I cherish the moments my family and I had together. And when I say my family, it always includes Happy Hogan. He's been a part of the Starks even before I was born so it would be foolish of me of not considering Happy as my family.
My family and I weren't a threat in the universe for eleven years. We were normal. We were just doing what every other human being on Earth was doing. You know . . . . going out to dinner at cheap restaurants, celebrating belated birthdays because none of us remember the exact date, Mom and Dad arguing about my future, Happy helping me with school works, even going out for a picnic. I said both of my parents were always busy to have a time for me, but I know they're trying their best not making feel neglected.
Let's take Dad taking me to London with him, as an example. It happened when I was around six years old. While my friends have to be in school, I have to follow my father across the globe because he didn't trust anyone to take care of me. I remember we had only make it for a few minutes together before Dad's cellphone rung and said that he was needed in the office. Also that time when he dragged me to press conferences eventhough he didn't necessarily have to bring me, but he liked knowing that I'm there for him. And those times when Dad took Mom and I for a picnic. Yes, the one Mom tried to continue doing, something calls tradition for her, but not to me.
Dad went to Afghanistan for his weapon's launching. I was 11 years old and I remember sitting at one corner of the room, keeping myself from feeling anything. I didn't want Dad to go there because we all know what happens in Afghanistan. However, Dad insisted he had to go, for work, and demanded me not to worry because Rhodey will be there with him. Only then I knew that he was lying. He was lost for a few weeks. We didn't know what happen to him. Rhodey wasn't able to track him even with his US Air Force technology. We prayed in silence while people have already mourn for Tony Stark's lost.
That's where everything started, where everything changed.
Dad shut down the weapons production he partnered with Obadiah Stane. Oh, Stane. He was a nice man, always treated me candies and always kept me occupied when Mom and Dad were busy. I understood Stane's rage towards Dad when Dad announced that Stark Industries will no longer manufacture weapons. He made the decisions himself without discussing with anyone beforehand. Tell me who wouldn't be pissed by that?
"Why did do it, Dad?" I asked the question that had ben lingering around my head for months. I might be young that time, but I was aware of my surroundings. Dad taught me to keep my eyes and ears open at all times. "Why did you choose to turn your back against OB?"
"Why do you care about me turning my back against OB?"
"He's your best friend, Dad. How could you do it to your best friend?" I raised my voice at him. Only if I knew that I'm going to regret it for the rest of my life. Not only the raising my voice part, but to question him about not trusting his friend he knew for ages. Dad was wrong to do that, but OB was the starting point of all Iron Man stuff.
"Listen to me, Terri. That man is not my best friend, but an enemy," Dad answered seriously. "Fine, he gave you candies and bought you ice-cream and cheese burgers, but don't let those fool you. Next thing we know, you could get hurt because of him."
"How do you know that he's bad?"
"I know. Deep inside my heart, I just know." Dad looked at me in the eye. His hand palming my cheek. His thumbs carressing it softly and soothingly. The look in his eyes seems as if he found the world in mine. And then there is the small smile tugged at the end of his lip. "I'm not asking you to stop befriending immediately, but be caredul around him, Terri. I promise we'll get the answer soon. Don't worry."
Dad couldn't have been more right about it. I saw it with my own eyes when he stole Dad's arc reactor, the one on Dad's chest. Dad's pale face is still in my head and it appears every now and then. Sometimes I wish, I didn't doubt him in the first place.
~•••~
Something happened. I don't know what is, but something is happening. One time we were talking about our favourite shows and how we are going to re-watching them like the old times once this is over, but the next time we know, there was an explosion outside and the ground underneath was shaking.
"Is it an earthquake?" Was the first that came into my mind, although as far as I know we are far from an active volcano.
"Rhodey, what's happening?" Harley asked.
"I don't know," came Rhodey's answer as he warily watched around the building for incomings.
"No, someone's trying to break into our place," Dr. Banner pointed out. His eyes looking straight at the main door.
"Is that possible?" I frowned.
"It could if they have a powerful bomb to bring this thing down," Rhodey told me.
"Rhodey! Terri! Banner!" I heard Sam called us through the speaker the same time Bucky shouted, "Terri!"
"Guys! What's happening?" The noise kept on coming that I had to shout while communicating with them.
"They're tearing the cabin down! They have RPGs coming your way!"
Boom!
"Shit!" Rhodey started to gather around Dad's working table, grabbing things and shoved them inside his pockets.
"You need you leave!" I heard Bucky yelled, supporting his friend.
"No, we have to protect this place!" I stood my ground on this. There's no way I'm giving up my family's property just because someone else is wants what we have.
