I woke up the next morning before JARVIS was supposed to wake me up. I groaned and looked around my room to prolong getting up. I smiled at the big teddy bear and stitch in the corner with Rhodey's little bear sitting on top of them. I sighed and stared at them for a few moments before getting up.
"Good morning, Miss Stark. I see you didn't need a wake-up call this morning," JARVIS greeted me.
"Nope, not today," I sighed.
"May I ask you how you are feeling this morning? Last night I received some very high readings of distress from you while you were sleeping."
I froze for a moment at his words before sighing. "I'm fine, JARVIS. Just had a bad dream." A bad dream about the attack and what my father could possibly be going through right now.
"Very well. Miss Pott's is not here yet, but she should be very soon."
"Thank you."
I climbed out of bed and slipped on some slippers and a sweater before walking out of my room and downstairs. I yawned and itched my head as I walked down the stairs and into the bright light of the living room. I squinted my eyes and allowed them to adjust to the new light as I started towards the kitchen. I was halfway in before the front door opened, causing me to step back and look at it in confusion.
"Ally, what are you doing up so early," Pepper questioned me in shock.
"Uh, woke up, couldn't get back to sleep," I shrugged at her, walking into the kitchen.
I walked over to the fridge and got out the orange juice then over to the cabinets to get out a glass. I poured myself a glass of juice and placed the juice back in the fridge before taking a sip.
"I'm guessing you heard from Obie about what happened yesterday," I sighed out to Pepper who was getting different folders out of her bag.
"Yes. He wasn't very happy about the meeting and when he found out about the restaurant incident he got even more upset," She sighed out to me.
"Even after you tried to explain to him how I'm doing emotionally," I questioned her, taking a long swig of my juice.
"He didn't want to hear any excuses," Pepper sighed out.
"Of course he didn't," I said simply.
"Okay, I have a few papers here that I need you to sign. Their ownership papers," She explained to me, changing the subject away from Obie.
I looked down at them curiously and looked over them. "Uh-huh. Pepper?" She hummed at me in acknowledgment. "Why do I need to sign ownership papers for the house, all of my father's cars, and basically any other thing that belongs to him?"
Pepper sighed and paused in what she was doing before she looked up at me. "Ally, I'm not doing this to upset you. All of these papers say that you will have ownership over all of your father's things until he is found and brought home. It's just to make sure that the bills for everything will still be paid. Everything is still going to be taken out of the same account, it'll just be in your name instead."
I stared at her for a few seconds blankly before I rolled my eyes and held my hand out. She smiled at me thankfully and gently placed a pen in my hand. I looked down at the papers and sighed on every line that was marked with an "X". After I was finished I handed the pen back to her and drank some more juice.
"Thank you," Pepper told me, grabbing the papers and placing them inside a folder.
"Your welcome. Now, what does Alex have planned for me on this fine morning," I questioned her curiously?
"I don't know. You'll just have to wait until he gets here to find out," She shrugged at me.
"Ugh, I hate not knowing things," I whined out.
"I know. I helped raise you, remember," She questioned me with a raised eyebrow.
I rolled my eyes and chugged the last of my juice, setting my cup down in the sink right after. I reached for the remote right after and flipped on the TV to fill the silence in the kitchen. Of course, the story was about me and how I am now taking over Stark Industries. I rolled my eyes as the asshole on the TV said I am too immature and incapable of running the company on my own.
"Why can't people just mind their own business," I sighed.
"Because if they minded their own business they wouldn't be very good at their job," Pepper shrugged at me.
"This guy knows nothing. I am perfectly capable of running Stark Industries. If anything, this company is going to flourish for the small amount of time I'm going to run it."
"Yes, I know that and Obie knows that, and you know that. However, they don't. So, all you have to do is show them and prove your worth."
I nodded at her before I looked at her curiously. "Is Happy going to take you to Stark?"
"Yes, I'm going to go there and set everything up for you today while Alex takes you."
"Have fun," I smiled at her.
"I won't. Especially if Obie is there waiting for you to show up," She sighed in frustration.
"Which he will be. I know that and you know that."
Our conversation is interrupted by JARVIS's soothing voice. "Miss Stark and Miss Potts, Mr. Coulson has arrived."
