it works like a homing device for your various weapons. It was hard work finding a thing would make in individualistic for your weapons, rather then just bringing every object to you. Throw your knives or other weapons, press that button and it'll come back to you. No exceptions in testing so far. Field work will have it out even better."
Nikki listened, attentively. Though she was often aloof, she always paid attention when her fighting skills were involved.
"You got a ninja sword." I held up the katana for her viewing pleasure. Her eyes widened in delight. She accepted the blade, swinging it about to get a better feel for it. "Take care of that, okay? It can attack via the hilt to the back of your suit."
Nikki nodded. She glanced at the suit itself. "Is that green?"
"Ah-ah-ah, lime green." I corrected with a vindictive green.
She huffed. She rolled her eyes towards the sky, praying to the Author that I would one day let it go.
"The fabric is bulletproof. Though it doesn't cover all of your body, it does allow you to be more versatile in fighting. Your powers are unknown so I also added in fire-proofing. It's durable- like I hit it with one of my beams, and it barely scratched it. We're siblings so unless Space-Mom did something weird with just me, I'm assuming that your powers will eventually be like mine. Your gloves allow you to fire blasts like me, teleportation is easy as long as you remember to bring your suit- and you will or so help me Author I'll kill you, and being bulletproof is already in the suit."
Nikki accepted that. She walked up to it, running her hand along the torso of the suit. "It's hard." She glanced at me. "You stole this from Edna Mode."
"Whore you know that's exactly what I did." I confirmed. Picking up her new boots, I made sure I had a good grip. The boots were red with black lining. "She wanted it for Supers, it's going to Supers. This is a rocket boot- nothing else fancy. You can fly with this fucker on your foot. Disclaimer: don't aim at children or nice folks."
She let out a put-on groan. She took the other boot, looking it over.
"Be careful. It was expensive." I warned her.
Nikki chuckled. "Damn...what's in the belt?"
"...a gun."
"...a gun."
"Yep."
"I'm an idiot, even I know that pouch is too small for a gun." Nikki explained.
"Yep."
"...holy shit. Can my gun shrink?"
Instead of answering, I reached to the pouch where I had put the gun. Opening it I grabbed the handle.
"Brace." I warned. Pulling it out ,the gun extended the opening of the pouch. As soon as it was free the pouch closed up- good as new. The gun itself was big. A sniper rifle that should in no way fit in the phone sized pouch it had been given.
"It can shrink." Nikki squealed. She put the katana back down on the table beside the suit. She took the rifle from my hold. "Holy shit you got me a gun that can-"
"It can't shrink, dumbass." I scolded. "It's just- the pouch was designed to have the same effects as cartoon bags. The ones that should in no way be able to hold the amount of stuff inside. I figured with you, you'd need it."
"How fucking long have you been working on this?" Nikki asked. She held it up, practicing.
"Since I knew I'd have to bring you here too." I admitted. "So...couple decades."
Nikki nodded, beaming. "Awesome."
"Indeed."
"Shit!" Nikki fumbled the gun. I ducked to avoid being whacked by it. "What the fuck was that?"
"Watch where you point that!" I scolded.
"At ease, Ma'am. The safety is still on."
"Oh. Okay." I stood back up, brushing off the creases on my shirt.
Nikki was staring at the gun. "It just talked."
"Yep." I confirmed.
"...was that Lady Heather from CSI?"
"Two for two." I winked.
Nikki grinned. "You put a Domme's voice in my gun? Why? You already know I'm plenty kinky-"
"Ma'am wanted you to have proper training in me." The gun explained. There was a tiny purple light on the side, blinking on and off with the words. Nikki noticed the light, staring down at the gun. "Hello, Nikki Stevens. I am A.S.S.A.S.S.I.N."
Nikki squealed. "Sis you are the best." She looked down at the gun. "Assassin. It's fitting cause I was-"
"No. A.S.S.A.S.S.I.N. Anderson Shouldn't Solve All Situations Shooting Innocent Nobodies." The AI reported. "I am a training AI- created to teach Nikki Stevens how to properly fire her rifle. Also to be aware when the rifle is needed- as it is a sniper rifle, not suited for close contact. Distance kills are better suited. Lesson One Complete."
I snickered, ducking again to hide my face. Still I felt Nikki's glare.
"You gave me a talking gun with a shrinking pouch that defies physics to hide it in, and you managed to ruin it at the same time." Nikki deadpanned. "You're the worst."
That made me laugh. "Duh." I picked up the final bit of the suit- the important bit. It was a headset that would go beneath her hair- with an eyepiece over her eye. "This is important. It'll connect you to A.S.S.A.S.S.I.N. during missions. Can't be seen talking to yourself, that's my thing. She'll help you aim until you can do it without innocent casualties."
Nikki accepted the headband with a glare. "You could've just put this in a helmet."
"There's a better chance of you getting your powers without one." I excused, knowing full well that I was lying. "I got mine dying. Maybe that's how you'll get yours!"
"And I'm telling you, I need that helmet!"
