I hope you guys enjoyed the previous chapter. Thanks for the reviews, favourites and follows. I love you guys *throwing around some shawarma* XD

Disclaimer; Sadly, none of the Avengers are mine. I only own my wild, wild imagination

Enjoy your read.

Chapter 6- Flashbacks

He remembered a flash of white light. And then the sound of a huge explosion. He was blasted back by a force that send him laying down on the edge of the top floor of the Stark Tower.

He remembered screaming 'God!' on top of his lungs, and his friends running toward him. Pepper knelt down next to him, her fingers slapped his cheek softly, trying to keep him conscious.

Pain. Searing pain on his chest. His own blood on his fingers. Pepper's shaking fingers laced with his bloodstained one.

Pepper. He'd never got tell her.

And when he closed his eyes, there was only a blinding white light flashed, before it was consumed by an ultimate darkness.

A young boy about the age of four ran around the household of the Stark residence. He had a toy robot in his hand and his dark brown hair was disheveled. The boy sat on one of the comfy sofa in the living room. His little mouth made incoherent sounds as he made the toy robot flew with his hand. He stayed that way for a couple of minutes before he heard his stomach grumbling.

The boy put a hand over his stomach and walked to the kitchen. There was a batch of chocolate chip cookies on the counter, the chocolate chips still gooey. His brown eyes widened with joy and he try to climb on one of the stool nearby.

"Anthony," a woman's voice said softly. "What are you trying to do?"

The boy looked to the woman, his mom, Maria, who was standing at the kitchen's doorway. "Mom," he smiled cheekily, "I want the cookies. I'm hungry."

"Next time, ask me. I won't have you falling from the stool just for the cookies," Maria said, placing cookies in a blue bowl before handing it to her son.

"Thanks, Mom," Anthony bit happily to his cookies.

Maria held Anthony's small hand and led him to the family room. The boy skipped happily next to her, holding his blue bowl of cookies close to his chest. She led her son to the grand piano at the corner of the family room. Maria sat on the piano bench, and patted the spot next to her, gesturing her son to join her. Anthony obeyed, his bowl positioned on his lap.

Her fingers lifted the piano lid. She smiled at her son, and played Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. Her fingers deftly press the black and white keys. The melody floated around the family room. Anthony looked at his mom; the wind blew through from the opened window, making her short and wavy blond hair sway.

"Mom, what does my name mean?" Anthony asked suddenly, his brows furrowed. "And why don't you call me Tony like dad?"

Maria smiled kindly at her son. "Anthony Edward Stark," she took her son's hand, the piano momentarily forgotten. "Anthony means worthy of praise, priceless. While Edward means, the protector of wealth. And Stark, our family name, means strong."

"Whoa. So I am strong, worthy and wealth protector," Anthony smiled. "Awesome. But why won't you call me Tony?"

"Because," Maria put a hand on her son's cheek, patting it affectionately, "I gave you that name. Anthony. It's a nice name. And it sounds good."

Anthony nodded. "But it's too long."

"I can call you Tony if you want to."

Anthony shook his head. "It's okay mom. You can call me Anthony. Dad can call me Tony."

Maria went back to her piano. Anthony stared at his mom. Her hair fanned around her beautiful face. Anthony loved his mom. She was nice and she had a pretty and kind smile. She was always there for him. She can play the piano, too. The melody from her piano made him feel calm and happy.

"I love you, Anthony," Maria whispered to her son, her lips pulled up to a kind smile.

Anthony sat closer to his mom, his free arm wrapped halfway on his mom's waist. "I love you, too."

Tony Stark sat on the bench at the playground of his kindergarten. It was the time for a short break and he was sitting with Rhodey. Rhodey was busy with his colouring book, crayons scattered on the bench. Tony leaned against the wall, his legs dangling from the bench. His 2th grade Mathematics workbooks lay unopened next to him.

He was bored. The Rubik's cube his dad bought last week had been solved multiple times and he found no pleasure in solving them anymore. He was tired doing Mathematics and reading the Physic textbook he found in his house's library. Tony just want to play but Rhodey was engrossed on his coloring book, denying Tony's offer to play some games.

Sighing, he jumped off the bench and walked around the playground, hands in his pockets. He stood awkwardly next to the slides. And then he saw a blond girl tugging a Barbie doll with another girl in pink dress.

"Hey, that is mine!" the girl in pink dress screamed in her shrill four-year old voice. "Give it back!"

The blonde girl who took her Barbie doll stuck out her tongue. "This doll is pretty, so it's mine."

"Just because it's pretty doesn't mean it's yours!"

"I said it's mine, so it is mine!"

The girl in the pink dress grabbed the doll's legs. "Go get yourself one! This one is mine!"

The girls continued tugging at the doll, until a friend of the blond girl came and pushed the other girl to the ground. The blonde girl stuck out her tongue haughtily at the fallen girl as she walked away. The girl who fell glanced sharply at the blond girl and brushed the dirt off her palms. She had a scratch on her knee and it hurt when she wiped the line of blood off the scratch.

"Ouch," she cried, tears pooling in her eyes. "That hurts."

