Shadows of Stardom / Scarlett Johansson x Daughter

Chapter 9: Morning Chaos and Nostalgia

Anastasia groaned loudly as she felt something cold splashing onto her face. Her eyes shot open, and she saw Florence standing over her, a mischievous grin plastered on her face, an empty glass of water in hand. 

"Morning, princess," Florence teased, stepping back quickly.

Anastasia blinked, momentarily disoriented before the cold water really registered. "What the—Flor!" she yelled, jumping out of bed in a rush, water dripping down her face and soaking her pajamas. 

Florence laughed and darted for the door. "Catch me if you can!" 

Not one to back down from a challenge, Anastasia was hot on her heels, chasing her down the stairs, her bare feet slapping against the floor. "You're dead, Pugh!" she shouted, gaining on her friend as they both rounded the corner into the living room.

Scarlett's voice rang out before they could make it any further. "Hey! What are you two doing?" she yelled from the bottom of the stairs, hands on her hips, a stern look on her face.

Both Anastasia and Florence froze mid-step, suddenly reverting to children under Scarlett's icy glare. Anastasia's heart pounded in her chest, but not from running—it was that familiar flicker of fear she hadn't felt in a while. She didn't consider Scarlett her mother in the same way anymore, but that didn't mean she wasn't still intimidated by her. Florence, too, seemed to lose her bravado in Scarlett's presence.

"We were... uh..." Anastasia began, her voice faltering.

Florence, still half-laughing, nudged her and whispered, "Say something!"

"Um, yeah, it was her fault," Anastasia blurted out, pointing accusingly at Florence like she was five again.

Scarlett crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. "I don't care whose fault it was. You're both acting like children. Go dry off and behave. We have a long day ahead of us."

They both slumped their shoulders, nodding meekly. "Sorry," they muttered in unison.

From behind them, Chris's voice rang out, full of amusement. "Looks like someone had an accident, huh?" He shot Anastasia a teasing grin, pointing to her soaking wet clothes. "Did you pee yourself, Ana?"

Anastasia shot him a death glare, ready with a sharp retort, but Scarlett's gaze flicked to him, and with just a look, Chris quieted down instantly. "Not a word, Chris," she said calmly.

Chris raised his hands in mock surrender. "Got it. Not another word."

Scarlett sighed, turning her attention back to the two women. "Now, what exactly happened?" she asked, her voice softer this time.

Anastasia pouted, feeling like a child all over again, and pointed at Florence. "She dumped water on me while I was sleeping," she said, her voice almost sulky.

Scarlett couldn't help the small smile that crept onto her face, seeing her daughter like this again, even if only for a moment. "Alright, come on. Pancakes will make it better," she said, placing a comforting hand on Anastasia's shoulder. "Florence, you owe her a pancake."

Florence groaned dramatically. "Really? I woke her up in the best way possible! I should get a pancake."

"No whining," Scarlett said firmly as they all made their way to the kitchen. Florence was still grumbling as they walked, while Anastasia, still dripping wet, kept her head down, slightly embarrassed but unable to hide the small smile forming at the corner of her lips.

When they entered the kitchen, the group was smaller now. Only RDJ, Chris, Florence, and Scarlett remained from the night before, the others having left earlier in the morning. The smell of coffee and breakfast filled the air, the warm, cozy atmosphere a stark contrast to the chaos just moments before.

Anastasia quickly sat down at the table, her stomach rumbling in anticipation. Scarlett began flipping pancakes, and as they cooked, she placed a mug of hot cocoa in front of Anastasia without a word.

Anastasia blinked, a bit surprised, but a warm blush rose to her cheeks. "Thanks," she murmured, taking the cup in her hands. She wasn't a coffee person, and Scarlett had remembered that detail about her, even after all these years. She took a sip, savoring the rich taste, and then immediately began eating once the pancakes were served.

Scarlett, however, scolded her lightly. "Slow down. You're going to choke."

Anastasia slowed her pace, glancing around the table as everyone dug into their food. They chatted casually about the day ahead, about work, and RDJ's latest prank ideas, when suddenly Florence turned to Anastasia with curiosity in her eyes.

"Hey, didn't you visit the 'Iron Man' set when you were a kid? You must have some good stories from back then," Florence asked, leaning forward.

Anastasia swallowed her bite of pancake and nodded. "Yeah, I did. My dad and I would go sometimes, but it was a long time ago."

Florence's eyes lit up with excitement. "Wait, you were there during the first movie? No way! What was it like?"

Anastasia couldn't help but smile at Florence's enthusiasm. "It was surreal. I mean, I was just a kid, so I didn't fully understand everything, but it was... fun. Watching everyone work, seeing all the effects come together. I guess that's what made me want to act."

The others chimed in with jokes and memories from those early days, laughing about bloopers and embarrassing moments. RDJ told a story about a particularly disastrous take where the suit malfunctioned, and Chris teased Anastasia about how she used to stand on set in awe, wide-eyed like a little kid seeing magic for the first time.

As they reminisced, Anastasia found herself sinking into the conversation, feeling something she hadn't in a long time—nostalgia. She remembered those days, how simple everything seemed, how much she loved visiting the sets with her dad, watching the magic unfold before her eyes. Her chest tightened slightly as she thought of her father. He'd been the one constant in her life, and she missed him more than words could express.

But as the conversation moved on, Anastasia also felt a pang of sadness. Things were different now. So much time had passed. Her life had changed drastically, and though she was proud of the woman she had become, there was a part of her that wished, just for a moment, that her mother had been there too.

She glanced at Scarlett, who was smiling softly, talking with RDJ. The sight brought an odd mix of emotions—anger, sadness, and something else she couldn't quite place. But deep down, she knew that part of her still wished Scarlett had been with her more, that she had been more than just a distant figure in her life.

Would it have changed anything? Anastasia didn't know. Maybe she wouldn't be the same person now, and part of her was okay with that. But there was still a small ache in her chest, the wish that things had been different, that she hadn't been left behind.

Anastasia sighed softly to herself, returning her attention to her plate. Life had turned out differently than she expected, and she'd learned to accept it. But some things still hurt. Maybe they always would.