He didn't know I even existed. I didn't even know he was my father until my mother was on her deathbed. I had no intention on ever coming out about it- I mean who would even believe me? No one, that's who. They would all look at me like I was crazy when the words, "Tony Stark is my father." slipped through my lips.
Or so I thought, but as my social worker drug me up to Stark Tower by the arm, me fighting against her, begging her not to do this, I realized it apparently wasn't so crazy when all they had to do to see if I was lying was a simple blood test. Security stopped her before we even got to the elevator.
"Ma'am, what is going on here." One security guard asked.
"I am with social services, I need to see Tony Stark, immediately. I have tried numerous times to get in touch with him via phone and email." Mrs. Hartworth, my social worker, the meanest, grouchy social worker there ever was, snapped in the guards face.
"And what exactly does social services want with Tony Stark?" Nick Fury's voice caught me off guard, probably Mrs. Hartworth too, but she would never let it show.
"I can't divulge that information to you." She snapped again.
He raised his brow and turned his eyes- uh- eye- onto me. "If something happened that resulted in the death of her parents, Tony gives his deepest apologies, but it has been proven time and time again, that we are not at fault for any deaths thus far." His voice was softer, but it was still firm.
She gave him a snarky crooked smile, you know the kind- the bitchy kind- before turning her nose up, "If you do not take us to Tony Stark this instant, you will be held in contempt of court, I can assure you that."
He sighed and rubbed his face with his hand, "Whatever this is about ma'am, if Tony forgot something, or promised something and it didn't come through, we can work it out."
"Take us to him. Now." Her voice was so sharp even I cringed at it. Nick Fury listened this time, escorting us into the elevator. "We really don't have to do this Mrs. Hartworth." I whispered. She scoffed, "Oh yes, we do."
My latest stunt apparently really ticked her off. Something about superglue on a toilet seat, and hacking into the camera system at the girls home really set her off. She was done with me. I was looking at juvy if Mr. Stark didn't take responsibility for me, even though, I somewhat thought she may just leave me there even if he refused. The elevator dinged and the doors opened. Nick Fury took us to a conference room with glass doors and walls, part of Avengers team was there. "Tony, social services is here for you." Nick said as he opened the door.
"I don't have time for this." Tony said, he wore his sunglasses in the room as he demonstrated something, his hair a mess, and his voice short, every word was clipped and full of annoyance.
"Oh, I suggest you make time." Mrs. Hartworth snapped.
Tony rolled his eyes at her, "Alright, just spit it out then so we can work this out."
She pulled a tape recorder out of her purse, flipping it on, "Just to confirm, you are giving me permission to discuss the personal and legal matters at hand with everyone in the room still here?"
"Jesus, yes! Whatever you say to me they will know anyhow. Just get on with it." He snapped at her.
An ugly grin slithered across her face again, and she reach her bony hands back around my arm and drug me the rest of the way in the room with her. She took her folder out, licking her fingers and pulling out the first page. "Mr. Stark, this is Ruby. Ruby's mother died nearly 3 years ago from Glanders, although she had made it to the united states from Brazil when she started showing major symptoms, despite doctors best efforts she could not overcome it. Her name was Sophia Silva, does that name sound at all familiar to you, Mr. Stark?"
"No, it doesn't sound at all familiar, in fact I am not sure what this has to do with me at all." He snapped. He didn't remember my mother?
"Well, then allow me to just cut right to the chase. You see-" Mrs. Hartworth began, but I quickly cut in, "What do you mean her name doesn't sound familiar?" I snapped, stepping closer to him, "Because of you she was shunned from her village, even her own family turned away from her! She told me of your love, you said you loved her, that is something she clung to! She gave me everything she could, she starved so I wouldn't, she was poor and begged on the streets because of you, and you can't even remember her name?!"
"Whoa kid, I don't know what you're even talking about."
"Mr. Stark, Ruby is your daughter. We have DNA tests to prove it."
Tony's face turned as white as a sheet of paper as she handed him the paper and he quickly read it. "There has got to be a mistake, she cannot be my daughter." He said, his voice hoarse.
"No mistake, Mr. Stark," I cut back in, "I have been tested 3 times. Not that I needed it to be sure. My mom was no liar, she gave me your last name because she knew who my father was." I turned back to Mrs. Hartworth, "Just take me to juvy, Mrs. Hartworth."
"Whoa, whoa, juvy?" Bruce Banner said as he stood from his seat. "What kind of social worker are you?"
"The kind of social worker who has tried and tried with no success. So, either Mr. Stark can take her, or she will go to a juvenile detention center. She has been in a girls home since her mother died, we cannot deport her she is underage and no one knows of any family that would take her, and especially not now that we know she is really Mr. Stark's daughter. Social services will no longer home her."
"Tony, if she really is your daughter-" Clint, AKA Hawkeye, started, but Nick cut him off, "Tony is clearly in shock, I can tell because I have never seen him not talking while his eyes are open, so I speak for him when I say she can stay. If he changes his mind, he can give you a call."
"Well there is paperwork that needs to be filled out, and she has no things of her own except for the clothes on her back, which we can consider a gift from social services, she needs a room and whatnot-"
"We'll get that taken care of, won't we Tony." Nick said, but Tony was frozen, just staring at me.
"Alright, since you are a government entity of sorts, and we already have done a thorough background check on Tony, and the rest of you, I suppose this will work."
She handed them the folder, gave them a brief overview and then turned back to me, "I trust you know how to reach me if need be?" Her voice was sweet, caring almost, for the first time ever.
"Yes ma'am." I said.
"Good, you behave, I won't be there to keep you from jail now."
I nodded and turned to watch her walk out the door, then sucked in a deep breath and turned back to the room full of people staring at me.