It had been 4 years since then. And many things had happened. For one her dad had ruined the whole idea of a superhero secret identity. He also had almost died, almost poisoned by the very thing keeping him alive. Lastly, he had finally hooked up with Pepper, much to her joy.
Her father had almost died during the attack of New York too, so she had decided that after her time at Harvard university, and successfully gotten her degrees in engineering and computer science, she decided it was time she return. That and her dad had sounded pretty excited over the phone.
At age 19 now, she had been pretty young to be at university, but her intellect far surpassed those her own age, so it made sense to live her home to gain more knowledge. She had also wanted to be as independent as possible, and as a result had moved out of her dad's home, though he insisted on paying for her accommodation to begin with. She had gotten multiple scholarships and got a waitressing job to pay for her living expenses.
However, the attack on New York, had seemingly rattled her usually energetic father, and he had insisted she move back in. She didn't mind, as she had never really felt at home in Massachusetts, and hadn't really connected with most of the people.
So that is why she found herself standing in front of a large tower in the centre of New York. Her dad had sent his plane to fetch her, and happy had just dropped her was actually going to meet the avengers! It was a daunting thought, as it was likely they didn't even know who she was, if she knew what her dad was like. Not even Natasha, knew who she was, as she hadn't been there when she was there.
And Phil had assured her that she wouldn't be recognised.
Her eyes watered slightly and her chest hurt as she thought of the deceased agent. Director Fury had alerted her about this, via a phone call.
No. She couldn't think about that now.
So taking a deep breath she entered the building, not knowing what to expect.
Natasha Romanoff didn't do family. Love was for children, and creating such groups was an easy way to get yourself killed.
Or at least.
That's what she was telling herself. However after moving into the tower she was finding herself actually feeling a part of something. They were like a big dysfunctional family, and while she found it strange.
She found herself not minding so much.
In fact, she was very protective, of those who she trusted.
So when an unknown girl walked into the living room, Natasha acted on instinct.
Holding her gun in her direction she narrowed her eyes at the brunette.
"Who are you? How did you get in here?"
The girl didn't appear afraid of the weapon, and instead blinked in confusion.
Clint and Steve, who had been in the kitchen, heard the red head, and came to see what was going on.
Steve, always being one to analysis things first, took in the young girl, who was staring down the end of a gun.
She was petite, he noticed, and probably only reached his chest. Her skin had a light tan, and her deep brown eyes, didn't seem fearful, but more… Exasperated? Her long brown hair, rested in chocolate waves in front of her, past her elbows. Her figure was slender, and she didn't seem to have the muscle to really put up a fight, so he doubted she was a threat. Her clothes didn't seem like the sort of clothes a thief would wear either.
She wore a white beanie hat, alongside with a long grey woollen sweater that looked more like a dress as it reached mid-thigh. Alongside this she wore black leggings and a pair of black converse shoes.
Let's just say she didn't seem particularly threating.
"Answer my questions kid"
Clint seemed to come to the same solution as Steve, and he placed a hand on his partners shoulder.
"Easy Nat, she's just a kid. She looks like she couldn't harm a fly." Natasha didn't budge however
"Um…"They turned their attention to the girl,
"Jarvis…could you-"
The AI interrupted her mid-way through her request
"Mr Stark is on his way up already Miss" She smiled softly
"Thanks J" She turned her attention the confused avengers.
"I guess… you weren't told about me?" She asked softly
"I'm afraid not Ma'am, so I'm going to have to suggest you tell us who you are, and how you managed to get in."
The girl was about to speak, when Tony interrupted her.
"MINI ME!"
Running towards her, Tony zipped past the avengers, and grabbed the girl, spinning her around as he lifted her up by her arm pits, much to her horror.
Bruce, who had trailed behind tony, looked at the scene, confused as well as with poorly veild amusement.
Clint looked at Natasha, who had put her gun down, and seemingly confused.
"Did he just say…Mini me?" Natasha simply raised her eyebrow at tony, who was grinning as he rested his head on the young girl's head, who was looking at the group apologetically.
"You're here!"
She laughed softly
"I am, but shouldn't you-"Tony shot up, as if remembering something life-changing.
"Ah that's right!"
He grinned
"Guys this is my offspring, Grace Tonya Stark!"
…..
"EEEEEEEH?!"Clint cried out.
"Tony" Bruce began "Why didn't you ever say you had a daughter?" Tony smirked
"Well, big guy, you never asked."
Grace, detangled herself from her father, and faced the avengers
"Um, it's nice to official meet you all, I heard a lot about you from my dad. Thank you for looking out for my Dad…I know he… he can be a bit much for some people."
The group nodded in agreement.
"A bit much? Well that's an understatement" Clint grinned, and Grace laughed.
"Yeah, well Pepper raised me to have manners" Tony nodded
"That's right I- wait, what did you mean, Pepper raised you to have manners!? I did too!"
She smirked slightly, that clearly showed her father in her as she looked at Tony.
"You. Manners? "Natasha smirked, and put her gun away.
Heck maybe she could get along with the girl.
"Ah my own daughter wounds me" Grace ignored the dramatics of her father, and instead headed in Bruce's direction.
"Ah, Dr Banner it's an honour to meet you! Your thesis on Gamma Radiation was such an interesting read" Bruce was surprised for a moment at the beaming girl, who was looking at him with pure admiration.
"You've read my thesis?"
She nodded
"Yes! Your work on anti-electron collisions was fascinating!"
Clint sighed loudly.
"Oh god, another Nerd"
Grace, suddenly frowned, and hung her head, as if ashamed.
"Ah… Um I'm sorry." Bruce gave Clint a look of disapproval, and Natasha smacked the archer over the back of the head.
