Hey all,
I meant to have this out sooner, but My beta and mine emails got lost in a black hole. haha. It is all good now.
And geez, everyone thought Toni was beyong cruel in the last chapter. I must say there was part of me that didn't think she was cruel enough, and was tempted to make her more cruel to him. Haha, I guess it is good that I did not.
Anyhow, I hope you like this chapter. Let me know through reviews!
Chapter 32:
The Letter
Pepper Potts was the rational one, always thinking clearly and logically. She wasn't the one to overthink or freak out, except when it came to a certain brunette. Toni could always drive the sane CEO up the wall, and most of the time, she only had to look at the Pepper to do that. Pepper didn't know what it was woman that did it. Maybe, it was the look in Toni's eyes or the fact that the brunette was always up to something. Always.
However, not knowing where Toni was was so much worse. Sure, Pepper had an understanding of where Toni was, but that the limit of it. SHIELD and the Avengers told her very little, which didn't included how they were going to get her back, if they were going to get her back. They also didn't say what the hell happened to her. They told her barely anything, besides the fact they needed access to the Mark 7. At first, Pepper was against it, not liking that plan; however, after a long talk with Rhodes, she gave in, but she felt like she had betrayed Toni by allowing it.
This was why when JARVIS alerted Pepper to Toni's sudden appearance in the Tower, Pepper dropped everything and rushed out the door. She barely had time to tell her secretary to cancel her all of meetings before bolting out of Stark Industries. As most of the world thought Toni was sunbathing on a beach, no one was knew that Toni was missing. No one knew why Pepper was excited to see Toni. No one knew her worries. No one had known why Pepper was acting like this.
However, Pepper didn't care how insane she sounded or looked as she called ahead to have the Stark Private Jet ready for take-off in a few minutes. The CEO wanted to be in New York as soon as possible. To settle her nerves, she needed to see Toni for herself and make sure she was okay. If she was, Pepper was going to wring her neck for making her worry, as she had aged by ten years because of that woman. She wouldn't be surprised if there were gray hairs growing already.
*O*O*
When the town car arrived at the Tower, Pepper didn't waste a second before she dashed in. Her heels clicked loudly against the floor as she rushed through the lobby. The first place Pepper headed was the labs, knowing that it would be the first place that Toni would be. However, just like searching for something and not finding it, Toni wasn't in the first place she looked, and Pepper's irritation was growing.
Then when JARVIS informed her that Toni had left the tower a few hours ago, Pepper almost had a heart attack right on the spot. How could Toni disappear so fast after reappearing? And how could they let Toni leave? How could the love sick Steve just let Toni walk out of the tower? There was no way in hell that he would've let her, as he was like Pepper. He was worried sick about Toni, so it didn't make sense that he would just let her go.
Then there was Bruce, a close friend. Did he just let Toni leave to? Did anyone try to stop her? Pepper wasn't sure why she left and no one stopped her, but she was going to get some answers. She needed answers.
*O*O*
When Pepper located Steve and Bruce, they were in the lounge, sitting in a dead silence. Sitting on the couch with his back toward her, Steve was staring down, picking at something, and from the view from the doorway, Pepper couldn't see what he was picking at. However, she could tell from his tense shoulders that he was anything but happy. He was clearly upset about something, and Pepper could only guess that it was about Toni.
Across from Steve stood Bruce, who was staring at Steve with an intense look on his face. Pepper couldn't quite read it, but she knew he was in deep thought. His stance was stoic as he leaned against the bar with his arm crossed his chest. With almost every piece of hair out of place, Bruce looked exhausted, though he hadn't moved an inch to sit on the stool next to him. He just stood there in deep though, eyeing Steve.
Two unknown, elderly men were nestled on a couch next to Steve, and just like Steve and Bruce, these two men were quiet, watching the room. One of the old men was eyeing Steve, while the other scanned the room. The man with a worn cane smiled at her when he noticed her in the doorway.
Stepping into the room, Pepper studied him for a second before scanning the room for any more surprises. Staring out the window at the city's skyline, a man stood at the window wall. Though the CEO couldn't make out the man's face from her angle, she could tell from his body that he was a fit man in his late twenties, early thirties; there was no doubt that he could handle himself in a fight.
"What a view! What can I do to get a view like this?" Said man exclaimed with a chuckle. "How much do this view cost? Your first born child?"
