And then we were two (Tony stark's daughter fic)

One step forward five steps back

The group took a more conventional route home than they had to the expo. "Alright back there short stack?" Tony called as he pulled into his driveway.

Addy nodded and peered out of the window curiously. "Why's miss Decro here?"

Tony and Pepper shared a look in the front seat as they rolled to a stop beside the woman.

Miss decro stood near Tony's front door in a beige skirt suit, her hair tide back into a tight top knot. She crossed her arms below her chest, right foot tapping as the trio approached. "Mr Stark, early morning?"

"Out to breakfast actually," he grinned.

"Save it Mr Stark," the social worker interrupted. "The whole country knows where you've been." She slapped a newspaper into his chest, the front cover plastered with shots of the fight. The most incriminating, a shot of Addy herself, iron man gauntlet raised, looking completely petrified.

Tony gritted his teeth and motioned toward his home, "after you miss Decro."

"Tony?" Addy whispered anxiously and reached for his hand.

"Happy? Weren't you wanting to show the kid something?" He called to his head of security. "Be alright kiddo," he winked and squeezed her hand.

"Hey, why don't I show you how to escape someone grabbing your arms?" Happy offered and led the girl to the side yard.

"Why's She here Happy?"

The man made a face and began demonstrating the easiest way for someone her size to escape someone grabbing her arms. Addy only half listened as shouting began floating out from where she knew her father's office to be. "He won't let me go, right?" She whispered as the voices lowered suddenly.

"It'll be alright Addy," Happy replied helplessly.

"Adeline, collect your things," miss Decro ordered in a pseudo gentle tone as her heals clicked down the concrete steps.

The girl glanced toward her father who seemed to be avoiding her gaze, staring toward his feet with his hands in his pockets. Pepper stood behind him, her cheeks were damp with tears and she looked somewhere between resigned and furious. "Tony?"

"Apparently they've found a more appropriate relative for you kid," he rumbled. "Mom's father is still living, I guess."

Addy shook her head anxiously and rushed to him, "but I wanna stay with you."

"Well you can't," he snapped and pulled back. "I'm not really father material anyway. I'll see you round kid." Tony turned and entered the house, slamming the door behind him.

"Tony don't I'll be good! I'm sorry! I won't get in your way or tell you death stats I'll be good!" She shouted after him and tried to follow.

Miss Decro lifted her and knelt before her, "Adeline, sweetheart," the woman smiled over brightly, her tone flat, "this is for the best. Goodness sakes the man nearly got you killed. You're going to go live on a lovely little farm with your grandad, won't that be fun?"

"Mom didn't like grandad, and I wanna stay with Tony," The girl whispered brokenly as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Sweetie, look at this place," she waved her hand at the remaining rubble leftover from Tony's birthday and made a disgusted face. "It's my job to do what's best for you Adeline. This isn't it."

Pepper, who'd followed after Tony, returned and knelt beside the girl. She handed her the backpack she'd come with and a hard shelled wheelie case they'd bought, both completely full of Addy's things. "Don't give up pumpkin," she whispered tearfully as she hugged her.

Addy gave a small hiccuping sob as she was pulled free of Pepper's embrace and led to the social worker's car.

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The farm looked worse than her mother had described it, the old wooden siding no longer white as it should've been but grey with age and lack of care. An old hound dog with a bad eye growled at them as they approached the porch and someone began cursing inside the house. Addy gulped nervously and followed close behind miss Decro, careful to step over a hole where a board was missing on the old porch.

Some chickens clucked in the dirt drive between the barn and house, distracting her as an old man with a cigarette hanging from his lips strode onto the porch. "I ain't buying anything, this here's private property!" He snapped in a smoky voice.

Addy's gaze snapped toward him and she gripped her backpack's strap anxiously.

"Mr Manard I presume?" The social worker stated more than asked and thrust her hand toward the old man. "I'm miss Decro with children and family services, I believe we spoke on the phone?"

The man's eyes narrowed and he glanced toward Addy. "This the kid then?"

"Adeline Noble, this is your mother's father, your grandfather."

"Addy," she whispered, "I've told you I like Addy best."

The man snorted, "yeah her mama's kid that's certain. My girl had a smart mouth too. Alright, got herself killed did she? Hooked up with a no'count cant say that's surprising. Get inside we ain't letting the whole farm in."

Addy rushed passed quickly and clutched her bag close. She couldn't help glancing around, noticing the few missing posts in the banister or the snag in the carpet on the stairs. She bit her lip to keeping from pointing them out.

"Move kid, we don't stand in doorways," her grandfather muttered gruffly and nudged her toward a chair.

Miss Decro began her usual spiel, laying her papers out on the aged kitchen table and searching her purse for a pen.

"Get anything for taking the kid in?" The man grumbled.

"You can apply for assistance and there are tax breaks," the woman nodded, indicating the places he needed to sign. "Congratulations Mr Manard, I'm sure you and you granddaughter will do just fine. I'll be around in a month or so to check up."

Without a backward look she was gone.

"Know how to speak girl?"

"Yes," Addy whispered nervously.

"Yes, sir." He bit out.

The girl was half tempted to point out she'd be a ma'am but thought better of it. "Yes sir," she whispered instead.

Her grandfather huffed impatiently and nodded toward the stairs. "Go and put those things in your room, first door on the right, and get back down here. You're gonna live here you're gonna earn your keep, don't nobody sit on their laurels in this house. This a farm missy there's work to be done.

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Hey guys I'm so so sorry I know it's been ages! Here's an update hope you enjoy!