Chapter 5: Meeting the Team
19th September 2002
Pepper was shocked. Her eyes were wide and her jaw slightly ajar. She had been like that for a good thirty minutes. Rhodey hadn't stopped laughing in that time either and quite frankly she couldn't blame him.
When Pepper first took the job, Felicity Weber, the former PA, had slammed a diary filled with Tony's (he was Tony to her now) appointments and personal details. The first thing she had found when looking through it was the simple note written in red ink by the billionaire himself:
"I am not available or am ever going to be available for any sorts of meetings, interviews or any form of contact during the month of September."
Pepper had filed it under one of his many quirks she had been reassured by Rhodey; he had told her about many of Tony's. But she followed the note's instructions and made sure Tony's Septembers were free. She never asked for a reason.
Until now, three years later. Pepper was proud to say that she was Tony Stark's longest running PA, but even she had a momentary lapse of judgment. MIT had been badgering her for Tony to inaugurate the new West Wing on 18th of September. The redhead had thought it wouldn't be that big of a deal.
"Just take October off," she had shrugged when he had yelled (he'd never really yelled before. Snarked? Yes. Snapped? Yes. Yelled? No). "There's nothing scheduled yet."
"I'm not…Pepper this isn't just some weekend away!" He looked disgruntled and his mood only darkened when he saw her raised eyebrow. She wasn't willing to back down, but neither was he. "You know what. Cancel the opening and whatever you had planned for this September you're coming with me!"
So this is how they got here. Sitting in London, in a living room, coffee in hand and watching Tony Stark play with his daughter on her birthday.
The six-year-old with unruly brown curls and bucked front teeth was sitting her father's lap fixing a classic radio. Only God knows where they had found it. Tony wasn't teaching her, she realised with a start when Hermione showed him where she wanted him to connect the new wires. Once he had connected the last wire, AC/DC was blasted through the speakers. This little buck-toothed cutie had fixed it with her father's help but her own supervision. She was his daughter- there was no doubt about that.
"You're the first you know," Dianna said, as she made herself comfortable, a cup of tea in hand smiling at Pepper with a gleam in her eye. Her fiancé Rodger sat down next to her.
"Excuse me?"
"You're the first person he brought into her life." She stated brushing her curls back. "Rhodey's her godfather and Obis' been covering for him so long. But you're the first he willingly brought in from outside." She made herself comfy in her fiancé's lap. Pepper looked over to Rhodey who had stopped laughing by now. The soldier nodded.
A warm, fuzzy feeling spread in her chest as she watched the two on the floor, giggling at something Tony had whispered in his little girl's ear. Their identical eyes sparkling brightly, as they muttered along to Hell's Bells.
…..
Hermione stood staring at the crowd of familiar strangers. The instinct to flee was causing her legs to tense and she was only kept in place by Pepper's soft hands on her shoulders. Hermione's one hand travelled to the miniature Arc reactor that hung around her neck. Taking a breath she focused herself, forcing herself to look at their faces.
Hermione didn't really know all that much about the Avengers and everything that she did was either from her Dad, the newspapers (Hermione didn't put much faith in that particular sauce) or some questionably obtained files from S.H.I.E.L.D ( she is her father's daughter and all that).
There was Natasha Romanov a.k.a Black Widow. A Red Room survivor, highly trained assassin. She was ranked third sexist's woman in some magazine or other; Hermione had heard from someone. She also pretty sure that Miss Romanov wouldn't particularly care for the title but wouldn't reject it either. Hermione respected that. What she didn't respect was her infiltration to Stark Industries and blackmailing of her father. But according to her dad, she had become close friends with Pepper. To say she had mixed feelings when it came to the spy was a drastic understatement.
Her closest friend former Agent Clint Barton a.k.a Hawk Eye was a different story. He had been compromised during Loki's attack on New York. He was deaf and wore hearing aids, something Hermione was sure only his former employers at S.H.I.E.L.D, Romanov and she knew about. He liked playing pranks according to her Dad, as well as hiding in awkward and high places. Never lied to them, though. Even Rhodey liked him.
Of course talking about people everyone liked, Dr Bruce Banner a.k.a the Hulk was probably on everyone's favourite list. The one Hermione knew the most about- all thanks to her Dad showing her the man's research on gamma radiation. Hermione distinctly remembered her Dad referring to him as his "Science's Bro" (something she still cringes about). But Pepper had said he was generally soft-spoken, kind and a distinct lack of self-worth. (She should probably look into the fact that most people she looked up to had this same problem.) To say Hermione was a little star struck at meeting the man was another understatement.
