The Adventures of the Stark-Rogers

Chapter Six: Ned's Unfortunate Birthday

"Math is hard." Ned simply responded.

Tony chuckled, he lightly swatted Ned's legs and she moved them, sitting up and sitting crossed legged facing Tony who had moved in to sit next to her. "It's your birthday and you're thinking about math?" Ned shrugged, looking down and Tony quickly realised what she was talking about. "Don't worry, math is hard for me, too. To live with it, it- it scares me." Tony sighed, looking down at his feet.

"I got lost in the metaphor. Are we talking about math-math or Mari-Harley-Peter-Dr. Strange-fifty-percent-of-the-world-math?" Ned asked. It might've been a joke or it might've been a genuine question, either way Tony chuckled lowly.

"The second one." He confirmed.

"Then I miss math, too." Ned said.

Tony's palms lightly hit his thighs and burst Ned out of her mind. "C'mon, it's your birthday and I got a box mix of cookies and they're not gonna make and eat themselves." He got up and brought a hand out to Ned who gladly took her father's hand.

"Well what are we waiting for then?" Ned smiled and together they went to the kitchen.

They spent the afternoon baking the cookies. They probably did something wrong because the cookies turned out like bread and they decided to spread Nutella on it and eat it while watching  random tv shows.

They were halfway done with their Nutella-Cookie sandwiches when Ned's phone rang.

"You gonna get that?" Tony asked absentmindedly. He grabbed another cookie and took a bite.

"Yeah, just a sec." She looked at her phone and saw it was her other dad calling. She quietly went outside and answered her phone.

"Hey, pops." She greeted.

"Heya, birthday girl." Steve said. His voice was rough and stern yet there was a hint of happiness with it. For the past two years Steve has had a more nihilistic look on life. Everyone had. He spent the first year going around trying to get information and a way to bring everyone back. He stole countless information from military bases. He would go to shady bars and speak to people who "could bring back the dusted" but no one of them had any useful information. Steve Rogers wasn't one to admit defeat but this one time he had to. Now, he spends his days at the park with his sketchbook/journal writing and drawing his feelings away under the shade of a tree with his motorcycle parked next to him and his leather jacket warming him up.

If it wasn't so depressing it would be hot.

"Called to say happy birthday." Steve continued. Ned smiled brightly.

"Thanks, pops." Ned felt warm and happy on the inside.

"The big 16, huh. From what I've learnt from those movies you gu- you showed me you should have a huge party and get a car." Steve barely stopped himself from mentioning his dead kids. Every time he would think about his kids he would breakdown and he didn't want Ned to witness that he liked pretending that she doesn't know what's going on with him. He pretends he doesn't know because if he came to terms with it he has to accept the fact that he's making his last daughter sad. His breakdowns were for his journal.

Ned pretended she didn't hear that. "Yeah, well, I'm pretty sure dad's got that covered. We were watching tv and he would skip all the car ads that came on tv." She chuckled lightly at that.

"How's Tony?" Steve asked. His voice cracked a bit.

"He's- he's I don't know. He seems okay but" she glanced through the window to where her dad was watching tv. "I'm pretty sure he's just pretending." Kinda like someone else I know. She wanted to add.

"Well- um," He cleared his throat. "How about we go back to talking about your birthday. Look at the road."

Ned looked and driving down the road was Steve on his Harley Davidson.

"Pops!" Ned said, running down the porch stairs. Steve parked his bike and got out. Ned quickly ran to Steve and gave him a big hug.

"Whoa, kiddo." He said ruffling Ned's short hair. "How're ya?"

"I'm good now that you're here." Ned said, smiling.

"I would bet. Come on, I gotta give you your gift." Steve says. He reaches to the pocket of his leather jacket and pulls out a small box wrapped in red ribbon.

"What's in it?" Ned asked. She said grabbing the box and taking off the ribbon.

"Open it and see for yourself." Steve said. While Ned was occupied with the box, his eyes flickered towards the house window. He saw Tony in the kitchen with his arms crossed looking at them.

"Oh my God! It's so beautiful." Ned's voice caused Steve to look back at his daughter.

Inside the box was a beautiful necklace with a diamond daffodil pendant. It was Ned's birthstone and birth flower all in one.

"So I take it that you like it." Steve giggled sheepishly.

"Like it? I love it!" Ned said enthusiastically and hugged Steve once again.

"Here. Let me put it on for you." Steve leaned down and put the necklace on Ned. He looked at her for a second. "You have become such a beautiful young woman." He said, kissing her forehead.

"Thank you, Dad." She said, smiling. They hugged for a while when Steve's phone made them jump.

Steve pulled out his phone and looked at the caller ID.

"Natasha? What? Yeah. Okay. See ya." He said before hanging up. "Well, your Aunt Natasha says happy birthday." He mumbled.

"And?"

"And that I have to go." He said apologetically. "I'm sorry, kiddo. I wish I could've been here for longer but now you can hang out with Tony." He said.

"Yeah. But I'll miss you dad." Ned said sadly.

"Don't be. In two weeks you'll come stay with me, right?" Ned nodded. "Well then, we'll have loads of fun then." They hugged again and Steve kissed her forehead again before jumping on his bike and turning it on. He gave a final wave to Ned and drove off.

Ned spent the rest of the day with Tony. Watching old movies and enjoying some cookies. It was until later into the day that Tony surprised her with a pink 2020 Audi R8.

It was a really good birthday but Ned couldn't forget the fact that her brothers and sister weren't here.