Stark's Daughter

Chapter 8

~~~~~next day~~~~
(Fair warning that this goes with the Avengers movie. It's definitely not mine, but I'm adding Stephanie in and messing with it. Think of this as a variant of the timeline ;)  .  )

My first day at the Tower has been a dream come true so far. Everyone put in a helping hand and made me a room. Right now, it's only a bed and a dresser, but I'm grateful for it. Besides, this is the very first time I've ever had a room ALL to myself. I was quick to head to bed early so I could have some time to myself in my room, but now I can't sleep. It's been a long time since I've slept somewhere other than the foster home. It's much quieter than I imagined was possible. There's a clock on the dresser that reads nine-twenty-five p.m. I sigh loudly, trying to think of something to pass the time with. Then, it hits me- an idea. This tower is MASSIVE! I could probably explore this place for hours and never get bored.

I throw the covers off of me and slide out of bed. I grab my clothes from today and put them back on. I put my sneakers and coat back on, knowing that I'd at least have to try out that balcony upstairs. When I'm finally ready, I stick my head out the door. I make sure no one is there, then I jog down the hallway- as quietly as my feet would allow.

Instead of going in the elevator, I choose the stairs. It's easier to sneak through the stairways. Elevators are loud and there's no exit if you're cornered. After going up just one flight of stairs, I begin to hear voices. The door to this floor is ajar, allowing the voices to creep into the stairway. My curiosity gets the best of me and I slip through the door and into the hallway. The hallway looks identical to every other floor. The voices are further than what I would have guessed. Five doors down, I peek in at the Avengers holding some sort of sit-down meeting. I back away from the door, but hover close-by.

"Alright, so tell us the story, Tony." Steve says.

"I got a call from Allison Lauder. Basically, we hooked up a bunch of times, then I stopped calling her. Apparently, she got pregnant and never wanted to tell me." Tony reveals.

"-because you stopped calling and showing interest. Not her fault." Natasha adds to this.

"Yeah, sure. Anyway, she told me all about Stephanie. It was crazy though... she said she had been having dreams about me for years. Except they weren't just dreams. She said she had a dream about me being captured and becoming Iron Man.... before it even happened. She said we're in danger for years to come. She said I was the only one who could protect Steph." Tony stops, probably to ponder how to continue the conversation after saying something so... unbelievable.

"Dreams? She sounds a little looney if you ask me, Tony." Bruce replies.

"I thought so too... but if you could've seen the look in her eyes, you'd understand. I believe her." Tony speaks slowly.

"I mean, I can tell she's your daughter. Looks just like you." Clint chimes in, adding a happier approach to the conversation.

"No. There's something that seems off about this. What are the odds of the kid you saved the other night being your daughter? Kids don't belong in the Tower. They don't belong in this lifestyle. We're superheroes. She's in more danger here than she was at the foster home. I mean, come on. She's going to step in the way of your judgement for the team, Tony. She's only going to hold us back." Bruce rambles on, raising his voice as he goes.

"You're wrong, Banner." Tony responds quickly, but I take this as my que to leave.

My heart starts pounding against my chest again and I feel a little sick to my stomach. I thought this could be my home, but I'm clearly not welcomed like I thought I was. I start to head back to the stairwell, making every step faster than the last. It's time to do what I do best... sneak out. Once I'm out of the building, I'll head for the foster home. I might be a kid, but I'm not going to play stupid and stay somewhere I'm not wanted. I have twelve flights of stairs until I'm free. Keep going. Tears well up in my eyes, but I never give them the chance to fall.