"Thank you, JARVIS," I called out to him as I heard the front door open and close.
"Morning, Alex," Pepper greeted with a smile.
"Pepper," He nodded.
I continued to stare at Pepper, slight annoyance written across my face. She noticed my annoyance and looked at me curiously. "How come Alex gets such a warm greeting but all I got this morning was papers being shoved in my face to sign?"
Pepper only sighed and shook her head as she looked down at the paperwork in front of her. I looked away from her and up at Alex with a smile on my face. He smiled back at me and nodded quietly.
"What, shocked to see me in my pajamas for the first time in your life," I questioned with a grin.
Alex smiled at the ground before answering me. "It's not just that."
"Then what else is it?"
"This is the first time I've seen you in the morning before you've gotten ready for the day. It's different," he shrugged at me.
"Good different or bad different," I asked him curiously.
"Good. Definitely good," he nodded.
"Good," I nodded back at him, a blush spreading across my cheeks.
The two of us stared at each other with smiles on our faces until the clearing of a throat broke us out of our trance. I looked over at Pepper to see her looking between the two of us with a grin on her face. I blushed even more and began scratching the back of my head awkwardly. I heard Alex let out a small cough as Pepper began packing her things back up.
"Alex," Pepper said, gaining said guys attention.
"Yes, Miss Potts?"
"Is Happy outside yet?"
"Uh, yes, he is. He's ready to leave when you are," he nodded at her.
"Alright, well then, I'll get going so you can enjoy your morning," Pepper told the two of us, finishing placing everything in her bag then gathering everything and walking out.
The two of us were silent as she walked out if the kitchen. Once she was actually out of the room, I looked at Alex with a wide smile.
"So, what are we doing?"
"It's a surprise. Now, go put some workout clothes on," he instructed me.
"Seriously? We better not be going to the gym. I hate working out. You of all people should know that," I groaned out.
"Relax, we're not going to the gym," he chuckled at me in amusement.
"So, then where are we going?"
"I told you, it's a surprise. Now, go change."
I groaned at him before walking out of the kitchen and upstairs to go and change really quickly.
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Alex walked around to my side of the car and opened the door for me. I got out and looked up at the building in front of us.
Nick's Gym
"I thought you said we weren't going to workout," I said in annoyance as I looked up at Alex.
"We aren't. We're fighting," Alex said as he started walking towards the entrance of the building.
"I'm sorry, what," I questioned him in shock as I followed him into the building.
Alex greeted the girl at the front with ease as he walked in.
"Hey, Maria. Nat, around," He questioned curiously.
"Yeah, she just finished a class," Maria nodded before she looked over at me.
"Maria, this is Allison. Allison, Maria," Alex introduced me to the brunette.
I walked forward and held my hand out to the woman with a smile. "Nice to meet you."
"Likewise," she nodded smiling at me, but it seemed her smile didn't reach her eyes. It seemed like her eyes had a knowing look behind them. Like she knew something I didn't.
"Ally, why don't you go sit down on one of the chairs while I talk to Maria really quick," Alex told me.
I nodded at him silently and went and sat and waited while he and Maria had a conversation with each other. I'm guessing it's about me since they keep looking over at me every few seconds. I felt awkward under Maria's intense stare she was giving me and looked down at the floor. She obviously had a problem with me. I sighed and started itching my arms in anxiety until Alex walked back over to me.
"Follow me."
I nodded and followed him through the gym where I watched people doing flips and kicks while fighting. I honestly felt like I was at some kind of secret organization's training area. What the hell am I doing here? I followed Alex to the back of the gym where a woman with red hair was fighting five different guys. They were all coming at her trying to take her down, but she held her own and took down all of then with a mixture if different moves. I stared wide-eyed as I watched silently from next to Alex. When she finished and took all of them down, Alex began clapping loudly, gaining the woman's attention.
"Beautiful," Alex called out.
"Alex, What are you doing here," She questioned him in confusion.
"Love the warm welcome, Nat," He smirked at her.
"I don't mean to sound rude, I just thought you had work," She said with furrowed brows.
"I do. I just brought work with me," He said to her as he reached back and grabbed my wrist pulling me in front of him.
