Three Months
The next few days passed in a blur of everyone trying to find dad and figure out what would happen if he was not found. The lawyer came by and told us that I would get to run Stark Industries and until I turned 18 could choose who I wanted to help me, that it would be my choice who I wanted to ask. We had a meeting with the board later today where we would announce it to them.
I just felt like a zombie, I was having a hard time sleeping and every time I did I would wake up from horrible nightmares. I just wish someone would wake me up and tell me all of this was a horrible dream but I was starting to lose all faith that would happen.
I made my way downstairs where Pepper was finishing a call. I sat down by her and waited.
“Are you ready?” She asked me once she was done.
“I suppose I am, I don’t think you can ever really be ready for something like this though. Can I ask you something?”
“Anything sweetie.”
“I have given it a lot of thought and I wanted to know if you would be willing to be my adviser until I turn 18, maybe even after that. There is no one I trust more than you and you already know so much about it all. You don’t have to say yes though if you don’t want to I will understand.”
“If that is what you want I would be happy to help you. I will always help you in any way that I can.”
“Thank you, Pepper, I have no idea what I would do without you here.”
“You are so very welcome sweetie. Are you ready to do this?”
“As ready as I will ever be I guess.” We made our way out and Happy drove us to meet with the board.
Once there I was so nervous about it all and Pepper could tell so she grabbed my hand.
“You got this.” I smiled at her and we made our way into the room with the others.
Dad’s lawyer talked for a few moments then announced that I would be taking over. Then everyone started to talk over one another protesting before it was turned over to me.
“I know this is not what any of us planned, I know you don’t want a seventeen almost eighteen years old being your boss but this is what my father and grandfather wanted. I know this company through and through. I have grown up in this company and I want the best for it as well. So I will do all I can to make sure that is what happens. That being said, I have decided that my adviser will be Pepper.” They started to protest it and I was quick to stop them.
“I know that is not what you would think that I would do, but Pepper knows this company, as well as anyone else, and I trust her that she will help me in ways that will be best for the company. So I am sorry if anyone does not like it or trust this but it is what I feel would be best for the company.”
Slowly everyone started to agree and were slowly understanding.
“I also want to start working on more than weapons as well, we will not shut it down but I want our focus on more than just weapons.”
“You can’t do that,” Obadiah said.
“Well I can and it is what is best for the company and the world, fighting is not always the answer and I want to put more good in the world. I have lost my grandfather and my father is missing because of all of this and I want to make sure that we can do some good with our family name. It’s my name on the company, not any of yours and I want to be known for good and not just weapons. So if you don’t like it I’m sorry but this is what we are doing now. If you don’t like it feel free to leave anyone. I want to work with everyone on making the company better but if you don’t you are allowed to leave. I don’t plan on keeping the company the same as it was. I want to move it forward and make it better.”
After that everyone was on the same page as me except Obadiah.
Pepper and I made our way home and I was going over things with her.
“Pepper, do you think I am doing the right thing?”
“I think you are doing what your heart is telling you and what you have always been taught to do. You are an amazing person of course you would want to try to make things better and do and be better. You are going to be fine and I am here for you just like the others. Happy, Rhody, all of us are here for you alright.”
“Thanks, Pepper”
“You are so welcome my dear.”
Once we got home I finished packing and getting ready for our trip to New York in the morning, it would be the first time going back since mom had passed and I moved in with dad. Now I was heading back to New York with dad missing and not knowing when or even if he would be coming back.
I put the last of my things by the door and got ready for bed.
Once I was ready for bed I climbed in and the silent tears started once again. It felt like it was all I was doing when alone anymore. I just missed my dad so much and just wanted to have him back home.
The next morning passed in a blur getting ready and flying out to New York. We got there a little after 4 o’clock and once we were settled in I went to Pepper.
“Pepper I was wanting to know if it would be alright if I went to see a friend.”
“I think that would be alright. Just make sure you have Happy take you and let me know when you are there and on your way back.”
“I will, thank you, Pepper, see you later.”
“You're welcome, see you soon.”
I went to Happy and we headed out. Before too long we were there and I turned to Happy.
“Don’t worry I will be fine, I'm completely safe here. I will call when I am ready to leave.”
“I’ll be close by.”
