Worth A Million⇝Tony Starks Daughter

twelve

"What's the estimated time of arrival?" Winter yelled to the cars roof.

Music she'd found in the glove box was treating her well, AC/DC turned out to be something she enjoyed.

"Five minutes is my estimation Miss Stark." JARVIS replied.

"Thanks." Winter replied shortly.

Coming up on the long driveway Winter had only been on a few times, she found it crowded with seemingly thousands of people and flashing lights and cameras.

Her brow furrowed, she backed the car up going un noticed by the people in the front. She remembered the garage that Tony always worked in, there was a place for cars to enter if you opened it with the code.

Pressing the numbers in, Winter easily gained access to the garage. Slowly driving the car inside and stopping just as it closed behind her.

Walking out Winter found the place a mess. The only light coming from the room was from flickering screens. Now not the mess she'd made with the incident with the helmet, but an even more destructive one.

Papers were scattered all across the floor. Screens were smashed, and some of the cars inside had even been damaged. It looked like a train ran through here.

With a slow step Winter cautiously scanned around for the flying helmet, surely it was still here because she didn't remember seeing it back at Obadiah's. As glass cracked underneath her sneaker she looked down, lifted it up and saw the mask destroyed into ten pieces. All equally beaten and dismantled.

Winter crouched to pick it up and examined the print on the back, "Model number two." She whispered while her fingers subconsciously swept across it.

With a loud thud she dropped the mask when she heard loud steps coming down the steps. Without thinking Winter went and hid behind the car she'd arrived in.

The lights that had been turned on, stealthy steps were coming in the direction of the car. Now why did Winter think hiding behind the car was a good idea? It was a dead give away. She didn't know if they still wanted her here, all she knew was that the man had sent her here.

"The hell did this car come from?" The voice belonged to Pepper who Winter still knew very little about.

Peppers voice meant it was safe to come out, only Winter didn't realize how close the woman was to her when she stood up. In a swift moment Winter barely managed to duck and roll back from a bat swinging in her face.

"Woah woah woah!" She tried standing, only to have Pepper say incoherent things about crazy reporters.

Winter forgot her hood was still on and she had baggy clothes, probably made her look like an intruder.

"Out out out!" Pepper kept swinging and Winter kept dodging.

Guess she doesn't know who's she's swinging at, Winter thought bitterly as the next swing came at her.

Surprising Pepper, Winter grabbed the bat by the end and pulled hard and fast enough to have it in her hands before Pepper even knew what happened. Going straight for her hood, Winter ripped it off as she dropped the bat.

Shock flushed through Peppers sweaty face; she no longer looked crazy or angry.

"You're not gonna try to attack me anymore are you?" Winter laughed out, something she doesn't do often. Maybe it's just knowing she was back with Tony and Pepper made her happy.

Peppers eyes gathered tears and before she knew it Winter was wrapped in a bone crushing hug by the woman. Winter looked off the the sides of the room, letting the woman hug her and patted her back not really knowing what else to do. Winter did not get hugged a lot.

Pepper backed away from the hug, both hands on either of Winters shoulders looking the girl over. She had a cut across her nose and forehead but they're all close to healing now, her hair looked darker as well. But her eyes were brighter.

"No, honey I'm not going to try and attack you anymore." Pepper laughed as she collected herself. "I thought you were an intruder."

"You thought wrong," Winter chuckled awkwardly along with her as she rubbed her arm.

"God, Tony's been so worried about you." Pepper glanced around the destroyed workshop.

"Clearly something happens down here, why would he worry so much if I've only been gone a day? A-And Obadiah was there so I was okay, really, no one needs to worry about me." Winter locked eyes with Pepper watching her eyes flash with many emotions.

"Did Obadiah hurt you Winter?" Pepper asked.

Winter looked to her feet, he hadn't been too harsh. It was just different and she needed to adapt.

"Wait," Winter sighed angrily, "You weren't supposed to know about him. He said you weren't supposed to know. Now I've messed up, messed up, he's going to be angry with me, again!" The teen paced away from pepper hitting at the side of her head like someone did when they call themselves Stupid.

"Winter, did Obadiah hurt you?" Pepper repeated as she approached the girl again.

Winter's back was turned to Pepper, "Yes."

"I'll adapt though, I always do."

"You said, well...he wasn't supposed to know? What does that mean Winter?" Pepper asked.

Winter took a long period of time. Obadiah had gone too far this time, she sighed. "H-He, said he wanted to destroy Tony, that was his big plan." She laughed nonchalantly. "B-But, I didn't want to do that. I didn't even know why he sent me here honestly, he said it was my mission but never explained. Now Here I am, now I know the truth." She turned to look at Pepper desperately. "I-I swear I don't want to hurt Tony, I never wanted to hurt people."

Like a child Winter was silently begging for Peppers forgiveness. Although she didn't know it.

"He grabbed at my shoulders hard, and told me things..." Winter breathes deeply as she threw off her hoodie and pushed down the top of her shirt to show Pepper the damage.

There was a large purple bruise on Winters shoulder, large enough to fit the hands of two, it looked painful and upon impact probably hurt a lot. Though this girl was here spitting out any nonsense that came to mind about Obadiah.

"I know I'm disappointing," Winter paused.

"You're not." Pepper cut in, "You're the best thing that's happened to Tony, to me, he's changed Winter. Because of you, and no you weren't gone for a day. It's been almost three weeks, and we've missed you."

Winter felt emotions clouding her judgement, "Really?"

"Yes, I'm so glad you're safe and back all in one piece. Tony will be too." Pepper stepped close enough to the girl to pull her into a hug.

Winter remained silent and allowed Pepper to hug her until they settled in her room for the night.