Wanted

"It was more than just a car wreck... Wasn't it?" Tony asked somewhat nervously as he poured himself a glass of scotch, before necking it in one gulp.
"Yeah... The kid's had a rough few years"
"I gathered... And I have something to do with that... Right?"
"Right..."

Tony exhaled, giving Steve a knowing look as he poured another drink.

"You're a smart guy, Tony. I think you know what I'm about to tell you, but I'll spit it out anyway... Her name is Annabelle... Annabelle Pierce" Steve said, emphasizing the surname as Tony made eye contact with him.
"A relation of our old Hydra friend?"
"Yeah. Well, kinda... She was his step daughter."
"Okay..."
"Her mom was one 'Caroline Pierce'... Formerly Caroline Portman"

Tony cursed, thumping a fist against the top of the bar. He looked away, giving himself a moment to process Steve's revelation, his breathing quickening despite his best efforts to stay calm. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he pressed his eyes shut as he shook his head, trying to get a grip on himself... Steve let out a breath and pulled the roughly folded envelope from his back pocket and laid it gently on the table.

"How old's the kid?" Tony asked, opening his eyes as he necked the second glass of scotch before setting it back down again.
"Twenty four..." Came Steve's answer, his voice quiet and respectful as he gestured at the envelope which Tony picked up before sitting down.

He uncurled it, reaching in to pull the paperwork out and began flicking through, giving a sarcastic chuckle before slamming it back down on the table and standing up again.

"Tony..."
"No." He said, raising his shaky hands in disbelief before speaking again through gritted teeth "This isn't right... She told me she'd lost the baby - I would have been there for them both, and she knew that."
"I'm so sorry..."

Tony cleared his throat, visibly rattled, but keeping himself composed. He reached over and picked the paperwork up, pulling his phone out of his pocket and dialing a number before pressing the handset against his ear.
"How is she?" He asked, nodding thoughtfully as he listened, "Yeah, I'm gonna need you to run a set of bloods, I want a full workup done, DNA, the works... Yeah against mine, confidentially... Appreciate it. How long? ...Great."

He blew out a breath after putting his phone back in his pocket, sliding the paperwork back into the envelope and folding it in half. He stood quietly, lost in thought for a few moments before finally looking up at Steve again.
"You okay?" Steve asked, Tony giving a shrug as if unsure how to answer.
"I will be once I have some answers..." He said calmly with a nod.
"How long did she say the tests would take?"
"Couple of hours, tops..."
"Great..." Steve said with a kind smile, "Plenty of time to give you a bit of background, if you'd like?"
"Sure... Yeah that'd be good" Tony said, still a little bewildered, "Thanks"



Anna's vision was hazy when she woke up, and aside from a bit of pain and nausea, she felt reasonably okay. An attractive young doctor hovered over her with a tablet in hand which she was entering data into, her face lighting up with a smile when she realized Anna's eyes were open.
"Hey there" She smiled, reaching over to check her I.V bag, seemingly satisfied with it, "I'm Dr. Cho, but you can call me Helen. It's nice to meet you"
"Annabelle Pierce... Anna" She said, introducing herself with a shrug, "Nice to meet you, too"
"How are you feeling?"
"Like I've been asleep for a week" Anna answered light-heartedly, "...It hasn't been that long, has it?"
"No" The doctor chuckled, tucking her tablet away and pulling out a penlight. She shone it into each of Anna's eyes quickly, and took her temperature, entering all the readings into her log.
"Just a few hours... I've run a few tests, and it seems you've got a couple of cracked ribs, but no other fractures." She said, "You've got some deep bruising to your right shoulder and wrist, and I've repaired a laceration above your temple, so that may be a little sore for a few days, but won't leave a scar and it'll heal quickly... Faster than conventional healing and medicine, anyway"
"Oh wow, thank you"
"You're welcome..."
"Anything else I should know about?"
"No, your blood work came back clear, You're a little low in B12, D, and Iron, but that will improve with diet... Until then I'll start you on a multi vitamin and you should start feeling better in no time."
"Thanks..."
"Welcome"
"So you've pretty much given me a full checkup?"
"Yes, as requested by Mr Stark"
"Of course..." Anna started, "DNA included?"

Helen nodded, her expression polite and professional.

