The Unknown Variable

(Beta'd as of 1/25/14)

I don't even own the sparks that fly in the air. So why would I own HP or Marvel?

Rain poured down around us as Mortem wrapped an arm around my shoulders. I was up to my ankles in mud, but I did not care, I had come here for a reason.

I had made a 911 phone call, so they could collect the doctor's body, before I asked Mortem to take me here.

I stood amongst the headstones, rain pouring down around me, Death literally at my side. My lips twitched at the irony of it all but I smashed the happy thought.

Now was not the time to be happy.

I stared down at the headstones before, wallowing in my despair. It was my fault, Ashley and her whole family had died…because of me.

'Can I do anything right?' I thought to myself, 'All I do is get people killed…'

A nudge from Mortem brought me out of my thoughts; I looked up at him in confusion before he repeated what he had signed.

We should leave.

"No," I stated, I deserved to be here, in the pouring rain and bitter wind.

He grabbed my chin, and I wondered how many times that was going to happen today, before he glared at me.

This is not your fault!

"Yes it is…it's all my fault! I'm getting everyone I care about killed." I muttered under my breath.

No it is not! Mortem insisted. Do you blame me for collecting souls?

My eyebrows knitted together in confusion as I said, "No…"

Then don't blame yourself! Things happen! People die all the time. There was nothing you could have done.

"But…" I opened my mouth to protest but he covered my mouth with his cold hand. His face inches from mine.

It is not your fault. He insisted.

I sighed, I still felt guilty, and it was my fault. But I knew better than to push the matter.

"I want to go home."

I said nothing, as I Flashed back to Malibu. Mortem didn't accompany me back. He had glanced upward before sighing and vanishing.

My eyebrows knitted together at the silence as I dropped my file onto my desk. There was always some kind of noise, ether from Tony, Jarvis, the Bots, or computers.

But there wasn't a sound. It was dead silence.

Something was wrong I just knew it. Abandoning my mud soaked flip-flops I slid into the lab.

"Jarvis? Dad? JARVIS!" I yelled in concern, as fear and panic gripped my heart. Jarvis did not respond, and I raced towards the stairs. Jarvis always responded…something had happened…I was sure of it.

"Dad?" I yelled as I ran up the stairs, my heart pounding in my ears.

'I've already lost Dr. Millod and Ashley today… I can't lose him too!' I thought desperately.

I heard a voice coming from the living room and I sighed in relief as I reached the top of the stairs.

Only to freeze in horror.

'NO!' I thought, as I saw Stane leaning next to a still Tony; his Arc in Stane's hands.

"…look at that." I heard him say, panic and horror swept through me…not Daddy…

"This is your Legacy!" he said, and that made me snap.

My eyes narrowed as my horror turned to rage. 'STANE!' I bellowed in my mind as I yelled;

"DADDY!"

Fury flowed through my veins, and a small breathe of relief swept through me as I locked eyes with my father.

I felt my sparks dance around me as I glared at the balding man.

"I'm his legacy!" I screamed my voice leaking power, my sparks flared stronger with my temper, creating an electrical storm that I was standing in the middle of.

"And you. Just. PISSED. ME. OFF!" I yelled, throwing my arm, which was crackling with energy, towards Stane.

I smirked evilly as a large, blue bolt of lightning flew across the room, Stane's eyes widened, and he barely managed to dodge at the last moment.

The large glass window exploded with a bright flash. As Stane leaped behind the couch and glass rained down, I flicked both of my wrists and two small balls appeared in my hands.

My eyes narrowed, as I charged up the Balls. It would only take a moment. I needed one clear shot…and Stane would rue the day he messed with my family!

"A daughter huh?" Stane said, his head appearing from behind the couch. I raised my hand, to throw the ball at the sadistic man when the most horrifying, squealing, high-pitched noise vibrated through the house.

