It was new years eve and Tony was busy in the lab, goggles on his forehead, making some of his dark bangs hang over the large lenses. He sighed, taking a sip of whiskey from his tumbler glass, looking over his shoulder as he heard the now, repaired door open. It was Kim who was walking over to him with coffee and breakfast. "Hey sweetie.. hows work going?" He smiled, placing the tumbler down. "Breakfast in the lab?" She smiled, placing it by him. "Well even even Iron Man needs his food." "Coffee isnt food." He chuckled, kissing her. She kissed before pulling away with a face. "Tony, have you been drinking?" He shrugged. "A little." He had a half empty bottle of Jack under his desk. She gave him a worried look. "It's noon Tony. You realize that?" He smiled, kissing her cheek. "It's five'o'clock somewhere angel." She rolled her eyes. "Just try to slow it down. I'd like it if you were sober enough for tonight."
Tony smiled. "I promise I will." He started to sit back down, starting to eat his scrambled eggs and toast. "So wheres the princess? I haven't seen her come down here yet." Kim smiled, crossing her arms. "Thats because shes eating breakfast and going over diagrams for her suit." She frowned softly. "Tony, I don't want her to have a suit." Tony sighed. "I know but what can we do? Any move we'd make to stop it, she'd find a way to go around us not to mention she'd probably hate us for stiffing her intellect." Kim frowned. "Work with her I suppose?" "It's all we can do." She still frowned at the thought. Tony put his plate to the side, walking over to her, holding her close. "Hey, she'll be, fine, I promise. She's a stark, remember? We got nine lives." His smiled weakened. He smelled Clint's cologne on her again. His heart sunk. The evidence kept piling up but he didn't have the heart to stop her. He wanted whatever made her happy. Wither it's him or not.
Kim smiled. "I guess your right. I'm gonna go check on her. You be careful down here. No blowing anything up." She started to walk away. He smiled, yelling to her as she walked up the stairs. "But that's the best part!"
She shook her head with a smile as she walked up the stairs, going to the living room, seeing Quinn on the floor, writing away on her papers and going over various equations. Kim often forgot just how smart and young her daughter was. She was one year and already able to talk, walk and divide by zero. It was just her, Tony and Clint. Katie was spending the day over Steve's place. Suddenly JARVIS spoke up. "Mam, someone has arrived at the door. It seems it is the new security guard." She raised an eyebrow. "security? I don't think we put in for one." "I believe has spoken with Director Fury." Before she could speak Clint cut her off who stood in front of her suddenly. "Here,I got it. I want to make sure it isn't anyone dangerous." She smiled weakly, rolling her eyes. "Yes, because the bad guys always ring the doorbell. I'm gonna go make the new guy coffee."
Clint nodded with a smile before it fell, looking slightly panicked. His brother wasn't suppose to start for another two weeks. As far as he knew. He opened the door and sighed, seeing his brother, duffel bag over his shoulder. "What are you doing here so soon?" Gage gave him a raised eyebrow. "Nice to see you to brother." Clint gave him a look before yanking him inside gently. It was freezing in New York this time of year. Clint spoke to Gage in a lowered voice. "You weren't suppose to be here for another two weeks." "Well I got antsy and wanted work." Clint gave him a raised eyebrow. His brother budged under the stare. "Alright, Fury wanted me off the Ship and doing "real work." So I kinda got kicked out." Clint's face softened. He knew that feeling.
"Alright. JARVIS, probably already alerted Tony so he'll probably give you some sort of job interview and whatnot." Gage let out an amused sound at that. "And me without my suit and tie." Clint rolled his eyes but smiled. "Just get in the kitchen. The Misses is making you coffee." Gage nodded, walking past the living room. He smiled, seeing Quinn in the living room with what looked like sheets of paper around her and a mixture of crayons and pens. He thought she was adorable as he walked in the kitchen. There he saw an adorable red head in a knee high dress, making a pot of coffee. He assumed it was . Clint spoke up. "Uh Kim? The new guy is here." She turned, saw Gage, smiled. "Oh Hello. I'm Kim. Tony's wife. Well, son-to-be wife." He smiled, holding his hand out. "Gage. Gage Smith mam." She smiled, shaking his hand. "It's nice to meet you."
"But you got to go." Tony said as he walked into the kitchen. They all looked confused and taken aback by it. Clint was the first to speak up. "Excuse me?" Tony sighed, walking in. Oil stains on him, dirty rag hanging out of his even more dirty, oil stained jeans. "I'm sorry, that came out bad but I'm not looking for another bodyguard. I'm sorry if fury sent you here to get your time wasted." Gage was speechless for a moment but recovered, walking closer. " , please, I really could use this job. Without it, I have nothing." Tony looked at him, face softer. "Talk to Fury. I'm sure he can get you a job-" "That will get me killed. Look, I'm looking for something away from that. Something more down to earth. If you could just give me a chance." Tony sighed, signaling for him to walk into the other room with him.
Gage swallowed, looking to Clint who looked between helpless to his brother and furious. He should have known Tony was this distrustful. Tony and Gage walked into the hallway adjacent to the living room. Quinn busy with her equations. Tony continued. " Look, I'm really sorry but we kinda had a bad experience with a recent bodyguard and until I feel comfortable enough to hire another one-" "Then I could be a security guard. A standard 9-5, I could live in a apartment down the street." Tony ran a hand thru his hair before stopping on his chin. "mmm That's not a bad idea. Can you give me a half hour to clean up, I'll give you a proper interview." Gage smiled. "Yes, that's fine. I'll just be in the living room." Tony smiled. "Alright. I'll be back." Tony went to the kitchen. "Clint, can you watch him. I'm gonna freshen up and give him a proper interview but he's gonna be waiting in the living room and I don't want him alone with Quinn." Clint nodded, relived Tony finally came around. "Sure thing."
