The Gala

Tony Stark stared at his own reflection in the mirror and tried to ignore Pepper's crossed arms and narrowed eyes as she, too, stared at his reflection. He didn't know why he was double checking…his tailor had been with him almost as long as Pepper, and he probably knew Tony's measurements by heart. The suit was Tom Ford, and he may or may not have bought it for this very occasion. His hair was combed back perfectly. His goatee had been trimmed three minutes ago. His dress shoes had red bottoms.

He was ready.

"Tony…"

"It's for charity, Pep. You should come too!"

"I will not be attending, Tony, and do you know why?"

"Because you don't care about the welfare of marine wildlife?"

"Because I wasn't invited! And neither were you!"

"You seriously think Norman's going to turn me away at the door? In front of the press?"

Tony and Norman had what Pepper described to the press as a 'friendly' rivalry. Personally, Tony thought of Osborn as more of an arch nemesis, but Pepper insisted that he had to stop calling him that before it leaked to the press. But Norman was into some shady shit. He was neck deep in lawsuits, although his legal team took care of all that without Norman ever needing to get his hands dirty, and Tony was sure a big chunk of his business dealings weren't actually legal. Hell, he'd put good money on it.

"How do you even have time for this?"

He grinned. "I can always make time to irritate Norman."

"You're in the middle of selling the tower."

Tony hesitated at that. He didn't want to think about selling the tower…he didn't want to remember the floors he'd designed specifically for the people who had been his friends, or the kitchen they'd all drank smoothies in. He didn't want to think about the clogged garbage disposal or Bruce working with him in his lab or Steve slamming his shield into his heart.

They'd been friends. He'd thought they were his friends. But Tony tried very hard not to think about how everything had fallen apart, or about how Bucky Barnes had choked the life out of his terrible, abusive father.

Or about a teenage girl who had looked at him and told him she wanted to be like him.

No one should want to be like him.

"Tony?" Pepper's voice had gone soft and he realized he must have let something of how he was feeling show on his face. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he pushed all of that down. It didn't matter. None of it mattered. What was done was done, and all of that was in the past. And now, he had a party to crash. Norman had practically invited him, putting the event all over social media right where he'd see it.

"How do I look?"

She sighed, shaking her head at him. "Why do you have to provoke him?"

"Because I like it when his face goes all red." He did his best impression of Norman's angry-but-trying-to-hide-it face. "Besides, he called be a 'theatrical jackass' on Twitter last week, so this is what he gets."

"You can be a bit of a theatrical jackass."

He pointed a finger. "Traitor."

"I'm going to bed."

"There's still time for you to come along! I'll wear a tie to match that dress you like…the red one!"

"Goodnight Tony."

"It's only six o'clock."

"Yes, but you're exhausting." She placed a hand on his cheek, her eyes searching his, then leaned down to kiss him. Tony sighed, leaning into her for a moment. "Please don't do anything stupid tonight."

"I'll be on my best behavior."

It was a promise he really did intend to keep.

It was almost an hour and a half drive to the city, and by the time he pulled up in front of Oscorp, the press were already stationed outside, the flashing lights of their cameras blinding even from inside his car. He slipped his sunglasses off as he climbed out of the driver's seat, tossing his keys to the valet that came around, their eyes glued to the car.

"You can take her for a joy ride if you want. Just try not to get any scratches on her, huh?" Grinning at the stunned valet, he headed up the stairs, waving to the photographers and the journalists who shouted questions at him.

"Mr. Stark, were you invited tonight?"

"Mr. Stark, have you and Mr. Osborn made up?"

"Mr. Stark, can you tell us anything about the Avengers?"

That last one almost wiped the trademark 'Tony Stark' grin off his face, but he rallied, smiling and waving and posing like he'd been doing since he was a teenager. And then he headed up the stairs, pausing at the front door where a nervous looking woman held a clip board with what he knew was the guest list.

Not wanting to make her job any harder, he gave her his best dazzling smile. "Hi. Tony Stark. I'm not on the list, but I thought I'd stop by and say hello." Pulling a check out of his pocket, he placed it on her clipboard. "I've got the entry fee right here."

"Um….I…have to ask my boss."

"Sure thing. I can wait out here." He rocked back on his heels, listening to the reporters as they continued to scream questions at him. Thankfully it wasn't too long before Norman himself appeared, that trying-not-to-look-angry look on his face just as satisfying as Tony had hoped.

"Tony."

