Chapter 4
“Hey, dad?” Penny asked as she looked up from her current project. Tony froze as a smile worked its way onto his face. She’d slipped up a few times and called him that when she was in distress right after the kidnapping and a few times after a nightmare, but she never seemed to remember that she’d done it. He schooled his features before turning to face her.
“Yeah, Pen?” He asked her and raised his eyebrows.
“I think I wanna go back to school,” She told him after a moment, “I wanna try.”
“If you think you’re ready, baby, then we’ll do whatever you want,” He told her and she bobbed her head, “Why the sudden change?” He asked curiously.
“I suddenly feel like I can breathe normally again,” She told him with a small smile on her face, “Something clicked yesterday around dinner time,” She shrugged, “And it felt like this weight lifted off of my chest. I called Dr. Kate earlier,” She had her number for things like this. For sudden epiphanies and realizations, “And she told me that I was making progress and that I was healing from the inside out or some bullshit.”
“Hey, language,” Tony chuckled and shook his head good-naturedly at her, “That’s great, Pen. Really,” He told her, “What are you gonna tell Pep? She’s gotten a little too used to you being around all the time. I think she’s got some separation issues of her own she’s not telling anyone about.”
“I don’t know. I hadn’t gotten that far,” Penny mumbled and shrugged, “I figured you were the easy one. Mama’s going to be harder,” She told him and Tony couldn’t help the smile then, “What?”
“Nothing,” Tony said and shook his head, smirk in place.
“Daaaad,” Penny whined at him playfully.
“I like being dad,” Tony told her as he walked over and wrapped her in his arms, “And I’ve got a feeling that if you call her ‘mama’ before anything else you say right now, she’ll give you whatever you want.”
“Wait, really?” Penny asked, mischievous look on her face.
“Oh, no. What do you want?” He asked her.
“Nothing!” She told him as she flounced off towards the elevator. “See you later, dad!”
“Oh, Pep. You’re in for it,” He mumbled before turning back around to his project.
0~0~0
“Hey, mama?” Penny asked as she walked into Pepper’s office. The woman’s head snapped up so quickly that her hair nearly fell out of its immaculate bun.
“Y-yes, baby girl?” She answered her.
“Can we get a dog?” She asked as she walked over and placed herself in one of the chairs across from Pepper’s desk. She drew her legs up so she was cross-legged.
“Sure,” Pepper answered her with a nod. Penny bit her lip to keep from laughing.
“Mama?” She asked again and Pepper’s eyes started to look teary.
“Yeah, darling?” She cooed and Penny saw her physically melt.
“Could we get a cat too?” She asked and pouted at the woman.
“Uh huh,” Pepper told her with a nod, “Whatever you want,” She murmured as she answered the girl though Penny wasn’t sure she’d really heard anything she’d asked her.
“Awesome. And mama?” She asked once again.
“Yes, little bug?” She answered her.
“I love you, mama,” She said softly as she got up and made her way towards Pepper. The woman let her tears fall freely then and rolled back from her desk. Penny placed herself in Pepper’s lap and curled up against her as Pepper’s arms wrapped around her tightly.
“I love you too, Penny. God, I love you so much,” She said through her tears as she kissed the top of Penny’s head over and over again.
Several minutes passed of the two of them just cuddling in Pepper’s office before Penny spoke up again, “Mama?” She asked seriously this time.
“Yes, baby?” Pepper answered her but her voice sounded more like she was actually listening this time.
“I think I’m ready to go back to school,” She told her quietly and felt Pepper’s arms tighten around her.
“Okay,” Pepper said simply, “We’ll make it happen, baby. Are you sure?”
“I want to try,” Penny said with a nod.
“Alright, darling,” Pepper nodded and then scrunched her face up a few moments later, “Hold on, what did I agree to earlier?”
“A dog and a cat!” Penny exclaimed as she pulled back and looked at her mother, “You’re the best,” She told her, smile in place and Pepper groaned.
“One, you pick one or the other. I’m sorry, darling. Not both. Not right now anyway.”
“Wait, seriously? I can get a pet?” She asked her with wide eyes.
“Yeah, I think it’d do some good to have a pet around the tower,” Pepper answered her, “Plus every little girl needs her pet companion. You do your research and we’ll decide together, okay? As a family.”
“Awesome!”