Gage went in hesitantly, sitting on the couch, duffel bag placed down gently at his feet before his eyes looked over curiously to Quinn who was still busy writing away. He couldn't see what was on the papers. He saw Clint come in, sitting across from him in a recliner. Gage signaled to Clint, speaking quietly. "His daughter?" Clint smiled. "Yep." He spoke up. "Quinn.." She looked up at Clint then saw Gage, looking shy. Clint continued. "Don't be a rude princess. Why don't you introduce yourself?" Quinn blushed, standing and going into the kitchen. Clint chuckled. "Shes shy around new people. As distrusting as her father but trust me, you'll grow on her." Gage smiled weakly, breathing out. "I sure hope so. What is she, about four?" "One." Gage's eyes bugged. "What? No way." "Yes way. He made some sort of health drink for her but it made her grow way faster then normal. Shes been weaned off it since then thou." "Damn." Gage looked around the living room. It was somewhat neat with the exception of Quinn's papers. A few hung pictures of Tony and Kim and Quinn.. Christmas tree was still up, he smiled weakly at it. He had rarely seen a Christmas tree. The only ones he really saw were in windows of other neighbors walking home from school or in the school he went to.
Moments later Tony came back down, crisp button down shirt and nice pants, hair brushed. Tony smiled to him. "Thanks Clint. I got it from here." Clint nodded, walking into the kitchen as Tony took his place across from Gage. "So, tell me about yourself." He sighed. "Well what do you want to know?" Tony smiled. "First lets start with your name and birthday." He smiled weakly. "My name is Gage smith and my birthday's July 10th 1987." Tony looked a bit surprised. "your 25?" "Yep."
Tony nodded. "Younger then I thought. Most who come looking for a security job are much older. I'm not saying you look old, you really don't, if you were just on the street I could mistake you for 18." Gage chuckled. "It's fine, I understand."
Tony sighed with a smile. "What kinda of experience do you have? Fighting and such." Gage sighed. "Well, a lot. I've been in or involved with the military since I was in diapers. I have relatives who are high ranking officers." " So you have fighting and combat experience? A lot of it from what I'm hearing." Gage couldn't help the proud smile. "Oh yes. Hand to hand and swords are my specialty." Tony smiled, nodding, listening. " Now this may be a weird question but how are you with kids?" Gage raised an eyebrow and Tony continued. "Because this job isn't just protecting my name and family. I have a one year old daughter and an adopted 16 year old daughter. Wither I make you a live in body guard or just a security guard, your gonna come in contact with them at some point and I need to know that you can handle them, that your friendly and so on."
Gage sighed. "Well I've never been around little kids, wait, I have but not in this sort of setting. I was mostly rescuing them." or giving them a mercy kill. He thought darkly. He shook his head gently, shaking away the dark thoughts of his last mission. This was a new start. He continued. "I can't promise I'll be super nanny or some crap like that but I won't hurt them or make them cry if that's what your asking. I'd treat them as if they were my own." Tony seemed taken aback by the comment. Everything about this kid was so genuine, it kinda scared Tony. He sighed. "Well that's the interview I suppose. I have a good feeling but for the time being I think I'll make you a security guard. For now. That means you won't be living here, you'll just be here for a set amount of hours and patrol the tower. The whole Tower. Not just the living area. Now, do you have a place, money to get a place?" Gage smiled. "No, but I can get one. I have enough." Tony nodded, standing. "Good. Hope to see you are around." Gage smiled, holding his hand out. "Thank you , really. You have no idea how much this means to me." Tony smiled, shaking his hand. "Of corse. How about everyday you come in, 10-6, I'l let the others know you'll be starting tomorrow."
Gage nodded, getting his duffel bag, putting it over his shoulder. "Perfect, thank you." Tony nodded. "No problem. I still have work to do in the lab, Clint will see you out." Gage nodded. He was trying hard not to smile to himself. Once Tony had walked away, he spoke to Clint, Clint walked over to Gage with a smile of his own, leading him to the door. "Smooth bro. How did you get him to change his mind?" Gage smirked weakly to him. "What do you mean? It was just my natural charm." Clint playfully punched him. "More like a lack of. Charm." Gage rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure." He sighed. "Guess I'll see you around then. I got apartment hunting to do." Clint chuckled. "Good luck." Gage nodded before patting Clint's shoulder then leaving out the door as Clint closed it behind him.
Tony was sipping coffee in the kitchen, he saw Quinn in Kim's lap, he frowned softly, walking over to them, hand on Quinn's head. "She ok?" Kim smiled, holding Quinn who was curled on her lap. "Yeah, she just gets so shy around new people. By the way, who was he? Did you put in for another bodyguard?" Tony shook his head. "No, fury must have sent him." Kim nodded then spoke to Quinn. 'Sweetie, he's gone. It's ok." Tony chuckled as Quinn poked her head out of her mothers elbow. "you know princess, he was really nice, you should have introduced yourself." Quinn pouted. "No."
Tony chuckled, picked her up, kissing her head before leaning, kissing Kim sweetly. She smiled into the kiss. Clint had walked into the entry way and had to keep himself from punching Tony then and there. How could he be so furious yet so heart broken. Before there kiss ended he walked away. He needed a few rounds in the gym.
AN: let me know what you think :)