Glowing Embers (Avengers Fanfiction)

1-Blackbird

1993

A little blonde hair girl stood amongst the other kids, tears in her green eyes as they pushed her around. Peyton Annemarie Stark, aged six, was that little girl. The children didn't care that even among the private school children, the little blonde Stark girl had more money than they did. They just simply said what their parents had said.

"My daddy says you're a freak!" A little brunette teased, her little voice shrill. Peyton shook her head, her blonde little curls bouncing. The tears rolled down her hot cheeks and almost immediately evaporated. Children can be so cruel.

"Yeah my mommy says that your mommy shoulda got rid of you." Another little boy adds. Poor little Peyton Stark. She didn't know that the private school had sent home a letter talking about how little Miss Stark was a, ahem, enhanced, and that they children must have some understanding of what she was since she was coming to the school. Practically by law, Tony Stark and Peggy Carter were forced to disclose that the kid could control fire. The parents never really had an issue with Peyton Stark until they realized it was part of the social norm to have an issue with what Peyton Stark was. So they had complained, in front of their children.

"Freak! Freak! Freak!" The kids yelled as they pushed Peyton around. One jerk kid shoved the small blonde child to the ground. Peyton hit the dirt hard, rocks digging into her small hands. Hot tears rolled down her dirty cheeks before turning to steam. She stayed on the ground for a moment, wondering why her teachers weren't taking care of the bullies. It was her first day of school. A small voice that sounded like her older brother Tony's told her to get up and fight these punks. What did Auntie Peggy's friend do in her stories? He always got up.

So that's what the six year old did. Peyton wiped away her tears and turned to look at the kids. She had some grasp on her powers, enough to scare these little assholes. Her small hands lit on fire as she glared at the older children.

"Call me a name again! I dare ya!" She yelled at the kids who started to scream and run away from her. A smirk appeared on her little face as she looked around the playground. Peyton practically dares anyone to fuck with her. That is, until her teacher starts to walk towards her, eyes wide.

Of course, little six year old Peyton didn't truly understand the repercussions of her actions. Both Peggy and Tony had to leave what they were doing in order to come to the school. Both of them were told that they school had no qualms with enhanced individuals as long as they didn't use their powers around the others. That's just how things were. Enhanced individuals were out there, but they didn't show it.

Tony and Peggy had been trying to make sure that Peyton didn't grow up ashamed of her powers. This was the first time they had to sit her down and tell her that she couldn't be her. So both Tony and Peggy sat down on the couch in the Stark family home, forcing the six year old to sit down across from them.

It's something that Peyton Annemarie Stark would remember for the rest of her life.

"Darling, you know how Tony and I said that you could use your powers?" Peggy said slowly, easing into the water. Peyton looked up from her stuffed bunny, her dark green eyes on the two people she loved most in her life. She didn't respond verbally, she just nodded. Peggy found it hard to put the words together, with the way Peyton was looking at her so Tony stepped up to bat.

"You can't use your powers at school. The other kids-they don't understand." Tony tries to explain without making his little sister feel horrible about herself. Both him and Peggy knew that for the first three years of her life, Peyton was forced to hide her powers while she lived in the orphanage. The little girl's face scrunched up, sadness overcoming her.