Happy Family

It hadn’t even been a day for you when you placed the last box in your former office—current office while you worked with Tony and the campaign they had. Sleep didn’t come to you as you would have hoped it would. After the conversation with your brother with two audience included, here you were, exclusively working under Stark Inc. all over again.

It was all for the money. You chanted over and over again. Chanting while also making a quick look all around the room, your brother did follow your instruction, the room was as it was years ago. The same décor, the same furniture, and the same amount of picture of your parents and brother. The only difference now was the picture of a child and who you assumed was Tony’s wife.

“Made a family for himself, who would have fucking known.” You muttered turning your gaze up towards the digital clock on the wall. It was one in the afternoon and you were waiting for the rest of your contact to arrive so you can start the meeting with Tony with whatever he would want for the campaign.

You busied yourself with adding a few knickknacks around. Pictures of your travel around the world for your job, photos of your childhood, picture of you and your father Howard as you had just won your first debate at school. The smile had come quickly as it had left your lips, you were happy back then, back when the company didn’t come in the way. One thing you had regretted was never being besides your father before his untimely death, it was a ghost that still haunted your mind to this day. Never telling your father how much he means to you, how you had only hope he would trust you in the new role. To have last seen him after a fight and the eventual separation from the company was the biggest mistake you know you had made in your life.

It was your true reasoning for being here. You finally admitted to yourself. You would never want the company your father had created for you and your brother to be ruined and be forgotten.

The light patter of the door had broken you from your thoughts, a smile now played on your lips as the sight of your team headed by your right hand man, Sam Wilson.

“Okay, so did hell finally froze over and you’re here?” Sam greeted with his boyish charm.

“You guys want to be a millionaire in five months?” you inquired making Sam snort.

“Like I said when hell freezes over, I might just believe it.”

With a shake of your head, you told the rest of the team to get settled in her office. Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, Carol Danvers, and Maria Rambeau took the sofa in the middle of her office, laptops already placed on the coffee table, ready for whatever research and retrieval you might need from any of them.

Sam had made his way toward you on the desk noticing the slightly thick paper the rested on your otherwise still empty desk.

“Check out the contract.” You had allowed, already knowing the curiosity that was on his face. “You’d love to see what my brother had to bend to keep me here.”

Sam could only shake his head and already take hold of the contract. You had allowed him to read throughout the contract as you made your way towards the rest of the team.

“How was your flight? I didn’t interrupt anything from you four?” you had inquired, worrying that the last minute call would have interrupted anything important for any of them.

“You know that we’re always at your beck and call, Lady Boss.” Pietro teased earning an immediate slap at the back of his head from his twin sister. “Nope, we weren’t doing anything substantial when you called.” He corrected himself while glaring at his grinning sister.

“There is a deli and a café nearby, so if you need to shove anything in your mouth you’re free to do so and it’s on the company card.” You assured earning a cheer from the man.

Turning your attention towards the married couple, the one question that she never had the time to ask escaped her lips.

“How is Monica doing?” You inquired.

“Doing good with school.” Maria assured with a smile leaning herself closer to her wife—Carol. “Misses her Godmother more than either of us at times.” She had pointed out.

You couldn’t help but laugh, that kid was spoiled by you, a fact you would rather die than admit. But the kid had just really grown on you. You never want to have a kid of your own, the idea of even having a husband or a wife never really gave you as much interest—fear more than anything. The white picket fence as Maria and Carol had was never something you had wanted for your life. So here you were, preferring to be the cool aunt that spoils them too much. You shivered at the thought of being pregnant, the fact that Maria had almost died giving birth was all the convincing you needed not to also go through such a thing.

“Bring her sometimes, if you could.” You requested.

“Even if we wouldn’t want to, Monica or you would find a way.” Carol snorted and made you laugh even more.

“What the fuck Y/N?”

You jerked your head towards Sam whose eyes widen like a saucer and looked like he was about to have a heart attack. You smiled seeing he was in the fourth to the last page of the contract, the section that showcased the amount of money the company was to give them after their service—as well as the bonus after it.

“I told you they were desperate.” You pointed out.

“But you’re not getting a single dime?”

