STARK GIRL

Be There No Matter What

"You've done this before?" Nat asked Claire.
"Does it look like I've done this before!" Claire growled in pain as Nat pulled her arm upward while Claire struggled to break free. It hurt.
"Geez, Tony," Rhodey said. He wasn't happy with this.
Tony chewed on some peanuts. "I want her to be able to defend herself,"
"For what?" Rhodey hissed. "She has you," he pointed out.
"I'm iron man, she'll always be a threat to others and a hostage,"
Rhodey knew Tony was trying to do well, but Claire wasn't ready for this world. "Stark girl, elbow her,"
"Let her go," Tony ordered.
Nat dropped her hands, and Claire got on her feet. Her arm was in pain. "Ouch," she mouthed more to herself as she stretched her arm out. Nat was tough.
"Listen," Nat told Tony. "I'll train her on my own accord, but right now, Pepper and I are going to go get some pizza, and Claire is coming with us,"
Tony knew not to get in the way of those two let alone Pepper, so he agreed and shrugged. "Take out or...?"
"Why does it matter? Pizza is pizza," Nat said as she turned to Claire.
"Come on, I'm buying."
Who knew where the night had gone too but Claire awoke with a pulsing ache on her head. Her eyes barely open, and her mouth and lips tasted like vodka.
"Oh, look who's up," Tony said sarcastically. His tone would say otherwise.
Claire spoke. "What happened?" Her voice groggy. She felt heavy and dizzy, and her stomach turned.
"Vodka shots and pizza," he answered.
Tony had not been surprised to see Claire come home like this. Nat had been taken home by Clint, who, by the way, was calm. Tony, on the other hand, could barely keep it together. " Geez," he had hissed when Claire stumbled into the building through the back.
Claire had him up all night. She had been throwing up for a few seconds whining about her head, how everything was spinning, and regretting the love she didn't give to Tommy. And through all this, Peper managed to change Claire's soaked sheets, clean from the vodka, which Claire happened to spill on bed.
When Claire was finally able to lay down. Claire whispered softly. "I love you Tony you're a good big brother."
Tony was going to kill Nat.
Pepper kissed Tony and smiled softly. "I'll be in our room." She took the vodka bottle forcefully from Claire and left the room with the soaked sheets.
Tony stared at Claire for a brief second and finally accepted that perhaps their family was coming together. Even if it meant not being perfect. That was far from it. He was okay with it. That morning, instead of his usual run, Tony decided to do something else. He sat down and waited for Claire to wake up.
"So, are you hungry? I thought maybe we could go get some breakfast? He said."Pizza and..."
"Ohhhhh," Claire groaned. "I think ima be sick," she gasped. Tony shoved the bucket under her face and closed his eyes as she threw up.
Tony decided to go finish up a few things afterward. He had done what he had wanted to and it was to make her regret it.
After getting on her feet, Claire got into a cold shower. Her entire body mobilized as she felt a jolt of shocking energy wave through her body. That was enough to keep her awake all day. Dressing into a simple dress and pulling her hair up into a ponytail, Claire placed her brown boots on and walked over toward her gym bag. Two more days, and she would meet with the dance stars. She pulled a Tylenol out from her bag and then dropped her bag and went looking for Tony. She managed to get a glass of water first and drank her pill. She then went towards his office. He was in a meeting with a small corporation.
Happy stared at her from where he sat. He grinned. "It's so crazy how you two look so much alike," he chuckled then. "But don't tell him I think you're the better-looking one," Happy was seating near the doors.
Claire grinned. "You're a meatball head."
After the meeting, Claire waited for Tony, who changed into his jogging clothes. "So what are we doing?"
"I want to go see my grandfather, and I want Pepper to come too," Claire looked at him when she said this.
Pepper had been trying to give Tony and Claire their personal space. To catch up, to learn about one another and to teach each other boundaries to which Tony didn't limit ever.
"Let's fly, Happy!" He yelled.
They flew over to the countryside outside the city limits and reached the farmlands way out. Claire was surprised at how fast they had gotten there. Once they landed safely, she jumped off slowly out in the field, where she used to run around with the cows and pigs.
The farmhouse was a bit rundown from the outside. It still needed a fresh coat of paint and new shutters. The rails needed upkeep, and the screen doors needed a change. But inside, Claire had hired a few contractors two years ago who actually fixed the two-story house and leveled the home to the right height. She had a close friend come remodel the floors as well as the walls and the ceilings, with new ceilings fans that lit up by controls and new couches to go with the new look. The house looked decent, homey. As Claire let her guest in Katie, the private nurse came out of the kitchen.
