Hearts Collide

For Her

Alex stood in place dumb founded as she watched her father leave.

"Alex!" she heard Steve call out for her, but she did not respond as she continued to stare at the closed elevator doors.

"Alex," he repeated as he placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to face him. "I heard Tony shouting. Is everything alright? You didn't hurt yourself or anything, did you? Is the baby alright?" Steve rambled as he examined her as she had done to him beforehand.

"I'm fine," Alex replied monotonously.

"That's good to hear," he sighed in relief as Alex resumed her earlier state of silence. After a few moments of Steve standing beside her, hearing only the sound of the clock ticking by, he noted how unusually silent she was and that there was hurt look on her face. He decided to ask her what was wrong.

"My dad—," she mumbled in response. "I hurt him," she stated plainly.

"No, you only hit his armor," Steve pointed out absent mindedly. "Tony should be fine."

"I didn't mean I hurt him physically," Alex began, her voice filled with guilt. "What I did was a hundred times worse. I can't believe that I went against him."

"That's not your fault. You did what you had to. He was just over reacting to the fact you're pregnant," Steve stated as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into a warm embrace, and kissed the top of her head.

Alex let out a long sigh before pulling away Steve's embrace.

"Steve, I'm not pregnant," she admitted causing Steve to raise an eyebrow in confusion. "It seems that the home pregnancy test I took a few days ago was a false positive and the reason I was sick was because Natasha somehow managed to give me a stomach virus," she explained. "I could have told him that before he tried to attack you, but I didn't. Instead I attacked my own dad—oh God, he must hate me," she uttered as her voice cracked.

"Alex, it's going to be okay," he assured her as he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Tony doesn't hate you. He's just angry. He'll get over it."

"How would you know?" she asked in frustration as tears threatened to spill.

"Because I forgave you," he stated before gently kissing her forehead. "And because Tony loves you no matter what."

"I hope you're right, Steve," Alex sighed as she wiped away her tears and stared at the bracelet. "I really hope you're right."

Tony stepped out of the elevator, not making a sound as he walked over to his mini bar, and took out a bottle of scotch, pouring himself a drink.

He let out a small sigh of frustration before taking a gulp of his drink, hoping to feel numb.

As he drank away, the words, 'Don't you dare attack Steve,' echoed in his head. He immediately slammed his glass on the table, recalling the time he had heard those words.

Images of Alex aiming her weapon at him flashed through his head and Tony shook his head as an attempt to shake off that memory and took another sip of his drink, but no avail.

"I'm not going to let you hurt him," Tony recalled her saying that as his mind replayed the scene that had happened only moments ago: Alex shooting at him, her running over to Steve, and then her embracing the super solider while he was left forgotten.

"When did he become more important that your own dad?," Tony thought bitterly as he took another sip from his drink.

"Tony, what's going on?" he heard Pepper's voice ask as she entered the room and made her way over to where he was sitting.

"It's nothing," he lied as he avoided her gaze and took another sip of his drink.

"Oh, really?" she questioned as she took away the glass in his hand and set it down on the table. "Because you went off declaring you were going to kill Steve, the living room on the 30th floor is a disaster, and now you're drinking."

"I always drink, Pepper," Tony pointed out as he reached over to grab his drink only to have his hand swatted away by Pepper's.

"Tony," she stated firmly. "What did you do?"

"Why is it always me that has to do something?" he asked angrily as he slammed his hand on the table. "I'm not the one putting people's lives in danger and yet I'm the one that get's the blame."

"Tony," Pepper stated softly as she sat next to Tony and placed a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. "What happened?"

"I went to talk to Steve like I said I was going to—"

"Tony, if you went to just talk, then why is the living room a mess?"

"Okay, so I did more than just talk to him. — I punched him— twice. And then I tried attacking him with my armor and then Alex came in and—"

"She ran to Steve's side, didn't she?" Pepper asked, interrupting Tony who just nodded in agreement.

"More like stopped me from attacking him. That was when and then I left," he continued. "I just don't get it, Pepper. How can she pick him over me? I'm her father. I've always been there for her and I've done everything that I could have to protect her and make her happy."

"Well, think of it this way. Let's say Alex and I were fighting—"

"Pepper, Alex loves you. There's no way she would fight you. Heck, she barely even gets mad at you."

"Will you just listen?," Pepper huffed slightly irritated. "Say Alex and I were fighting and you barged in on us and you saw Alex about to attack me— wouldn't you try to stop her?"

"Yes, but—"

"Well, that's exactly what Alex did when she saw two people that she cared about fighting in front of her," she pointed out. "Look," she began, "I know it's not easy for you to sit back while someone you care about does something like that, but it probably isn't easy for Alex either— you should go talk to her."

