Mini Stark (Tony Starks daughter)

Chapter 7 Bonding

"Rise and shine sweetheart it's time to get up." Pepper called cheerfully as she entered Tawny's room.

Tawny shot up with a gasp and looked around quickly getting her bearings. 'Not a dream I'm truly in Tony Stark's house' she thought to herself.

"So you and I are going out to get you some things." Pepper told her grinning. "That sound good?"

"I d-don't h-have any other t-things we all-already got e-everything." Tawny replied confused.

"I know, I want to buy you some new clothes...." Pepper explained smiling.

Tawny froze looking at Pepper questioningly. "w-why?"

Pepper was taken aback, she'd expected excitement all little girls liked shopping right? She tried to understand the girl's hesitance. "Because you could use some and I want to do that. There's no ulterior motives here just taking care of you ok?"

The girl studied her for a while unsure no one had done anything for her in a long time but this woman kept wanting to help...?

"Really I love shopping this will be a lot of fun for me," pepper smiled at her reassuringly, "you gonna let me have some fun and shop for you?"

Pepper knew she'd won when the small girl smiled slightly at her. "O-ok if you're s-sure."

"I'm sure lets go." the strawberry blonde said as she lead Tawny out the door.

-we're skipping most of the shopping because I hate going on and on about clothes-

The duo exited their third shop of the morning arms loaded with bags. Tawny walked closely with Pepper avoiding the strangers they passed. "P-pepper?" Tawny began hesitantly, "I-I t-think we have e-n-nough n-now d-don't you?"

Pepper laughed cheerfully putting the nervous girl at ease. "You wimping out on me already kiddo?"

The small girl studied her unsure of what the correct answer was.

Pepper shook her head sadly noticing her discomfort. "It's ok sweetie I was only teasing. Yes I think we have plenty it's been a big morning, you hungry? Because I'm starved."

The little girl's lips twitched into a small smile. "Uh umm y-yes I-I'm h-hungry t-too." she whispered.

It was amazing how happy such a small thing, like a broken little girl gaining the courage to admit she needed something, could make Pepper. With enough time she was certain they could bring Tawny out of her shell, help her to trust people again. Maybe when she wasn't so frightened she'd lose the stutter, Pepper had noted it worsened when the girl was nervous. She noticed Tawny's eyes light up and trail around hungrily as the entered the mall's food court.

Tawny looked up at pepper a question obvious in her face. "P-Pepper.... c-could w-we eat t-t-that?" The girl asked pointing at the Panda Express.

Pepper grinned, "certainly do you know what you'd like?"

After a lot of hesitating and looking over the options Tawny settled on chow mein and Orange chicken while pepper had fried rice and mushroom chicken.

Pepper watching the girl hungrily downing the food on her plate and laughed. "You remind me of the last time Tony and I ate Chinese food. He had the same things you do now and he horsed it down jut like that."

Tawny blushed and smiled sheepishly before wiping her mouth on a napkin. "Thank you f-for ev-everything Pepper."

"You are quite welcome sweetie." Pepper replied gently. "Now let's finish up and get back home ok?"

Pepper felt like she'd been given a wonderful gift when Tawny grabbed her hand as they left the mall. she was beginning to hope the small girl would always be a part of her life.

All was quiet when they arrived back at the tower. "Jarvis wheres Tony?"

"Mr. stark is in the lab with dr. Banner miss Potts." Jarvis replied immediately.

"Wh-who's Jarvis?" Tawny asked looking around for the source of the voice.

"Jarvis is Tony's AI he pretty much runs everything, just don't tell Tony i said that." Pepper replied laughing.

"Oh h-hello Jarvis."

"Good afternoon miss" Jarvis replied

Tawny grinned still searching for Jarvis as she followed pepper to the lab. "Is h-he just ev-everywhere or d-does he have a s-source?"

Pepper smiled at the girls curious nature, "you'll have to talk to Tony to get the details, but as far as my understanding go's he's a program that can travel though any computer system capable of supporting him. The house sort of 'hosts' him."

"T-that's s-so cool!" Tawny squeaked grinning bigger than anyone had seen her smile so far.

"What's so cool?" Tony questioned looking up from the iron man suit he was working on.

Tawny flinched her eyes jumping towards Tony. "J-Jarvis Jarvis is c-cool." she said averting her eyes to her new sneakers.

"Thanks made him myself" Tony replied winking with a cocky grin.

"Th-That's really cool!" She said peering over his shoulder to see what he was doing, her brown eyes shining brightly with excitement.

"You like this sort of stuff kid?" Tony asked wanting to continue doing whatever had caused her to break out of her shell for a moment.

"Y-yeah I was f-fixing nanna's b-broken coffee m-machine when the w-water....the mess...t-that's w-why it's m-my f-fault." She ended on a whisper.

"Where'd you learn how to do that?" Bruce asked surprised.

"I-I've been t-teaching myself t-things. I g-go to t-the library a-a lot. T-that sort of st-stuff came easy-easiest."

The adults looked at her impressed.

"Tawny when was the last time you went to school?" Pepper questioned.

"Wh-when my m-mom d-died." Tawny whispered her head hanging low. "I've kept up though! M-mom w-would h-have wanted m-me to" She added quickly, defensively. "I-I'm n-not d-dumb" she said the last part as if she was trying to prove that to someone.

"Hmmm..." Tony began thoughtfully, "I have a friend who works in the school system. Why don't I give her a call, have her give you a placement test, and we'll see how well you've kept up want to?"Pepper rolled her eyes certain Tony's 'friend' was more likely an ex.

"W-will she a-ask a lot of questions? A-about m-me?" The girl asked worriedly.

"Tawny.." bruce started quietly, "are you hiding from someone?"

"NO!" Tawny replied a little too quickly and a little too adamantly to be believable.

"Tawny if you're hiding from someone for a good reason we will help but we can't do anything if you won't tell us the truth." Pepper spoke reassuringly getting down in front of the now terrified looking child.

"That's what everyone says and then they won't believe me!" Tawny shouted before dashing away to her room.

"Whatcha think bruce?" Tony asked his buddy from his seat at his workbench.

"If I was gonna take a wild stab in the dark." Bruce said with a saddened expression on his face. "I would bet money her dad isn't as unaware of her existence as she claims. Judging from the way she acts Id say she's probably running from an abuser."

The three adults looked sadly towards the now empty doorway where Tawny had stood moments before.

"Well we'll just have to put an end to those fears." Tony said adamantly. "Jarvis get me anything you can find on Tawny."

"Right away sir."

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Well that's like my fourth chapter today I think? Think I'll go read someone else's book for a bit lol more comments please? See you in the next chapter which I will add soon promise (im too in love with Tawny to leave it lol)