The Forgotten Child

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/23343415.

Rating: Not Rated

Archive Warning: Choose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Category: F/M, Gen
Fandom: Captain America (Movies), Agent Carter (TV), Agent Carter (Marvel
Short Film), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Iron Man (Movies)
Relationship: Howard Stark/Maria Stark, Howard Stark & Maria Stark & Tony Stark,
Tony Stark/Original Female Character(s), Tony Stark/Canon Female
Character(s), Tony Stark & Original Female Character(s), Maria Stark &
Original Female Character(s), Pepper Potts & Maria Stark
Character: Peggy Carter, Howard Stark, Edwin Jarvis, Original Female
Character(s), Maria Stark, Tony Stark, Anna Jarvis, Amanda Carter
(Marvel), James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Christine Everhart, Pepper Potts,
Steve Rogers, Sharon Carter (Marvel), Natasha Romanov (Marvel),
Obadiah Stane
Additional Tags: canon character death, Vaginal Sex, Canon pregnancy, Child Loss,
Loss of Parent(s), Family Loss, Loss of Virginity, Mildly Dubious
Consent, unclear consent, Consent Issues, Consensual Non-Consent,
Kidnapped Tony Stark, Dubious Consent, Extremely Dubious Consent,
Medical Kink, Wedding Night, Weddings, Implied/Referenced
Rape/Non-con, Referred Forced Pregnancy, Miscarriage, medical rape,
Medical Procedures, Medical Experimentation
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2020-03-30 Updated: 2022-06-28 Chapters: 20/? Words:
23354

The Forgotten Child

by Sarah_Carter_Rogers

Summary

Inspired by fluffernutter8's fic Woman Borne

That fic is rated mature and I recommend you read the tags before reading it, you have been
warned.

Steve Rogers was given a choice for his body to be used for science and service. Peggy
Carter is given no such courtesy.

One aspect of this story inspired by Misscar's I Hope You Have Unlimited Text Messaging

Inspired by Woman Borne by fluffernutter8

Inspired by I Hope You Have Unlimited Text Messagingby Misscar
 Child Borne

Cold air bit into her skin as she was pushed out of the wet warmth that was all she knew. Cold air
entered her lungs as she drew her first breath of air. She didn't like this place, the lights in the room
were too bright. She cried, a full-throated sound that filled this quiet room.

This woman bundled her in blankets and carried her to another woman about ten years her junior,
sweat covering her brow as she panted with exertion. “Would you like to give her a name?” The
older woman asked the other woman softly.

The woman remained quiet, and she was taken away.

Time past, until eventually she heard a man talking sounds that would mean nothing until she grew
up. She was carried into a dank room, boxes everywhere. Two were different, but she feared them
for some reason and began to wail as she was placed into the smaller of the two devices. It got very
cold until she know no more.
 Picture In A Compass

The next thing the child knew the room was warming up as she became aware. Only one man was
present now, slightly older but not by much. As he placed her into a basket shaped devise he made
sure she was warm by placing blankets around her, cushioning her. Once he was sure she would be
fine he left the bunker and headed for his car, made excuses to a guard and drove off into the night.

It wasn't long before she was rocked to sleep, the next thing she knew he was lifting her out of the
car and headed towards a woman and a small boy of Asian decent. "Doctor Kieran Mcintosh? I am
Doctor Jasmine Cantrell," She extended her hand, "A pleasure to finally meet you."

He hesitated, "You can't be Doctor Cantrell?"

"Why?"

"Because your a woman,"

"The Japanese appreciated my talents, that's why they were quick to grab me when they took the
Philippines." He wasn't to know that before the war she had been in communication with a German
scientist working on the same problem. She looked in the basket and gasped, "Is that her, she is so
adorable. Captain Roger's makes such beautiful children." At his surprise she explains, "I have seen
the news reels, I recognise Doctor Erskine's work." She picked up a heavy bag, "Are you ready to
do the exchange?" He handed the basket to her, she handed him the bag. "A pleasure doing
business." And with that she left, taking the boy by the hand and led him away.

The girl grew, sneaking glimpses into the world that Doctor Cantrell worked in. Watched as her
half-Jap son trained in all manner of subjects including unarmed combat.

Doctor Cantrell couldn't keep her presence secret but no one questioned it once she brought on a
tragic story of how her brother and his wife died. It did mean the doctor had to take her out, be seen
treating her like family.

Doctor Cantrell was invited to the cinema with some other local mums, she was reticent at first, her
son convinced the doctor to take him. Which meant the doctor had to take her.

They went to the theatre and took there seats. Before the main presentation there was a tribute to
Captain America. A clip show of news reel extractions drew the girls attention, not for the Captain
but the picture in his compass. A face she remembered from before. She leaned over to one of the
other mothers and asked who that man had been. A curious-disbelieving look crossed her face
before she answered her.

As the main presentation got under way she slid down off of her seat and crawled out of the
theatre.

As soon as she got outside she chose a direction and ran. After a little while she came across some
ladies coming out of a dinner. They stopped to look at her, smiling at her childish flustered
appearance before asking her a question, "Sweetie, are you lost?"

"I ah... I need... infer... informaysion."

"Information, what kind dear?"

"About that.... guy... with a..." she does a weird circle motion with a shushing sound.
It takes a minute but they understand what she means, "Oh, you mean shield." She thinks about it
before nodding emphatically, "Captain America, dear. You can look him up in old newspapers at
the library."

"Where..."

"I can take you, I need a new book anyway." This draws a smile from the child who nodded. She
offers her hand to the child and turns to her friend, "I will see you later, Myrtle." When the other
woman leaves, and the remaining lady remained, hand outstretched, she took the hand and together
they walked the two short blocks to the library.
 First News of Peggy
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

After hours at the library, long after the lady had left, the girl still scrolled through the reel of
microfilm looking for clues. She made note of everything she could find, which was not much.

She was absorbed by her research that she didn't spot an angry woman pulling her young boy. The
doctor pulled her away from the microfilm machine, peered in it to see. "Baseball?" The doctor
turned to her and spoke as she dragged the unfortunate child from the library, hissing menacingly.
"You are never to leave my sight, have you got that? You are an investment, nothing more."

The Doctor dragged the girl home and locked her in her 'room'. A plain meal was later slid through
the door.

After her brief sojourn into the real world Doctor Cantrell felt it was much too risky for her to
remain in that town. The Doctor moved to another city where she hoped to complete her work.

Soon the girl would be ready and together she and her son would bring together her life's work with
that of Doctor Erskine.

But the girl had other plans...

A month after she escaped from Doctor Cantrell's 'care' she was making her way through New
York City.

Thanks to the kindness of that lady she knew just where to get information when she needed it.

Finally she arrived at a large residence. Walking through the gate she saw a door off to one side
and another more ornate door across the courtyard. She crossed the courtyard to that door and
raised her fist and knocked.

After a moment a man opened the door, he smiled at the young girl as he knelt down to her height,
"How can I help you, young lady?" he asked in a weird accent.

"I'm looking for Houard Staak."

"Mr Stark is quite busy at the moment." He quickly added, "Can you come back later?" when he
saw the distress this caused.

"Tell him... Tell him it's about the woman in the compass. Captain America's compass."

"What specifically?"

"Spassiff...?"

Understanding her lack of understanding about that term, "What is the most important thing about
the woman in Captain America's compass."

The little girl didn't need a moment to think, "I come from her."
 "You come from her?" She nodded her head enthusiastically, "Very well." He left her at the
doorway, neither inviting her in nor closing the door. He entered Mr Stark's study, "Sir?"

"What is it Jarvis? I'm busy."

"There is a young lady at the door who would like to speak to you about 'the woman in Captain
America's compass'." His employer fixed him with a weird look, he continued, "She said she 'came
from her'."

All of a sudden he was moving faster than he thought possible in his haste for some news of his
friend, only to be stopped dead by the sight of the messenger, "Jarvis, I thought you said Peggy
sent someone."

"Mr Stark, she specifically said she came from her." The young girl nodded eagerly.

"Came from her?" Howard asked, dumbfounded he looked pointedly at the young girl, "What do
you mean, you came from her?"

Trying to understand how to phrase what he wanted to know she settled for, "I came from her
here..." as she moved her hands to the junction of her legs.

Howard came crashing down as the enormity of what this child was telling her sank in, Peggy had
not disappeared. She had been captured. She had been raped.

She may very well be dead.

Chapter End Notes

Next chapter she gains a name. I know what name it is but I would welcome your
attempts at guessing.
Any ideas what Doctor Cantrell's "work" entailed?
 Together In Paris
Chapter Notes

You learn who 'the child' grows to be.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Saturday, August 30th 1969

The child looked herself over in the full length mirror as she straightened an imaginary crease out
of the dress.

In the years since she had landed on the doorstep of New York's most eligible bachelor there had
been no trouble or word from or of Doctor Cantrell.

Over the years she had been from one relationship to another, all of them ending when the man
asked her a question. A question that had her asking herself another that ended up being negative.

A knock at the door had her turning to see who it was. Edwin Jarvis, dressed to the nines. "Are you
ready? They are waiting for you."

Looking herself over in the mirror as a smile crossed her face, "Nearly." She reached up to her now
bleach blonde hair and pulled the veil into place. She moved away from the mirror and allowed
him to look her over, "How do I look?"

"Like a princess." He held his arm out for her which she accepted. "Are you sure you want to do
this?"

"We both agree, sometimes, there are more important things than love... Let's not keep him
waiting." He led her out and as the pair crossed the threshold the opening chords of Wagner's
'Bridal Chorus' began to play.

At the end of that long, slow, walk Edwin handed her off to her soon-to-be husband. The
Parisienne priest began the wedding ceremony.

Looking deeply into the 'child's' eyes the man began, "Je prenez, Howard Anthony Walter Stark,
vous, Maria Collins Carbonell, être mon épousée légalement femme, d'avoir et de tenir, à partir de
ce jour, pour le meilleur, pour le pire, pour les plus riches, pour les plus pauvres, dans la maladie et
dans la santé, jusqu'à ce que La mort nous fait partie."

Maria looked into Howard's eyes as she too recited the oath, "Je prenez, Maria Collins Carbonell,
vous, Howard Anthony Walter Stark, être mon épousée légalement mari, d'avoir et de tenir, à partir
de ce jour, pour le meilleur, pour le pire, pour les plus riches, pour les plus pauvres, dans la
maladie et dans la santé, jusqu'à ce que La mort nous fait partie.

The rest of the ceremony continued, as was the custom, until 'the child' who had long ago adopted
the identity of a long dead Maria Carbonell officially became Mrs. Howard Stark.

The swiftness of the engagement did nothing to take away from the lavishness of the reception.
The bulk of the guests were the few 'friends' Maria had made during her course of study in Paris.
 At the end of the night the guests saw the happy couple off into the night for the first night of their
honeymoon.

The bellboy opened the door for the couple allowing the husband to carry his new wife across the
threshold, the young lad left with a knowing smile covering his face.

Howard placed Maria's feet upon the carpeted floor, holding her in his arms. Looking upon her he
once again noticed how much she looked like her mother. He leaned down, kissing her full on the
lips. As he kissed her he ran his hand through her bleach-blonde tresses, all the while his other
hand began moving over her body, slowly removing her clothes.

Following his lead, Maria began working to free him from his tuxedo.

After a while Maria found herself laying flat on her back on the master bed, legs laid open barred
and invitingly to her husband whose member was standing erect as he took in the sight of his
bounty.

Climbing on-top of her, Howard moved to consummate their marriage. He looked her in the eyes
once more before kissing her with deep longing on her full lips. As she deepened the kiss his hand
found its way to her sensitive centre and worked the nub, eliciting a moan of pleasure from the
woman.

Howard pulled back to enjoy the look upon her face, the pleasure he had produced. A smile drawn
upon her lips, he thrust deep within her causing her to cry out at the intrusion.

Soon Howard withdrew, only to thrust back into her. He repeated the action, again and again
causing Maria to cry out a symphony of pleasure. Maria now enjoyed the many benefits of
Howard's womanising past, fully and deeply.

Howard's expertise soon had Maria singing a new song as she came from all his varied knowledge
of womanly pleasure. Howard however was far from done, and he continued to work her fertile
body to their mutual pleasure.

Soon another orgasm was drawn from Maria, causing her to cry out more than a moan from her
throat, a near breathless, "Howard!"

Howard wasn't far behind her. In one last thrust his eager seed erupted deep within her fruitful
body and in the throws of ecstasy he too called out a name, "Peggy!"

Chapter End Notes

Oh no! He called out the wrong name during sex...

Not the way to start a marriage.
I wonder what that means ;-)
 Second Honeymoon.
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

A month into married life and Maria felt like a stranger to her own husband.

Ever since that first night he had been doing his best to avoid her. Every-time she entered a room
he suddenly remembered something pressing he needed to do. Maria had had enough.

Maria entered the lounge room, and as expected Howard made some excuse and made to leave.
She wasn't going to be swayed, grabbed him by the arm as he made his way passed. "Mr Jarvis, do
you mind giving us a moment? I need to speak to my husband."

Picking up the cloth he had being using, he made to leave as he answered, "Of course Mrs. Stark."

Maria dragged Howard towards the couch before releasing him. Howard rubbed his arm as he took
the hint and sat down. He reminded himself not to piss her off again, eager to avoid her inherited
enhanced strength. "I'm a busy man, Maria. Work, business and... personal."

She raised her voice to emphasis her point, "The truth..." her voice returned to a normal level
before finishing her thought, "... Now!"

His hand stilling where she had held him as he looked at her, a forlorn look entered his eyes, "You
remind me of your mother..."

It suddenly hit her, she drew in a deep breath and sat down beside him, "That's why you been
avoiding me, because you called her name." The pitiful look in his eyes made him seem younger,
more unsure of himself. "We both agreed. We wanted to be married, to have children... We each
had our own reasons for marrying someone we didn't love. Why would I ever expect to be the girl
whose name was on your lips?"

"Every woman wants her lover to want only her." He said matter of fact.

She slipped off of the couch and knelled before him, taking his hands in hers as she said,
"Howard..." even though he was almost thirty years her senior, he seemed comforted by her
maternal treatment of him, "You love her? Peggy."

He looked uncomfortable,"Yes." he almost whispered.

"Good!" Howard seemed surprised by her declaration, "Peggy's alone." Maria told him in earnest,
"If we don't free her, who will.

"You love her, you above all others, you wont just give up. We'll do it together."

Maria stood to give Howard a moment to himself, but he grabbed her hand to stop her. Once he had
pulled her onto his lap he informed her, "You remind me of your father."

"Really?" Maria had been well acquainted growing up with the whys and wherefores of Peggy's
capture and her own birth.

