REBEL OF THE BALL

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

"He's coming home, right? I mean — right now, right? Today?" Urania asked Pepper for the fifteenth time as she rocked on her heels back and forth.

Pepper rolled her eyes. "He will."

A few more minutes and —

"He's coming, isn't he?" She asked again.

The secretary sighed and rubbed her temples. "Um, yes. And I think it would be better if you could actually stand still, Nia. Otherwise, you'd tire yourself out if you keep moving around so much. God, you're making me nervous."

Urania whipped her head around and faced Pepper. "Is that why everyone's looking at me? Is it just because I can't stand like those guards from the gates we passed by earlier?"

Pepper blinked as Tony's daughter jerked a thumb behind her, indicating most of the American soldiers passing by their little group huddled on their landing area — the place wherein they say Tony's plane would arrive.

"People are staring at me." Nia added bluntly before she could speak up. "Is it because I'm a kid? Do they think I'm Tony's daughter or something? Because that would be bad. It'll probably create an issue. They're probably whispering behind our backs right now and they'll all be like 'what's that kid doing here? Is she Stark's?'. That would be really bad because I don't wanna give Tony a hard time and —"

"Okay — okay, stop." Pepper raised both of her hands. "Stop, all right?" She stepped forward, grabbed her boss' daughter by the shoulders and shook her. "Nia, you're freaking out. It's not like that, okay? You can't think of things like that. You're overreacting — you worry too much." And suddenly, her face softens and she smiles. "Just calm down. Your dad will be home soon."

" You know, it's kinda funny seeing you tell me to calm down when you're freaking out yourself, Pep." Urania flashed her a sly smile. "It's just my dad. Your boss. Or…is he someone else?"

Immediately, Pepper let her go and patted her already immaculate pants to hide her reddening face. "Don't be ridiculous."

Nia watched her for a few seconds, a goofy grin on her face. "I'll wait inside the car. It's too hot in here anyway. Won't you come with me?"

"I think it's better if I stay here, I think." The secretary said instead, knowing that she'll only be teased and laughed at if she stays in the car.

"Okay." Nia walked by the door and just as she was slipping in, she stopped and turned to Pepper. "By the way Pepper — thank you."

"For what?"

She smiled. "For everything."

And when Nia disappeared by the car, Pepper was smiling too.

Three months.

Tony was deemed missing for three whole months.

He hadn't really paid attention for how long he was stuck out there, but he knew it was beyond weeks. But seriously, once Rhodes had told him that, he was surprised to know he was gone for that long. Three months was worth of more than a dozen parties and public events he should have attended — how did that world cope without him?

"Everything okay, Mr. Stark? Do your injuries hurt?" The military doctor — a woman, of all people, asked again.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." Tony answered automatically and stood up.

She smiled knowingly. "I'm sorry if I seem to annoy you, sir. But I was tasked to make sure you're all right before we send you back home."

Home. Just one plane ride and he'll be back in California. Before, home seemed a million years away but now…

"Then you're doing a perfect job — and I guess I'll have to thank you." Tony replied good-naturedly. "I hope words are enough. Before, I would let you take a picture with me but under the circumstances...I'll run if I'll see another camera in sight."

The doctor blinked, clearly oblivious to the pun. "Are you traumatized, Mr. Stark? That's perfectly normal. You know, we could see if —"

"It was a joke." Tony found himself muttering but then grinning as he patted her by the shoulder. "But seriously, you did a good job though. Keep it up."

And he walked away as soon as he saw Rhodes by the camp entrance, all dressed in his military uniform.

"All set?" He asked him.

Tony nodded at his cast — though he hated to dress his arm in a sling, the pain was quite unbearable if he wouldn't wear one. "All set."

He grinned and hooked an arm around Tony's shoulder as he lead him into the plane. "Come on, she's waiting."

By that, Tony wondered who he had meant. But he managed to forget soon enough.

"You call this a plane?" Tony asked hours later, when their so-called 'plane' was still in the air.

Rhodes shook his head in disbelief. "What can I say? Most of the jets can't make it."

"I'm —"

"Tony Stark and you own prototypes that are better than this. Yeah, I know."

Tony looked at him, feigning hurt. "Ouch. I was about to say that I'm eternally grateful."

His friend just raised an eyebrow but he was grinning. "Oh yeah? Does this means the time you spent back there made you see things in different perspective?"

"It did, Rhodey. It actually, did."

Then the duo began to lapse in silence. Though the dead air might seem awkward, surprisingly, it wasn't. Instead, Tony found it peaceful and soothing.

