Tony Stark felt something whack him in the head. He gasped and bolted upright.

Looking around frantically and trying to understand what was happening, he was met by the utterly furious face of his girlfriend Pepper. She loomed over him, wielding her handbag like a weapon which was obviously the object she attempted to bludgeon him with.

"ermmm" He grumbled incoherently, rubbing his head and sitting up only to be smacked in the face again with said handbag.

"Ow" He said pointedly and only received a hit to the back of his head in response.

"I can't, I can't believe you, Tony. What were you thinking? Oh wait, you probably weren't thinking, yet again. I get that your self-destructive and have issues and don't know how to take care of yourself let alone another human being but I thought, I thought that-" Pepper began one of her rants, her voice was turning that hysterical way when he had really fucked up beyond recognition. What was happening?

Pepper seemed trouble keeping her composure and a heavy pull of dread started to curl in his stomach. What did he even do this time? His girlfriend just shook her head at him before walking out the room.

Shit. She was too upset to even lecture him. This was so not good.

Looking around the room he saw the two SHIELD agents of the Avengers sitting on the sofa opposite him, identical blank faces staring back at him a little unnervingly.

"Have I been a bad boy again?" He teased the agents, sitting up and stretching in relief. Christ, that was a great nap but why did he get the feeling he was forgetting something...

"You aren't even going to ask?" Natasha's cold voice spoke, a hint of Russian accent showing through. He looked at her expectantly, waiting for the 'Tony was bad and we are so disappointed in you' speech.

"You don't even notice, do you?" Her voice definitely dropped several degrees more and had a lurking dangerous quality to it that reminded him of static.

Tony sighed, "Of course I notice, I love what you've done with your hair. It's a lot more... shiny and... shorter" The blank faces and literal no reaction was odd, the least he usually got an eye roll and an exasperated sigh.

Tony held his hands up in a sign of surrender, "You got me. Is it your makeup?" Empty face looking back, "new clothes...?" His tone had an inflexion at the end to pose as a question but didn't receive any kind of response. Tony waited for a few moments for any kind of reaction.

He let his eyes linger below her neckline for a moment, "...boobjob?" He asked, tone a little hopeful.

Finally he got a reaction, "черт возьми Tony, Mia, you know, your daughter, that's what your forgetting"

Tony was sure he felt his heart stop before it started racing, he eyed the apartment around him for his daughter but he couldn't see her.

He swallowed, "Uh, where is she?" He asked hesitantly, dreading the answer. He didn't know how to handle kids, was it like with babies when you had to watch them constantly? Did she fall out the balcony or down in the bathtub...

It was Clint that spoke up, "She went to the park with Steve and Bruce" The tone of the usual easy going Barton was a lot cooler than usual. What had he done? He eyed the agents, what is with the reaction... is she hurt? but before he could ask Barton spoke up again,

"She's fine" He nodded to him. Tony sighed in relief and grinned roguishly to the unwanted guests in his apartment. He let out a startled little laugh,

"Alright, had me going their guys" He let out a laugh again in relief. Mia is fine, thank god. Tony looked around and saw a someone had draped a large blanket over him. Pepper couldn't be too mad at him if she covered him up. He smirked.

"Tony, for a genius you are exceedingly dense. Aren't you even a little bit concerned that your daughter is missing and has just been whisked off somewhere?" Nat, his somewhat friend and terrifying housemate was gone, this was all Black Widow. It made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

He shrugged and buried himself in the duvet. Tony felt great, he really should have more midday naps. Was this what it felt like to be properly rested?

"Am I supposed to be? C'mon, she's out with Bruce and Steve. They've taken her to the park, not a strip club. I'm sure Hulk could smash any unsuspecting creatures that may be lurking in the bowels of central park and no doubt Capsicle is properly equipped to deal with all boo-boos. Guys like a total cliché sitcom Dad, anytime someone mentions children, little lactation stains form in the front of his super suit" Cue exaggerated eye-roll.

"This isn't about her being with them, it's about the fact that your already fucking up royally and proving yourself to be an unfit father" Natasha explained in a clinical voice.

He felt himself rear back defensively. It had been less than a day, he had not fucked up already.

