I Am Karen - Spider-Man / Peter Parker [1]

Chapter Ten - Examining Chitauri Cores

The next morning had rolled around and Maria had not seen her father or had contact with anyone. After her father's call she had gone to her bedroom and had gone to sleep. Since her computers were down there wasn't much else she could do. Maria was currently sat upon her bed, crossed legs, fiddling on with her phone that had run out of battery. The black screen was almost a nightmare for the young teenager who spent her time surrounded by screens. Alongside her computers being down, her father had further punished her by locking her lab preventing her from doing any work on the alien guns. She hated it but she knew fighting her father on it was a stupid plan considering the trouble she was already in. Within the silence that had been reigning, a knock echoed announcing someone's presence beyond her bedroom door. Seconds later the door opened and a pair of black polished shoes entered the room. Maria's eyes lifted from the shoes to see the fancy suit of Tony Stark. She knew who it had been from the knock alone but it still surprised her. Her father was supposed to be in India not New York.

Maria immediately got to her feet whilst her father, who had walked into her room, stood at the bottom of her bed. Tony locked eyes with his daughter for a moment before he dropped his gaze again. An awkwardness echoed over through the room as neither Stark knew how to start the inevitable conversation. Eventually Tony spoke up breaking the silence.

"You are not going into school today. There is a doctor coming at 12 to examine you as I want a professional opinion on your condition" Tony explained in his professional voice - it was a role he wanted to be at that moment. His words did not surprise Maria at all but she still nodded at them anyway whilst she pulled down her sleeves to cover her hands – a bad nervous habit she had.

"Okay" she mumbled. There was no point in arguing. As Maria watched her father, she didn't want them to fall back into a silence that would be deafening. "Um, what happened with you and Pepper? I thought you had separated." Maria had not spoken much to Pepper the night before but Maria was still trying to figure out what had occurred. She knew they had split around before the Accords but she had not realised that had begun speaking again.

"We had but the ... Accords brought us some common ground" Tony explained with a shrug of his shoulders; he found himself speechless once more. He was still angry about his daughter's actions but he was still so glad to see her before him.

"Oh, I'm glad, you've always been happiest with her" Maria replied giving her father a small smile before she looked back down to her hands. Silence reigned once again, an awkwardness that they had not experienced in a while came about.

"I ... err ..." Tony started, shifting uncharacteristically on his feet. Maria, however, saw that her dad was struggling. He wasn't one for apologising and neither was she but, in this case, Maria just wanted her father's comfort. Within seconds, Maria was moving over to her father and wrapping her arms around his waist.

"I'm sorry." It was all that she needed to say, nothing more and nothing less. Tony just sighed as he wrapped his arms around her tightly. She was alive and breathing. He was still furious but he needed to hold her as much as she needed to hold him.

"Maria, you can't do that, you have to tell me where you are going. I can't keep you safe otherwise" Tony softly said as he kept his arms locked around her body. When she was younger Tony had been able to keep an eye on her much more easily yet over the last few years, he had noticed her moving further out of his protection. Like any father, Tony was terrified that he would one day not be able to protect her, and considering the lifestyle he chose to live the chance of his daughter being hurt or killed was tenfold. Sighing, Tony rested his head against Maria's, his eyes closing in relief. "I'm just so glad you're alright. I love you tonnes."

"I love you loads" Maria echoed with a small smile as she kept her arms locked around his waist. She never failed to feel safe when she was in his arms. After a few moments in where both father and daughter took solace, they pulled apart.