I froze on the spot and looked up at him wide-eyed. I began to squirm under the redhead's intense gaze and avoided her eyes. I crossed my arms over my chest self consciously and stepped back so I was next to Alex instead of in front of him.
"Ally, this is a good friend of mine, Natia. Natia, this is Allison Stark," Alex said, gesturing between us.
I watched as the girl's eyebrows raised in shock and nodded as she assessed me. I looked up at Alex to see him giving her a certain look. A look that said go with whatever I say and don't argue. That's a look I've never seen on him. Because he always is open and honest.
"Right, a pleasure to meet you, Allison," She nodded at me with a smile while she held out her hand.
I nodded at her and gripped her hand in mine. "It's Ally. It's a pleasure to meet you Natia."
"Natia works here part-time. She really has a degree in PR," Alex told me.
I nodded at him and smiled at the woman in front of me awkwardly.
"Seriously, though, what are you doing here. You only ever come here on the weekends," She told him with crossed arms.
"I need your help," He shrugged at her.
"With what?"
"Teaching her how to fight," He told her, gesturing to me when he said her.
"I'm sorry," She chuckled at him.
"You heard me."
"Alex, I could break her in half over my knee. She looks like a toothpick. No offense," She told him before looking over at me.
"None taken," I said unsurely.
Alex sighed in frustration at her words. She started walking away from us, but Alex gripped her arm and yanked her back in front of him.
"Nat, I know that she may look weak and that she wouldn't be able to handle herself in a fight, but she has something. She has a tiny body full of anger just waiting to be released and shown how to do so by one of the best," He told her.
"I highly doubt that," She shook her head at him.
"She put a knife through a table at lunch the other day," He argued.
She raised her eyebrows in shock before looking over at me. She sighed and crossed her arms as she looked me over and assessed me again. After a few minutes, she turned back to Alex and looked at him with her hipped cocked out.
"Fine, I'll try and teach her, but you owe me," She pointed at him.
"Not the first time," Alex smirked at her. "So when does she start?"
"Now," She said, walking towards me and grabbing my wrist. "Come on, Stark, follow me."
"Uh," I said in shock, looking behind me at Alex.
"Go ahead, I'll be right there," He nodded at me.
I nodded at him before letting Nat drag me away from Alex and to wherever we are going to start our training. Nat lead me through stretches before starting the basics on how to fight. When she was showing me how to throw a proper punch, I looked behind her to see Alex walking towards us wearing basketball shorts and a tight-fitting T-shirt that left little to the imagination. I could literally feel myself drooling as I watched him walk towards us. I was broken out of my stare by being hit in the side of the head. Hard.
I groaned in pain and held the side of my head. "OW! What the hell? Why?"
"Number one rule about fighting, never take your eye off your opponent," She scolded me.
I huffed in annoyance and rolled my eyes before getting back into my fighting stance. I threw punches at Nat's hands over and over again, and every time she told me I wasn't doing something right.
"Harder... left, right, left... harder, Ally... right hook... fix your form."
I finally stopped what I was doing and threw my hands up, huffing in annoyance and defeat. "I don't know what you want from me."
"I want you to try harder, that's it," She shrugged at me.
"Nat, go easy on her," Alex scolded her.
"I'm sorry, you want her to learn or do you want her to be babied," She said to him with annoyance.
"I want her to find a healthy output for her anger," He shrugged at her.
"Well then I guess you should teach her instead," She shrugged back.
Alex rolled his eyes before walking over to me. He started grabbing my waist, and I slapped his hands away and raised my eyebrows at him.
"What do you think you're doing," I questioned him.
"I'm fixing your form, now come here," He said, grabbing me and pulling me back in front of Nat.
I stood silently as Alex spread my feet wider and grabbed my waist, turning me slightly. Alex then reached around me and placed his hand on my stomach.
"Tighten up, right here. You keep tension here and use your whole body, you'll be fine," He whispered to me.
I nodded at him and continued breathing heavily. However, now I don't know if it's because of the workout or because of how close Alex is to me. He stepped away from me and I focused back on Nat. I nodded at her and held my fists up. I started taking Alex's advice and using my whole body.
"Good, Ally. Right, left... jab... right hook... Good, little harder... yes, Ally, your doing great," Nat parised me as I continued hitting her hands.
