A/N - Thank you for all the follows and favs. Please review...I'd appreciate it...
18 years later(25 years after Avengers)
When she opened her eyes, Pepper glanced at the clock beside the bed.
It was only a nightmare...or more like a terrible memory. It was one that Pepper had almost nightly for weeks after Tony's death. She replayed the night over in her mind almost daily for months; wondering what she could have done differently to give a different outcome. If she had locked the balcony door...yet who would ever think someone would break it through a balcony on a penthouse level apartment?! Perhaps if she had brought Anna to bed with her that night, then she could have prevented Loki from using her as leverage against Tony in the first place. Now 18 years later, those thoughts were few and far between but she still felt the same emotions as she did on that day. She just learned to cope.
It had also helped that she had a strong rock to lean against. Happy had been by her side through the private funeral and as she became a single mother. He was her strength and best friend, and as years passed, he became more. Happy had already became a father figure in Anna's life; she had even called him Daddy like it was natural. So, when he and Pepper married in a small ceremony of friends, nothing changed.
Pepper sat up in bed, hearing the soft sounds of birds singing outside in the bright Boca Raton sunshine. It was a beautiful day and she wasn't about to let a nightmare from an event that happened years ago ruin it. Besides, it wasn't everyday that her only daughter turned 21.
Smirking, she leaned over the body beside her and gently placed a soft kiss below the man's ear. She got a groan in response.
"Good morning," Pepper whispered into the ear. "It's time to get up."
"It's 7 am," Happy moaned. "And it's Saturday - I'm not working today."
"I know. It's Anna's birthday. I wanted to make her breakfast before she leaves for work. Remember?" Pepper asked
She got a moan in response and she climbed out of bed.
"And you have a big day ahead of you," she commented. "I need the yard picked up and the pool cleaned before the party this afternoon."
"You know how Anna doesn't like surprise parties, right?"
"I know," Pepper said. "But she'll like this one."
Pepper smiled as she left the room and headed down the hallway towards the kitchen. Her smile faded as she smelled the familiar scent of toast.
As she came around the corner, Anna stood by the counter, fully dressed in black yoga capris and a yellow tank top with earbuds in her ears. Her hair was pulled up high on her head. She swayed slightly and hummed as she stuffed toast into her mouth while reading the newspaper on the table. By the sound of the music coming from the earbuds, Anna had no idea that Pepper had walked into the room.
Pepper smiled once again and leaned back against the counter across from Anna and just watched her. Somedays Anna became the physical embodyment of her father. The way she smiled, laughed and oddly enough, her subtle dance moves all mimicked Tony Stark. It didn't surprise Pepper. After all, Anna was named after him.
As Anna moved towards the sink, it was then that she saw Pepper standing a few feet away, a smile on her face. Anna startled and put her hand to her chest as she pulled the earbuds out of her ears.
"You scared the living daylights out of me," Anna said, a smile coming to her face. "How long were you watching me?"
"Not long. You've already had breakfast?"
Anna nodded, putting her empty plate into the sink. "I wanted to get an early start. I start work at 8:00 and I wanted to get a quick swim in before the kids arrived. I hope I didn't wake you."
Pepper shook her head. "I was hoping to make breakfast for you this morning before you left. It's your birthday."
"And it's just like any other day," Anna said, flatly. She didn't want any fuss being made and she knew what Pepper had been planning.
"Come on, Anna," Pepper began, entusiastically. "I remember when I turned 21. This is a big deal."
"And I know that you're planning a surprise party."
What? Pepper tried to wipe the look of shock off her face. She had been careful to not drop any hints, leave any traces of what they had been planning for a month now. She was certain that her days of being a PA to Tony paid off in this venture.
"No, I'm not," she told her, trying to hide any tells that she could be giving away.
Anna looked back at her and smiled. "I know you, Mom. I know when you're lying."
Pepper sighed. "I know that you don't like big parties. Just indulge me this once. Never again will I throw you a surprise party. I promise you, you'll like this one."
Anna smirked. "Will you have an ice cream cake?"
Pepper smiled. "Of course."
"All right. I'll be home shortly after noon."
She grabbed her duffle bag and swung it over her shoulder before disappearing through the door.
Anna pulled her car up to the gate, and climbed out of the car. Just as she moved to unlock the main entrance into the pool, the sound of another car approaching caught her attention. When she saw who it was a smile came to her face. The driver stepped out.
"What are you doing here?" Daniel asked, grabbing his backpack from the rearseat.
"Me? How about you? I was just wanting to get a morning swim in before the kids start showing up."
"Huh, how about that," Daniel mused as he walked up to Anna. His height several inches taller and his build exactly like his Father, Steve Rogers. "I woke up this morning, thinking the same thing. You know what they say about great minds and all."
Anna let out a laugh before she turned and proceeded to unlock the gate.
"This coming from a man who disappeared off the face of the earth for two years after high school for some save the rainforest gig and came back with a bad case of hives," she stated with a chuckle.
That was afterall, the cover story he had been telling after he was recruited by Coulson and trained by S.H.I.E.L.D. Not even his own parents knew what he had done.
"Hey now. That was poison ivy. And besides, I wasn't the one who dropped out of Caltech to become a lifeguard at a pool in Florida."
"Fair enough," Anna said, dropping her duffle bag onto the lowest bleacher lining the sides of the pool.
As she pulled her tank top over her head, revealing the teal green bathing suit beneath, she looked at Daniel. Although he sounded like himself, he certainly didn't look fully awake. For as much as she enjoyed teasing him, she did care about him. He was her first and closest friend.