"Oh, Claire,"
"Hi, Katie is grandpa up?"
"Yes, I'm up!" Her grandfather called out coming from the room.
"I already gave him his meds and his injection, Mrs. Hannah said she would come at 5 today,"
Claire nodded. "Okay,"
"Well, I'm off, I'll see him tomorrow. You behave," she told her grandfather. Katie was almost the same age as Claire's dad if he was alive.
Katie's word counted when it came to her authority. She knew how to speak to her grandfather. But Claire had a feeling her grandfather wasn't going to comply.
Tony didn't know what to expect he only stared. Coming from the bedroom door, a tall man walked out. He resembled a Clint Eastwood, his face heavily remote, his hair white and grey, and at first glance, he looked to be in his sixties.
Claire went towards him and hugged him. "Grandpa," she breathed with a smile.
"Baby," he kissed her head. He pulled away and cupped her face. "You look beautiful, darling," he smiled widely down at her.
Claire had missed him. "Grandpa, I want you to meet Tony and Pepper,"
"Hello, I'm Pepper,"
"Pleasure honey," Claire's grandfather chuckled.
Pepper grinned. She turned to Tony, who cleared his throat and fixed himself up, and pulled out his hand. "Tony stark,"
"I know who you are," Mr. Benavides took his hand and squeezed it hard enough.
Tony pulled his hand away and nodded. "It's a pleasure," Ow! That grip, though. Tony stared at his hand.
"Let's take a seat," Mr. Benavides said. "Oh, honey, can you get the lemonade jug from the fridge? I made a fresh batch this morning," he told Claire.
Claire nodded and went over to the kitchen.
"You have a lovely farmhouse," Pepper commented.
"My father's father built this house back in 1898 when my father was just a young boy," I inherited back when I was in my thirties, in sixty-seven,"
"Ah," Pepper said.
"Claire picked these sofas," He smiled.
"They are lovely," she agreed.
Claire came back with five glasses of lemonade and yellow cookies.
"Grandpa, I decided to bring Tony to meet you, I've been living with him and going to school," Claire hoped her grandfather wouldn't be to upset. She placed the tray down and looked at the couple to get one.
"You're living with him?" He asked. He turned to glare over at Tony. Who did this guy think he was? "Tony, what made you want to come into my granddaughter's life all of a sudden?"
Tony blinked twice. "Well, sir, if I may, I've been wanting to meet with her for a long time, and she deserves to know who our family is... she deserves everything,"
"Giving her forty thousand a year didn't make you sleep well at night?"
Claire sighted. "Grandpa?"
"No, it's fine," Tony assured her. He wasn't offended. He knew her grandfather was going to give him a hard time. Well, technically, he didn't expect it, but here they were.
Claire could see that Pepper sat upright straighter. She was uncomfortable. "Pepper, can you please take this lemonade to Happy?"
Pepper nodded. "Yes, of course,"
Claire got on her feet. "Grandpa, you promised," she said once Pepper stepped out the back.
"Tell me, Tony, why should I even try to talk to you?"
"You don't have to like me...sir," Tony could hear his tone getting unpleasant, so he turned over to Claire, who raised her brow at him.
"But" he cleared his throat. "She's my little sister, and I'm not going anywhere,"
Claire smiled. "So there,"
Claire's grandfather chuckled. "We'll see Mr. Stark, we'll see if that's true," he got on his feet. "My granddaughter does not deserve you or your money,"
"Grandpa, where are you going?" Claire asked as he grabbed his keys.
"I'm going to the market. We're having chicken pot pie for dinner. Are you coming?"
Claire nodded. "Tony, come with us,"
Tony looked over at Pepper, who nodded through the back screen door she had been standing close to listen.
The trip to the store was brief, but Tony had to stay inside the back in the pick-up while Claire went inside to get the things.
The entire ride, 0mr. Benavides glared at Tony through the review mirror. Claire tried to lighten the mood by talking about the farm.
That evening after having met with Mrs. Hannah Claire grinned when she realized Mrs. Hannah was trying to hit on Happy, who, by the way, didn't notice.
Pepper helped out in the kitchen as Claire and Hannah showed her how Mexican enchiladas were made.
Happy was having a good time. He asked Claire's grandfather things about the hunting riffles and the knives carved by native friends.
