Awakening

I am SO FLIPPING SORRY for the extremely long wait! First I was completely swamped with school and then my laptop decided that it no longer wanted to live and died on me. (It had been on it's last legs for a while now so I knew it was coming.) Thankfully I have a flash drive and keep everything backed up on that and Google Drive so I didn't lose anything.

Then, when I finally had my new laptop in hand (which is a freaking awesome laptop and I love it) I got swamped with schoolwork again and then had a week long school trip (yeah I know my school does them a lot) where I couldn't bring electronics….yeah. Anyway I'll stop making excuses now.

I'll seriously try to update more often now that I have a new laptop.

Enjoy guys! :)

Penny's POV

My own healing powers had kicked in as soon as we reappeared in the lab, clearing the rest of my mind and healing the cut on my forehead. I felt...tired, weary, both emotionally and mentally as I levitated my father other to the couch and checked on the bond that I had created between us; and what I sensed was slightly surprising.

He was slowly coming to, and strangely enough it appeared that Tony had passed out for just a brief moment between the beach and the couch. I sighed and placed a glowing hand on Dad's head as I carefully peeled away the bond that had formed.

"Did I make him pass out?" I mused to myself, also projecting the thought through my own Bond to Mortem.

"Perhaps subconsciously, though it is possible that his mind couldn't handle the stress and shut down momentarily." Mortem commented as Dad groaned and shifted his head against the light.

"Or both." I theorized as I poked my father in the shoulder.

"Come on, Dad. It's alright, we're in the lab." I said soothingly as Dad's dark eyes blinked open and his pupils reacted to the light.

"Or both." Mortem agreed before falling silent as Dad rasped out, "What happened?"

Biting my lip, hoping that Dad hadn't hit his head as well, I said, "Well, what do you remember?"

I could sense Dad's mind whirling as he put together the pieces. It was barely a second before Dad was groaning and shoving his palms into his eye sockets, as if to push the images out of his mind.

"Damn it." He muttered, leaning backwards against the couch armrest and looking like he wanted to disappear into the cushions. "I'm going to kill him."
"I might just help you with that." I told Dad with a small smile as I leaned back against his chest, and blinked as I realized that we were both dry. Odd, I didn't remember doing that.

"You probably did it subconsciously. You had a concussion so you weren't really doing much conscious thinking or acting." Mortem told me and I had to admit, he was right. But it wasn't exactly my fault.

"Never said it was, love." Mortem stated with a chuckle and I mentally poked him, hard.

"Oh shut up." I told him before ignoring the Bond and turning my attention back to my father.

"So I take it you remember everything?" I said slowly as settled down deeper into the couch. Dad pulled his hands away from his eyes long enough to glare at me before throwing his right arm across his eyes.

"More or less I think." Dad mumbled and I patted his leg sympathetically. We both just sat there in silence, trying to calm our own minds from what had just happened. It had hit Dad a lot harder than it had hit me of course, since I had millennia worth of experience to deal with trauma induced flashback and such. Dad had no such experience, and I was actually really worried about him. He had been slowly overcoming the scars left on his psyche by Afghanistan, his nightmares recently more about me vanishing and/or dying than anything else (Pepper had told me when Dad refused to). But I had a feeling that this would bring back the nightmares from the cave, and if they stuck around, I was going to roast Barton's Soul.

"If you do, can I watch? I'm rather irritated with the man at the moment." Mortem grumbled in my mind and I snickered so hard I couldn't even be mad at him for listening to my more private thoughts.

"Sure, if you want to." I told him before shaking my head fondly.

"Hmm?" Dad asked, glancing out from under his arm at me tiredly and I gave him a small reassuring smile.

"Mortem just said that I roast Barton's soul he wants to watch." I explained and my father snorted and rolled his eyes.

"I'll bring the popcorn." He joked and I managed to give him a small smile before frowning at him in concern.

"You alright?" I asked softly and he raised an eyebrow before giving me a pointed look.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that, since you have blood drying on your face?" Dad asked pointedly and I winced, realizing that while the cut may've healed I still had blood on my face.