"Uh excuse me? Who makes you the leading expert on children? How does the fact that my daughter has been whisked away for a nice outing make me an unfit father? Capsicle and Bruce have full clearance to my apartment and if I didn't think it was safe for them to be around Mia then they wouldn't be. She's my daughter, not my shadow, she can have her own life. It's a good thing that they're entertaining her while I was indisposed" Tony said in a slightly irritable voice. Who was she to question his parenting skills. Seriously, the Black Widow? She's probably the least maternal person on the planet, right up there with the Hulk and skinks. Wait, does the Hulk have maternal feelings? Maybe he did, no one's exactly done experiments on this. Maybe he should get the big guy a pet kitten like they do with ape's...

"Your missing the point, yet again Tony" Natasha's voice more glacial at this point and a peek towards Hawkeye showed the similar expression.

She continued before he could start, "The point Tony, is that you can't just pass out drunk when you have your child in the next room. What if she came out while you were drunk to see you stumbling over yourself and slurring your words? She would be terrified"

Tony was confused. He wasn't drinking. Looking down at himself, he was quite put together and there were no empty bottles around. Tony always felt it when he woke up after a binge, usually at this time he would be puking up or shitting his insides out while his brain actively tried to pound through his skull and leak from his ears.

"I wasn't drinking" He objected. He just went for a nap, didn't he? Tony couldn't exactly remember the last few hours and when exactly he decided to go for a quick sleep but he must have been resting quite deeply.

The agents just looked at him blankly.

"JARVIS" Clint called and immediately there was a live video feed in front of him showing a recording of him striding over to his bar and pouring himself a drink only to down it quickly.

He was silent for a moment or two, "This could be old"

Surprisingly it was JARVIS that answered for him, "This is the security footage from 13:07 to 16:21 of this date, Sir"

Tony watched the clip uncomprehendingly. It rewind to him showing Mia around then his retreat from the room. He did remember getting a drink but he didn't get... drunk. Tony would feel it if he had gotten drunk. But then it sped up to show him throwing back drink after drink and eventually stumbling onto the sofa only to stay there.

Oh my god.

Tony didn't say anything. He wasn't really sure what to say. He got drunk but Mia wasn't there... she was in the other room and now she's not even in the building. Tony remembered feeling overwhelmed with a million thoughts running through his head. What if Mia didn't like it here? What if she hated the building? What if she was bored and wanted to move back to Scotland? What if she didn't like New York, what if she didn't like him? It was too much and god, he needed a drink. It looks like he just didn't stop, but drinking that much... Why wasn't he hungover?

He decided to question this out loud, "If this really happened then why am I not hungover? I should at least have a headache and not feel like Mr Sandman lulled me to sleep on a pile of petals" Tony mumbled staring at the screen intently. It was dated and it didn't lie. There were some... slight gaps in his memory that he occasionally got when he overindulged but none of this made sense. He was a scientist first and foremost, the evidence pointed to him getting drunk off his ass but then there was one gaping variable that made no sense at all. Why wasn't he hungover?

"Tony, focus. That's not what's important here. You need to sort out your priorities because you can't get be constantly drinking around Mia, we all thought you were smart enough to realise this little fact. You want to poison yourself? Fine but don't do it around her" Natasha was frowning at him.

He scowled, "So what if I had a few drinks? She was in the other room and didn't actually see me drunk" His pride was on the line and they were making mountains out of molehills. No he wasn't the best of fathers but did they seriously expect him to be perfect?

Natasha was silent again for a moment or two, "JARVIS"

Tony watched the feed as he saw Mia creep from her room to see him lying passed out on the sofa. It made him feel... kind of sick and ashamed but he shouldn't feel that way. She probably just thought he was just sleeping.

The worry on her face was telling but Tony ignored it. No, she couldn't know. She's just a kid. He watched Mia creep up to him and place a hand on his forehead and what looked like... check him over? She removed her hand and did it again for approximately twenty minutes. His daughter just stood there and looked him over with her sweet face crumbled in shock, worry and a deep sadness that was a punch to his gut.

But that wasn't the worst part. No, that was when he saw her dash to her room to place the duvet he was now wrapped in around his form. The feed then shows her leaving the apartment altogether.