Almost like magic, the journalists went silent, but the flashing of their cameras continued as Norman held out a hand that Tony shook. "Norman! This is quite the party. As you know, I am very concerned about our marine wildlife. So I thought I would drop off a check to make sure you could reach your goal tonight…maybe even fill in the little thermometer. Do you have one of those?"

"No."

"Too bad. Maybe next time. Anyway, if you don't have room for one more, I'd be happy to get my car…"

"Nonsense." Norman's smile was all teeth, eyes surprisingly warm, and for just a second, Tony thought his arch nemesis might actually be…happy? Happy to see him? That didn't seem possible. "I'm so glad to have you, Tony. What a wonderful turn of events. We really should let bygones be bygones."

At that, the cameras flashed even brighter, if that was possible, and Tony shook his head, making himself give a good PR smile as he tried to figure out what the hell Norman was up to. His old rival gave no clues, though. Instead, he made like he was going to put an arm around Tony's shoulders, letting his hand hover behind his back as he led him inside.

"Laying it on kind of thick, aren't you?" he muttered, stepping into the room filled with bar height tables and serving staff who carried around little trays of food and alcohol.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Tony rolled his eyes. It wasn't any fun if Norman wasn't going to play along.

"Ah!" Norman exclaimed. "Now that you're here, there was someone I thought you might want to say hello to."

He followed along, lifting a skeptical eyebrow and wondering if Norman had been taken over by a pod person, but he stopped in his tracks when he realized where his old rival was leading them. Norman's son Harry was standing at one of the tables, and if it had just been him, Tony wouldn't have minded saying hello…he wouldn't have frozen in place, feet apparently glued to the floor, heart in his throat. Harry was a nice kid, which was a wonder considering who his father was.

But it wasn't just Harry at their table. Harry Osborn had his arm around a teenage girl with long, curly brown hair in a blue dress, and when those eyes met his, he watched the blood drain from her face, lips parting as all out terror filled her eyes. She even took a step back, making Harry tighten his arm around her as he looked from her to Tony…and then he froze too.

Penny Parker took another step back, and Tony wondered if she was going to run or jump out the closest available window. She certainly looked like a flight risk. He realized suddenly that he'd never seen her look so scared, not even when he'd said he would tell her aunt about her secret identity. But Norman didn't seem to notice. If he did, he gave no indication. Instead, he urged Tony forward, calling out to the two teenagers. "Harry, look who was able to come. Tony, you remember my son, Harry."

"Of course I do. Harry." Tony made himself hold out a hand when they reached the teens, all too aware of the eyes on them. After only a second's hesitation, Harry took it, shaking limply.

"Mr. Stark. Good to see you," he obviously lied through his teeth. He was sticking close to Penny's side, and Tony wasn't sure if he was trying to protect her or keep her from running.

"And this is my son's girlfriend, Penelope Parker. She's also one of our new interns here at Oscorp." Norman hesitated. "Wait…Penny, didn't you intern with Stark too?"

Tony watched the girl flinch…watched her drop her eyes and try so hard to smile normally that his heart wrenched in his chest. What the fuck was Norman playing at?

"Yes. For a couple of months," she answered, not looking at either of them.

"That's right. Tony, I have to say, I can't believe you let this one go! I've known Penelope since she was a child, and never have I met a more promising young woman. But your loss is certainly my gain. She and Harry are doing some great work together. In fact, I'm hoping to coax her into working for Oscorp when she graduates!"

He saw Penny's eyes flash to Norman, something almost uncertain in them. Harry, too, looked like he had questions, but whatever the two of them were thinking, they didn't say it out loud. He wanted to say something to her…something to make any of what had happened better. But he didn't know how…not with Norman and Harry right there and the eyes of everyone in the room on them. Still…why had she looked so afraid? Why wouldn't she meet his eyes? Why did she keep edging back, her lips trembling like she might cry?

Had he done that?

Of course he had. He'd taken her to Germany and he'd tried to help her and keep her safe but all he'd done was ruin everything because that's what he did.

Harry led Penny away, his arm still wrapped around her, and Norman smiled after them with a look that was far too satisfied for Tony's taste. Before Norman could speak again, though, Tony turned on his heel and headed for the bar. He regretted coming, but he wasn't about to give Norman the satisfaction of leaving right after he'd arrived. He couldn't help wonder, what was Penny Parker doing here? Since when was she dating Harry Osborn? The last he'd heard from Happy, his head of security was pretty sure she had a crush on a girl in her class. And what had made her want an internship here?

That part, at least, he could guess at. An internship looked good on a college application. And the one he'd given her had been a lie…a cover for her to go patrolling so no one got suspicious. Had she wanted a real one?

