The Beginning
I sighed and stood up, I walked to the front of the room to Rhodey to accept dad's award for him with dad being nowhere in sight yet again.
Once up there Rhodey placed a small kiss on my cheek and pulled me into a hug whispering in my ear.
"Where is your dad?"
"I don't know."
"Are you alright to do this?"
"I got it." I pulled away from him and turned to the podium with the award in my hand.
"Well, obviously I am not Tony Stark. I am his daughter though and I know he is deeply honored to receive this award and would be here if he could but it is not always easy to pull him from the work that he is getting this award for. So thank you all. I'm positive he will love this." Rhodey and I walked off the stage.
"Are you alright? I know you are not too big on public speaking."
"I'm alright let's go find dad." I walked with Rhodey as we went to find where dad was, although I was pretty sure we would find him in the casino.
Like I had thought we found dad at a table surrounded by ladies. I stood with Happy while dad and Rhodey talked.
"You do know your 17-year-old daughter just accepted the award for you. And now I am in a casino looking for you."
"I am honored that I have such an amazing daughter to do so for me."
"You do know I hate public speaking."
"Well thank you for facing your fears to help out your father."
"You will receive the bill."
"I'm sure I will."
"Can we go home now?"
"Of course, we can sweetie." We headed out with dad's people following him, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and handed off the award to some guy as we walked by.
"You just get rid of it just like that."
"Too much already at the house." I roll my eyes and we walk to the car. At the car, we hear a lady call dad's name. Happy and dad talk to see if she's cute.
"I'll be in the car Romeo when you're ready." I climb in and watch dad talk to her from the window. I was all too familiar with his lady friends. After a few moments dad climbs in the car next to me.
"New lady friend?"
"I think it is your bedtime."
"Too bad, I had to stay up late to accept your award."
"I think you are becoming too much like me."
"Well lucky for you I am pretty positive I'm a lot more like mom was than like you."
"You're right, that is probably a good thing." The ride was long and I knew dad was leaving in the morning and even though I knew that the lady he had talked to would be at the house in the morning I was going to enjoy this little time I had with dad by myself.
"You know even though everyone says I am more of a parent than you are I love you dad. I'm glad that you are my dad."
"I am just lucky that I have such an amazing daughter that makes it easy to be a dad. I love you sweetheart no matter what anyone else might tell you, you truly are the best thing that I have done in my life." He kissed my head and I lay my head on his shoulder, people could say what they wanted about dad but he was an amazing dad and had been a rock for me ever since mom had passed almost a year before. I laid there with Dad's arm around me holding me close like when I was little and letting the car ride bring me to sleep.
It felt like I had just fallen asleep when I was picked up.
"It's ok sweetie I got you" Dad whispered in my ear and I curled closer to him as he carried me inside. I heard him talking to Pepper and then going up the stairs with me. Before I knew it he was laying me down on my bed.
"I will help her change," Pepper told him.
"Thank you, good night sweetie." He placed one more kiss on my forehead and I whispered a good night back before he left the room.
"Do you think you can stand so I can unzip your dress?" I knew I needed to take off the dress but I just wanted to curl up and sleep. With a sigh, I got up and let Pepper unzip my dress before letting it fall and stepping out. She handed me a nightgown before picking up my dress to hang it. I slipped the nightgown on before I sat back down on my bed. She then sat down behind me and started to take out my hair. When Pepper first started to work for dad when I was with him she would help me in anything that she could. So many times we had sat just like this with her brushing my hair out before bed. Even though I was able to do so myself now I still loved having her brush my hair.
"How did it go?"
"Normal, I accepted Dad's award. He gambled some and I'm pretty sure he has a reporter in his room as we speak. At least she rode here in a different car and he's pretty good about making sure they are not around me."
"Does it bother you?"
"Not like I thought it would. I mean when I was little I wanted mom and dad to be together and us to be a family but then I saw them together and they were always better as friends and sure I think it would be nice if dad found someone to be with that loved him and he loved and bonus if they like me but I want dad happy."
"Anyone would love you sweetie you're the easy Stark to love."
"Thank you Pep I'm glad I have you in my life."
"I don't plan on going anywhere. You are stuck with me. I can't picture my life without you."
"Do you have plans for your birthday yet?"
"No, not really why?"
"Well you do now, we are going out shopping, spa, dinner, movie, all on dad."
"Are you sure?"
"Pepper, you have stepped up since the moment you met me, always there for me and everything the least I can do is make sure you have a wonderful birthday. So are you in?"
"I would love to just need to get your dad on the plane and then I will be all yours."
"Good you will still be staying here while he is gone right?"
"Yes I am, you won't be alone."
"Thanks, Pepper for everything."
"You're welcome now get some sleep."
"Alright good night Pepper."
"Good night sweet girl." I laid down and she helped pull the blankets up over me before turning out the light and walking out shutting the door behind her. I closed my eyes and let sleep find me once more.