"Hey!" Natasha glared at him, and Clint had the decency to look sheepish.
"Ah sorry kid." Grace smiled shakily.
"It's fine…"
Steve who had been watching this, noticed, her left arm, underneath her sleeve was bulky, something he hadn't really paid attention to but, when she shifted, her bag across her shoulder, he noticed the bright blue of a cast.
"Ma'am, would you like some help carrying some of your things in to your room?" Grace blinked, and noticed his gaze on her wrist. Pulling her sleeve down, she shook her head.
"Ah, I'm fine thanks Steve." She paused "I mean… is it alright if I call you Steve? Oh, and you can just call me Grace…"
Steve smiled.
Most people simply called him Captain, not that he had a problem with that, but it was as if Steve rogers was lost in the grandeur that people saw Captain America as. To be acknowledged just as Steve, was a good change.
"That's fine Grace, but are you sure? Your injured-"
As soon as those words left his lips, Tony had rushed towards them, and held Grace's head between his to hands.
"Injured? Where?" The group could only watch as Sarcastic, Playboy Tony turned into a mother hen, as he questioned the girl in panic.
It was almost laughable.
But it also showed, how much they really didn't know about Tony.
"Dad, it's nothing."
He finally spotted her wrist, and moved her sleeve, to reveal the cast
"This isn't nothing" He retorted "How did this happen?
She'd fallen.
As soon as the words passed the smaller Starks lips, Clint and Natasha knew she was lying.
She was a good liar, they'd give her that.
But they were trained to see through these things.
And Grace Stark was lying about how her arm had gotten into that cast.
The pair of assassins looked at each other in understanding.
They would keep an eye on the small stark.
Because even though Natasha didn't trust easily, and didn't do family.
Grace Stark, by association was under the protection of the avengers.
That and well.
She didn't think the kid seemed that bad.
Eventually when things died down, they all settled round the dining table for dinner, courtesy of Steve. Conversation was mainly directed at Grace, much to her embarrassment. And tony took great joy in answering these questions and boasting about his child.
"Wait… YOU ran the company when you were 14?"Clint gaped, and she nodded sheepishly
"Y-eah, I mean it was only for a few months…"Tony just laughed
"She was great! Heck she was the one who made the stark phone and the stark tablet." Steve raised his eyebrow, impressed. When he had been given the phone, he of course been under the impression, that Tony had made it .Not a 14 year old girl.
She shrugged slightly.
"I... wanted to keep busy."
"Still kid, it's pretty impressive, not many kids can claim they were a CEO at such a young age." Clint added.
Grace blushed in embarrassment.
"I still don't get how no one ever knew about you being Tony's daughter" Bruce added, still not fully over this shock.
Grace smiled softly.
"Well I'm not a media whore like my dad"
It was so unexpected from the soft spoken girl, that it took a moment for it to process what she had sad, before Clint burst out laughing, Bruce coughing to hide his amusement, Steve to simply laugh at Tony's expense, and for Tasha's usual emotionless mask to crack, as an amused smirk crept across her face.
"Grace! You're so mean to me! "Tony pouted. Grace however simply laughed, before turning her attention back to Bruce.
"Well, in all seriousness, I used my… mother's surname" The team noticed her reluctance as she mentioned her mother.
"That way, people didn't see the link between me and the stark name"
"But how didn't shield know?" Natasha had being dying to ask this question. She had spent time as his personal assistant, and she hadn't even known about this girl. It annoyed her to some extent.
She liked to know all the details she could about a job.
Tony was about to most likely insult the organisation about their lack of knowledge, when grace interrupted
"They did know" Tony looked horrified
"What do you mean they knew?! And how do you even know If they know. Wait"
He looked at Grace with suspicion
"Please don't tell me you actually work for shield?" Grace shook her head.
"Of course I don't Dad! I am" She paused for a moment, and her eyes took on a glimmer, as if she was holding back tears.
"I was" She corrected "Very close friends with an Agent of Shield."
Steve noted how her previous good mood had fallen.
"Was? Is your friend…?"
She nodded sadly
"He was killed during the alien invasion" She looked at them all sadly.
"You all know him too. Phil Coulson. He was my friend"
Just the name of the deceased agent, sent a solemn mood through the group, however Tony suddenly jumped up.
"Wait. Phil?" He suddenly grinned
"Phil as is the one you named 'Phil 'after" Natasha looked at the genius as if he had gone mad.
"Stark, what are you on about?" He ignored her however, much to her annoyance.
"I bet he's on your bed isn't he"
Whilst the others were confused, Grace had gone a bright shade of red, that Steve couldn't help but think was cute.
"Dad don't you e-"Before she had time to react, Tony had jumped from his seat, yelling at Jarvis to lock the door behind me as he went.
Mortified, Grace simply covered her face, hoping her face would cool down.
"Do you know what he's on about mini stark?" Grace didn't comment on the nickname and faced the archer
"I've got a teddy bear…called Phil" Steve couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face, at grace, and the amused faces of the two agents.
"…You named a bear after Phil?" Clint asked, clearly trying not to burst out laughing. She shot up
"I was 8!"She defended weakly, and Clint couldn't help but howl in laughter.
"And you still have him?" Grace frowned
"Of course I do!"
"I like you kid" He declared in his fit of laughter, it was then that Tony came out smugly holding an old, middle sized bear. It was brown and fluffy, and Clint was imagining Phil looking like the bear. The image was too much for the archer, as he began to actually cry in laughter, much to Grace's embarrassment.
"Have no fear, Superhero Phil is here"Grace, shot up after her father, who was taunting her with the bear. Leaving the avengers to laugh at the father and daughter as they ran round the tower.