"And?"
"Positive match, as per your previous paperwork" She answered, glancing up at Anna briefly before entering more information into her tablet.
"So what now?" Anna asked
"Would you like a hot shower and something to eat?"
"Yeah... Actually that'd be great"
"I'll help you up"



Anna peered at her reflection in the mirror, wiping the fog away again. She turned her head, taking in the bruise on her right cheekbone and the waterproof surgical tape covering the wound above her temple. Aside from that she wasn't as swollen as she thought she'd be, and the dark circles under her eyes certainly could have been much worse.
Washing the mud from her skin and hair had been just what she needed, the smell of shampoo and body wash filling the room, giving her a sense of being herself again. Being fresh and clean and warm...
She was given a spare change of clothes, which was basically fresh underwear and a matching crop, a pair of sweatpants and a tank. She got herself dressed, holding the towel rail for support with one hand. She grit her teeth through the pain as she pulled the tank top over her body, stopping to take a breath as her hand rested against her ribs...

Get it together...

Anna blew a hesitant breath out, standing up straight again as she turned to the mirror, the print on the top stopping her in her tracks as she was hit with another wave of reality.

'Stark Industries'

She fought back a sob as her throat tightened at the sight of the white lettering across the black fabric.

This is too much... I can't-

A knock at the door interrupted her train of thought, Anna jumping a little at the sound of it.

"You okay in there, Anna?"

Anna cleared her throat, wiping her eyes quickly as she nodded - as if the person on the other side of the door could see her.

"Yeah, I'll be out in a second" She answered, her voice croaky.

Get it together. Seriously...

She hung her towel over the rack and put her robe into the hamper as instructed, turning to open the door. Helen stood by the door, that ever patient expression on her face as always. She offered to tie Anna's hair back for her, which Anna gratefully accepted, and was even impressed at the high bun she'd created - no mean feat with thick, long hair like hers.
Anna thanked her, peering at her reflection again in the mirror, feeling somewhat human again despite her earlier 'almost meltdown'.

A television set that had emerged from a wall cavity was turned on for her before Anna was ordered back into bed. She was given a couple of extra pillows so she could sit up, and informed that she would stay in the infirmary for the moment so that her health could be monitored for at least 24 hours.
A meal was brought up to her by a lovely young blonde woman in uniform, along with a selection of cold drinks, Anna choosing a simple bottle of water. She was offered a variety of dessert options which she politely declined, starting to feel like she was in a hotel, rather than a glorified military base.

Anna lifted the silver lid from her tray, presented with a piping hot plate of stuffed chicken breast and vegetables - beautifully presented as though it'd come straight from an expensive restaurant. She unwrapped her silverware from an embroidered napkin, and just as suspected, that looked expensive, too.

Deep breaths, Anna...

She couldn't help but smile when she took the first bite, it being years since she'd eaten something so delicious and well cooked. She took her time, savoring every mouthful and eating as much as she could, feeling guilty for not being able to finish it. It wasn't long before the blonde woman reappeared, and in true restaurant spirit, she asked how the meal was, and again offered desserts or anything else. Anna politely declined again, and thanked her several times, impressed and very grateful for the lovely food.
She reached over and picked the TV remote up, turning it over several times as she stared at the buttons quizzically, trying a few as she pointed it at the set. Failing to get the thing to turn on, she set it back down gently, wondering to herself what kind of world she'd found herself in as she peered around at all the technology.

Anna grabbed the handrail of the bed, standing herself up with gritted teeth, trying to hold her breath as she did. She found the light switch and turned it off, a moment of peace washing over her as fluorescent lighting was replaced by nothing but moonlight streaming in through the blinds. She crossed her arms, making her way over to the window where she found a seat to pull up and peer out.

"Hey..." Came a soft voice from the doorway, Anna looking up to see a face she wasn't expecting.
"Bucky... What are you doing here?" She said hoarsely, with a smile
"Just thought I'd check in... Make sure I hadn't gotten you killed" He said with a sideways smile as he quietly stepped in.
"I'll be fine..." She reassured him, patting the seat next to her, "No thanks to your terrible driving"

Bucky let out a low chuckle as he sat, looking at her hugging herself for a moment before letting out a sigh as he shrugged his jacket off.
"-Oh, you don't have to do th-"
"Shut up"

Anna did as she was told, shutting her mouth and letting him put it around her shoulders, a smile crossing her face as she let herself enjoy it's warmth.
"...Thank you..." She smiled, looking down sheepishly.
"Don't mention it" He said somewhat shyly. "So how are you feeling?"
"Sore... Tired" She said with a shrug, "But I'll be okay. I've been in car wrecks before, you know"

Bucky chuckled a little, glad that she was in reasonably high spirits.

