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2009, Stark Mansion
As I walk next to Natasha who told me to call her Natalie in front of other people into Stark Industries as she starts the first day of her job, I feel a bit anxious. I'm only an eleven-year-old kid following one of the only people I can seem to trust these days into what feels like the worst decision Director Fury has ever made to this day. Natasha can feel my anxiety radiating off of me and stops us from walking any closer to the room she has to go in.
"Hope, I can feel how anxious you are. Just trust me when I say everything is going to be fine."
I took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay."
Natasha took my hand and lead us to the room Tony Stark is in and what seems to be his friends.
Tony and his friend turn from the boxing ring they were in and look at Natasha and I. "I hope it was okay that I brought my niece with me I couldn't find anyone to look after her right now."
The other lady in the room smiles at Natasha. "Oh, it's fine I get it being a single guardian can be tough."
The woman looks down at me and smiles. "Hi, I'm Pepper Potts it's nice to meet you..." She stops briefly for me to give her my name, but Natasha speaks up for me knowing how I get around other people. "Hope, her name is Hope."
Pepper smiles again. "What a gorgeous name, well it's nice to meet you, Hope." I smile shyly at Pepper.
Natasha and Pepper get to work discussing some things. Tony points at Natasha. "What's your name, lady?" Natasha looks up and answers. "Rushman. Natalie Rushman."
Tony replies. "Front and center. Come into the church."
Pepper protests but Tony cuts her off. "If it pleases the court, which it does."
Natasha looks at Pepper and smiles. "It's no problem."
Pepper starts to apologize for Tony as Natasha goes up to the ring. I shuffle a bit closer to Pepper as I can tell from meeting her and seeing how she interacts with the others she's a kind person and I seem to like her.
As Natasha goes into the boxing ring, Tony and her stare at each other for a bit while he drinks something, but he breaks the silence. "What?"
Natasha continues to stare in silence. Tony looks at the other man in the ring as he starts to leave. "Can you give her a lesson?" The man agrees while he and Natasha talk Tony comes over to Pepper and I.
"Pepper." She looks up at him. "What?" Tony sits next to Pepper. "Who is she?" "She is from legal. And she is potentially a very expensive sexual harassment lawsuit if you keep ogling her like that."
I softly laugh at that knowing Natasha would do worse with everything she knows.
Tony looks at me before looking at Pepper. "I need a new assistant, boss." Pepper argues a bit with Tony while I can feel him staring at me. I look over at him hoping he would stop but he continues so I decided to speak up.
"Why do you keep staring at me?" Tony looks at Pepper quickly before turning his eyes back to me. "Just wondering why a little kid is here." I pout. "I'm not that little you know, I'm eleven."
Tony smirks a bit before looking at Pepper. "I like her, ask Rushman if we can keep her." I stare in shock at what he said. At that moment Natasha also knocks down the man in the ring. Pepper and Tony look over in shock. "Oh my god! Happy!" Tony and Pepper go to the ring.
"That's what I'm talking about." The man whom I learned is named Happy gets up. "I just slipped." I laugh at his statement while Natasha winks at me as she gets out of the ring.
Tony looks at Happy. "You did?" Happy seems like he's in pain as he answers Tony. "Yeah." I look at the men and Natasha.
"Looks like a TKO to me."
Tony smirks at me before he rings the bell by the boxing ring. "I know I said it earlier, but I really do like this kid." I smile up at him as Natasha goes up to Tony. "Just... I need your impression." "You have a quiet reserve. I don't know, you have an old soul." Natasha just gives him a look. "I mean your fingerprint." Tony nods. "Right"
Pepper speaks up. "So, how are we doing?" Tony answers her. "Great. Just wrapping up here. Hey, you're the boss." Natasha looks over at me before looking back at Tony. "Will that be all Mr. Stark?"
"No." Pepper steps in. "Yes, that will be all from him, Ms. Rushman. But if we can go over here, I have a few questions about something." Pepper and Natasha move over away from here while I stay with Tony and Happy.
"Uh, Mr. Stark? Did you mean what you said?" Tony looks a bit surprised. "Kid if you know anything about me, I always mean what I say but yeah I did. I know Rushman here takes care of you, but I can see a lot of me in you and that makes you different, and different can be good." I smile at him.
"At the place, I was kept before they found Natalie, I always felt different than the other kids there and I didn't want to be different because I always thought being different was a bad thing. But being different from other people can be good or bad, it just depends on what you do." Tony smirks. "You're going to be great kiddo."
Pepper and Natasha come back over to us. Natasha smiles at me. "We got to go now but this won't be the last you see of Pepper, Tony, and Happy okay?" I nod at her and wave goodbye to the three of them while we start to leave.
─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───
A few weeks later
Natasha and I are in a car driving to god knows where. "Natasha, where are we going? You've just been quiet the whole time we've been in the car." Natasha smiles a bit and as she stops at a red light turns to face me. "You're new home, little wolf."
My face turns into one of shock. "What?" Natasha turns back to the road and drives for a few more minutes before I see where we are. I look out the window to see Tony Starks home. I turn to Natasha as she parks. "Are you being serious?" Natasha smiles. "Why don't we get out of the car and find out?" Natasha and I walk out of her car and into the Stark Residence.
As soon as we walk in I see Pepper, Tony, and Happy all standing waiting for Natasha and I to come in. I look at Tasha and them confused. "What's going on?" Tony looks at Pepper and she nods. He walks closer to me and starts to speak.
"Welcome to your new home kiddo." I look at all of them shocked. "What?" Pepper walks to Tony and I. "Natasha and I spoke and seeing as she's looking for a permanent home for you Tony and I wanted it to be us. Only if you'll let us that is." I look at Tasha as she smiles and nods at me. I turn back to Tony and Pepper and hug them both tightly. "Yes! Absolutely Yes!" They both hug me back with the same force. Tony pulls away after a bit. "Good because I wasn't going to let you say no anyways." I smile and shake my head at him.
After Tasha, Tony, and Pepper finish all the paperwork, they all show me my room in the Stark mansion. "Woah, I think this room is bigger than any room I've seen in my life." Tony smirks. "Well, you're a Stark now and Starks only get the best of the best." I smile at the three of them. "Thank you so much. I was really scared that Auntie Nat would have to leave me in foster care if she couldn't find someone." Tasha looks at me sadly. "I would never have let it come to that kiddo." I nod. "I know, you wouldn't let anyone take me. Now, I'm only staying here if you all agree for Nat to come to see me at least once a month." Tony, Pepper, and Tasha all start to laugh as I look at them all with a stern face.
