Later that day
Happy hogan (Tony's chauffeur) picked Ashley up from school
Ashley was in a bad mood as Peter has completely disappeared from her the whole day with no explanation and finding out her dad has been lying to her
"You okay kid ?" Happy hogan asked Ashley picking up on her frustrated mood as she got into the car in a huff
Ashley was definitely in a bad mood as she got into the car with Happy. She hadn't managed to make any progress with MJ and Ned, and she was still trying to figure out what Peter was doing with the Avengers.
"No" she muttered, slumping into her seat.
Happy sighed to himself as he realized just how frustrated she already was, and he knew he was about to be in for a ride.
"What happened?" Happy finally asked her, not being able to handle the tension in the car anymore.
Ashley wasn't really in the mood to talk to Happy, but she knew she had to vent to someone.
"It's Peter" she finally said, "There's something up with him and I can't figure out what it is... and MJ and Ned aren't helping."
Happy knew that he couldn't tell Ashley the truth about Peter's involvement with the Avengers, but he also couldn't just sit there and do nothing. He knew she was frustrated, and he had a feeling that she wasn't going to stop until she got some kind of answer.
"Boy problems then, just wait till your father hears about this " Happy said, chuckling to himself
"No happy...this isn't funny, people are keeping things from me and I know it!" Ashley said sassily
Happy sighed to himself looking over at Ashley with a soft expression different from his usual moody exterior
"Look kid don't stress yourself over it, people are allowed to keep secrets you know, most of the time it's for the best..you know that right ?" Happy admitted giving Ashley a light pat on the back
Ashley scoffed at Happy's comment about boy problems and she rolled her eyes when he said that people were allowed to keep secrets.
"Boy problems?! Come on I'm not that shallow", Ashley exclaimed.
"And yes, people are allowed to keep secrets; but not when people are keeping secrets about absolutely everything !"
Ashley was beginning to get annoyed again, but she was also starting to realise that Happy was somewhat trying to give her genuine advice, and not just being dismissive like MJ and Ned.
"I understand people have secrets, but I just feel like everyone is hiding things from me and it feels awful, my whole life is a secret for god sake I can't even tell my own friends that I'm a stark, I can't talk about how I know the avengers, i can't invite friends over, I've never had a sleepover, I can't even be picked up from school at the doors I have to walk down the road away from people so no one sees me, I'm so tired of it...I just want a normal life a do normal things that normal kids do" Ashley ranted to happy
Ashley's outburst took Happy by surprise, and he listened to her as she vented about how isolated her life seemed to be. She couldn't even talk about who her dad was, or the Avengers, to her own friends, and she had to hide her true identity.
Happy felt immense pity for her as he heard her say "I just want a normal life", and he knew that she wasn't going to be able to have what she wanted for as long as her dad was the Iron Man.
Happy was now driving up to the stark tower as he parked in the lower car park as he turned the engine off and turned to Ashley not knowing what to say, he knew there was no solution for how Ashley felt
Ashley stared out of the window as they arrived at the tower, feeling even more isolated than usual. She could see Happy staring at her through her peripheral vision, wondering what he was thinking about what she had just said.
She didn't want to seem weak or childish to him, but she just felt so tired of having a life that was so strange and different from everyone else's.
"thanks for picking me up hap, see you Monday" Ashley said with a small smile as she grabbed her bag and got out of the car
Happy gave her a quick smile, but his eyes were still filled with pity for her.
"Yeah, see you Monday"
He watched her as she walked into the tower, and then he sat back in his seat, sighing softly to himself.
Ashley got in the lift and pressed the top floor where she lived she waited patiently in the lift not knowing if her dad would be home or not
As the lift rose to the top floor, Ashley let out another sigh as she wondered if her dad would be there when she got in.
Ashley didn't know if she wanted her dad to be in or not she felt so betrayed finding out him and the avengers have been lying to her about Peter but at the same time she wanted him to be there to see if she can get the truth
Ashley was conflicted. She wanted her dad to be there so that she could get the truth about what was going on with Peter and the Avengers, but she also wanted him not to be there so she could process her emotions without the fear of him saying that she was overreacting or getting too involved.
The lift made a ding as she arrived at the top floor
Ashley took a deep breath and gathered herself together as the lift doors opened. She didn't quite know what to expect of her dad, but she had to prepare herself for whatever she was going to find.
She slowly left the lift and walked towards her door, taking another deep breath to steady her emotions and her nerves.
Nat, Steve, Thor, Clint, and Bruce were sat on the sofas in the living room
"Here's trouble" Thor joked as he spotted Ashley come through the doors of the lift
"Not today Thor" Ashley sighed catching Thor off guard at the surprising low mood Ashley has come home with
Usually Ashley liked the avengers cheerful personalities but today she wasn't in the mood for it
Ashley scowled when she saw them sat on the sofas, her mood clearly worse than they were expecting.
They all fell silent as she entered the living room, waiting for her to make a move.
After a moment, Clint tried to break the awkward tension.
"Hey... uh... so how was school?"
Ashley sighed and rolled her eyes at the question, still feeling frustrated with everyone.
"I don't wanna talk about it" Ashley admitted
Ashley continued to sit where she was, her arms crossed and a frown on her face.
She wasn't particularly mad or upset with everyone, she was just tired of all the secrets and lies. She wanted answers, and she was done with having to deal with everyone keeping things from her.
