Then we were two

Tony flashed the frazzled librarian a dazzling grin as he leaned against her desk. It was a typical standing height that rounded off toward the right. There were stacks of returned books to be sorted on a trolley behind it and a bin of free bookmarks, mostly the kind given by politicians during parades, with a note encouraging people to take one. "You've been so helpful, you're certain it was her?"

"Oh yes mr Stark, beautiful little girl. She's been in here several times. Bright little thing, wandered through several sections each time." The woman gushed.

"But she hasn't been in since this morning?"

The woman's eager smile slowly slipped from her face. "No," she admitted quietly. "She was here this morning, as I said, but she left hours ago."

Tony nodded his thanks and returned to his car, dropping against the hood beside Happy with a groan. "She left, I told you I should've taken the suit."

"You can't be flying around with her in the iron man suit," Pepper snapped, not willing to repeat the argument they'd been having since they headed out.

"What now?" Happy interrupted.

Tony sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. "Now we stay put. She got our attention for a reason, we stay where she'll be able to notice and come to us."

"And her social worker?"

"Sadly I can't actually attack her," tony replied seriously.

Pepper rolled her eyes at the man's dramatics. "I meant, would you like me to call her?"

"Hell no," both men snorted in tandem.

Tony smirked, "we get Addy, bring her home, call Decer's superior and get my kid back."

"Her name's Decro." A voice laughed from behind him.

"Necro more like," tony snickered as he turned to face them, the smile falling from his face. "Addy," he breathed in relief, gaze tracking worriedly over the girl.

Addy's lips twitched with the hint of a grin, "Hey old man, what took you so long?"

Tony rolled his eyes and moved forward. "miss voice of reason here reminded me how you feel about flying," he muttered and knelt in front of her, tucking a lock of dark hair behind her ear. "You couldn't have tried getting in touch before wandering off on your own?" He whispered.

"Dumbass didn't have internet," she shrugged. Addy's brown eyes began to mist over and she bit her lip in an attempt to control her tears. "You're taking me home right? That's why you're here?"

Her tone was careful, controlled, and it broke Tony's heart to notice she'd taken a half step backward, prepared to run away if he said otherwise. "That's right kiddo, you're coming home and I'll never let you go again, I swear it."

She studied him skeptically, glancing toward the other adults to confirm before finally moving toward him. "You gave me away," the girl accused, a tear finally escaping to roll down her cheek.

Tony could think of nothing else to say but, "I'm sorry."

"Mother was right, grandfather is horrible," she sniffled.

Tony reached toward her, letting out a relived sigh when she launched herself into his chest and locked her arms tightly around him. He closed his eyes, pulling her in close. It seemed a moment to savor, like he could somehow lock this moment in time into his mind. Not the pain that led them here but the feel of his little girl held safely in his arms again. "I'm so sorry kiddo, I thought you'd be better off."

"Yeah well no one ever accused you of having the best ideas," Addy mumbled into his shoulder.

Tony let out a watery laugh and managed to stand, keeping her wrapped securely in his arms. "Let's go home Happy."

"Right away sir," he grinned.

Pepper stared at the duo, tears rolling unchecked down her cheeks.

"Honestly miss Potts this is a happy moment," tony teased.

"Thought you'd be used to my tears of joy by now," she replied and climbed into the back of the car.

Tony separated from his daughter long enough to settle her into her booster seat, a new addition that Addy couldn't help but notice, and dropped down beside her.

"Can we get burgers?" Addy whispered as she leaned tiredly against his shoulder, "I'm starving.

"Yeah," Tony cleared his throat when his voice cracked with emotion, imagining how many meals his daughter had likely missed the last few days. "Yeah anything you want kiddo."

The car lapses into silence as Addy ate and ultimately fell asleep, her head resting against Tony's shoulder.

Pepper glanced up from where she'd been typing away on her stark pad. "I assume you were being honest?" She stated, the threat clear in her tone if he answered otherwise.

Tony faced her from where he'd been studying his sleeping daughter. "Usually, somehow people are always shocked by that. About what?"

The car turned suddenly and Stark's hand moved up quickly, cradling addy's cheek to keep her steady.

"Should I call her social worker?"

"No," he sneered. "Call the company lawyers yeah? See what sort of hoops they'll want me jumping though. Hap?"

"Yes sir?" Happy replied quickly from the driver's seat.

"Head for the airport, we're relocating for a bit."

"Tony I don't know that that's the best plan."

"Pep, which is worse, deciding to reside in my second home or keeping her in the one Rhodey and I trashed?"

—

Tony piled Addy's bags onto Happy, patted his shoulder and collected his daughter to board the jet.

"We home?" Addy slurred, half asleep.

"Soon munchkin," he muttered, tucking her head against his shoulder. "How you feel about New York?"

Pepper shook her head and nudged him toward a seat, helping him to settle Addy beside him. "Can I ask you something?"

Tony raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Why'd you let her go? I mean you're the king of misdirecting but I know how you feel about her. You don't fool me, Tony."

Tony sighed, avoiding the woman's gaze, "not gonna let me get away with just being an ass?"

"Try another one, I saw your moping," she snorted derisively.

"I dunno Pep," he groaned. "When she showed up I was dying, no don't not dying now should've told you we've been through this. But, I was dying, so I avoided her and looked into what would happen to her after. Then, suddenly, I wasn't dying but everything was nuts and I was fighting Hammer's Russian pal. Looking at it from where Decro was coming from, I mean I put the kid in danger. I neglected her, passed her off to Happy while I destroyed the house, took her to battle with me, nearly got her blown up. Pepper, that's not even considering what I might do on a good day."

The woman frowned sadly at him, "ok, yes those were less than stellar choices. Tony, do you really think the best response to a mistake is giving up."

The man rolled his eyes, "thanks coach I've learned the error of giving up. Put me back in pretty pwease?"

"Don't make me ruin your coffee," she threatened. "You can do this, you realize that right?"

"Pepper I can create breakthrough technology in a cave from scraps, pretty sure I can do whatever I want."

"Including be a father?" She challenged.

Tony motioned toward Addy theatrically, "tada, see this gives me father status."

It was Pepper's turn to roll her eyes, "fine, at the risk of quoting fatherhood sayings, you created a kid, you're a father. Now, can you be a dad?"

There was a tell tale tick along Tony's jawline. He opened and closed his mouth for a moment. "Look at that, fresh out of smartass comments," he murmured. "Think they sell how to books?"

Pepper smiled in what could only be referred to as fond. "Tony, if you try, I can't imagine you not succeeding."

"I just-"

"You aren't Howard, Tony. And Addy isn't you. She's about a hundred times more likable."

Tony laughed, "well, I probably can't take credit for anything but the eyes."

"I don't know, she's quite the fighter. Like someone else I know."