Ash was sad. She missed her mom. Yeah, Tony was her dad. And yeah, Steve was her step dad, but she missed the one woman who loved her. She missed her mother.
"Hey, Ash," Tony walked into the room and wrapped his arms around the nine year old's shoulders. "Hey, Ash, wanna go help me fix a car?"
"Not in the mood, Dad," Ash turned over. Tony was blown away. Ash practically begged him to let her help all the time. He was determined to help his baby girl.
"What's wrong?" He asked, gently running his fingers through the girl's thick brown hair.
"Nothing," she lied.
"Tell me."
"Nothing to tell."
"Why won't you tell me?"
"Cause you'll laugh at me, that's why!" Ash half-yelled. Tony looked heartbroken.
"Carly Ash Stark, I would never laugh at something that makes you upset," Tony said seriously. Ash's eyes widened. Tony never called her by her real name. Steve did sometimes, but never Tony.
"I miss Mom," Ash confessed. "I wish that person that hit her had been sober."
"Baby, everyone misses your mother. The day I found out she was dead, Steve had to pull me out of my room," Tony let the girl cry on his chest. She needed to know that Tony was there for her. She needed to know that he loved her more than anyone or anything in the world. Steve stumbled in.
"What's wrong, Ash?" Steve asked, sitting on the other side of Ash.
"I miss my mother," she sobbed, crying harder into Tony's chest. Steve rubbed her back.
"Love, your mother was so sweet to me. Even though she only met me for a day, she loved me. I'm proud to know her," Steve tried to make it better. He could make anyone feel better. She stopped crying and the tears left her cheeks and eyes.
"Papa?" Ash looked to Steve.
"Yes?" He replied.
"Who's that man?" She pointed to the door. Tony jumped in front of the girl while Steve ran to the door. He opened the door and held his shield close to the man's face.
"Jeez, Steve is this how you greet your best friend?" Bucky asked.
"Bucky?" Steve smiled. "YOU'RE ALIVE!!" Ash slipped from behind Tony and walked to the door. Tony followed.
"Bucky? What's a Bucky?" The girl asked.
"You must be Steve's girl. My you've grown. Well, I see she takes after Tony," Bucky knelt down so that he was eye level with Ash. She stood tall and strong while staring Bucky dead in the eye. "Although she has Steve's bravery." He ruffled her hair and stood up.
"Hey!" she said, throwing a glare at Bucky.
"This is Ash," Tony smiled and pushed the child so that she fell into Bucky. Bucky pushed her back up and she looked at Tony.
"Really funny, Iron Man. Just peachy," she joked, also pushing him. That didn't work. She fell on her rump while the boys laughed. Ash tackled Steve.
"Hey! Ash! Man, you need to play football," Steve lifted the girl off him like she was a light weight.
"Papa!" She giggled. "I already play football. Oh, nuts, I'm late for practice. Dad, please, can you let me use the Iron Kid Suit."
"Let me think," Tony teased.
"Come on, I'll bring it back! Jarvis will cloak it and it'll sit in the bench!" Ash begged.
"Fine. But you'll have to beat me there!" Tony teased. He and Ash took off.
"Tony's gonna go with her," Steve said.
"No shock," Bucky smirked. Steve smiled and invited him in.
"I kinda wanna watch a mini Tony play football," Bucky smiled.
"Get in the truck," Steve said. He and Bucky drove to the field.
When they got there, Ash was taking a teen out. They tumbled to the ground and Ash quickly regained posture to catch the ball. She sped down the field and passed to another boy that was about her age right before she was tackled by a mexican teenage boy.
"Ow," Bucky winced.
"Not to her, look," Steve pointed to a laughing Ash.
"Good game, Austin," she gave the teen a high five.
"You too Ash," he smiled. Ash then walked over to the boy that she passed to. His name was Raylan.
"Man, that was awesome. You dads are here," Raylan pointed to Steve and Bucky.
"Oh, Bucky's not my dad. He's a friend. Steve, the blonde, is my dad. Tony, the man over there with the Iron Man suit on, he's my other dad," Ash explained.
"Cool," Raylan said. "Oh yeah, the whole team is going to Sky Zone this weekend to celebrate our winning of the championships and we hoped that you could come. You did make the winning touchdown!"
"Uh...... I don't know if Dad will let me...." Ash played with her fingers.
"Come on, Man. Go ask," Johnny begged.
"Fine," Ash ran over to Steve.
"Hey Ash," Steve turned away from Bucky.
"I was wondering if I could go with the team to Sky Zone this weekend to celebrate us winning the championships. Please," she looked at Steve with a "Come on Papa I made us win!" look.
"I don't know.... you in a trampoline park with a bunch of boys....." Steve thought.
"Steve, she's always hanging around boys. You, me, Tony, Thor, Loki, Clint, and Bruce," Bucky approved.
"Go ask Tony. If he says yes, than you can go," Steve agreed. Ash turned around and made a "Yes!" movement, causing Steve to chuckle. She ran to Stark.
"Hey, Dad," Ash greeted.
"Yeah?" Tony looked at Ash.
"The whole team is going to Sky Zone this weekend and I kind of want to go. Can I?" Ash asked.
"I don't care. Just make sure-"
"To stay safe," she finished. Tony laughed as she ran back to the team.
"My parents said I could go!" Ash annouced excitedly.
"Awesome," Jeff smiled.
They left the field, and Ash couldn't wait till that weekend.
