Mini Stark (Tony Starks daughter)

Chapter 19 Hope

Pepper Potts stood on a bridge in the park briefcase stuffed full of cash sitting at her feet. She'd been standing there for hours already waiting for the man who had the little girl she loved like a daughter to come exchange her for the money. She checked her watch again worriedly, it was over two hours past the time he'd said to meet.

"Where is he?" She said quietly to herself frustrated.

Pepper continued to pace the sun sinking lower along the horizon. Finally when the light was long gone and her last hope that the man was still coming, that he still intended to exchange Tawny for the cash, was spent she picked up the heavy case and walked out of the park. Her shoulders were slumped in defeat, why hadn't he come? Was this all just a sick game to him?

Pepper sat quietly next to Bruce, who'd been waiting nearby. "He didn't show.." she whispered into the silence ignoring the fact that Bruce was, of course, already aware. "Tony is going to take this hard."

"We'll just have to find her im certain there's something we've missed, something obvious." Bruce said thoughtfully, "He's not a genius as far as I've been able to ascertain he's not even a smart man. Somewhere he's made an obvious, simple mistake that we've missed and when we find it we'll find where he's keeping her."

"I hope you're right Bruce. It's been nearly two weeks now any sleep Tony's gotten has been when he collapses from exhaustion," Pepper paused the worry evident in her tone and expression, "and I'm afraid to think of what he could be doing to her the longer she's missing."

The two didn't need to search for Tony they knew where he'd be, where he'd been since the moment they'd learned she'd been abducted, in his workshop trying anything he could think of to find her. That's where they found him passed out against his work bench.

"We should leave him be he desperately needs his rest." Pepper said looking at him worriedly, "he can't help her when he's too exhausted to think."

"I don't think it's possible for Tony Stark to be unable to think." Bruce argued, "besides he'll be upset enough as it is when we tell him he never showed."

The two were so busy debating whether to wake him or not the didn't hear Jarvis. "Ma'am, sir, I have a trace on miss Tawny."

Tony shot up knocking his coffee cup to the floor as he did. "Set a flight plan Jarvis" he said quickly his eyes lighting up for the first time since she's been taken. "Let's go get my little girl back."

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Tawny awoke to silence, she'd passed out after one of her stepfather's heavier hits several hours ago. Gingerly she tried to sit up only to fall back with a whimper of pain, her vision blurring. How long she'd been out was no more clear to her than how long she'd been locked away here. The days had blurred, hopelessness creeping into her heart despite her best attempts to believe she'd be found. Slowly, so as not to rub against any of her numerous cuts, tawny brought herself to a sitting position.

She sat quietly for a time afraid any sound would bring Andrew down the stairs. When she finally decided she was alone she dug into her, now tattered and filthy, jeans and pulled out her birthday present from Tony. She'd brought it out once before and he'd almost caught her. Tawny knew from her early childhood anything she took liking to would be likely to become his weapon of choice. She held the glowing miniature version of her dad's arc reactor close to her happy to no longer be in the dark. Knowing she had this has kept her going. In some way she felt like she was connected to Tony as long as she had this near her. "Please find me Tony, please." She whispered in a begging tone of voice.

"You up yet runt!?" Andrew's malicious voice called down the stairs to her.

Tawny quickly slipped the necklace back into her jeans and sat as still and silent as possible. Heavy footsteps began thudding down the stairs causing Tawny to flinch with every step. She didn't know how much more her body could handle.

She scooted gingerly into the dark corner behind her hoping desperately he'd miss her. But luck was not on her side, ever if you were to ask for her opinion.

With an evil chuckle he started her way. "Found you, you little brat!" He said as he grabbed her arm and threw her to the center of the basement, yanking her shoulder out of socket as he did so.

Tawny screeched in pain despite her best attempts to contain her cries. "Please.." she begged.

Andrew responded to her pleading with a kick to her ribs causing the small girls vision to spark her sight blackening along the edges as she gasped for air.

"Why is he so willing to pay to get you back?!" He shouted at her tauntingly. "You're not special, you're not smart, you're not even a cute kid! Why would someone like Tony Stark want an ungrateful brat like you!" He spat venom lacing his every word.

Tawny looked up at him from her curled position on the ground. Tears streamed unchecked down her cheeks. "You're wrong," she croaked pain evident in her small voice, "Tony loves me he thinks I'm smart, and special!" She slowly forced herself into a sitting position despite having a difficult time breathing. "You're the dumb one! You're the ugly one, on the inside and out! I should never have believed anything you ever told me!"

By the time she was finished with her rant Andrew's eyes were blazing furiously. "If he thinks your so important then where is he?!" He shouted raising his fist to strike again.
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Hey guys! So I had a bit of trouble writing this at first but eventually figured out where I wanted to go im off to write the next one which you may or may not get before I go to bed tonight we shall see anyway I love you guys all your comments and encouragement make me sooo sooo happy thank you guys so much see you in the next chapter :)