I was just surprised Dad hasn't asked about it earlier.

"Tripped on Barton's foot and fell into the water. Before I could get back up a wave smashed me into the ground and I hit my head on a rock." I explained and I rubbed Dad's arm soothingly as rage flashed through his eyes. "Mortem healed my concussion before I even realized that I had one."

Rage flashed through his eyes and I wince, thinking that it might've not been the best idea to tell Dad about the concussion.

"That man is going to die. Slowly and painfully." Dad muttered under his breath and I just sighed. I knew that Dad was just humiliated and angry. He really wouldn't do that much to Barton, at the most punch him a few times before pranking him mercilessly.

"I'm sure he feels awful about it, Dad." I said slowly, though I was still pissed at Barton, Thor, and Rogers myself. Though Barton deserved the bulk of the blame.

"Thor came to his senses the quickest, and although it took Rogers a while he did come to realize that it was a bad idea." I defended the two 'older' men. Dad nodded slowly before sighing.

"I remember Thor vanishing...I don't blame Point Break, he probably just thought it was some Midgardian thing. Rogers...I'm fairly irritated with, but Barton's going to die...with pink hair, purple fuzzy skin, rabbit ears, a lion's tail, and duck feet." Dad grumbled in thought as he came up with punishments for Barton to endure.

I chuckled at the mental image that Dad supplied. Ok, that would be pretty funny.

"He shall also find that many systems...disagree...with him in the coming days. In fact, he may mysteriously find himself locked out of the Tower for the foreseeable future." Jarvis stated in cold and sharp tone of voice that was almost a growl. I winced, having forgotten that the AI could see everything on the beach even if there was very little he could do to manipulate it.

"Go for it Jar, just don't take it too far." Tony sighed tiredly and I gave Dad a sympathetic smile.

"Of course not, Sir." Jarvis responded before falling silent, thought he coffee pot in the kitchenette whirled to life.

"You know me too well." Dad sighed before pulling himself off of the couch.

Stuck by a sudden, brilliant thought, I grin at my father and also stood.

"Hey Dad! I have an idea." I grinned at him and he gave me a rather caution look. Ok, I deserved that. Sometimes my grins can bring chaos and destruction...or just pure insanity.

There is a very good reason why Insania and I get along so well. We not only balance each other out, by we're way too much alike at times.

(If you hadn't realized that by now.)

"And that is?" He asked as he poured himself a cup of coffee and I twirled on my feet, activating all of the holographic projectors in the lab.

"Let's tinker with your Stealth Armor!" I suggested and a grin spread across Dad's face as he sipped at the coffee again.

"That, sounds like a lovely idea." He stated as Jarvis pull down what we already had for the Mrk. IX. So what if it wasn't healthy to bury your problems under work? That and Mortem are how I've survived this long with my sanity, more or less.

"Playlist 67 please, Jar." Dad said to my AI brother only moments before music started blasting through the lab.

Besides, I was here to make sure Dad didn't go too overboard.

Third POV

Pepper smiled as she saw Penny and Tony laughing as they argued over which parts were better for whichever suit they were currently working on. She was standing in the doorway of the lab, Jarvis having opened it silently a few moments before without alerting the two geniuses who were currently working.

Pepper was glad to see that the Penny was no blood free and that the two of them had more color to their cheeks and generally happier than the last time she had seen them, almost twenty minutes ago. Jarvis had locked down the lab, whether on a Stark's order or not no one was really sure. He had only let Pepper down the stairs because he knew how worried she was. Jarvis' reassurances were enough for Bruce and Rhodey, but not for the older redhead. She knew how much Afghanistan had effected Tony, though it hadn't been until a few months later when she realized just how often nightmares kept her boyfriend awake at night. Though more often than not the nightmares were regarding something happening to Penny.

She had confided in Penny a few months back about Tony's stubborn nightmares and Penny confided that they used to be a lot worse. She didn't want to believe that at one point they had been worse than almost every other day, but the haunted look in Penny's eyes when she had told Pepper made her believe the young words.