Tony sighted. "He doesn't like me," he told Pepper. They were already sitting around the long wooden table.
"Yeah, I know honey but...what matters is that Claire wanted you here," she whispered.
"Us," he corrected her.
"Here you go, honey," Mr. Benavides gave Pepper a plate.
"Oh, thank you," Pepper smiled. Oh, it smelled delicious.
"You can get yours in the kitchen," he told Tony.
Tony glanced over at Pepper to point out the obvious.
Tony got up only to see Claire coming with two more plates.
"Here," she handed one to Happy and then to Tony. "Enjoy,"
Tony grinned.
"We say a family prayer here," Her grandfather grunted before Happy picked up his fork.
Claire apologized with a look. Her grandfather wasn't as grumpy. It was the meds that caused this.
After saying a prayer and eating quietly, Claire spoke. "My father used to make me enchiladas for me every summer after school,"
Mr. Benavides smiled. "She would make sure to give some to the pigs and chickens, or otherwise she wouldn't come down from that tree outback,"
Pepper smiled.
After dinner was over, Claire felt exhausted she walked outside, where Tony stood under the large tree and thanked Pepper for finishing up the dishes. Happy sat near the t.v with her grandfather enjoying a bonanza episode.
"Wow, the view here is..."
"To green, not enough city lights?" Claire interrupted.
"No, beautiful," Tony stated her. He let out a sight and crossed his arms against his chest.
"He hates me," he eyed the house.
"My grandfather is a good man, but I think he hates you because he thinks you're taking me away from him,"
Tony chuckled. "Jealous, is he?"
"Tony," Claire laughed. "But no, on all seriousness, he does like you,"
"What was your father like?" Tony asked instead. He wanted to know of him. 
Claire looked over the tall field of corn. She shrugged softly. "I can speak about him forever," she smiled softly. "He loved me so much," she clarified.
Tony smiled. His heart filled with warmth to the thought of knowing such a thing.
"He was funny and goofy, and he always made me feel important and loved and... she let out a small sight. He was my world just like my grandpa is now," she looked over at Tony.
"You know our mom," Tony clarified. "She was always very chill and very optimistically joyous compare that to our father who was very serious and deep into his work mom never made me forget that I mattered...I know that if she had lived you would understand that love she had...you didn't get to feel it or see it but...the way she stared at you and the way she sang to you at night or refused to go anywhere without you made me now realize that I should have been there and..."
Claire smiled softly. It was important for her to know how much she was loved. But she had to stop Tony.
"I am blessed. I had two wonderful fathers and a beautiful mother,"
Tony realized what he had done. "I'm sorry, you had to go through that alone,"
"He wouldn't have left me ever," Claire whispered softly, her voice breaking. But that day that accident...I was eight," she breathed. Trying to control herself. "I... was alone for a while my grandfather coped by farming the land until he got sick," she could feel the tears forming. "Now, my only family,"
"Shhhh," he pulled her in for a hug. she felt shaky. "It hurts still," she whispered.
"I know, kid," he told her. "But I'm here now, you got that?"
"Tony," she pulled away, her eyes filled with tears. "I know, what it's like the pain... the love they took, my father took it too. I know what's it's like to be loved and to be loved. I never hated you, nor did I hate our parents, but I always wondered what they were like after my father died,"
Tony placed his hand on her shoulders as she wiped her tears. "Our parents... well," he said. "I haven't lied to you. They did love you very much,"
"They loved you too," Claire cupped his cheek. "Why do you do that?"
"Do what?" He shrugged, defending himself.
"Pretend to feel nothing?"
"I know they loved me I-I," he cleared his throat and took hold of her hand. He remembered the video where his father talked to him about changing the world. "I couldn't help them then... I wasn't Iron Man yet, but now I am, and I'll protect everyone I love, especially you and Pep,"
"You can't do that anymore," Claire told him. "Blame yourself. It was a car accident,"
Tony shook his head. "I don't think so." He grimaced softly then. "Well, then you can't blame yourself either," he cupped her palm. He didn't want them to sulk. 
It was then that Claire realized what he meant. He dropped his hand. "I think we should make a pack," he turned around his arms crossed once again.
Claire turned to the field where the sun was setting. "Okay, what?" Her eyelashes still felt wet, but she wasn't tearing up anymore.
"Be there no matter what," he told her. She chuckled softly, cleaned her face, and nodded. "Promise."
Claire didn't know, but her grandfather was staring from the back window.