"I doubt she wants to talk to me."

"Tony, you're her dad, she loves you, and she probably feels like you've abandoned her which isn't what she needs after everything she's just been through."

"I guess you're right, Pepper. Besides, I don't want her to be mad at me when she has her kid," Tony stated as he got up from where he was sitting and began to make his way out of the room. "I'm going to be there for her and my grandchild."

"Tony, wait," Pepper called out as he left the room. "Alex isn't—"

"Thanks, Pepper," Tony called out from the hall as the elevator doors opened and he stepped inside.

"I guess he'll find out on his own." Pepper sighed as she picked up the cup from the table and put it away.

Alex laid on her bed staring at the ceiling in silence. She allowed her mind to wander, but all she could think about was the look on Tony's face as he left her standing alone in the hall after she had stopped him and Steve from fighting.

Her thoughts were broken when she heard someone knocking on the door and then call out her name.

"Go away, Steve," she sighed wanting to be left alone. "You said you were going to let me be."

"I said no such thing," Tony stated as he opened the door and nonchalantly entered the room.

"Dad?" Alex questioned as she turned her head to her bedroom door. Her eyes widened and she jolted up at the sight of Tony standing in front of her. "Dad," she repeated as she ran over to him and attacked him with a hug. Her arms wrapping around him as she mumbled apologies into his chest.

"Daddy, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to attack you—," she rambled. "I didn't know what else to do. Please don't hate me."

Tony smiled softly as he allowed Alex to ramble on for a bit before and placing a hand on the top of her head to silence her.

"I don't hate you, kiddo," Tony said softly as he ruffled the top of her head. "I could never hate you. You're my daughter. Plus, I don't want you to think I'm abandoning you when you're— you know."

Alex took a step back and raised an eyebrow as she gave Tony a confused look.

"You know—carrying another generation of Stark with you," he stated awkwardly.

"Dad," Alex began awkwardly as she stared at the floor. "I'm not pregnant."

Tony's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Are you lying to me?" he questioned as he raised an eyebrow.

"No, dad," Alex huffed. "I'm not lying. I'm not having Steve's child. You can relax now because you're not going to become a grandpa anytime soon."

"Oh, thank God," Tony stated as he let out a sigh of relief. "I don't think I could handle it if the kid turned out to be a miniature version of Mr. Stars and Stripes."

"Hey," Alex asserted. "I happen to care about Mr. Stars and Stripes— a lot and you're going to have to deal with that. And you're also going to have to stop being such an over protective dad. I know you mean well, — but I'm an adult and you have to let me live my life and not try to beat up my boyfriend."

"Hey, I could have beat him easily, but then you decided to—" he began, but paused when he realized Alex glaring slightly at him. "I mean— alright. I'll let you be, but that doesn't mean I'm going to be happy every time you side with him."

"Dad, I'm not always going to side with him. Sometimes he may be right, sometimes you may be right. More often than not ; you're both probably wrong—"

"Hey," Tony cut in feeling offended.

"But," Alex emphasized, "No matter what happens, I love the both of you—do you think you can handle that?" she asked softly as she gave him a pleading look.

Tony said nothing as he stared into her eyes as she gave him the look she always did whenever she wanted something. He sighed knowing that he couldn't say 'no' to her even if he wanted to. "Fine," he sighed.

Alex smiled and hugged Tony who responded by wrapping his arms around her and ruffling her hair. The moment was interrupted, however, when they both heard a knock on the door.

"Alex," Steve's voice called out. "I know you said you wanted to be left alone, but—"

"It's okay, Steve, you can come in," Alex replied.

"How are—oh, hi, Tony," Steve greeted awkwardly. "Look, about what happened. You don't have to worry, Alex isn't—"

"It's fine, Captain Obvious; she already told me."

"Hey," Alex whined. "I thought you said you'd be nice."

"No, I said I'd be okay with you guys," Tony pointed out. "I never said I'd be nice to him."

Steve gave Tony a stern look before asking Alex, "So are you still up for our dinner plans or—"

"Umm, yeah," she replied as she began to exit the room.

"Bring her back before midnight!" Tony joked causing Alex to turn around and smile at Tony who grinned at her.

"I will," Steve responded.

When the two stepped into the elevator, Alex smiled to herself.

"Why are you smiling?" Steve asked curiously.

"I'm just happy," she answered.

"Well, I'm glad that you're happy," he said as he placed a kiss on top of her head.

"And I'm glad," Alex thought, "that I have two guys that love me enough not to fight with each other for me."