Pepper was still just as mad as she had been twenty minutes ago. In fact, the only reason that Barton didn't have a large red hand print on his face courtesy of Pepper was because Phil and Natasha still hadn't released the agent from wherever they had stashed him after their talk.

Smiling softly as she watched Penny stick her tongue out at her father, she slid into the room and settled down on the couch with her tablet. She knew that they'd be alright down here by themselves, but she wanted to be with them. Let them know that she was here if they needed her.

As she set to work on her tablet, she missed the small, proud smile that Penny gave her, or the grateful look that Tony shot her only moments later.

But the two Starks had seen and appreciated her presence there, and that was what she had been aiming for.

Tony and Penny didn't emerge from the lab until almost three o'clock that afternoon. But by then both Starks had calmed down, thoroughly planned out their retribution, and had gotten all of the Stealth Suit basic schematics completed.

As soon as they had reappeared, Rogers and Thor had jumped them, apologizing almost too quickly to understand. Coulson and Romanoff had really chewed them out, and Barton hadn't even been released yet to come back to the house. They had both felt awful, and their guilt had only increased as the two of them had spent more and more time in the lab. Tony and Penny had both accepted and then waved off their apologies, before asking them what they wanted to do for a movie night.

After a mid afternoon meal, everyone but Barton and Phil had settled down to watch a movie, one appropriate for the small children there. The kids had all expressed their happiness that Tony and Penny were both alright, and the younger boys had even drawn Tony pictures to make him feel better. (They had made Penny a paper crown which was still sitting upon her head.) Pen and Loki had to expand the living room as well as conjure quite a few more couches to accommodate everyone, but in the end it all got sorted. They almost watched Finding Nemo, but after seeing her father's face pale, Penny had subtly changed the movie to Aladdin and then Treasure Planet.

They paused for some pizza and ice cream around seven thirty, and the twins had pulled Tony aside to ask a few prank regarding questions. (AKA, what would he and would he not be OK with getting blown up and/or transfigured back in the Tower.)

Since Tony and Penny were both distracted when the third movie was selected, the two geniuses reappeared to the beginning of Titanic; with the younger children having been ushered into another room, A Bugs Life being projected on the wall. Tony was just as much of a sarcastic critic as usual, but a few of the others realized that the movie was actually effecting the usually joyful man.

Penny and Pepper didn't leave Tony's side for the whole movie, and Mortem had even appeared halfway through the movie with a very large bucket of very buttery popcorn with extra salt. Many tears were shed by the end of the film, and Mortem and Penny had both cast a calming charm on Tony not wanting him to be too affected. Thor had been holding a very distraught Jane, while Darcy cried into Selvig's shoulder, and even Adayna was seeking the comforting shelter of her husband's arms. Penny ended up curled up against Mortem's side, while Pepper was practically sitting in Tony's lap. Even Romanoff was slightly misty eyed by the end of the film, and Penny had a feeling that she was missing her partner, and both Immortals could see Bruce's aura flicker as both he and Hulk felt for the characters.

After both films were over, Loki's three younger boys were piled on top of one another, deep into dreamland, while the twins doodled on each other's arms. (They had decided that Titanic was too much of a 'chick flick' and had fled within the first fifteen minutes.) Since none of the agents ever actually came back, the rest of the Avengers and Company all drifted off through the house, looking for a soft surface to crash on for the night. Loki and Penny did a lot more conjuring, and even expanded all of the guest rooms so there was enough room for everyone. Loki, Adayna, and his kids were all in one expanded room (it was so late that Vali and Narfi didn't even protested that it was time to sleep), while Thor, Selvig, Bruce, and Steve were all in another. Jane, and Darcy were crashing in Pepper's room, since Pepper usually just spent the night in Tony's room these days.

However, neither Tony nor Penny were sleeping by the time twelve thirty drifted around. Penny was currently curled up in Mortem's lap on the roof, start gazing and lost within conversation and reminisce in their Bond. While Tony was standing on the balcony, very lost in thought.

