BOOK 1 (See sequel Under Control)
When the Avengers are given a mission to adopt and protect a fourteen year old girl who has a connection to a new, undercover Hydra organisation, they don't know what to expect.
Enter Arielle Doe. The newly adopted...
Over dinner, Arielle has been introduced to Vision, Wanda and Pietro. Fortunately, Steve had already briefed them about maintaining the cover about who we really are so they hid their powers considerably well. Vision has even managed to recreate the nano-tech disguise that makes him appear human. Although, he had to hide the Mind Stone underneath a cap, seeing as we still haven't managed to remove it since the Infinity Stone battle in Wakanda.
Pepper and I settle down with Arielle in the small family room in our private suit of the Avengers Tower, on the 80th floor. We let her choose a movie to watch and she sits in between us. It doesn't take long before Arielle falls asleep, gradually leaning into Pepper so that her head rests against Pepper's chest.
"Look like she's taken to you already." I whisper across to Pepper.
She looks down at the little girl in her arms. "Oh, Tony, I love her. I didn't think we were ready but I just look at her and I can tell that she fits in perfectly!"
"Correction. I'm still not ready. I mean look at me. I'm still making a heck load of build-a-robots. But..." I sigh gently, staring at my two beautiful girls, "You were always ready for this Pepper."
Pepper chuckles softly and holds her champagne glass out to me, "We're a family, Tony."
I grin and clink my glass against hers.
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"That we are, Mrs Stark." I down the rest of my drink, "Right. Parent duties and that sort of shit. I'm just going to get junior into bed." I say, promptly standing up.
"I'll see you in the bedroom." Pepper whispers in my ear and winks as she walks past me. "Very responsible parenting, Pepper." I joke.
I carry Arielle through to her new bedroom and lay her down on the bed carefully. I tuck the duvet over her and give her a tender kiss on her forehead, "Goodnight, squirt." I whisper. Then I pull the door shut and go to Pep and I's bedroom, just across the landing, sliding into our king-sized bed and an spooning an already sleeping Pepper.
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Suddenly I hear F.R.I.D.A.Y's panicked "Boss, wake up!" jolt me awake. "Boss, your daughter!"
"... daughter? Daughter! Arielle?!" I slowly realise, swiftly stumbling out of the bed.
"Heartbeat is raised and she is suffering from a shortness of breathe. She's still in REM sleep, and I can't wake her up."
"F.R.I.D.A.Y alert Dr Banner." I instruct the Irish A.I as I rush into Arielle's room. "Will do boss."
"F.R.I.D.A.Y run a diagnostic." I tell her as I sit on the edge of the bed and see Arielle's squirming and fidgeting up close. Her eyes are scrunched up and every so often she flinches in her sleep.
"I detect she is having a nightmare, boss." I feel her clammy forehead with the back of my hand, "Yeah thats what I detected as well."
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Bruce hastily enter the room. "Tony?!"
"I-I don't know what to do." I say helplessly.
His eyes expertly scan Arielle's tiny, twisting and turning body. "Try harder to wake her up." He says and runs into the en-suite bathroom. I hear the tap running and he comes back in with a cold, damp flannel and a bowl of water.
"What are we? The seventeenth century??" I say, looking at him bewildered.
All of a sudden, Arielle starts yelling and lashing out, "No, no, NO, NO!" Her eyes open wide flickering between mine and Bruce's faces. Her breathing stays shallow and for a second her face shows pure fear.
"It's just me, squirt. Arielle. It's just me - Tony - and Uncle Bruce." I coax her into recognising us. Her whole body looks like it's physically deflating and she sinks back into the cushions, exhausted.
Bruce holds the cold flannel over her head, "That's it. Deep breathes." He tells her. There's a long silence shared between the three of us.
Arielle draws a deep, shaky inhale of breathe. "W-what, what are you do-doing here?" She struggles to get her voice out. "Helping." "Don't need help." "Really? Because you had a panic attack while you were still sleeping and it went on for thirty minutes." I stare her down. She tries to avoid my gaze, "I'm fine." "You're fine?!" "I have nightmares all the time, I'm fine."
I give a despairing look at Bruce.
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"Arielle, how long has this been going on for?" Bruce questions her, as he wrings the flannel. She shrugs. "I don't know..." I raise my eyebrows at her. "Fine. Like, for a few years now. Well, it started when I was six or something. But-but it's fine."
I heave a heavy sigh. "And there's nothing else you wanna tell us?" I press further. Arielle just shakes her head. "Alright... F.R.I.D.A.Y what's the time?" "3.37am, boss." "I'm hungry. Let's get some popcorn. You want some popcorn Bruce? Squirt, you hungry? Fancy some popcorn?"