Even though she couldn't see his face, Pepper could tell this man was quite the looker. "I wouldn't say that much," she said, loudly. "But close enough." As her voice echoed across the room, the whole room turn to her, besides the elderly man with a cane. He was still smiling as he looked at her.
"Miss Potts," Steve uttered, turning to her.
Bruce pushed himself off the bar and took a step forward. "Pepper. You must've heard."
"Yes," she replied, bitterly. "I've heard, but not from you two." She was annoyed that no one bothered to tell her that Toni had returned. If it wasn't for the AI, she would've never had known that Toni was back. Was anyone planning to tell her? Okay, she knew they would've told her eventually but when? "If it wasn't for JARVIS, would I have even known? Would you have told me? Or is this an Avenger only thing?"
"Pepper," Bruce said with a deep sigh. "It isn't like that. We hadn't informed anyone of her return yet, because we're trying to give her some space. We don't all need to jump her at the same time."
Pepper gave him a look before glancing around the room. "Space for what?" It was suddenly freezing in the room as the CEO spoke. Her voice was anything but kind.
One of the elderly gentlemen smiled lightly as he spoke, "She had gone through a lot. It's best if there isn't people coming at her from every direction."
"And who are these fine gentlemen?" she asked, trying to not sound bitter.
"Two of the Howling Commandos. Gabriel Jones and Timothy Dugan," Steve stated. His tone was odd to say the least "They served with me during World War II, and this is Trip, Gabe's grandson."
Her face soften a bit as she looked at him. Was this why Steve seemed out of it? Or was it something else happening? And why happened to Toni make cause her to need 'space'?
Trip took a step forward with hand out. "Nice to meet you," he said with smile.
Pepper shook his hand, noting his strong grip, before she stepped back and turned to Bruce. "Someone explain to me what happened? Where's Toni? And what's with Steve's gloom?" she said, loudly.
Jones and Dugan chuckled at her last question, though the Captain found it anything but amusing. "I am not gloomy," he replied, coldly.
If the situation wasn't serious, Pepper would've chuckled at Steve's snappy reaction; however, something that Bruce said had her worried about Toni. "What happened to Toni? Where is she?"
"It seemed like our favorite genius snuck out of a building after a conversion with Steve," Dugan said from the sofa.
Pepper stepped to Steve, who was looking everywhere else but her. "What did you say?"
"Why do you blame me?" he replied, coldly. "You know her."
Bruce took a step forward as if to step between Steve and the angry CEO, who was shooting draggers from her eyes. "I don't think it matters what was said," Bruce said calmly. "But whatever was said, it should be taken with a grain of salt."
Steve stood suddenly. "Easy for you to say. You weren't there," he replied quietly and coldly, as he flexed his hands. "I think it's best if I leave before she returns."
Jones pushed down against the couch as he struggled to stand up. He glanced toward his silent grandson, who was watching the room silently. "Steve, stop." He called as the Super Soldier headed toward the door.
Dugan leaned forward but he didn't get to his feet right away. "If you leave now, Rogers, you'll lose her."
Steve's fist balled at his side. "You don't know what you're talking about, as she was quite clear to what she wants," he replied in a cold tone.
Pepper glanced toward Steve, studying the tension in his shoulders. Though she had no idea of what Toni said, she knew it couldn't have been anything good. However, she also knew it must've been more than that conversion to send the genius out of the tower. "What did she say?"
The Captain shook his head. "She was clear."
Bruce took a deep breath. "…I don't want to get involved in…whatever happened down in the lab, but we all need to take a deep breath and step back. Clearly, Toni isn't herself at the moment. I don't know what it is, but there's something weighing on her."
Steve gave him a look before stepping toward the door. "I don't know who you are kidding. She was exactly herself."
Pepper felt her heart drop, looking at Steve, who looked completely defeated. "Steve, don't go. Not like this. Let's all calm down before we self-destruct."
Steve glanced back at the CEO for a second, meeting her eyes, before turning back to the door.
Trip pushed off the window, stepping toward the door. Dugan was also pushing himself to his feet to chase after Steve, who was halfway out the door. "I don't know any of you and have only met Stark a couple of days ago, but it's clear that something is on her chest. She looks like she's drowning."
Pepper felt her heart race at that, because she knew this wasn't going to end well. Toni was always closed to others, never letting anyone in, though Rhodey and she could crack her shield at times. If something happened, she knew it would only be worse. The genius would never come out of her lab now, and it broke Pepper's heart.