Tony watched the girl and went back to his bench. He grabbed a bottle of water and ran to the girl in pink dress. She still seated on the ground, wiping off dirt of the scratch on her knee.

"Here," he sat down next to the girl, handing the bottle of water and a plaster wound he always kept in his pocket.

The girl said nothing as she took the items from his hands and attended her wound. "Thank you," she said after she finished her task.

Tony smiled crookedly and helped her got up. "I am Stark. Tony Stark," he held out his small hand.

The girl wrinkled her nose. "You sound like James Bond."

"You watch James Bond too? Cool. What's your name?"

"Virginia Potts," she shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Tony."

Tony frowned. Virginia was such a weird name. "Your name is Virginia?" Tony asked. "Isn't that the name of a state? Who wants to be called Virginia? It's too mouthful don't you think?"

Virginia chuckled. "You ask too many questions, Tony!"

Tony looked at Virginia. She was thin and as tall as him. She has a nice strawberry blond hair, pulled back neatly in a ponytail. The colour was so strange to him and he felt an urge to touch her hair, to make sure if it was even real. Freckles spread on her face, on her cheeks, across her nose. It was kind of adorable, really. Her blue eyes looked at him brightly and she had a nice and kind smile like his mom.

"I think I am going to call you Pepper," he decided.

"Why?"

Tony smiled cheekily. "'Cause you got freckles on your face, like someone spread pepper on your face. It's cute."

Pepper giggled. "You are funny Tony."

"Will you be my friend? I will accompany you during break and playtime. And I'll make sure no one take away your toys," Tony nodded solemnly. He didn't want Pepper to get hurt by those playground bullies anymore.

"I want to be your friend! You are nice."

Her words gave an unknown warm and fuzzy feelings in his chest. Tony grinned and took her hand. "Thank you, Pepper. You are a pretty."

He wants to be the most awesome friend Pepper ever had.

"Dad, look!" An eight-year old Tony ran to his father's office in the house, a gold medal in his hand. "Dad, dad!"

"What, Tony?" His dad asked, an annoyed look in his face. He was in his business suit and a pile of document placed in front of him on his desk. "I'm busy right now."

Tony grinned widely at his dad, waving his gold medal. Not that his dad noticed. "I won first place in a Science Competition. I designed a multifunctional remote control car. And I won the first place!" He said excitedly.

"Oh, that's good. That's good. Nice," his dad commented in a monotone. "Congratulations."

Tony stopped waving his gold medal, frustrated of his dad's disinterest. He just stood there, with a frown on his face, staring at his workaholic dad. His dad paid no attention at him, he continued riffling through his documents.

"That's all I want to tell you," Tony said finally. "I'm just…gonna leave you now."

His dad nodded. "Please close the door when you leave."

"Okay dad."

Tony ran his fingers through his messy dark brown hair. It was obvious that he was disappointed with his dad's reaction. He dragged his feet out of his dad's office and quietly shut the door behind him. He went to his room and placed his gold medal on his study desk. It sat there with the rest of the present he won and the articles about him that his mom specially cut out.

He stood by the window. Outside, her mom was talking to their butler. Her blond hair neatly clipped to her scalp. His mom had hugged him and told him she would buy a new chemistry kit for him when he told her he won the first place in the Science Competition. Why wouldn't his dad do the same? At least, couldn't he muster the same excitement as Tony's mom?

He should know by now his dad never really paid attention to him.

The English class of the 6th grade were quiet. Mr. Cooper had told them to write an essay about their recent summer vacation.

Tony Stark sat at the back of the class, staring out of the window. Thinking. What did he do last summer? He went to Disneyland with parents. Or more accurately, with his mom. His dad only dropped them off with their private plane. Disneyland was awesome and his mom was excellent as usual, but his dad weren't there It felt incomplete.

He had this sudden sick feeling in his stomach. He frowned. Is something bad going to happen ? He thought.

"Mr. Stark?" Mr. Cooper called, interrupting his thoughts. "There's someone who would like to see you. Bring your bag with you."

Tony turned his attention to the front. A man in suit waited for him. He grabbed his red backpack and packed all his stuff before proceeded to the man. The man grabbed his shoulder softly and led him outside after thanked Mr. Cooper.

"Anthony Stark," the man said as they got out of the class. "I am Detective Gregg."

"What happened?"

Detective Greg fidgeted. "Your mother got into his accident."

"She...got into an accident? Is she okay? Where is she now?" Tony can't help it but throwing off the questions.

"She's in a stable condition for now. She's at the hospital, and I am going to take you there," Detective Gregg said soothingly.

The rest was a blur. He cried on their way to the hospital and his dad wasn't even there. After a few hours sitting at the waiting lounge, the doctor came out and told them his mom was dead. Gone. His dad only arrived a couple of minutes later.

Tony remembered crying, standing next to his mom's grave. He remembered how devastated the funeral had been. His dad didn't even stay long enough to calm him down. His mind was jumbled, he couldn't think straight and he skipped school for two weeks.

"Tony," Pepper called. "Come on, it's raining."

