"Sir?" 

JARVIS called out to Tony but received no reply, trying to get his boss' attention through blaring music that vibrated the lab walls.  When it abruptly stopped, only then did he respond to his A.I., poking his head out from under his workstation.

"What the hell, J?"

"Sir, there's been an incident with (Y/N).  You need to return home immediately."

As Tony ran from the lab and to his waiting vehicle just outside, he felt his heart pounding so forcefully that he thought it could push through his chest at any moment.  He couldn't breathe.  He couldn't think.  His only real job in the whole world was to be your dad and protect you, and the immediate feeling of failure washed over him, growing to be almost incapacitating as he neared his home, seeing the flashing lights from the entrance to the long driveway.  He knew that if anything happened to you, he would be broken.

When the SHIELD agent met him at the car before he could even get out, he felt his heart turn cold and dark and the world around him looked gray.  His ears rang with the sound of your laughter, knowing that he might not hear it again, before the agent had said even one word. 

This wasn't an accident. This was much worse.  If SHIELD was called in, he knew it meant only one thing; HYDRA had taken you from him, and he would spend every minute of every day working to find you until you were either in his arms or until his own days were over. 

~~~

"I want my daddy!" you screamed at the top of your tiny lungs with a high pitch that stung the ears of the guard watching over you.  "Take me home right now!"

"Someone needs to shut that kid up," one of the other guards whispered to his counterpart.  "What did we do wrong to get this detail?  I hate children."

"Hey, I'm not a fan either, but this is Tony Stark's kid.  There's a pretty high price on her head, and if we screw this up, we're done." The guard looked back at you, shaking his head as he watched you stomping your feet and holding your breath for as long as you could before giving up and taking another one.  "She can't keep up like this forever."

"I have to go to the bathroom!"

The first guard rolled his eyes and pointed at the other, refusing to take you again.  "I took her last time!  You deal with it!"

"Fine," he groaned, "hold my gun.  I can't imagine I would need it against a four-year-old."  He opened the door just a small amount, peeking into the cell that had held you prisoner since you arrived several hours before.  "Listen, kid.  No funny business, alright?  I'll take you to the bathroom but you have to behave."

"Can we just go?" you whined, pushing your way past him and into the hallway.  He was walking behind you with his hand on your shoulder, keeping you from running, but there was really nowhere to go in the dark and winding halls. 

You had only walked a few feet when lights began flashing and alarms were sounding overhead, alerting the guards to something happening outside.  Stumbling with a shock that hit the building, you grabbed onto the wall and struggled to stay on your feet.  The guard reached out to take you, but when he was just close enough you raised your foot to land a firm kick to his groin, dropping him to the floor.

'You see right here, (Y/N)?  If anyone tries to touch you or do anything to try to hurt you, you aim right here and hit or kick as hard as you can, okay?  Then you run as fast as you can to somewhere safe until I can find you.'

Your dad's words were still playing in your head as you ran away, trying to maneuver through hallways that you didn't know, looking for a sign that might lead you out of the building and away from these people.  It was a complete stroke of luck that you found a door to the outside, and when you felt the cool air and dim sunlight on your face, you ran.  You sprinted as fast and as hard as you could from the building, not knowing where you were going other than away.

The loud noises of attack were getting quieter as you ran; you looked back to see how far you had gone, but when you turned to face forward again you hit a large tree straight on, knocking you down to the cold ground with a hard thud.  Your head began to spin and you tried to yell but no sound came out.  Your vision darkened and you felt confused, laughing weakly when you thought you saw a giant bat lift you off the ground just before you passed out.

~~~

Steve paused behind Tony, watching him flip through pictures of you on his phone, not saying anything for fear of upsetting him again.  He began to feel inappropriate watching for so long, instead moving towards the bar to grab a couple of beers to try and ease the way into a conversation with his teammate. 

"Tony?" he called out, holding the dark bottle towards him as a peace offering, "can we talk for a minute?"

"Yeah, whatever," Tony sighed, putting his phone back into his pocket and dropping himself heavily onto the couch.  "What's on your mind, Cap?"  He tipped the bottle back and nearly emptied it with one long drink, "are you gonna try to make me feel better too?  Because that's not gonna work out so well for you, ask anyone else who's tried today."

