Chapter 6: New Friends
Darkness. Darkness completely engulfed Brigid. Then, all she heard was a piercing cry.
"Brigid, Brigid, help me!"
Brigid ran toward the cry to find her newly adopted father, Tony, being pulled into a dark chasm, a chasm so bottomless Brigid felt her own breath while staring into the darkness. Brigid reached for him with all her strength, but it was for naught. Tony was pulled into the darkness no matter how hard Brigid tried.
"Papa!" Brigid cried as she sprang awake, her skin covered in sweat and her body heaving.
Tony rushed into the room, tired, panicked and concerned, and sat by Brigid's side. "Brigid, Brigid, honey, you're dreaming again."
Brigid was soaked in sweat as she embraced her father. "It's always the same nightmare. Always."
"Which one?" Tony asked, skeptical but willing to listen.
"You're being pulled into a dark pit and I can't save you, no matter how hard I try. I can't save you," Brigid breathed, an eerie whisper filled with dread and fear. "It's always the same. I had the same dream about my parents before they died. I won't lose you, too."
"Hey, what did I tell you?" Tony asked. "You're never gonna lose me."
"Then why is that dream so real?" Brigid shot back, indignant. "I had the same dream about my parents, and they said the same thing, and now they're gone. I have to do something. I can't let this become real."
Tony held her close. He did not know what was happening to his daughter, and it frightened him, but he could not show that. He had to be strong for Brigid. "Little Leprechaun, there is nothing you can do."
"No, I will save you," Brigid declared, insistent.
"I know you don't wanna hear that, but there isn't," Tony comforted her. "These are just dreams. They're not predictions. What happened to your parents wasn't fate, it was just something terrible that happened. If something ever did happen to me, you can't stop it, and there is nothing to be ashamed of. Life just happens, and that's how it's meant to be. But I will promise you, as long as I can help it, I will always be right here."
"I love you, Papa," Brigid sighed.
Brigid embraced Tony, but she wore a worried look.
"Your eyes say love, but you still look like you stole cookies before dinner," Tony watched her with a humorous glint in his eye.. "What's going on?"
"No, it's nothing," Brigid tried to deflect..
"Brigid, I'm your father now, so I know it's not nothing," Tony insisted, "Come on."
"It's just, I know these dreams mean something. I know they're warnings," Brigid confided.
"You think you can predict the future?" Tony asked, slowly coming to a hypothesis; a farfetched and supernatural hypothesis.
"I didn't say that," Brigid refuted.
Tony raised his eyebrows as if to say, "Oh really?"
"Alright, I think I can predict the future, but only through my dreams," Brigid argued. "I told you. I had dreams several times before my parents died and then it happened. Now I keep having bad dreams about you, and I know it means something bad."
Tony remained in thoughtful silence as he considered what he had just heard. He did not believe in fortune-tellers or palm-readers, but now it was his own daughter telling him she believed she had such a talent. No matter how foolish he thought the art was, he dared not insult Brigid. He was her father and he loved her matter what she believed in.
"Well, that explains a lot," Tony joked.
"You think I'm crazy, don't you?" Brigid fretted.
"Where would you get an idea like that?" Tony blurted, giving her a sideways glance.
"I just told you I think I can see what's going to happen, and you're looking at me like that," Brigid quivered. "Like I am crazy."
Tony shook his head. "Brigid, my little Leprechaun, I'm your father, and I know you're not crazy. Anyone who says otherwise can talk to me, and no one wants to mess with a Stark."
"So, you believe me?" Brigid gasped.
"I'm your father, it's my right," Tony comforted. . "I'm always with you."
Brigid embraced Tony, glad to know he was on her side. "I love you, Papa."
Tony laid Brigid back down on her huge pillows. "Why don't you get some sleep?"
Brigid was reluctant to be caught up in another one of her nightmares. "I can't. What if the dreams come back?" Brigid questioned.
"Well, I'll be right here if they do," Tony soothed.
Tony kissed her head. "I love you, Little Leprechaun."
"I love you, three-thousand," Brigid whispered.
"Now go to sleep, or someone won't have toys left," Tony chuckled, kissing her head once more.
Eight years later. . .
