𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐒𝐇𝐄 heard her alarm go off and she threw her pillow at it, hearing the crash. She rolled over and covered her head with another pillow. There was a knock at her front door and she peaked out her head from underneath the covers in confusion. The knocking continued and she sighed.
She wrapped a sweater around her frame and threw her dark brown locks into a messy bun. She passed by a mirror and wrinkled her nose. "I look like death warmed over," she commented to herself before shrugging. "Oh, well."
Rubbing her eyes, Grace opened her front door and was greeted with the sight of a man in a suit. "Grace Stark?"
She furrowed her brow. "Yes?" she replied apprehensively. "Is there a reason you're standing on my front step at seven in the morning?"
"I've been awake since four," the man said and she nodded slowly.
"Well, good for you," she replied, crossing her arms. "Who are you and why are you standing on my front step at seven in the morning?"
The man cleared his throat. "Ma'am, we've been aware that prior to his death, you were in a relationship with Steve Rogers."
Grace knitted her brows together. "What?"
"Captain America—"
Grace nodded. "Yeah, I know who he is, thank you," she said with a sigh. "My confusion is mostly because nobody has ever cared before. Well, my nephew seemed a little annoyed when my brother wouldn't stop talking about him. I think Howard accidentally told him we had been in a relationship. I still don't think he's over it. But other than that, nobody else really cared, seeing as a majority didn't know."
"Ma'am, I'm from the Smithsonian," the man introduced himself, holding out his hand which Grace shook, still confused. "We have been digging through the Army's archive files and very briefly it was mentioned that you and Captain Rogers were together."
Grace blinked. "I didn't know that the Army cared enough to write that down."
"Which is why I'm here," the man continued and she furrowed her brow. "Would you mind if I came in? I have a packet I'd like to show you."
Grace shrugged and opened the door wider. "Sure. I'm too tired to say no." The man walked inside and over to her dining room table. Meanwhile, Grace made herself a pot of coffee. "Would you like something to drink, Mr...?"
"Abrams," he replied and shook his head. "No, thank you, ma'am. I'm strictly here on business."
Grace nodded and walked over to the table with her coffee in hand. "Yeah. And what business is that, exactly?"
Mr. Abrams held out a packet to her which she took and opened. "We're designing an exhibit dedicated to Captain Rogers' service and sacrifice," he explained as she scanned over the plans. "How he took the serum. The rescue missions he had completed as well as all of the times he eliminated Hydra bases."
"Uh-huh," Grace said with a nod before looking up at the man. "And what does this have to do with me, Mr. Abrams? I only designed weapons for the Army."
"And had been in a relationship with Captain Rogers," he replied making her purse her lips. "It was my understanding you had been on the radio with him when he... perished."
"I was."
"We at the Smithsonian were hoping you might help us in creating the exhibit," he said and she raised her eyebrows. "You are the only person still alive who knew him well. You would know the perfect way to honor his memory."
Grace bit her bottom lip and let out a breath. "Mr. Abrams... It's wonderful that you want to do this for Captain Rogers. It truly is. But you have to understand, this happened sixty-six years ago."
"But surely you remember."
She shook her head. "That's not the point," she said with a sigh. "You are more than welcome to create an exhibit that he so rightly deserves. He did so much for this country that should be recognized. But I don't want any involvement in it."
"Miss Stark—"
"You asked and I said no," she said firmly, interrupting the man. "It took me a very long time to come to terms with his sacrifice. One he did without a second thought because that was the type of person he was. I have my life I need to live, Mr. Abrams. I can't keep living in the past. But when the exhibit does open, I will gladly go see it. Because Steve does deserve an exhibit for everyone to know the type of person he was."
Mr. Abrams nodded. "I understand." He closed his briefcase and let out a breath. "Thank you for your time, Miss Stark."
Grace closed the door behind the man and let out a heavy sigh. "An exhibit for Steve," she said, leaning against the door and smiling softly. "An exhibit for Steve..."
