Chapter 2 :Encouragement

Astrid's mouth dropped open, incredulous. "Not fairy tales? Tony, I know you're a devoted atheist, but my culture isn't fairy tales."

Tony flushed, his face a firm and resolute, trying to keep his cool. "My point is, Brigid is just going through normal kid stuff. It's nothing out of the ordinary."

Astrid looked ready to bang Tony on the head. Her face was a firm scowl as she did her best to tower over Tony to show her dominance. "I know you love her, but Brigid is our daughter. We know her best. This is not normal at all. Constant nightmares aren't right for a child and these … premonitions are scary."

Declan nodded, his face a mask of worry and his voice strong."I agree. Brigid has never done this before, no matter what you may think,Tony. This is scary."

"Excuse me, but someone told me she loves me three-thousand, and it wasn't one of you," Tony scoffed. "I know she's not my kid but she's as good as any I may ever want. I'm telling you these nightmares and s* will pass."

Astrid laughed. "Look at that. Tony Stark, the billionaire playboy who won't have anything to do with kids, is turning soft for our daughter."

"Is it a miracle?" Declan chuckled.

"Yeah, yeah, get your jibs in now," Tony jeered, rolling his eyes."For some reason I like you guys. I like the kid."

Tony wanted to argue, but he knew they were right. There was no one else he loved more than Brigid, apart from himself. He could not fathom the idea of children. He never saw himself as a father or role model. Yet he loved Brigid more than anyone he knew.

"Maybe you're not wrong," he whispered with a shrug.

Later that night, Astrid and Declan sat in a darkened room illuminated by glimmering lights as Obadiah introduced Tony to the world as the future of Stark Industries.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the future of Stark Industries."

Astrid and Declan listened with feigned interest, sitting straight up and white faced as Tony lounged carefree in his chair as Obadiah gave his presentation.

"And what is this future, Obadiah?" Astrid questioned, her jaw tense and knuckles white.

Obadiah punched up the screen to reveal a large missile with the word: STARK painted on the side. "The Jericho Missile. A new leap forward in warfare technology."

"And just what makes this the 'leap forward'?" Declan asked, sitting straight up in his chair.

Obadiah smiled. "The Jericho missile uses pulsar waves to inflict devastation. We get a target and in one calculation these babies find that target and destroy. We can snuff out our enemies before they crawl into a hole. No other missile in the world has this tech yet. In one wave we can crush any enemy. Just one of these babies will crush anyone."

"So instead of manufacturers we're conquerors now?" Astrid questioned, her face red.

Obadiah chuckled with ease. "Astrid, how can you be such an idealist?"

"Who said I was? What benefits will we make from this when the world is rubble?" Astrid questioned, her hands balled into fists.

"I agree. I don't see how this benefits us," Declan added.

Tony stood up and put his arm around Obadiah. "Allow me to be the realist and demonstrate. You know we're in the business of war. People will pay us handsomely for our weapons and the Jericho is the beginning."

Obadiah gave Tony a fatherly pat on the back. "I knew someone would be on my side. Tony, as the genius behind this new technology, I want you to give a presentation on the future of war."

"Happy to. I think we're all good today," Tony said in contentment as Astrid and Declan glared at him and Obadiah.

The temperature in the car was frigid as Tony, Declan and Astrid journeyed to pick up Brigid from school.

"You're uncharacteristically non-verbal," Tony said as he lounged in his seat.

"You're seriously on board with this?" Astrid asked, her fists clenched. "Complete devastation?"

"This isn't just warfare, Tony, it's genocide," Declan commented, his face white and his eyes hot.

"Okay, when did you two become hypocrites? You've stood by me all these years and now you're idealists?" Tony questioned, growing angry as his brow furrowed.

"Tony, there has to be a line somewhere," Astrid said calmly.

"We don't have lines when we reap the glory," Tony replied.

"Then we're no better than the bad guys," Astrid said firmly, her voice steady .

Happy stopped the car in front of the school. As the three stepped out of the car, they heard a great commotion coming from the playground.

"Well, recess can't still be going on, can it?" Tony questioned, listening to the noise.

The three of them raced up to find the children crowded in a circle, chanting, and screaming, "Fight, fight, fight!" Much to the horror of the three, Brigid was rolling on top of a boy, clawing at him and punching him wildly.

"Brigid!" Declan said, aghast, the horror written on his face.

"Yes, Brigid, you should know better," Astrid cried, cupping her hands to her face as she grinned proudly. "Go for the jambags!*"

"Astrid!" Declan cried angrily. "Don't encourage her!"

"What? She's kicking ass. I'm proud!" Astrid shrugged.

"Listen to your mother!" Tony cheered. "Kick his ass!"

Declan rolled his eyes before he pulled the kicking and screaming Brigid off of the bruised and bloodied boy.

"Brigid, what was this all about, young lady?" Declan demanded. "Why were you beating up that boy?"

"And what did it feel like?" Tony asked excitedly.

"Tony!" Declan shouted, giving his friend an annoyed look.

Brigid held up her copy of Norse Myths. Much to the horror of Tony and her parents, it was dog-eared, torn to shreds, and caked in mud.

"They made fun of my book," Brigid sighed, tears welling up in her eyes. "They said I was weird for reading about make-believe. They called me a baby because I was reading a book my mom gave to me."

"And then you beat them up?" Declan asked gently.

Brigid shrugged. "No. They stomped my book and tore it up and then threw it in the mud. Then I beat them up."

Brigid broke down in tears. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to fight them. I just...I just got so mad."

Declan held her close, as did Astrid, and Tony put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Are they right? Am I weird?" Brigid asked, fear in her voice.

"My daughter? Weird?" Astrid laughed. "Ha! You are special. If anything, it's everyone else who is weird."

"You don't want to be like everyone else," Declan replied confidently, hugging his daughter's shoulders. "If we were meant to be the same, it would be like reading the same book. Boring."

"If they don't know how special you are, they're the idiots," Tony said, his face and voice smug. "You're Tony Stark's goddaughter. You are special. If no one knows that, they're an a*."

"Tony!" Declan cried, annoyed at Tony's use of language.

Brigid mopped her eyes with her sleeve and laughed.

"That's better, a smile," Astrid said, beaming as she touched her daughter's cheek gently.

"Now, I hope you know it was still wrong of you to fight," Will said, his voice firm but gentle, "but remember, only when you are given no other option, then only then, you fight."

"I will," Brigid replied, smiling brighter.

Astrid smiled. "Why don't we clean you up and get some lunch?"

"And after we'll get you a new book and you can tell me all about how good it felt to beat up those little p," Tony said excitedly, holding Brigid's tiny hands.

"Tony, will you watch your mouth?!" Declan admonished his loud-mouthed friend, rolling his eyes goodnaturedly.

Brigid jumped up and threw her arms around Tony. "Yes! I can't wait! They were definitely p*!"

"That's my girl!" Tony cheered as she laughed uncontrollably and hugged Brigid tightly.

"Brigid! Don't say that!" Declan cried as he shot a deadly look at the hysterical Tony. "Bath time!"

"Last one to the bath is a lame duck!" Astrid laughed.

Astrid ran to the bath, with Brigid following behind, laughing as she did. As she did, she had no idea what awaited her in the days to come.