Steve's fist balled at his side, shaking slightly. "She was cruel. The things she said."
With a deep sigh, Bruce closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. "That doesn't make sense," he replied.
"Why doesn't it?" Pepper asked.
"She's wearing Steve's WWII dog tags," Bruce said, exhausted.
Steve turned around quickly and uttered loudly, "What?"
Bruce smiled weakly. "And when I asked her about it, she wouldn't answer, only dodged. I don't know what she was thinking, but the mere mention of your name got her heart racing. Now, I'm no expert in the ways of Toni Stark, but that means something."
The Super Soldier's heart was beating rapidly as Bruce spoke. "I need air," he replied loudly. His fists were still at his side as he stepped quickly out of the room. His departure was swift, wanting to get out of the room before anyone could say another word to him.
Jones and Dugan glanced at each other before they too headed to the door to chase after Steve. "I think we better go after him, Dum Dum," Jones said.
"It would be best." Dugan replied with a sigh.
Behind them was the smiling Trip, who was keeping a close eye on the two elderly men. It seemed that Trip was never more than a step away from the men. "I'd better go after them. My mother won't be happy if one of them breaks their hips…again."
Pepper wasn't too focus on them; her mind was on Toni and Steve. She wasn't quite sure what was going on between the two, who never seemed to stop fighting. First, they were yelling at each other, and then they were refusing to talk to each other. Then, it seemed like they were love sick over the other, and then they were fighting again. It left Pepper confused; however, whatever it was, they needed to have a real conversion, which was difficult to pull out of Toni.
*O*O*
In the thin, yellow envelope were two items, and each was different in age and size, but both had fold marks running down their centers, signaling how often they were looked at. Besides the folds, each had a great deal of wear and tear, signaling to the number of times they had been stuffed into a pocket. One of the items, a picture, was faded at the edges and along the fold. There were also stress cracks through the picture, but none of the cracks took away from it. Each of the three smiles were very much visible, and it was clear how happy the three were. The family photo of three was of a young girl and her parents, at her fifth birthday. Cake was everywhere as it seemed like the girl started a cake fight, but no one in the picture looked angry or upset at the mess.
The second item was a letter, a lengthy letter. Like the photo, it was faded along the folds and edges, but unlike the photos, the letter didn't have the same level of wear and tear. It looked younger than the photo, a clear sign that photo was taken years before the letter was written. However, the edges had little rips and folds to them. There were a few faded spots, but being faded in only a few spots, the letter wasn't impossible to read.
However, age wasn't the only thing making the letter harder to read, as the author seemed to be in a hurry. It was clear that the author normally had smooth penmanship as the first three words were neat, but as the letter went on, the words got closer together, almost bending together. There were even hesitation marks up and down the letter. It appeared as the letter went that the man was no longer trying to keep it neat and clean.
That wasn't what caught the reader's attention; it was the stains on both the letter and the photo. Besides the yellowing, there were dark spots on both. There was no pattern to these darken spots, but it was clear to what they were. The writer had cried as he wrote the letter; he had exposed himself in the letter, to the reader. He had given all that he had to write the letter.
It also brought out the reader's tears, though it was more than the words. There was another stain that caught the reader's attention. It was decade old blood that was speckled up the left side of the letter and photo. There wasn't enough to make the letter unreadable, but it made it harder to stomach. It was clear that this letter and photo was on the author as he died. Though the situation of his death was unable determinable from the items, it was heartbreaking to read the last thing the author wrote.
However, she had to read it. In shaky hands and tears running down her face, the reader read.
Toni,
This is the hardest thing that I ever had to write. It's a struggle to keep the pen to paper as I don't want to be writing this. I don't want to be saying goodbye to you like this. I want to be holding you in my arms, never letting go. I want to stay with you and watch you get married. I want to see you have kids of your own. Kids that I want to spoil and get high on sugar just to send them back to you. I want to see them drive you crazy.
There're so many things that I wanted to do with you, for you. But I can't. Yes, I heard what you said, when you left. I know what today is and what's going to happen to today. I'm going to die today, and though it may had taken me some time to come to terms with it, I have accepted it. No, I'm not ready to die, and no, I don't want to die, but I accept it. If it is meant to happen, it will happen.
I know what you were trying to do when you warned me, and I love you for it. I love that you care that much for me to risk everything, especially considering where our relationship started. You hated me at first, wanting nothing to do with me, and I must say that I didn't care for you either, the mystery woman with a loud ass mouth. However, that all changed, and I enjoyed what our relationship turned into. I enjoyed getting to know you, even with the fights.
