Stark Reality (Avengers / Morgan Stark AU)

CHAPTER 1 (Iron Man 2)

The sun had just begun to set over the Malibu coast, casting a warm orange glow over the Stark family's beach house. Nine-year-old Morgan Stark stood at her bedroom window, watching the waves crash against the shore, her mind racing as it often did. Even at her young age, she had an intuition about things—an understanding of when something was off. Today, her mother seemed distant, her father preoccupied. Morgan had learned to notice the signs when her parents were trying to hide something from her.

A soft knock came at the door, breaking her from her thoughts.

"Cozy enough? Or do you need a straight jacket?" Tony said, walking over to her bed to tuck her in for the night.

Morgan turned and smiled at him as he tucked her in. "All cozy," she said with a giggle.

Tony knelt beside her bed, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Good," he said softly, but his eyes lingered on her longer than usual, as if memorising every detail of her expression.

"Dad?" Morgan's voice broke the brief silence.

"Yeah?" He straightened up a little, trying to act casual, but the edge in his voice gave him away.

"Love you lots," she said, with a sweet smile.

Tony's smile returned, but there was a shadow behind it. "Love you tons."

The next day, the Starks were headed to Monaco, and despite the tension in the air, Morgan couldn't help but be excited. Family vacations were rare, and she loved spending time with her parents—especially when they weren't caught up in the chaos their usual lives. Plus, this time, they were bringing along their new nanny, Natalie Rushman. Since Pepper had taken on the role of CEO at Stark industries, she wasn't around as much as her used to be. Therefore, they hired Natalie, who had quickly become a close confidante for Morgan,

At the Monaco Grand Prix, Tony surprised everyone by announcing that he'd be driving the Stark Industries car himself. Morgan, perched next to Pepper in the stands, watched in awe as the race began. Meanwhile, Pepper watched on anxiously, knowing that Tony was acting more recklessly than usual. However, the race was suddenly interrupted when a man, wielding electric whips powered by a device disturbingly similar to her father's arc reactor, attacked Tony's car on the track.

Pepper immediately tried to shield Morgan from the chaos, but the young girl couldn't look away. She watched, frozen, as her father struggled to defend himself without his suit. The world seemed to slow, the roar of the crowd fading into the background as she focused on one thing—her father in danger. Thankfully, Happy Hogan was eventually able to bring Tony his portable Iron Man suit. Within moments, the fight turned in his favour.

Back in Malibu, Tony's birthday party at their beach house quickly spiraled out of control. Morgan wasn't allowed to attend, so she stayed back at the house with Natalie to keep her company. When her mother returned later that night, without her father, Morgan didn't need to ask. She saw it in the way Pepper's shoulders slumped, in the way her mother's eyes were red from crying.

The next morning, Morgan woke to an empty house—well, almost empty. Natalie was there, as always, her calm presence a comfort. But something felt different. Her suspicions were confirmed when her father returned that afternoon, looking worn and exhausted. There was a tension between her parents that hadn't been there before.

It wasn't until a few weeks later, after Tony had retreated into his workshop for days on end, that Morgan finally began to piece things together. Her father was sick—dying, even. The palladium in his arc reactor was poisoning him, and despite his genius, Tony Stark hadn't yet found a way to save himself. Morgan wasn't supposed to know this, but she was observant. She noticed the way her mother hovered around him, the way Tony's eyes lingered on her as if trying to memorize her face.

But then, just as quickly as it had begun, the tension lifted. Tony emerged from his workshop, renewed and full of energy, having discovered a new element that would save his life. He had beaten the odds once again, and for a while, life seemed to return to normal.

At least, until Ivan Vanko struck again.

Morgan was with her mother when the attack happened at the Stark Expo. The sudden explosion, the panic in the crowd—Pepper immediately pulled her close, shielding her as Tony raced to confront Vanko and his army of drones.

When the battle was over and Tony had saved them all once again, Morgan felt a strange mix of relief and sadness. She knew that this wasn't the last time her father would be called to risk his life for the world.