The next day Gage found Quinn in her room. That was strange, it was going on noon. Shes always in the lab by 8AM at the latest. He lightly knocked on her door. "Princess, everything ok?" She looked up, nodding but he could tell she wasn't. Her smile was weak and that sparkle in her eye that was always there was gone. He knew he was why it was gone and he hated himself a little more. She was just writing in her notebooks. "Yeah. I'm ok." Gage nodded before leaving, going to find Tony. He found Tony in the lab, doing some work on the suits. "Uh Tony? May I talk to you?" Tony didn't look up from his work, soldering together metal and wires. "Yeah, whats on your mind?" He blew some smoke away before going back to soldering. Gage sighed. "You remember my date with Agent Hill?" Tony smiled. "Yeah, what? Need dating tips now?" Gage smiled weakly. "No sir, just.. it's Quinn. She was pretty upset about it." Tony put his work down, turning to him with a soft frown. "Yeah. She was. She had a nightmare and I went in to help but she was pretty disjointed it wasn't you." Gage sighed. "When I came home I spoke with her, I wanted to make sure she knew that I never stopped caring about her just because I went on a date. Shes still a little down." "I noticed." Gage nodded. "I had an idea."
Quinn was still in her room, wiping some tears away when a small knock was on her door. The door opened, showing her Brother TJ with soft frown on his face. "Are you ok?" She looked up, trying to put on a smile. "Oh I'm ok. You don't need to worry." But her brother walked in, sitting next to her and hugging her. "It's ok to not be ok." She sniffled, a few tears falling. "He doesn't love me anymore." "Who?" She sniffled. "Gage. He went out on a date with that pretty girl from S.H.I.E.L.D and now he's gonna forget about me." TJ's eyes widen. "Why?" Gage was about to knock on Quinns door when he overheard TJ and her talking. Quinn was speaking. Her voice wobbly with tears. "Because shes pretty and smart and is just like him. She knows how to fight and everything she's perfect. I'm just not." He had to swallow the lump in his throat. How could he ever make her think that? Suddenly Quinn ran out of the room to her moms room. TJ followed but glared when he saw Gage. "You hurt my sister." Gage knelled down. "I'm sorry little man,I didn't mean to, honest. But I'm gonna make it up to her." TJ still glared but huffed down the hall, most likely to the training room. Gage shook his head. What a mess he got himself in.
Tony went up to the master bedroom, finding Kim in there along with Quinn flopped down on the bed looking all kinds of depressed. Kim was rubbing her back soothingly but she looked up at Tony with worried expression. Tony walked over. "Wow is she?" Kim sighed. "She stopped crying, thats good. Shes just been quiet." He nodded, walking in, sitting on the bed, his hand starting to pet Quinns hair. "Hey princess, whats wrong?" He watched her take a breath before speaking. "Gage doesn't care about me anymore. He's going on dates with that pretty lady from S.H.I.E.L.D and he's gonna forget about me." Kim frowned softly, her hand on her daughters back. "Why do you say that?" Quinn sniffled. She was still face down on the bed, her little face slightly squished from the mattress. "Because that's what happens when you go on dates and get a boyfriend or girlfriend. There all that matter and they make you forget about everything else." Tony couldn't help the small smile. She kinda hit the nail on the head and had a point and she was only going on seven years old. There was a light knock on the door, Kim spoke. "Come in."