"And I'm telling you, get a harder skull!" I scolded her.
Nikki groaned.
==NM2==
Tony Stark came to the basement as I got to fitting Nikki's suit to her body. We had packed away A.S.S.A.S.S.I.N. in her pouch, powering her down until she would be needed later. Nikki had stripped down- her idea, I said her clothes were fine enough for a fitting. She disagreed.
To his credit, he didn't blink at her. He focused more on me. I was busy trying to make sure Nikki's rocket boot didn't explode the second she put it on.
Which it wouldn't.
Nah.
No way would I give my sister a boot that could kill her at the wrong move.
Stupid suggestion, I don't know where some people get their ideas.
...like an explosion would kill her anyway.
"So. She's got a suit." Tony noted.
I didn't reply.
"It's awesome, right?" Nikki spoke to him. She could speak to who she wanted. Not like I would stop her- not when there was a small tiny insignificant chance I could blow up the basement if I didn't get this right. "Bullet and fireproof. And it's got a sword- do you see the sword?"
"Yeah, I see it." Tony wasn't looking at Nikki. He was still looking at me. "What's with the suit?"
"She wanted to help." I stated. "So I helped how I could."
Like you wouldn't let me do.
Tony accepted the underlying comment with a nod. "Did...you want to help me with this?" He motioned back toward the crate. "Whenever you're done with...that."
I hesitated in answering. The boot was nearly calibrated for her standing-weight. Nikki stayed silent as I thought it over.
Tony took the silence as an answer. He made to move towards the crate.
"Mind getting started without me?" I offered, voice low.
"Yeah." Tony answered. He gave me a smile- a genuine and thankful smile.
For the next hour, the two Starks worked. Tony would be unpacking the crate, pulling out the blueprints and old video reels. I calibrated the suit to Nikki- helped her test out the parts of the suit including flight. Tony and I would look over the data from the crate, searching for the mystery cure that Howard had unknowingly left behind.
All in silence. Relative silence, really. He had rock music playing overhead. Nikki appreciated it. I had no opinion on the matter.
Tony set up the video reel player before long. I had just finished her rocket boots. Nikki was taking off the suit- she had to learn to do it herself, she was a big girl who had plenty practice undressing herself. I set myself up in a rolling chair, looking over one of the notebooks and cross referencing it with one of my own.
As the reels went on, JARVIS turned off the music. Now the only thing to listen to was the sound of Howard Stark speaking. To cope, Tony had gotten himself a glass of scotch. I wasn't thirsty. Tony glanced to the notebook in his hands and the ones in front of me.
"Huh." He mumbled.
"What?" I asked, keeping my attention on this one equation that seemed to fit with what I had for the upgrade. Granted it was missing pieces but it was going the right way.
"You've got a lot of work in that." Looking up at him, Tony pointed back to the notebook. "How long have you been working on this?"
"How long have you had that in your chest?" I countered.
Tony was silent. He got the answer.
"Everything is achievable through technology. Better living, robust health." Video Howard spoke.
I held back a scoff. These videos were such bullshit. Yeah, they had a nice message. Would it really have killed Howard to give that message when he was alive? When Tony was growing up? To leave behind any nice memories for his son?
Howard Stark is a bastard.
"And for the first time in human history, the possibility of world peace. I'm Howard Stark, and everything you'll need for the future can be found right here." Video Howard introduced. The next clip was a blooper. "City of the Future? City of Tomorrow? City of-" It cut off.
"I'm Howard Stark and everything you'll need in the future can be found right here. So, from all of us at Stark Industries, I would like to personally- Tony, what are you doing back there? What is that?"
A smaller version of Tony. I cooed at the sight. Tony startled at hearing his name. The startle turned into something like disappointment to see himself being scolded by Howard Stark.
"He's a baby!" Nikki cooed as she walked to my side. She sat down, careful to avoid the various papers.
"I know."
"What happened? He was so cute!" Nikki chuckled.
I did too.
"Put that back. Put it back where you got it from. Where's your mother? Maria? Go on. Go, go, go, go." Video Howard scolded Little!Tony further. Honestly all the kid did was pick up a toy building from the display. Howard could always just put it back when Tony left. Geez, what a prick.
"All right, I think we got-"
"I'll- I'll- I'll come in and-"
I looked over to Tony. He was avidly looking down at Howard's notebook. He stopped at one page, finding the rest blank. He huffed, handing the notebook to me.
Accepting it, I glanced inside. "Thanks." I told him.
Tony accepted it with a vague hum.
"Are you waiting on me?"
"So, from all of us at Stark Industries, I'd like to personally show you my ass."
"Didn't Tony do that once?" Nikki asked.
"Sex-tape, different thing." I corrected.
"The video never got a shot of my ass." Tony added in.
Nikki whistled. "Dang. What did it get, then?"
"Don't ask him that." I scolded.
Nikki shrugged at me. She leaned forward to look around me. "Did it get a shot of your-"
"Don't ask him that either!"
"What can I ask him?"
