*Age 10*
Margo groans and sits up in her bed, rubbing her eyes. She checks the clock next to her bed and frowns, it's 3:30 in the morning. She rolls over, snuggling back into her pillow, all ready to go back to bed. Margo sits up again when she hears a noise coming from the room down the hall. She slips her slippers on and heads down the hall, searching for the noise. She stops in front of her Father's room, realizing the noise is coming from there. She quietly opens the door, heading towards her Father's bed.
Tony tosses and turns in his bed, images flashing before his eyes. It's been years since he was trapped in that cave, car battery attached to his chest, but the memory still haunts him. He turns again, mind flooded with memories of that cave, memories of his mother, memories of that Father he wishes he had. Nightmares, it's been a while since he's had a nightmare.
"Daddy." Margo whispers, shaking Tony. "Daddy."
Tony gasps and his eyes open. "What? Where?" He looks to see his ten year old daughter standing next to his bed, fear in her eyes. He sits up, covers slipping past his arc reactor, the soft blue glow filling the room. "Margo, Princess, why are you here?"
Margo looks up at Tony. "I woke up and heard this noise, so I went looking for it, only to find out it was coming from your room. Daddy are you okay? You sounded like you were having a nightmare."
Tony shakes his head and rubs his eyes, glancing at the clock. "No, no nightmare Princess, go back to bed, okay?" Margo nods and Tony places a kiss to her forehead. "Goodnight Princess."
"Goodnight Daddy." Margo whispers as she walks out of the room.
Minutes later Tony is back to tossing and turning, more images filling his head. Images he wants to forget, images that he wants to be replaced. Images that remind him exactly how fragile and broken he really is. He tries to hide it, and most of the time he's successful, but at times like this he can't run from what he truly is; broken. He can't hide from the one thing that knows him so well.
Margo gets out of bed again, bare feet padding against hardwood floors as she heads towards her Father's room.
"Daddy." Margo whispers, shaking Tony again. "Daddy wake up."
Tony gasps again, waking up. "What?" Tony rubs the sweat from his brow, glancing at Margo. "What is it Princess?"
Margo gives Tony a serious look. "Dad, you seriously sound like you're having a nightmare." She says, making herself comfortable next to Tony.
"No, no nightmares." Tony's voice cracks on 'nightmares'. Margo gives him another serious look and Tony slings his arm around his daughter. "Seriously, no nightmares Princess."
"I don't believe you." Margo mumbles, placing her hand on the arc reactor.
More memories float into Tony's head, memories from that cave. He spaces out, he knows he does.
"Daddy." Margo says, snapping her fingers in front of Tony's face, hand still on his arc reactor. Tony starts out of his stupor and clutches at Margo, he needs to know he's safe. Safe and at home with his precious little Princess. "Dad." Margo says softly smiling up at Tony. She touches Tony's face, arms going around his neck and hugging him. "It's okay Dad. You're here, with me, nowhere else."
Tony hugs Margo, placing his head on top on hers. Tears trickle down his face, not that he'll ever admit that. Tears fall from his eyes and onto the little girl below him. He lets go of Margo momentarily to whip his face before hugging her again. "Thank you Princess."
"For what Daddy?" Margo asks, yawning and snuggling into Tony.
"Being you Princess." Tony mumbles, watching as Margo yawns again. He pats her head. Margo merely nods and touches Tony's arc reactor again. "I'm sorry Princess, is the light bothering you?"
Margo shakes her head. "No, I like the glow, it's calming." She mumbles, yawning again.
Tony smiles and kisses the side of Margo's head. "Go to sleep Princess." Margo yawns one last time and snuggles into one of the pillows on Tony's bed. Moments later her breathing even outs and Tony sighs. "Goodnight my sweet Princess."
Tony lays back down on the pillows, listening to Margo breathe. Tony glances over at Margo, as long as he's safe and with his Princess the nightmares will go away. He closes his eyes, no images flooding his mind, nothing bad there to haunt him. He smiles softly, he's going to sleep peacefully tonight.