Parenthood (Tony Stark's Daughter)

Chapter 8; Sleepover

She sighed and clutched onto her teddy bear, Lacy. The bear was her favorite toy. Her mother got it for her when she was around four-years-old. Maggie loved that bear, even though there's nothing really special about it. Just brown fur and a happy face. Maggie loved to dress it up for the seasons and show it off to her friends at school. She took it with her everywhere.

The bear was there for her when she got the news that her mother was in an accident. The teddy was like a security blanket for her.

Tears pricked her eyes when she thought of her mother. She missed her so much. Why did she have to go? Why did God want her mother?

Maggie sat up in bed and started silently crying. She tried to stop the tears from flowing down her cheeks, but she couldn't.

She got up off her bed and walked to her door. She sniffed, in attempt to stop her nose from running.

She walked down the hall and peeked downstairs. The glow of the TV was the only light down there. She saw Tony sitting on the couch, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

She crept down the stairs and peeked around the corner at Tony. She squeezed Lacy's hand.

She walked over to the couch and it took Tony a minute to notice she was standing there.

He jumped a little and asked, "What are you doing up. I thought you went to bed."

Tony looked more closely at her. She sniffed and it sounded watery. His heart skipped a beat when he realized she was crying.

"Hey, why are you crying?" He sat up towards her.

"I miss my mommy." She managed a barely-audible whisper.

But Tony could hear it, and his heart broke at the sound of her voice and the statement she said. He opened his arms out for her and she immediately latched onto him.

She curled up into a ball on his lap and cried. Her little fist grabbed his shirt as she cried into him. She started to get his grey tee-shirt wet, but he honestly didn't care.

"I know, I do too." He muttered as he rubbed her dark brown hair soothingly.

"Why did she have to go? Why did she abandon me?" Maggie sobbed, making Tony's heart break.

"I don't...I don't know Maggie. But your not abandoned. You'll never be alone Maggie." A few tears escaped Stark's eyes as he said this.

"She left me all alone! She was the only family I had!" Maggie's voice was so broken and full of emotion.

"I will never leave you Maggie. You will always have someone in your life." He said sincerely.

"I miss her..." She whispered.

"Me too Maggie. It was an accident. Nobody wanted...intended for her to get hurt. It was just an accident." He said as he tried to hush her. Seeing her cry was just tearing him up inside. He couldn't bare to see her like this.

"I want her back."

"Me too. Me too." He hugged her tightly. His arms almost wrapped around her twice.

"Shhh, shhh, it's gonna be okay. It's only gonna get better from here, Maggie." Stark whispered in the night.

He gently picked her up in his arms and walked upstairs. He carried her to her room and gingerly laid her on the bed.

"Tony, will you stay with me?" She asked and he just couldn't say no this time.

He nodded at her and lay down on the bed on top of the covers. Maggie curled up on his arm.

And that's how they fell asleep. With Maggie laying curled up into a ball half- beside-half-on Tony. And Tony laying with a protective arm around her.

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Pepper parked in the driveway of Stark's mansion and gathered her bag and coffee. She had decided to come early to help with Maggie. They had another day planned out for them.

She opened her car door and stepped out. She took a sip out of her portable coffee cup and shut the door.

She walked over to the main door and swooped her key. The door opened and she walked in. Her heels clicked on the marble floor as she made her way to the kitchen.

"Tony?" She called out to her boss.

She cocked an eyebrow when she didn't hear a reply. She didn't see either of them anywhere.

She checked her watch on her wrist. It said it was 9:45, where were they? Were they still asleep? 

Pepper called out to her boss again before she walked into the living room. The TV was on but no one was there. She checked his lab and the garage and yet, they were still no where to be seen.

She trekked the stairs to the bedrooms. When she checked his bedroom she found it empty. She checked the two other rooms up there including the bathroom but found it Starkless.

There was only one room left. She walked over to the last room and stood before it. She debated on knocking but decided against it. She twisted the doorknob and peeked her head inside.

The glow of a nightlight dimly lit the bedroom. The blinds had been pulled closed leaving no sunlight to reach the room.

Pepper spotted Tony laying in the bed with an arm wrapped around his daughter. They were both out cold.

Pepper's hand flew up to her mouth as she turned away from the two. She whipped out her phone and snapped a quick picture of the two of them.

"Blackmail," She whispered to herself.

She then tried to quietly exit the room. She slowly closed the door behind her, as not to wake them up.

She giggled at the sight of the two. She decided to let them sleep a little longer. They both had been through a lot these pass couple of days. She smiled as she made her way back down the stairs.

A/N;

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