"Papa!" 18-year-old Brigid sprang from her sleep, drenched in sweat. "Papa!" She curled her curvy, five foot six frame into a ball of scared teenager, emotions boiling. After eight years Brigid had grown into a fine woman with her mother's long , dark hair and sparkling blue eyes. Living with Tony had given her his biting wit and nurtured her intelligence. Yet after eight years, Brigid was still tortured by horrid nightmares.
Tony came rushing to her side, along with a man Brigid had never seen before. He was tall, dark-skinned, wearing a white polo shirt and dark jeans.
"Brigid, honey, honey, it's okay," Tony whispered.
"I can't make it go away," Brigid moaned; she was tired, tired of missing sleep, tired of this darn dream. It has been years of the same dream .
"I'm here, baby. I'm here," Tony whispered, running gentle fingers through his daughter's black river of silky hair.
"Tony, I never pictured you for the family man," laughed the dark-skinned man. Though he laughed, he was looking between the two of them with confusion. "It's a cute look."
"That is really cute, Rhodes," Tony said, rolling his eyes.
Brigid stared at the man, a touch of fear and curiosity in her eyes. "Dad, I didn't know you were bringing men home," She snarked, looking him up and down.
"Brigid," Tony whispered, ignoring his daughter's sass. "This is my friend, James Rhodes. You can call him Rhodey."
Rhodes sat on Brigid's bed and shook her hand. "Hey, Brigid. Tony tells me all about you. He said you've been havin' some bad dreams."
"All the time," Brigid replied, closing her eyes and feeling the tension and stress still in her muscles.
"Well, sometimes, maybe if you laugh, it'll help the bad dreams go away," Rhodey suggested. "Know how I know?"
Brigid shook her head.
"'Cause I've been with this guy for years. He is a nightmare," Rhodey chortled. "Ever since I've been with him, the nightmares don't bother me."
Tony winced. "Standing right here, Rhodey."
"Trust me, these nightmares are nothing compared to this guy," Rhodes joked, delightfully ignoring his friend.
Brigid giggled, a surprised sound that did seem to drain some of her stress.
"See?" Rhodes asked. "Made you laugh."
"At my expense," Tony said.
"Always happy to oblige, Tony," Rhodes quipped back.
Then, a woman knocked on the door and began talking without waiting for a response."Mr. Stark, I came to see you about your trip," said the woman.
"What trip?" Brigid asked, neck almost breaking to turn to look at Tony.
Tony signaled to Rhodes. "Rhodey, can you take Brigid to the living room?"
"Sure, Tony," Rhodey replied.
Brigid was escorted to the living room by Rhodes but she saw a concerned look on Tony's face as she turned back.
Later that day, Brigid returned from a day of lunch and shopping with Tony's burly bodyguard, Happy Hogan. Although Brigid enjoyed her cheeseburger and fries and her new robot building set, she was still troubled as Happy drove her home.
"I noticed someone is very quiet," Happy observed, giving the girl a glance over to make sure she wasn't injured.
"Sorry, Happy," Brigid apologized. "I thought my father was passed the days of keeping things from me but apparently not."
"Well, he is CEO of Stark Industries," Happy dismissed.
Brigid narrowed her eyes. "But he knows I've had those dreams about my parents. And now I'm having dreams about him. Something bad will happen."
"Am I ever a part of these dreams?" Happy inquired halfway joking.
"Ha ha, very funny. But no," Brigid replied, disgruntled and dismayed all the same. "And I don't know if I'd lament your loss very much. You just work for my father."
"Well, that's a relief," Happy spoke calmly from the front seat of the car they decided to drive today, an inconspicuous white SUV. "Brigid, I think your dad just didn't want you to worry. I know your dad better than anyone else."
Brigid sat up, ramrod straight to give Happy a look. "I've known him my whole life."
"You've only been here on this Earth for eighteen years, kid. I've worked with him way longer than that," Happy countered, sharply. "Point is, Tony wouldn't want you to worry. He's a smart guy. Trust me."
Happy provided the palm print to enter the gate for the mansion; after a few minutes of following the winding driveway the car came to a smooth stop in the long line of vehicles in Stark's garage. The two found Tony standing in the living room with a blonde haired woman.