Ashley's frown deepened but she still didn't say anything, just letting the whole situation marinate in the air.
Clint was the first one to break the silence again.
"So, uh... are you... uh, are you, doing alright?"
"Yea I'm doing fine and dandy" Ashley said sarcastically
Ashley's sarcasm was obvious, and everyone started to wonder if this was an opening to talk to her about what was going on.
Clint decided to try and press further.
"Something must have happened at school right? Why else would you come home so pissy?"
before Ashley could answer Tony came up from the lab spotting Ashley sat on the sofa with the avengers
"Hey sweetie how was school" Tony said walking over to Ashley
"Don't sweetie me" Ashley said with a frown
She usually didn't mind the pet names she got from her dad but today she was having none of it
Tony stopped in his tracks when he heard Ashley's response.
He'd usually heard her say things like that in a teasing and jokingly manner, but he could tell from her voice that this situation was completely different.
He could see the frown on her face and he could see that he had to tread carefully around her right now.
Tony stepped a little closer to her, and he placed a hand on her shoulder hoping that maybe it would help calm her down.
"Everything alright?" Tony asked, his voice a little strained, as he was unsure what to expect from her.
"No actually it's not do you want to tell me why you've been lying to me ? All of you ?" Ashley finally blurted out
Tony didn't actually know what Ashley was talking about
"yes you have !!! You all have !! You all knew Peter ! And you tried to keep me away from him dad ! What on earth does Peter have to do with you guys I want answers right now !" Ashley shouted angrily
Tony was even more surprised when she started yelling about Peter.
He didn't know how she knew about him but he obviously had to deal with it right now.
"S-sweetie, listen, I have something to tell you about that. It's really..."
"Please yea I'd like an explanation" Ashley said
Tony sighed, knowing that whatever he was about to say would not go over lightly with Ashley, but he had to say it regardless.
"Okay...you see, Peter is someone who my work requires me to look after, and that's the truth of it," Tony began, feeling his stomach twisting at his own lie.
"look after ? What ? Why ? This doesn't make any sense" Ashley scoffed
Tony struggled to think of something that wouldn't tip her off any further.
"Well, I... he's someone that I have to protect... someone very important to everyone, and that's why I keep you away."
"You're still not telling me the whole story I can tell ! I wish people would stop trying to keep things from me" Ashley said tearing up
Tony sighed, trying to think of a way to make this easier for her.
He couldn't tell her the whole story just yet, but he didn't want to make her angrier or upset her even further.
"You'll understand one day, sweets, I promise but right now you just have to trust me, can you do that?"
Ashley's anger was rising again but she was still just as confused.
She didn't believe that this was the whole story, and she wanted to argue more, but she didn't know what to say.
"So you're really not gonna tell me the full story right?"
Tony sighed, still unable to tell her the full story.
He didn't know what to say now, so he went with the most logical thing he could think of.
"Not right now, honey... you're not going to believe me but you're better off not knowing. For now at least."
"and what if I found out myself ? What happens then ?" Ashley warned
Tony's heart dropped at her question.
What if she did find out for herself?
He didn't really have an answer for her right now, so he decided to try and stall her instead.
"Well uh... you probably couldn't do that... it's very protected and top secret information, I doubt you'd find out anyway."
He couldn't even say it with a straight face, knowing how easy it probably was for her to find out.
"I'm going to find out wether you like it or not" Ashley said standing up and storming off to her room
Tony stared after her as she stormed off into her room, still feeling as if he was going to throw up.
He knew that she probably would find out, and he wished that she wouldn't.
But he also knew that he couldn't stop her, so he let her go, and watched her slam the door behind her.
He wished that he could just tell her everything, but he just couldn't.
Now he just had to hope that she didn't find out for herself, but he had a bad feeling that she would.
Tony walked up to Ashley's room and lightly knocked on "ash please can we just talk for a minute"
Ashley hears her dads voice, not saying that she's not still angry she answers
"Go away!" Ashley shouted through tears
"Ash really you need to be more mature about this" Tony says knowing he should give her space but knowing she needs to calm down to talk he knocks again
This time he doesn't wait for an answer he slowly swings the door open and walks into his daughter's room
"Ashley look I know your mad at me but we need to talk about this now" Tony says softly as he looks at her feeling nothing but guilt and it's killing him
"You're keeping secrets from me" Ashley says through sniffles
"Ash I'm not trying to keep secrets from you I'm trying to protect you from something" Tony tries to explain
"I'm not a kid anymore dad ! You don't have to make it out that I'm always in danger because I'm not ! I can't even tell my own friends my real name ! It's stupid" Ashley says breaking down into tears again
" listen your right you are not a kid you're a smart young woman, the smartest I know"
"But I just can't tell you the truth about Peter"
Tony says as he walks over to siennas bed sitting next to her as she was curled under the covers looking out the window over the city.
"It's stupid...sometimes I just wish I was normal you know ? Like no secrets...no hiding my identity"Ashley says as she wipes her eyes
"I know sweetie I know, and look I wish I could tell you everything"
"But I can't this is a secret that I can't tell you, even if I wanted to I can't ,I just can't"
Tony says knowing this wasn't making her feel any better as he puts his arm around her
"But don't let it get to you to much ok?"
Tony asks seeing his daughter get upset only made him feel so guilty