Tony remembered how she'd introduced herself when he'd first met her. How she'd acted like an excited puppy in Germany, and how she'd made a whole short film of her time there just because it was fun. He remembered the reports she'd faithfully given every time she'd gone out, and the Iron Man figurines in her bedroom. Of course she would have wanted a real internship. Of course she'd wanted a real mentor.

Instead, she'd gotten him.

As he drained a champagne glass of sparkling water, a flash of a blue dress caught his eye, and he turned to find Penny slipping out of the room through a side door. He knew better than to follow. He knew that he was risking making some kind of big public scene. But that didn't stop him from putting his drink down and stepping out of the room behind her. By the time he joined her in the hallway, she was already at the elevator doors, and Tony hung back while she got inside, then watched the numbers on the screen count up until she reached her floor.

Tony didn't know what he would say to her. He didn't know exactly how to fix this. He'd screwed up. So had she. She hadn't trusted him! Hadn't listened to him! And she'd ended up in danger. He'd meant what he'd said. If she got killed, that was on him, and he couldn't stand the thought of a dead teenage girl on his conscience. Especially not this one. Still, he hated the fact that Penny Parker would actually be afraid of him. So, he thought as he ordered Friday to override the elevator's requirement for an ID badge, he was going to try and make this better.

It might be too dangerous for Penny to be Spider-Girl, but that didn't mean she deserved to settle for Norman Osborn. Maybe there was still a way he could fix this.

The floor Penny had gotten off at turned out to be a lab, and Tony wandered for a moment, peering into open doors and around corners before he finally came to a door that was firmly shut. He hesitated, looking around the empty room once more, then took a deep breath before knocking.

There was no answer.

"Kid? You in here?"

There was a long pause. Then her voice came back, weak and almost too quiet to hear. "Just…go away. Please."

Tony thought he probably should. Instead, he turned the doorknob and, hesitating for a moment, opened the door. He found himself in a smaller lab, this one with only two desks and one spider-powered teenager sitting in one of the chairs. Her blue dress stopped just above her ankles, revealing a pair of high heeled shoes that he knew, based on Pepper's wardrobe, had cost a pretty penny. Just like the dress.

What was Norman playing at?

Penny didn't look up. She didn't even acknowledge him. So, leaving the door open, he came and stood by the other chair. "Mind if I sit?"

She gave a pained laugh, still staring down at her desk and the tablet sitting there. "Yeah. Why not?" she asked, shaking her head. There was something different about her…something missing. She looked exhausted, slumped over the desk like that…like a light inside her had gone out. And Tony couldn't be the reason. He couldn't have that on his conscience either.

"Think we can talk?"

"Harry's dad is making a speech soon. I have to get back before he starts. Besides, I want to find out what this charity thing is for," she told him, voice flat.

"Sea turtles."

She glanced up at him for the first time, and this close, he could see the bags under her eyes that she'd tried to hide with makeup. "What?"

"Norman is raising money for Sea Turtles."

"Oh."

He tried to smile. Tried to look like someone she had to be afraid of. So the suit hadn't worked out. So she'd messed up. They could still have a conversation. Right? And maybe they could work something out about an internship. "I have to say, I wasn't expecting to see you here tonight."

Her eyes went back to her tablet. It had been switched off, but she stared at it like it might hold the answers she was looking for. He just wished he knew the question.

"I didn't know you were dating Harry Osborn."

"Yeah."

As far as small talk went, it wasn't great, but Tony was nothing if not persistent. "How long have you known each other?"

"Since we were six."

"Huh. You never mentioned him." Tony shrugged. "And I thought you liked that girl on your Academic Decathlon team…uh…Liz, right?"

Penny's head jerked up at that, jaw dropping, her cheeks a faint red.

"I mean, you dropped all your other extra activities but you stayed on your Academic Decathlon team and you mentioned her to Happy a couple of times after DC. It just sounded like…" he shrugged, hoping he wasn't somehow screwing this up. The look on her face didn't give him much hope, and he tried to remember the last time he'd cared so much what a teenager thought of him. But he kept remembering how she'd looked when he'd taken her suit. He kept remembering the sight of her struggling to hold the ferry together…of being so afraid that he wasn't going to make it in time.

What if she'd died?

"How did you know I mentioned her to Happy?" she asked in a near whisper.

He frowned at that, confused. "You mentioned her in your report. The one about DC. And that time you were late going out on patrols because you were helping her with…um…" he waved a hand. "Banners or something. It sounded like you liked her."