"Hey." Rhodes said again and sat beside him.

"Hey." He replied back, gazing at the clouds floating by their plane.

"The whole world has been quiet without you, you know." His friend commented, smiling a bit.

Tony didn't meet his eyes. "You make me sound like I'm the life of every party."

"You are the life of every party."

"So I guess I'm that good-looking, huh? Makes me one in a million."

"Tony Stark is one in a million. But I bet you already know that."

Silence again.

"So I met her." Rhodes leaned back and faced Tony with a wry smile.

"Huh." Was all he could say.

"She's a nice girl."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Who? The blonde? Or the brunette? Sorry — that was three months ago I can't even —"

"I meant your daughter, Tony." Rhodes said grimly, disbelief crossing his features.

"Oh. Right." Tony cleared his throat. "I knew that." Well, he had meant the airplane hostesses on the plane ride before they landed back in Afghanistan. Rhodes was drinking that time, maybe he couldn't remember a thing.

The billionaire continued back to his calming hobby — which was now staring at things that doesn't even require looking at. But something snapped inside his mind as he swiveled around, a look of surprise imminent on his face.

"Wait." Tony found himself saying. "You met her?"

"I just said that, didn't I?"

"Her, her?"

"Urania. That's her name, right?"

For once, Tony was rendered speechless. Rhodes raised an eyebrow at his friend's reaction and laughed out loud.

"Well, it seems we got a lot to talk about, right?"

God, the plane's here.

"God, he's here." Pepper found herself saying before she could even think. "He's here. Tony's here." She whipped her head back and was about to say that to Nia when she suddenly remembered she was in the car.

Oh. Right.

Happy, who was standing right behind her, only managed to raise his eyebrow at the secretary's reaction.

Both of Tony's closest staffs watched as the US Air Force's plane landed on the freeway, their heart thumping, beating hard. For three months, their boss had been gone — almost deemed dead. And now, they still couldn't believe that he's back.

Pepper held her breath as the plane lowered the gigantic gate, revealing that familiar dark-haired man she worked for — even until now. Though one of his arms were tied in a sling, he looked fine — perfectly healthy, if not for the many cuts and bruises that patterned his skin. Somehow, Pepper found herself breathing out a sigh of relief. Thank God, he's fine.

Thank God he's here.

Pepper chest felt tight as different emotions begin to rise upward. She couldn't even understand what she was feeling right now — relieved, overjoyed, anxious — it was hard to tell. She didn't know, if it was because she felt so confused by her wide array of emotions that fresh tears begin to spring out of her eyes, or if it was for some other reason. But it was all the same, she tried hard not to let them fall.

Tony was only her boss, but why was it —

The strawberry blonde woman only shook her head and pushed the thought deep in the back of her mind. It doesn't matter. She was only working for him after all.

Tony Stark is home.

With that, he should feel happy — overjoyed and ecstatic, even. He should have that familiar tug on his chest — the kind of feeling that made him want to kiss the California ground. He should have been laughing, or at least smiling. But he isn't. He couldn't.

Because he felt so hollow and tired and worn-out. Not just by physical means — but as well as the inside.

His eyes cut across the area and he immediately spotted Pepper and Happy standing by his car. Both were wearing somber expressions and yet couldn't keep their eyes away from the sight of him. Him as in Tony Stark, arm in a sling, seating on a wheelchair like some dreaded invalid. Tony wondered what they were thinking about and as if to prove he's fine, he stood up — too sudden — and it only resulted with Rhodes helping him down the plane.

As Tony walked towards where his closest employees stood, he finally realized that one of them was missing. Not an employee. His daughter. Urania. Is she still angry? Too angry that she couldn't even come and meet him?

"Watch it, coming up here." Rhodes words cut his thoughts short as they descended down the steps. Tony's eyes narrowed when he spotted a stretcher waiting for him.

"Are you kidding me with this?" He complained to Rhodes. "Get rid of them."

He slowly approached his secretary, whose eyes were curiously red and puffy. Pepper shot him a shaky smile that obviously looked relieved and happy. Inside, Tony felt his spirit soar a bit, to be honest. Seeing them all right and well.

Tony looked at her pointedly. "Hm. Your eyes are red. A few tears for your long-lost boss?"

"Tears of joy." She answered back, but smiling all the same. "I hate job hunting."

"Yeah, vacation's over." He turned to Rhodes, who was standing behind quietly behind him. "Thanks Rhodes. I think I can handle myself from here. No need to act like my mommy."

Rhodes grinned and shook his head ruefully, letting the teasing pass because he knew how much he missed it. "You're welcome, anyway."

