Resurrection

Chapter -22

Tony had dreamt this. Their meeting, to be with his baby girl but he never would have thought that he would see her. Morgan had really grown up. Her hair way past the shoulders, a bit frizzy from all the games she played but there was that familiar thing- her eyes which were always inquisitive. He could see her animated expressions, probably talking about what she was doing all the while swinging on Happy’s hand. It reminded Tony a lot about himself. But then as they approached the bench, she stopped swinging. Instead started walking with poise. That she definitely got from mother.

“Who are you?” Little Morgan asked still holding Happy’s hand but otherwise firm.

Tony didn’t expect that Morgan would be able to hear his voice but what changed enough to see him, he didn’t understand.

Morgan was still staring calmly but he could see her squeezing Happy’s hand a little tighter.

“I am Happy’s cousin” Tony answered so he wouldn’t come off suspicious.

“Happy has relatives?” Morgan asked clearly surprised.

“What’s that supposed to mean, trouble maker?” Happy asked snorting.

“Well I thought you just had no one and that’s why my dad picked you up”

“Who told you that?” Happy asked hardly changing his expression but one could hear the irritation in his wife.

“My dad, duh.” Morgan answered matter of fact.

Oops. Tony know better than to look at Happy’s face. As he knew there was a murderous expression in Happy’s face. Thankfully Morgan saved him by changing the topic.

“Anyway why are you here?” Morgan asked clearly unimpressed by Happy’s face.

“I wanted to meet the famous Stark who was keeping my uncle on toes” Tony answered in hushed whisper to be meant as a secret.

“That would be me but Happy is a big old softie with a grumpy face”.

“Is that so?”

“Yeah”

“So, Morgan what were you playing?” Tony asked missing his girl. When he was alive, he used to play with Morgan all around the house. But she would always hide in one place, the lab that he created for himself. He had no doubt that Morgan would one day surpass his legacy.

“Ah… you wouldn’t understand” Morgan answered flipping her hair.

“What?” Tony asked clearly surprised.

“Well… I was in dad’s lab.”

“Oh you mean you were playing with DUM-E and U” Tony relaxed forgetting that he was not supposed to know about the robots existence.

“No… I do play with them but I made one. Its name is underoos.” Morgan answered sitting beside him. By now happy had moved to the other bench giving them space.

“You made one” Tony marvelled at the 6 year old kid. Not a kid but a prodigy.

“Why are you surprised? I am a Stark”.

“Of course you are” Tony answered feeling proud and continued –“Your dad will be very proud”.

“Do you think so?” Morgan asked uncertain.

“Of course” Tony answered truthfully- “Do you miss him?”

“No… I mean yes” Morgan answered twisting an another thread of hair. He just raised his brows in question to the answer.

“Yes. I do but to my Mom and others I say I don’t miss him”.

“Why is that?” Tony asked.

“Because it made them sad and its my job to protect them.” He never knew how a six year old kid be this wise. It sure never came from him.

“But you don’t have to. You are allowed to miss him and talk about him”.

“Yeah but dad would never do that”. Morgan said firmly.

“Would do what, sweetie?”

“Would never tell to others you know. He missed Petey a lot but he would never speak about it. In nights when everyone is asleep he would walk down to the lab and do this weird things and get frustrated. Then he would cry for a long time and talk to the bots. He hated peas too but he never complained”.

Tony didn’t know what to say to that. In the past, he always sneaked away to run simulations but he never thought Morgan knew about that.

“Do you hate him for leaving you?” Tony asked trying to hide the sobs.

“Hate him? I think at first… we play doctor dad sometimes and he would be the patient. So I thought it would be like it. then when I went back to school, my teacher said she was sorry. I didn’t understand either. Then I asked Friday and she answered that he had died saving others. Well that was dad’s job right. So I couldn’t hate him. Someday I will be like him.”

“Doing harmful experiments and playing super hero?” Tony asked aghast.

“No, stupid. I would be careful but I will make suits and all”.

“Iron heart?”

“That’s a cool name. Maybe I will use that name.” Morgan answered cheerfully.

“Are you coming in?”

“No.. I don’t think so” Tony answered truthfully. He really was emotional and he wasn’t sure he wanted to be inside the house.

“Fine. What’s your name?” Morgan asked jumping back in her feet.

“Edward” Tony blurted out unable to think of any other name.

“Okay Edward you can come to the party that is held in memory of my dad”.

“Yeah of course. I will come. Morgan?” Tony hesitated to ask her.

“Yes?”

“Can you keep our meeting secret for a while?”

“Why would I do that?” Morgan asked suspiciously.

“Just for the moment. Next time we meet you could tell to others. Yeah? I was just visiting my uncle” Tony answered hoping she wouldn’t question him further.

“Ok” Morgan answered cheerfully and ran to Happy.

Tony couldn’t help but murmur- “I love you 3000, kid” as he saw the kid skipping back with Happy already bombarding with dozen questions.

                                                                                Xxxxxxxxxxx

Tony didn’t know how long he sat there, looking at the garden reminiscing the memories. He was so engrossed in thoughts that it startled when he heard an alert from his watch- “Boss, Peter is in danger. Immediate assistance is required”.

“Friday, where is he?”

“He is currently trapped in a building fifteen minutes away from university.”

“Show me the Location, Fri” with that Tony teleported to the building where he saw that Loki was also summoned. Together they entered the building.