“Oh I am.” You assured. Sure, she wouldn’t touch the money that Tony was giving them, her mind was on something else entirely. A much bigger amount that was still under her own name. It was a long time coming, “I just want to be part of the share of what’s yours.”

“So you’re working for your brother’s company for free?” Trust Sam to consistently refusing to drop the topic.

“God no.” You snorted. The less Sam knew at the moment, the better. “It’s more like a bragging right, rub it in my brother’s face that me leaving the company was the biggest mistake he and my dad had ever met.”

“Your Dad probably rolling on his grace as we speak.” He bit back making you shake your head.

Another tap on the door had Pietro open the door and the sight of a lanky kid almost shaking on his knees had appeared before them.

“Who are you?” Sam was the first to ask the kid, almost having him run away.

“Samuel.” You scolded making your way towards the kid. “You need anything?” You asked smiling softly hoping to ease away the fear in the kid’s eyes.

“Ms. Stark, my name is Peter Parker, I was assigned to be your intern for your entire stay in the company.” He explained.

Brows shot up in confusion. You never needed an intern that was practically Sam’s job. You had never needed an intern in your first stay in the company and having one now would benefit no one—except…

“Did my brother tell you I needed an intern?” You inquired realizing what was going on.

“Mr. Stark said you needed one and I’ll be more than willing to be able to help if I could.”

You facepalmed yourself, of course Tony would have someone spy on them here.

“Kid do you even know a single thing about marketing?” Sam question, pulling off the fake bravado that genuinely scared the kid.

You were going to kill Tony that was going to happen one way or another before the actual start of their time in the company.

“Peter, can you get us coffee for now?” You had just said hoping to rid him for a while.

“Sure Ms. Stark.” The beaming was actually, what took your surprise. The kid might be of use to you.

After getting everyone’s order, even the daunting Sam, the kid had left them all alone once again. You glared at Sam for how he was acting like a downright asshole—but then again, he was the only protection you had in this place. The one ballsy enough to question anything and everything if he believes isn’t right to you or to the rest of the team.

“Really Samuel?” You sighed.

“Keep the kid on his toes, scare him enough to keep his mouth shut.”

You shook your head and decided it was time to prepare for the meeting.

“Do we have all the data we need?” You inquire Maria whose focus was solely on her laptop.

“Had enough data to prove a point, sure.” Maria confirmed.

“Socials, Maximoff?” You turned towards Wanda.

“No official social media aside from Facebook, but I’ve gone ahead and created an account for Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and even Tumblr.”

“Good. Thank you.” You smiled proud of Wanda’s efficiency.

“Carol, Pietro, you know what to do?” You inquired.

“I’ve got all the data from your projects with Ark as well as with SHIELD,” Carol assured.

“All the rumors surrounding Stark Inc., as well as your brother and rest of the executive are all set.” Pietro added.

“Perfect.” You smiled making your way to your desk.

With the contract, now tucked into the confinements of you’re the desk drawer, everyone was ready to face the new challenge that was to come with their new client.

“While I’m in the room no one is allowed to question your capabilities to be part of my team. You are all allowed to speak out to anyone that would challenge you in your capabilities, they are our bitches, unless I say otherwise.”

Your ballsy words had earned a smile from most of them, but it was the truth you knew far too well. They would question your choice in a team, but you knew better and the data of all your previous projects had told you and the world otherwise. You had a team you can depend on and the one responsible for the name you now had away from the company you had once been a part of.

“If it’s too much, you need to tell me. Our previous projects are nothing compared to what we need to do for this company.” You warned. “This campaign is the company’s last hope. We are their last hope, so we need to make sure, that they would depend on no one else but us moving forward. We might not stay here permanently, but this opportunity will open doors that once wouldn’t be given to you. Make the most out of it and always remember your priority is your family above everything else.”

The meeting room was quiet, that much you have noticed as soon as you and the rest of your team had made your way inside. You ignored Tony and dumb and dumber, instead acknowledging the presence of the female in the room. Natasha Romanoff, Tony’s secretary and Maria Hill, Steve Rogers and James Barnes’ secretary. The fact that the two share a secretary confused you but decided not to think too much out of it, a much bigger problem in your horizon as it was.

