ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ɪʀᴏɴ ᴄʜɪʟᴅ

Ruins

{Chapter Twenty}

Abby stood looking up at her house. Pepper had told her to go to school, but the young girl didn't feel like she would be able to focus on her school work. Abby was dressed in a simple t-shirt and jeans with her jacket folded over her arms. Her hair was no longer dirty like it had been the night before, and her face had been cleared of cuts.

Pepper had watched as the young girl healed at a remarkable speed making her as right as rain in less than an hour after she had been thrown forcefully into a wall and covered in sharp shards of broken glass. Abby had spent the night sobbing as Pepper held her trying to lull her into a peaceful sleep. Staring up at her house she now remembered why she had been so hurt. Her home was gone. Blown to smithereens leaving dust and rubble.

Abby hadn't seen her father since the party disaster. Pepper had taken her home with her so that the girl could get some sleep. It was an understatement to say that Pepper was mad at Tony. She was livid. With a small sigh Abby made her way through the ruins of her home. As the young girl made her way through what used to be her home she heard her father's voice talking to someone.

"What do you remember about your dad? Huh?" A voice asked as Abby stopped walking.

"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 whose happiest day was when he shipped me off to boarding school." Her father replied.

"That's not true." The voice argued.

"Well, then, clearly you know my dad better than I did." Tony shrugged.

"As a matter og fact, I did. He was one of the founding members of S.H.I.E.L.D." Abby moved forward as the voice spoke finally able to see who it belonged to. Director Fury.

"What?" Tony questioned in surprise sitting up.

"I got a two o'clock," Fury spoke standing up, "Listen, Stark I have got CPS breathing down my neck. I have tried to get them to back off, but they are just dying to break down your doors."

"You're saying they want to take Abby." Tony breathed causing Abby's eyes to widen in fear.

"I'm saying you need to sort your shit out. You'rea good dad, Stark. Sarah knew it." Fury shrugged.

"Yeah? Then why'd she keep her from me for six years?" Tony argued.

"It wasn't you that they were hiding from," Fury told him causing the Stark to send him a confused look, "Abigail is a special kid, there are some people who would like to exploit that. Sarah couldn't let that happen. It's why she left S.H.I.E.L.D and bought a cafe. She wanted Abby to have a normal life. Okay, you good, right?"

"No, I'm not good."

As Tony began to argue with Fury, Abby quickly made her way through the ruins. As she was walking through the house she bumped into someone.

"Abby?" A voice questioned.

"Natalie?" Abby looked up at the red head who was now dressed in a skin tight suit, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here with Director Fury." Natalie replied.

"You work for S.H.I.E.L.D." Abby realised her eyes widening, "Is you name even Natalie?"

"No. It's Natasha." The woman smiled.

"Lovely." Abby sighed looking down at her feet, "Well I should probably get going. Places to be, people to see, and whatever. Goodbye, Natasha."

Abby quickly made her way past the woman. Abby finally found the kitchen taking a seat on one of the miraculously still standing stools and resting her head on her arms on top of the counter.

"Abby?" She heard a voice behind her, but she didn't bother to look. Instead, she sighed and closed her eyes, "Abby, please."

Abby opened her eyes slightly when she felt her dad place his hand on her back. When she opened her eyes Tony smiled down at her sadly.

"Hey, munchkin." He spoke softly.

"Are they gonna take me away?" Abby asked quietly.

"What?"

"You said that they want to take me. So are they gonna take me away from you?" Abby asked again.

"Abby, I'm not going to let that happen," Tony told her.

"You promise?" The young girl looked up at him with sad eyes, lifting her head from her arms.

"I promise. We're gonna rebuild the house and then when all of this blows over we're gonna have a normal life, just me and you." Tony told her allowing her to wrap her arms around him.

"And Pepper?" The girl whispered causing her father to chuckle as he tightened his hold on her.

"And Pepper." He gave a small nod as the young girl buried her head in his shoulder her eyes closing slightly as she yawned, "I am so sorry, munchkin."

"I am so sorry."