Gage walked in carefully, like Quinn was a wounded animal he didn't want to scare. He walked to the bed, in front of Quinn, kneeling so he was face to face with her. "Quinn..." She didn't look up. "Yes?" Gage sighed. "I'm sorry. I never met for my date to hurt you like this. You know I'm always gonna care about you." "uh-huh." Everyone in the room could tell she didn't believe that. She wasn't even looking at him. He continued. "Let me make it up to you. Would you like to go out with me today?" She looked up quickly and Tony and Kim had to hide there laughter that bubbled up from her reaction. "Like a date?" Gage smiled. "Yes. Like a date." She nodded, a small smile started to form on her face. He smiled. "Good. I'm going to go get ready. Wear something pretty, ok?" She smiled brightly. "Ok!" She crawled off the bed, running to her room, the door slamming in her excitement. Kim smiled, laughing lightly. "All it takes it one date to make her better?" Tony chuckled, shrugging. "He made her his center of attention. She likes attention." Kim smirked weakly to him. "Sounds like another Stark I know." Gage chuckled. "I hope that was ok." Kim smiled. "Shes happy. Thats all that matters. " Gage nodded. "Right, I'm gonna go get ready." Kim nodded. "I'm gonna go help Quinn before she rips her room apart." She got up, walking out the door, Gage following. Tony sighed, going to the kitchen, starting a pot of coffee.
Kim lightly knocked on her daughters door, walking inside. "Sweetie...oh my...Do you need help?" There was cloths already thrown about the room. Quinn looked to her mother, nodding with watery eyes. "I don't know. What do people wear on dates?" Kim smiled softly, going to her daughter. "They wear something nice. Lets find you a pretty dress." Kim helped Quinn sort thru what few dresses she had. Most from Stark Expos and Galas. She found a pretty pastel blue one. "Here, this is pretty." Quinn smiled. "That one!" Kim smiled, taking the dress off the hanger. "JARVIS, let Gage know shes wearing pastel blue, if he wants to match." "Yes mam."
Gage was getting ready, having just got done taking a shower, putting on his cologne. JARVIS spoke as he put on his after shave in the mirror. "Sir, Kim has asked me to tell you that Quinn will be wearing pastel blue if you desire to match." Gage smiled. "Thanks jay. Oh, jay, do you know what kind of flower she likes, if any?" "I believe she favors sunflowers." "Thanks Jay." Gage went out of the bathroom connected to his and Clint's rooms, going to the dresser, getting out a nice pair of kakie pants and a pastel blue button down. Clint walked in, smirked weakly. "Another date with Hill?" Gage smiled weakly, buttoning his shirt. "Nope. I'm making that up to Quinn and taking her out." Clint chuckled weakly. "little young don't you think." Gage rolled his eyes. "Shut up." Clint chuckled before getting what he came in there for and walking out.
Kim was done helping Quinn. Her hair was brushed and pulled back with some framing her face. Quinn smiled. "I'm ready!" Km smiled, holding her hand. "Com'on, lets go meet your knight downstairs." Quinn walked down the stairs with her mom. Gage managed to put together a small bouquet of sunflowers from Kim's roof-top garden, wrapping them in red and gold ribbon. He was sitting in the living room. Tony followed them down the stairs. Kim got to the entrance way to the living room, stopping. Quinn saw Gage stand, walking over. Suddenly over-come with shyness she hid behind her mothers leg, not feeling pretty enough for him. They all shared a soft chuckle at that. Gage knelled down to her, handing her the small bouquet. "There's my princess. You look beautiful. Here, JARVIS says there your favorite." She smiled weakly, starting to come out from behind her mothers leg, gently taking a hold of the small bouquet. Gage held her hand once she came out from hiding, standing. He looked to Tony. Tony smiled. "Just be back by dinner time." Gage smiled. "Got it." He started leading Quinn down to the garage.
He smiled down to her. "Pick a car." She smiled, letting go of his hand, going to the White Audi. He smiled, going to it, opening the back seat, picking her up and putting her into her booster seat. She was till small for her age. He was willing to bet she wouldn't grow to be more then 5'3 or less. He buckled her in, making sure she was safely in there before going to the driver's seat, starting the car. The engine purred and roared at the same time. It was beautiful. Quinn smiled. "Such a pretty sound. I love that sound." Gage chuckled. "What, this?" He revved the engine. She grinned. "Yes! Again!" He chuckled. "When were on the road you' hear plenty of it, I promise. What music do you want?" She looked to be thinking a moment. "What music does daddy listen to again?" Gage smiled. "AC/DC, Queen, there all older bands. It's called classic rock." She smiled. "I like that. Can we play classic rock?" Gage smirked weakly, tuning the radio which was playing bohemian rhapsody.. she gasped. "This is my favorite!" He chuckled, pulling out of the garage, driving down the road, onto the crowded streets of New York. He smiled, she was singing every line of the song. On the chorus he joined her and he was lucky they were at a red light when the head-banging came. She laughed after a few of them, stopping. He sopped on the second as well, laughing.