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I walked into the house and made my way into the kitchen with a sigh. I opened the fridge and grabbed two bottles of water. I tossed one to Alex and opened the other, chugging it down quickly.
"So, how was your first session," Alex questioned me.
"I enjoyed it," I nodded at him. Alex looked at me expectantly, causing me to pause in taking another drink of my water. "What?"
"Really, you enjoyed it, that's it," He questioned me.
"Alright, fine, you want to know the truth," I questioned him, setting my water down on the counter.
"That would be nice, yes," He nodded at me.
"Okay, truth is, it was really nice. I feel relieved and renewed. I don't feel angry anymore. It's nice finding a healthy way to just let it all out," I told Alex with a smile.
"So you want to go again," Alex asked with as big a smile as mine.
I sat in thought for a moment before I smiled and nodded at him. "Yes, Alex, I would love to go to the gym with you again and get my ass handed to me by Natia."
"Oh, come on, you didn't get your ass handed to you," Alex argued with me.
"Yes, I did. You saw her flip me over because my kick was slightly off," I sighed out in frustration.
"A common mistake that you are most likely not going to make again."
"Shut up. I'm gonna go upstairs and shower and change then we can head to Stark," I told him, starting out of the kitchen.
"Okay, I'm gonna get changed really quick too," He nodded at me.
I nodded at him, walking up the stairs and to my room to get changed and head to Stark for the day.
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"So, Ally, what did you and Alex do this morning," Pepper questioned me as we walked into the elevator at Stark Industries.
"Oh, we-," I was cut off by Alex.
"We went to breakfast then on a walk through the park," He told Pepper with a smile.
I looked back at him with furrowed brows, causing him to just silently shake his head at my questioning look. I only nodded at him before looking back forward.
"Oh, that must have been nice," Pepper smiled at me.
"Uh, yeah, it was," I nodded at her, still feeling confused about what just happened.
The elevator opened on our floor and I walked out, followed by Pepper and Alex. We reached my office and Pepper opened the door for me, holding it open with a smile.
"Actually, Pep, I'm going to use the bathroom really quickly. But you can go ahead and wait for me if you would like," I smiled at yer.
"Alright, well, hurry back. Your first meeting for the day starts in 10 minutes," she informed me.
"Don't worry, I'll be quick."
I walked off towards the bathroom, Alex following after me. We walked around the corner to where the bathrooms were before I stopped and turned to look at him.
"What the hell was that?"
"What the hell was what," he asked me in confusion.
"We went to breakfast? Why didn't you just tell her the truth," I questioned him in disbelief.
"Because I don't think Pepper should know that you're solving your problems by getting angry and hurting people for fun," Alex said simply.
I looked at him wide-eyed and placed my hands on my hips. "Are you being serious right now? Because I honestly can't tell. Your face always looks serious."
"Yes, I'm being serious, Ally," Alex said with certainty.
"Do you realize how crazy you sound right now?!"
"Ally, I'm doing this for your own good. Pepper was ready to send you to a therapist to talk about your problems. Or even to grief counseling meetings with other people. You and I both know that is what you don't want. Your not the type of person to sit in a room and talk to some random person about your problems. You would much rather talk to people you're close to and find other alternatives to work out your problems. This, what we are doing, is an alternative. I suggested it to Pepper and she told me no. I am going behind her back and doing this with you. Ergo, she can't know we're doing this," Alex explained to me.
I was taken aback at his words, not realizing the risks he was taking from doing this. I took a deep breath and sighed before I nodded and looked down at the floor.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know," I whispered out.
"It's fine. We're just going to have to be a little secretive about this," he shrugged at me.
I sighed again and nodded before reaching forward and hugging him. Alex stood stiffly for a minute, probably shocked that I so willingly hugged him. After a few seconds, I felt him relax and wrap his arms around me as well. I buried my face in his chest, taking in his scent, as he leaned down and placed a kiss to my head.
"Come on, let's go before Pepper comes searching for us," he whispered to me.
I nodded and let go of him before turning around and walking back to my office. I sighed as I walked in and smiled at Pepper as I walked to my dad's desk and took a seat.
"Alright, bring on the meetings."