Human Shield

Tony dropped his keys on the table by the door then dropped himself on to the sofa, signing and rubbing a hand over his face. There were days when he missed his house in Malibu…days when all he wanted to do was walk into a building that was his home and only his home and only his home and lock the door behind him and be with his daughter and not think about the fight he was currently having with Steve. The fights with Steve seemed to be getting more common…the UN wasn't thrilled with the Avengers. Their last mission had been rough and now that Wanda and Sam Wilson had joined them…it was a lot. A lot of people and a lot of opinions and as good as Steve was to Penny…and he was always kind to Penny, even when he and Tony were arguing, it was hard to get Steve to listen sometimes…and maybe, he had to admit…maybe he didn't always listen either.

Steve didn't approve of Penny being Spider-Girl. Neither did the others, he didn't think, but he didn't know how to explain to them that Penny was Spider-Girl…that nothing he could have done would have stopped her. If he hadn't made her a suit to protect her and if he hadn't built her an AI and if he hadn't installed a million safety protocols in that suit and AI, then she would have gone behind his back. Not because she was a bad kid…because she was a good kid. The best kid. She wanted to help people and for better or worse, he had shown her with his own choices that being a superhero was a way to help people.

Even if he still wanted to sue Oscorp for all it was worth. Not for the money…it was the principle of the thing.

The black cat Penny had rescued climbed into his lap and purred, and he dropped a hand on its back, reluctantly admitting that it was nice, having a cat around. "Hey, Shadow," he muttered, stroking his soft fur. The handful of cuts the cat had had when Penny had first brought him home were all gone, and he had even featured in a recent interview Tony had done. Penny had been at school…he never asked her to be in interviews and doubted she wanted to. The guy taking pictures had asked about his tower (he'd explained that he'd moved to New York and this penthouse in particular when he'd learned about his daughter) and the Avengers (he'd kept his answers short and careful) and then he'd spotted the cat tree. The litter box was in Penny's bathroom, and he always kept her bedroom door shut when reporters came into his home, but the black cat tree sat proudly beside the sofa in his living room and, at the very top, blending in with the fabric, lay Shadow.

The cat had lived up to his name, following Penny around whenever she was home and pining for her when she was away. The man had lowered his camera. "Oh…you do have a cat."

"Yeah. My daughter brought him home a few weeks ago," he'd told the man with a wry smile. "She says he's the newest Avenger."

The reporter had laughed. "Can I get a picture."

"Go ahead."

And so Shadow the Avenger had appeared in a magazine spread, looking very pleased with himself. The reporter had even gotten a photo of Shadow relaxing in Tony's arms, his yellow eyes intent on the camera. Penny had kept a copy of the picture, titled 'Tony Stark pictured with the newest Avenger' and had hung it up on her wall next to a photo of her and Ned, and one of her with her uncle Ben and aunt May.

That's where she was at the moment…Christmas was coming up, and her uncle had promised to take her shopping. The two of them would usually come over on Christmas Eve, all of them having dinner together and opening presents…at first, it had been strange. Well…everything had been strange. He'd never planned on having kids, but then he'd gotten that phone call and…well, his whole life had changed. He'd moved to New York, not about to make a seven year old girl who'd just lost her parents and who'd just learned that she had a father that she'd never met move across the country away from the only family she had left.

The move to New York was supposed to be temporary, but seven years later he was still here. He guessed he didn't mind too much…the Avengers who stayed at the tower had their own floor, and it was just him and Penny in the penthouse. During the Summer, they vacationed in Malibu where his rebuilt beach house stood right by the ocean, and Penny loved swimming and laying out on the sand and building sandcastles with him. So, he thought, stroking Shadow's back, that would have to be enough.

He'd gotten the hang of this whole parenting thing, at least according to Pepper and Rhodey. And Penny was a great kid so he'd done something right. May and Ben were always friendly with him, and the Avengers all loved Penny. They even checked up on her when she went patrolling sometimes, making sure she didn't need backup. Back at the beginning of October when a guy named The Vulture had started to become a problem, Steve and Sam had helped him try to find him, and when Penny had called him during her Homecoming dance, which she hadn't been at but instead had been tracking down this Vulture guy, the three of them had immediately joined her, getting there just in time to find her tracker broadcasting her location as 'underneath the building that had just collapsed.'