He parked in the parking space of a small restaurant. He hated that there was already paparazzi starting to realize this was one of the Stark's cars, starting to take photos. He put on a smile for Quinn. "Looks like your fans are waiting princess." She looked nervously out the window. "There not gonna hurt us are they?" Gage started to get out, getting her out of her booster seat. "I won't let them. Don't worry, your knight will protect you." He smiled, kissing her head as he held her on his hip. She smiled, hugging him before he put her down, holding her hand. A few were taking pictures, asking questions like "Whats the plan today? Why are you taking her out without her parents?" He ignored them and made sure to keep a hold of Quinn's hand. She waved to them shyly, smiling. He sighed in relief, her adorable waving got them to shut up and take pictures silently. He got them inside and by a cornor. He wanted privacy. The waitress was a young blonde. She smiled as she got them to there seat. Giving Gage his menu and Quinn her menu and crayons for her paper mat. "May I start you off with something to drink?" He didn't miss the way this girl looked him over. Gage nodded. "Yeah, just a ice tea." She wrote it down then looked to Quinn. Quinn looked up before looking scared. She looked to Gage. He smiled. "It's ok princess, go on, talk to her." The blonde smiled. "aww someone's shy?" Gage smiled. "Yeah. Only around new people. Go on Quinn, tell her what you want to drink." Quinn swallowed, speaking quietly. "Um just a juice box. If you have them." The blonde smiled. "Right away." Her eyes went back to Gage, looking him up and down before walking away.
He watched her walk away before shaking his head, looking to Quinn who had starting drawing on her paper mat on the clear side of it. He smiled. "What are you drawing?" He saw the worried look on her face. "It was in my nightmare last night." He reached a hand out, touching her arm gently. "What happened?" If it bothered her this much, he knew it was a prediction. She stopped her coloring but didn't look up at him. He could feel her tense. "This bad person took you and put something inside you. He made you into a monster." He raised an eyebrow. "A monster?" She nodded, looking up. " I don't know what it was but it made your body burn up and you got angry a lot. Like Hulk but not green or giant."
He tensed, frowning. "Did I hurt you in this? Or anyone? Did I hurt anyone?" She shook her head. "No but whatever this bad guy put inside you is going to kill you." He swallowed. It was unreal hearing such grim words from such an innocent voice. "Is that what your drawing?" She nodded, showing him. She drew a crude drawing of him but he looked to be suffering, glowing orange with fire around him. "Do you know when?" She shook her head, her lip trembling. He reached out, holding her hand. "Hey, don't cry. Whenever this happens, we'll get thru it together,, ok?" She nodded, wiping her tears away. He smiled. "Now, lets forget about this for now and have a good time." She smiled weakly, nodding. He folded the picture up, putting it in his pocket, making a mental note to tell Tony about it.
After there lunch he took her to the science museum and half the time she was pointing out errors in there science. He tried not to laugh at the arguments she would get into with some of the staff. Only stepping in when he seemed to be ugly. Now it was going on 5PM, they needed to get home. He placed her in her booster, buckling her in. "Ready to go home princess?" She nodded, yawning. He smiled, kissing her head before getting in the drivers side, starting the car and driving back to Stark tower.
AN: so I've had a busy weekend, went away on a small vacation. Then this week is gonna be busy with work and friends coming over which means I have to clean. _ I'm gonna be whooped. I'l try to get chapters up much as I can but it's gonna be a busy week .