"When you escaped from Doctor Cantrell, you could have found yourself a nice home if you had
ended up in an orphanage. Instead you looked for her allies. You will go to any length to help her,
because it's the right thing to do." He ran his hand along her cheek before his lips descended upon
hers, they had a month of married life to catch up on.

For all Howard had accepted that Maria was unfazed by his proclivity to call out Peggy's name
while making love to her. Fate seemed to be against the couple. Over the next couple of months
they had little time to spend with each other.

Between his S.H.I.E.L.D. commitments and his Stark Industries job, Howard rarely saw his wife
awake. He was up before dawn, and didn't get home until after one in the morning leaving him to
crawl into bed beside her.

One morning, around the two month mark, Maria woke to a pleasant surprise. Howard, asleep,
sprawling across the bed. Carefully she slipped out of bed and headed for their ensuite to shower.

Hours later Howard woke alone, he was disappointed about that. After he had showered and
dressed he searched the house for her and found her in the family room, reading a book. Howard
walked up behind her, "Good book?"

"Riveting." Maria looked up at him, a smile crossing her lips, "Sleep well?"

Howard moved around the couch to sit beside her, "Yes." He drew in a breath before carefully
iterating each successive word, "How do you feel about a holiday?"

She placed a mark in the book before closing it, "What do you have in mind?"

"The first month, I was a lousy husband..."

"No you weren't, a lousy husband sleeps with his wife AND the maid of honour on their wedding
night." Her humour elicited a smile.

"Yeah I was. And then the last two months..."

"Your work is important, if the CEO of SI 'takes a break' during a crisis... Then there's
S.H.I.E.L.D., not to mention our search for Peggy."

"Crisis averted, S.H.I.E.L.D. can muddle on for a while. Our search... the feelers haven't found
anything. I owe you a proper honeymoon."

"What do you have in mind?"

"A cruise. A friend of mine owes me a favour and he happens to be part owner of a cruise line.
Owner's suite, New York to Southampton." She smiles at the picture he was painting in her mind,
"Catch a train to London. Visit the sight."

"Sounds perfect, when do we leave?"

"The ship leaves in three days time. Your mother's from the London area, you can meet..." The
smile fell from her face, "What?"

"Peggy is only my mother biologically, I am a product of her suffering. I have no right..." He could
see tears well in her eyes and like her mother she stubbornly refuse to let fall.

Howard offered, "This is the first time I have been back to London since the war, I want to meet
them." as a means of placating his wife's misplaced guilt.
 "Fine. But if she has family still there, they can not know. Understood?"

Three days later Mr and Mrs Stark stood dockside as Mr Jarvis carried their bags to First Class
passenger check-in. Howard led Maria inside and approached a vivacious red haired woman who
greeted the pair.

Chapter End Notes

Thoughts? Who of Peggy's family should Mr and Mrs Stark meet?

 Old London Town
Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

London was completely different from New York, Maria observed to herself. Both had their own
form of beauty.

Howard was abuzz, 'dragging' Maria from site to site, telling her of his time here during the war.
He would also tell her about her 'mother' during that time. No matter how much Maria insisted, he
still saw Peggy Carter as her mother.

Maria found Hampstead to be particularly beautiful. She didn't know why Howard wanted to visit
this part of London, but she was glad. It wasn't touristy like everywhere else Howard had taken her
to, she could imagine little Peggy Carter growing up in a place like this.

Howard put a little more pressure onto their joined arms as he made for two woman walking
generally along the path, "Good morning!" He greeted them.

"Good morning!" The two women greeted the pair, "Can we help you?" The young woman asked.

"We're looking for somewhere in particular..." Howard started, Maria was perplexed as her
husband told the woman the address.

"Howard!" Maria exclaimed disbelievingly to her husband in a way that had the elder of the two
women looking uncertainly at her.

He chose to ignore her, "I was hoping that Mrs. Carter was still living there. I knew her daughter
during the war..."

"Howard! We can't just turn up, uninvited." She was pulling hard on her husband's arm, he was
equally resisting.

"I was hoping to talk with her about Peggy."

The elder of the two woman spoke, a gentle smile on her face, "We can show you, we are headed
there now."

Howard was exuberant at that, "Excellent!"

"Howard!" Maria pulled her husband none to gently to put an extra emphasis behind her words,
"We can't just show up..."

Howard looked his wife in the eyes, she could see clearly how much this meant to him, "Maria..."

She acquiesced, "We can't just show up empty handed." Sounding uncertain.

The women seemed to think on the matter before deciding. They told the couple the directions to
the house. Howard spotted a bakery, pointing it out to his wife as he made to head off with the two
women.

Maria grabbed her husband's arm tight, "If she is there... You can't tell her, what happened to her
daughter. You're just a friend with some stories to share, looking to reconnect with an old friend.
Got it?"
 Howard pulled his arm free and rubbed it as he whined, "That hurt!" She looked pointedly at him,
"We'll have to tell her some time."

"Not until we find her daughter. And maybe not even then. It should be up to Peggy what her
mother learns." Howard seemed to be deflated, Maria took this to mean he understood her
concerns.

While Howard jogged to catch up with the women, Maria headed into the bakery.

After taking great care in selecting a cake, Maria carried the box containing a Victoria Sponge.
Carefully following the directions that the woman had given her she headed towards the Carter
residence.

She knocked on the door and after a while the old woman they had spoken to answered the door.
"Mrs. Carter?" Maria asked unsure as the woman smiled a preoccupied smile.

"Come in, my dear." Maria entered, following Mrs. Carter, "Your husband and I have been having
a little chat about my daughter." Mrs. Carter heaved a sigh, sending alarm bells off in Maria's head.

Mrs. Carter led Maria into the formal lounge where Howard was still sitting, something about the
look on his face set off another set of alarms.

"Howard... What have you done?" Maria asked fearing she already knew what. "Howard... We
agreed!"

"No, you agreed, I agreed to no such thing. She has a right to know, Maria. This is her daughter
we're talking about, she's made of sterner stuff than you give her credit for."

Hours later and Maria couldn't believe how accepting of her Peggy's mother had been, especially
with learning how she had come into being.

Amanda farewelled the couple at the front doorway as the made to leave. Mrs. Carter had insisted
that Maria should at-least call her by her first name, if she felt uncomfortable about calling her
grandmother.

Maria reached to hug the older woman, tears shimmering in her eyes for some unknown reason.

After letting go she took a step back and stumbled, much to Maria's embarrassment. Howard
wrapped an arm around her, a look of concern upon his face as she had never been unsure of her
footing. "Are you alright?"

She smiled at him, "I'm fine." But before she could right herself her world went black.

Chapter End Notes

Anyone know the reason Maria collapsed? If you don't think about the timing and
canonicity, that should put you on the correct path.
How much of a relationship should Maria and Amanda have? I am currently
undecided on how much of a grandmother-granddaughter relationship they should
have, and would love to hear what you, dear readers, think.
 Back in Black
Chapter Notes

Odd chapter title choice, but you may realise why I chose it.
While I am debating how close to Endgame to make this fic. This chapter makes it
non-canon for one particular scene.
You will understand.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Maria woke slowly, confused. She remembered preparing to leave Mrs Carter's house, but not how
she had ended up here.

"Maria!" Howard called out as he realised she had regained consciousness.

Trying to sit up she asked, "What happened?"

Howard tried to push her back into lying down, "You fainted, Maria. We called the local doctor, he
should be here any minute... God I was so scared, Maria."

As she opened her mouth to answer a knock at the front door drew her husband's attention, he
dashed off to greet the doctor. Mrs Carter sat by her side, "Are you alright?" Concerned etched the
voice of the older woman.

Before she could answer Howard and the doctor entered the room, "You're awake, Mrs Stark.
Good." He crossed to her side and proceeded to examine her as he asked her questions. It was one
particular question, and palpating her abdomen, that led the doctor to the answer. "Mrs Stark...
You're pregnant."

Maria was stunned at this revelation, she had wanted children, but had never expected it to happen
so soon. Especially after Howard's crisis of confidence.

Their second honeymoon was at an end as Howard and Maria packed up their suite. Since that day
Maria had met her grandmother, the pair had become close.

Maria ran her hand over her abdomen, the slight distension starting to become noticeable. She
smiled at the though that in a few short months she would be a mother.

Howard came up behind her, wrapped her in his arms. He rubbed her belly with its sign of new life
within. Maria leaned back into his embrace.

After a while Howard started to pull back, "Come on. They will be unloading soon." After a while
the couple returned to the hustle and bustle of New York City.

The Jarvis' were very glad to learn of their news, they were as much friends to the couple as staff
could be. But while the good news was welcome, in some aspects it was daunting.

None more so than the expecting Mrs Stark.

A month after they returned to New York the thought of becoming a mother so soon preyed
heavily on her mind, causing her many a restless night.

Mrs Jarvis had noticed the trend, and on this particular night decided to give the woman what she
needed most. An ear without judgement.

She popped a bunch of pop corn and prepare the projector in the house's cinema. The pair sat in
companionable silence, watching the latest Stark Pictures production.

The next morning Anna Jarvis talked with Howard Stark about his wife's concerns, he had a lot to
think about on that.

It wasn't too long before Mr and Mrs Stark where standing side-by-side on the tarmac of a private
air field.

Mr Jarvis was loading Mrs Jarvis and Mrs Stark's luggage onto the private plane, as Howard and
Maria said the farewells.

Anna had talked to Howard about Maria's uncertainty and they had came up with an idea to help
her, one Maria was more than happy to take.

After one final impassioned kiss Maria Stark boarded the plane as the Jarvis' said their own
goodbyes.

Soon after they were in the air and making their way for London.

Anna's idea was that Maria spend some time with the only female family she had, Amanda Carter.
A woman who had raised a daughter of her own, who could provide the reassurance and support
that the new mum needed.

The pair descended the stairs from the aircraft into the brisk winter's air of London's old SSR
airfield, now the property of Stark Industries. They pulled their coats tight around themselves as
the headed for the relative warmth.

Soon the pair were in the back of a hire care, and headed for a hotel. They bedded down for the
night, after a rather delicious breakfast, Maria called Amanda Carter.

The crisp morning air made the trip to Hampstead invigorating. Maria felt anxious as she headed
for the front door, knocking, she waited.

Soon though the young woman she and Howard had meet that day answered the door. Her
grandmother's 'aide' ushered the two women into the house where Maria was welcomed with open
arms by the Carter family matriarch, "Maria! How was your trip?"

Maria had underestimated how good it felt to have someone like Amanda, "It was good." She
pulled back to introduce her grandmother to her friend, "This is Mrs Anna Jarvis, she accompanied
me here. Howard didn't want me travelling alone."

A smile graced the wizened face as she reached out a hand to Anna, "Of course he would. It is a
please to meet you Mrs Jarvis."

Anna shook the proffered hand, "The pleasure is all mine, Mrs Carter."

Thursday, May 28th 1970

 In the months since Maria Stark had moved to London and Anna Javis' return to America, Maria
was glad for Amanda's support as her child developed within her.

Howard had made as many trips to England as his work allowed, usually ending in him being
'called in' on some urgent matter.

The child was particularly active this morning, determined to ensure his/her mother couldn't rest.

It was a little after dinner time that Maria thought there was more to the baby's activity. There had
been pain, but the intensity suddenly spiked and it was then that Maria realised her child was
ready.

An ambulance was called and Maria was taken to the nearest hospital.

Friday, May 29th 1970

In the wee hours of the morning, Maria lay back, exhausted. Soon the sound of her newborn son's
crying could be heard.

Soon the nurse brought the boy to her, held him out for her to see. Maria reached out to hold him
and the nurse helped her to support her child. Before the nurse could move away Maria stopped
her, "Can you call my husband, let him know?" The nurse seemed confused, "He's in America.
212..."

"Of course Mrs Stark."

Alone with her child she couldn't help but to marvel at how if felt to finally hold him in her arms,
"It is good to meet you..." Maria thought of the name she and her husband had agreed, she would
apologise to him later. Her son looked nothing like a Walter James he looked more like a...
"Anthony Edward Stark."

Chapter End Notes

Told you. Before this chapter the only date I used was for the wedding. The date for it
was chosen based on this calculator.
I use this site for all dates.
 Welcome Home, Master Stark.

Friday, May 29th 1970

A few hours later Maria and Master Stark had a visitor. Amanda entered with her aide by her side
to see her grand-daughter holding her great-grandson.

The sight of the pair drew a smile from the wizened woman and as she drew closer her grand-
daughter offered her son for the woman to hold.

Amanda Carter took the infant in her arms and smiled down upon him. Tears rolled down from her
eyes as she remembered the first time she had held her own children.

"What's his name?" Her voice seemed to catch in her throat as she asked that question. Her grand-
daughter was smiling proudly at the child in her arms grandmother's she, answers.

Saturday, May 30th 1970

Maria woke that morning to see a beautiful sight, her husband holding their son. He looked
dishevelled, exhausted and in desperate need of some sleep. But he looked happy, truly happy. Like
the pieces of his life finally fit together perfectly.

"Howard?" She said uncertainly, just noticing the tear in his eyes.

"He's perfect Maria, absolutely perfect." The smile on his face was electric, "Walter James Stark."

"Actually Howard, his name is Anthony Edward..."

He looked at her with a weird look on his face, "I thought we agreed. Walter James."

"Yes, we did. But just look at him... He's an Anthony for sure."

Looking at his son, he didn't see what his wife meant. Howard would have argued the point, but
the look on his wife's face was full of such love that he hadn't the heart to argue. Looking back to
his son, "Anthony Edward"

Their son started to fuss and Howard not having a clue what to do handed the child off to his wife,
who took the child in arm.

Howard stepped closer to his wife and lowered his voice to a whisper, "I know ever since we
learned you were pregnant that you took a back seat in our search... But I think it may be best if
you stay on the bench, if you know what I mean?"

"I believe I do. If I am right, I completely understand."

"When you are ready, let me know."

Monday, November 23rd 1970

Mrs Stark stepped out of the hatch onto the moveable staircase that had been positioned beside the
private aircraft, her six month old child in her arms.

On the tarmac of the private airfield waited her husband's constant companion, Mr Edwin Jarvis.
"Mrs Stark." He greeted his bosses wife.
"Mr. Jarvis. Thank you for collecting me, I hope it wasn't a bother."

"Not at all, Mrs Stark." Mr Jarvis looked down at the child she carried, "It's a pleasure to finally
meet young Master Stark.

"I have already arranged for your baggage to be delivered to the mansion, shall we?"

Mr Jarvis pulled the car to a halt at the front door of Stark Mansion and promptly jumped out of
the car to aid Mrs Stark with her son. He held the door open for her as she carried her son across
the threshold.

In the Grand Hall the pair were greeted by Howard and a woman Mrs Stark had never met.

A radiant smile crossed Howard's face at the sight of his wife and child. He crossed the distance
and wrapped an arm around her, kissing her cheek as he did.