"Did Happy tell you that?"

"Well, he mentioned it. And I listened to the reports." He started to go on…to assure her that who she dated was none of his business, but she spoke before he could, something desperate in her voice.

"You listened to the reports?" she repeated, voice raising an octave as she sat up in her chair, staring at him in outright astonishment. "You listened to the reports I left for Happy?"

Now he was really confused. Why the hell would he have asked her to give them if he wasn't going to listen to them? How else could he keep an eye on her? Make sure she was safe? "Of course I did."

"What do you mean, of course!" she cried, jumping to her feet. He flinched back a little, looking up at her in surprise, but she wasn't done. "How would I know that? You never talked to me! You never told me anything! You…you had me reporting to Happy and Happy doesn't even like me! He didn't want anything to do with me! And…and you didn't tell me you were calling the FBI! You never told me that you actually took the Vulture seriously!"

Her face crumpled then, and his heart sank when a tear ran down her cheek. He stood, searching for the right words to make her understand and to make any of this better, but she went on before he could, sobbing as she choked out the words.

"Did you know?"

"Know…" he shook his head, starting to reach out to her.

"Did you know!?" she practically shouted, taking a step forward, her hands balled into fists at her sides. "Were you the one that put that envelope in my mailbox? Did you want me to know?"

"Penny…kiddo, I don't know what you're talking about," he murmured, hands up in surrender. "What do you mean?"

She stared at him for a moment, eyes blazing as she seemed to search for something in his gaze. When she spoke again, her voice was flat. "Mary Fitzpatrick. June, 1994. She was six months pregnant. Do you remember?"

It didn't click at first. 1994 hadn't been his best year. Hell, the 90's hadn't been his best decade. He was pretty sure he'd been drunk for most of June. But then, something in the back of his mind stirred, and as soon as that first piece fell into place, the rest came tumbling after.

Mary Fitzpatrick.

The only woman he'd ever gotten pregnant.

He hadn't been on the birth certificate. So there were very few people who knew. Him. That lawyer and whatever members of her team she'd had working with her. Mary. Had she told anyone else? No…so…how would Penny know? What envelope was she talking about? Why would she care that he had a child he'd never been in contact with?

"Pay her. Installments or lump sum. Whatever she wants to keep this quiet," Penny went on, her hands shaking at her sides, another tear slipping down her cheek.

There was only one reason Penny would care about him having a child.

"You…you're…Mary's daughter?" he whispered, and even though it was a question, he knew the answer. Her eyes and her hair…her intelligence. Her stubbornness. How hadn't he known? It was so obvious all of a sudden. Still, he felt the blood drain from his face, the room spinning around him, and he planted a hand on the desk that must have belonged to Harry to steady himself.

Penny softened just a fraction then, her hand reaching out like she was going to catch him, and he saw the girl he'd first met for just a second…the one who'd literally gotten superpowers and instead of using them to make herself the most popular kid in school, she'd become an anonymous superhero to protect the people of Queens.

"You didn't know." It was more of a statement than a question, but he shook his head anyway.

"I…no. I had no idea."

She nodded to herself. Then, lifting a hand to her face, she turned and made to leave. But before she could get more than a few steps, he reached out, catching her arm. He couldn't let her go! They had to talk about this! This was his daughter! The little girl he'd been so afraid of screwing up. Of hurting. And yet, somehow, he'd found a way.

"Penny, wait! Please…I…"

She spun on her heel, yanking her hand away and glaring at him, tears pouring down her cheeks now. "I don't want to see pictures," she hissed, and he flinched when his own words slapped him in the face. He remembered saying them all too well…remembered wishing he'd had a drink as he watched the lawyer whose name he'd long since forgotten go through the legal documents he'd been too sober to deal with. "Hell, I don't want to know anything about her. That's what you said." Penny poked him in the chest with a finger, lips trembling. "You didn't want me." She spoke every word like a sentence and he'd thought that seeing her strung up between two halves of a ferry had been painful but that had been nothing to this…to seeing the girl who was his daughter sobbing because of the things he'd done.

This was what he'd wanted to avoid. This was why he hadn't wanted to see pictures. He knew you couldn't disappoint a picture, but if anyone could find a way, he'd known it would be him. But even without pictures, he'd managed to hurt her.

Before he could even begin to come up with an explanation, something in her face shut down, her eyes going cold as she leaned in close.

"But you know what?" she whispered. "I don't want you either."

This time, all he could do was watch as she left.

Thank you for reading!