Tony had never been so scared…not when he'd come home to find Spider-Girl in his daughter's bedroom or when he found Penny on the floor, her AI alerting him that she'd been stabbed…not when he'd first received the call from the lawyer that his one night stand from seven years ago had apparently resulted in a daughter who lived in New York and who he was now responsible for.

But then she'd lifted it off of herself. She'd stood up, throwing a giant chunk of concrete out of the way and standing there, covered in dust and panting and he'd thrown his arms around her while Steve and Sam had just stood there, staring at her in shock and maybe some awe too. And Tony got it…she was incredible. She was amazing. But she was also his daughter. So he'd held her for a long time, tears streaming down his face under his mask.

Steve didn't approve of Penny being Spider-Girl, but he would still back her up. He would still protect her. And Tony thought sometimes that Penny was the only thing that had kept the Avengers from breaking apart…that her presence in the room had stopped more than one fight from turning nasty. And when Ross had introduced the Accords, he knew that Steve had been about to walk away. He'd been about to leave. But then his eyes had shot to Penny who'd been waiting in the corner.

"We'll make it better," Tony had promised, a promise he fully intended to keep…a promise they'd been working towards for months now. "We're going to amend them. I swear. I wouldn't ask you to sign something like this…hell, I wouldn't sign something like this if I didn't think we could work to make it better."

That's what he told himself as he stroked Shadow's back, exhausted after arguing over syntax during a six hour meeting that had left him with a headache and eye strain. Penny was worried, he knew…worried that some of the Avengers were going to cut their losses and go on the run. He was worried about the same thing. But that was a problem for another time because he had to pick Penny up from her aunt and uncle's place in Queens in three hours, which, he hoped, left him some time for a nap.

And then his phone rang.

Tony groaned, swearing and digging in his pocket for his phone, then frowned when saw Penny's name. For all she knew, he was still in a meeting with the Avengers.

"Hello?"

"Is this Tony Stark?"

The unfamiliar man's name brought him up short, blood seeming to freeze in his body. That wasn't Penny. Where was Penny? Why did this man have Penny's phone? "Yeah, who the hell is this?"

"This is Officer Stacy with the NYPD. Your daughter is okay."

"Where is she? Why do you have her phone?" he demanded, gently shooing Shadow away and jumping to his feet.

"The store where your daughter and her uncle were shopping was robbed. We couldn't get any information out of her…her uncle was dead when we arrived on the scene."

No. Tony wasn't sure if he said the word out loud or not…wasn't sure if he'd even taken a breath since the police officer had spoken. Ben couldn't be dead…his daughter could not have lost someone else. No…please…

The police officer was rattling off an address and the name of a business and Tony wanted to go in the suit only he'd have to drive her home and he couldn't do that in the suit but a suit would be faster and he had to get there now! He sprinted for the elevator, jerking back when it opened and Steve Rogers was standing there, looking as tired as he'd felt a few minutes ago.

"Tony?"

"Not now, Rogers," he snapped, hanging up the phone and shoving it in his pocket.

"What's wrong?"

"I have to get Penny. Ben…" he shook his head, trying not to choke on the words. "Ben's dead."

"What?" He moved aside, letting Tony join him in the elevator. Steve knew Ben Parker just like all the Avengers knew Ben Parker because he was Penny's uncle and he was at the tower on holidays and now he was dead and Penny…

Had Penny watched him die?

"They were Christmas shopping. The store was robbed."

Steve just stared at him, but Tony couldn't stop talking.

"A cop called me on her phone. She's not hurt. She…he said she couldn't give them any information."

"Okay…I'll drive."

Tony didn't have the energy to argue.

The convenience store had police tape blocking off the entrance, but Tony barely hesitated to duck under it, waving off the cop that tried to stop him, Steve Rogers on his heels. "My daughter is in there!"

They backed up then, and there, right beside the register, was Penny. She was on her knees, blood covering her hands that were clutching the back of her own shirt, her face hidden against the counter that held the lottery tickets, sobbing like she couldn't stop. In front of her on the ground was a bloodstain that made his stomach turn.