"Hey, are you all right?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little tired."
Anna smirked. "Hot date last night?"
Daniel chuckled, thinking back to his late night phone call from Coulson and the following inability to sleep before waking up in time to meet Anna at the pool. The tracker he had put within her medical alert bracelet years ago after he had returned from his '2 year excursion' and the beginning of his longterm assignment, alerted him that she had left home just fifteen minutes before he arrived at the pool.
"Something like that."
"Well then, maybe this time I'll have the upper hand and be able to beat you," Anna said, taking off the remainder of her clothing. Daniel simply shrugged.
"You can try, but I doubt it."
Daniel had inherited his father's stamina as much as his physique.
Moments later, both were in the pool in their respective lanes. As Anna swam across the length of the pool, she could see Daniel ahead of her. Not enjoying being beat by him again, she pushed herself. She watched as he dove under the water to turn at the end of the pool. Anna soon followed suit and tried to catch up but the man was nearly at the end and was above to dive under for another lap before she even made it halfway across. She also felt that familiar tightness in her chest and she knew that she had overdone it.
Trying to act as casually as possible, she paused and held onto the floating lane ropes, calming her breathing with the techniques that had been taught to her. She hadn't used her puffer in months and she wasn't about to break that streak. Anna was stubborn like that.
She closed her eyes and concentrated.
"Anna?" Daniel said. "are you all right?"
She didn't answer but nodded.
"No you're not," he quickly stated, knowing her well enough that she wouldn't admit it. "I'm getting your puffer."
She reached out and grabbed his shoulder, preventing him from swimming away from her.
"I'm fine," she said softly. "I just need a minute."
"It's this humid summer heat," Daniel mused, bitterly. "It can't be easy to breath it."
"I'm fine," she repeated, pushing herself off the side of the ropes and began to slowly swim to the side.
"I'm sure we can find someone to take over your classes this morning," Daniel suggested as he swam beside her, not believing her at all that she was all right.
"I appreciate the suggestion, but it's not necessary," she said as she pushed herself out of the water and turned, sitting on the edge and keeping her feet in the water.
Daniel followed and sat beside her.
"It's just frustrating," she finally admitted. She looked at Daniel briefly before looking out at the water of the pool. "Swimming was the only sport I could get into because of my medical issues and even still, I have the occasional trouble. I remember watching you play football in high school. I would have loved to be on some sports team, but instead I was part of the 'nerd herd'."
Daniel nodded and looked down at his feet in the water. "There's nothing wrong with being smart."
She shrugged. "I know. There's nothing wrong with feeling a little sorry for yourself."
Daniel smiled and nudged her shoulder. "Let's do a few more laps - no racing and at a leasurely pace. Then you can also give me some hints on what to get you for your birthday."
He slid into the pool, and turned to swim backward away from Anna.
"You don't have to get me anything."
"Sure I do. It's not everyday you turn 21."
"My Mom said the same thing."
"And she's right. I remember turning 21. You helped make it epic and I'm want to do the same for you."
Anna laughed, remembering the road trip they took to Orlando a year ago and spent a weekend at Epcot when Daniel turned 21.
Plus, Daniel knew what was going to happen later that morning and he wanted to make her birthday as enjoyable as possible for as long as possible.
"It may mean that I can't give it to you for another few days."
Anna shrugged and slid into the pool before swimming towards him and began to tread water. "I can wait. But that doesn't mean I'm going to try and figure out what it is."
An hour later and the kids had arrived and the lessons had begun. Parents would sit along the side of the pools on the bleachers and watched. Some had their eyes glued to their smart phones while others smiled and beamed as their children kicked and paddled along. Hours passed and it was nearing noon. Daniel couldn't help but occasionally look towards the gate, waiting for Coulson.
Finally, he arrived.
Although the parents, instructors and children didn't notice the man in a suit and sunglasses walk onto the pool deck, Daniel certainly did. He currently didn't have a class to instruct and casually made his way over to Coulson.
"Beautiful day," he mused, glancing up at the cloudless sky.
"It most certainly is," Coulson agreed. "How are things?"
"Going well," Daniel replied. "We have a full house today. It might be best to wait until the lessons are done before talking with her."
Coulson nodded, scanning the pool.
It certainly was busy but it didn't take him long to find Anna. She looked so much like Pepper but at the same time, she had Tony's eyes and smile.
She wasn't in a bathing suit as the other instructors were. He could tell it was on beneath the tank top and swimming shorts she wore as the wetness had seeped through them. She walked along the edge of the pool, as the kids swam lengths below her. He couldn't hear what she was saying but her gestures implied she was trying to demonstrate the arm circles needed for the back stroke to a boy as he swam on his back.
"Do you see her?" Daniel asked.
"I do," Coulson replied.
"Her last class ends in twenty minutes. I'll send her over to you after," Daniel told him. "Feel free to find a shady spot to wait."
Coulson nodded. "I'll do just that."
The man walked away from Daniel, leaving him to manage the pool, ensuring that the instructors were not overwhelmed by any children.
Coulson sat on the bleachers and sighed as he pulled out the file in his jacket. He had done plenty of interviews, dealt with negotiations and spoke with hostile enemies, but nothing had prepared him for this. It wasn't something he was wanting to do. Phil had gone over countless ways of approaching Anna and how he would tell her; none of which seemed appropriate.
How do you tell someone that thier help is crutial to the future of mankind, let alone tell them that everything they knew about their life, was a lie?