"Welcome back, Sir." Happy said as a form of greeting, escorting him towards the car. "She's waiting inside."

For some reason, Tony found himself swallowing. "Right. Thank you Happy."

And when the car door opened, his eyes directly saw her daughter's figure. Urania, clad in a gray shirt and jeans, was sitting inside, her arms crossed and looked a bit indifferent.

"Hi." Tony managed to say as he sat beside her.

"Hi." Urania — er, Nia, greeted back, though her eyes were avoiding his.

Was it just him or she seemed a bit taller?

"So…" Tony studied his sleeve. "How are things?"

Akward. That was it. The air around both of them seems tense, realizing how difficult their situation was when he last left the mansion.

"Fine, fine." She answered, her voice an octave higher, and her ways too polite than normal, Tony noticed. Yep, she was feeling awkward. "Everything's okay, I guess."

Silence, then again. He could feel her shifting uneasily against the car seat.

Tony gave his daughter a once-over and finally noticed the colors in her hair. "Oh. You uh, colored your hair."

And the Most Obvious Statement prize award goes to…

Nia shrugged. "I colored it the last time I saw you."

Tony wanted to scream, to jump or to run away. Things were getting too uncomfortable. Both of them were not looking at each other and there were a lot of dead air hanging around them. He looked around the car, his secretary and his driver were still not there. What's taking them so long? As of now, he needs saving.

"I'm sorry."

Tony turned around and for once, their eyes met — brown and gray. "What?"

"I'm sorry, okay?" Urania blurted out, looking harassed. "I'm sorry for shouting at you. I'm sorry for walking out. I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry."

It took Tony a minute or two to process everything. It was that unbelievable.

"Why…are you telling me all of this now?"

She bit her lip. "Because I promised that I wouldn't give you a hard time."

"Promised who?"

"Myself."

A pause. Then —

"You know what?" He found himself saying slowly. "Let's just forget about what happened back then, okay?"

She looked at him for a moment before saying "Are you sure? You're not gonna lecture me like most dads do?"

"For God's sake that was three months ago. Let's just pretend it never happened. I was stupid for saying those stuff, anyway."

"You were. So, yeah. I'll forgive you too."

Tony suddenly grinned and patted her in the shoulder. "You haven't changed a bit, kid. It's good to see you."

Nia grinned back. "It's good to have you back too."

The slam of car doors interrupted the moment as Pepper slid in to Nia's other side, whereas Happy sat on the driver's seat.

"Okay." Happy said as soon as his fingers touched the wheel. "What have we missed?"

"Some great father-daughter moment Happy, in which you suddenly spoiled." Tony answered, half-serious and half-joking.

He raised both of his hands in surrender. "Did I? I'm sorry Sir, I didn't mean —"

"It was a joke, Happy." Nia said, sighing. "And it wasn't a father-daughter moment. I'm afraid we missed the part where there's tears and hugs."

"A father-daughter moment doesn't necessarily needs tears and hugs —"

"See Nia? I told you things would be back to normal once your dad's here." Pepper cut in, shooting Nia a knowing look.

"Where to, Sir?" Happy asked, looking at Tony through the rearview mirror.

Pepper leaned in. "Take us to the hospital, please, Happy."

"No."

Both eyes — Pepper's and Nia's turned to Tony.

"No?" His secretary repeated. "Tony you have to go to the hospital —"

"No is a complete answer."

"A doctor has to look at you—"

"I don't have to do anything."

Urania sat there, sandwiched between Pepper and Tony, her eyes flicking back and forth to the adults as they argue on their next destination. It was quite entertaining to watch them talk — almost like a tennis match, where you get to follow the ball's direction as it swings around, back and forth, across the court.

"I've been in captivity for three months." Tony said, his voice now clear of humor. "There are two things I want to do."

A pause. Urania and Pepper exchanged looks. This does sound serious.

"I want an American cheeseburger. And the other…"

"That's —" Pepper cut in, shaking her head. "Enough of that."

But Tony ignored her. "…is not what you think. I want you to call for a press conference now.

"Call for a press conference?" She repeated. He just came back from a kidnapping and now he wants to face the media? Suddenly, the secretary felt responsible for her boss' wellbeing.

"Yeah."

"What on earth for?"

"You like cheeseburgers, kiddo?" He turned to Nia.

Nia nodded fervently. She realized she haven't eaten because she was too nervous to meet him. Now, she was starving. "And pizza."

Her reply seemed enough since Tony nodded to Happy while ignoring Pepper's protests. "Hogan, drive. Cheeseburger first."