Speaking of being star struck, Hermione shifted her eyes to Thor. The god, the actual god of thunder. Not somebody pretending to be him, no. The real Thor. Apart from what she had read about Norse mythology she knew very little of the actual god that sat silently on one of the expensive leather chairs. Blue eyes she had been assured was like that of a friendly puppy's watched her with a glint in them that froze her to where she stood. All the carefree kindness that she had heard of was nowhere to be found.
Quickly, she looked away and was met with the one person Hermione had dreaded meeting- Steve Rogers a.k.a Captain bloody America. Hermione didn't know what to make of him. Well... what do you make of a man who was your almost grandfather? Who also saved your actual grandfather. Supposedly a god man according to both your beloved Nan and the grandfather you never meet and who neglected his son for the ghost of his friend (who happens to be your father). But for a man who according to himself hated bullies, bullied her father quite a lot on their first meeting. Something she had heard from Pepper, Rhodey and JARVIS all about. But here he stood, looking at her with a smile on his lips as if he knew her. Be it the Stark in her but Hermione didn't like that.
He was about to say something but was interrupted by her Dad who engulfed her in another warm hug. A warm feeling of safety had Hermione feeling, for the first time, that she was truly home.
The Avengers on the other hand were reeling. Tony- a father? No. Sure, he was the one who entertained the kids at the galas they were forced to attend. Showing them little gadgets and gizmos (JARVIS was a particular favourite) but he never spoke of wanting or in this case having kids. But here he stood, hugging a girl well into her teens and cradling her like she was the most precious thing in the world. A gesture they had only ever seen Tony extended to Pepper and if that still wasn't enough- the fact that the both of them had glowing blue ARC reactors was all prove they needed.
"You have a kid?" Clint final broke the silence.
"Mr Stark," JARVIS piped up before anyone could speak.
"JARVIS!" Hermione called out causing the group to jump. She had remained rather un-Stark-like quiet and her sudden outburst of happiness was surprising. "Nice to hear you again, buddy." The affection in the girl's voice was undeniable and Bruce, who had been watching the girls closely, found it hard not to smile at the same tone he recognised from her father. She had even petted Dum-E (a bot that the Avengers had mixed feelings about since the flambé incident) as she walked down the stairs.
"Miss Stark," JARVIS answered with the same amount of affection in his voice. (Yes, the Avengers were very impressed with Tony's ability to program personalities into his bots, even if he did insist they developed themselves), "I must say I am glad that you have returned. I have been calculating the likely hood of your safe return."
"Oh really? What did you come up with?"
"There was a twelve percent chance of you returning alive, to begin with, and been steadily decreasing every passing day."
Hermione let out a humourless laugh. "Yeah, well... it's always twelve percent, isn't it?"
"Indeed, Miss. Mr Stark and you do have the tendency to start at the low end." The AI's tone was slightly scolding but Hermione smiled brighter.
"Yeah, I missed you too, JARVIS."
"Thank you, Miss Stark. However, as I was saying, despite my enjoyment of Agent Barton's stating of the obvious," Clint scowled at the ceiling as the rest of the team sniggered (well...apart from Thor who was still glaring at Hermione). "Agent Coulson wishes to speak and is asking for permission to enter the penthouse with Mr Shacklebolt." Hermione gave Pepper a 'I-told-you-so-look'. "They are ready for the briefing. What would be the preferable course of action, Sir?" Tony was about to relate his usual reaction to debriefing requests, but it was Hermione who answered.
"Let him up, JARVIS. Might as well get it over with." She looked resigned for a moment before an idea flashed in her head. "But please make the lift go as slowly as possible and don't let Coulson get out of this. If I have to suffer through it, so does he."
"Yes, Miss."
The Avengers noticed Tony's smug smile that had a bit of fatherly pride in his usually flippant and calculating eyes. He patted her on the back, grinning at Pepper whose smile was strained. The moment was coming closer when both Tony and Rhodey would want blood and Pepper wasn't quite sure if Hermione could handle the yelling. Hermione may have been fooling the Avengers, but her mask did not fool Pepper or her father. Not to mention, if Tony actually agreed to letting the team in on the meeting.
"Well since you apparently call the shots around here now, why don't I introduce you to our new lodgers," Tony said with a wave towards them. All of them were now awkwardly staring at her with various amounts of interest.
"Let's see. Natashly." He waved the assassin closer who in return glared at him; apparently, Hermione wasn't the only one who refused to let go of the small things. Pepper and Rhodey rolled their eyes.