⸻ ~~~ ⸻
𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐒𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐄𝐑 living room, flipping through the packet that Mr. Abrams had given her when her phone rang. Glancing at the contact, she answered with a sigh. "Nick, now isn't a great time."
"Grace, turn on the Grand Prix," Nick said and she furrowed her brow.
"Why?" she asked, tossing the packet to the side. "I don't like car racing. They're just driving in a circle at a really fast speed. If I wanted to watch that, I'd turn on Cars. At least they have some drama."
"Grace."
She paused. "What?"
"Just turn on the Grand Prix."
Grace turned on the tv and the phone slipped from her hand. Tony was on the racetrack in his suit while facing off against a man with electric whips. Grace furrowed her brows and looked closer at the man. "It can't be..." she muttered to herself. She looked around for her phone and picked it up off the floor. "Nick?"
"I'm still here," he confirmed. "Agent Romanoff is out of danger. However, it would seem that Miss Potts and Mr. Hogan are now on the racetrack."
Grace whipped her head back toward the tv and sure enough, a car was on the racetrack, headed directly for Tony and the man.
"Nick..." She let out a breath and ran a hand through her hair. "Tell me that isn't Anton Vanko's son."
"I'm afraid so," he replied and she pursed her lips. "Grace, what happened between him and your brother? It's hardly in any files."
Grace sighed and sat down on the couch, her eyes still fixed on the fight happening on the tv. "Vanko came to the United States in '63," she said. "Eventually he started working closely with my brother. They started developing the Arc Reactor technology, but they had a disagreement. Howard wanted to use it for mankind but Vanko wanted to make a monetary profit.
"He was deported back to the Soviet Union in '67 when Howard found out he had been guilty of espionage. Last I heard, he died in Siberia." She groaned. "And now I'm guessing his son wants revenge on Howard's son." She shook her head with a scoff. "Tony has inherited quite a mess."
"Agent Romanoff informed me that they will be returning home shortly," Nick told her and she nodded, turning off the tv. "One way or another, your involvement in SHIELD will be revealed, Grace. You should do it sooner rather than later."
"I know..." She hung up the phone before sighing and holding her head in her hand. "I know..."
⸻ ~~~ ⸻
𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐍'𝐓 𝐒𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐘 since his return from Monaco and she wasn't expecting the first time to see him when he was dancing, drunk in his Iron Man suit at his birthday party.
"What the hell happened to him?" Grace asked Pepper, walking over to the strawberry-blonde who had an exasperated expression on her face.
"He drank," she replied simply just as Rhodey walked over to the two women.
"Hey, Grace, Pepper."
"I'm going to get some air," Pepper said and Rhodey furrowed his brows.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
Grace gestured to her nephew. "That," she replied with a sigh. "That's what's wrong."
Rhodey followed her extended finger and landed on Tony now falling over from being so drunk. "You gotta be kidding me. That's it, I'm making..."
"No, no, no," Pepper stopped him, taking his arm and preventing him from taking out his phone. "Don't call anyone."
"Pepper," Rhodey said, staring at the woman. "This is ridiculous. I just stuck my neck out for this guy."
"I know." She nodded. "I know. I get it. I'm gonna handle it, okay? Just let me handle it."
Rhodey clenched his jaw. "Handle it. Or I'm gonna have to."
Grace crossed her arms and sighed, looking at Tony who had gotten a hold of the microphone. "You know, the question I get asked most often is, 'Tony, how do you go to the bathroom in the suit?' Just like that."
Grace groaned just as Pepper walked up, cheering in annoyance. "Does this guy know how to throw a party or what?"
"I love you."
She nodded, smiling tensely. "Unbelievable! Thank you so much. Tony, we all thank you so much for such a wonderful night. And we're gonna say good night now, and thank you all for coming."
