He brought me back to life; A Captain America romance; Book one.

Chapter 4: Moving day

I not surprised that it only took two hours for me and Nat to pack up my entire apartment in the city. I've never been the type of girl that had lots of things. Clothes, make up, jewellery etc. never really interested me. Since I was 11, I always put whatever the money I had into new computers and equipment.

When I first met Tony and Howard Stark fifteen years ago in their mansion, I couldn't believe how different I felt compared to them. They were filthy rich. Like, filthy rich. They had it all. To be honest, if my mom wasn't such a beautiful woman, I don't think Howard Stark would have ever looked her way. He was a celebrity and she was was Quiet, awkward and just, well, normal.

They met when she was working as a cleaner in one of Howard's office blocks in the city. She was a 24-year-old who hadn't got a penny. But she was beautiful. and Funny. Howard was married of course, but that never stopped him before. I liked our life. It was quiet and happy. Just me and my mom in a tiny two bed apartment in Queens and that's all we needed.

I was packing away my favourite photo of her when I recall the moment, I found out the truth about my father. I had just turned 11. Mom had said my he died when I was a baby and that she had no pictures of him because she lost them all in a fire year back.

I was playing in my mom's room one day I came across a box of old letters and diaries. I knew I shouldn't have been snooping but I felt compelled to read them for some reason. Love letters? Photos of the two of them together?
I couldn't believe my eyes. A frantically started to read one diary dated 12 years ago. It held every detail of her brief affair with the world's most lavish, philanthropic, genius billionaire. I couldn't believe what I was reading. My father? Howard Stark?

I confronted my mother and made her tell me everything. I sat there in tears, not fully understanding. "But why didn't you just tell me the truth? Why did you lie to me?" I glare at my mother through puffy, red eyes. "Oh baby, he had a family already, and a son and we just didn't fit into his plans that's all. I was trying to protect you." My mother cooed as she wiped my tears away.

"I want to meet him." I demanded, authority in my voice. "Honey, no. We can't. Howard and I made an agreement. I told him I didn't need his help." But I had already gone into my room to get my coat and was just about to march out the door when I paused and turned to my mother; "What if he hates me?" I asked quietly. "Hates you?" she asked buttoning her tattered, old winter coat. "Who could hate you Ellie Hart? You're going to change the world one day." she smiled lovingly. "You're sure you want to do this?" I nodded and we headed out the door to meet my long-lost father. The Billionaire.

Our first meeting did not go well. I barged into his office and slammed my tiny hand on his desk. "And what can I do for you, sassy lady?" Howard asked while puffing on a cigar with his feet up on his desk. "I want to meet the son of a bitch who abandoned my mom after knocking her up." He looked at me with wide eyes and tilted his head to the left. "I guess I figured you'd turn up one day." He said slowly. "You're an asshole!" I screamed and stomped my foot. He looked at me and smiled, "I think we're going to get along kid."

It did take some time and much, much grovelling to his wife but we all eventually decided that we would try be some kind of blended family. My mom, however, took a back seat. As brave as she seemed, I think she never got over the fact that he left her. I think she loved him, actually. As mad as I was with him, I wanted to know my father. I liked him for some reason. He gave me my first computer. His mouthy, arrogant son, on the other hand I was not too fond of. And I knew he felt the same way about me.

When Howard and his wife died a few years later I was left with the first real gaping hole on my life. A hole I had wished my new big brother could help fill. I was wrong. He was an ass and ultimately too busy taking over the family business and you know becoming Iron Man! I'd like to say that was the most shocking thing to ever happen to out demented family, but after being around the Starks, on and off, for years and witnessing the constant fights and tension between Howard and his genius, dickhead son every second weekend, it didn't actually surprise me that much. Tony really was an actual genius. As the years went on and I got older, I realised that me and Tony were never actually going to be close. He merely tolerated me and I just accepted it.