He dropped to his knees beside her, pulling her into his arms and she collapsed against him, her face hidden in his chest, her hands clutching at his shirt.

"Oh, baby…I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, baby."

"He…" she choked out, unable to speak for crying so hard, and Steve grabbed a bottle of coke from a cooler, dropping a five on the counter and handing it to Tony, then turning his back and facing the street, shielding them from anyone who might try to take pictures. And just then, Tony would have done just about anything for Steve Rogers.

"He…pushed me…out…of the…way…" she sobbed, voice breaking, and he rocked her just like he had when she'd been a little girl, rubbing her back and stroking a hand down her hair. "He protected me…"

"Of course he did…baby, he loved you so much."

He had. Ben Parker had loved Penny, and he'd been willing to take her in before they'd found out about Tony. May too…

May.

Did she know yet?

Tony couldn't bring himself to ask.

"I should have…should have saved him!"

"Honey, you couldn't…"

"Yes I could! I'm supposed to be a hero!"

He hated the disgust in her voice…the self-hatred he'd heard in his own voice so many times. Because his daughter shouldn't be a superhero. She was fifteen years old. A baby. His baby. She should be a regular teenager doing regular teenager things, but she wasn't and that was at least partially on him. But he wasn't going to let her think like that. "Penny, there was nothing you could have done," he murmured. "You weren't in your suit. You weren't patrolling. You were shopping with your uncle. I'm so sorry, baby. You couldn't have done anything differently."

He didn't know if that was true…maybe she could have pushed him out of the way, but then she might have been shot, and maybe it made him a horrible person but there was nothing in the world that would make the sacrifice of his daughter okay. Nothing.

He opened the soda and shifted her so that she was resting against his chest instead of suffocating herself there, handing her the bottle with a shaking hand and letting her take a drink. Her face was blotchy and red from crying and her breath was still hitching and she couldn't seem to catch her breath. He rubbed a hand over her back, still rocking her. "Are you hurt?"

Penny shook her head.

"Okay. Let's get you home, okay?"

"What about May?"

"I'm sure the police have called her."

"No…I have to apologize! It was my fault! Daddy…it was my fault!"

"It was not your fault. Penny, it was not your fault. No one would ever think it was your fault, okay?"

"She's going to hate me!"

He just shook his head, squeezing her hard. She was too upset to take in anything he was saying, so he just handed the bottle of soda, now half gone, back to Steve, then wrapped his arms around her. "Honey, I'm…"

"Mr. Stark?"

He looked up at the police officer who had interrupted him, eyes narrow. "Yeah?" he demanded.

"I have your daughter's phone. She's free to go."

He wanted to tell the man that obviously she was free to go…that she was a child and that she'd just watched someone she loved die and that he would have taken her home regardless of what they said. Instead, he just nodded, rubbing her back. "Yeah. Thanks." Then he turned back to Penny. "I'm going to take you home, okay? Me and Steve. We'll get you home. I'll call May. I'll take care of it."

She didn't argue again, so he let Steve pull him to his feet, then did the same for Penny, letting her hide her face in his shoulder as they walked. Steve pulled his jacket off and wrapped it around her, blocking her from the other side so that no one could get any pictures of her, then held the door open while Tony helped her into the back of the car.

His phone rang right as Steve was pulling into the parking garage and he sat up just enough to pull it out of his pocket, Penny's head resting on his shoulder. It was May. Sighing softly, he pressed the phone to his ear. "May?"

"The…the police…they said you…you had Penny?" the woman asked, voice obviously hoarse from crying.

"Yeah, I've got her. Don't worry. I have her."

"Is she okay?"

"She's fine. I'm so sorry, May. I'm going to take care of everything, okay? I'll get started as soon as I get Penny home."

"I can't believe this is happening."

He closed his eyes, rubbing Penny's back. The girl didn't so much as look up. "I know. I…God May…I know."

"They don't even know who did this."

"I'm going to find out. Don't worry." He had a feeling that Spider-Girl would want to help, but he wasn't going to let that happen. "I'm going to take care of it, I promise. Do you want to come to the tower?"

"No…thank you…that's okay."

"Are you sure? I'll get a room ready for you. I promise, no one will mind. We'd be happy to have you."