“Thank you, Happy.” He watched me walk in and I waved at the door back to him. He waved back and I walked in.
I walked into the room and smiled once I saw her.
“Hello, sweet girl.”
“Hello, Peggy” I walked over to her and she pulled me into a hug and held me tight.
“I have missed you so very much.”
“I have missed you as well my little super spy.”
“You have not called me that in ages.”
“I know, how are you?” We sat down and she held my hand.
“I don’t know dad is gone. I have people looking to me for answers. I’m trying to make everyone proud of me and do everything I need to do. I just don’t know if I can do it all Peggy, I feel like I am slowly falling apart and I don’t know if I can keep this all up. I don’t know what to do. I don't even know the last time I got a good night of sleep. I keep having all of these dreams of all the bad things that could have happened to dad.”
“Sweetheart you know that no matter what we are all so proud of you. You have gone through so much and you are so strong because of it. You should not have to go through all of this at your age. Never for one moment though think that you are not enough because sweetheart you are so much more. You are strong, smart, kind, loving, brave, and so very beautiful outside but most of all inside. You are so much more than you think you are my darling girl. You are so very loved by all of us. I know that your dad is going to fight to get back to you and you will sleep again but you know you can call any of us to talk to anytime day or night. You don’t need to do all of this alone. Everyone is going to do all they can to bring him home to you. You are not alone, you have all of us that have your back. You have Pepper, Rhodey, Happy, the others, and myself. We are all here for you sweetie and always will be alright. Don’t ever forget how much we all love you and that we would go to the ends of the earth for you. The others are looking for your dad as well. I made a promise to Howard long ago that I would always look out for Tony and you. I intend to keep that promise as long as I can. I have loved you from the moment that Howard and your parents introduced you to me as that small baby girl. I will do everything in my power to make sure you get to live the happy safe life that your parents and Grandparents wanted for you. That we all want for you my dear, do you understand?”
“I do, thanks Pegs you always know how to make me feel better. I’m so glad that I get to have you in my life.”
“Well I was friends with your grandfather for nearly 50 years, I know a thing or two about Starks and how to help them.”
“What a gift we have had to have you in our lives. I love you, Peggy, thanks for being here.”
“Always, I love you sweetheart. How are things going with the Company?”
“I don’t think they are happy to take orders from a 17-year-old but it is how it is and I’m just doing my best.”
“Well, I know that you will do amazing.”
“Can I let you in on a secret though?”
“You can tell me anything.”
“I don’t think I want to take over Stark Industries. At Least not just weapons. I want to do more good in the world than that. I like working for the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division, although we need to find something shorter to call it. I also like being at the club although I have not been there since moving in with dad in Malibu. I don’t know what I want.”
“Well lucky for you, you are still 17 and have some time to figure things out. I trust they will find your father and this will just show you what you do want someday.”
“I know I want to help people and do good. I don’t want my family name to just be weapons or rich people. Or Playboys in dad and grandpa’s case. I want to be more and do more than that. I want to make a difference in the world for good.”
“I wish you would have been able to meet Steve, you would have got along so well. You both want to do right by others and it's a very noble thing. Just don’t let it take over your life that you don’t live for yourself. He only had a life in war and fighting and none of us want you to live that life. It took me more time than I planned to find happiness in life but I owe the life I lived to him. I just wished that he would have had the chance to live the life he deserved. Howard searched for so long trying to find him and even though both of us hoped one day we would find him. It was just not meant to be. You know if you would have been around back then you would have fit into our little group so well. I mean all of them that met you loved you. The remaining members of the Howling commandos that got to meet you all loved you. Even Though your grandfather passed while you were still a baby he loved you so much and made sure that everything you would need you would have. All of us wanted you to have the very best life that you could have. So always follow your dreams and heart. If you have learned anything from the stories about Steve and the others it is that my darling girl. Believe in yourself because you are capable of so much more than you think you are.”
“Do you truly think I'm like him?”
“So much, you are everything good in the world my dear. Never forget how amazing you are.”
“Thank you Peggy and thank you for talking to me, helping me to feel better. Thank you for always being here for me over the years. I'm grateful that even though I may not have gotten to grow up with my grandfather in my life, he left me with a pretty amazing person to be here for me. So thank you for being here when he was not able to be.”