Tony's POV

A very strong sense of nostalgia filled me as I gazed out at the dark waves crashing against the pale, silvery shore. The large crescent moon hung low in the sky and reflected off of the dark water. The light California chill in the air didn't bother me as a breeze drifted about. Today had been interesting, to say the least. With all of my friends/family showing up early this morning, Fury actually showing that he had a heart, and of course Barton triggering the worst flash-back and panic attack I've had regarding Afghanistan in months. (Most of my woes were now fueled be the thought of losing Penny. The fear that had been created strongly after the whole Vanko thing was now even stronger because of what happened on the Helicarrier.)

Though I had to admit, the movie night was pleasant. There were quite a few scenes in Titanic that made me think of Evanna, but…that wasn't a bad thing. It made me remember all of the good times that Evanna and I had over the years. It also made me think of Pepper, and all that she had done for me, and all of our good times.

Titanic hadn't made me sad, though I still missed Evanna and I had a feeling that I always would, but it also made me realize that if Evanna was here, she would smack me over the head with a broom. She wouldn't be upset with how I'd been raising Penny, no. She'd hit me for how long I've kept Pepper at arms length, and my hesitance to take it to the next step. I could practically hear her scolding me in the back of my mind, her soft voice echoing through my conscious brain like a ghost left upon my soul.

"Your being an idiot again Tony."

My hands clenched, my shoulders tensed by just a touch and not for the first time I was slightly concerned for my own sanity.

How many times had I heard Evanna say those words to me all of those years ago? I chuckled softly as I realized that she had been right ever single time, just as she was probably right now.

"You forget, Tony, you may be a genius, but I'm always right."

I had to chuckle at that, as it really was rather true. Evanna was always reminding me that I didn't know everything, and that on matters of the heart (and on human interaction and habits) she was always right.

"Pen inherited your ability to usually be right." I muttered aloud, for there had been a few incidences where Evanna hadn't been right. They were rare, but they had existed. Just like how Penny wasn't always right, even if she was an Immortal with whatever it was; and just like how I wasn't always right.

Hey, I could admit it. I was arrogant and rather egotistical, but I wasn't blind. (Something that both Penny and Pepper had been very pleased to pound into me.)

Though, was I concerned over the fact that I was having a sort-of-one-sided conversation with the memory of my almost-fience? No, not really. My life was just too odd like that, and my sanity a bit too gone.

"You should really see her now," I mused, not for the first time thinking about how much of Penny's personality she got from her mother. Sure, her genius, sarcasm, sharp whit, love for mechanics and explosions had come from me, but her kind nature, motherly tendencies, empathy, and emotional intuition all came from her mother. Her stubborn nature and temper was a mixture of the both of us, to be honest.

"She might've inherited my brain," I said aloud, condensing my thoughts. "But she definitely has your heart."

Oh, I knew that a lot of her personality had probably stayed with her through previous life times, though I'm sure it'd changed slightly over the years due to experience, but I'd like to think that even though she was so much more...she was still mine and Evanna's daughter. Which she would always be, no matter how old her soul was or who she was married to.

I pushed that thought away. I actually liked Mortem, and hadn't bothered to give him a hard time in a while. In fact I didn't go into Over Protective Father Mode as much as I wanted to, for experience over the past few months showed me just how important my daughter was to death personified. Their relationship was a longstanding one, a very old one. Just by watching the two you knew that, for they had the silent balance between them that just screamed 'we've been together so long we know what the other's thinking without them having to say a word'. Of course, the fact that they apparently could communicate telepathically probably had helped with that.

I literally shook my head. I did not need to be thinking about my daughters relationship; that always sparked thoughts that I would rather avoid.

"She doesn't say it, I'm not even sure if she realizes it," I paused, thinking it over for a moment. "But she misses you."

I told Evanna, as I watched the moon's reflection on the water shrink as the glowing orb rose higher into the sky.

"But then," I continued after a moment of silence. "So do I."