"Hermione, the Black Arachnid. Black Arachnid, Hermione." Hermione reached for the assassins hand with a Stark-worthy grin and shook it. It was that gesture that caught the Black Widow off guard. She had meet this girl before. Briefly and only in passing, just after the expo. At the time, the girl had been younger, her hair frizzier and buck-toothed. Natasha had pinned her down as one of Stark's minds of tomorrow kids to be given a tour of the facility. She had seen other children following Happy around, for the same purpose. Now she felt like she had the wool pulled over her eyes and couldn't believe that Stark managed to hide the child's existence.
"You're the super spy that broke in?" Hermione asked trying to squish her admiration before it came out in her voice. It didn't work but to her satisfaction, she could hear her own icy tone.
Caught off guard, (something the Avengers would have never seen before) Natasha merely nodded. That's when Clint stepped up, next to his oldest friend. A smirk playing on his lips.
"Clint Barton, Hawkeye." He stretched his hand out and she took it.
"Or you could call him Legolas, Bird Brain, Feathers or my new personal favourite- Katniss." Tony intervened, and Hermione had to stop herself from laughing.
"Watch it, Stark. I know my way around the vents."
"I control the system."
"Boys," came from both Pepper and Natasha (who had found her voice again). The two redheads looked mildly amused at their pet superheroes (Natasha's words). Both men deflated a little but that didn't stop Tony to continue onward.
"Bruce," He waved his favourite team member over with frantic gestures. When his new science bro stood in front of Hermione, the teen felt herself burst with excitement. She had to resist the need to bounce up and down, eyes sparkling as he gave her a warm smile.
"I'm-" began Bruce but she cut him off in excitement, not being able to contain herself any longer.
She started, "Doctor Bruce Banner. Your work on anti-electron collision is unparalleled. Not to mention new interest in thermonuclear astrophysics..." Hermione rattled on shaking his hand with much more enthusiasm than the last two. Bruce looked a little startled but smiled brightly at the girls clear awe. The friendly greetings weren't unwelcome, but they were still few and far in between. Even fewer were this unafraid of him. Well... actually the only person he had ever meet who greeted him this way was Tony and now his daughter. Laughing to himself, he thought it must have been an inherited trait. As was the intelligence, considering she had begun babbling about his work in excruciating details. Knowing and understanding everything by the little explanations and suggestions she was giving him.
Hermione was blushing a bit as she took a breath. "Sorry! I'm a big fan." She let go of hand as she realised she was still shaking it. Bruce laughed.
"I think, that was almost exactly the way your Dad introduced himself to me." The Doctor shared a look with Tony, not missing the look of pride in his friend's eyes. "All that's missing is the quip about the other guy." The most of the avengers laughed at the memory of the two geniuses first meeting.
"Tony!" Both Pepper and Rhodey called out in shock. Both having to be appeased by the other avengers.
Hermione, on the other hand, couldn't help but take notice of the little signs that were all too familiar to her. The way Dr Banner looked down and was slightly skittish, despite his laughing. The way he wore one side to big shirt in a way to attempt to hide himself or how he leant back just a little when somebody (other than her dad-surprisingly) came a bit to close. Everything about this man screamed Remus to her and it break her heart. Another good man who thought he was a monster. From the corner of her eyes, Hermione looked over to her Dad. "That made three." Hermione thought to herself.
"What was it again?" Bruce smirked.
"I'm a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into enormous green rage monster." Tony was just as nonchalant as he was the first time. A slight smirk on his face as he could see Steve even now grinding his teeth at the comment. His arm wrapped around Pepper who slapped his chest, pretending to scold him. For the first time in a long time, Tony felt relaxed- a feeling that immediately left him when Steve awkwardly came closer to introduce himself.
Steve had been watching the scene with bewilderment. Not being able to get his head around what he was seeing. Hermione, according to the date on the scan Tony still had projected in the room, was around 18 but if Steve hadn't known that he would have said she was a 16-year-old version of Peggy. The fact that she looked so much like Peggy, caused the soldiers heart to ache. Then she spouted out all that scientific knowledge he couldn't understand even the half of was another pang of pain went through him- this one more familiar. It was the same one that he got when looking at Tony, after he did something that was just so much like Howard. Not sure who she would be more like, the super soldier approached bit more cautiously leaving Thor behind as the only one who hadn't joined the group. He had his usual friendly and warm smile stepping in front of her. Steve noticed Tony's glare and was slightly surprised when Rhodey gave him a similar look. He usually got along well with the fellow soldier, as long as they avoided the topic that was the Colonel's best friend.
It was then when the girl's eyes snapped to him and, to his surprise, the warmth that was here when she talked to Bruce dimmed immediately. She took the tiniest step back as she asset him with her gaze. 'Peggy' was the first thing he thought.
"Captain." Her cold turn and her sharp nod took him by surprise.
"Steve," he corrected still smiling. She returned it this time, be it a little more cautious than he expected.
