Iron Reign

Chapter One - Back Then

August 3rd 1991-

Tony Stark paced as he waited for the news of his longtime girlfriend Sarah giving birth. He was going to be a dad at the age of 21 and that terrified him not only because he had doubts about being a good dad because to him he didn't have the best role model but the fact that it had only been 2 years since he had started a relationship with Sarah and hadn't really talked about anything serious like marriage and kids. Tony hadn't even met her father so this particular moment was terrifying.

Sarah and Tony loved each other very much but even Sarah knew that Tony wouldn't be much help in delivery in fact she insisted that she was the only one being admitted because if he was there he would collapse and that's not what either of them wanted at that moment in time. Which is why he was waiting somewhere else.

After what seemed like forever and nurse came through the door and Tony stopped pacing. He turned to the nurse who had a broad smile on her face.

"Mr Stark, you have a beautiful and healthy little girl." The nurse informed him. Tony let out a strangled breath.

"A girl?" Tony didn't know what to think in a way he glad he had a girl because trying to raise a mini version of him and not turn into his father as well was daunting but then she was a girl and had everything that came with being one.

"Yes, both mother and child a doing great would you like to see them." Tony nodded and followed the nurse. Sarah was now resting and their little girl was wrapped up in a little bassinet. Sarah smiled seeing Tony who kissed her head and then looked down at their little creation.

"She's tiny." he commented seeing the little face with tuffs of black hair peeking out.

"She's ours." Sarah beamed. "Why don't you pick her up?"

"What if I break her?" Tony wondered causing Sarah to laugh.

"You won't, pick her up make sure you support her head and cradle her body." He did so "There you go. I knew you could do it." Sarah watched he boyfriend as something seemed to click with him.

"And this is the moment where she has you wrapped around her finger. You're so screwed." Sarah joked

"What are we going to name her?" Tony wondered holding the little bundle.

"Something unique, she is going to be amazing I can tell." Sarah moved the blanket to stare at her daughter. There was a long silence, before she spoke again.

"Reign. She looks like a Reign." Tony thought about it.

"Reign Maria Stark." Sarah nodded

"Hello Reign." Sarah cooed.

-----

A month later Tony was doing whatever Tony does when Sarah went to have lunch. She pushed the stroller carrying her little girl and smiled seeing who she was meeting.

"Brother." She smiled stepping to the side to give the older man a hug then bowing her head.

"Dearest sister, you look well." The man looked down.

"This must be my niece. She is as beautiful as her mother." he commented

"You flatter me, come let's sit." They sat down at the outside dining area of the restaurant.

"Shuri..."

"Brother, I told you, here I am Sarah." He sighed

"Why must you change your name."

"I told you that five years ago when I decided to leave after father died. You agreed remember? A fresh start. I am not ashamed of where I come from but the past hurts this new identity allows me to be the person I wanted to be." Sarah voiced her reasoning as she had done many times since she left home.

"I know. I know."

"Now, brother let us now dwell on such times, here have your first hold of your niece." She picked up Reign and handed her to her Uncle. The two talked and caught up it was happy times and then it got serious.

"I want you to have this." She slid a folder across the table while holding his niece he flicked through it.

"What is this?"

"My will. It basically says that should anything happen to me, Reign and any other children I should have remain with their father unless he is incapable for the listed reasons. Should I pass on and Reign is under the age of 18 she should not know about her true heritage of our family till 18 or should she come seeking earlier."

"Sister."

"I know what your thinking, but I'm being cautious. She will already be a Stark and should Tony go on to do great things I know he's capable of then she will already have enough on her plate without being related to everything I come with as well." Sarah's brother saw the determination in her eyes

"As you wish sister." Sarah nodded

"Brother, she will know he heritage but only when she's ready." Sarah assured her brother grabbing ahold of his free hand.

-Later the day-

Sarah was doing some errands before heading back home. She was crossing an empty street when she heard loud music and the screech of a car, she barely had the moment to process what was happening but she instinctively pushed the pram away mere moments before the car slammed into her and and speeding off. Passers by saw the whole thing some went to Sarah now lying motionless on the road. Others went to the screaming Reign who had been woken by the evens of noise and sudden joltiness of her mother saving her life.

Tony's phone rang, and he received the news that there and been an incident involving his girlfriend and daughter. He dropped everything to race to the police station. There he was given the devastating news of what happened. His world shattered, he lost his girlfriend and he was now a single parent to an infant daughter.

-3 Months later. December 1991-

Tony and Reign were back at the Stark family home for Christmas. Tony was asleep on the couch as his Mom played the piano, and Reign laid sleeping in the bassinet.

"Wake up dear and say goodbye to your father." Maria called over to her son. Tony groaned getting up.

"Who's the homeless person sleeping on the couch." Howard Stark commented

"This is why I love coming home for Christmas right before you leave town." Tony retorted

"Be nice dear he's been studying abroad." Maria added

"Which broad? What her name?" Hoarded messed with his son's Santa hat.

"The fact you think I've moved on so quickly from my dead girlfriend and mother of my daughter proves how little you know about me." Tony rolled his eyes glancing down his his baby who slept soundly through their conversation.

"Do me a favour and don't burn the house down before Monday."

"So it's Monday? I will plan mine and Reign's toga party accordingly. Where are you going?" Tony asked his Mom?"

"Your father is taking me to the Bahamas for a little gateway." Maria replied

"We might have to make a little stop first..." Howard started and Tony cut his father of

"At the Pentagon? Don't worry you're going to love the holiday menu at the commissary." Tony jibbed

"They say sarcasm is a metric for potential. If that's true you'll be a great man someday."

"He already is." Maria rebuffed her husband

"I'll go get the bags." That was the last conversation he had with his parents because the too were taken away from him as well. People he cared about had met their end with a car involved and all he had left apart from his inheritance was Reign, who was too young to understand loss. To young to know that she became more important than she already was to her father. To young to know that despite his antics that she would became the only person who was the exception to most of what became of Tony.