The next morning I rolled over in my bed to see that it was six am. Even though I was still a little tired from such a late night and busy day the day before I wanted to make sure that I had a chance to say goodbye to dad before he left for his trip. I slowly make my way out of bed with a yawn and make my way to my bathroom to get ready for the day.
I quickly showered to feel a little more awake and then slipped into a light blue sundress. I quickly dried my hair and brushed it out before putting on some lotion with sunblock on and then headed out grabbing a pair of sandals on my way out. I sat down on my desk chair putting my shoes on and doing up the little buckles. I got up and headed down the stairs.
Once down there I saw the reporter from last night walking around in one of dad's shirts.
He probably thought she would be gone before I came down. She started to mess with a panel that J.A.R.V.I.S was connected to, being told she was not authorized.
"That's Jarvis, he runs everything in this house."
"You must be the daughter, Beka right?"
"Rebekah but yes I'm the daughter."
"She is not to be included in your article, not one word about her, she is off-limits," Pepper told her.
They talked for a moment while I made my way to the kitchen grabbing a bottle of water but I still overheard Pepper calling her trash before sending her on her way out.
"Very nicely done Pep."
"Thank you, now off to get your father going."
"Good luck," I tell her as she heads down to the lab and I get some toast.
As I was finishing dad came up with Pepper behind him.
"Good morning kiddo, are you coming for a ride?"
"Someone has to make sure you get there."
"Ready to go?"
"As soon as you are."
"Let's go then."
"Bye Pepper see you in a little," I told her as dad and I made our way back down to the car and headed on our way to Stark Industries where Rhodey was waiting for him on the plane. We got in the car and were off.
"You know you are kind of a speed demon."
"There are only two speeds, slow and normal."
"Of course there is, and you are above normal."
"Not in a car like this. Did you know it was Pepper's birthday today?"
"Of course I did that is why we have plans to go out as soon as I get you safely on the plane with Rhody."
"How did I forget?"
"Dad, you forget a lot of things, that is why you have her and me to help you with everything."
"I think we lost Happy. Although I am glad I have both of you to help keep it all together."
"I don't know how you would if you didn't. I think Happy's back." Before too soon, we pulled up and Rhodey was there waiting. I slowly got out of the car and listened to the conversations going on around me before walking onto the plane with them.
"Well be safe, listen to Rhodey, and come back in one piece."
"I thought I was the one to give that speech."
"Well, I'm hanging out with Pepper and I don't get in trouble like someone we all know."
"Well I will do my best, you will be good as well."
"I love you, daddy."
"I love you too baby girl, now go and have fun with Pepper before I decide to bring you with me." He kissed my head and hugged me. I let the hug linger before letting go.
"See you both in a few days."
"See you, baby girl."
"Bye Beks." I quickly hugged dad once more before giving a quick hug to Rhodey as well and getting off with Happy. We watched the plane take off.
"Are you ready to go?"
"I will meet you at the house." I got in the car and took off back to the house Happy following me.
Once home I parked and went to find Pepper. I found her upstairs finishing some work.
"Did they get off alright?"
"Yes, they did."
"Are you alright sweetheart?"
"I will be, are you ready to go?"
"Let me finish this and I am all yours." I sat down and waited for her to be ready.
I hated watching dad go anywhere I always had but after losing mom nine months ago it was even harder to watch him leave. Mom had been on her way home from a work trip when she was in a car accident and didn't make it. It was hard because I also knew that my dad's parents had died in a horrible car accident when I was just a few months old. So now every time dad left I was terrified that he would not come home to me. This would be the longest I had been away from him since mom had passed away. I felt a tear slowly fall down my cheek as Pepper looked up. She got up to come to sit by me and pulled me into her arms.
"Sweetheart you know your dad will be alright Rhodey will keep an eye on him and you know that your dad comes back to you. I know that the last few months have been hard but it will be fine. He is gone for a few days and then he is here with you until we go on your birthday trip in a few weeks just like every year. Your dad has not missed one yet and I don't think that he is about to start now."
"Thanks, Pepper, I don't know what we would do without you."
"Well, I don't know what I would do without you in my life."
"You probably didn't want to spend your birthday with me and if you have other things you want to do that is alright I can hang out here by myself."
"Sweetie I want to spend the day with you, there is no one or nowhere I will rather be than with you today. So let's go have this amazing girl day you promised me alright?"
"Alright, Thank you, Pepper."
"You are most welcome." She hugged me and we both got ready for our day out.
I had already made reservations for us at the spa and a restaurant for dinner tonight. Then it would be back to the house for movies, PJs, and junk food. The best end for a girls' day birthday.
"Before I forget here is your first gift," I said pulling out a box, inside was a dress that matched mine.
"I figured it would be fun to match. Do you like it? It is fine if you don't"
"I love it, give me a moment to change then we will go."
"Alright, I will be here." I sat down as she went to change. I was feeling a lot better and could not wait for our girl's day to start.