Leah Stark - The Unknown Child

3.14.0

Tony's POV

   Leah had been avoiding people since she went to visit Lilith. She wouldn't talk to me about it, but Happy filled me in about it. I left her alone for a while, guessing she just needed some space, having FRIDAY check in for me. She spent a lot of time in the lab, which allowed me to keep an eye on her. She spent a lot of time just building stuff, and avoiding talking to people.

   I was in the kitchen, when FRIDAY called out. "Mr Stark, Leah hasn't slept in 48 hours. That's probably not healthy, but considering you do it all of the time it's probably fine."

   "I'm sorry, Leah's been awake for how long?" I asked, stopping pouring my coffee.

   "48 hours sir."

   "Jesus Christ!" I muttered, putting down my coffee and jogging down to the lab. I saw Leah sitting near one of the benches with goggles over her eyes and soldering two wires together. I could see how tired she really was despite her focus.

   Opening the door, I walked over to her, taking a hold of the soldering tool and placing it on the table. She slowly turned her head to me, the bags under her eyes obvious against her pale face.

    "Can I have my soldering iron back?" She asked, her voice raspy from the lack of drinking.

   "How long do you think you've been working?"

   "What?"

   "How long do you think you've been working down here?" I repeated, crossing my arms.

   "I don't know, like 10, 15 hours."

   "48."

   "What?"

   "You've been down here for two days. What's wrong? Why have you been avoiding everyone for so long?"

   She shrugged, "I don't know."

   "So what have you been thinking about?"

   "Finishing my degree. I've been avoiding my work, so I need to catch up."

   "Your not though. Leah, your teachers keep me updated with your degree. You're a year ahead of where your supposed to be and they've told me that you'll be graduating in a few weeks. What's really going on?"

   "I don't know. God, can you stop bothering me?"

   "Leah, I'm your dad, I won't stop bothering you until you tell me what's wrong."

   "I just want to be left alone! Okay?"

   "Leah, I'm not leaving you alone down here. Maybe up in the penthouse but not in the lab. You haven't slept in 48 hours, your gonna hurt yourself. I've done it too many times to count, especially after my first suit and after my mother died. I'm not letting you get like that."

   She stared at me, I don't know weather from exhaustion or shock. She turned back to the bench to begin meddling with a sigh. I looked at her, knowing that she was trying to avoid whatever was going on in her head. I grabbed the wires that she had in her hands and put them on the bench.

   "Hey!" She exclaimed, turning back to me.

   "Your leaving the lab. And until you tell me why your avoiding everyone you're not allowed down here alone. You need to look after yourself, not isolate yourself."

   "But dad!"

   "No buts, okay! FRIDAY, how long has it been since Leah has had something to drink?"

    "26 and a half hours sir."

   "See kid. Your not taking care of yourself. And if something happens to you, I feel that'll be on me. You're going to come upstairs with me, I'm gonna make you some food and your going to drink something and then you're going to go to bed. FRIDAY, place locks on the lab for Leah unless she's with me or I'm already in the lab."