When he let go he took his son from his wife and held him while introducing her to the woman by
his side. "This is Roberta Sinclair. She is our new nanny."

Maria didn't seem to happy about this development, "Nanny?" She took Anthony off of her
husband, "Mr Jarvis, would you mind?" Holding Anthony in a way that made her point clear.

"Of course, Mrs Stark." He took the child from his employer's wife, holding the child carefully he
started to entertain him in what would be considered an undignified manner.

Maria grabbed her husband by the arm and dragged him down the entrance stairs and out of sight,
"A nanny, really Howard?" Howard rubbed his arm once she let go, she really had one hell of a
grip, "Why would we, and by that I mean me, need a nanny for? I am backing off of the Peggy
search to not draw attention to me, for Anthony's sake. I don't need a nanny."

"In my defence, Agent Sinclair in not just a nanny."

"Agent? She's an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.!"

"Yes, which means..."

"She's less a nanny, more of a bodyguard."

"I am a major member of S.H.I.E.L.D., plus I have personally vetted Agent Sinclair. We can trust
her."

"It would have been good if you had discussed this with me first, Howard." He winced at the tone
of her voice, he couldn't fault her.

Sunday, May 30th 1971

It was just after Anthony turned one that Maria was greatful for Agent Sinclair's presence.

The couple were woken in the wee hours of the morning by a kerfuffle somewhere in the mansion.
Maria was the first to react and Howard was not too far behind her.

Maria came across Agent Sinclair being thrown around by a black clad man, outside her son's
room.
The noise had woken her son, who's crying could just be heard over the sound of combat.

Agent Sinclair was soon rendered unconscious by the intruder and Maria, reacting to maternal
instinct, crossed the distance with impossible speed. Her opponent didn't seem nonplussed by her
actions, matched her action for action.

After a while Maria got the upper hand just as she noticed that Agent Sinclair, who had regained
consciousness, was reaching for her gun.

When the agent had a firm grasp of the weapon Maria put all her strength into pushing the intruder
away, "Armour!" She cried out as she hit the floor.

Agent Sinclair readjusted her aim and pulled her trigger, killing the man instantly.

Maria was comforting her son when Howard finally came to tell her that S.H.I.E.L.D. had dealt
with the body.

Once the minutia was out of the way Howard ask, "Why did you say he had armour? You had to
have noticed he wasn't."

She closed her eyes, "He spoke to me, he was Cantrell's kid."

Ice filled his veins, "We knew she wouldn't stop looking for you. She had invested too much."

She looked at her husband, doubt clear in her eyes, "Now that he is dead, her experiment is
finished."

Howard didn't say anything, just wrapped them in his arms. He doubted Dr Cantrell would give up
on the matter.

Wednesday, May 11th 1977

Maria smiled down at her sleeping son as she pushed a forelock back, she couldn't believe how big
he had gotten. She stood leaned down to kiss him on his forehead before leaving and turning off
the light.

Maria returned to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of wine. Suddenly two warm arms wrap
around her waist, eliciting a smile.

Maria placed the glass down and turned to face her husband, wrapping her arms loosely around his
neck. Howard's lips came crashing down upon hers.

Soon his lips were working their way along her chin and down her neck, "You're home early." His
lips moved along her shoulder and her nightie strap soon slid off of her shoulder, "Agent Sinclair is
still awake." She warned.

In the master suite the couple continued preparing for bed and were soon suitable dressed for the
night.

In bed the couple continued their nightly entertainment and Maria sighed as Howard slid on home.
Howard began to work her body, even seven year after getting married he still found ways to
surprise her.
Howard was taking Maria nice and slow, and this was driving her insane. Suddenly Howard found
himself on his back, Maria on top of him. She started to move on top of him, in a more determined
manner.

Soon Howard had moved his hands to his wife's hips, he held on tight as she rode his member.
Maria reached for his hands and unhooked them from her waist, moving them to another part of her
anatomy.

Howard, the dutiful husband, took his wife's direction and massage the twin mounds eliciting
moans of pleasure for his efforts.

Maria may have benefited from his varied expertise when they were first married, but after so long
together she had learned enough about their respective bodies to make Howard thank God he was
now married.

Maria's expertise had the night drag on and when she finally came she cried out, "Howard!" As she
came she felt the shuddering beneath her that indicated Howard had followed soon after.

As Howard ejaculated within his wife he called out a name as she collapsed on top of him,
"Maria!"
 Cold Hearted Man
Chapter Summary

"He was cold, he was calculating. He never told me he loved me, he never even told
me he liked me."
―Tony Stark

Chapter Notes

This idea sort of came from another fic, cannot remember the name of it. Will post
summary at end in case someone knows it.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Monday, August 8th 1977

Lunch time approached and Howard was still working in the dining room. Tony was enjoying his
lunch in the courtyard with Mr Jarvis and Agent Sinclair so Maria brought Howard a plate of
sandwiches.

Maria ran her hand over his head, "You could take a few moment, join us for lunch outside?" She
knew what his answer would be but had to try.

"Nah! I need to get this done." Howard reached blindly for a sandwich, knocking his fountain pen
to the floor. Diving to reach it he barely registered the sound of glass breaking.

Looking over his shoulder he saw Maria, hand over her abdomen. It took a moment for something
red to make its way through, "Maria!" He pulled her to the floor. Placing his hand on hers he
pushed into her abdomen to help stem the flow, his other grabbing a radio from his pocket.
"Sniper, sector three." Discarding the radio, his hand adding pressure to the wound, "Maria!" She
looked into his eyes, "You are going to be fine, don't worry."

Maria tried to sit up, saw the blood pooling through their hands causing tears to fall from her eyes,
"Oh God! No."

"Maria. You are going to be fine. You hear me... Maria?"

"Howard..."

"You are going..."

Hesitation and fear enters Maria's voice, "...I'm pregnant." Howard paled at Maria's words.

The doors opened and in came a S.H.I.E.L.D. team, including a medic. The medic crossed to the
couple as he started ordering the other's. Howard couldn't take in their words, he knew where
Maria had been hit would kill their unborn child.
 Monday, August 15th 1977

The patient transport carried Mrs Stark back to Stark Mansion, the paramedics carried Mrs Stark
into the room that Mr Jarvis had prepared for her convalescence.

Before they left they provided the nurse Howard had hired with details of medications she had
been provided.

Mr Jarvis stopped by regularly to see what Mrs Stark needed, only to be ignored by the woman. He
thought he noticed the small shudders indicating repressed sobs.

Mrs Jarvis tried to help the injured woman process her grief.

Saturday, August 20th 1977

On a morning, nearly a fortnight after the shooting, Mr Jarvis went about his business.

When he entered Mr Stark's study he saw a disturbing, but all to familiar, sight. Mr Stark, passed
out with a bottle of half-drunk whisky by his hand.

The smell of vomit in the air was another indicator that his employer had over indulged the night
before. Moving the bottle from his reach Mr Jarvis proceeded to check Mr Stark condition. Beside
from the olfactory evidence his employers general appearance was most troubling. His skin was
pale and he was cold to the touch. "Anna!" He called to his wife, who came promptly. Upon seeing
her he ordered her to "Call an ambulance." The tone of his voice told her enough to know
something was drastically wrong.

Mr Stark had been taking his wife being shot particularly hard, blaming himself for it. As well as
the death of their unborn child.

The paramedics that examined his employer confirmed Mr Jarvis' layman's diagnosis that Mr Stark
was suffering from alcohol poisoning, nor was he surprised that it had gone so far.

Sunday, August 28th 1977

Mr and Mrs Jarvis were on hand to help young Master Anthony prepare for the trip to Andover,
Massachusetts where he would be in attendance with other bright young minds at Phillips
Academy.

To say Anthony was misbehaving could be an understatement. He didn't want to go to Phillips

Academy, he didn't want to be so far from home.

Mr and Mrs Stark were in no condition to make the decision so when Agent Sinclair came to Mr
Jarvis about sending Anthony to Phillips Academy for his own safety, he reluctantly agreed.

Chapter End Notes

The story that led to this idea was set in modern day, post CA:CW, where Tony learns
that his father had had several assassination attempts made on his life. The sniper
missed Howard and hit Anna Javis, killing her in the dining room. The repainted the
room and told Tony she died in a household accident changing a light-globe, which
affected his behaviour. Leading to him being sent to boarding school.
Addendum: Found the story while re-reading another fanfic. Click either of these links
if interested, I Hope You Have Unlimited Text Messaging written by Misscar. Or read
the chapter.
 16 Декабрь 1991

Sunday, December 15th 1991

Howard and Maria returned from a night out on the town. They said their goodnights to the Jarvis'
before heading of to bed.

Howard took Maria's hand and pulled her flush against himself, "We have the house to ourselves
tonight."

Maria smiled at her husband, "We always have the house to ourselves, Howard." Howard laughed
at her tone of voice as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

They may not have married for love, but Howard couldn't imagined being with anyone else. He
leaned down to kiss her gently on her soft lips.

Howard's hand made its way up his wife's back until it found what it was searching for. He took
hold of the piece of metal and pulled the item down, opening the zipper as it went.

Knowing what her husband had in mind, they had been married for over twenty years, Maria
pulled her hands from his neck and slid them around his front to remove his tie. After that she
started to undo the buttons of his dinner jacket. It was when she started on his crisp white shirt that
her strapless dress fell to the floor.

When she moved her hand to his waistband to unbutton his pants that he brushed her hands aside
and swept her off her feet with a grunt and groan, part of effort and part of pain and discomfort,
"You're not as young as you one were, my love." The tone of her voice carried her pain at the
thought of losing him, something he knew weight heavily on her mind.

He placed her feet back on the floor, he took her cheek in his hand, "We're not all you, darling." He
told her as he looked into her blue eyes, set in an unchanging face. He started to kiss her again as
he carefully started to lead her to bed.

Stepping over his pants Maria gentle pushed her husband in a way that indicated she wanted to be
on top, ever the dutiful husband Howard was happy to comply. Despite his age Howard was still a
man who could stand to attention when the occasion called for it.

Maria pulled her lacy underwear off, carefully stepping out of them, before hoping on the bed. She
positioned herself above him and slowly lowered herself until he was seated deep within her body,
Howard rested his hands on her hips. Reaching around her back she unhooked her bra and flung the
item across the room, setting her voluptuous bosom free.

Howard moved his hands up Maria's body, along her back and moved to her front where he
grasped her bountiful flesh. This action earned a moan of pleasure from Maria, she started to move
as Howard continued to work her ample flesh.

After a time Howard could tell he wasn't going to last, he hated getting old. As he felt the crest of
the wave approach he grabbed her soft flesh at hand causing Maria to call out. Her riding became
more haphazard as Howard unleashed a torrent within her.

Maria kept moving as Howard came down from the high of orgasm, he could see his actions had
brought her close. Howard was always a hands on man, in the bed room was no different, his hands
moved across her body.
His added attention helped Maria and soon she was coming on top of him. When Howard was
younger the sight would have had him standing again ready to return the favour.

They may not have married for love, but Maria couldn't imagined being with anyone else. She laid
down beside her husband, a leg draped across his as the pair drifted off into the arms of sleep.

Monday, December 16th 1991

As Maria waited for her husband to finish getting ready, she sat at the piano and played the soft
melody of 'Try to Remember'. As she played she sang, "Try to remember the kind of September.
When grass was green..." She stopped singing as Howard walked into the room, her fingers still
playing the melody from memory. Howard pulled on his suit jacket he stopped beside the sofa and
lifted the blanket, "Wake up, dear. Say goodbye to your father."

As their son starts to get up from the sofa Howard asks rhetorically, "Who's the homeless person
on the couch?"

Standing before his father the younger Stark addresses the older, "This is why I love coming home
for Christmas... right before you leave town."

Still playing Maria knew where this conversation was bound to end up, "Be nice, dear. He's been
studying abroad."

Looking at his son Howard quips, "Really, which broad? What's her name?"

Howard pulls the Santa hat from Tony's head as his son responds, "Candice."

"Do me a favour? Try not to burn the house down before Monday."

As Tony replies to his father's comment he moves on over to his mother, who continued playing,
"Okay, so it's Monday. That is good to know. I will plan my toga party accordingly." Behind her he
asks his mother, "Where you going?"

"You father's flying us to the Bahamas for a little getaway." Maria didn't mind Howard mixing
business with pleasure she just wished he organised his schedule better so they could spend time
together. As a family.

"We might have to make a quick stop."

"At the Pentagon." Tony looks to his father, "Right?" Tony leans forward and speaks sarcastically,
"Don't worry, you're gonna love the holiday menu at the commissary."

Maria stops playing as their son walks to an archway, "You know, they say sarcasm is a metric for
potential. If that's true, you'll be a great man some day." Howard leans to tell his wife, "I'll get the
bags." Before leaving the room.

"He does miss you when you are not here." Maria stands as she continues to speak, "And frankly,
you're going to miss us." Howard walks back into the room, a bag slung over one shoulder, "Say
something, sweetheart. Please."

After a few moments of no one speaking Howard sighs, "Maria, let's go. We don't want to miss our
flight."

Tony tuts disbelievingly, "What good is a private plane. If you can't be late."
Maria smiles at her son's humour, wrapping him in her arms, "Be careful sweetheart," She pulls
back one hand cups his cheek, "I have a bad feeling. Something is coming." She kissed him on his
cheek, "Be careful."

Throwing a mock salute her way as she moved over to Howard, "Aye aye Mrs S."

Howard placed their bags in the back seat and hopped into the drivers seat, waited as Maria said
one final farewell to their son.

Howard was driving along a long dark road, not a soul to be seen.

Suddenly a single light appeared behind them, the bike light came closer until eventually the rider
pulled out around them to overtake.

As the bike was about to pass there was a loud bang and the car suddenly became uncontrollable,
"Damn it!" Howard spoke as he tried to bring the car back under control.

Unable to regain control the car hits one of the trees on the side of the road and comes to a violent
stop. The sound of a motorbike could be heard coming back along the road, pulled to a stop behind
their car.

Howard and Maria were both injured by the crash, hearing the bike, Howard stumble out of the
car. He summons his voice, "Help my wife. Please. Help."

When Howard saw who the rider was he was surprised and saddened, "Sergeant Barnes?"

Maria heard her husband's words, dizzy and unable to focus, "Howard?" She knew who Barnes
was, if he was here. Alive. Her husband had told her more about his secret work then he was
supposed to.

Maria had heard of the Winter Soldier. Tears sprung to her eyes, she knew she was going to die.

Maria heard the sickening sound of metal and flesh, "Howard?"

Maria didn't have to wait long, she felt the warm vice of the Winter Soldier hand grip her throat.
Soon the world around her began to dim around her. As the Winter Soldier choked the life from
her, Maria's thoughts turned to her son.
 Keys to the Kingdom.

