ABIENCE \\ tony stark's daughter

03 // ungrateful

EDITED: 12 June, 2021.

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February 3, 2002. 9:23 P.M.

When she'd woken up the first time, months ago, she'd felt disorientated. She was laying on a bed of clouds, spread out for what felt like kilometres around her. She'd shot straight up when she realised where she was, huddled into the top of the bed (she could lay across it sideways and still not be able to touch the other side) to feel something solid against her back. Jarvis slowly let the windows become translucent again, and Altaira was left staring in awe at the beauty of her new view.

She couldn't see the end of the ocean, just barely able to see where the ocean met the sky. It was coloured light pink, the sun beginning to peak into their part of the world with the brightest greeting.

Altaira had spent hours with her cheeks pressed against the window, content with merely watching as the ocean got bluer and bluer. She loved blue. The bright sun reflecting off the calm waters.

Jarvis had eventually informed her that Pepper was approaching. They ate breakfast, more food she'd never seen before, before Pepper had introduced Altaira to a chubby man called Happy Hogan and her assistant, Bambi Arbogast. They went shopping, Altaira was able to get anything she wanted. Pepper bought her so many pretty outfits, toys she'd never been able to afford before and as many blue dresses as she wanted (they tried to make her get rid of her favourite blue ketchup-stained dress, but she managed to convince them to let her hide it in her room. She tried so many different foods at the shops, anything she ever wanted.

She didn't choose many things for her room, just a soft carpet for the floor by her bed that Bambi had found, several plushies and the softest grey blanket she'd ever seen. But they got her plenty of things, colourful and often blue.

Altaira let the names of all the staff in the manor, all the chefs and mains and gardeners and everyone else (even other chauffers when Happy was busy, but Happy was always her favourite). They'd tell her so many beautiful stories and never failed to make her laugh and smile. They were all so lovely.

She spent months feeling like she was on top of the world, even if her dad wasn't around all the time. It was enough that he didn't hurt her, that he was better than Tommy and Mommy could ever be. Altaira even started home schooling, preferring to just spend her more time getting used to her new life and visiting her therapist. It was something that apparently was necessary, but she didn't really understand why. The trauma and abuse therapist wouldn't stop asking about how she was feeling about what happened to her mommy (she didn't really care, Mr. Coulson promised mommy and Tommy were gone forever and that's all that mattered) and whether she liked living with daddy (yes, of course). However, it was apparently important to her dad that she kept going so she did.

("Oh, come on, Pepper-"

"Unless we get the approval that she's ready, there will be no press conference, Mr. Stark. There will be no budging on this.")

Life was incredible! For almost a year, she was living in a dream. She was the happiest she'd ever been.

But then the media conference happened.

They had promised her that it was just a small thing, Ms. Potts told her that dad needed to announce that she was his daughter. They warned her that it would be a little stressful, but it would be okay and then they could get ice cream after.

They entered the Stark Industries headquarters through a back entrance, a circle of bodyguards around them. Happy told her he'd be waiting after for them in the usual car he'd been driving them around it. They walked through so many halls, Altaira nervously looking around as people stared at her as they passed. Altaira remembers her dad grabbing her hand as they stood hidden from the crowd, the commotion coming from the room below the stage loud. She remembered him looking down at her, sending her an almost reassuring smile.