"You can't! They're tearing it apart and we have no weapon to fight back!" Dr. Banner said.
"Well, then, you leave! I'm going to stay here." The Iron Man suit did not always come into my mind first. Maybe I begged Dad to have one, but I never really depend on it as much as Dad depended on it. My instinct was always to run and fight only to defend myself; meanwhile Dad is my oposite. Fighting was always his first choice. I guess, that's why I was never recruited by Fury.
"Terri, they're blowing this place off," Harley tried to persuade me. "We don't have anything to fight back so we have to leave. We can re-build your multiple lab again once we're safe."
"Don't you understand? This is my home! Dad built them for me! For his family! This garage was his and without this, we can never build multiple lab!"
"We can, trust me! I made sure I brought along the blueprint." Harley raised his hand where he got Dad's multiple lab blueprint.
I stared at it for a few seconds, appreciating him for remembering the most important part. "But how long do you think we're going to build them? And how long will my family going to suffer this? No. I ain't leaving. I'm protecting my father's legacy."
I stood tall amongst the two men in front of me. Dr. Banner was nowhere to be found, I realised, but I don't blame him. He has its reasons to save himself from this mess because it wasn't his in the first place.
The ground continue to shake but this time, it came with a shortage of power supply. I looked around. It was dark, although the emergency light was turned on.
"Terri, you better get your ass off this place. Remember Malibu? Tony wouldn't mind," Rhodey said before he started leaving.
"Terri, we gotta hurry!" Harley grabbed my arm.
"No!" I refused stubbornly. "Let me go!" I said while pulling myself back, trying to get away from Harley. LHarley, let me go! Please, don't make me leave." I cried.
"I can't, Terri. I can't leave you alone."
"Just leave me, please! This is what Dad had left. I'm not willing to give it up."
"Hey, we have the blueprint remember?"
"It's not enough!"
Small crunches of ceiling began to fall causing dust to linger in the air. The dust gets thicker by the second. Next thing I know, my eyes stings and I choke for oxygen. Without anymore hesitation, Harley grabbed me once again and throw me over his shoulders.
"No! No! Please!" I cried and yelled at the top of my lungs. "Dad! No! I don't want to leave! Please!"
There the contineous explosions. Seems that they are not giving up despite they're wasting their RPG ammos and bombs on this place, aren't they? The heavy shake caused Harley to loose his balance and we fell. Harley was tired, but by now, I do not have a choice. I had to leave to safe Harley.
"Come on, Harley! Get up! Gotta get you to safety!" Now, I'm the one who's getting Harley to safety.
I don't remember having secret passageways but right now, we're running through an empty and plain hallway where our voices echo and bounce back in the wall. At one point, we saw a light, but a crunch of ceiling fell seperating between me and Harley.
"Terri!"
I coughed weakly. The dust and smoke is getting into my lungs. My ears stinging. My muscles hurt everywhere. Feels like I splint my ankle and there was a sharp pain on my left leg, the wound from my past accident.
"Terri!"
"Go!" I coughed.
"No!"
"Just go, Harley!"
Harley ran without being told again. No, it's not his fault. He's right to save himself and I'm glad he thinks for himself meanwhile half of us cannot do it. I lay there and let the explosion be my lullaby while regaining my energy to escape.
But not long after that, through the mist I saw an Iron Man suit glowing around its eyes. I was still on the hard ground when it engulfed itself onto my body.
"Terri! I swear to God, you and your troublesomeness! I see you take your name seriously and now start to act like one, aren't you, Terri short for terrible?" I heard Dad's voice yelling through Iron Man mask.
"Dad?" I croaked as I battle with my eye that's stubbornly wanting to close.
"Friday, blow this off," I heard Dad said, particulalrly to Friday, although I think he's talking to me. "Destroy every evidence we have in here. I don't want anyone find a single trace of me left. And when I say a single of me, I mean it. Just destroy them."
"Dad?"
"Good evening, Miss Stark! Sorry, I'm patronising you. Mr. Stark had specifically asked me to bring him back everytime you're in danger. He said it's to calm you down."
"Thank you, Friday," I whispered. In front of my eyes, I saw a picture of Dad's face smiling down at me. "Dad . . . . I love you 3000."
"I love you 3000."
Dad and I said in unison.
//////
Okay, here's a thought:
What if Tony Stark has a daughter before Morgan? And "I love you 3000" that came from Morgan was actually not the first time Tony heard it? That it's actually Tony's first daughter and Morgan happen to say because, well, sister bond?