Tuesday, December 24th 1991

Maria woke, restrained in some sort of contraption that was binding her, she panicked.

Suddenly a familiar voice could be heard, "Mrs Stark!" Mr Jarvis entered her view, "Calm down,
you're at Stark Manor." He could see the wild look of fear in her eyes.

Maria tried to get her racing heart under control, focused on her breathing counting it out as she did.
She looked around and recognised the master suite, causing a tear to form, "Howard?" She asked.

She could tell by the look on his face, "I'm sorry Mrs Stark, he... did not survive."

Tears ran down her eyes, "Why can't I move?"

"My apologies, Mrs Stark. Given the nature of your injuries, the doctor felt it best that you be
placed in traction. I called Dr Lawson in, and you were moved here. To recuperate. You can't
break free because Dr Lawson gave you a sedative, not so strong as to render you unconscious."

"But enough, that I can't break free and put my recovery back. Thank you for being here."

"Anna and I have been taking turns to sit with you."

"How is Tony?"

He did not want to tell her the truth, "He'll be better, once he has seen you awake for himself." He
stood and straightened himself, "I will go let him know."

"Thank you."

Hours later Mr Jarvis brought Anthony in to see her. He did not look well, "Mum??" She could
hear the fear in his single slurred word.

"I'm alright sweetheart." She moved her hand seeking his, she could see the fear in his eyes. He
was afraid this was all a dream, or hallucination. Addressing the families' loyal servant, and friend,
"Mr Jarvis, could you please give me a moment alone with my son?"

"Of course, Mrs Stark." Mr Jarvis left the master suite and closed the doors behind him, knowing
him Maria felt certain that he was standing guard outside the door.

Saturday, February 1st 1992

Despite Maria's assurance, Tony seemed to still be spinning out of control. Drinking excessively,
sleeping around, and if she was right, doing drugs.

Due to her unique physiology Maria could not simply be wheeled into a medical facility for an x-
ray, so Dr Lawson had to use his best judgement, delaying his signing off on her being able to
move around unrestrained, something that she was sure would help her son immensely.

The good doctor had finally seen fit to allow Maria to walk around on her own, with the aid of a
sturdy neck brace.
She didn't understand it, she knew how fast she healed. She would have carried it on out in public,
to not draw attention. But in the privacy of her own home. Really?

On this particular day Maria had decided, her son needs some recovery of his own.

He said and did all the 'right' things, but she knew he was hurting.

Mr Jarvis was happy to help in anyway he could, even when Mrs Stark decided that the best thing
for them was a new location. England.

Maria walked up the staircase to the private plane, Tony begrudgingly following his mother.

Once in the air Maria removed the foam collar from her neck, "Why do you wear that, if you don't
need it?" She couldn't miss the concern in his voice.

"I was in a car accident fairly recently, sweetheart. People tend to expect some lingering signs.
Benefits of going to England." She took his hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze, "I'm more
concerned with you."

Tony pretended to, "I don't know what you mean."

"Yes, you do." She smiled a knowing smile at the young man beside her, "I know it can't be easy,
sweetheart. I know you weren't particularly close with your father, but his loss still weighs on you."
Tony couldn't look at her, looking away to hide the tear.

Their plane touched down and they were meet as they left the airfield by a hire car. Their luggage
loaded they hopped into the back seat together, the driver headed off for their family home in
Hampstead.

The driver pulled to a stop at the front door. Maria was glad when they got inside, the place felt
homely.

"It's the same?" A slight questioning tone to his voice drew a smile from his mother's face.

The smile turned sad when she remembered why nothing had changed, "The housekeeper has
instructions not to, change..."

"Since nanna died?" Without parents of her own, Amanda Carter had insisted on being Tony's
'nanna' saying she missed out once, she wasn't going to miss out a second time.

"I know you miss her, I do too."

Monday, August 3rd 1992

Tony had a bag packed, ready to head back 'home'. He looked himself over in the mirror as his
mother waddled up behind him. He turned to her and asked, nervously, "How do I look?"

A touch of sadness in her smile, "Like your father." She brushed down his jacket and ran her hand
across his cheek. "I couldn't be more proud of you."

Tony reached up to her eye to wipe a tear, "Then why are you crying?"

She smiled, "I'll miss you."

"Come with me." She could tell he was nervous, his first board meeting. "The Concorde takes just
under three hours, you can come home with me." The tone of voice was pleading, almost
questioning.

"I can't, sweetheart. Doctor... Dr Lawson doesn't think I should travel such long distances." She
could see his disappointment, clear as day. "You'll be fine, sweetheart. You've grown so fast, too
fast."

Tony placed his hands on his mother's distended abdomen, "You too." He awkwardly hugged his
mother, only letting go when there was a knock at the door.

It was time for Anthony Edward Stark to embrace his destiny.

 Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Chapter Notes

When I can't come up with a chapter title, I just choose a song title from the band
whose music stuck out most in my mind during the Iron man films. AC ⚡DC.
Did someone leave the pen of the plot bunnies open? This is the
second story to have plot bunnies run off with the chapter.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Saturday, August 30th 2008

Maria sat comfortably in the seat of a private plane. Across the aisle was her travelling
'companion'.

The plane descended, and soon they were walking down the planes stairs onto the tarmac. It wasn't
long till they came across a familiar face.

Anthony Stark.

Maria embraced her son, how she had missed him over the years. Phone calls and the odd stop by
didn't do it, in her book.

It seemed he had faired well being CEO of Stark Industries. While he does carry a measure of grief
at the loss of his father even after all these years, he seemed to be facing each day with pose and
vigour.

Well, as much as a Stark man could.

After mother and son had had their moment, Tony turned to the young woman by his mother's side.
He embrace the young woman, "Evelyn, it's so good to see you again." He pulled back, "What have
you been up to?"

Evelyn smiled at the man, she opened her mouth and spoke in a clear and cultured English accent,
"Studying. What else?" A hint of American could just be detected in her accent, the product of
being raised by an American mother in England.

"Tell him what else, dear."

"I'm going to be studying here, in America this year."

"Really? Where?" Tony seemed to be generally thrilled at the prospect of this.

Tony Stark could not believe how big his sister had become, he remembered the day that he
became a big brother.

Saturday, September 12th 1992

It was a cold a rainy day as Tony rushed through the concourse of Heathrow Airport. As much as
he hated flying commercial, sometimes it had its advantages.
Plus the Concorde was the only way he could make it in time, he had to be there for her. For them.

When he had gotten the call telling him that his mother had gone into labour, he had threaten to fire
some poor intern if he didn't have a ticket on the next flight by the time he arrived at the airport.

He hadn't really meant it, but the man came through for him.

When he finally made it to Old London Town, he hopped in to the waiting hire car and headed
straight for the hospital. When he arrived there in the maternity ward, he was told his mother was
still in delivery and directed to wait in a long corridor.

After what seemed like forever a nurse approached him, "Mr Stark?" she asked uncertainly.
Probably from nerves, who didn't know who he was now-a-days. Youngest CEO and all that.

"Yes!"

"Mother and child are doing well." Tony was thrilled by this news and promptly grabbed her by
the face and kissed her. The woman found herself unable to resist and kissed the man back, it was
when a moan escaped her lips that she returned to reality, "If... ah... If you would like, you could...
go down to the cafeteria. Grab yourself something to eat... or drink, ah." She waved herself, how
did it suddenly get so hot, "By the, ah, by the time you get back they should be..." Tony had heard
enough and kissed her once more, backing the girl into a doorway. A modicum of sense returned
and she tore her lips from his, "Wh, wh..." she swallowed before continuing shakily in her beautiful
English accent, "What about your wife?"

Tony baulked at her comment, "She's not my wife." He thought some more on that, she did look
pretty spry for her age he had just never considered how it would look before now.

Gulping she asked, "S, she's not?"

A smile crossed his lips, warm and welcoming to the nurse, "She's my mother."

"Your..." He silenced her by kissing her once more, the nurse fumbled for the handle, dimly aware
of where they were. The door opened and they stumbled into a doctor's office as he backed her
away from the door. She couldn't do this, she had duties.

But she was too far gone to listen to that little voice as she hitched her skirt up as far as it would go,
she soon found her knicker-clad backside pressed on the corner of the doctor's desk. The thought of
this man being buried deep within her elicited a moan from the woman.

Tony chuckled at her eager nature as he slipped her panties to the side and slid on home, moaning
as his flesh was surrounded by her tight warmth. He thrust to fill her completely and felt resistance
that swiftly gave way to his incessant organ, causing her to cry out in pain.

She was a virgin.

Tony withdrew and slowly began to piston into her, her discomfort from the taking of her virginity
soon evaporated.

When she started to moan, Tony began to undo her blouse and found...

A front clasp bra. A smile crossed his face as he unlatched the garment, setting her twin peaks free.
He grasped her breast, and began to massage it. She clearly approved. He leaned down and took
the other into his mouth and sucked on her teat. She moaned louder at the combination of his shift
in her nether regions and his mouth on her breast. He continued thrust in but with less power, but
the combination of fucking and his 'feeding' on her. Like a baby. She moaned louder at that
thought, inexplicably turned on by the thought of this handsome stranger impregnating her.

Tony's mouth left her breast as her moans became too loud for his liking, she moaned in frustration.
His lips found more use as a muffle to her voice, kissing the moans from the woman away.

His new position allowed him to enjoy a more energetic and forceful thrusting into the young
nurse. This change in position and method freed the young nurse's mind to think more clearer.
Mostly about how good this felt, and why she had waited so long to do this.

Her thoughts returned to the consequences of this action as his pace picked up again, he had
stopped kissing her instead she felt his panting on her lips from his exertion. "No!..." she moaned
instead of finishing with don't, "We..." an ill-timed twitch of his organ stole can't from her.
"Please..." A harsh thrust from the man stole the air from her lungs preventing another don't.

Her mind tried to work out when she had last had her period, oh she couldn't think. With what he
was doing to her down there all her body craved was this man's touch, his deep vigorous touch.
Her brain railed against her body's betrayal and its regression to its primal urges.

Tony changed pace once more rendering her brain the slave of her body, she could feel a twitching
deep inside of her.

Somehow her body knew this meant something important, it craved for it. It stole her brains access
to her voice and forced her to speak it's word, "Yes, yes." Over and over again.

Her brain was begging silently, "No, no, no."

Her body, "Don't... stop!"

Her brain, "Stop!... Don't!" cursing itself for being so weak.

He thrust into her harder and deeper than he had so far, clasping at her for support and panting in
her ear as he shot streams of his cum right out into her so hard she could feel it against her cervix.
Her body allowed her brain to regain some control, but all it could think to do was to close her
eyes.

She wrapped her arms around his back as he whisper in her ear, "Where were you nine months
ago?" That was not what she expected him to say, usually the man says something similar before
sex. Not after. In fact he didn't seem to be actually saying it to her. There must be some deeper
meaning to what he had said.

She wasn't sure she should respond, "I... Studding to be a nurse, sir."

"You're new." He observed.

"This is my first day."

"Not exactly what you expect for a first day." He pulled back and looked into her eyes.

He leaned into her neck and began to kiss her there, her breath caught in her chest. She had seen
some deep seated grief when he looked into her eyes.

He pulled out of her as he continued to stoke the fire within her once again, this time her brain had
no plans to argue. He had already done his worst.
 He helped her stand as he moved her around gently, still kissing along her nape. One hand reaching
to lift her hair as he move his lips to the back of her neck, while the other moved to rouse his
flaccid member.

His member at attention and his lips moving on he placed his hands gently on her petite waist. He
placed his feet carefully between her legs and persuaded them to spread wider.

When he was ready he moved one hand to her bust and began to massage her, eliciting a seductive
moan from the woman. She had had enough of this, she couldn't stand another onslaught. She
reached out to brace herself from falling flat on the desk as she felt him sliding his organ into her
once more. As he entered it elicited a moan and as she did she said, "God, yes...fuck me..."

Slowly he withdrew, only to slam back home. He teased her before kicking up the pace. Eventually
he ended up grabbing her waist as his penetration became more erratic until finally he came once
more inside her, surprising her with the feel of more of his cum beating at the entrance to her
unguarded inner depths.

Finished he slipped from her once more leaving her feel oddly empty as she continued to lean
against the desk. He began to redress himself, and she had yet to move. He saw she hadn't yet quite
come down from the height he had pushed her so he slipped her panties back into place over her
used orifice. He reached for her skirt and started to shimmy it down, bringing her back to her
senses she pulled the skirt back in place.

When she was squared away he spoke, "I think I should go see my mother, I did come here for
that."

She stood tall, not like the hussy who shagged a complete stranger in some random doctor's office
she felt like, and directed him, "This way, Mr Stark. They should be ready to see you now." she
followed Mr Stark into the corridor, closing the door behind her.

She just prayed she wasn't fertile.

Chapter End Notes

So... Ovulating or not? This sexual display was not apart of the original plan so I have
no direction here. As I said, plot bunnies.
And what about Maria being mistaken for Tony's wife, ouch.
 Happy Birthday, Miss Potts.
Chapter Notes

Does Mrs Howard Stark approve of her son's smoking hot PA?

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Saturday, September 12th 1992

Tony and the woman left the doctor's office and headed down the corridor, a short way down the
corridor a matronly looking woman dressed similarly to the woman he had so unceremoniously
fucked came upon them, "Where have you been?" Or more accurately the nurse he had secreted to
himself. "You have been gone for over an hour. We have patients, young lady, that need your
attention."

The young nurse beside him squirmed under the matron's fury. He spoke up as the matron seemed
to be gearing up for another tirade, "I'm sorry, Tony Stark." He reached out his hand to the woman,
who accepted it as a matter of due course, "It's my fault that your nurse has been, neglecting her
duties. I'm here to see my mother, and I was a right wreak. She helped me, pull myself together."

The matron seemed to have had all the wind pulled from her sails, "Well... Her duties do include
aiding the families as well as the patients." She turned to the woman, "Return to you station, I'll
take this from here."

"Actually... we were kind of in the middle of a conversation. She was taking me to see my mother
and... we just, started talking. As it were."

The matron didn't seem to pleased by that, this was her ward not his, "Very well." Turning to the
young nurse she amended her orders, "Show this young man to his mother's room, I expect you to
have finished this conversation by then. Understood."

"Yes, ma'am." she replied as her matron turned on her heel and left the pair.

When the matron was out of ear shot Tony spoke, "I feel I should apologies..."

"Apologies? For what? For fucking me? For making me question why I had been saving myself for
marriage?"

"Wh... You were saving yourself for marriage? I'm so sorry that I ruined you."

"I'm not." He looked at her, "I ah... Mid-week I caught my fiancé in bed with my sister..." Tony
winced in sympathy, "... and my Maid of Honour."