"So I've heard..."
"Bucky... I'm sorry for not trusting you... And for running off" She said sincerely, looking up at him to make eye contact.
"You weren't to know I was telling the truth... I did put a gun to your head, remember?"
"How could I forget? ...Scary kidnapper man..." She teased, Bucky smiling again, "All jokes aside though... I know you were mad at me, and you had every right to be. I was a pain in the ass and you were just trying to help..."

Bucky nodded, a soft smile on his face still.
"I was mad... But I get it." He started, "You'd be an idiot to trust someone who'd threatened you, especially after all you've been through with your Da- ...Well, Pierce..." He added, correcting himself.
"So we're cool?" She asked, somewhat hesitantly.
"We're cool" He smiled... "So what's with the 'sitting in the dark' thing... You do know you've got a TV in here, right?"
"I was just having a moment to breathe... If that makes sense?" She asked, feeling a bit silly once the words had left her mouth.
"It must be a lot to take in, huh?" He said, his voice soft and expression kind and understanding.
"Yeah... You could say that..."
"Kinda like you're waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under you?"

Anna smiled, looking down until he caught her eye contact again.
"You really get it... Don't you?" She asked, Bucky nodding again, "Thank you for everything you did for me, keeping me safe and getting me here... No matter how all this goes down, or how long I stay here... I really appreciate everything you did for me" She added, her voice cracking a little. She looked away, letting out a breath as she gathered herself up, worried for a moment that she might lose it right then and there.

"Don't mention it" He said, a look of concern on his face as he watched her compose herself, "Like I said, I get it..."

Anna nodded, clearing her throat and shaking off whatever had threatened to come over her, giving him a smile which he returned.
"So has Stark been in yet?" He asked, getting her mind off the mushy stuff.
"Not that I know of... He ordered a bunch of tests though, and the DNA came back the same... He's definitely my Dad..." She said, a worried tone to her voice, "...Has he said anything about me?"
"No... Well not to me, but we're not exactly best buddies" He said, cocking his head playfully.

"With good reason..." Came a voice from the door, making both of them suck in a breath as they looked up.

"Thanks for checking in on me..."
"Don't mention it... Just wanted to make sure you were okay" He said with a smile that made Anna's chest tighten a little...

"Hey! Your jacket!" She remembered, her hands going to her shoulders to lift it off, Bucky putting a hand up.
"Hang onto it for now, it's fine"

Anna blew out a breath, tense as she watched him leave, her eyes panning over to the figure who'd stepped in from his spot in the doorway...

"Mr. Stark..." She addressed him, feeling stressed and overwhelmed all over again.
"Tony... Well 'Dad' I guess, but Tony's fine... Whatever you're comfortable with" He said, walking over confidently, sitting himself down beside her.

Anna swallowed hard taking in his face as he did the same, almost as though they were sizing each other up. Up close she noticed the cocky facade was only skin deep, his expression just as apprehensive as hers, hidden under an attempted 'welcoming smile'...
She sighed with relief when he blew out a breath, both of them letting out a chuckle at the awkward tension...

"Jesus Christ... I'm so nervous" Anna said, covering her face for a moment, "It is awkward that I just said that?"
"Yes... And no... But believe me, the feeling's mutual"

Anna nodded, looking him in the eyes again and smiling as he cleared his throat to speak.
"So are you okay?"
"Yeah, just a headache and a couple of cracked ribs apparently" She said, her fingertips brushing over the white tape on her temple.
"Did Cho give you something for that?"
"Yeah, but she said it'll take a little while to kick in... I don't mind"

Tony nodded, finding it strange that for the first time in his life he wasn't sure what to say...

"So how about you... Are you okay?" Anna asked, taking him by surprise, "It's not every day you find out you've got a 24 year old kid..."
"No... It's not" He said, letting out a chuckle as he nodded...

"Yeah... I'm okay." He smiled, taking in her face again, "maybe feeling a little... Guilty?" He added with a shrug.
"Don't feel guilty" She reassured him,
"Steve said you spent a few years on the street?"
"I was okay... I got by. It wasn't glamorous, but it wasn't like I was living under a sheet of newspaper or doing anything questionable for a roof over my head" She said with a shrug.
"That's a relief"

Anna chuckled, looking down as she recounted those years in her head for a few moments before looking back up at him.
"I feel guilty, too" She said, "...Mom didn't tell me it was you. All I got was this bullshit cliché story about a deadbeat Dad who left us..."