She probably didn't want to be anywhere near me

Suddenly, the suspiciously absent nausea was there. Tony didn't intend on getting drunk... he just needed a drink. A few drinks. It was all too much for him and he needed something to take the edge off. Sadly enough, passing out was probably the best thing he could have done in this situation. He dreaded to think of Mia finding him drunk and somewhat coherent. He would have scared her for life. More so than he already has.

Did this make him a bad father? He wasn't sure. It wasn't exactly the best thing he could have done but he didn't hurt her... physically at least. She was fine. She would be fine. He would just drink when she was away. Yes.

He let out a sigh, "Right, I see your point, I could have handled this better. Next time I'll be sure she's gone before I indulge" He said seriously.

The agents did not seem appeased by this, "Tony" Clint said in a put-upon voice.

He scowled at him, "C'mon Katniss, you can't seriously care about this as much as miss frost over there? Seriously, I had a few drinks, I didn't let her play with any laser beams"

Clint just shook his head and stood up, "You don't get it, Tony. You can't be acting like this now that your a dad. Even if Mia was alright, she shouldn't have to be covering you up and making excuses for you. Your the one in charge, the responsible one. She's going to look up to you and what do you want her to see? Do you want her to think it's okay to get rat-arsed in the middle of the afternoon?" His voice was more serious than he ever heard it.

Tony just stared for a moment, "...rat-arsed?" He repeated, a little amused despite the seriousness of the situation.

Natasha sighed and said something in Russian that was probably a colourful swear and Clint just shook his head and checked his phone.

Clints eyes flickered over to his for a moment, "Yeah, it means ridiculously drunk. Mia used it to describe the state you were in. C'mon, they're having an early dinner at a diner down town. I said we'd meet them there"

Tony ignored the twisting sensation in his stomach at hearing how his daughter described him and stood up promptly into a full body stretch.

Jesus, he felt good. Really good. Unbelievably good. What was in that Scotch that he drank, fairy dust? Fatherhood must suit him because god he felt about ten years younger. His mind was running through variables and possible reasons for him feeling so wonderful after a binge. It was a miracle. One that he intended to find out exactly what happened so he could repeat it over and over. If Tony could successfully figure out a cure to a hangover then he would become a billionaire all over again.

The made their way to the elevator in silence. The stoic, uptight agents took everything too seriously, I mean he did feel a little ashamed and embarrassed by his behaviour but he didn't actually do anything. He would have a little talk to her and she would be fine. Tony would just need to be careful not to get drunk around her and just space out his drinks a little more to avoid getting too drunk. Simple solution.

Romanoff's stare was as infinite and empty as a black hole so he avoided her eyes at all cost. Clint also had a stick up his arse as they entered the car. Natasha took the drivers seat and Clint the one up front.

To his surprise, Pepper was seated in the car behind him. He turned to say something when, "Don't. Just don't Tony. I'm here to spend some time with Mia, not you. You can talk to me when you figure out what you've done wrong" Her voice was all controlled patience. It made him sigh. Seriously? Pepper got like this sometimes and he knew the best idea was to leave her alone until she cooled off. She would be fine. She always was.

"Are you all seriously not gonna talk to me? What can I do?" He huffed and watched the streets of Manhattan fly by the car window.

Pepper didn't bother a response and neither did Clint, "Well for starters you can consider quitting drinking" She said seriously.

He scoffed loudly, "Really? Whats next, should I donate my fortune and give it all to charity? Should I just move to a farm somewhere, fixing up cars for a living and become a camp counsellor? Should I start dressing like an old man and become a full time dad? I know, I should start saying nifty things like, 'I'm not made of money' 'I don't care what everybody else is doing, I'm not everybody elses father' and my personal favourite, 'they don't make em' like they used to'. Come on guys, seriously? Were you all expecting me to be the picture perfect dad? No because first of all, I kind of am made of money. Mia is smart enough to make her own life choices and there no way I'll be stopping her from doing anything. Last of all, no they don't make things the same way because I'll just make them better for her" He smirked arrogantly, trying to get his point across by showing how ridiculous they are all being.