"Well as someone who has... tested the merchandise... That was a colossal mistake on his part, you
are easily worth five average sluts." He could tell he had said something wrong, "And given how
they were willing to fuck him together they easily equal four sluts." Still no improvement, "What's
your name? I just realised, I don't know it. It should be a crime to not know. I feel like a criminal, I
mean..." he stopped speaking as a male nurse came close to ear shot.

Once they were out of the male nurse's earshot Tony turned to the nurse only for her to speak, " It's
Alice, Alice Freedman."

"Any relation to a Grace Freedman, worked here... twenty-two years ago."

"She's my mother! You were born here?" She just noticed where they were, "This is your mother's
room." She didn't waited to see how he knew her mother, she was in enough trouble for Mr Stark
fucking her on the clock without the matron knowing. She didn't want to add lolly-gagging to her
offences.

Wednesday, February 11th 2009

Time had past and Tony Stark loved having his mother and little sister back on this side of the
pond.

Add to that, his mother seemed to approve of Miss Potts. Not that he needed it, he was a grown
man after all, but it was always good to have.

This day mother and son were in Las Vegas. His sister was back east with her companion, she was
still only seventeen and not an adult in any of the fifty states.

Maria sat next to an empty chair where her son was meant to be. She sighed, somethings never
changed. Looking up to the stage and screen a video was shown as the words accompanying them
emerged from speaker around the large event hall, "Tony Stark. Visionary. Genius. American
patriot. Even from an early age, the son of legendary weapons developer Howard Stark quickly
stole the spotlight with his brilliant and unique mind. At age four, he built his first circuit board."
Maria remembered that day well, she had been so proud, "At age six, his first engine." Maria
remembered being surprise by her son, he had done some extraordinary things but had never
thought that would happen, "And at 17, he graduated summa cum laude from MIT." Another great
milestone, she remembered his graduation clearly, "Then, the passing of a titan." Maria's smile feel,
she knew what was next, "Howard Stark's lifelong friend and ally, Obadiah Stane, steps in to help
fill the gap left by the legendary founder, until, at age 21, the prodigal son returns and is anointed
the new CEO of Stark Industries." Her hand found its way to her abdomen where of her children
had once resided, Tony had wanted to stay with her but she hadn't allowed it, "With the keys to the
kingdom, Tony ushers in a new era for his father's legacy, creating smarter weapons, advanced
robotics, satellite targeting. Today, Tony Stark has changed the face of the weapons industry by
ensuring freedom and protecting America and her interests around the globe."

Tony's long time friend approached the dais, resplendent in his uniform, "As liaison to Stark
Industries, I've had the unique privilege of serving with a real patriot. He is my friend and he is my
great mentor. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honour to present this year's Apogee Award to Mr.
Tony Stark." James looked around, "Tony?"

Maria looked to Stane across the empty seat to ask him to accept this award, only to find his seat
vacant and the man himself well on his way to the stage. Maria crossed her arms over her chest,
the nerve.

Stane spoke to James first, "Thank you, Colonel."

James shook the man's hand, "Thanks for the save."

Stane turned to dais and addressed the crowd while looking at the award, "This is beautiful. Thank
you. Thank you all very much. This is wonderful. Well, I'm not Tony Stark. But if I were Tony, I
would tell you how honoured I feel and what a joy it is to receive this very prestigious award.
Tony, you know...The best thing about Tony is also the worst thing. He's always working."
Maria had a bad feeling about Stane's presumptive attitude.

After the fanfare had died down, and the ceremony had come to an end, Maria and James made
their way through the tables on the casino floor.

Maria had a feeling Tony would be at one of the craps tables, James thought one of the Blackjack
tables.

Mother always know best.

The pair found Tony at one of the craps table, two beautiful women by his side. Maria approached
her son, "Sweetheart," was all she said to him before she kissed him on his cheek, she knew him
too well to have realisticly expected anything else.

James came up beside him, into the space Mrs Stark had vacated for him, he said, "You are
unbelievable."

Seeing his friend there, "Oh, no! Did they rope you into this?"

"Nobody roped me into anything!"

"I'm so sorry."

"They told me that if I presented you with an award, you'd be deeply honoured."

"Of course I'd be deeply honoured. And it's you, that's great. So, when do we do it?

"It's right here. Here you go." He tells his friend as he hands it to him.

He looked at it, "There it is." he takes the award in hand, "That was easy." He could tell he still
wasn't happy, "I'm so sorry."

"Yeah, it's okay."

Tony was still looking at the award, "Wow! Would you look at that? That's something else. I don't
have any of those floating around." He hands it off to one of the women before pushing some more
chips onto the table, "Uh, we're gonna let it ride! Give me a hand, will you?" The woman in a black
dress blew onto the dice.

Smiling at her son's antic she place half of the chips she had on the table, sliding them across the
surface, "I'll take the same bet as Tony," She pushed the chips to beside his. The rest of her chips
she held out in her hand, "And the rest I will place..." the croupier took the chips as she said with a
sly smile, "On snake eye."

Tony looked a little miffed by that last bet, turning now to his friend he asks, "Okay, you, too."

"I don't blow on a man's dice."

"Come on, honey bear."

"I don't blow on a man's dice." James brushed Tony's arm away.

Tony just opened his hand and allow the dice to roll, "There it is. Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes rolls!
And..."
The croupier announces, "Two craps. Line away."

Not disappointed by this turn of events, it wasn't his money, "That's what happens."

"Worse things have happened. I think we're gonna be fine." To the croupier he says, "Colour me
up, will ya?"

"Sir," She addressed the croupier,"I'm out as well." He passed Maria her winnings and she soon
followed her son.

She caught up with the pair as James instructed Tony, "Tomorrow, don't be late."

"Yeah, you can count on it." Maria couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"I'm serious!"

"I know, I know." Tony looked to a man dressed as Caesar, handing the Apogee award to him
saying, "Render unto Caesar, that which is Caesar's." The man looked perplexed, "There you go."
Tony just continued walking.

Maria took the award from the man, slipping him a small denomination of chips from the pile she
needed to redeem. Tony may not care about the award, but to Maria it was the adult equivalent of a
crayon scribbled drawing on the fridge.

Thursday, February 12th 2009

Maria had returned to the East Coast and her daughter in the early hours of the morning and after a
few hours of sleep she made a phone call.

When the line was answered she heard, "Hello?"

"Happy birthday, Pepper."

"Thank you, Mrs Stark."

"Pepper, I told you, call me Maria."

"Ah, Maria..."

Maria could just make out the sound of Tony's doorbell in Pepper's background. Having a feeling
about who was at the door, "Answer the door Pepper, I'll wait."

After a little while Maria could just make out the muffled, "... you go. Thank you." before Pepper
returned to the call, "I just got a package?" She sounded perplex, "Who would send me a package
her?"

"I don't know, maybe someone who knows you practically live there, I suppose."

"You sent me this?"

"Happy birthday," Maria reiterated as she heard the sounds of tearing paper.

She couldn't hear the sound of the box opening, but was able to tell by the sound of Pepper's
surprised gasp, "You shouldn't have, Maria."

"Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful." Pepper took a moment, "I'm sorry, I have to go, your son is late for his flight." She
seemed to hesitate before continuing, "He stayed up late doing a Vanity Fair piece."

"What's her name?" Maria asked the woman.

"Mrs Stark?"

"Maria, and I know my son. The day Evelyn was born he fucked the novice nurse who came to
inform him. Her name?"

"Ah... Christine. Christine Everhart."

"Oh boy!"

"What?"

"Have you dealt with her yet?"

"No. Why?"

"Be careful, if not handled right she could be a problem for Tony. Woman scorned and all that."

"Okay. Handling Miss Everhart with kid gloves. Take care."

"You too. Again, happy birthday." The pair hung up.

At that moment in the Stark Malibu Estate Christine Everhart was laying face down on buck naked
on the silk cover king size bed. The intello-glass went clear and and showed the pertinent
information. The voice of Tony's AI was the voice that roused the slumbering woman, "Good
morning. It's 7:00 a.m. The weather in Malibu is 72 degrees with scattered clouds. The surf
conditions are fair with waist-to-shoulder high lines. High tide will be at 10:52 a.m." Christine
walked around the light filled room with only a sheet from the bed to preserve her modesty.

After finding a shirt to cover her nakedness she set out "Tony?" in the living room she saw nothing
and no-one, "Hey, Tony?"

When Christine spied an unfamiliar device on the wall she tries to manipulate it, "You are not
authorised to access this area." The voice announces.

This startled the reporter, "Jesus."

A woman spoke from behind her, "That's JARVIS. He runs the house. I've got your clothes here.
They've been dry-cleaned and pressed, and there's a car waiting for you outside that will take you
anywhere you'd like to go."

"You must be the famous Pepper Potts."

"Indeed I am."

"After all these years, Tony still has you picking up the dry-cleaning." She was nothing if not
ballsy, standing there as if she hadn't just been fucking the night away with a man she had meet a
car ride before.

"I do anything and everything that Mr. Stark requires," Pepper plastered her sweetest smile onto
 her face, "Mr Stark is busy working, thank you for your assistance. Will that be all? "

"How was I any assistance?" She couldn't believe what she was hearing, she expected some snide
barely conceal dig like 'occasionally, taking out the trash'.

"Mr Stark has always found fornicating with beautiful, intelligent, accomplished woman to have a
muse like quality." Her smile remained stead fast, "Will that be all?"

Saturday, February 14th 2009

Two days later, Maria Stark got the worst phone call of her life. Her son was missing, possible
dead, in a terrorist attack on his convey.

Maria had a sickening feeling that there was more to the story, but none of her contacts could shed
any light on the truth or falsehood of her gut feeling.

Chapter End Notes

Now we move into Iron Man territory. Poor, poor Tony.

Also, any changes to the craps table scene that make it inaccurate... I know nothing
games of chance. Even my nation's only-legal-one-day-a-year game, Two up.
 Cheeseburger first!
Chapter Notes

To the end of Iron Man.

Friday, May 1st 2009

Maria got the call she had been longing to hear for three long months. The call had James Rhodes
caller id but the voice was distinctly not his. A familiar voice came across the airwaves with a
simple, "Mum!"

Maria fought the tears in her eyes, "Tony, sweetheart, are you okay?" She would not cry she kept
telling herself.

"About what could be expected. I love you mum."

She was losing the battle with herself, "Where are you sweetie?" The background noise indicated
he wasn't 'tween places.

"Ah! Back to their FOB than I'm being sent to Germany..."

"At the base there?"

It took a moment before he answered, "Yes."

"Oh sweetie, you have no idea how good it is to hear your voice right now."

"Nowhere near as good as it is to hear yours."

"Evelyn and I will meet you in Germany, ask James to make sure we're on the bases 'invite' list."

"I will."

"I love you sweetie." Maria was really about to lose it, she was overjoyed by her son's survival she
couldn't keep it in.

"See you in Germany, bye mum."

"Bye sweetie." Her son hung up. Once he had she dialled Evelyn's number. When she heard the
tell-tale click of connection she blurted out, "They found him..."

Maria and Evelyn Stark arrived at the base late that evening and were escorted to the hospital. The
pair had a little while to wait as the doctors check Tony over, Maria's stomach was tied up in knots.

When they were finally allowed to see Tony the pair rushed to embrace him, Tony was never more
glad to see his family.

While Tony talked with his sister, his mother disappeared for a few minutes to talk with his
doctors, when she returned Tony had some news he had to tell her, "Mum, I'm pulling SI out of
weapons manufacture."

"Really?" Howard would be pleased to know his son would carry on his dream of moving the
company away from the death business.

"Really. I'll call Obie and..."

"No!" Maria was so emphatic it stunned both of her children, "You can't."

"Why? We need him if we are going to do this."

Maria couldn't help but smile at her son, so naive, "Your father would be so proud of you, Tony."
Tony seemed to perk up at that, "But only if you do what he never was able to. He tried for two
decades to get SI out of weapons. Who do you advised him out of it?"

"Obie?"

"Obadiah Stane is a snake oil merchant, a useful trait to have when dealing with competitors. But in
his mind, weapons are were the money is at."

"Sounds like we need an end run?" Evelyn half asked, half suggested.

"Are you sure, mum?"

"Positive!"

Sunday, May 3rd 2009

Two days later Happy Hogan and Pepper Potts were waiting as the loading ramp of the cargo plane
descended. Maria and Evelyn came up beside Tony and Maria helped him to stand up from the
chair, it took a moment Tony obviously didn't feel he needed the help. But when he moved off of
the plane he had an arm around both of the women.

He wasn't any-more pleased with the presence of a stretcher waiting to take him, "Are you kidding
me with this? Get rid of them." Tony walked towards Pepper on his mother's arm, Tony observes,
"Your eyes are red. A few tears for your long-lost boss?"

Indeed her eyes were red, "Tears of joy. I hate job hunting."

"Yeah, vacation's over." Tony declared and lead the group towards their waiting car. Once there
Tony, Pepper and Evelyn climb into the back while Maria hopped into the passenger seat.

"Where to, sir?" Happy asked his boss.

Pepper ordered the man to, "Take us to the hospital, please, Happy."

Only for Tony to countermand that order, "No."

"No?" Pepper asked in disbelief, "Tony, you have to go to the hospital."

"No is a complete answer." Tony firmly told her.

"The doctor has to look at you." Pepper turned for support from his mother, "Mrs St..."

"I don't have to do anything." Tony interrupted, "I've been in captivity for three months. There are
two things I want to do. First off, I want an American cheeseburger, and the other..."

"That's enough of that."

"...is not what you think. I want you to call for a press conference now."

"Call for a press conference?"

"He's serious, Pepper." Maria informed the flustered PA

As his mother spoke, Tony confirmed it himself with a simple, "Yeah."

"What on earth for?"

Tony turned to his driver, "Hogan, drive. Cheeseburger first."

After the stop at the fast food outlet for Tony's cheeseburger Happy Hogan drove the group to
Stark Industries HQ, where Obadiah was waiting. Press and employee behind him, he smiled at the
man before him, "Look at this! Tony. We were going to meet at the hospital."

Just what Tony didn't need, previously unseen footage of him in a hospital, "No, I'm fine."

"Look at you! You had to have a burger, yeah?"

"Well, come on."

"You get me one of those?"

"There's only one left. I need it." The headed inside to face the media circus.

"Hey, look who's here!" Stane declared, "Yeah!"

Maria and Evelyn stayed up back with Pepper. The were soon approached by a man in a suit, "Miss
Potts?"

"Yes?"

"Can I speak to you for a moment?"

"I'm not part of the press conference, but it's about to begin right now." Pepper didn't pay him
much attention, but Maria did.

"He's not a reporter." Maria informed her.

"I'm not a reporter. I'm Agent Phil Coulson, with the ..."