"Nothing!" Tony chuckled at us. "Don't encourage this!"
"Tony."
The mirth silenced. All three of us looked to the screen. Howard was facing the camera, looking inside it the way a father was supposed to look at their child.
"You're too young to understand this right now, so I thought I would put it on film for you." Howard explained, so many years too late. "I built this for you. And someday you'll realise that it represents a whole lot more than just people's inventions. It represents my life's work. This is the key to the future. I'm limited by the technology of my time, but one day you'll figure this out. And when you do, you will change the world. What is and always will be my greatest creation is you."
Out of respect to him, I didn't look at Tony's face as the video ended. He deserved to have a private moment with his thoughts- with his past- with memories of a broken childhood.
"What a douche." Nikki mumbled.
"Sis." I hissed.
"What?" Nikki asked.
"Shut up." I stated.
"Why? You were thinking it too-"
"That doesn't mean you can say it-"
"You're not." Tony stated.
Nikki and I paused. We turned to Tony, who was still staring towards the screen. His eyes shimmered with water from the reflection.
"...come again?" I asked.
"You're not my greatest creation." Tony stated. Before I could even begin to unpack any of it he added "You created yourself. I barely had anything to do with you. You know, I never wanted to be like him. Ever. I hate him, for all of the screw-ups he did as a dad."
He glanced my way, quickly looking away as if the sight burned something in him.
"I made all the same mistakes." Tony went on. "Made all the same mistakes. I ignored you, never told you I loved you or even treated you like you were my kid. When I sent you off to boarding school I was relieved, you wanna know why? Cause I could listen to my music in peace."
I let him vent. There wasn't really a thing to do but let him get it out. Nikki sat closer to me, providing support in case I needed it.
"Didn't matter. The house was quiet." Tony admitted. "Really quiet. You have no idea how loud a kid you were."
Nikki snorted. I elbowed her. She let out a quiet hiss.
"But you were left in that silence." I mumbled. "It was a loud silence."
Tony nodded, unable to say anything more. He took a deep shaking breath. Clearly, he was on the verge of an Emotion. "I was a shit dad." He said after a long pause. "Still- you did a lot for me. More than I'd ever do for my old man."
"That stuff didn't matter." I admitted simply. It hadn't- not one bit. Even though it was all just backstory I had been given, I didn't let it stop me from helping Tony. Yeah it made me furious how he'd treated his kid but that stop me from doing what anyone else in my shoes would do. "You needed help."
That hadn't made the comments any easier. Tony took it in all the same. He reached for his drink, finishing it off.
Nikki tapped my arm. Looking back, she was signing. :You need to be alone?:
I shook my head.
Nikki nodded, staying at her self-imposed station.
Gulping, I turned to Tony. "Dad."
He looked at me from over his empty glass.
"You know...it would be hard without you." I admitted. Digging deep, I looked for more to say. More to say for what needed to be said now. "Life would've been hard without you. You...you were with me when I got these powers. I would've gone insane without you. You got me through a lot of that. Even when any normal person would've given me up for e-experiments and te-" I shuddered.
Nikki put her hand on my shoulder. She squeezed it tight. Message: I wasn't going anywhere without a fight.
Swallowing down the fear, I pushed on. "People aren't creations, they're not machines that are exact and made to perform perfect functions. They're imperfect, they get things wrong, they make mistakes and grow. I would've been insulted if you said I was your greatest creation."
Tony put his glass down. He stood up from his seat, joining Nikki and I on the floor.
"You're a better dad now then you were then." I encouraged him.
Tony gave me a thankful grin. A grin that was a moment's breath from letting tears out from his eyes. If my eyes were burning, I'd deny it to my dying day. He reached out to put his hand over Nikki's.
I let him without tensing up.
He squeezed too, pressing his thumb against the shoulder.
A long breath flew out of my mouth. It was full of hurt I hadn't known that I'd been carrying for awhile now.
My own hand reached out to his shoulder. I squeezed it too- giving him the same silent assurance. Tony let out the same breath I had. Beneath my hand, a tension faded.
We stayed like that for awhile, just the three of us sitting on the floor of the lab. We stayed that way long after the video reel finished.
==NM2==
AN: EMOTIONS! I HATE Emotions. I hate them so Author-damn much. They suck to write but- look at them. Bonding. Being...that. Happy? Was that the word I'm looking for? I hate it.
Okay- okay. Nikki's super suit now exists, along with her weapons! The gun was based on a gun a friend pointed out called Darci, I had to give it to her. It's a sniper rifle from Destiny 2. It came with an AI, so of course Nikki had to get A.S.S.A.S.S.I.N. (had to take it when I came up with the anagram, it's just too perfect). The material of her suit is just- well imagine Jack-Jack's fabric and you've got it. Like the fic explained, it's all lime green not the Incredibles colors.
Plus she's got a sword! I gave Nikki/Darcy every weapon she's ever wanted. What the fuck have I done.
For updates and shit, feel free to look at my instagram! Same username as here.
Thanks to metallicabanned for favoriting and following