Scared To Be Lonely

Chapter 1: Five Months Later

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After the five months passed, half of which was during the summer break, Nick and everyone had basically gotten used to the change and had already fell into a routine.

And when school started again, it was a good thing that for a billionaire, getting your kid to school two hours away wasn't such a big deal (since it was agreed that she'd continue going to the private school with Quincy).

Also, no one (the public) knew about Nick, to keep her safe. There had been some excuses being said and even some conspiracies (though none were even close) because she did seem to be around at some private events and such. Nick honestly didn't care because she'd rather not be known as "billionaire Stark's scandal daughter". Especially what happen after 5 months ago, she'd rather stay invisible.

And, obviously, she hadn't told anyone (even months later) about what happened that night, and any other events similar that's happened since then. Thankfully though, no more shadowy hands coming out of the darkness. 

But Nick did figure out that any time some weird sparks appeared or if lights turns on, or turned brighter, it was always when she wasn't really thinking and she was in panic or just scared. It's as though once her heart begins beating rapidly, things just... happen.

Along with the new school year, Nick was able to get more of basically the same exact uniforms (meaning extra gray socks, more blazers, ties, and white button up shirts). As well as Pepper and Tony getting her floral combat boots, and black rimmed glasses, since it was also learned that she needed reading glasses to wear for school, but Nick hardly wore the glasses outside of school.

Nick adjusted her glasses by pushing them back up her nose as the 10-year-old pulled her backpack over her shoulders and began walking out of the school building. She had already began making her way over to the familiar nice black sleek car, her head down as she messed with the camera in her hand, of which was from the yearbook club that she had joined that year.

All day the camera had been glitchy, which made her frown and try to mess with the settings.

But because she wasn't looking where she was going, she walked into someone, the kid hadn't been paying attention either because of his friends. 

They both stumbled a bit as apologies quickly left their lips as they both reached down to pick up the fallen camera... which ended with them bumping heads and falling to their butts with 'ouch's.

"Sorry- sorry, I wasn't looking and-" Nick rambled, but he shakes it off. "It's okay. I wasn't looking either."

When Nick finally looked up, she felt her cheeks heat up as a blush formed, as she looked at the cute boy that she recognized from Spanish class, who was a year older than her. She then couldn't help but smile when he helped her to her feet and handed her back her camera while saying. "Hey, you're in my Spanish class, right?"

"Uh, y-yeah." Nick stuttered, before shaking her head at herself and holding out a hand. "I'm Nick."

"Jack." He introduced himself while shaking her hand, and smiling as he then added. "I like your glasses."

Nick didn't know if her cheeks could heat up even more, "Thanks."

A horn honking snapped them out of their smiling and staring, and when they finally let go of each other's hands, they looked over at the car that honked... and then Happy Hogan stuck his head out of the window. "Let's get a move on it, Minnie!"

Nick internally groaned, turning back to the cute boy, who asked. "Do you know him?"

"Nope, definitely not." Nick shrugged off, cringing when Happy honked again, and Jack glanced from the vehicle before back at her. "Are you sure? Because he's looking over here."

"I don't know him- must be to someone else." She shook her head, but Jack just nodded with a slight laugh. "Alright, well, I've gotta get going anyway. I'll see you in class."

"Oh- okay, bye." She waved at him with a smile, and when he walked away, Nick's smile fell as she headed to the car. "I am going to kill you, Happy."

"Look, Minnie, it's bad enough I've gotta babysit, I'm not going to be late for the Stark Expo because of a little crush." He let an annoyed breath, to which she rolled her eyes at and got in the vehicle while muttering. "And I don't have a crush on him."

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Nick waited in the nice new model white vehicle, watching a News thing about the Expo on her table, since she wasn't allowed to go inside because of the crowds and Happy saying that he already had to babysit Tony so he couldn't watch her as well. 

But after a while of waiting, and taking off her blazer and tie, Nick got out of the vehicle just as a red head who looked in her twenties walked over with a kind smile. "Hey, sweetie, is this Tony Stark's car?"

"Um..." Nick looked over her, before glancing over, seeing Tony and Happy finally step outside of the building. "Yep, and here Mr. Stark comes."

The two men seemed to mutter a couple things as they looked over the red head, Tony greeting her when they finally got to the vehicle. "Hi."

"Hi." She shakes his head with a smile, and he asks. "And you are?"

"Marshal."

"Irish. I like it." Tony grins before walking around the vehicle to pull back the roof, while telling Happy. "I'm on the wheel."

"Pleased to meet you, Tony." Marshal says, stepping next to the kid as Tony asked. "Do you mind? Where you from?"

"Bradford." She answered with and Tony gestured towards Nick, "Kid, you get shotgun."

"What?" Happy looked at him as Nick grinned and got in, but Tony ignored him and looked back at the red head. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you." Marshal says as Tony gets into the drivers seat, nodding. "Yeah? You found me." He then shuts the door and told Nick to buckle, before he looked back up at the red head. "What are you up to later?"

"Serving subpoenas." She hands him a letter, but Tony doesn't take it. "Yikes."

Happy moved over, "He doesn't like to be handed things." But Nick takes the letter with a sweet smile and nod, "Yeah, he has a peeve. I've got it."

Marshal nods at the little girl (everyone always finding her sweet if they met her the past few months), before she looked to Tony. "You are hereby ordered to appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee tomorrow morning at 9 am."

"Can I see a badge?" Tony looks at her, the red head still having a crooked smile on as she raised an eyebrow. "You want to see my badge?"

"He likes the badge." Happy adds, so Marshal nods and pulls out her badge. "You still like it?"

"Yep?" Tony starts the car's engine, "How far from DC are we?"

"DC? 250 miles." Happy answers, before adding. "Wait, Tony, how am I supposed to get there?" Since the car only had two seats.

Tony just shrugs, "Find a ride."

Nick grins as she points to Happy, "Ha, karma!"

"Ha, karma." Tony repeats with a nod before driving off, then looking at Nick. "Karma for what?"

Embarrassing her at school in front of the cute boy. Nick just shrugs, "Nothing." Then the girl asked, "Was her name really Marshal?"

Tony couldn't help but laugh, sometimes forgetting how young she really was. "No, she was a U.S. Marshal."

"Oohhh." She drags out with a nod, before shrugging it off and moving to turn the music on, blasting AC/DC, them both singing loudly to it.