Maria said the words at the same time as the man, "...Strategic Homeland Intervention,
Enforcement and Logistics Division."

"That's quite a mouthful."

"I know. We're working on it."

"You know, we've been approached already by the DoD, the FBI, the CIA..."
"They're separate. They have their own circus."

"We're a separate division with a more specific focus. We need to debrief Mr. Stark about the
circumstances of his escape."

"I'll put something in the book, shall I?" It didn't go unnoticed by Pepper that Maria snorted at that,
she understood all too well.

Agent Coulson seemed oblivious, simply said, "Thank you." Before leaving.

Stane was standing behind the dais, "Well, let's get this started, uh..."

Tony on the other hand started to sit down in front of it to enjoy her cheeseburger while he said,
"Hey, would it be all right if everyone sat down?" They all seemed confused by this, "Why don't
you just sit down? That way you can see me, and I can... A little less formal and..." While they all
do that Tony takes a bite of his cheeseburger.

"What's up with the love-in?"

"Don't look at me. I don't know what he's up to." Maria and Evelyn who were the only ones in on it
chose to remain silent.

Stane accepted that he wasn't in charge of this show sat down beside Tony, "Good to see you."
Tony said to the man.

Unsure what was going on Stane simply replied, "Good to see you."

Tony began his to address them all, "I never got to say goodbye to Dad. I never got to say goodbye
to my father. There's questions that I would have asked him. I would have asked him how he felt
about what this company did. If he was conflicted, if he ever had doubts. Or maybe he was every
inch the man we all remember from the newsreels. I saw young Americans killed by the very
weapons I created to defend and protect them. And I saw that I had become part of a system that is
comfortable with zero accountability."

"Mr. Stark!" one of the reporters raised his voice to call attention to himself.

Tony recognised him, "Hey, Ben."

"What happened over there?"

"I had my eyes opened." standing he moves to the dais, "I came to realise that I have more to offer
this world than just making things that blow up. And that is why, effective immediately, I am
shutting down the weapons manufacturing division of Stark International," this shocks all but the
Starks "until such a time as I can decide what the future of the company will be. What direction it
should take, one that I'm comfortable with and is consistent with the highest good for this country,
as well." Tony leaves the room, steps behind his mother and sister who embraced him once out of
sight of the buzzing mosquitoes.

Stane tried to get a handle on the blow back, "What we should take away from this is that Tony's
back! And he's healthier than ever. We're going to have a little internal discussion and we'll get
back to you with the follow-up.

Monday, May 4th 2009

The next day Maria and Evelyn were back on the East Coast. Evelyn was at school while Maria
was watching the chaos her son's announcement created.

On at the moment was some loud mouth financial wiz, "Stark Industries! I've got one
recommendation! Ready? Ready?" He picks up a baseball bat while advising people to, "Sell, sell,
sell! Abandon ship! Does the Hindenburg ring any bells? Let me show you the new Stark
Industries business plan!" He swings the bat smashing a Stark Industries mug, "Look, that's a
weapons company that doesn't make weapons!"

Fortunately her financial advisor found nothing wrong with using inside information to make
purchases on down-turned stock, so long as they weren't a short term purchase.

Worse came to worst, the Stark family would be in a much better position to privatise the
company.

A sinking feeling settled in, what if Stane was doing the same thing. If he thought they weren't
doing it, he might think he could force Tony out. He already had enough clout with the board as it
was.

Tuesday, November 24th 2009

After going with Agent Coulson to his agency's office to brief them on what she had found the
agents were now moving to arrest Obadiah Stane.

Pepper, along with Agent Coulson and four of his agents, were walking together in an underground
parking structure. After another unanswered call to Tony Pepper called James, "What do you mean,
he paid to have Tony killed? Pepper, slow down. Why would Obadiah... Okay, where's Tony
now?"

"I don't know. He's not answering his phone. Please go over there and make sure everything's
okay." Pepper paused to hear his response, "Thank you, Rhodey." Hanging up the call she informs
the agents, "I know a shortcut."

Pepper waited till she was in the car before making this next call, the hardest call she had ever had
to make to the woman. The phone rang out and went to voice mail, "Maria, it's Pepper. Call me
when you get this. It's Stane. It wasn't a kidnapping at all." She couldn't bring herself to say more
on the phone, she just hung up.

Wednesday, November 25th 2009

Maria and Evelyn were up and about the next morning getting themselves ready for the day. Once
Evelyn was off to her classes Maria checked the voice mail that she had noticed earlier.

Through the tiny speaker pressed to her ear Maria heard Pepper's voice as her words chilled her to
the bone, "Maria, it's Pepper. Call me when you get this. It's Stane. It wasn't a kidnapping at all."

Not a kidnapping! Maria couldn't believe it and that Stane had something to do with it. She had
underestimated him, his thirst and power-lust. If he didn't orchestrate a kidnapping than the only
other options was...

Maria started to dial Pepper's number but thought better of it. Beside, she would feel better hearing
for herself that her son was okay. She dialled Tony's number instead, "Mum!" that word never
sounded so good before now.

"Tony, are you okay?" She thought for a second before adding, "Don't lie to me."
"As good as can be expected." he told her. Tony's voice dropped, he obviously wasn't alone, he
added, "I could use a hug."

No matter how old a child got, there was nothing that helped more than a mother's hug, "Oh Tony,
sweetheart."

"Hey are you by any chance watching the news?"

"Not yet," she groaned internally, anything that could have happened last night following that
message that makes the news can't be good.

Maria turned on the TV. She saw James at the dais speaking, "You've all received the official
statement of what occurred at Stark Industries last night. There have been unconfirmed reports that
a robotic prototype malfunctioned and caused damage to the arc reactor. Fortunately, a member of
Tony Stark's personal security staff..."

What happened... "What happened, Tony?"

"I'll tell you when you get here."

"You're expecting me to fly out there?"

"Of course I am, you know why?"

"Why?"

"Because good mothers wont settle for phone call platitudes, they have to see it for themselves..."
Maria knew he was right, she wouldn't settle the feeling in her gut until she held he baby boy in her
arms and saw for herself that her was fine, "... and you, are a great mother. I have to run mum, so to
speak. I love you."

"I love you too, sweetheart." The call was ended and she continued to watch the news.

James continued his piece before, "And now, Mr. Stark has prepared a statement. He will not be
taking any questions."

"Thank you. Been a while since I was in front of you. I figure I'll stick to the cards this time.
There's been speculation that I was involved in the events that occurred on the freeway and the
rooftop..."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Stark, but do you honestly expect us to believe that that was a bodyguard in a suit
that conveniently appeared, despite the fact that you..."

"I know that it's confusing. It is one thing to question the official story, and another thing entirely
to make wild accusations, or insinuate that I'm a superhero."

Maria couldn't believe this whoever was the idiot who thought that this was a good idea, she
phoned Pepper. "I never said you were a superhero."

"Didn't? Well, good, because that would be outlandish and fantastic. I'm just not the hero type.
Clearly. With this laundry list of character defects, all the mistakes I've made, largely public."

"Maria?" Pepper knew she would be watching this on TV, why was she calling her.

"Get. Him. Off. The. Stage. NOW."

"Of course, Maria." Her tone suggested she had already began moving.

But she would be too late, "Yeah, okay. Yeah. The truth is... I am Iron Man."

Maria felt sick, for such a bright boy. He could be sooooo thick sometimes.
 Shoot to Thrill
Chapter Notes

There is a bit that I couldn't be bothered fleshing out, I just placed it in for the lead up
to an idea I had early on when I first started to write this fic.

Friday, May 7th 2010

In the months since Tony had outed himself on live television, Maria had had trouble sleeping.

Tony seemed to have everything under control, he had even beaten Ben Bernanke to being Time
magazine's Person of the Year for 2009.

It was on this night that Maria was waiting backstage to the opening of the 2010 Stark Expo, the
year long event hadn't been held for thirty-six years. Another thing Howard would be proud of
their son for achieving.

Maria knew that Pepper would probably think this a needless extravagance, a gigantic waste of
time. Or worse, Tony's ego gone crazy.

It was attitudes like that that had forced her husband to end it, much to his chagrin.

Tony landed on the stage to roaring applause, cheering and the chanting of his name. "It’s good to
be back. You missed me?" he addressed the crowd.

"Blow something up!" Some guy from the audience called out across them as Tony said...

"I missed you too." Facing the general direction the man had called from he replied, "Blow
something up? I already did that." The crowd was eating this all up, "I’m not saying that the world
is enjoying its longest period of uninterrupted peace in years because of me. I’m not saying that
from the ashes of captivity, never has a greater phoenix metaphor been personified in human
history. I’m not saying that Uncle Sam can kick back on a lawn chair, sipping on an iced tea
because I haven’t come across anyone who’s man enough to go toe-to-toe with me on my best
day."

From the crowd a woman called out to Tony, "I love you Tony!"

Tony continued, "Please, it’s not about me." People still cheering, enthralled by Tony himself, "It’s
not about you. It’s not even about us. It’s about legacy." An interesting way of phrasing it, "It’s
about what we choose to leave behind for future generations. And that’s why for the next year and
for the first time since 1974, the best and brightest men and women of nations and corporations the
world over will pool their resources, share their collective vision, to leave behind a brighter future.
It’s not about us. Therefore, what I’m saying, if I’m saying anything, is welcome back to the Stark
Expo." An uproar of support erupted from the crowd, "And now, making a special guest
appearance from the great beyond to tell you what it’s all about, please welcome my father,
Howard."

On the screen behind where he had been standing an old recording of Howard was being played,
tears welled in her eyes. On screen Howard addresses the crowd, "Everything is achievable
through technology. Better living, robust health, and for the first time in human history, the
possibility of world peace. So, from all of us here at Stark Industries, I would like to personally
introduce you to the City of the Future. Technology holds infinite possibilities for mankind, and
will one day rid society of all its ills. Soon technology will affect the way you live your life every
day. No more tedious work, leaving more time for leisure activities and enjoying the sweet life.
The Stark Expo. Welcome."

Tony came off-stage into the wing where his mother was waiting. Arms wide he asked, "What do
you think?" He took a good look at her, "Wait, are you crying?"

Smiling at her son, "No. I just have something in my eye." She embraced her son before kissing
him on his cheek, "Your father would have been very proud of you for restarting the expo, as am
I."

"Thanks mum." His eyes gleamed with pride at her comments, "Where's Evelyn?"

"Front and centre," She pointed out into the crowd where her daughter could be seen amongst the
crowd, "where else would she be on her big brother's big day?"

"O-kay. I need, to go... Are you two all right if I leave?"

"Yes, Pepper set us up. We'll be fine," when he hesitated, "Go."

"Alright. You're all good." He started to head off in the direction of the bathrooms.

He still hesitated, "Go!" Taking his mother's order he leaves after giving her another kiss.

Monday, May 17th 2010

Maria and Evelyn were seated finishing up their breakfast when her phone rang, she hated when
people talked on phones at the table so she let it go to voice mail.

Once the pair were finished Maria checked the message she had received, an art dealer with whom
she was well acquainted telling her of a large consignment from the Boy Scouts of America. Given
that she herself was a long term client of his he was making the offer to buy to her before placing
the items on display.

She rang him up right away, art was always a good investment, "Simon," she began when she
heard him answer, "Maria Stark, I understand you may have something that would interest me?"

Simon set aside a time for her to come down Maria and Evelyn went to inspect the wears. When
she was there she found a worrying trend amongst the crates, "How much do the Scouts want for
all of these?" He gave her the figure, a gross underestimation on their part. The trend was so
troubling it had her, "If they're happy to sell them for that much, I'll buy the lot, plus your
commission in top of that."

Simon excused himself, he knew sold separately they would sell for far more than the Scouts
thought they would. But they may just want them gone and in that case there were only a few
clients in his rollerdex that could buy so much art at once.

While Simon was calling them to confer, and Evelyn looking carefully at some of the art, Maria
made a phone call. "Hello?" the person on the other end of the line spoke.

"Pepper, how's Tony?"

"Infuriating to say the least, did you hear, he donated out entire modern art collection to..."

"...the Boy Scouts of America. I heard. Has anything happened to him of late? A close shave on a
mission?"

"No, nothing that I'm aware. His armour has being coming back scuffed but basicly undamaged.
Why?"

"It's probably nothing, but could you call me right away if you notice anything, else?" Maria barely
heard the woman's automatic reply before she, she had an ill feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Later that day Maria received another call, from one of her husband old contacts. These contacts
were still working, so long as they were paid. Leaving Evelyn in the care of an old friend, much to
the girls chagrin, Maria followed up on his lead.

Sunday, May 30th 2010

People were still talking about the shocking turn of events during the Grand Prix de Monaco
Historique when Maria returned.

Tony and Fury were sitting on the detritus of the battle last night, "That thing in your chest is based
on unfinished technology." Fury informed the man.

"No, it was finished. It has never been particularly effective until I miniaturised it and put it in
my..."

"No. Howard said the arc reactor was the stepping stone to something greater. He was about to
kick off an energy race that was gonna dwarf the arms race. He was on to something big,
something so big that it was gonna make the nuclear reactor look like a triple-A battery."

"Just him, or Anton Vanko in on this too?"

"Anton Vanko is the other side of that coin. Anton saw it as a way to get rich. When your father
found out, he had him deported. When the Russians found out he couldn’t deliver they shipped his
ass off to Siberia and he spent the next 20 years in a vodka-fuelled rage. Not quite the environment
you want to raise a kid in, the son you had the misfortune of crossing paths with in Monaco."

"You told me I hadn’t tried everything. What do you mean I haven’t tried everything? What
haven’t I tried?"

"He said that you were the only person with the means and knowledge to finish what he started."

"He said that?"

"Are you that guy? Are you? ‘Cause if you are, then you can solve the riddle of your heart."

"I don’t know where you get your information, but he wasn’t my biggest fan."

"What do you remember about your dad?"

"He was cold, he was calculating. He never told me he loved me. He never even told me he liked
me, so it’s a little tough for me to digest when you’re telling me he said the whole future was
riding on me and he’s passing it down. I don’t get that. You’re talking about a guy who’s happiest
day was when he shipped me off to boarding school."

"That’s not true."

"Well, then, clearly you knew my dad better than I did."

"As a matter of fact, I did. He was one of the founding members of SHIELD."

"What?"

"I got a two o’clock"

"Wait, wait, wait, wait. What’s this?"

"Okay, you’re good, right?"

"No, I’m not good."

"You got this? Right? Right?"

"Got what? I don’t even know what I’m supposed to get."

"Natasha will remain a floater at Stark with her cover intact. You remember Agent Coulson,
right?"

"Yeah."

"And Tony, remember, I got my eye on you."

"We’ve disabled all communications. No contact with the outside world. Good luck."