It was the seventh day after Maria Stark's funeral. And Tony religiously visited her grave, leaving purple orchids- her favourite flower. He still cried at night, missing his mom. He missed everything about her. It felt like there was a hole punched right through his heart, leaving it empty. He sat at her piano sometimes, playing her favourite Swan Lake.

He missed her soft and sweet-scented blond hair. Her blue eyes that looked lovingly at him and paid attention to whatever he had said. Her lilting voice that always managed to comfort him when he had nightmares. Her nice and kind smile that could make him face any bad day he had at school. Her arms that always hugged him.

The raindrops fell on him, clinging to his hair. "You go on, I'll catch up."

"Tony, come on. You'll get sick."

He shifted his feet uneasily. He didn't want to leave.

"Tony," Pepper came and stood next to him. "Come on. We'll come back tomorrow, okay?"

Pepper had loyally accompanied him, though she had a million of things she wanted to do. He was grateful for that. Tony turned his head and looked at her. Pepper had the same loving blue eyes and the nice kind, smile as his mom. And she never stopped caring for him.

"Okay."

"Hey guys, want to play Truth or Dare?" Tony asked his friends.

They were hanging out at the newly built Stark tower, sitting in a weird circle. It was their usual weekend sleepover and get together. Tony was slightly drunk, with Pepper around his arm. At sixteen -almost seventeen years old, young Tony Stark had known alcohol, get drunk and experience hangover. Pepper just turned fifteen, and yet she was able to take care of him.

"Do it," Clint shouted. He was on his second can of beer.

Tony placed an empty vodka bottle in the centre. He spun it, and the bottle pointed at Steve. Tony raised an eyebrow at Steve, who was fidgeting on his seat.

"So, Cap, Truth or Dare?"

"Um, Truth?"

Tony smirked. He looked at Steve with a raised eyebrow. "Steve, between Clint, Thor, Rhodey, Bruce and me, who would you be gay for?"

Clint laughed with the rest. "Nice one!"

"Um," blood rushed to Steve's cheeks. He glanced around at his friends.

"Come on, Steve. We don't have all night."

"Um, Tony?"

Tony guffawed. "I always knew you have a crush on me!"

Steve blushed deeper. Clint poked Steve with the bottle. "Come on, Cap. You got the honour."

Steve spun the bottle, and it pointed toward Rhodey.

"Dare me," Rhodey said, his eyes glinting mischievously. "Give me something good."

Steve frowned. "I dare you to… give Darcy a kiss."

Tony and Clint rolled their eyes. Lame. Steve had always been goody-goody and didn't have the creativity to develop a badass dare. Rhodey snorted and crawled toward Darcy.

"Come on, Darce," Rhodey purred jokingly and pulled Darcy toward him. They kissed for a moment which made Steve look away. After Rhodey was done, he went back to his spot and spun the bottle. It pointed toward Tony.

"Dare," Tony said, before Rhodey even asked. "Dare."

Rhodey smiled wickedly. "I dare you to kiss the prettiest girl in this room. I said girl, and not person. That means you can't kiss Steve or Bruce."

The other laughed while Tony rolled his eyes. He pretend to think about it, and put down the wine glass in his hand. "Darcy, Natasha or Jane?" He mused.

He crawled around the circle, making a few stops at Darcy, Natasha and Jane. He playfully sniffed their hairs and touched their cheeks. Eventually, he stopped at his spot and pulled Pepper to him.

"You're the one," he said, before gave Pepper a sloppy yet longing kiss.

Tony pulled away after a while and smiled at Pepper. She refused to look at him, blushing. He grinned, tilting her chin so he met her eyes.

"Don't be shy, Pep," he whispered and gave her another kiss. "You're the fairest maiden."

The rest just stared at them silently. "Sexual tension," someone coughed and they laughed. They went back to the game and Tony still had his arm around Pepper. This moment, with his friends having fun and his arm around the prettiest girl in the room, life couldn't be any better. This was a weekend before they had to go back to school, facing their own reality.

He didn't want to face the reality now.

Right now, he was a dreamer, completely out of touch with reality.

Another blinding light.

Tony Stark was on the top floor of the Stark tower. He had a remote on his hand to control the firework launcher. This was the second last firework.

"And lastly, the most sentimental firework!"

Bright fireworks in neon shade of orange flared through the dark night's sky.

I love you

"And that is for…" his voice announced and his finger already on the button to unleash the last firework. His last secret.

He pressed the button, but there was no firework came out. He walked to the firework launcher and in a few seconds, it exploded. Tony screamed. A force blasted him backwards toward the edge of the Stark Tower.

Pain searing through his chest.

His heart beat so quickly it could fall out of his chest. He coughed blood.

Another beat.

And Tony Stark opened his eyes.

The 6th chapter :D I had fun writing this chapter. I tried to explore and imagined different sides of Tony.

I've got Tony and Pepper to kiss (though only in a flashback :p but there is more to come) and now I demand reviews *evil laugh*

Tell me how I can improve my story, I really appreciate that. Keep the reviews coming, they made my day :D

xoxo- NHAMS