Stealing Hearts

Chapter 1 - Permanent Goodbyes

December 15th, 1991

Tony Stark's POV

"Tony, can we please watch Star Wars?" I look down at my sister, trying to be annoyed at the fact that she wants to watch Star Wars for the millionth but the moment I take in those adorable puppy dog eyes and pouty lip I melt. That stupid look still works just as well at eight years old as it did at three years old.

"Fine." I suppose I can entertain watching Star Wars again, after all, it will hopefully provide a temporary distraction from our parents leaving for some kind of work shit. She always gets so upset when they leave, oftentimes burrowing into her bed and refusing to come out unless I bride her with Star Wars or the Hobbit. Of course, this time around is going to be worse since it's the holidays and our parents are going to be hundreds of miles away. I quickly turn on A New Hope, making sure my sister is fully immersed in the TV before I leave her be and walk to the foyer where our parents are preparing to leave. "Do you have to go? It's only been two weeks since you last left. Ronnie is going to be devastated especially when you miss Christmas."

"Tony you know I have work." Of course, because one thing you can count on my father for is to always be working.

"You always have work," I snap back. I am so tired of my father just ditching his family. Of course, it doesn't actually matter to me whether or not he is around but I hate seeing my sister so hurt. "It doesn't matter what holidays or birthdays you miss, you're always working. You've already missed Ronnie's birthday this year, now Christmas..." I want to go on but I am interrupted by the one person I wanted to avoid this conversation.

"You're leaving?" I winch as I turn to find my little sister standing in the doorway teary-eyed as she stares at our parents. So much for trying to avoid the inevitable. I was hoping to at least have a few hours before Veronica would start asking questions.

"Veronica...." my mother murmurs as she rushes forward to embrace a sobbing Veronica all while our father stares on indifferently.

"I don't want you to go." I swear I feel my heart break in two when I see my sister's reddened eyes once she pulls out of our mom's arms. The moment our mom steps away I pull Veronica into my arms, not caring at all when she throws her arms around my neck and sobs into my shoulder, her tears soaking my shirt.

"Sorry kid. I've got important work to do." I look away from my sister to glare at my father. How dare he insinuate that work is more important than family?

Veronica raises her head from my shoulder only to look at our father, her eyes still red with tears and her lip trembling. "Even more important than Christmas?"

I glare at my father in an attempt to stop him from saying anything stupid and hopefully not make Veronica even more distraught. But of course, this is Howard Stark we are talking about. He doesn't listen and he certainly doesn't take others' feelings into consideration. "Sorry kid. But this is far more important than Christmas." The moment those words leave my asshole of a father's mouth Veronica bursts into tears once more, wiggling in my arms until I have no choice but to set her down.

"I hate you! You're never home!" Veronica shouts with a surprising amount of venom for an eight-year-old before she sprints upstairs, the distant slamming of a door following moments later.

"Great. We really need to get going, honey. The Pentagon waits for no one." My father completely ignores the fact that he just broke his eight-year-old daughter's heart and goes right back into work mode. How the fuck can you tell a little girl that work is more important than spending the holidays with her? She's eight for god's sake, Christmas is everything to her.