"Ah, the Little Leprechaun has returned in one piece I see," Tony smiled.Brigid muttered to herself, allowing the bags from the shopping to slip down onto the couch. "I'm not little anymore."
"Don't worry, Tony, I wouldn't let any harm come to this one," Happy reassured him.
"I hope you spoiled her for me," Tony jested.
"Happy took me for burgers and got me this building set. Can we build it together? Brigid requested.
Tony and the blonde woman exchanged nervous glances before he spoke.
"We will," Tony hesitated. "Brigid, I'd like you to meet this lovely lady. This is Miss Pepper Potts, my assistant. Miss Pepper and Happy are gonna take care of you."
Brigid's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"
Tony took Brigid over to the couch and sat her down. "Brigid, honey, I have to go away. I have a very important trip over in Afghanistan."
"No!" Brigid protested. "You can't go! What about my dreams? I have to go with you."
"If I could take you, I would, but where I'm going is no place for a little girl," Tony comforted.
"I'm not a little girl! I'm eighteen fucking years old!" Brigid argued. "I have to protect you!"
Tony smiled. "I know you don't act like a little girl, and if it were up to me, I wish I could take you with me, but it's not safe for you. Your parents would kill me if I took you to a war zone. Right now, I have to protect you."
"I don't mind being in a war zone," Brigid insisted with a cheeky smile.
Tony chuckled. "Yeah, but I don't need your parents haunting me."
"I can't let my nightmare be real," Brigid cried.
"Brigid, there are things that you can't control," Tony comforted. "Some things are terrible and they happen. You have to learn to grow and move past them. But I promise, if I return from this, I will spoil you rotten."
"A jet pack?" Brigid suggested.
"I'll build you one," Tony declared with a smile.
Brigid hugged Tony tightly. "It won't be the same without you."
"I know what you're doing," Tony claimed. "I'm still going."
Brigid broke away. "Is there anything I can do to make you stay?"
Tony shook his head. "Sorry, I want to so badly."
Pepper entered the room. "Brigid, don't worry, it'll be great. We'll get shakes, burgers, I'll take you shopping for parts and books. We'll stay up late. You won't miss him."
"See? You won't miss me. It's a promise," Tony comforted. "I got your word, right?"
"I promise. She won't know you're gone," Pepper said with a wink at Brigid.
"See? You won't miss me," Tony declared.
Brigid smiled at Pepper as she hugged Tony. "I will miss you, just maybe not as much."
"That's my girl," Tony chuckled.
Two weeks later…
Pepper had returned from taking Brigid to the New York Hall of Science.
"Brigid, did you enjoy the museum?" Pepper questioned.
"Yeah, that was so cool!" Brigid exclaimed, her ocean blue eyes sparkling with delight. "The astronomy section was awesome!"
Brigid was perusing through an astronomy book Pepper bought her from the museum.
"I think your dad will like that I spoiled you today when he gets back," Pepper smiled.
"You're awesome," Brigid beamed, giving Pepper a hearty high-five.
"Well, I'm glad I have your approval. You should tell your dad," Pepper encouraged.
Brigid and Pepper entered Stark Mansion where Happy was waiting for them in the kitchen. "Did you girls have fun?"
"We sure did," Brigid replied
"Pepper, can I talk to you?" Happy inquired.
"Sure," Pepper replied. "Brigid, why don't you go read your new book?"
Brigid skipped out of the room. Once they knew she was out of the room, Happy turned grim.
Pepper frowned. "I don't like that look. "What's going on?"
"Tony's missing," Happy replied.
"What?" Pepper gasped.
"Tony's missing!" Happy cried."His convoy was attacked after the demonstration of the Jericho missile. We don't know where he is, if he's even alive."
"My God," Pepper shrieked
"Keep it down! You can't let Brigid know," Happy barked. "She's been so freaked out by these nightmares. If she finds out her dad is missing, it'll drive her crazy."
"What do we do?" Pepper wondered.
"Just pretend nothing has happened," Happy cautioned. "Until we get Tony back, we say nothing."
Pepper nodded and headed to the bedroom. Alas, much to her dismay, Brigid was a disobedient child. Sitting in the living room was Brigid, her blue eyes red as tears raced down her fair cheek.
"Brigid," Pepper gasped, realizing the situation. "I'm so sorry."