The car was just silent. He huffed again and took to ignoring everyone if they were going to just ignore him. They eventually reached a little diner that was emptied out of customers. He could see Mia seated with her back to them with Bruce beside her and Steve's eyes flickering up as they entered. Capsicle shook his head slightly in a 'don't come over yet' gesture that the team seemed the understand. Natasha and Clint strode up to the counter and began reading off menu's while Pepper stayed by his side.

What was this? The captain trying to keep him away from his own daughter? Well...

"I just wondering why you felt the need to defend Tony earlier" Came the quiet, understated voice of his fellow scientist. What was Bruce doing? Tony halted and continued listening unhappily.

"What, defend? I didn't defend him, I just pointed out that you were all acting like he was out his face and started smacking me about. You were all being too hard on him, I mean, he got drunk and passed out. That's all, you were all acting like he battered me or something" His daughter mumbled as she scarfed down food.

Tony was frozen in place.

Bruce just nodded and said even softer, "We know that but... why did you think that we would have thought that? Did you expect Tony to of hit you if he was awake?" His voice was very soothing and therapeutic but it was like someone was stabbing needles into his heart. Did... did Mia think he would hit her if he drank?

Mia shook her head strongly to his relief, "Well no, of course not. Well, I mean I don't think so, I don't know the guy very well but he doesn't seem like the type. Just because someone's drunk doesn't always mean they'll hit you" She didn't sound happy... or quite convinced of her objection.

Bruce knew the right thing to say, "fair enough, I agree with you but why did you make that jump towards Tony being drunk and hitting you? What do you mean, it doesn't always mean they'll hit you?" Bruce sounded so calm and reasonable when all Tony wanted to do was scream the questions at his daughter but he desperately didn't wish to frighten her.

Realisation started to sink into his bones. Oh god, what had he done?

His daughter was silent for quite a while and she had stopped eating, taking his question seriously. Tony wasn't sure this was a good thing for a bad thing, "I don't know. I mean, I guess because people - when they're drunk - have lowered inhibitions and something do things they wouldn't normally? Because when people drink they are more volatile and unpredictable than usual. I'm not stupid, Dr Hulk, I can see what your trying to ask me and no I've never really been abused someone who was an alcoholic. I guess I just... subconsciously I put together the idea of someone with a lack of control with the possibility of danger. I suppose I'm quite a paranoid person and don't really see the best in people but... I just try to be careful around people, you know? I try to keep safe. I've had my friend but as an orphan, I've always had to look out for myself and I guess I'm just used to doing that. I'm always looking out for possible dangers and a drunk person is definitely one. It doesn't mean I don't like Tony or anything but its like, just because I put my seatbelt on doesn't mean I think people are bad drivers" She explained quite rationally but there was one huge thing she was missing. Why did she look for danger in the first place? Tony stepped back and started thinking this through. All signs pointed to his daughter being through some sort of trauma, but what? She claims it wasn't abuse but she sounds like she was abused. What could it be?

Bruce continued talking but Tony was only half listening, "I see. That's... quite reasonable. B-but, I ah-" He stuttered unsure.

Mia turned to beam at him, "Why do I not see you as a danger? You probably thought that I was just too young and naive to be afraid of your other guy but I know better. I believe in you Bruce. I trust you. I know that you can keep the big guy inside and you would never hurt me" She then gave him a quick cuddle.

The scientist seemed quite flustered, "I-uh"

His daughters twinkling laughter reached his ears and it helped to numb the pain he was feeling, "Oh silly Doctor, even if that didn't work, I have a fail-safe" She winked at Banner here and Steve looked so exasperated it was almost amusing. Bruce got up and walked out the diner.

"I'm going to get the bill unless your wanting a desert?" Steve broke the tense atmosphere that settled in with the Doctor's departure.

Mia beamed to the super soldier, "YES. Chocolate milkshake. No vanilla. No, strawberry. Actually, I think I want a knickerbocker glory. NO Banna split. Yes Banana split" She nodded seriously.

Steve looked amused and stood up slowly, "Are you sure? A banana split?"

Mia nodded frantically then as the soldier walked up to the counter she shouted, "AND SOME HOT FUGE CAKE. CAKE. STEVE, STEEVEE!" She screamed frantically and started waving her hands.

