Parasite *•.¸♡ 𝙏𝙤𝙣𝙮 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙠'𝙨 𝘿𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙚𝙧 ♡¸.•*

Two Steps Back

"So... it said you got beaten because some woman's husband was cheating on her?" Tony questions. That's one of the entries that confused him the most. He's not sure why Ariana would get beaten for the woman's husband's mistake.

Her head falls into her hands and she brings her knees up to curl in a ball. Why did he have to read that part? Sobs wrack her body. This is it. They're all going to hate her for this.

Tony sends Pepper a look that tells her to clear the room for some privacy. He's sure talking about being beaten is hard enough without a ton of people surrounding you. Natasha does not fail to notice the look as well, so the two women usher everyone out.

Once Pepper returns, Tony decides to pick the conversation back up. "Ariana," Tony starts. He sighs, rubbing his hands over his face. He doesn't know what to say. Nothing will make it better.

"I'm so-sorry, please," she cries, tightening her arms around her legs; somehow making her body smaller. "I didn't want to..." Tony's face twists with confusion. What does she mean? What didn't she want?

Then, his stomach drops. Surely she didn't mean... No one would do such a thing... right? No, he's just thinking the worst. The man couldn't have possibly adopted a kid to assault her like that. Or, at least, that's what he hopes.

"It's okay, sweetheart. Just tell us when you're ready," Pepper reassures her.

"She found out..." Ariana hesitates with a grimace, not wanting to say it. "She found out he was cheating on her... with me."

Pepper's eyes grow as she whips her head over to Tony. He clenches the notebook in his hand as he looks down at that entry. Voice shaking with anger, he questions, "why does it say that you thought you deserved it?"

Ariana furrows her brows, isn't it obvious? "It's because I had... tempted... him. I-It was my fault that he... he..."

Rage boils up inside of Tony. He shakes with anger as hot tears form in his eyes.

Pepper's gut twists as tears form in her eyes. How could Ariana come to such a conclusion? Going to sit over by her daughter, Pepper says, "Darling, that was not your fault. I don't want you to believe that it was your fault in any little way. No one should be 'tempted' by a fourteen-year-old. Those that are, are sick, twisted, evil people that don't deserve to walk this earth, understand?"

"But... but I did it to the last people I was with too..." she admits, crying.

Tony's head shoots up, "you mean... the people that just had you? Matthew and Emma?"

"Yeah?" Ariana sniffs. "Why else would Mrs. Emma want to kill me?"

Pepper's heartbroken face looks over at Tony. Guilt and anger weigh heavy on his soul. He never knew that was the reason. Now he knows why the woman was calling her such horrible things. What he can't figure out is how in the world Emma thought it was the kid's fault. She had been through this two times, and both women laid the blame on Ariana instead of their disgusting husbands. It didn't make any sense to him. The kid, undoubtedly, had no fault in this. She was clearly the victim. Perhaps Tony should do more digging.

Tony and Pepper let her be done with questions for now. They're not sure they could take much more of it. As Tony goes to his lab to do some research, Pepper brings Ariana to hang out with the rest of the team. They don't want her to be alone.

The next day Pepper brings Ariana to Tony's lab. Her arm is wrapped around her daughter, comforting Ariana the best way she can. When the girls enter the room they see Tony surrounded by screens. His hair is messy and coffee cups are strewn about the room. He rubs his sore eyes after putting his pen down.