Chapter 4 - Past

Anna at 17, Tony at 27

"Annalise! Go to your room, you brat!" Tony slurred, too drunk to care about hurting his sister's hurt face.

"You're not the only one that lost them, Tony!" Anna screamed at her brother.

"Yea, well, I'm sure that wherever they are, they are glad that they don't have to see your stupid face again… Did you honestly think that you were smart enough to get into Harvard by yourself? No, Dad paid them to do so, and then continued to do so all throughout your college career, making sure to pay off your professors so that you'll get flying colors in the classes. Now, do as your told and leave like the boring, dumb woman that you are!" Tony ordered. He felt a pang of regret break through his alcohol fuzzed brain but his attention was quickly caught again by the woman that had been peppering his neck with hickeys.

"Fine." Anna whispered, Tony didn't even notice, to absorbed in his newest bed warmer to pay attention to her. He had been acting like this a lot, ever since he had come home from MIT at 15. He would always belittle her, telling her she wasn't smart enough to be a Stark, but she couldn't blame him though. He was just doing what Howard did to him, but sometimes, and those were the best times, she would see glimpses of the older brother he had been before he had gone to MIT. The sweet, loving, overprotective brother that would protect her with his dying breath.

But the mental abuse that Tony did to Anna had finally taken its toll, as he had pushed her too far tonight. Tomorrow was her eighteenth birthday, two days ago her parents had been killed in a car accident and Tony had been brutal with his words. She couldn't take it anymore. She grabbed a large duffle bag, through in several changes of clothes, shoes, underwear, a couple hoodies and socks, as well as some snacks that she had had stashed around her room when she was just too lazy to go to the kitchen. She also took out the present her godmother had given her for her sixteenth birthday: a 5 MM Glock and an extra mag of bullets, giving her ten to work with if she needed it. She also took out all of the cash that she had been saving and hid it in the false bottom of the bag. She put her phone on her desk grabbed , grabbed a hair tie, throwing her hair into a ponytail, and then tossed her bag out her window and onto the grass below.

But not before writing a note to Tony if - no when - he came looking for her whenever he became sober. Taking one last look over her shoulder at her bedroom, the home that she had had for almost 18 years, Anna felt sorrow strike her heart at leaving Tony like this, but she had no choice. She couldn't take it anymore.

"Goodbye, brother." Anna whispered. And jumped.

linebreak

The next morning, Tony woke with the worst hangover he had ever had since the first time he had started drinking at 15. The woman - he couldn't remember her name - that he had been with the previous night was past out on the other side of his bed. Tony sighed and jumped into the shower and got dressed before heading to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee and to grab some Asprin.

Before he could he even take the first drink of bitterness, he felt a large draft of cold air go through him. Puzzled, he followed where he could feel the draft and realized that it was coming from Anna's open bedroom door.

As soon as he saw her door, Tony's memories from the night before, especialy his words towards Anna replayed in his mind. As Tony came into the room, he saw that it was empty. Moving towards the window, he shut it and turned to face the room to see if there was a clue on what Anna did, or where she was going. Because he knew that nobody had kidnapped her, their mother had had Anna trained in some Japanese fighting techniques so she knew how to defend herself quite well.

It wasn't until Tony found the note, sitting innocently beside her phone, that Tony began to realize that Anna leaving, Anna running away wsa his fault. He was also the reason that their relationship, if they ever saw each other again was almost nonexistent.

He began to read the note, the most precious thing to him at the moment.

Tony,

It looks like you've got your wish… You wanted me to leave, I'm gone… And I am never coming back. I am done with the way you treat me. I've had to deal with it for 18 years from Dad, I had hoped over the years that since you knew how Dad treated you that you wouldn't do it towards me… But I guess what they say is true, huh? Like Father, Like Son… I've rarely asked you for anything, Tony, but I am asking you this: don't look for me. I am on my way to find a real family, a family that will love me unconditionally, a family that will comfort one another when tragedy strikes… I love you, Tony, I always will, but I've gotta go my own way.

Love ya,

Anna Maria Stark

Co-Heir to Stark Industries

She was gone. His little sister was gone. But she was still alive, and she would be alive for along time. It was a proven fact that very little things on Earth could destroy the awesomeness of a Stark. So he would wait, watch, respect her wishes, and when - not if but when - she wanted to come home, he would welcome her with open arms, and no drinking. After today, he was cutting alcohol from his palette and was ready to carry the weight of the world for Anna if that was what she wanted.

He would get her back. It was just going to take a little to get her to trust him and love him like she should have from the beginning. Tony was her older brother, he had better start acting like it, Tony thought to himself.

"Welcome, Privates, to your first day of boot camp…"

Anna couldn't help but let a smile cross her face. Today was the day.