“Ladies and semi-gentlemen.” You smirked already sensing the eye roll your brother was giving you from where he sat in the middle of the table. Frown deepening on his face and the way both men refused to meet his eyes. “My team would first like to thank you for your generosity for such an offer for this project.” You smirked, already seeing the fury in the blonde’s features.

You had started to introduce each individual part of your team, making sure you’ve noted their achievement both as part of the team and in their own regard. The gentle smile and nod being given by the brunette had you smiling, even just a single person in the room that assured you was enough to continue on with the supposed meet and greet before you start planning.

“Now that everyone is acquainted, I’d love for you three gentlemen to give the same to my team.” You instruct breaking into a snort at the eye roll given by your brother.

“This is not fucking pre-school, Y/N.” Steve barked turning your attention to the man and just the satisfaction of knowing she was getting on the man’s skin. He should be annoyed, the fact that you were still needed in this company after everything this man had placed for this company—no one will ever see his worth, they can only see him as the reason why you have left all those years ago.

“Then let me do it for you.” you smiled turning your attention to your team, everyone trying their best to hide the smile that was bound to escape from their lips, they know how you worked, knew how much you’d kick anyone down a peg if necessary. Now they were watching you in full display as you do such to the very man that started this chaos.

“Y/N, I don’t think that’s necessary.” Tony’s fed-up tone only egged you on.

“Let us start with Mr. Tony Stark. Son of the late great Howard Stark and unfortunately my brother.” You smirked. “Started as Howard’s assistant then was thrown right up into the corporate ladder until he now rests as the Chairman and CEO of Stark Inc.” It took everything in you to hide the bitterness in your tone. Unlike your brother, you had worked your way up, from being a measly intern to becoming the head of his Marketing Department in a span of over a decade. But your brother, who was far too consumed in his bachelor life was given everything he could ever want just because he was the man and someone that could extend the family legacy.

“Then we have James Buchanan Barnes.” You winked at the brunette that was the least intimidated or even annoyed among the three. “Formerly part of SHIELD and HYDRA, serving as the Chairman and CEO respectively. Became Forbes’ youngest Billionaire.” You notate earning an appreciative smile from the Brunette in the process. The man looked like he couldn’t hurt a fly, no need to include him so heavily in your retaliation against your brother and the man responsible for you leaving.

Your eyes now turned towards the last man in the trio. “Then we have the Golden Boy of Wall Street.” You introduced and the sour look on the man’s features made the whole ordeal more appealing. “Steve Rogers, SHIELD’s President and the number one reason for the company’s downfall in the early 2000’s to the present. I think we know the mess we had to clean up during their campaign a few years back.”

Everyone in your team had nodded in agreement, SHIELD’s downfall when the man had abandoned ship and moved to Stark Industries was the talk of the company for years, It was also a good thing on your end because you had all the mess you needed to prove to your brother that your father had made the biggest mistake of choosing him over you.

“A working class hero as many had painted him. Started from the bottom up, working as an errand boy while taking up his degree, before finally making a mark as part of the Power Trio, with Mr. Barnes and his ex-wife, Peggy Carter.”

The slam of a fist against the table had everyone jumping but you stood perfectly still, unfazed by his reaction. You loved seeing the fury in his face. The composure you thought he perfected, now comes crumbling before your very eyes.

“Hit a nerve, Mr. Rogers?”

“Outside, now.” He spat and with a knowing look at everyone in your team, everyone would be on their toes and listen carefully to whatever might happen outside.

“If this is not business-related, I don’t mix business with pleasure. If this is business-related, then I think whatever you need to say to me, I think everyone has the right to know.”

“This company has no place for your jealousy, Ms. Stark.”

And the smug smile momentarily fell, disbelief lingered before annoyance. The audacity of this man to accuse you of something you were not. You couldn’t help but look towards Sam and the rest of your team that held the same look of disbelief as you were for the man’s words.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Rogers if this fact is hard to accept, but I am not jealous of you. I never will.” You assured. “I think having you be so intimidated by the capabilities I can have without this machine is.” You continued seeing the way his jaws twitch as you continued with your words. “I’m sorry if that everyone had learned to believe you had potential when you fucked the owner’s daughter.”

“Fuck you!”