Once the Burger King paper bags (filled with junk food, of course) were safely nestled on both Nia and Tony's laps, the Rolls Royce drove towards the venue for her father's press conference.

"You're taking me with you?" Nia asked Tony through mouthfuls of bacon and burger. "Or should I stay in the car?"

Tony swallowed and said between another round of bites "What do you think?"

"Stay in the car." She answered as a matter-of-factly, sipping her soda.

"Wrong. You're coming with me. Pepper and Happy will be there so you'll be fine."

Nia sat up straighter and looked at Tony squarely. "What? Are you sure?"

"I need you to do something for me, kid. So yeah, you're with me."

"But…" Nia looked down uncertainly on her outfit. She was only wearing jeans, black sneakers and a shirt — definitely not an attire a distinguished man's daughter would wear to press conferences. That kind of event meant designer clothes and stiff, polite smiles. That kind of event meant cameras, videos that would later get flashed unto each of the citizens' TV screens, or photos that would be pasted on the Internet. Looking good was certainly a priority.

And Urania felt like she is definitely not an epitome of looking good — as of now, at least. Her face was smeared with a bit of ketchup from her food and crumbs were falling on her jeans. Her hair looked terribly messy since the wind blows so much back at the military base.

"I can't." She finally said, looking at Tony helplessly. "I'm not ready."

Tony snorted. "You're not some movie actress or a model, hon. You're my kid. They'll accept you for who you are so there's no need to look like a mannequin."

"Besides," Pepper added, handing her a brush and a packet of tissue. "You're already pretty, Nia. You just need to be neat."

Nia frowned at both of the adults' comments but took the stuff from Pepper, anyway. She was right though, she does have to look decent, at least.

But still…a press conference? How many reporters would be there? How man flashes of cameras will be sent their way? How many microphones would be thrusted through their faces? It was horrific, to imagine. What is Tony thinking right now? Does he just want her there to make sure she's safe?

Urania sighed and gave up on that thought. There's no point trying to wonder what's on Tony's mind right now. He's unpredictable, like that. She dragged the brush through her hair and focused on looking good instead, as Pepper ordered.

As the car slowly halted to a stop, the sight of Tony inside the vehicle was welcomed with rounds of applause from different people — dressed in corporate attires and looked bloody formal. Nia brushed away imaginary crumbs on her jeans, trying not to feel nervous.

More claps were heard as they stopped by the walkway, in which the door was opened by a large man wearing sunglasses — bald, with greying beard and a smiling face. He looked familiar. Funnily enough, Nia thought he resembled Santa Claus.

"Look at you!" His voice boomed as he looked down at Tony, who was wiping his face with a napkin.

Nia immediately went out of the vehicle in one fluid motion — in the direction opposite of Tony, just beside Pepper. She was thankful that people didn't notice her. Everything seems to be too overwhelming.

They chatted for a bit and she could see Tony being embraced by the man. Nia could feel her brain's gears working, trying to remember where she had seen this man. She was sure that he was close to her dad.

"Come on, Nia." Pepper said, ushering her to follow her father.

Nia shuffled, looking beyond and not everywhere — aware of the stares that her father had attracted. As Happy handed Tony the last bag of burger, the man finally noticed her.

"Who's this?" His voice was filled with mild curiosity.

Tony glanced at Nia as he fished out the burger. "She's —"

"Pepper's niece." Nia immediately interjected before she could even stop herself.

Tony shot her a questioning look and she merely shrugged. She felt like she couldn't let them know right now. Not now.

But the man seemed to deem Nia as unimportant because his attention turned to Tony once more. She exhaled loudly, realizing that her knees were shaking. Everything was too much — there was a lot of people around, clapping and whistling. It still wondered her of how much her father was so famous, so distinguished and well-known. With so many men in suits and women in blazers cheering for him.

And here she was, a fifteen year-old kid in jeans and a shirt. Nothing special.

Nia wiped her sweaty palms on her pants, aware that her heart was racing. As promised, she was always with Pepper — who placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and led her to an area where there aren't as many people. Together, both of them stood by and watched as Tony's name was yelled and clapped upon by hundreds of people gathered around, cameras being pointed at him, surrounded by guards.

"I…" Nia choked out. "I don't know how Tony managed to live through all of this."

Pepper looked at her worriedly, noticing how she seemed so pale and small against all of this suit-clad men. She rubbed her back soothingly. "He's used to it. Are you okay though? Do you want to go to the bathroom?"

Nia swallowed as if she's going to be sick but shook her head. "No, I'm fine. Thanks." But her stares were glassy and distant.

