Francesca Stark is the second child of Howard and Maria Stark. After her parents died in 1991, the 12 year old was sent away to boarding school (by Tony) until she was 18 and able to take care of herself. She has since then resented her brother for...
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Francesca walked into the office that was soon to be her's. She sat down in the chair looking at the desk, a puzzle of some sort catching her eye. She picked it up trying to solve it.
"That's not a puzzle. Just an Afghan souvenir... which I think you broke" Tony said as he walked in. Francesca embarrassed placing it back down and stood up from the seat.
"Sorry I was just looking around. Feeling slightly overwhelmed with all of this" she explained. Tony let out a small chuckle. He circled around the office taking it all in.
"I'd be afraid if you weren't. You always doubted yourself, could have been just as smart as me if you didn't doubt your ability" Tony snarked making Francesca roll her eyes and huff at his comment.
"See this is why I'm concerned. You just think you're perfect. I knew I wouldn't meet your expectations and I surely wouldn't meet dad's. This was a horrible idea taking over the company" Francesca said all upset grabbing her jacket and bag off the desk.
"Are you kidding? You never did wrong in dad's eyes. You were the perfect little princess" Tony said baffled. The two were having their first fight in years.
"I was second best next to you. Even with mom. I was the mistake that came along and couldn't be undone. So I was just there, only existing. Never acknowledged or pushed. You were dad's child protégée, while I was just the average daughter he had. If you came to my graduation you would know I was valedictorian of my boarding school, went to Harvard for undergrad. Chemical Engineering. Then I went to CIT just to avoid MIT and the name you had made for yourself there. After I graduated I came back and wanted nothing to do with it. Decided to waitress and then picked up boxing as a way to defend myself after I was mugged one night... because I was a Stark and you had crossed someone, like always" Francesca explained all heated, her eyes holding back tears.
"Hey, I didn't know. Okay?"
"That's all your going to say? I didn't know. Please just move already so I don't have to see you" Francesca begged before walking out of the office. She wiped the tears from her eyes as she entered the elevator and headed down.
Tony meanwhile stood in the office pulling out his blood toxicity machine, pricking his finger. The machine read 34% which had jumped almost 6% since yesterday. He threw it back into his pocket before heading back to the penthouse.
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Later after walking around the city to release all her anger and tension, Francesca headed back up to the apartment. She exited the elevator to find Tony, boxing his driver/security guard Hogan. Pepper was seated on the couch sorting through paperwork like always. Next to her was an unfamiliar girl, a red head with a less rehearsed smile than Pepper.
"Oh good Francesca. You need to sign somethings here" Pepper said jumping up from the couch, the folder in hand. She pulled the pen out and handed it to her. The red head walked over. "She's the notary"
"No she's my new assistant" Tony corrected Pepper. Francesca gave her brother a quick look before turning back to the papers. She signed each page on the dotted lines. Finishing a minute later.
"Great thank you" the red head said before leaving the penthouse.
"Francesca come on. Let's see what you got" Tony said chugging on some green smoothie that was in his water bottle.
"I'm not fighting a girl" Hogan said flashing a nervous smile.
"Oh don't worry buddy. Come on Francesca" Tony said slipping out for her boxing ring. He walked over next to Pepper. Francesca still angry with her brother's comment slipped her shoes off and ducked in between the wire into the ring. Hogan immediately jumped into position holding up the padding on his hands.
She smiled before punching lightly a few times. Hogan eased up, feeling less threatened. Francesca then came in with the hardest punch, knocking Hogan across the ring and onto the ground.
"Owww" he moaned as he tried to get up. Pepper shrieked in fear. Tony stood their amazed.
"Impressed yet?" Francesca asked walking past him. Tony grabbed her wrist.
"How long have you been like that for?" Tony asked.
"It's called training"
"No, that's something else" Tony said impressed.
"Please. Just pack what you need" Francesca said pulling her wrist from his grip. She headed up the spiral stairs to her room. She could hear Pepper and Tony arguing about the new assistant and what not.