This was very true; and I would never stop missing Evanna. But at least now I had Pepper and Penny to dull the pain and fill the void. The past year since that teenage girl, my daughter, entered my life, was almost unbelievable. In just a few months she had flung my life in a whole new direction, though Afghanistan did have something to do with that. The whole in my heart left behind by Evanna and my father's rather harsh treatment of me as a child was practically healed. Pepper had done a lot for me over the years, but Penny's appearance allowed me to actually open up to the strawberry blonde, and allow my heart to heal even more.

A flash of Evanna's scolding face popped into the forefront of my mind and I couldn't help but chuckle.

"If you were actually here you'd probably tell me to get off of my lazy ass and propose already." I shook my head slowly but fondly. It was really true. I had been toying with the idea for about two months now, and all of the hints and such that Penny had been dropping weren't exactly subtle. Biting my lip, and glancing around to make sure that I was actually alone, I leaned farther against the railing. I was slumped over so much one good shove probably could've sent me toppling over.

"I've actually been thinking about it for a while." I slowly admitted aloud, thankful that everyone else was asleep. I turned my attention from the moon and distant waves to the stars. I couldn't see many of them due to the pollution, but the sight was definitely better than in New York. "I haven't really put any plans together...though I do have an idea for a ring."

I took a deep breath before I continued. "I wanted to wait till we came here and I could ask you."

Yeah, I was asking my dead almost-fience and mother of my daughter if I could propose to my current girlfrient. There wasn't anyone out here to judge me, and besides, who really cared if the others thought I was sane or not? I wasn't even always sure myself.

"I'm not even sure why." I hadn't even realized that I said that aloud until the words had already passed my lips. "I just felt...that I needed to come out here, to say something to you. I know that it's been about seventeen years since we've seen each other face to face, but I guess I just wanted to assure you that although I've been an ass, and can be rather irresponsible and immature sometimes...I'll take care of Penny, and I definitely won't forget you."

Another deep breath rattled through my lungs and beneath the Arc Reactor that was sitting rather heavily on my chest.

"But at the same time, I'm going to marry Pepper, that is, if she'll have me." The breeze turned slightly stronger at my words, and as my heart clenched, I had the strangest feeling that Evanna was telling me that it was alright. The night was peaceful, and as the breeze died down once more it was like a weight had been lifted from me; and for the first time all weekend a true smile flickered across my lips.

"Sir?" Jarvis' soft voice echoed in my ear and I straightened up just slightly. My youngest wouldn't interrupt me for anything. "Miss Potts is awake and asking you to come to bed."

With a sigh I stood and stuffed my hands into my pockets. "Tell her I'll be up in a sec."

"Of course, Sir." Jarvis replied just as softly before fall quiet.

Turning my attention back towards the moon and stars, for Evanna had always loved the night sky, I let a small, soft smile flicker into existence on my lips.

"Good-bye Evanna." I whispered, my voice as quiet as the light wind.

Sighing heavily, but feeling strangely light hearted I turned on my heel, only to come face to face with Penny. She was smiling softly, dressed in a large baggy Tshirt with a skull and crossbones on it that fell to just above her knees.

"Mom would be proud of you." Her voice was soft, kind, as was the smile she gave me. I gave her a small one in return as she wrapped her arm around mine and walked back inside with me. Nothing more was said between us, but nothing else was needed to be said.

I had no idea how much of my muttering that Penny had heard, and if I was honest with myself I really didn't care. Evanna would want the two of us to be happy, to move on; and it seems like that was exactly what we were slowly doing.

Just as we were about to pass through the doorway and into the house, a strong tingling sensation crept up my neck. The strangest sensation came over me, and it was if I was possessed, for I glanced behind me.

It took all of my willpower not to gasp out in surprise, though perhaps it was more shock that anything else. For there, standing nearly translucent in the same place on the balcony I had been but moments before, was Evanna's nearly nonexistent figure.

