This was written at 3 a.m. because I don't sleep.

- Love-Me-Some-Pie

*Age 6*

Tony is in one of his self destructive modes, he knows he is. He's locked himself away from everything. Away from Pepper, Bruce, Thor, Natasha, Clint, Steve, even Margo. Yes, Tony's locked himself away from his own daughter because he's in one of his moods and thinks he's so damn worthless.

He alternates from sleeping, drinking and pacing in his bedroom. He's told JARVIS to not let a soul in, not even if he's dying on the floor, no one is allowed in his room. He's calling himself every name in the book, because he's in one of his moods and hates himself right now.

He stretches, glancing around the room, it looks the same as it always does. "JARVIS, what time is it?" In a fit on rage he accidentally destroyed all of his clocks, which there was only one in the room anyway.

"Two in the afternoon Sir." JARVIS answers. "May I suggest going outside for a bit? You haven't eaten in a few days."

Tony glares at nothing in particular. "No, you may not suggest anything JARVIS." Tony goes to his desk, tinkering with one of his wrist watches, he wonder's slightly if he can make the thing fly.

There's a loud pounding on his door that jars Tony from his work and back into reality. "Dammit Tony! Come out!" It's Natasha's voice. "Tony, we're worried! You haven't come out of your room in nearly a week! It-"

Tony drowns the rest of Natasha's yelling out, glancing at himself in the mirror, he looks like hell. You know he looks like hell when he'll actually admit it. He punches the mirror, a large crack appearing in the surface.

"That's seven years of bad luck Sir." JARVIS says.

Tony punches the mirror again, a few shards of broken glass falling to the carpet. "Shut up JARVIS." He mutters, sliding to the ground. He leans his head against the wall, and glances at the ceiling. He honestly doesn't know why he gets like this sometimes, he turns into this self loathing bastard and he has no idea why. He knows why, he'll just never say it out loud.

He grabs a bottle of Scotch from his hidden liquor cabinet (which he's pretty sure isn't so hidden) and crawls back on his bed, covering himself with the soft blankets. He opens the bottle and takes a long swig, spilling some on the sheets below. He takes another long swig before shoving his arm and bottle outside the mound of blankets and sitting said bottle on his bedside table, before curling his arm back under the blankets. He lays his head on one of the pillows before drifting off into a restless sleep.

A shrill banging on Tony's door wakes the billionaire up as he blinks the sleep from his eyes. "Tony Stark you come out of that room NOW!" It's Pepper's voice, and suddenly a knot curls its way into Tony's stomach. Pepper, God, Pepper must hate him by now. He's put her through hell before, but that was nothing compared to right now. His moods have always been bad, but never this bad. He buries himself further in the blankets, covering his face with a pillow. "Tony! We're worried, I'm worried! Come out and talk to me Tony, please?"

"Sir," JARVIS says, a holographic screen appearing at the foot of Tony's bed. "May I suggest that you look at this?"

Tony sits up, looking at the screen. "What is it?" He slurs, somewhere between the time he went to bed last night and Pepper yelling at him, he's finished his Scotch.

"Security footage."

Tony blinks at the screen, he can see everything going on outside his room. Steve's pacing the floor, hands folded behind his back, worried expression on his face. Natasha's sitting next to Clint, holding a sandwich out to the Archer. Clint's leaning up against Natasha, shaking his head at the sandwich. Bruce and Thor are obviously engaged in some sort of conversation, Thor swinging his arms about and Bruce nodding. Pepper's leaning against his bedroom door, a six year old Margo standing next to her, wiping her eyes on her sleeves. That's what tugs at Tony's heart, seeing Margo wipe away her tears. His little girl is crying and it's all his fault.

Tony turns the security footage off and crawls back to his bed (grabbing a bottle of liquor on his way), he feels ten times worse than he did before. He takes a drink from the bottle, letting the warm liquid engulf him. He coughs lightly, liquid burning his throat. He curls into his blankets again, eyes closing.

A small knock is heard throughout Tony's room and he opens his eyes. Tony doesn't wake up, because he isn't asleep, he's in that halfway state, between sleep and reality. "What do you want?" Tony growls out, turning to face the door. "Tell me, what do you want?"

"Daddy," Margo whispers. "I'm sorry for whatever I did Daddy. I didn't mean to do it! And I'll eat my vegetables for a month if you open the door."

Tony stops what he's doing, she thinks this is her fault. He stands, heading for the door, he sits in front of it, pressing his hand to the cool wood. "Princess, you didn't do anything.'

He can hear Margo sniff and shuffle on her feet. "Then why are you locked in your room Daddy? Did you have a bad day?"

Tony blinks and grins, it's amazing how a six year old can understand him better than anyone. "Yeah Princess, Daddy's having a bad couple of days."

"Can I come in? Maybe I can help you."

Tony sighs, standing up to open the door, if he's going to let anyone in it might as well be Margo. He clicks the locks open and opens the door. There on the other side of the door is Margo, puffy eyed and clutching her teddy bear. No one else is in the hallway, seems they've all went to bed. Tony bends down, smiling sadly at his daughter. "Hi Princess."

Margo's arms are around Tony in a rushed hug as she cries into his chest. "I thought you hated me. You wouldn't come out of your room...and...and..." Margo's sobs turn into hiccups as she calms down. "I thought I did something wrong."

Tony sighs, he deserves this, to be in this much pain. He scoops Margo up, shutting and locking the door behind them both. He places her on the bed, patting her head. "Princess, you didn't do anything, you never do. And I could never ever hate you. Daddy's just having a bad couple of day's." Tony explains, he feels silly explaining this to such a young child, but he feels comfortable with her.

"Why?"

It's a simple question, but it's all the push Tony needs. "Sometimes people have bad days Princess," He explains. "When Daddy has these bad days he doesn't like himself very much. So I lock myself away in my room until the bad day passes." He doesn't think he can make it any simpler.

"I like you." Margo says, looking up at Tony, innocent eyes blinking up at him. "I'll always like you Daddy."

Tony smiles at Margo, ruffling her hair. "I'm glad to hear that. And you want to know a secret?"

Margo looks up at Tony, smiling widely. "I love secrets!"

Tony motions for Margo to come closer. "I'll always like you too." He whispers in her ear, causing the little girl to giggle.

Margo hugs Tony. "I love you Daddy."

"I love you too Princess." Suddenly his bad couple of days don't seem so bad anymore.