The Daughter of Iron Man

Unexpected News

"Hello Mr Stark, I'm James McCarthy and this is Mrs Alexa Graham. We're here on behalf of child services."

Mr McCarthy was a tall man with salt and pepper colored hair. He kept his shoulders squared, and something about him screamed military history. Alexa Graham seemed a lot more timid. She was a shorter woman who wore a black pencil skirt and had her hair smoothed back into a bun. She was holding some files close to her chest as if she could hide behind them. But why would child services be here?

"Are you looking for donations or something?" I asked, watching them both carefully. Mr McCarthy seemed to glare at me.

"No Mr Stark, we aren't here to collect donations." He replied flatly.

"Please, call me Tony." I threw in casually. The man shifted uncomfortably in his place.

"Okay, Tony." He tried out, the words sticking in his mouth. "Mr- Tony, do you by chance know a woman by the name of Kimberly Snow?" The name was immediately familiar, though I couldn't quite put a face to it. I began racking my brain for some sort of recognition, though it didn't come.

"I don't believe I do."

Something about that response lit an angry fire in Mr McCarthy's eyes. Slightly intimidated I took a step back.

"Well I sure hoped you would, since she gave birth to your daughter in January."

My heart sank and the room fell silent. "I don't have a daughter." I told him flatly, my heart racing.

Mrs Graham began fumbling through the file until she found what she was looking for. Once she found it, she took a step forward and handed me a photograph. The picture was a gorgeous woman with brilliant blue eyes and deep brown hair, and in her arms was a baby who was just as beautiful as her mother. The baby had her same misty blue eyes and a giant light pink bow on her head. There was a subtle resemblance in the baby that reminded me of my own mother.

After seeing the picture of the woman, I remembered her from an after party for a convention I went to just over a year ago. 

Alexa Graham's soft voice filled the silence in the room. "We spoke to Kimberly's family and friends, and they all confirmed that you're the only possibility for who the father could be."

"Her friends and family?" I asked, looking up at Mrs Graham in confusion.

"Kimberly was shot and killed 2 weeks ago by her ex-boyfriend." Mr McCarthy briefly explained. "She was an award winning scientist. She graduated high school at 16 with her associates degree and then again at 19 with her masters degree in Astro Physics. After that she opened her own lab and began studying off planet materials with her team. She was only 23 when she was killed, leaving behind her 4 month old baby."

"Well, have the police caught the ex-boyfriend?" I blurted out, remembering who put her in her grave.

"He disappeared that night. Nobody has seen or heard from him since."

I shifted uncomfortably in my place. I backed up enough to lean against the wall. I tried to be subtle about taking deep breaths because I was almost certain I was going to pass out. "So, where's the baby now?"

"She's with Kimberly's younger sister right now. She wanted to keep the baby, but she's only 20 and isn't in a position to care for the baby long term. We'll have to run some DNA tests to confirm whether you're the father, but legally you have the right to claim custody before she's put up for adoption." Mr McCarthy explained further. I glanced back down at the picture of the beautiful baby.

"How long do I have to decide?" I asked, clutching the picture tightly.

"We'll need to run the DNA tests before anything can be decided, then you'll have a month to decide whether you want to claim custody."

As soon as my head stopped spinning, I gently pushed myself off of the wall and walked closer to them. Mr McCarthy fished a small card out of his pocket and passed it to me. He then reached for the picture and my grip on it tightened.

"Can I keep the picture?" I asked quickly, my entire body shaking. Mr McCarthy looked like he was about to protest, but Alexa stepped in. "Of course you can." She responded warmly.

"We'll be in touch to coordinate the DNA tests." Mr McCarthy said, then turned around and headed back towards the door. Alexa followed close behind and just like that, they were both gone.

I collapsed on the couch with every muscle in my body twitching and my heart racing a million beats per minute. I examined the picture closely and without a DNA test, I already knew she was mine.

What have I done?

.

.

.

It only took about a week to get the DNA test results. The results confirmed that the baby was mine, and suddenly everything felt more real.

Her full name is Alice Marie Snow, the name her mother chose for her.

A few days after getting the results and letting it all sink in, I called Rhodey to tell him about the entire situation. He was just as surprised as I was, and in some ways almost seemed more panicked than me. But what I didn't tell him right away, was that I had decided to give the baby up for adoption.

It was a difficult decision to make, but I wanted her to have her best chance. That just isn't with me. But the second Rhodey found out, he made it his life goal to change my mind.

"Tony, LISTEN TO YOURSELF!" Rhodey yelled for the 20th time. Within the few hours he's been here he refused to give me more than a few inches of space. "You have a daughter now, and she is the only biological family member you have. And you're just going to let her be raised by someone else? What are you going to do when she shows up at your doorstep in 15 years asking you why you didn't want her?

"Rhodey, she's better off with a family who knows what they're doing!" I yelled back, getting frustrated with my best friend.

I poured myself a drink and headed back towards the living room. I tried desperately to get even a foot of space, but he kept up. I sat down carefully on the couch to not spill my drink, but Rhodey aggressively plopped down on the couch next to me, making me spill my drink all down my front.

"Tony, please don't give her up. I will help you in any way I can." Rhodey begged, ignoring that he just dumped my drink all over me. I turned to him with every intent to retaliate, but his expression warned me not too. I sighed angrily and got up to grab napkins. Rhodey jumped up too, except he ran to the coffee table. He threw papers off carelessly until he found the picture and came marching back to me. He held the picture directly in front of my face as I tried to clean myself up.

"Rhodey, you don't know anything about babies either." I reminded him, and he gave me a pretty disappointed look even though he knew I was right.

"Tony." Rhodey started softly, "she's already lost her mother. Don't let her loose her dad too."

It wasn't that I didn't want to take her in, I wanted to more than anything. I just wanted her to be happy and healthy, and I knew that I wasn't in a great place to take in a baby. She isn't a machine or an AI, it would be entirely new territory. 

"She needs you Tony, and you need her." Rhodey continued, softly pushing his way back into my thoughts.

I finally looked back up at my best friend who was beaming with confidence. I don't know why he believes in me so much, but something about it was comforting. I exhaled in defeat.

I pulled out my phone and searched up Mr McCarthy's number that I saved in my contacts. Before I hit call, I spared one final glance at my best friend.

"You're sure I can do this?" I asked, needing just a little more reassurance.

"There isn't a doubt in my mind."

My heart raced as the phone rang and then stopped when Mr McCarthy answered.

"This is James McCarthy, how may I help you?" The deep voice answered.

"Hey James, it's Tony." I answered. I could feel Rhodey's excitement radiating off of him, and I took a deep breath. "I'll take her in."