Aftershock - Avengers Endgame

prologue

Ten-year-old Maria Bolton hid shyly behind the social services agent. They had told her they were taking her to see her "father," a man she hadn't even known existed.

"Mr. Stark," the brusk voice of the agent greeted. Stark. That was supposed to be the last name of the man who had helped create her. He was some rich and famous inventor was what they tried to explain. She didn't see why that mattered, it still wasn't her mother. Stark wasn't
and would never be her last name. That title would always be Bolton.

The agent continued, "This is Maria Bolton." He tried to move to the side but she gripped his leg and shut her eyes tight. She knew the moment she saw this stranger everything would be real. Her mom would be gone forever. And she wasn't about the accept that.

"Maria," the stranger, who she assumed was Tony Stark, repeated. He didn't say her name in a commanding way, but instead in more of a thoughtful. He squatted down and positioned himself in her view. "Do you know that was my mother's name?"

Maria didn't reply, she just studied the man in front of her. His hair was dark with grey spread throughout it, much different from her mom's bright blonde and her auburn. He looked older. He had obvious wrinkles that aged him compared to her mother's flawless skin. In all honesty, looking at him, Maria had a hard time believing she could be the child of him and her mother. She just didn't look like it.

But he was now all she had.

He reached his hand out towards her in a greeting. "I'm Tony."

She looked at it tentatively, as if to make sure it was real, before taking it. "I'm Mare."

One month ago, Maria lost everything she knew. One month ago, her mother went to the store and never returned. One month ago, Maria watched her babysitter explode into dust.

Now, she was just trying to redeem any bit of family she had left.