"I got it, Mia. The whole city got it" He laughed and turned to the smiling elderly woman.

Tony wanted to go to his daughter but didn't really know how. How could he face her?

Pepper touched his arm, reminding him she was at his side.

"you know, I didn't expect you to take to parenting like you've took to most things in life Tony" She began in a quiet voice. He didn't reply.

"You are so brilliant at so many things but utterly hopeless at others. When I first saw you with Mia I thought it was the first but that was wishful thinking. I think this isn't something you can learn but it's just through trial and error. You don't really know how to be a father but you have all of us, Tony. If anything gets too hard then come to us, to me. We will help. More than a bottle could" She spoke softly, eyes trained on his daughter who had begun what looked like straw wrapper war with the resident archer. She had surprisingly good aim.

Tony spoke back quietly, "I just... I don't know how to be a good dad"

Pepper nodded and gave him a compassionate look, "Maybe instead of looking and worrying about all the right things you should be doing, you could start small? Maybe you should start with the things you shouldn't be doing"

Tony was frustrated, "Stop drinking? You really think I should never drink anything and become like a monk? I understand not getting drunk now, that's a big no go but the occasional drink? I mean, my father alwa-"

Tony stopped here abruptly. It felt like he had been hit with a wrecking ball.

Pepper just sighed, "Exactly Tony. Just like your father. Do you really think you should be looking to Howard Stark as a role model for parenting?" She said softly before walking off towards Mia.

No. No. No no no. He couldn't, he wouldn't be anything like his father. No. Tony was not his father. He was better. He could do this. Mia wouldn't have to suffer like he did. Tony wouldn't be perfect but there's no way in hell he would become his father.

"JARVIS" He said under his breath, "I want you to remove every drop of alcohol from the tower and I mean all of it. In the meantime, order some books on keeping sober and make sure to have a plethora of non-alcoholic drinks available in every event and gala that I will need to attend"

Tony watched as Steve brought out a gigantic banana split in one hand and a whole hot fudge cake on the other for his daughter with a big grin. She gasped dramatically and jumped on the seats to cheer and bounce excitedly.

JARVIS spoke back into the invisible ear piece he was wearing, "It would be my pleasure, sir"

Mia grumbled and groaned in contentment. That was the best desert in the entire world. The Avengers team, did steal some of her desserts but that was ok. She had more than enough. Mia felt like that fat kid from Matilda and was sure she must be purring like a cat.

She was currently laying contently on Steve's gigantic biceps. Mia felt her phone – not the stupid iPhone – but her old phone vibrate in her pocket. It was a reply from the telepath guy.

Dear Miss Mia,

I am surprised to hear from you as I don't usually hear from students directly. Of course, you are welcome to attend our school, we accept all children with mutations and hope to help them find their place in the world.

Perhaps if your parents don't yet know of your mutation, you would like for us to help explain it? It can be rather daunting and a difficult thing for even the most open minded people to accept. We can set up a meeting for you parents to find more about our school and we can explain to them about your mutation together.

I am intrigued by your email and would welcome anyone with such a bright personality in my school. I believe you would make a wonderful addition.

Please get back to me about if you wish to set up a meeting. It will have to be sometime next month, I'm afraid, as I will be away from the school for the next few weeks.

I look forward to our meeting.

Professor Charles Xavier

Mia did a fist pump in celebration. She got in! Yay her! Not that she doubted it, they would be stupid not to let her in.

Pepper let out a little laugh from across the booth, "What was that? Are you trying to take Steve's eye out because I don't think it's the best idea to punch a super soldier in the face, Mia" She sounded amused.

Mia stuck her tongue out in retaliation.

"No, Miss fancy hair" Mia scowled at the perfectly curled... hairstyle of the woman across from her in envy. How did it just sit like that so perfectly? How would you even do that? She wasn't jealous, it just looked silly and fancy, "I just got a reply from that school. I got in" She beamed and Pepper actually beamed back. It was a great moment.

"What's with the grins?" Tony Stark said as he smoothly slid in beside his girlfriend. He looked nervous again. It was odd. Why was he always so anxious? Hoping to help, she let out mild pulses of calm and contentment in the direction of the billionaire. She saw him relax more visibly.