"No, no, no, we can't..." Tony slurred and Grace shook her head. "Wait, wait, wait. We didn't have the cake. We didn't blow out the candles." Pepper leaned close to his ear. "You're out of control, gorgeous."
"Okay." Grace walked up onto the stage and slapped his face. "Send your guests home and get your ass to bed, Tony. Now."
Tony shrugged. "Okay."
Pepper exchanged the microphone in her hand for the bottle in Tony's. "I'll take this, you take that."
"Pepper Potts," Tony said, throwing an arm around his girlfriend. "She's right. The party's over. Then again, the party was over for me, like, an hour and a half ago. The after-party starts in fifteen minutes. And if anybody, Pepper, Aunt Gracie, doesn't like it, there's the door." Grace jumped when Tony accidentally shot the door with his suit. "Yeah!" A girl threw a bottle in the air. "Hit!" Grace looked at Rhodey who nodded. He quickly left the room for Tony's lab just as Tony hit the bottle. Many more people threw things in the air when a girl appeared with a watermelon. "I think she wants the Gallagher!"
Rhodey appeared in one of Tony's suits and Grace let out a breath. "I'm only gonna say this once. Get out." The helmet slipped over his face and everybody quickly left the house. "You don't deserve to wear one of these. Shut it down!"
"Goldstein."
The DJ appeared and looked at Tony. "Yes, Mr. Stark?"
"Give me a beat to beat my buddy's ass to," he said and suddenly Another One Bites the Dust by Queen started playing over the loudspeaker.
Grace grabbed Natasha's arm and dragged her over to the corner of the room away from the fighting between Tony and Rhodey.
"Romanoff," she hissed, looking over the redhead at the fight. "Why did you encourage Tony? Your mission was to be undercover for Pepper. Now you're just causing problems. Fix this, Romanoff."
"Yes, ma'am."
⸻ ~~~ ⸻
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐗𝐓 𝐃𝐀𝐘, 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐄 sat across from Tony who barely glanced in her direction. She let out a breath. "He told you, didn't he?"
"If you mean that you and Dad were founding members of SHIELD and that you didn't tell me, yes," Tony said, looking up at her. "He did."
Grace nodded. "You have every right to be angry at me, Tony—"
"Good, because I am."
"—but you haven't been honest with me, either," she continued, crossing her arms. "When were you going to tell me you were dying?"
"When were you going to tell me that you founded a secret organization?" he retorted and she pursed her lips. "I never thought you'd lie to me, Aunt Gracie."
"It wasn't a lie," she said softly. "It was just... a secret."
"A secret that you didn't think I deserved to know about," he finished and she sighed, shaking her head. "If it wasn't that, you would have told me."
"It's not that simple," she replied, holding her head in her hands.
Tony shook his head. "You've always been there for me, Aunt Gracie. Why couldn't you tell me about this?"
"Because..." Grace sighed and ran a hand over her face. "Because I didn't know how. I didn't know how to tell you. I wanted to so many times. But then your parents died and... you were going through so much. Then you took over the company and were kidnapped for three months. Then you became this... thing and revealed to the world that you were Iron Man. I know you're mad. Believe me, I know." She bit her bottom lip. "But... if you're willing to listen, I'll tell you everything."
"Everything?" he repeated and she nodded.
"Everything," she said. "From the very beginning."
Tony looked at his aunt. No matter how much he wanted to stay angry with her, he couldn't. She was always the person he could count on to be in his life and he loved her more than words could ever adequately say. He nodded and sat down in the chair across from her.
"Okay."
⸻ ~~~ ⸻
an: so... Tony knows
now
the next chapter is
pretty much gonna be
a biography of our
lovely Grace
In order for Tony to
understand why she
kept it from him, he
needs to know the
full story which he'll
find out next...
And I hope everything
will be clear about Grace
afterward
Also, there isn't much I'll
be writing for Grace in
Iron Man 2 because I
can't think of much so...
the reunion is coming
much sooner than you
think :)