31st December 1999
The Bern 2000 Technical Conference head speaker, discussing Integrated Circuits. Tony Stark. His "my name is" sticker read "you know who I am".
Astrid watched his speech from side stage with Happy and Kristina, her new nanny and tutor now she was about to start school. Tonight was the first night in… well in Astrid's life, that she had been present to see him so drunk. She held tightly to Happy's hand, processing and trying to understand what had pushed him into such a state.
'Goodnight Daddy' she hugged him lightly, standing on a chair so he didn't have to bend to her- she worried him he bent over, he'd fall 'Happy New Year'
'Happy New Year my sweet girl' he kissed her temple 'I'll see you in the morning okay?'
'Happy?' She looked at the long suffering bodyguard and loyal friend to them both 'you're coming skiing with us tomorrow, aren't you?'
'Of course Miss Stark, I wouldn't miss it' he smiled, attempting to reassure her, seeing her anxiety in the noisy, drunken conference room turned party.
'Good' she hugged him, and felt comforted for a moment by his warm arm around her 'Happy New Year Harold'
'Happy New Year, Astrid' he held her hand while she stepped down from the chair, and she stepped away from them, towards the nanny.
'I'm ready miss Kristina' she looked up at her. Normally dad would tuck her into bed, but this new Millennium had everyone so excited, and she had seen more than one woman eyeing her father- she wasn't sure what the looks meant, but it was clear it was a "grown up thing". She wasn't going to take him away from a party like this. She held Kristina's hand, holding down the urge to cry 'goodnight'
When Astrid left her bathroom, showered, hair braided, in her cosy Pyjamas, she stopped dead to see her dad sitting on the bed. Behind her, Kristina slipped out of the room quietly.
'You didn't really think that on the last night of the century I'd not tuck my baby into bed?' He pat her bed 'c'mon my little goose, I'll read our next chapter'
She ran straight to hug him, holding on tight 'thank you daddy'
'All those people down there know who I am baby, but you know what the most important thing I am is?'
'What?' She shuffled off his lap and under the warm blankets he lifted for her.
'I'm your dad. And that's the best thing in the world' he pinched her cheek gently 'I love you, and I'd miss a million parties to read you to sleep. Don't ever think you come second to any of those things'
'I love you too'