Skye Stark's Daughter (Stark's Daughter 3)

Chapter 4

I sit Hope on the stool in front of me and start to curl her naturally curly hair into ringlets. 

"What do you think?" I ask, spinning her around and showing her in the mirror. 

"I love it! Thank you." She says, kissing my cheek and skipping back to her room. 

Im already dressed and ready for the party, wearing a clingy red dress, part of my hair pinned up. I pull on my red heels and walk out into the living room. Zeke strolls up to me and places his hands on my waist. 

"You look beautiful." He whispers. 

"Are you saying i don't look beautiful any way." I tease, smiling. 

"No, Im not saying that." He replies, raising his eyebrows. 

"I love you in a suit." I admit, pulling his jacket forward. 

"We should go, the limo is here." He points out, taking my hand and leading me to the front door. 

"Mummy! Look." Hope shouts. 

I turn around to see her in the white flowery dress, she spins around and it flows around her. 

"You look like a princess sweetheart." I say, taking her hand. 

"My two beautiful ladies." Zeke whispers, smiling as we step outside and into the limo. 

We reach the party and photographers cramp around the barriers. I lift Hope onto my hip and take Zeke's hand, keeping him away from them. We stroll up the red carpet and up the stairs, Hope giggles next to me and we turn around, posing for the cameras. 

"Don't punch any of them." I whisper against Zeke's ear, clutching his hand harder. 

"I won't." He smiles. 

We walk in and everyone is dancing in the middle of the room, to the left is a separate room with a magician and a sundae bar. Dads organised everything. 

"Best behaviour and be polite." I say to Hope as i place her on the floor. 

"Yes, mummy." She agrees and races to the magician where a couple of other children are sat. 

"Wow, Hope looks adorable." I hear someone point out, i turn around to see James and dad. 

"Her uncle has good taste then." I tease. 

"Yes, i do." James replies. 

Zeke disappears somewhere and Pepper strolls up to me and hugs me, her perfume filling my nose. 

"Hey. I haven't seen you in weeks." I point out. 

"I've been so busy, organising Tony's photo shoots and interviews for this new weapon you two are making." She explains. 

"Pepper, can i see you outside for a minute, there's something i want to show you." Dad says and i can't stop the smile spreading across my face. He's going to propose. Pepper nods and follows him out, right as Zeke appears back by my side, passing me a drink. 

"Hope is eating ice cream." 

"Aww. Bless." I reply. 

"Testing. Testing." James says into the microphone. 

"We all know why we're here, to celebrate the latest edition to Stark Industries. The first missile to be designed by both Skye and Tony Stark!" He shouts down the microphone as a spotlight lands on me. I blink through the blinding light. 

"Skye and Tony Stark come up on stage." He demands, smiling at me. I am going to get you James. I pull away from Zeke and head up to the stage, i take the microphone from him and notice as my dad sprints into the room, a massive smile on his face. He appears at my side. 

"Hello, people. Is everyone drunk enough?" Dad asks, taking the microphone from me. 

"Yes!" They all shout back. 

"So, we've been working for the past month making a new missile that is better then the rest. Better then anything we have ever made. I couldn't have done it alone though, i would have been lost without Skye." 

"Do you both still have Iron Man suits?" A woman in a black long dress asks. 

"Yes, we do. But i haven't used mine in public for 9 years." I explain. 

"I used mine this morning." Dad interrupts. 

Suddenly people start to crowd around the sundae bar. 

"Skye Zeke!" James shouts, i race down off the stage and through the crowd. I see a pair of pink shoes shaking om the floor. I push past everyone. 

I kneel next to Hope, stroking her hair as she fits uncontrollably on the ground, her eyes flickering into the back of her head. 

"Someone call an ambulance!" I scream. 

Zeke jumps to my side, taking my hand. 

"She's having an allergic reaction to something." I explain, touching her fevered head. 

My heart smashes, my life crashing. My head starts pounding in my skull. 

Paramedics arrive and push me out the way, push me away from my daughter that could be taking her last breath.