The Other Stark

Welcome Home

Forever. That's how long it felt like waiting for the back of the plane thing to finish going down so Tony can walk out. When I could finally see him, I became overwhelmed with relief as if at any moment he looks worse than how he left and may be in a stretcher hooked up to an IV. He looked physically like normal. Besides his arm, nothing looked broken, nothing was missing, no black eyes or massive bruises. Just a broken arm and a few scratches away from how he looked when he left. He even had a smart ass smirk on his face. I could feel myself start to cry. I was so terrified that I just lost my whole family, and now he is back after three long emotional roller coaster. He just strolled on right to us and finally stopped in front of us and winked at me, "What still to old to hug your daddy in public?" I lost it at that point and just hung on to him with constant tears. For one like I said I missed him and I didn't want my last interaction to be a negative one, and second, he called him self daddy, which means a lot since I'm not five, and he told me to call him Tony. See he sent me away so early I was never I the lime light, the world didn't know about Toni Maria Stark. While I am crying he even manages to joke to Pepper, teasing her for her red eyes. Right before we got in the car he hugged me again, this time a little bit more personal. I could hear he was tearing up, trying to fight it back. He whispered in my ear "You were right baby girl you do need to learn how to run Stark Industries, which is why I will need your help soon with a brand new goal, a new way to take the company. And you are right in that I am all you have, because when I was out there all I could think about was you and I am your father, I will always protect you. I almost lost all of my family except I was blessed to have a baby. I wanted to protect you from that feeling and going down a deeper hole than I did all those years ago. I know I wasn't the best father but I tried and I am so lucky to have you".

Once we all are in the back seat, and yes I am still crying on Tony's chest, Pepper ask Happy to drive us to the hospital and Tony flipped. He made a point he was only going to do two things. One, get a whopper. Two hold a press conference. I did however stop crying once we got to the Burger King drive thew and he got a small vanilla cone. I couldn't help but smile at the ice cream and the memories came flooding back. There is just something so simple and pure about a little girl getting a vanilla ice cream cone with her dad. It always made me feel so normal as a small child that held such a big secrete from him. After long trips when he was little I would beg to go with whoever was picking him up. Then on the drive way back Tony would always buy a small vanilla ice cream and say "See the hard part is over with, now we can go have some fun with just us!" That's the kind of humor he has. His personal and professional life was always different in how he acted. Then to have a throw back on that moment currently is amazing. I would not be thinking of that if I was him. By the time we got to the press conference I had adjusted myself to not look like a hot mess and helped escorted him inside.

It wasn't until the press conference started did I notice the emotional damage that my father took while he was missing. Obidiah was there to greet us and ushered Tony in. I was going to stand back and observe but Tony took my hand in his and had me stand beside him. While I watched him from the side, Tony asked everyone to sit down and patted a seat for me to sit by him. I could see him freak out, from what it looked like this was an anxiety thing and I watched him talk about grandpa Howard, which made my chest swell up with pride for my family. It wasn't until someone asked what happened did he stand up, making it professional again. Then he made the announcement. Stark industry would no longer be making weapons. "With the help of our newest employee my daughter Toni Stark, she will be trained so that we can transform this company" Fuck my mind immediately went to what I had made in the garage. The energy in the room reflected my mind, with people talking and yelling and Obidiah trying to take control. Flashes of light blinded my face as people took photos of me, asking questions that I couldn't even hear.

I rushed with my dad out of the room and all the way to our company where he stood in front of the arch reactor his hand on mine. "I promise you Toni Maria, I have a plan, I just need you to trust me" I smiled up at my dad feeling like a child, when he would take me to work when no one else could watch me. I grinned up at him, "Tony, you know I trust you with my life, stop doubting yourself, you are a good man, a great engineer, and an even better father" I saw him smile back and reminisce, "you used to love all that hippie alternative energy type stuff, man, you have always given me shit about saving the world and making it a better place. What do you say we actually start doing that now?" I don't know how but maybe I saw a look in his eye and all I could do was hug him and whisper, "there is nothing else in this world that I would love more"

Then good old Obadiah walked in, with of course his cigar in his mouth. He worked with my grandpa and was one of the only people who know Tony was my dad, well at least until that press conference. See dad always paid off the school and students to call the press. It was like people knew, but the world didn't. They assumed he had a niece or something and then I left at six and never really went out in public, plus with the school being so secretive already it was a perfect hiding spot from the world, with him during my breaks so people forgot about the child he was sometimes with. Not surprising all Obidiah talked about was stock, investors, ect. and then dad talked about the arch reactor energy, Obidiah tried to shut it down, not possible. I didn't have as much negativity as that, but yes it would be very had. Then dad showed him the small arch reactor in his chest and my eyes grew wide along with Obidiah. I reached my hand out to touch it and as soon as I did Tony yelled out in pain making me jerk my hand back and freak... well at least until he started laughing and I realized it was a prank.

Dad then took me back to the shop to explain the plan to me. I used to love looking at the arch reactor, it felt like home. I always knew it would be good for something. After talking about the plan dad laid down and said. "Now hunny I am going to need a big favor from you."