Though I don't know what you thought or are thinking, I hope I grew on you. Well, I think I did. However, maybe it would be better for you if you didn't care. Maybe, you wouldn't be hating yourself right now if you hated me, and I hate that you think this is your fault. Because it isn't and I don't blame you at all. Don't forget that, because I will come out of my grave and knock some sense into you. Trust me I will.
Yes, I understand the guilt that is eating you up and that the need to tell me was overwhelming. I understand how you blame yourself, but you're WRONG. It's not your fault. It'll never be your fault. Never. You get that? Never. Yes, I'll keep writing it until you listen, so you give up first now. You get it? NEVER. You aren't the one, who's going to pull the trigger, so stop blaming yourself. None of it's your fault. Not Sergeant Barnes. Not Steve. Not mine. Not anyone's.
Go out and live your life. Enjoy what life has to offer. You deserve to be happy, even if you don't think you do. Find someone, settle down, and start a family. Yes, kids. As a parent, I have the right to bug my child for grandchildren, so deal with it. Besides, we need someone to carry on the Stark name. Yes, I expect my grandchildren to carry our last name. Your spouse be damned. You can tell him that I said that too. He won't be able to fight your dead father's wishes.
But that aside, you do deserve to be happy. I know you don't think you deserve to be loved, but you do. You know I felt the same until I met your mother? I almost pushed her away, not believing that someone like her could love someone like me. Seriously, who could love a nutcase like me? I am and was a complete asshole to everyone, but she saw through that. She loved me for me, including all of my faults.
I want to you to find someone too. I want you to find someone who love you for you. Don't be afraid to let someone in. I know that I was afraid, and again, I almost lost your mother. Don't be like me and don't deny that you're doing it, because I know you are. You did it with Rogers and Barnes, granted I know why now. But don't push that special someone away, because it'll be the worst thing that you ever do. You'll regret it. Trust me.
I know I'm asking a lot for you to trust me, to take my advice since I am/was a horrible father to you. When we sent you back to your rightful time, I made a promise to be the best father that I could be, and for years, I was or I thought I was, but I failed when you needed me the most. I failed horribly. I hate myself for that, and I don't blame you for hating me. I know I would hate me if I was you. I broke every promise that I made to you, and I can't say sorry enough.
I don't know if you remember but I attempted to call you today, the day of my death. It was a few hours ago for me. It was years for you, so I don't know if you remember. I was trying to apologize one last time, but you must've thought that I was crazy. I must've sounded crazy, going on and on about random shit. It was no wonder that you rushed me off the phone with a few shorts words. I understand because why would you want to talk to me after everything?
Besides, the call was selfish. It really was, because I wanted more than to apologize. I wanted to hear your voice, even if your words were anything but friendly. I wanted to reinsure myself that I made the right decision about not telling the younger you the truth, and I know that I did now. There was no need to worry you. No need to guilt you with my death, even though I already know that you will be guilt ridden.
But again, Toni, please don't be guilt ridden. It's my time to go. It's my time to answer for all of the things that I've done. To change the future just to save myself would be selfish, and I refuse to be selfish anymore. I've been selfish for most of my life, and it's time that I do what's right. I need to do the right thing and face my death, to take my death unto myself. There's no one to fault but me. It's my fault. ALL MY FAULT. Don't forget that, because as I said before, I'll come out of my grave and knock some sense into you.
And please don't forget that I love you. I always had-even when it didn't look like it- and always will love you. I may have been a horrible father. I may have been cold, hard, and distant with you, but there was one thing I don't regret: You. Sure, you aren't perfect…Sorry, but someone had to tell you the truth. At least it was me, right?
Anyhow, I do not regret how you and how you turned out. Sure, you're a loud, pain in the rear end smartass, who doesn't know when to shut up, with an ego to boot. Yea, you think too highly of yourself just like your old man, but I wouldn't change that for anything. I love how you turned out, even if you're hard headed. I love the fact that you speak your mind, even when you pissed everyone off. I love that you know what you want. I love that you refuse to give up. I love the bullheaded woman that you turn out to be. Don't forget that either, Kiddo. Please. Don't.
Sure, time traveling is a pain in ass, and there're so many unwritten rules that it could drive anyone crazy, but it was a gift. A gift that I wouldn't give back no matter what. I got to meet one of the strongest women I know. It let me know that you'll be okay after I'm gone. It let me know that you will be able to handle everything that life throws at you. For that knowledge, I wouldn't change anything. I'll take all the pain in the world for that.