Tony turned to address Coulson, "Please. First thing, I need a little bodywork. I’ll put in a little time
at the lab. If we could send one of your goon squad down to The Coffee Bean, Cross Creek, for a
Starbucks run, or something like that, that’d be nice."

"I’m not here for that. I’ve been authorised by Director Fury to use any means necessary to keep
you on premises. If you attempt to leave or play any games, I will tase you and watch Super-nanny
while you drool into the carpet. Okay?"

"I think I got it, yeah."

Tony just noticed the person making her way towards his house as Agent Coulson told him, "Enjoy
your evening’s entertainment."

"I'll take the taser." He told the man before he could leave.

"Excuse me?" Agent Coulson wasn't sure he had heard the man right.

Tony seemed agitated, "Tase me, quick."

But Agent Coulson could do nothing but gape at the man's insistence as the woman in question
drew nearer, several of his agents seeming to nurse some injury or another, "Anthony Edward
Stark!"

"Ah... Too late." He said softly, more to himself than the agent, "Hi mum."
Agent Coulson was caught by surprise by this revelation, "Don't you 'Hi mum' me, what were you
thinking?" Agent Coulson almost felt sorry for the man, "When were you going to tell us? Were
you going to tell us, or were you going to do it by some tape left behind? Like your father!" She
turned to address the man by her son's side, "This is where you leave... Agent!" the tone of her
voice on that final word made it clear how unwelcome he was.

"Wait, Agent." Tony told the man, he didn't know what to do, "Tape what tape? Who for?"

"For you, S.H.I.E.L.D. stole it along with many of your father's things after his death. And then
blackmailed the judge when I sort a court order compelling S.H.I.E.L.D. to return them."

"Leave, Agent. Before I show you what the term fury really means." Maria didn't wait to see if the
man suited actions to words as she grabbed her son by the arm and dragged him away from
everyone, "What's going on?" She hissed at the man as she let him go, "When you donated your art
collection, I thought you were planning a mission so dangerous it could almost be called suicidal.
But Pepper couldn't find anything to support that theory."

He was rubbing his arm, much like his father, "Remind me never to piss you off" he didn't mean to
say it aloud, "What?" his mother's reaction to a few simple words startled him.

"Your father used to say the same thing, every time he did or said something that, well..."

"You have one mean grip. I bet dad said the same thing."

"More or less." She sighed before getting back onto topic, "What's going on, Tony?"

"I'm dying."

"I, kind of figured that by your behaviour. H... How?" Her voice nearly broke at that question. He
didn't know what to say, settled for simply showing her. He unbuttoned his shirt and exposed the
arc reactor there in. Her hand traced its hard edges, "Is that? You should have told me, as soon as
you got back. We could have fixed this."

"I've been trying, mum. I've tried everything!"

"Not everything." She said it with such assurity that he felt hope for the first time in a long time.
She led him across the room, stopping at the crate the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents had brought, "What's
this?"

"Something S.H.I.E.L.D. brought over." She crouched down to look at the items, "Why?"

She lifted up a canister for film reel, "These were the items they stole from us." She sifted through
them until she found a canister like the others, "We'll watch this later, now we need to find the 3D
model of Stark Expo your father had made."

"Why?"

She found a pamphlet of the last Stark Expo in the crate, opened it to the map before handing it off
to her son, "It holds your future." He looked at the pamphlet as his mother pulled out her phone,
something in the back of his head was trying to point out something to him when his mother
returned, "Pepper said that the model was at Stark Industries. Shall we?"

Monday, May 31st 2010

By the end of the next day everything was right in Maria Stark's world. Her son was safe with the
creation of Howard's element. Justin Hammer would be in prison for a long time.

When they were back in Los Angeles Tony joined his mother and sister at her mansion. The sat
together in Howard's old movie picture viewing room, the studio still ran but was no longer the
plaything of a bored self-made millionaire.

When the reel was set Maria had the projector begin running and joined her children to watch.

On the screen Howard was speaking, "Everything is achievable through technology. Better living,
robust heath, and for the first time in human history, the possibility of world peace. I’m Howard
Stark, and everything you’ll need for the future can be found right here. City of the Future? City of
Tomorrow? City of... I’m Howard Stark and everything you’ll need in the future can be found right
here. So, from all of us at Stark Industries, I would like to personally..." In the background little
Tony could be seen playing with the model, "Tony, what are you doing back there? What is that?"
little Tony picks up a building from the model, "Put that back. Put it back where you got it from.
Where’s your mother? Maria? Go on. Go, go, go, go." A man led little Tony out of the room.

The cameraman addressed Howard, "All right, I think we got..."

"I’ll… I’ll… I’ll come in and..."

"Are you waiting on me?" The man asked Howard as he drinks a glass of whisky.

"So, from all of us at Stark Industries, I’d like to personally show you my ass."

His family were laughing at his comment, "You have no idea how much film your father had to go
through to get a usable piece for the Expo." Howard continued on in the background, looking at
their daughter, "Oh... he would have loved to have met you Evelyn."

"Really?"

"Of course. He may not have been the best at showing his emotions, but he would have loved
you." Just then she noticed where they were up to in the footage, "Shhh... Here's the bit."

Howard had a pensive quality to him now, not the persona he had worn for the advertising footage,
"Tony. You’re too young to understand this right now, so I thought I would put it on film for you. I
built this for you. And someday you’ll realise that it represents a whole lot more than just people’s
inventions. It represents my life’s work. This is the key to the future. I’m limited by the technology
of my time, but one day you’ll figure this out. And when you do, you will change the world. What
is and always will be my greatest creation is you."

Maria looked at her children, Evelyn had tears in her eyes that like her mother she refused to shed.
Tony looked like he’s about to cry as well and as the film ended Maria wrapped her arms around
her children.
 Highway To Hell
Chapter Notes

A little extra from Iron Man 2. A little piece.

Monday, May 31st 2010

After the film had finished Maria wiped her eyes before turning off the projector. She turned to
face her two children and as she faced them she spoke, "There is something I need to tell you both.
It's the reason I keep disappearing on you Evelyn.

"During the war, your father worked with some pretty amazing people..."

"Like Captain America?" Evelyn asked, her mother had told her some of Howard's stories about
the man.

"Yes... When Doctor Erskine was killed, that left Project Rebirth in limbo. After his experiences in
Germany, who could fault him for being overly cautious. So, the scientists took what they could
from Captain Rogers, blood, urine... seaman."

"Why do I suddenly have a bad feeling about where this is going?" Tony asked.

She smiled sadly at her son, "After the war and Captain Roger's death, the army began a new
project, Project Birth, the creation of a super soldier from the ground up." Maria could see this
made her children uneasy, "They chose someone very dear to Captain Rogers, a woman who had
fought alongside him, Peggy Carter. An SSR Agent, and the woman who single-handedly rescued
Dr Erskine.

"She refused their approach. Soon after things began to happen to her closest friends, until finally
they captured her. The forced her to give them their next super-soldier," Maria could tell from the
look of horror on her children's faces that they knew exactly what had happened to her, "After that
the project was deemed unfeasible and the project was put on ice and forgotten."

"Except for you and dad?"

"In a manner of speaking... Your father didn't know what had become of her, he could confirm
neither her capture nor her escape."

"So you've been looking for a woman who may or may not have lived out her life under another
name?" Tony asked.

"No, we have not. A short time after the project was shelved one of the scientists needed a lot of
cash in a hurry, and he knew where a perfectly good, unused and untrained super-soldier could be
obtained. He had heard that an American scientist, captured during the war by the Japanese was
seeking to acquire the genetic material pertaining to Project Rebirth..."

"So he sold the baby?" Evelyn's fury was a clear as the nose on her face, "I didn't think I could
think lower of him."
"She 'raised' the child, so to speak, until she saw a photo of her biological mother in the compass of
Captain America on an old news reel.

"The child was smart enough, because of the serum, to understand that her mother was an
unwilling participant in her birth, and now she had a clue to follow. Find Captain America's allies.

"She escaped Dr Cantrell's clutches and made her way right to your father's doorstep, where he
learned what had happened to his dear friend.

"They needed a name for the child so they fell back on an old spy trick, search the obits. They
found a family had died with a newborn that would have been the approximate age of the child,
Wayne, Agnes and Maria Carbonell."

"Wait... so your the child." Evelyn asked in complete shock.

"Yes." Evelyn launched herself into her mother's arms, hoping to comfort her, and to gain comfort
herself.

"We'll help, how ever we can mum. Wont we Tony?"

Before her son could speak, "No you will not." Evelyn looked at her mother like she had grown a
second head, "I can look into it with out drawing any attention, you on the other hand. What you
can do is live your lives, make them believe we know nothing about this.

"It's getting late, we should all turn in." Maria told her two children.

Evelyn looked like she was about to argue before turning to her mother, "'night mum." Before
kissing her on her cheek.

"Night sweetheart" before returning the kiss.

When Evelyn had left Tony asked something that was bugging him about his maternal biological
grandfather, "Captain Rogers had enhance healing, because of the serum..."

"He did." He looked like he was about to say something, "If... if you hadn't inherited it from us,
you would have died from palladium poisoning before you could have escaped."

Wednesday, June 2nd 2010

Tony was in Washington with Rhodey for their medal presentation, his mother and sister watching
in the audience. Senator Stern was addressing the crowd, "It is my honour to be here today to
present these distinguished awards to Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes and Mr Tony Stark, who
is, of course, a national treasure." Stern turns and proceeds to pin the Meritorious Service Medal
onto Rhodey's uniform, "Thank you Lieutenant Colonel, for such and exceptionally distinguished
performance. You deserve this."

"Thank you sir."

Stern turns to Tony, "Mr Stark. Thank you for such as exceptionally distinguished performance.
You deserve this." As he moves to pin the Distinguished Service Medal onto Tony's suit jacket
'accidentally' stabbing it into his chest causing him to wince in pain, "Oh, sorry. Funny how
annoying a little prick can be, isn’t it?"

"I honestly wouldn't know. I'll ask your wife. Let’s get a photo."
As much as Stern hated the man, he couldn't very well make a fuss over it right now. He stood
side-by-side with the two men as the audience gave them an applause.
 It's a Long Way to the Top
Chapter Notes

Skipping Captain America and the Hulk films 'cause there's nothing for the Stark
family there.
Brief chapter here. Had some spare time, needed a distraction.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Wednesday, May 2nd 2012

Tony Stark was underwater, cutting a pipeline with a laser cutter built in to his Iron Man suit. Once
he has access to the cables inside he places a device inside and it lights up.

His work done, he flies out of the water and through the Manhattan cityscape towards Stark Tower,
"You're good on this end. The rest is up to you." The man informs his girlfriend/CEO.

Over the connection he hears her ask, "You disconnected the transition lines? Are we off the grid?"

"Stark Tower is about to become a beacon of self-sustaining clean energy."

"Wow. So maybe our reactor takes over, and it actually works?"

"I assume. Light her up." The man himself is flying toward Stark Tower Building as the power is
switched on lighting up the Stark sign.

"How does it look?"

"Like Christmas, but with more... me."

"Gotta go wider on the public awareness campaign. You need to do some press. I'm in DC
tomorrow. I'm working on the zoning for the next three buildings.

"Pepper, you're killing me. Remember the moment? Enjoy the moment."

"Then get in here and I will." The sultry tone to her voice enticing, Tony arrives at Stark Tower's
penthouse. Walking away from where he had landed the machinery within the 'path' began the
process of taking off the suit.

As he was about to enter the suite J.A.R.V.I.S. piped up in that moment, "Sir, Agent Coulson of
SHIELD is on the line."

Tony groaned internally, "I'm not in. I'm actually out."

"Sir, I'm afraid he's insisting."

"Grow a spine, Jarvis." He told the A.I. as he made his way to his CEO-slash-girlfriend, "I got a
date."

He was not surprised to see her monitoring the projected screens. "Levels are holding steady... I
think."
"Of course they are, I was directly involved. Which brings me to my next question: how does it
feel to be a genius?" He stood before her.

"Well, ha, I really wouldn't know now, would I?"

"What do you mean? All this came from you."

"No. All this came from that." She tapped his chest where the

"Give yourself some credit, please. Stark Tower is your baby. Give yourself... twelve percent of the
credit."

"Twelve percent?"

"An argument can be made for fifteen."

"Twelve percent?" She sounded incredulous at that, "For my baby?"

"Well, I did do all the heavy lifting. Literally, I lifted the heavy things. And sorry, but the security
snafu? That was on you." Pepper said nothing, but that didn't mean she couldn't make her
displeasure know. "My private elevator..."

"You mean our elevator?"

"Was steaming with sweaty workmen. I'm going to pay for that comment about percentages in
some subtle way later, aren't I?"

Pepper pours them each a glass of champagne, before handing one to Tony. "Not gonna be that
subtle."

"I'll tell you what. Next building's gonna say 'Potts' on the tower."

"On the lease."

"Call your mum, can you bunk over?"

Just then his A.I. interrupted them, "Sir, the telephone. I'm afraid my protocols are being
overwritten."

With the phones protocols overridden, the man's face appeared on the screen as his voice emitted
from it, "Stark, we need to talk."

Tony picks up his phone and looks at the digital screen bearing Coulson's face. Deadpan the man
answers, "You have reached the life model decoy of Tony Stark, please leave a message."

"This is urgent."

"Then leave it urgently." Tony told the man as the elevator door opens to reveal Coulson, "Security
breach." Turning towards Pepper, "That's on you."

"Mr. Stark!" Agent Coulson said in lieu of a greeting.

"Phil! Come in." Pepper greeted the man.

Tony asked, "Phil? Uh, his first name is Agent."

"Come on in, we're celebrating." Pepper invited the agent.

"I can't stay." Coulson answered as Tony's, "Which is why he can't stay."

"We need you to look this over." Coulson tells the man as he holds out a 'file' towards him, "Soon
as possible."

Still suffering from germaphobia from his palladium poisoning he reticently tells the man, "I don't
like being handed things."

"That's alright, 'cause I love to be handed things." She passed the glass in her hand to Coulson as
she told the man, "So, let's trade." she accepted the 'file' from him. She then took Tony's glass
before passing the 'file ' to Tony as she spoke, "Thank you."

'File' in hand Tony addressed the man, "Official consulting hours are between eight and five every
other Thursday.

"This isn't a consultation."

"Is this about The Avengers?" A look crossed the man's face that had Pepper adding, "Which I...I
know nothing about."

"The Avengers Initiative was scrapped, I thought." He informed Pepper, "And I didn't even
qualify." Tony sounded put out by this detail.

Honestly Pepper replied, "I didn't know that either."

"Yeah, apparently I'm volatile, self-obsessed, don't play well with others."

"That I did know." She told them, hoping the levity of her tone would lift the mood.

"This isn't about personality profiles any-more."