“There is nowhere I would rather have been.” We continued to talk for the next few hours until I got a text from Pepper asking about dinner. I texted her back saying that I would be there soon.
“Thank you for coming to see me.”
“I will come and see you as much as I can. Try not to forget me.”
“I could never forget you, my darling girl. Go be safe and always remember the things I have told you. Always remember the key to everything is in the love we hold for you.”
“Thank you, Peggy, I will try to see you soon.” We hugged goodbye and I made my way out. I saw Happy and we got into the car. As we made our way back to Pepper I thought about what Peggy said and more of what she didn’t. I knew she was trying to tell me something important but didn’t trust that no one else was listening. After moving into the assisted living home she worried that people would listen to us when we talked about important things. I guess after seeing all she had and going through it all she had every right to not trust people she didn’t know. I was growing to be the same way after years of being involved in all of it.
Once we were there Pepper came out and we made our way to dinner.
We enjoyed dinner together then went back home for the night.
I tried to rest some but could not stop thinking about what Peggy had said. ‘The Key to everything is in the love we hold for you.’ I knew it meant something. I just could not figure out what she meant by it. So I thought about it until I finally fell asleep.
Over the next few weeks, I spent the time trying my best to run the company with Pepper’s help and trying to figure out what Peggy had told me. Plus all of the things I normally would do. I was tired and stressed over everything and ready for information about dad. So far nothing had happened, so I was still waiting and worrying.
It had been three months and I was wondering if we would ever find dad. I had people looking for him in any way I could but no one had found anything. I also knew Rhodey was out there looking for him and would do all he could to find my dad. Dad had just missed so much in the three months he had been gone. I was starting to wonder if he would be back in time for my birthday. Or if I would spend my 18th birthday without any parents at all. Mom passed before my 17th birthday and I was worried dad would be gone for this one.
Things were going so differently than how I thought they would be. I had done all I could think of to find dad but everything fell short. I could not figure out how he just disappeared the way he did. The truth of it all was that I was worried that someone had been behind dad going missing. I just was not sure who or how I could even prove it in the first place. Spending the last three months looking into everything and trying to find where dad was had taken a toll on me. I could not keep going the way I was or I would fall apart. I was just so tired and had no idea how to keep going this way that I had been.
I sighed and looked at the clock on the desk. It was slowly getting late and the truth was I was more tired than I thought I was. Not sleeping was catching up to me and I have no idea how much longer I would be able to keep up with it. I looked around the office and the things that were my dad’s and even my grandfather’s. It was getting to me wondering if I was making them proud of all I had done, of who I was becoming.
I got up and walked to the shelf that held pictures. Some of me over the years, one with grandma and grandpa when I was born. One of dad, grandpa and myself, mom dad and me, many of the three of us. There was one of Pepper and me after she started to work for dad where I fell asleep on her. My favorite ones were in a tri-fold picture frame with pictures from the day I was born, one side holding a picture of mom and me, the other dad and me. Then the three of us together in the middle, mom holding me and them both looking at me. You could see the love and it was a picture I had framed in my room as well. Mom always made sure to have lots of pictures because she always wanted to capture our favorite moments so that one day we could share them with whoever came into our lives and always remember our favorite moments. So that no matter how bad things may look at the moment we could always look back to happy moments to get us through anything. Plus I loved to look at the pictures now that they were gone. It helped me to remember that I was very loved by all of them. To see their smiles and this way never forget the people who loved me and who I loved. The joy in their smiles helped me not feel so alone through all of this.
I knew that mom and dad didn’t work out romantically; they dated a few times. But they were amazing at being friends and being parents together. Plus mom and I would always wonder how long it would take for dad to realize that he liked Pepper a lot more than he should if they were just boss and employee. Now I didn’t know what would happen but I would make sure to keep Pepper around because I knew I could not lose her as well. I went to grab my things to leave for the day when the door flew open.
“We have to go,” Pepper said as she came rushing in.
“Go where what is going on Pepper.”
“I just got a call and Happy is waiting downstairs for us.”
“What are you saying?”
“Rhodey called, he found him and they are on their way now.”
“What?”
“Your dad’s coming home sweetie, Tony is alive.”