Besides it gave me one of my two favorite pictures that I always carry on me. With the first one, I didn't know the photo was being take at the time, only coming across it a few years later. It's a picture of us working in the lab during World War II. Working on what? I don't recall, but it's that smile on that your face, which could light up a room, that drew me to the photo. You looked so happy, so at home, working on that gadget. I should've realized sooner that you were my daughter, but I didn't. I was an idiot for not see it. You're just like me.
The second picture is from your fifth birthday party. It's a photo of the three of us, you, your Mother, and me, just after you smashed the cake in our faces. You had the whole room laughing, including Maria and me, who were covered in cake. Granted that we were surrendered by five year olds with sticky fingers, it was a fun day for everyone, even if we were red the next day from the cake dye. Did you know it took days for that dye to wash off? My board of directors was laughing at me for days, and that kiddo, is all your fault. All your fault. I hope your future kids get you back for that. Dye you all colors of the rainbow.
…I think I wrote you novel here, Toni. Wasn't planning on it, but there is/was so many things that I needed to say. Not sure if this letter covers everything, but everything in here is from the heart. I love you, kid, and no matter what you do or say, I will love you. And again, I'll never blame you for anything, even if everyone else is. I'll never give up on you, even if everyone else has. I'll never stop believing in you so you shouldn't give up on yourself either.
Live, Toni. Live. And remember, I love you with all of my heart.
With all my heart, love your,
Father.
P.S. Just to let you know in regards to Barnes and Rogers, I would not have approved of either of them. They weren't good enough for my baby girl, granted no one is in my eyes, but I didn't fall for Steve's innocent look. He wasn't fooling me, and I knew Barnes wasn't innocent.
Toni was shaking, unable to speak, and for a while, she was still as stone, unable to move.
*O*O*
It was just Bruce and Pepper alone in the lounge, and for a while, it was dead silent between the two. The tension could be cut with a knife, and to make things worse, Pepper was still steaming at the fact that no one told her that Toni was back. Sure, she guessed that they were correct that they didn't want to overwhelm the genius, but she wasn't SHIELD. She was one of the closest people to Toni, and she was one of the few people who could get to her. She knew when to push and when not to push.
"We didn't mean to exclude you, Pepper," Bruce said, breaking the silent. "Just after the way that Steve stomped in here after talking to her, I knew she needed space."
Pepper stepped toward him. It wouldn't be wise to yell at him, but she couldn't help it. She was just so angry. "And you let her go?"
Bruce let out a sigh. "I didn't. We didn't even know that she was gone. Trust me, I wouldn't have let her leave."
She could hear the worry in his voice, but that wasn't enough for her. "You should've alerted me." Lately, she had been feeling left out, an outsider to Toni's new world, and she felt like the current events had sealed it.
"Yes," he said, blowing out. "We should have, and I'm sorry."
Before Pepper could reply, the door to the helipad burst opened, and a very angry Rhodes stomped in. Without him even speaking, Pepper knew the man was fuming, as his eyes were anything but friendly. The CEO wasn't sure why he was so angry, but the man looked like he had been through hell. Though he was covered in mud from head to toe, she could see that he was lined with scratches. What the hell happened to him?
Bruce stepped toward Rhodes, putting himself between Rhodes and Potts. "Are you okay?"
Rhodes only gave Bruce a look before he made his way toward Pepper. Falling behind the Colonel was Romanoff and Barton, who were also spotting angry looks as well. "Pepper, I get you weren't happy with me taking out the Mark 7, but I was in a middle of the battle," he snapped.
Confused, Pepper stared at him for a second, wondering what was going on. "What are you talking about? What about the Mark 7?"
When Natasha narrowed her eyes just right, it was like she was looking right through you, and it was the look she was giving Pepper right now. If looks could kill, everyone would be dead from that stare. The master assassin looked angry, granted she always looked angry. "His access to the Mark 7 has been revoked."
Pepper's eyes widened because there was only one person who could've done that, and that was Toni. Yes, Toni loathed Rhodes touching her personal suits, but she wasn't a dick enough to do it while he was piloting the suit…okay, she would, but not in a middle of a mission, and if Toni did, Pepper knew that Bruce and Trip were right. Toni was drowning.
