Life as Maya Stark • Iron Man's Daughter [ 1 ]

03

"Maya, sweetie? Open up, please."

Pepper knocked on the door of Maya's room and waited for a response that would never come. Pepper sighed and slowly opened the door. Her eyes scanned the room as she looked for Maya. She sighed with relief when she saw the girl by the window.

It had been two days since Maya had talked to Tony on the phone. Maya had found out from Pepper later that evening that Tony had been kidnapped by a group called the Ten Rings and she was having a hard time dealing with that.

When Maya had first found out about the kidnapping, Maya had laughed, thinking this was all a joke. Next, she had got mad at Pepper, thinking that this was just a way for Pepper to mess with Maya after Maya had spilled her life story to Pepper.

Then, Maya had broken down and sobbed for hours. Finally, Maya had accepted the fact that her father had been kidnapped possibly never to return again and had ended up depressed.

Sure, Tony had basically told Maya to get lost, but he was still her father. Maya still cared about him...even if he didn't care about her.

"Maya," Pepper sighed. Maya didn't move and continued to stare at the window. Pepper started making her way over to the girl and paused when she saw Maya clutching onto a small teddy bear while looking at something. On the computer screen window, a picture of Tony smiling was displayed.

Maya just sat there and stared at the picture of her father. He was smiling a genuine smile and was staring at something in the distance. A single tear rolled down her face as she wished that Tony could've smiled at her like that when he found out Maya was his daughter. Instead, he had told her to get lost.

Pepper placed a hand on Maya's shoulder as she said, "Come on, Maya. You need to eat." Pepper paused when she saw the bags under Maya's eyes. "Or better yet, get some sleep," Pepper finished as she stared at Maya worriedly.

Maya sighed, knowing that Pepper wouldn't leave Maya alone until she had something to eat. Maya got up and avoided Pepper's gaze. Pepper smiled sadly and then followed the girl out the room.

Maya made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen where she grabbed an apple in one hand while holding on to her teddy bear with the other. "You want anything else?" Pepper asked hopefully. Maya shook her head and whispered, "I'd like it if I could just go back up to my room." Before Pepper could say anything, Maya walked out of the kitchen.

As Maya walked towards the staircase, she noticed a staircase that led downstairs. "Miss Maya, your room is in the other direction," J.A.R.V.I.S. said when Maya started making her way towards the staircase that led downstairs.

Maya sighed when the AI computer used the word 'Miss.' She had told him before that that was not necessary, but J.A.R.V.I.S. had continued to say it anyways.

"I know," Maya said as she stopped at the top of the staircase. She paused and looked down the dark staircase. "J.A.R.V.I.S, what's downstairs?" Maya asked in interest.

"Mr. Stark's lab is down there and I have been strictly told that no one is allowed in," J.A.R.V.I.S. said as Maya made her way down the stairs. "Miss Maya, I cannot allow you to go in there," J.A.R.V.I.S. told the girl when she reached the doors of the lab.

"Come on, J.A.R.V.I.S. As long as we don't say anything about it, no one will know I was down here. Please," Maya begged. There was a moment of silence as the AI decided what to do. J.A.R.V.I.S. already knew how depressed Maya was, so he said, "I guess you can go down there."

Maya's smiled slightly as she said, "Thanks J.A.R.V.I.S." "As long as you don't break anything," J.A.R.V.I.S. added. "Of course," Maya stated as the doors to the lab slid open. Maya hesitated for a moment before walking in.

The lights immediately turned on and Maya looked around in amazement. The lab itself was huge and even had a roadway that led outside. Some cars and bikes were sitting around the lab with tools scattered around them. Some little inventions and robots were placed around the lab and a giant desk was set up against the wall. In Maya's opinion, this was the best room in the whole house.

Maya walked over to the desk and looked at all of the notes and blueprints that were laid on top. One blueprint caught Maya's attention and she quickly picked it up. The blueprint held the design for the Jerico, the missile that Tony had been showing off when he was kidnapped.

A tear rolled down Maya's face as she thought of Tony. When Maya had heard the gun shot over the phone, Maya had thought she was going to loose yet another person to one of those deadly weapons and her nerves had instantly skyrocketed. Now as she looked at the plans, Maya wondered if Tony was okay. Was he hurt? Was he trying to find a way back?

As Maya had for the last two days she sat down and asked, "J.A.R.V.I.S, have you found Tony yet?" J.A.R.V.I.S. was silent for a moment before saying, "Still no luck."

Maya felt another tear escape and she quickly wiped it away as she tried to calm herself down. That didn't work and instantly a million questions flew through Maya's head. Did Tony need help? Did he need someone to come rescue him?

Maya froze when that question popped up. Did he need someone to come rescue him? He had been kidnapped by one of the deadliest groups in the world and no one was there to help him. They couldn't even find him!

Then again, they didn't have just a rather very intelligent system to help them.

It was one of those moments where a lightbulb would've appeared above Maya's head. Maya sat up in excitement as she smiled a genuine smile. "J.A.R.V.I.S., I need you to keep looking. Don't stop until you find him," Maya demanded as she started clearing off Tony's desk.

Maya then got out some paper and pencils and started hurrying around Tony's lab. "Miss Maya, pardon for asking, but what are you planning?" J.A.R.V.I.S. asked. Maya smiled as she placed her apple and teddy bear on top of the desk.

"I'm going to rescue Tony," Maya answered simply. "What? You're only eight! You can't go up against the Ten Rings! You don't have the right equipment-" J.A.R.V.I.S. started to protest. "That's why I'm going to do what I do best and create inventions that will help me rescue Tony," Maya said.

Now that Maya was confirming her plan out loud, her nerves were disappearing. She wasn't sad anymore and instead she was filled with hope. Maya looked at a picture of Tony that was on the wall of the lab and she smiled.

She was going to save her father.

---

Now before you all freak out about how an eight year old is trying to save her father, listen. There's no need to worry, do you actually think that I would let my precious baby Maya go by herself to save her father? Honestly this chapter and the next few chapters are to help show you all the kind of person that Maya is and to show that Maya wanted to save Tony despite what he said to her.

So there's no need to freak out.

Anyways, I hope you all like this chapter! Have a great day!