"Well" Pepper grinned proudly and it made her feel so happy, "Mia here got accepted in the school that she wanted" The CEO then smiled at her.

Tony Stark smiled at her honestly then too, "Well done kid, they would be stupid not to let someone as talented as you in" His voice was all earnest and happy for her.

Her smile turned smug, "That's what I thought too"

The whole table laughed.

"So, are you going to tell us what about this mystery school, maybe a name?" Pepper teased.

Mia shook her head firmly, "No, then you will go all crazy and start planning out the rest of my education and probably sending 'donations' and going all mental super planner" She scowled.

The men at the table laughed. Pepper smiled ruefully, "Okay, Mia. But you will need to give me something to go on"

"Okay, they said I could set up a meeting? But it will need to be sometime next month cos' he's super busy or something" She explained.

Pepper nodded and got out her electronic planner. She began swipping things and muttering to herself.

"Okay, we can all go along on the twenty-third next month? I'll take the whole day off and we can make a day of it. Go out for dinner afterwards maybe" She said, mostly to herself.

Mia pouted, "The twenty-third? That's ages away" She moaned.

Steve pat her head in consolidation.

"I'm sorry Mia" Miss CEO said genuinely, "I'm just too busy until then and I want to do this properly. A full day and so we can also spend some time together. I don't want to just squeeze it in, I want to get a good look around and what kind of programmes they offer and extracurricular activities"

Mia let out a loud groan and muttered, "God help the professors"

Pepper just smiled sweetly, "If your so eager to began your education I'm sure we could get a few tutors around to the tower"

Mia narrowed her eyes, "Your evil" She declared.

Pepper laughed a stupid tinkling laugh and the rest of the table followed. Tony put his arm around her.

"Yup she is but you get used to her" He said fondly.

"So do I get a reward maybe? Maybe some more celebratory cake?" She asked hopefully. Steve ruffled her hair,

"I think you've had enough Mia" He said in his Dad voice. She sighed.

Pepper whipped her phone out, "Yeah and I really should be getting back to work. I'll meet you guys back at the tower?" She looked around the room in question but was already standing to leave.

Tony let her exit the booth and she thought she would take a chance.

"Hey Pep, can I come back with you? I'm kinda tired" She said, looking apologetically around the room.

She smiled warmly at her, "Of course Mia, come on, Happy's waiting outside" the woman then strode with purpose outside the shop.

Mia looked around and saw the Avengers – minus Banner – all looking at her happily except Tony. He looked kind of unsure and conflicted, like he wanted to ask to join but didn't know how. That wouldn't do, she needed answers from miss boss lady.

Mia skipped out the diner onto the street where Mr Happy was holding out the door to the back seat to her. She ignored him and opened the front door in order to ride shot gun. When she entered the car, Pepper laughed in amused exasperation and Happy wordlessly took the drivers seat and started driving.

Mia watched the goings on around New York for a moment before Happy spoke to her – the first time since she met him - "You know, most people sit in the back" He said casually but fondly.

She shrugged, "Why? The front's so much better" Mia explained, hoping it would be enough. By the fond quirk of his lips, it was.

"So uh-Pepper, boss lady, new guardian, can I just ask, what am I supposed to call you from now on?" Mia began her inquisition gently.

Pepper looked up from her phone to smile, "Pepper is fine Mia" She said and then looked immediately down.

Mia nodded then dropped the big question, "And... Tony? What should I call him?" She asked, hopefully casually.

Pepper and Happy exchanged a telling eye glance and the boss lady put away her phone.

"Should I just call him Tony..." She trailed off. Pepper looked conflicted and Mia was starting to think something else was going on. Her suspicions were proving to be right.

"Well... Mia-" She began but was obviously not going anywhere.

Mia nodded to herself, "It's just, he told JARVIS to call me Miss Stark and not Wilson. So am I legally taking on his name too?" She asked, feeling a bit down at the conclusion that she was coming too.

Pepper nodded and said cautiously, "Yes well, the name Stark holds a lot more weight than my name does... we felt it would be better for you if you had the Stark name" She began.