Barton sighed. "I get it. It was funny to see Rhodes huff it back to the Quinjet, but it could've been deadly. Sure, no one likes Rhodes, but geez, trying to kill him? That's a bit much."
Rhodes turned to Barton, giving him a nasty look. "Geez, thanks."
"Just being honest." Barton said with a shrug.
Rhodey narrowed his eyes at him before he turned his attention to Pepper. "Why did-"
"If I may interrupt you, Colonel Rhodes," JARVIS said, "Miss Potts does not have the authority to revoke access to the Mark 7 or any other mobile armor."
Bruce's eyes widen as a realization came upon him, but before he could voice it, Natasha spoke, "If Pepper didn't do it, then who did it?"
"Miss Stark revoked your access 4.2 hours ago," JARVIS answered.
Both Barton and Rhodes' eyes widened. "W-what? Why?" Rhodes said, stumbling over his words.
"Miss Stark's words were, 'Let's make him walk, because again, sharing is not caring, and I don't share well.'" The AI replied.
Bruce chuckled. "That would be Toni for you."
Rhodes' surprise was still present on his face as he spoke, "Toni's here? Where is she? In the lab?"
JARVIS spoke again, "No, she left 3.5 hours ago."
Barton took a step forward, his anger becoming visible with each step. "Why would you let her leave?" he asked, holding his bow tightly.
"Why didn't anyone inform us?" Romanoff asked.
At least, I wasn't only one, Pepper thought to herself. "No one was informed," Pepper replied.
Rhodes' eye switched. "So where is she?" he looked up as if the AI was in the ceiling.
Pepper's eyes widened, because she couldn't believe that she forgot to ask. Of course, JARVIS would know where Toni was. "JARVIS, do you know where Toni is?"
The AI didn't answer right away. "Yes, I am aware of Miss Stark's current location."
"Then where is she, you stupid AI?" Barton said.
If JARVIS was human, he might've chuckled at Clint's outburst. "I must contest, Agent Barton. As I am connected to both Stark Industries mainframe and the World Wide Net, my knowledge is ever growing. It would be impossible for me to 'stupid.'"
Bruce laughed at JARVIS' remark, as the smart ass genius programed the AI with some sass.
Pepper glanced at Bruce, holding back her own laugh. "So where is she? Tell us, JARVIS."
"I am not authorized to release her location. She has forbidden me," he replied.
The group let out a collective fuck as JARVIS spoke. Each knew there was no way to make JARVIS tell them as it went against his programming. For a few long seconds, the room fall silent with Natasha being the first one to move. She went to the closest control panel, and before anyone could react, she pulled out a device from her pocket.
"What are you doing?" Clint asked, eyeing her.
JARVIS responded before Natasha could, granted the assassin had no interest in responding. "There is no use, Agent Romanoff," the AI responded, as the control panel on the wall suddenly turned black. "Though Miss. Stark made my firewalls impenetrable, I must insist you cease your actions."
Natasha let out a huff. "She's a child."
Bruce let out a sigh, because there was no denying that Toni was a child at times. "Maybe, but we should give her time."
Pepper turned, glaring as she was sick of hearing that. She hated the idea of giving Toni space, because that woman did stupid things when given space.
Maybe, Bruce was right, but she refused to believe that.
Rhodes clearly didn't like that idea. "She dumped me in the middle of nowhere! I want to talk to her." He stepped toward the door. "I'll find her on my own. I know her well enough to know where she could've gone."
*O*O*
For a while, Toni just stood there in front of her parent graves, unmoving. Even with the jest about children, her father's letter shook her to the core, and she couldn't stop trembling. How could he say all of those things? He really loved her? He was proud of her? Believed in her? To know her father thought all of those things meant everything to her. "Geez, old man," she said, softly. "Still getting to me." He had broken through her shield.
Shaking her head, Toni glanced back down at the letter in her hands, and unable to stop herself, she reread the letter. Even with the second reading, it touched her heart, leaving her light of breath. How could that man leave her in tears? How could he turn her into a crybaby?
With a deep breath, Toni smiled slightly as she glanced down at the photo of her fifth birthday. Granted most of her memories were clouded, it was to forget how different her father was in the beginning of her life, and this photo was proof to that. This letter was proof that her loving father was still there through it all. He was always there, when it didn't look like it. It was-
Wait, the letter said two photos…
Toni felt her heart race as she searched the thin envelope for the missing photo; however, no matter how hard she stared, there was no other photo. The yellow envelope was empty. With growing panic, she searched the ground, hoping that she had dropped it when she pulled the letter out. It had to be somewhere, right?