I instantly felt my body freeze up, and panic gripped me as my connection to my Core was cut off. It was still there… it was still running my heart… but I could no longer reach its power.

I was trapped within my brain… I was paralyzed again.

My head spun as I hit the floor, I felt the Balls fizzling out without the connection to my power.

Finally, after what felt like forever, the noise stopped, and I heard Stane speak again. Though I could not see him…I could only stare at the ceiling.

"Well then, it looks like I'll have to take care of you as well. You Starks are more trouble than your worth anyway." Stane's voice sent chills down my spine.

But I couldn't help but picture Dad laying there…slumped on the couch, pale and in pain…even if he couldn't express it.

I knew that I was in trouble; I knew that something was going to happen, but I couldn't bring myself to care. It was Dad who I was really worried about… I still had my Core. As long as I had that I would be alright…but dad? Who knew how long he had left.

"You know Tony?" Stane's voice snapped me back to awareness. He was crouching right next to me. My breath froze, and a feeling arose that I hadn't felt since I was with Bald…

"I always knew that Evanna wasn't good for you."

If my eyes could widen, they would've, how on earth did he know? Tony must have been able to show some kind of shock, or maybe he saw something on my face, for he said.

"Surprised? Oh, I knew about her long before you did. Why do you think she was taken along with you? She was meddling…just like her mother did.

"Your father," Stane continued, "Asked me to keep an eye on them… make sure they never came back. There wasn't a problem for years, and I eventually forgot about them.

"Then, a few months ago, she shows up. And everything I had worked for, ruined! I knew I had to do something, so when I ordered the hit, I made sure she tagged along."

I glared heatedly at the elder man. 'How dare he!'

"But, when you survived…both of you… I knew that I must have missed something. I was afraid that you had found out. When she quit, I was relieved, I could get back to my plans. You wouldn't have let her leave if you knew…it looks like I was wrong.

"It's a shame… too bad I had to have the doctor and nurse killed. But I couldn't find you… and I knew that you couldn't be left alive ether."

I wanted to throttle him! He had sent those goons to the Ward! He was the reason that Ashley was dead! The reason that Dr. Millod killed himself! The reason we spent three months in a cave! The reason Dad and I still had nightmares! It was ALL HIS FAULT!

My breathing quickened and pain flared through my body as I realized just how close Stane was to me.

"Such a pretty girl." He commented, brushing a strand of my hair out of my face.

I wanted to run, I wanted to scream, and cry. This was dragging up all the memories of Bald.

'Leave me ALONE!' I screamed in my mind and a mangled moan escaped my throat.

"Say good bye Tony, I would hate to end things on such a bad note." Stane chuckled, and I heard a weak moan of protest from Tony as Stane gripped me by my hair and dragged my into the kitchen hallway, just out of sight from the living room.

He dropped my head to the floor with a loud thump as tears welled up in my eyes. My vision swam as my head spun, and I gasped for breath. Struggling to focus through the pain.

Stane's hand gripped my throat and I was thrown into the wall.

I silently screamed in pain as he held me to the wall, my head rolling to the side.

I couldn't help but compare this situation to the one with Bald about a month ago.

"Too bad," Stane said, stroking my check, "that I'm on such a tight schedule."

My eyes widened as I saw a small glint of silver before a knife dug itself into my gut.

A low gasp escaped my parted lips, though I was screaming in pain. My thoughts muffled and disoriented.

…no…

….Leave me be…

I moaned, and my vision started to fade to black.

The knife was removed with another small gasp as I fell back onto the floor.

I saw him eye my very exposed cleavage as blood seeped across the floor.

"Such a waste." He muttered darkly, walking down the hall, back to where my father was lying.

'…help…' I thought, as my vision faded to black and I could feel myself slipping. '…Mortem…help…please…daddy…'

And I knew no more

I am so evil! *dark chuckles*

Hope you all enjoyed that dark chapter…yup; Stane is to blame for almost everything!

Cp