I Was Never Yours

Chapter 12

Bruce P.O.V

Callie runs to the bathroom with Cap close on her heels, I can hear her retching from my place in the doorway. I grimace, anxiety can certainly cause vomiting but I'm just not sure. Something deeper is going on. She's been triggered by something.
I decide to leave her with Steve and go check on Tony, the last thing he or Callie needs is for him to take off in search of meaningless sex. I'll try talking to my niece later today.

I find Tony in the shop, cussing out a robot, designs for a suit hovering in the blank space surrounding him.
"Is this for Callie?" I ask, impressed by the amount of work already finished.

"Oh hey, yeah, or it was at least. I don't know when she'll get it though, little asshole." He mutters, choking over the words trying not to show his emotion.

"So that was intense?" I say, as I come and stand in the center of his work. Spinning in place, taking it all in.

He sniffs, picks up a screwdriver and nods, "yeah I'm not sure what happened there, it's just hard not getting frustrated."

"Yes for sure." I agree and then changing subject, "are you adding thrusters to her suit?" I ask pointing to my left.

"I'm not sure yet, I'm tossing around the idea. It's hard to know exactly what she'd need." He says snapping his fingers repetitively, "she can climb walls and the ceiling, and well everything. And of course there's the summoning, force thing. And really she could be hiding other abilities from us, who knows." He's speaking quickly, clearly excited.

"Tony, I've been thinking," I begin, he just grunts in response. "What about getting Callie involved in activities, it might help with the teen angst." I say tentatively, I know Tony is extremely protective of her and doesn't generally like to let her out of his sight.

"Activities, what do you mean?" He puts down the screwdriver and looks at me warily.

"Like decathalon, or orchestra, or I don't know, chess?"

"Fuck Bruce, you want her to be a dork?" Tony laughs.

"No, but listen, she can't play sports right? Once it became apparent that she had special abilities she wouldn't be allowed to participate. But if she joined activities that were academic or for higher intelligence, no one would even question it. She's your daughter, she's brilliant." I explain. "You could also start bringing her down here, build her suit together. I really think it would help Tony. Because even I can see, she's struggling emotionally. She needs something to put her mind into."

"Hm, I don't know. I'll put thought into it." He says, shaking his head. His anxiety of losing her is crippling. "Can I ask a favour?" He asks, and I can already feel what's coming, "can you be on Callie duty tonight? I'm going out." He breaths in, adjusting the suit image to add a vibranium source on the chest to mirror his own.

I'm overcome with disappointment, this was exactly what I was hoping to avoid. I decide to just speak up, far too often I'm just agreeable. "Tony, don't go out. You just had a fight her, you need to reconcile it."

"I can't sit here all night waiting for her to come around. I'll talk to her tomorrow." He says making brief eye contact, then immediately averting his eyes.

"Okay," I sigh, conceding despite myself. I tried.

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Tony P.O.V

After finishing up in the shop I took a quick shower and am now checking my reflection in the mirror, forming my hair into a perfect fawhawk. I've chosen just a simple white button-down, collar open, and a pinstripe suit, the soft blue glow of the electromagnet in my chest is slightly visible through the fabric. I grab a pair of maui jim's, a watch and my wallet before leaving my quarters and making my way out of the building where my vehicle of choice, an Audi Etron GT, is sitting waiting for me.

Happy gets out of the drivers side and opens the door for me but before I can get in a voice from behind causes me to stop in my tracks.

"Dad? Where are you going?" Callie asks, in an oversized t-shirt that hangs down to her bare knees. She looks adorable and I'm instantly stabbed with a pang of remorse for shouting at her earlier today.

"Hey kid, I'm going out, I'll see you tomorrow." I say, shaking off the guilty feeling, I don't have time for this right now.

"But I wanted to talk to you." She says, her voice laced with hurt and disappointment.

Despite the instant guilt I feel from those pained eyes I reply, "we'll talk tomorrow okay?" Then, without waiting for a respose, I get in the car and shut the door, Happy following suit. "Let's go." I say to him brusquely.

"Are you sure you don't want to take a minute?" He begins but I cut him off.

"No, lets go. I'll talk to her tomorrow," then watching Callie disappear into the house through the rear view mirror I remind myself that the guilt I feel will go away once I get to this party, it always does.

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As soon as I get into the party I'm greeted by a slew of women in scantily clad clothing and I immediately order myself a shot and a drink trying to make up for lost time. This party is surprisingly busy for a Tuesday, I've learnt that if you know the right people you can find a party nearly every night of the week, and since I have a lot of connections I don't usually have a lot of trouble.

"Hi Tony," a pretty brunette approaches me, I know I've slept with her before but what her name Jenna or Sophia or... fuck.

I decide to settle for a simple, "hey you." As she loops her arm around my waist. I try and make a point of never sleeping with the same woman twice so that they don't get the wrong idea and think we are dating, but if I can't even remember her name it's probably fine.

But when I'm about to strike up a conversation with Kitty or Jenny or whatever, a slim woman with long red hair catches my eye and I stop midsentence. My breathe catches in my throat for a second, I'm almost positive it's Pepper, but what do I do? I desperately want to go say hello, but I'm simultaneously terrified. I'm still furious at her for what she did to Callie, and utterly confused, and yet seeing her, or atleast someone that is her double from the back, I'm hit with a rush of feelings and memories that I didn't realize were still inside me. I decide to go for it, I begin untangling myself from the girl currently trying to whisper in my ear, I stammer a half hearted, "Sorry beautiful, I'll be right back."

I walk straight for the redheaded woman, my heart is pounding, what if it's her? What if it's not? I'm not sure what to do in either scenario but I also know I can't let this moment pass or I'll never know.

I tap her on the shoulder lightly and as she turns I swear my heart stops working, I'm staring into the blue eyes of my previously lover, the woman who betrayed me and put my child in mortal danger. And for what seems like the first time in my life, I'm speechless.