I AM A Stark - PREQUEL

Chapter Six - "YOU THREATENED A TERRORIST!"

Well, Malibu Point was luxurious. The place was gorgeous and fancy to say the least though the armada of media presence was unpleasant but not unexpected considering Tony Stark had threatened a terrorist. Upon arriving in Malibu, Maria had found herself in a black car with tinted windows hoping for the vehicle to move faster.

With the car running to the front of the house, Maria was surprised to see another vehicle. Who else had arrived at the house? With a push of a button, Maria contacted JARVIS through the secure network between the car and the house.

"JARVIS I am here, open the doors, would ya? Please" Grandma Johnson would not be happy to learn that she had nearly forgotten her manners. Maria darted out of the car faster than she thought possible. Her gaze catching sight of the dozens of helicopters that filled the air full of reporters and their cameras hoping to catch the inevitable showdown. Maria didn't stop to sight see though. With her young legs she dashed out of the car and headed straight for the house. The doors opened immediately letting Maria walk straight into a common sight. Pepper and Tony were stood there fighting, arguing over what Maria couldn't quite tell whilst some brunette in a skirt and trainers was stood before them watching the fight with no joy. Maria came running in just as the other woman turned around to scan the house but had her eyes land on Maria instead.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"Could ask you the same thing?" Maria replied with a lift of her eyebrow. She had no idea who the woman was but she wasn't the person she wanted to see. Moving around the woman, Maria headed straight for the fighting couple. Standing behind her father, Maria reached up and tapped Tony's shoulder causing the man to jump around in shock.

"Hi" Maria said as she waved at her father. Tony's face however paled considerably at the sight before him.

"Maria ... what are you doing here?" he asked whilst his eyes began scanning around his house as if he was looking for danger. The billionaire was quick to close the difference between himself and his daughter, grasping her upper arms tightly.

"I came to see you" Maria replied with a small shrug. She knew it wasn't exactly the best time but she was here now.

"You should not be here." And here started the argument, the back and forth between two Starks who both saw themselves in the right. Tony did not want Maria anywhere near them for fear of her becoming a target whilst Maria already saw herself slap bang in the middle of it especially since she was a Stark and she had now been broadcast by every media outlook in the city. However, quickly Maria's sharp wit brought her around to demanding as to what Tony was not telling her. And in true Stark fashion he avoided the truth expertly skirting around the issue but this was the final straw.

"I have had enough! Grandma is lying about something, you are lying about being okay, Pepper and Happy are lying about you being okay. Everyone is lying to me. Something is wrong with my Grandma! Something is wrong with you! Happy is in the hospital and YOU THREATENED A TERRORIST!"

"Sorry to interrupt but do we need to worry about that?" the other woman said as she pointed towards the large TV on the wall that was broadcasting a live image of the house ... that had a missile heading straight towards them. They all had barely enough time to turn around and look out of the curved wall of windows to see the missile heading straight for them. Maria hardly managed a gasp as the missile crashed through the window and exploded at the floor a mere 3 metres from them. Upon impact they all were immediately thrown into the air. Maria felt the pressure fly against her moments before she felt arms wrap around her and then an impact into something not quite as hard as a wall.

Maria groaned as she found herself having bounced off the wall and onto the floor. Vaguely she could feel someone touching her head and speaking to her. Peeling her eyes open she found herself staring into the familiar face of her father.