The Life of Athena: Tony Stark's Daughter - Steve Rogers

Chapter 43: Rose Hill, TN

Chapter 43

Destruction.

Athena stood before the destruction of her home. Her lip quivered, trying to contain a sob from escaping. Tears flooded her
eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. The press was there, making money out of the tragedy and the Stark name. Firefighters, the government, and others there. She walked around the wreckage to look for Pepper.

"Pepper!"

Pepper wiped the her relieved tears, hearing Athena's voice was near.

"Nina?" She looked around.

"Pepper!" Athena took comfort in seeing she was okay and embraced her in a tight hug, her tears pouring from her eyes. "Are you okay? How did this happen? He's alive right—RIGHT!"

"Calm down sweetheart," Pepper smiled softly, running her hands through Athena's hair, "why don't you check the Stark Secure Server, your necklace."

Confused, Athena looked down at the triangular shaped necklace in form of the arc reactor, once similar to Tony's suit. Tony had given the necklace to Athena on her first mission to New Mexico with SHIELD.

The necklace was more than just a tracking device that Tony had implanted, it also had the power to charge Tony's suits, Jarvis also there incase of an emergency, and much more.

Athena pressed on the glow of the reactor necklace and was met by Jarvis' voice.

"Good day, Miss Stark, you have a message from your dad." Athena gasped, and saw Pepper smile. He's alive!

"Hi princess..." the recording starting, instantly tears fell from Athena's eyes. Princess. That was the word she'd always here from Tony when he came home after a trip, or when Athena needed comforting after loosing her mother in the car accident that she survived, and any other form of comfort, it was always, princess. No matter how old Athena was, she would always be his little princess. "There's no excuse, I know, I pushed you away, and it was stupid, I'm sorry if I hurt you..." he sighed deeply as if he was trying to contain his guilt and not cry, "I don't have much time Nina, but I can't come home, Pepper must've told you already, I have to find this guy, please before you come looking for me, get Pepper somewhere safe, Jarvis will update you my location, please stay safe, I love you."  Athena slowly took out her ear piece and put it away.

"He's alive!" She hugged Pepper again, "but we have to go, we—who's this?"

"Nina, this is Maya Hansen?" Pepper was still unsure of her name.

"Yes, you got it," Maya affirmed.

"Athena Stark." Nina offered her hand, and Maya shook it.

"I'm an old friend of your dad's."

"Ohh, I'm sure you are," Athena said glancing at her from head to toe, Athena knew this was another one night stand in her dad's past.

"She came just before the attacked happened to warn your dad, so now we have to go, before anything else happens."

"Come I know a hotel, with some people who owe me favors." Athena said, "follow me." Athena got in the driver seat of Pepper's car. Pepper followed by sitting in the the passenger seat and Maya in the back.

Driving towards the hotel, Athena had just hung up with friends who could secure Pepper and Maya, while she went out to help Tony.

"Why were you at the house tonight?" Pepper asked Maya, "what was so important that you had to speak to Tony?" Athena glanced through the rear view mirror, waiting for Maya's response.