Hidden away- Avengers

Chapter 9

After talking with Pepper for the majority of the night, even making their way into to early morning hours, Katie felt as though she had the anchor cut that was holding her to the ocean floor. The flood of water that filled her lungs was slowly coughed up from every secret or worry she had told to her role model of a mother. 

She strongly strutted through the corridors of the tower on her way to her lab, putting on the best smile she could. The way to her lab was like none other, agents who help out with training were staring wide-eyed burning holes through her soul. Nothing was going to stop her today, except maybe a particular genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist.

Meanwhile, Tony was sat in his lab spinning a pencil around his fingers waiting for the perfect time to talk to his daughter. Even though he knew deep down the longer he waited the more they would drift apart, the more their relationship would be torn apart. Before even another thought could enter his mind he heard the sweet sound of rhythm seeking through the floor, the vibrations becoming more clearer until he could work out what was playing. 'Dancings not a Crime by Panic at the Disco' there was only one person who would blare that music not caring who it disrupted -Katie.

He made his way through the corridors when the music came to a sudden halt, started up again, buffered then a loud 'BANG' emerged throughout the building as Tony picked up the pace and rushed over to Katie's lab. He barged in not knocking seeing a small burned patch on the ground with tools surrounding them and a teenage girl slowly lifting herself up from the floor as he rushed to her side.

"Dad?" She questioned softly while removing her fogged-up safety goggles and placing down directly in front of her."What are you doing in here?"

"Well, I-um I" He cleared his throat before plucking up the courage and looked her directly in the eyes. "I heard your music and thought it was time to talk, then I heard the explosion and came to see if you were ok."

"Talk, it's all everyone wants to do now," she chuckled lightly remembering how many times she had to repeat the same conversation.

"We don't have to talk if you don't want to we could work on whatever you were trying to fix or go out and-" Tony spoke quickly, so quickly he wasn't sure if Katie had heard him but she replied quickly as well cutting him off mid-sentence.  

"How about both?" She smiled and Tony furrowed his eyebrows trying to work out what she was trying to say before she explained it to him."We can work and talk, It helps me focus."

"Then that we shall do!" He exclaimed throwing his hands up in the air like a 5-year-old child on Christmas to which Katie smiled. Not a fake smile that she was so used to, but a genuine smile. A smile that made Tony's heart warm at the sight of seeing his joy light up so bright. "So, what are we actually doing?"

"Oh yeah," she started picking up pieces of paper and spreading them across her desk. "The speakers you got me last Christmas started buffering and cracking so I opened them up and then got 3 mild electric shocks and a quite serious explosion that caused the wall to need repainting." She scowled at the explosion marks spread across her once pastel green walls that now looked like a charcoal painting.

"Then I think the first thing we should do is check the wire connections after we declare the problem we can start using high techy stuff to fix em" He gave Katie a goofy tooth-less smile then turned his head back to the speakers. "Or I could just buy you new speakers"

"No no no!" Katie replied rapidly shaking her head side to side "We are goin' to fix these!"

"That's the spirit!" He cheered and made his way over to the gold and black speakers that reminded Katie of a time when she wouldn't be scared of getting angry and killing someone she loved dearly. She quickly shook her head out of those thoughts and kneeled down next to her dad picking up a Torx screwdriver and getting to work.

After 5 hours, 4 cups of coffee and 1 meaning full conversation that could've lasted a lifetime. They were finally done! 

"That took a lot longer than I expected," Katie yawned stretching her arms out and nearly falling off her chair as music started blaring through the speakers.

"What's it controlled by?" Tony questioned yelling over the music. 

"My phone but it's dead!" She yelled at the same volume had used before."What time is it anyway?"

"12:55 am!" Tony chuckled until a very angry and sleep disrupted ginger avenger stormed in the room.

"What the hell stark!" She yelled over the blaring songs from 'Panic at the disco.'

"Which one?" Katie questioned to which she received a glare from Nat and Tony holding his breath not to laugh but failing miserably.

"I don't care just turn off that damn music!" She screamed before spinning on her heel and slamming the door shut to which both Stark's started howling with laughter.

"Searching for a new high, high and the sun, uncomfortably numb!" Scott sang as he strolled into the lab throwing ice cream at Katie.

"We really need to turn that off!" She squealed as she opened the tub of ice cream.

"How about I just," Stark mumbled as he pulled the plug stopping the music from burning hole in through their ear-drums.

"Now what?" Katie questioned looking around her lab for something to tinker with "here we go," she mumbled, walking through a secret room that was hidden by her bookshelf that only she knew about. Walking through were inventions that rather blew up in her face, literally and figuratively, things she thought couldn't be fixed. In the end, a vibranium shield with blue, white and red stripes with a star in the middle. More commonly known as Captain America's shield.

"How- what - when?" Tony was full with questions and he made his way through-out the room looking at the failed inventions until his eyes landed on the shield that saved many peoples lives broke in half.

"You probably have a lot of questions about this," She replied her hand gesturing to the room and inventions. 

"A few," he chuckled lightly until something met his gaze " What are these?" he asked referring to a pair of simple glasses which Tony knew had a greater purpose than just to see her book.

"They are glasses which contain UV 400 protection lenses to protect your eyes from harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun. The sunglasses are made of high-quality, sturdy materials with high-quality alloys and fine hinges for durability. Finally, an anti-reflective lens which is non-polarized." She sighed after explaining the invention that she thought would be her best turning out to be a complete mistake.

"And you made all that?" A wide-eyed proud father appreciated his daughter's work.

"Yeah" she lightly smiled taking the glasses to of her father's hand and placing them back in their case. "But they were an epic fail!"

"How so?" He questioned wondering why someone as bright as Katie couldn't figure out how to fix her own invention.

"Something was missing I couldn't figure it out so I gave up!" She sighed while running her hand through her auburn hair. "Not many times I give up but, I just couldn't figure out what to do."

"I understand Kate," He replied placing a hand on her shoulder with a reassuring smile.

"Yeah..." She drifted into thoughts of how she could improve before being conflicted by the buzzing in her pocket. Grabbing her phone she switched off her alarm.

"Why do you have an alarm set for 1:45 am?" He questioned glancing at his child phone.

"It's so I don't stay up too late," In which was a complete lie as the alarm woke her up from sleep. Whenever she slept she would have flashbacks of the holographic images watching everyone she cared about getting their life taken away from them. "Goodnight then dad."

"Goodnight Kate," He smiled knowing he wasn't going to get much sleep tonight. After Katie was out of sight he grabbed the case of the sunglasses and headed off to his lab preparing some coffee for the long hours ahead of him.

(1399 words)