She looked the same as she had all of those years ago, her dark hair flowing to her shoulders (Pen and I had always wondered where her red hair had come from), and her lips stretched into a warm smile. She was dressed in a flowing silvery-blue dress that seemed to glow, and I couldn't help but be reminded me of Penny's soul when it had been an orb in Mortem's hand.

Time had seemed to freeze, and Pen didn't even move. I could barley even think of saying something to get my daughter's attention before Evanna smiled sadly at me, and this time I was certain that it was actually her voice echoing through my mind.

"Good-bye Tony," Her smiled widened, and a teasing glint entered her eyes as she continued. "And don't worry. You're doing wonderfully with Penella; Virginia is a lucky woman."

I could only stare at her with shock, so overcome with the fact that Evanna had heard everything that I had said. Her soft chuckle echoed through the air as she started to fade from view. My throat tightened and there was a telltale prickling at the corners of my eyes.

"Take care of yourself, Tony; and do remember, our daughter doesn't deserve to live in the shadows forever." She said, blowing me a kiss as she parted, vanishing from sight.

It took half a moment for me to realize that no, I had not just hallucinated the whole thing. Turning back around to see that Penny hadn't even moved, and the same small smile was on her lips. I narrowed my eyes and was about to ask how on earth she had done that when she tilted her head and looked at me in concern.

"Are you alright, Dad?" Her voice was quiet, almost as quiet as Evanna's and I realized that her voice sounded almost identical to Evanna's. I studied her voice, my gut telling me that my powerful little girl had something to do with what just happened. But I could find no deception on her face, nor any of the other tell tale signs that my daughter was keeping a secret.

I sighed, and decided to let the matter drop. I guess that it really didn't matter how I had gotten to say goodbye to Evanna, only that I had. For she was Penny's mother, she'd been my first love. She was the one who had been chased away; and now, she was the one who was watching over us.

"No, I'm fine." I told Penny, because honestly? I was.

Because no matter how much of a scientist I was at heart, you couldn't really doubt the afterlife existed when Death himself was practically (is) your son in law.

"I'm perfectly fine." I continued as Penny and I reentered the house, the part of my heart that Evanna had always claimed finally at peace.

^*^
Penny's POV

I smiled softly as I watched Dad ascended the stairs. Though he didn't say anything, I knew that he understood that I had something to do with what had happened on the balcony. Turning back around, I saw Mortem, Infinitas, and the ghost of my mother all standing on the balcony we had been inhabiting only moments before.

I hadn't asked my Bonded and Sister to do this, but they had done so anyway. Infinitas was involved because she snatched my mother's Soul before it had been reincarnated, and therefore still had all of her memories as Evanna.

"Thank you, both of you." I said as Infinitas gave me a small smile and nod in return. It had done a lot for Tony, and it meant a lot to me; which is probably why the other Immortals did it.

"I'm so proud of you, honey." Mom told me with a large smile and a twinkle in her eyes and I was just able to smile back at the woman before she vanished back into an orb in Infinitas' hand.

I couldn't help but chuckle as I recognized that Soul, actually seeing it for the first time. Of course my mother in this world was the same one as my Second Life.

"Actually," Mortem said as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders, appearing by my side as Infintas and my mother's Soul vanished. "Every mother you've had in your lives: Lily, Maddie, Evanna...they're all been the same Soul."

I couldn't help but chuckle, even for Immortals, Existence was a strange place at times.

"Let's to go bed, love." Mortem whispered into my ear and I nodded into his shoulder. Bed sounded very nice. It had been a long weekend.

Well…it's been a while. :/

Ok, so if you didn't catch my AN at the top of the chapter, my lateness is to be blamed on an insanely busy school schedule, my old laptop dying, a week long school trip where I can't bring my new laptop, and a bunch of other RL problems.

I'm really sorry...though this chapter is a bit longer than usual to make up for it! eh...yeah I know.

Anyway, I have absolutely no idea why this chapter ended up like this, it did not end up as planned at all...but that seems to be rather normal for me.

I hope you all can forgive me, and you all ROCK for still reading this after my rather long absence.

Thanks for everything guys, and I hope you enjoyed it.
Cp