Translation: They wanted a Stark heir and if she was legally a Stark then it would be less questioned. They wanted someone to pass their company on to and probably didn't actually want kids. By giving her the Stark name and if they make people believe that she was biologically as well as legally Tony's daughter... then it would be nearly impossible to dispute.

Mia nodded and gave a big fake smile, "Ah, right. I get it. It's like, a lot easier to just say I'm a Stark" She began rationally, "You have PR to worry about and an adoptive child causes questions to be asked. One's you might not want to give. Like if you can biologically have children or what not why don't you just have a baby and it could reflect badly on you. If you play me off as a bastard child then it looks good to everyone involved. Like, Tony was ripped away tragically from his daughter her birth, you being the devoted girlfriend took me in anyway and now we're all one big happy family. It would be better for me to start calling Tony dad, just to get used to it and for the public image. Yeah?" 'and so you can groom me to take over the company and no one will dispute my claim' She added silently. They were really big on the whole family legacy thing here in America, she knew.

Here Pepper was a curious mix of relieved and horrified. She shook her head and opened her mouth as if to object when Happy spoke up,

"Uh, Pepper maybe you shouldn't... I don't think you... without Tony" He said with glances to her.

Pepper shook her head again and gave her a smile as the car stopped in the garage. They walked together to the lift and the woman looked like she was trying to explain.

"Mia, it's not... you don't really... it's hard to explain" The woman shot a sad look to her and Mia simply shrugged. The woman obviously wasn't comfortable revealing her master plan to a child. Pepper was a good lady who was looking out for her company. Mia didn't have any bad feelings about that but apparently she would have to play dumb.

"Oh so, I should call him Mr Stark and not dad?" She said curiously as the lift opened to let them in.

Pepper shook her head and gave a few more conflicted, uncertain looks before sighing, "No... you should... you should call him dad. He would like that" She said quietly.

A stab of pain shot through her. He wouldn't like that... Mia was an heir and maybe yeah she was becoming friends with everyone but no way the genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropist wanted to be a father figure to her. It was laughable. Tony Stark? A dad? Yeah right, like he wanted that... her...

Mia stewed in her own thoughts as Pepper dropped her off at the top suite that was now hers, "Tony is on his way back and will be here in about five minutes. In the meantime, JARVIS will watch over you and just ask him if you need me or anything" She said awkwardly.

Mia nodded silently and padded into the apartment. The lift shut behind her without her looking back.

Mia decided she needed a little cheering up and text her bestie.

'Hey, Avacado face, Whats your address? I'm coming over for a visit tomorrow' She sent off quickly.

Mia made her way over to the sofa she had seen Tony on a few hours earlier. She was kind of tired and decided to lay down for a wee while.

'! No way! Your in New York? We are going to have the BEST day over. Can't wait to see you, my little piece of glass'

Mia drifted off with a smile on her face, imagining what the next day would bring.

Tony entered his apartment with a plan to show Mia around the tower. Yeah, he would show her his lab and they could bond. He could explain things to her and they he would actually spend some time with her. Good. Great.

But when he looked around he saw a small form huddled on the sofa. He sighed and smiled as he walked over slowly. She was an angel in sleep. Soft ringlet curls spread across his cushions, little pink tongue hanging out and face relaxed in sleep. She was lovely. And his responsibility. Part of him really wished better for her but he was too selfish to send her away. She was his and he would do everything right by her.

Tony lifted Mia gently and pretended not to feel how difficult it was to carry her. He wasn't weak, he just spent his time around unnaturally strong people. He walked slowly - by choice - to her bedroom and did not at all struggle with opening her door and pulling down the new duvet. He placed her gently and looked down to her soft face and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"Night night Sweetie" He breathed softly before pulling back.

He walked slowly to the room before hearing a slight shuffle and pausing, "Night night Daddy" She mumbled sleepily and Tony felt like his heart had stopped for the millionth time that day. But this time... it was for all the right reasons.

He had a soft smile on his face for the rest of the day.

A/N: Right, so. Any suggestions what the pair could do on a day out together? Deadpool is so hard to write! Please, need some idea's because if inspiration does not hit me I might need to just gloss over it and nobody wants that. Here's hoping for inspiration and good idea's.