"Miss Potts?" A man's voice made both of them looked to their left. Another balding man, this time smaller and kinder-looking, was standing right beside Pepper.

"Yes?" Pepper answered. Oh so the perfect secretary.

"Can I speak to you for a moment?"

"I'm — I'm not part of the press conference, but it's about to begin right now." Pepper seemed confused. She thought he was a reporter.

Nia doesn't. The man looked far from a reporter. He was holding himself differently, for one thing.

"I'm not a reporter." The man pointed out, as if reading Nia's thoughts. I'm agent Phil Coulson, with the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division."

Nia's eyes widened. She couldn't believe her ears. Did he just say 'agent'?

It seems like the stranger doesn't seem to notice her so she shimmied just a bit to get closer to Pepper so that she can hear better.

She watched as he handed her a card. "That's quite a mouthful." She said as she took it.

The agent smiled. "I know. We're working on it."

"You know, we've been approached already by the DOD, the FBI, the CIA —"

"We're a separate division with a more specific focus." He replied. "We need to debrief Mr. Stark about the circumstances of his escape."

Pepper nodded. "I'll put something in the book, shall I?"

"Thank you."

And the man walked away.

"That's it?" Nia found herself whispering. "That was it? Interview my dad of his 'heroic' —"

"Your spying skills are admirable." Pepper commented, poking her in the shoulder playfully. "But you shouldn't listen to adult conversations, Urania. And oh, speaking of adults — it's starting."

Urania whipped back just in time to see her father ordering all of the reporters to sit down, as he did too, taking a huge bite of cheeseburger in the process.

"Should we…?" Pepper asked Nia uncertainly as she too, bent her legs to sit on the floor.

"What's up with the love-in?" Rhodes whispered to both Pepper and Nia — well, to Pepper, actually, but she heard it.

"Don't look at me." Pepper replied defensively. "I don't know what he's up to."

Nia exhaled loudly and crossed her arms, getting annoyed. She knew it was a better idea to stay inside the car, that way she wouldn't have to feel like she's getting ignored by these adults. What's a kid doing with an adult business, anyway? They must've wondered that. She felt so out of place.

"I never got to say goodbye to my father." Nia looked up to see that Tony was addressing the crowd. Uh-oh, he seemed dead serious now, as he placed his burger aside and looked at each of them straight into the eye.

"There's questions that I would have asked him. And I would have asked him how he felt about what this company did. If he was conflicted. If he ever had doubts. Or maybe he was every inch the man we all remember from the newsreels."

Nia felt her arms loosening up from its knot. What does Tony really wanted to say? Even Pepper seemed confused — but she was hanging on every word.

"I saw young American killed by the very weapons I created to defend them and protect them." He confessed, his face grave. And for a split-second, Nia saw her dad's tired face. "And I saw that I had become part of a system that is comfortable with zero accountability."

"Mr. Stark." One of the reporters raised his hand. Urania gritted her teeth, wanting to shove him for destroying the moment. "What happened over there?"

"I had my eyes opened." Tony answered, standing up as he walked towards the podium. "I came to realize I have more to offer this world than just making things that blow up. And that is why, effective immediately, the weapons manufacturing division of Stark International, until such time I can decide what the future of the company will be."

Chaos. Utter chaos.

As soon as Tony had said those words, reporters immediately pounced on him — holding out their cameras, phones and microphones, bombarding him with questions and clarifications. Nia stood there, frozen as she watched her father being pushed away by Santa Claus.

"I think we're gonna be selling a lot of newspapers —" He tried to say over the microphone but Tony was still talking.

"— what direction it should take, one that I am comfortable with and is consistent with the highest good for this country, as well." As Tony started to walk away, Santa Claus kept trying to divert the crowd's attention away from him.

"What should we take away from this is that Tony's back!" He said, with cheer for good measure. "And he's healthier than ever —"

"Wait! Wait." Tony's voice cut across the uproar like a clap of thunder. "I've got one thing left to say."

The crowd stilled, hanging, waiting.

"Tony —" The man began but the billionaire was too fast.

"I know this isn't the perfect time for introductions but there really isn't a perfect time for everything but…" The words were coming out of Tony in a hard, gushing current. "Ladies and gentlemen, of America, of the world, everyone, I would like to present, my daughter — my biological daughter that is, the uh, would-be heiress of Stark Industries soon enough — Urania Stark." And he pointed to where Nia was standing, completely, utterly frozen.

Oh dear God, Nia thought helplessly. She's doomed.

And the world soon erupted into a complete mess.