"I have…I have to call my work and…and Ben's job and…" She took a shuddering breath. "No, thank you. I…I want to…I'll be okay."

"Alright. Call me if you need anything, okay? I mean it. Anything."

"Thank you, Tony."

Penny was silent in the elevator, not even seeming to notice Steve's presence. The moment they stepped into the penthouse, Shadow came running, winding himself around her legs and meowing and begging her to pick him up until she did, burying her face in his fur. He allowed it, purring softly and rubbing his face against hers.

"Pen? You want anything to eat?"

She shook her head.

"Okay…do you…"

"I'm going to bed," she whispered, despite the fact that it was three in the afternoon, and she left him standing there, feeling more helpless than he'd ever felt in his life.

Pepper was the next to call, catching him as he once more sat on the sofa, staring into space and watching the city skyline listlessly. "Hello?"

"Oh my God, Tony…I just saw…"

"Yeah."

"Penny was with him?"

"Yeah."

"Oh Tony…is she okay?"

He shook his head. "Not really…she went to bed almost an hour ago…she's barely said anything."

"Is there anything I can do?"

Penny was upset with Pepper…had been ever since the two of them had broken up and Pepper had left. And he got it. He really did. He just hoped that she wouldn't hold that grudge forever. "I don't think so. I'm going to help May plan everything when she's ready."

"Okay…let me know if you need anything."

Rhodey was the next person to reach out, except he didn't call. He just showed up, sitting beside Tony on the sofa and gripping his shoulder.

"It's already on the news, huh?"

"Yeah. They didn't show any pictures of Penny. There's nothing about her…they just mentioned she was there."

"Good."

"She in her room?"

"Yeah."

Rhodey didn't ask if she was okay. He already knew. Instead, he sat with Tony for a while, his hand on his shoulder. Sam Wilson showed up next, along with Steve, carrying a pot of something that would have smelled delicious if he hadn't been too numb to feel hunger. Sam sat the pot on the stove, then came and sat in one of the chairs, as did Steve.

Sam was Penny's favorite Avenger, after himself and Rhodey, of course. From the moment they'd met, he'd taken her under his wing, metaphorically speaking, and had treated her like a little sister. He was the one who spent the most time with her while she was patrolling, always ready to back her up…always ready to listen if she needed to talk. And Tony was so grateful…he just didn't know how to say it just then.

"She in her room?"

Tony nodded.

"I made her favorite. Seafood jambalaya. My mom's recipe."

He had to smile. Sam only went through the trouble of making something like that for special occasions. "How'd you even have time to make that?"

"I got started as soon as Steve texted me."

"Thank you. Really…it means a lot."

Penny's bed was empty, and that made him stop short, heart in his throat. Surely, he thought, she hadn't left…surely she hadn't put on the suit and…and what? Gone after that man? But thankfully he had the presence of mind to look in her favorite hiding spot before he ordered Friday to track her and, just like when she'd been seven years old, there she was, wrapped in a blanket, curled up with Shadow, face hidden in his fur.

He was too old for this, he thought as he lowered himself to the floor. He had to lay on his back and scoot himself sideways just to get close to her, but it was worth it. The second he got close enough, she pressed herself to his side and he did his best to wrap an arm around her, glad her bedroom floor was carpeted. Between them, Shadow purred so loudly that it seemed to echo in the small space.

"I'm so sorry, baby," he murmured, repeating the words that didn't feel like enough.

"Me too," she whispered, and he knew that no amount of reassurance would change her mind. Not yet, anyway.

"You want to come eat?"

She shook her head, nose pressed to his side.

"You need to eat something, honey."

"I don't want to."

He knew how that felt. He knew what it felt like to want to just stop living. But he couldn't let her do that. Ben wouldn't have wanted that, and neither did he. "Sam made your favorite. He's been cooking for hours."

She hesitated at that. "He did?"

"Yeah. He did. He knew how upset you'd be and he wanted to do something to help." He rubbed her shoulder, pressing a kiss to her hair. "Just eat a little, okay? And then you can go back to bed. Promise."

And, because Penny loved Sam and because she loved him and because she was stronger than he'd ever been, Penny nodded.

"Okay."