You could see the toll this was taking on my body. I looked as though I had lost a little weight. My hair and skin were dull. Strange told me to recharge and go home. This time I probably needed to stay 24 hours to get the reboot. I smiled at Peter and kissed his cheek.
Peter:" You better be careful."
Me:" Always am Pete."
I smiled and fell into the darkness. I opened my eyes with a smile and saw the room around me. I went into the attached bathroom and showered. I got out and changed into some comfy clothes. I told FRIDAY to drop the shield. As I made it down the stairs I heard a baby crying in the living room. I went down to the same piano I played a year ago to get their attention. Clair de Lune by Debussy is what came to mind and as the piano rang out the cries stopped.
Tony:" Thank God Mia."
I kept playing through my laughing. The baby was silent and I smiled at the weird family dynamic we had in that moment. After I played the ending of the song I stood up and made my way to Pepper and the smiling baby.
Me:" Can I hold her?"
Pepper:" Morgan its time you finally meet your sister Mia."
I smiled and took her gently into my arms.
Me:" To bad I didn't get to meet you when you were little, little."
I sat down on the couch next to my dad. Pepper placed the spit rag on my shoulder and plopped down next to Tony as well.
Tony:" You two look so much alike its scary."
Me:" Lucky for her she got some Potts' genes. Gotta balance out that Stark attitude."
They smiled at me as I continued to look at my baby sister.
Tony:" Are you about to leave?"
Me:" Actually I can stay for 24 hours."
They both smiled and Morgan grabbed one of the fingers laying on the blanket of mine.
Me:" Your nickname is definitely Mo Mo and you are going to hate it when your my age."
Laughter filled the room and I noticed Pepper going to take a nap.
Me:" Dad if you wanna go sleep you can."
He shook his head and leaned more into the couch.
Tony:" I gotta get enough time in with both of my children. Its only fair since I didn't get to wipe your butt every couple of hours."
Me:" Gross dad, come on."
He smiled and looked down at Morgan.
Tony:" I wish I could have seen you this little."
Me:" Well from the photos I've seen you're pretty much looking at a replica."
He smiled and put his arm around my shoulders.
Tony:" You would have been funny though. Your first word was probably shit or something."
I laughed with him and shook my head.
Me:" No apparently it was cookie."
We both laughed again and that's pretty much how the afternoon was spent. I held Morgan until Pepper woke up. She didn't cry a single time in my arms and I was happy to meet her. That night I spent time with dad in the lab. I showed him my newest theory for the clean air initiative. I had cleaned up gallons of water apparently in the last couple years. Now Pepper was trying to roll out my portable air filters. I had built them before the blip, but never got all the testing done before. Dad and Pep had gotten everything pretty much finished.
Me:" I think if you add this to it, we could double the covered space."
Tony:" Kid you're a genius."
We started adding everything to the schematic. My hope was I could still be doing good in a world that forgot the name Mia Stark. Dad and Pepper turned in for the night rather quickly. I stayed up however. I dialed a number I needed to call.
Nat:" Mia?"
Me:" Hey Nat."
Nat:" So you can just pop in and out? Why haven't you came to visit?"
Me:" Don't take it personal. I can only go so far before it weakens me rather than helps."
Nat:" I miss you baby Stark."
Me:" I'm technically 20 now you know? Not really a baby."
Nat:" You are always going to be mini Stark to us."
Me:" I know but I'm going to need a favor."
Nat:" Anything kid."
Me:" I need you to get everyone back together. I'm going to hold on as long as I can. You are the only one who can talk sense into 'em."
Nat:" I promise Mia but you gotta give me some time."
Me:" I'll try my best."
I hung up the call and sighed. My body was slowly feeling full again. I needed this, I needed my family. I sat on the porch and watched the sun rise. Dad walked out with a cup of tea handing it to me.
Tony:" Didn't sleep?"
Me:" If I wanted to stay I couldn't."
Tony:" You look better than you came."
Me:" Looks like I gotta make these trips as often I can."
Tony:" Who knows next time you come Morgan might be walking."
Me:" Hey now let's focus on the present okay."
He laughed and nodded pulling me into his side on the porch couch.