According to the letter, Howard always carried the second photo with him, but so it had to be here. Maybe, it was in the bigger envelope; however, the only thing in that envelope was the journal that she had kept in the past. At first, she was ready to toss it, because it was a bad remainder of the past that she wanted to forget. However, just as she was about to toss it, she noticed her father's notes. Quickly flipping through the pages, she noticed he had written something on each page. Only scanning the notes, she could tell that they ranged from suggestions on her tech to little stories that he wanted her to know. Again, Toni found herself struggling to breathe. "Geez, Father. Still putting me to shame," she said, scanning over a note.
Shaking her head, she closed the journal and stuffed it in the rim of her pants. She would go page through page, reading everything that he had written later, but her desire to find that missing photo was greater. She needed to find it. She just needed to. It was one of the last things her father held.
Fighting back the panic, she tried to logically and calmly think where it could possibly be. It had to be somewhere, right? Someone didn't just take it, right? Maybe, she could speak to that Lawyer. He could know where the photo was. If he didn't know, Toni didn't know what she would do. Sure, it was just a picture, but it was one of the few photos of her father and her. Plus, it was a one of a kind photo of her father and she in the past.
Toni turned to the Mark 7, which had arrived at her side when she was reading the letter. "JARVIS, can you give me the number for the Law firm Spector and Ross?"
"Miss Stark, the others had inquired about your location," JARVIS replied with instead. "I think it would be wise to go back to the Tower."
Toni didn't know if she ever wanted to go back to the Tower with one of the reasons being Steve. She didn't think that she could face him, after everything that she had said. She was beyond cruel to that man, who had been nothing but kind to her. She cut him down at the knees, knowing exactly what to say. She didn't mean any of it; in fact, it was the opposite, even if she refused to admit it to anyone. She knew why she did it, as she would be saving Steve the heartache. Even if she was able to get over her own guilt, she wasn't relationship material at all, even if her father thought she was. With that regard, he was wrong. Dead wrong.
Even worse, he expected her to have kids. Her children? One, she had no idea at all of what to do with them, and two, she would probably kill them on accident. How did one even feed a baby? Then there were diapers. Seriously, her with kids? Who the hell was her father kidding? Wait, her father didn't raise her as he left her to nanny, which was another sign that Toni would be a horrible parent. She was just like her father.
"I take it the family is back in town?" she asked, look over her Iron Man suit over. The suit was in one piece, though she would have to patch up some marks on it. It looked like it took a beating.
"Yes, Miss."
Toni kept back her growl as she held the letter tightly in her hand. On one hand, she knew she should go back to the tower, as there were some questions that she needed to answer and have answered. Plus, there was no doubt that the team was worried. On the other hand, she had no interest in facing anyone. She wanted to hide in her lab, though she kept telling herself that she had to face it. Even if it pained her, her father was right. "Where's Steve?" she asked, not wanting to see him at all.
JARVIS didn't answer, annoying the genius. "Answer me. Where's Steve?!" she demanded. "Don't make me regret creating you. Or maybe, I should reprogram you into a 7 year old girl." With the Lawyer's suit jacket draped over her shoulders, she looked tiny even with her arms folded across her chest.
"Behind you, Stark."
Toni's heart raced as it wasn't JARVIS who spoke. Turning around slowly, the genius came face to face with the last person that she wanted to see. How the hell was this possible? How did he find her here? Why did he even look for her? "S-Rogers…" she uttered, clearly shocked.
His eyes were drilling into her, and it send chills down her spine. His eyes were anything but friendly, and they drained her of any faith that she had done the right thing. With a single look, he made her doubt everything that she knew and did, but she still struggled with admitting that she was wrong. Maybe what she did would save him. This pain he was feeling now wouldn't be as great as the pain he would be feeling down the run if she let this relationship happen. But what did she do with her pain?
With a deep breath, she met his glare with her own, though that was harder to do than she expected. She hated the look he was giving her. With his glare, it was hard to imagine him as her shrimp, a guy that she had spent nights talking to. It was hard to see him like this, as at one point, she played his wingman, a friend, but she had no one to blame to herself.
She had screwed herself, and she knew it. However, she wasn't the one to admit her screw ups.
The end for now.
I hope you like this chapter.
So what you think going to happen next? Think another fight is coming between the two love birds?