Pride and Joy

Chapter Five

Rory sat at the kitchen table as Eden, her nanny worked through the different math problems on the homework sheet. Eden was fairly young, a student attending college nearby who needed a job. She never thought in a million years that she would be picked up by The Tony Stark to watch his daughter of all things.

"Rory, what's 15 - 4?" Eden asked, pointing to the numbers on the paper.

"I don't know," Rory said as she played with her pencil.

"Yes you do, it's just like the last one," Eden's gentle voice was comforting to Rory. "Use your fingers if you have to."

"Mmm," Rory looked up to the ceiling in thought. "11?"

"Write it down," Eden encouraged.

Because the two were in the kitchen, they didn't hear the large front doors creak open. They heard faint voices from the other room that said, "You should go get some rest, you have that super-secret meeting thingy tomorrow, and you've had a long day."

"I know, but I'm kinda on a high right now, and I don't wanna cut that short." The voices got louder as Pepper and Tony entered the kitchen, and Rory and Eden glanced up at them.

"Hey, bubs," Tony greeted, walking up to his daughter's chair and hugging her from behind.

"Hi, Daddy!" Rory said as Tony kissed the top of her head. She noticed the bruises and small cuts littering his face but didn't question it.

"Ms. Basham," Tony nodded his head in her direction. "How was she?"

"Perfect, as always, Mr. Stark. We were just finishing up the last of her homework."

Tony glanced at his beat-up watch that no longer told the time. He groaned, "it's late enough, you can go. See you on Monday?"

Eden stood up and grabbed her purse off the table, "I'll be there. Bye, Rory," she said as she waved to the group and exited the room.

Rory waved goodbye before turning to her dad, "Do I really have to finish my homework," she pushed her bottom lip out, and Tony couldn't help but cave.

"No, but you have to finish it this weekend," he accepted a water glass from Pepper. "Go get your pj's on and get ready for bed."

"Okay," Rory scooted her chair out and skipped out of the room up to the stairs.

"She is definitely your daughter," Pepper laughed as she walked over to Tony.

"Even after having you as an influence."

"It's pretty hard to influence a Stark," she said as Tony pecked her lips.

"Okay, I'm gonna go get her to bed. What are you gonna do?"

"I'm going home."

Tony pouted and Pepper noted how much he looked like his offspring. "Don't go home, stay."

Pepper sighed and looked into Tony in the eyes. Tony could've sworn she was trying to see straight into his soul. "Why, not. I'll be in the bedroom," she said as she slowly walked away from him.

Tony silently prayed that Rory was fast asleep as he made his way up the staircase and into her room. Hammer and Vanko had proven to be a challenge, and defeating them was one of the hardest things he had ever done. However, he was almost certain it wouldn't be his last time fighting "bad guys". He knew what he was signing up for when he first put on the suit.

Tony entered the bedroom to find Rory tucking in her stuffed animals. He watched as she kissed each one on the top of their head and before wishing each one their own 'goodnight'.

"What are you doing?" Tony laughed, leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed.

"I'm putting my stuffies to bed," she furrowed her little eyebrows and a small frown etched her features.

"I meant, what are you doing, I told you to get in bed."

"No you didn't," Rory giggled.

"Uh, yes I did."

"No, Daddy, did not,"

Tony walked up to her and placed her on his hip, "I'm pretty sure I did."

He placed her on the bed. "Nah-ah" she scrunched up her nose and shook her head.

Tony pulled the covers around her small frame. "Doesn't matter, go to sleep." He kissed her head and started to walk away.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, Bubs?"

"I love you."

Tony could see that she was already on the verge of slumber. "I love you, too. Goodnight, bubs."

Tony gently closed the door, trying his hardest not to wake up his daughter before practically running to his own bedroom.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Tony sat in the stone-cold room surrounded by holograms showing the aftermath of his battle with Vanko. He looked around the room and thought to himself, 'I'd rather be anywhere else right now'. There was a folder that reads "Avengers Initiative" facing opposite of him on the table. He flipped it around to face him and began examining it, when he was interrupted by Fury placing his hand on the folder, stopping him from looking further.

"I don't think I want you looking at that," Fury said. "I'm not sure it pertains to you anymore. Now, this, on the other hand, he held up a different folder, "is Agent Romanoff's assessment of you." He handed the folder over to Tony, who took it and began looking over it. "Read it."

"Uh... "Personality overview. Mr. Stark displays compulsive behavior."" He looked back up at Fury, "In my own defense, that was last week." Fury's face remained unchanged. ""Prone to self-destructive tendencies." I was dying. I mean, please. And aren't we all?" Fury showed no sign of emotion. ""Textbook narcissism"? Agreed. Okay, here it is. Uh..."Recruitment assessment for Avenger Initiative. Iron Man? Yes. I gotta think about it."

"Read on," said Fury, monotone.

""Tony Stark not..."" he took a second to make sure he read that sentence correctly. ""Not recommended"?" Tony looked back up at Fury, puzzled at how Iron Man could be approved but not himself. "That doesn't make any sense. How can you approve me, but not approve me?

"I got a new ticker," Tony stammered, "I'm trying to do right by Pepper and Rory. I'm in a stable-ish relationship."

Fury stood up and walked around the desk as Tony talked. He leaned against it and said, "Which leads us to believe at this juncture we'd only like to use you as a consultant."

Tony looked at him for a second and stood up. He reached out his hand and shake Fury's hand before saying, "You can't afford me." He smiled and walked a few feet away only to continue, "Then again, I will waive my customary retainer in exchange for a small favor."

Fury's face looked as if he was willing to consider the favor.

"Rhodey and I," Tony continued, "are being honored in Washington and we need a presenter."

Fury nodded. "I'll see what I can do."