Stones and Glass Houses (Book 1)

🕷(60) Family Day

Brooklyn POV-

This was an awful idea, something no fool being hunted by the Joker and the Red Room should be doing, even with grade A SHIELD security around the park...

Yet here she stood, with her parents and Harley, staring out at the large expanse of Central Park, one of the largest public areas in all of New York. Today it was closed to the public, reserved for the wealth of the country to remember the true importance of family over money.

Despite that claim on the main banner, the whole think looked to be as expensive as all the country's birthday parties combined into one. The place had to have thousands of balloons at least, decked with various outdoor games and at least two dozen large tents that might as well have been the size of a small home.

This was Family Day.

Looking beside her, Brooklyn tried very hard not to laugh at the track suit like outfits they all bore, identical in their red and gold colors to signify the Stark family for the event. Similarly, each family scattered in the park bore their own colors, making a rainbow of people flutter around the expanse.

It was Harley who clutched nervously to her sleeve, looking out at all the unfamiliar faces with something akin to fear.

So, as the sibling and family books recommended, Brooklyn wound her arm around his frame, pulling him close as she said, "Don't worry Harley, I'll be the one competing with dad this year, that way you can be prepared when you're ready"

The boy smiled up at her and asked, "Have you done this before, Brook?"

Um, well no. 

If she was being honest, Brooklyn was probably just as terrified as her younger brother. Though she'd been slowly getting used to the media attention that came with being a Stark, she was still weary of large crowds full of strangers.

Ivan could be watching...he could've sent someone to kill her, or worst, be here himself. Should she check every possible sniper point in this park? Should she make sure Happy ran background checks on all the security again?

But paranoia would do no good today, not when today was a momentous occasion. 

This was the first 'official' public appearance of the Stark family since the media announcement of Harley joining them. This was her chance to let the world see them strong and united, for Brooklyn to convince the world that she was normal and worthy of her title as heiress to her name.

This was supposed to be a day to finally enjoy with her family without school or missions getting in the way. Nothing could get in the way of that.

The CEO family event was superficial in many ways, but to the Starks, it was their first day to truly bond. To Brooklyn, that suddenly meant more than anything and if Ivan or any powder-faced clown dared get in the way...then they would meet a very unfortunate end.

It was her dad that ushered them inside, hand in hand with Pepper who smiled down at the two teens.

"I didn't think I'd ever get to come to this event as Tony's fiancee, that he would get to show up with with two amazing kids" Pepper said, "Today is not about winning kids, but about remembering that we stand together"

Her otets nodded, but added with a little Stark mischief, "True, but if we have the chance to win and beat those awful Waynes...then we can stand together and also win, right?"