"Whatever. Miss Potts, got a minute?" Pepper joins Tony, who has placed the 'file' into his
database.

In a whisper, so the agent can't hear, "You know, I thought we were having a moment."

"I was having twelve percent of a moment." Pepper shot back. Looking back at the agent she
continues, "This seems serious, Phil's pretty shaken."

"How did you notice? Why is he Phil?"

Curious, Pepper asked, "What is all of this?"

"This is, uh..." Tony expands the holographic 'screens' to display the information before them,
"This." In front of the pair was footage of Captain America in action during the war, the Hulk
roaring and the army at Culver University, Thor and the Destroyer in New Mexico, Loki and the
Tesseract.

"I'm going to take the jet to DC tonight."

"Tomorrow."

"You've got homework. You've got a lot of homework."

"Well, what if I didn't?"

"If you didn't?"

"Yeah."

"You mean if you finished?" Tony nods his confirmation, "Well, um...then." She leans in to
whisper something in his ear. "Call your mother, you know how she worries."

Tony fakes a gasp, like she had said something scandalous, making Agent Coulson look away in
embarrassment. "Square deal. Fly safe." Pepper kisses him before turning to Agent Coulson, Tony
grabs the holographic Tesseract, concern etched into his face.

Once the lift doors closed he asked, "J.?"

"Sir?"

He took a moment to consider, he wanted to protect his mother. But her revelation that she was the
biological daughter of Captain America.

"Put in a call, to mum."

"Yes, Sir." Tony returned to the images as the sound of the dial tone echoed across the room.

Finally the call was answered with by a, "Hello sweetheart." in a familiar voice.

"Hey mum," he tried to make it sound casual, "What are you and Evie planning for this week?"
Casual, he reminded himself, casual.

Mothers always know, "Tony, what's wrong?"

He thought about lying, he really did, "I need you to be safe, both of you."

"Anthony? You remember our conversation after that home movie night?"

"Yes?"

"What aren't you telling me?"

"Not on the phone. Just..." He took a deep breath, "... just get somewhere safe. Okay?" He made a
motion and J.A.R.V.I.S. ended the call.

The end-call-dial-tone rang through Maria's ears as her son ended the call. Putting the phone away
she looked at her daughter, "Sweetie?"

Evelyn looked up at that, "Yeah, mum?"

"Grab your emergency bag. You need to go somewhere safe."

"Mum?!"

"Evelyn, please." The tone of voice had her little girl concerned. But she suited actions to words
and she was soon headed towards the Stark family safe-house.

Evelyn didn't even know they had one.

Chapter End Notes

I know its fairly short. But I hope you enjoyed it.

I'm studying again this year, so probably wont be much added to my stories.
Next chapter should be Maria learning what's going on, and about Captain Rogers
return.
When/if should he learn about Peggy and Maria?
 For Those About to Rock
Chapter Summary

Prelude to the Battle of New York

Chapter Notes

Includes part of a deleted scene

Marvel's The Avengers and Acura RDX Bonus Deleted Scene - YouTube

AN: Modified date at start to address an issue brought to my attention by a

commentator.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Wednesday, October 12th 2011

Steve Rogers entered the apartment he had been assigned by S.H.I.E.L.D., files in hand.

He placed the files onto the dining table before making his way to the kitchen. He put the kettle on
as he went about the process of making a cup of coffee.

With cup in hand he made his way back into the dining area and placed the beverage onto the
table. Sitting down, he opened the file folder to the first personnel profile, the familiar face of
Colonel Chester Philips. Big and bold on the profile was a red stamp declaring "DECEASED".

Pulling the page aside he found another familiar face, James Montgomery Falsworth the red stamp
also declaring "DECEASED".

Moving on to a third page he found the profile of Corporal Timothy Aloysius Cadwallader Dugan.
Dum Dum's smirking photo looking up at him from the page above another red stamp,
"DECEASED".

Attached was a clipping from a newspaper, the headline declaring Home Invasion Strikes Fear in
Quiet Community the accompanying photo showing a disordered bedroom, Steve couldn't miss the
unmistakable bowler hat that had been carelessly discarded by the bed.

On the next page was the profile of Private Gabe Jones, the bold red stamp stating simply
"MISSING".

Then there were the profiles of Jacques Dernier, Private James Morita and Howard Anthony
Walter Stark. All marked as "DECEASED".

After Howard's was a profile of a Tony Stark, some unknown relation of his.
They had included the profile of Bucky, his status remained "MISSING IN ACTION".

On the last page emblazoned with the red stamp "MISSING" was a face that would forever haunt
his dreams, Margaret Elizabeth Carter. His heart constricted as he looked upon that face.

He took the plane's controls, the screen before him read, "Ziel (Target) New York City". He picked
up the radio and tried to contact the Hydra Control Tower, he knew one of his team would be
there. "Come in. This is Captain Rogers. Do you read me?"

The familiar voice of Jim Morita "Captain Rogers, what is your..." His words cut off, but not for
the signals quality.

Peggy's voice soon cut in, "Steve, is that you? Are you alright?"

"Peggy! Schmidt’s dead."

"What about the plane? "

How to explain it, "That’s a little bit tougher to explain."

"Give me your coordinates, I’ll find you a safe landing site."

"There’s not going to be a safe landing. But I can try and force it down."

"I’ll get Howard on the line, he’ll know what to do. "

"There’s not enough time. This thing’s moving too fast and it’s heading for New York." He knew
what he had to do, "I gotta put her in the water."

"Please, don’t do this. We have time. We can work it out."

"Right now I’m in the middle of nowhere. If I wait any longer a lot of people are gonna die. Peggy,
this is my choice." he forces the plane down, towards the water, "Peggy?"

"I’m here."

"I’m gonna need a rain check on that dance."

He could imagine Peggy with the tears her voice told him were in her eyes, "Alright. A week, next
Saturday, at the Stork Club."

"You got it."

"Eight o’clock on the dot. Don’t you dare be late. Understood?"

"You know, I still don’t know how to dance."

"I’ll show you how. Just be there."

The ice sheet could be seen rapidly moving towards him, "We’ll have the band play somethin’
slow. I’d hate to step on your..."

Steve's attention returned to the present with a start, he closed the file folder before him with the
pages of lost friends. His eyes blurred by unshed tears as he stood and left the apartment.

Thursday, May 3rd 2012

With Evelyn safely ensconced at the family safe house Maria made her way towards New York
and Stark Tower.

Pulling into the Tower's garage she made her way to the private elevator where she was greeted,
"Good Evening, Mrs Stark. How may I be of assistance?"

"Anthony's call to me, all the data he received that lead to it. All of it. I need to know what's
coming."

"Of course, Mrs Stark." The lift conveyed her to the penthouse and opened to a view of the city. As
she approached the desk off to the side, J.A.R.V.I.S. opened a series of files for her to view.

She did not like what she saw. Not one bit.

At that time, Tony was busy flying towards the new beacon that J.A.R.V.I.S. had provided him
with, Stuttgart, Germany. Twenty-Eight Koenigstraße.

Suddenly his A.I. broke the silence, "Sir?"

"What is it J.?"

"Your mother, Sir?" A surveillance image showing his mother in Stark tower, viewing the
information he had received from Coulson.

"What? She has 'Administrator' level access, what you bothering me for?"

"Of course, Sir?" A clear question to the tone. Suddenly an image he had been working on since
learning the apparently-not-so-late Captain America was his biological grandfather, the Miss
America uniform and accompanying shield. Aside from paint on the shield, it was complete.

"Keep this under-wraps J., Evie's not losing the only parent she has left." the Miss America
uniform disappeared, "God, what was I thinking?"

The bright lights of Stuttgart were a pin prick to Tony right now, swiftly expanding. As he
approached close enough for the marker to to delineate the building of 28 Koenigstraße from the
surrounding buildings.

"Sir, locked in on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s frequency."

"Give it to me J." Tony instructed his AI as movement began to be just discernible on the ground.

"Not today!" Came a strained voice across the connection.

"This guy's all over the place." Came the familiar voice of Agent Romanoff.

His song choice loaded he overrode the Quinjet's interior and exterior speakers and pumped out
acca dacca's Shoot to Thrill.
 "Agent Romanoff, did you miss me?" Tony asked the agent as he readied to land near Captain
Rogers. He aimed his hand repulsors at the man before the Captain and knocked him backwards to
the ground. Touching down he deploys every piece of weaponry in his suit, hand repulsors to
pointed towards him. "Make your move, Reindeer Games." Hands up in surrender, his armour
dematerialising before them, "Good move."

Moving to stand beside the billionaire Captain Rogers addressed him, "Mr. Stark."

"Captain." What else could he say, he couldn't very well go 'hey gramps'. S.H.I.E.L.D. probably
didn't tell him what had happened to Peggy.

Chapter End Notes

The next chapter should be the battle, unsure how I'm going to write it (whose POV
etc)
 Let There Be Rock
Chapter Summary

The day of the battle of NY

Friday, May 4th 2012

Evelyn woke after a fitful nights sleep.

Downstairs she found her mother, cooking breakfast, "Morning sweetheart, sleep well?"

Evelyn simply shrugged as she slumped down onto one of the chairs surrounding the dinning table,
"What time is it?" she sounded exhausted.

"Almost noon." Maria started to serve their meal up, "You don't need to worry, sweetheart." She
started as she placed a plate before her daughter, "Your father built this to withstand anything."

"It's not that," Evelyn started to pick at the food.

Maria had an inkling about what was the problem, "It's about Tony, isn't it?" Evelyn just nodded,
picking up the first bite and putting it in her mouth, "I worry about him too. But I have faith in your
brother, he knows what he's capable of. He'll let me know if Fury's dropping him in the deep end."

Little did Maria know that faith would soon be sorely tested.

Later that day Maria was going over the material she had brought with her when she heard a
horrified, "MUM!" coming from the other room.

Maria crossed the space faster than humanly possible as she reached the door she began to ask,
"Wha..."

The television caught her eye as she came around the door-jam. A scene of utter devastation was
shown as the news broadcast was being aired live, the banner at the bottom of the screen
proclaimed 'Breaking News, Attack on New York'.

Maria's heart seized as the unmistakable sight of her son's suit flashed across the screen. She
crossed the floor and wrapped her arms around her daughter, tears streaming down her eyes as the
horror unfolded before the world.

What Maria couldn't know, it was about to get worse.

Tony was struggling against the Chitauri when Fury got through to him with the other shoe,
"Jarvis, put everything we got into the thrusters!"

"I just did." His AI replied to his order, giving him the boost he needed to break free.
Making his way to the missile he soon heard a familiar voice, "I can close it! Can anybody copy? I
can shut the portal down!" Natasha's voice informed them over the radio.

Rogers was quick to responded, "Do it!"

"No, wait!" He told her as J.A.R.V.I.S. display showed distance and bearing on the missile.

"Stark, these things are still coming!" Rogers reminded him.

He was looking at the argument against it, "I got a nuke coming in, it's gonna blow in less than a
minute." His distance closing fast, nearly there, "And I know just where to put it."

Tony had caught the missile and was pushing it towards the portal. It took only a moment for
Captain Rogers to understand what he meant, "Stark, you know that's a one-way trip?"

"Save the rest for return, J."

"Sir... Shall I call your Mother? Miss Potts?"

"Yeah, might as well. Pepper first."

Maria was seated on the lounge, eyes glued in horror at the footage that was coming in from New
York. Clinging and being clung to by her daughter.

"The streets of New York City have become a battleground." The reporter had to say about the
unfolding events in New York, "The Army is here trying to contain the violence but clearly, it is
outmatched. And I have to say, in all my years of reporting, I have never seen anything like this. We
have limited information on the team but we do know that billionaire Tony Stark's Iron Man..."

Just then her mobile rang. Recognising the ring-tone she got up to answer it, Evelyn right behind
her, "Tony!"

Maria heard a split second of Tony breathing before the line dropped. Maria tried to call him back
but all she got was, "We're sorry, the number you have reached is not in service or..." She hang up
before the recording could finish

Tony heard the click of the call being answered before he heard his mother, "Tony!" Tony opened
his mouth to speak when the line dropped. He released the missile and he watches it fly towards
the Chitauri mother-ship, the last thing he saw before consciousness fled was the explosion.

"What the hell?" Tony shouted as he came to consciousness once more, "What just happened?
Please tell me nobody kissed me."

"We won." Captain Rogers told him.

"Alright, hey..." Tony knew he had to call his mother, "Alright. Good job, guys. Let's just not come
in tomorrow...let's just...take a day. Have you ever tried shawarma? There's a shawarma joint about
two blocks from here. I don't know what it is, but I wanna try it."

"We're not finished yet.." Thor reminded the man as he looked up at Stark Tower.

"And then shawarma after."

*

On the way back to the tower Tony called his mother, "Tony!" The sound of his mother's distressed
voice emanated from the phone's speaker.

"I'm okay, I.. I... I'm good."

"Good-good or Stark-man-good?"

Tony sighed, "I'm good, okay."

"Oh Tony, sweetheart... I'll be right there."

"I'm fine." He tries to tell her, he doesn't want her to come and make a fuss over him, "Have you
ever tried shawarma? I don't know what it is, but I'm gonna try it with the team. Did you know
there's a shawarma joint about two blocks from the tower?"

Tony could hear the smile in his mother's voice, "Shawarma's like gyros or doner kebab..."

"Tacos al Pastor?"

"You'll love it. I'll be there in a few hours," He could hear his mother's sigh, " once I've convince
your sister to stay put that is."

Tony and Pepper were talking about the building's rebuild the next morning when the elevator's
doors opened and out stepped Maria, "You're late. You said a few hours."

"As you might recall I also said, once I've convince your sister to stay put." Maria sighed in
exasperation, "Why did both my children have to inherit their father's stubborn streak is quite
beyond me."

"That's why you love us."

"No," Turning to Pepper she greeted the woman, "How are you Pepper? Has he been behaving?"

"I'm good Mrs St... Maria. And debatable." Tony put on a puppy-dog pout at this comment.

Looking to the holo-table before them she asked, "What have you been up to, Tony?"

"Uhm... This!" Tony said as he expanded the image so his mother could see it fully.
 Not a chapter but a question regarding future events
Chapter Summary

In a future chapter I intend to bring some people back from the past. I wont say how.

I would like to hear who you would like to see brought back, they could have died in
the fic that inspired (and is back-story for this one) fluffernutter8's Woman Borne .

I have one person planned (I had that person in mind since the start of this story) I
wont say who.

In a future chapter I intend to bring some people back from the past. I wont say how.

I would like to hear who you would like to see brought back, they could have died in the fic that
inspired (and is back-story for this one) fluffernutter8's Woman Borne .

I have one person planned (I had that person in mind since the start of this story) I wont say who.

Please drop by the archive and comment to let the author know if you enjoyed their work!