"How the hell did you keep this a secret Stark?" Clint finally asked. Tony turned his head to the other man.
"I'm Tony Stark," He said with a smirk, "I can do anything."
Rhodey snorted. "Except for being on time."
"Or remember important investors names," Pepper chimed in. Hermione let out a laugh and grasped his heart.
"You wound me, Pepper. Why do I need to remember their names? They know yours and mine and our success rate." He waved Peppers complaint, before turning to Rhodey, "And seriously, platypus? Seven years and you're still harping around on that? It was my plane!"
Before Rhodey could start now very familiar argument between the two could take off, Hermione cued in. "Yes, your plane not your airspace." Tony looked at Hermione, faked hurt crossing his face as he turned an accusatory look at Rhodey.
"How dare you turn my own offspring against me!" He draped himself over his friend as if begging him for something. "Why? I thought we were friends?" The bickering between the two begun anew and both Bruce and Steve though it may have been for Hermione's benefit as they caught her small smile that was steadily growing, whilst at the same time the tension in her shoulders decreased.
Thor, however still sitting on the couch, was watching Hermione through narrowed eyes. The Asgardian was very fond of the Man of Iron. He may have been rude and a little unconventional for a Midgardian hero. But he reminded him a lot of the Warrior Three and Thor never wished for his friends to get hurt. Now here stood a girl claiming to be his friend's daughter (well she hadn't exactly said much but she wears the face of Tony's daughter) but Thor couldn't believe this to be true, because he could feel it. The magic that was surrounding her was so strong and chaotic, it sent warning signals off in his head. Not wanting to act rash, he waited to see if the enchantress would act out but seeing his friends relieved and clear love for the girl she was imitating made the god antsy. He didn't want his friends heart being broken when he found out this wasn't his daughter and was, in fact, still missing or worse.
So he made the decision. Grabbing Mjolnir Thor marched towards the imposter. He locked eyes with her when he was inches away and swung.
Seeing the god marching towards her, Hermione's heart began beating fast and she slipped Bellatrix's wand out of her pocket as discreetly as possible. The blue eyes that were locked on her were narrowed and she could practically feel the hatred radiating towards her. When she saw the legendary hammer coming her way, her instincts kicked in.
With a flick of her wrist, she sent the god flying across the room. Briefly, she could see the familiar gold and red flash at her side, she ignored it along with the gasps of shocked of the Avengers. Somebody had screamed. Probably Pepper but Hermione didn't have time to reassure her. The god was already back on his feet- the initial shock of impact completely gone. He raised his hammer but Hermione was faster. Without uttering a word, she had the blond pinned to the wall and hammer dropped to the floor.
Shaking, Hermione could tell that somebody was talking to her but she couldn't make out who it was. Her own hyperventilation was blocking out anything coherent. Until a clear and familiar voice came from the lift.
"Put the god down, Hermione."
…
19th September, 1996
Tony had never felt so nervous in his life. Heart hammering as he paced, he was waiting for a word from the nurse that would allow them to see his oldest friend. He wasn't the only one. John and Rhodey were standing ridged (something they picked up after joining the military) they were tapping their feet in a rhythm which drove the young business man nuts. Martin was leaning on his crutch refusing to sit despite male nurses harassing him about it.
All the older man had to say to that was "I was an agent with this crutch, I can god damn stand with it for a couple of minutes." The nurses, unhappily, proceeded to leave the man alone however they did shoot the group some unpleasant looks. Particularly, when Jarvis came back from the trip from the coffee machine with rather disgruntled Obadiah Stane.
"Obi," Tony breathed with relief. "You came."
The bold man shrugged. "It was insisted upon." He said giving Edwin Jarvis a look of faked fondness. The old butler, on the other hand, smiled brightly placed a hand on Tony's shoulder. Anna mirroring his action with her fragile hand to his left smiling at the boy she loved like a son.
"We thought it would be nice if he meets the future of the Stark Legacy," Jarvis smirked at the youngest man in the room. "We're all excited to meet him or her." Anna nodded.
"Finally, somebody who can keep you on your toes." She hugged him with a bright smile. Tony smiled. Yes, somebody to keep him n his toes. It sounded quite nice. But he'd have to be in his kid's life to make it so. Suddenly, he was filled with all the fear of a first time father. What if he was a bad father? What if he was never around like his own dad? He panicked, trying not to curse his past self for bringing that peach snaps to the party (note to self: never bring a drink that sounds innocent. It's a devil in disguise.)
Finally, the nurse came into the waiting room.
"Diana Granger's family?" The all turned round, eager for news. "You may see her now." She smiled before looking eyes with Tony. "You're the father." He nodded. "Congratulations, it's a girl."