Tony clenched his jaw, his fingertips rubbing his temple as he closed his eyes for a moment.

"Straight off the bat... I wasn't the one who left" He started, his tone honest and direct.
"Doesn't surprise me"
"She found out she was pregnant - and wasn't gonna tell me... I found the test results and confronted her, and it was fine for a few days until I came home to a half empty apartment and a note." He said, the memory clearly a painful one as he went over it, taking the occasional deep breath as if to keep his cool.

"It took me a few days to track her down, and when I finally did, she broke down and told me she'd lost the baby... And that she'd met someone else" He said with a shrug.
"...I'm so sorry" Anna said, genuinely sad for him.
"I just wished I had've known the truth. Things would have been so different"

"She wasn't worth it, Tony... She was a crook and a manipulator" Anna said regretfully, "All she cared about was her bank account, and how she looked to the public and her society friends. She didn't try to help me when Alex chased me out of home"
"I thought you were a run away?"
"Yeah - because I overheard things I shouldn't have, and I saw his soldier... I saw Bucky." She said, looking him in the eye," Alex tried to have me killed, so I ran."

Tony shook his head, both in anger and disbelief. He let out a breath and reached out, hesitating for a moment before he placed a hand on her shoulder...

"That's not happening again. Okay?" He said, clearly upset but holding it in, "We'll get you better, find out why you're still being followed, and... Well, we'll figure the rest out as we go."

Anna nodded, blinking back threatening tears.

"Get some sleep" He said, patting her shoulder again before he stood and backed away. "Tomorrow we'll do breakfast, we can get to know each other a little better, and you can fill the gaps in for me."

"That sounds great... Thank you so much," She started, Tony putting up his hand to stop her.
"Don't mention it, any allergies, or anything you don't like?"
"No, I like everything, no allergies"
"I'm quite partial to gluten-free waffles..." He mused, Anna cocking her head,
"I've never had a waffle-"
"-Never had a-" He started, eyes wide with shock, "seriously?"
"Seriously!" She chuckled.
"With cream and berries? Blueberries are great"
"Don't think I've ever had a blueberry..."
"My God... We have some major catching up to do..."
"Alex was an oatmeal man, so I grew up on that... So don't go to trouble on my account-"
"It's fine, believe me, it's the least I could do..." He said, a smile crossing his face as he paused at the door, "Try to get some rest... You're safe now, and tomorrow's a new day"



Tony blew out a breath as he pulled the door shut, making his way back to the lab as quickly as possible. He pulled a phone out of his pocket and glanced at the screen, swiping with his fingertip as he looked something up as he went.
The elevator ride was agonizingly slow, Tony's brain running at a million miles per hour as he tried desperately to recount his last few interactions with Caroline...

The doors opened with a 'ding', snapping him back into action as he strode out, the lab doors coming into view.
"Unlock the lab please, Friday"
"As you wish, sir"

He pushed the glass doors open, stepping in and shutting them behind him, the sound of the latch meaning he could breathe again...

"Am I alone, Friday?"
"Yes, sir"
"Lock the door and switch the glass..."

Like magic, the lab lights turned on, and the glass flicked from clear to black, offering him complete privacy. He sat himself down at his desk, leaning back n his chair as several holographic screens appeared in front of him...

"Lab secure, sir..." Came the softly spoken A.I voice, Tony letting out a sigh of relief as he nodded, slipping his jacket off.

"Right... I need everything on Caroline Pierce from 1992 onwards. Everything from the media, personal information, security footage, telephone records - the works..."
"Right away sir..."

"And while you're at it, same order on Annabelle Kate Pierce"

There was a pause while one of Tony's screens began to fill with Caroline's information, the other filling with Anna's. He ran his hands through his hair, watching as Annas screen stopped loading, Tony sitting up, confused.

"Where's the rest of it?" He asked, a little frustrated.
"There's nothing on her from 2009 onward, sir. May I suggest asking her yourself?"

"Daughter or not, I don't know this girl - which means I don't trust her. She grew up with Pierce and Caroline, there could be ulterior motives... Try the name Rachael McIntosh - use the face matching program to find the right one."
"I must insist you try speaking to-"
"Once I know she's telling the truth, I'll try... But for now, I want everything on this girl. Run the program."
"As you wish, sir..."


"And encrypt the file under a code name. It's to be kept confidential."