Steve sat on a chair across from him, leaning forward to rest his arms on his legs as he watched Tony's posture and expressions, gauging how he might react to what he was about to say. Each time he put the sentences together in his head, they sounded wrong, and Steve wished that anyone else would have volunteered for this job rather than being thrown in at the loss of a bet like he was.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Steve said quietly, pausing to take a drink from his bottle, "but I have to ask you something, Tony."  He looked up but got no response, so he continued while he still held some of Stark's attention, "I didn't know (Y/N), since this all happened before I joined the team.  But it's been thirteen years now, right?"

"What's your point, Rogers? I know how long it's been.  I know down to the minute how long it's been.  I can tell you exactly how many hours of sleep I've lost in that time.  I can tell you exactly how many meals I've missed.  I can tell you what I was wearing that day, what I had for breakfast, and what song was playing when JARVIS told me to hurry home to have my world destroyed. Do you know that I threw away those clothes, and can't eat that meal or play that song anymore?  I get physically ill."  Tony took the last drink of the beer and threw the bottle towards the garbage, missing completely and shattering glass all over the floor.  "So please, don't bother reminding me how long it's been, because I'm painfully aware."

Steve took a long and deliberate breath, reaching into his pocket to pull out his phone with a message from Fury alight on the screen.  He turned it to face Tony and held it out to him cautiously, holding it there for as long as it took until he finally agreed to take it.  "After thirteen years, do you think you could know what she might look like today?"

"What?"  Tony said with a shocked expression, urgently reaching out and grabbing the device, his eyes wide and filling with tears as he looked at the picture on the screen; the picture that he was completely certain was you. "Steve...that's her...that's...where is she?"

"Stark," he sighed, "when I tell you, I'm not sure if you're gonna believe it."

~~~

"So tell me, kiddo, what do you want for the big eighteenth birthday?  You have pretty much everything that I could think to get, so I'm gonna need a little help this year."

You smiled to yourself, finishing your breakfast before heading to your last day of school, anxious to get there and get it over with.  Graduation was tomorrow, leaving you with one week to have your birthday party and pack for your move to college upstate.  Bruce wanted to give you a big party and a big send-off, but you only wanted to slip away quietly to start the next chapter of your life. 

"Well perhaps if you didn't give me everything I ask for, there might be some ideas left."

"Oh, okay," Bruce chuckled, "so this is my fault.  You were raised without a care in the world and everything you could ever need or want, and I get blamed for running out of things to buy?"

"Well if you put it that way, I just sound like a spoiled brat!  I didn't ask to be raised by one of the richest men in the country, Mr. Wayne.  That was on you, so yeah, your fault," you laughed, standing to move next to him and planting a quick kiss on his cheek.  "but right now, I've got to go.  I can't be late on my last day."  You slung your backpack over your shoulder and headed for the garage, turning back before exiting.

"Oh, I know!" you exclaimed, pointing at him with a bright smile and a sparkle in your eyes, "I think Sharper Image has one of those life-sized Iron Man suits!  That would be pretty awesome, right?  I don't have one of those!"  You slammed the door shut and headed for school, Bruce watching as you drove down the long road away from the mansion.

"Alfred," he sighed, "what am I going to do when she leaves me?  She's been the best thing that's ever happened in my life, and my proudest accomplishment.  Being a dad to her was something I was good at, and I don't remember life before she came along."

"It's only college, sir. It's not forever," the older gentleman said in a calm and soothing tone.  "This is her home."

Part 2

"Tony, this is a bad idea," Steve said with a shake of his head, watching Stark as he tried to select which tie he would wear for the last ten minutes.  "I think this is the worst idea you've ever had."

"This is the best idea that I've ever had."  He held up three ties draped over his hand and aimed them towards Steve, "pick one for me.  I'll wear whichever one you choose."

The Captain took a few steps forward and took the end of each one in his hands to feel the fabric and inspect the colors woven through them.  He sighed and shook his head again, refusing to think that anything good would come of Tony's plan that was so hastily thrown together only earlier that day.

"The red one," he relented.

Tony held the group up to look one last time and nodded decisively, "thanks, Cap.  Black it is."  He carelessly tossed the other two rejected ties onto his bed and stood in front of a large mirror, his fingers shaking slightly and his hands fumbling with properly knotting the material.  "You any good at this?"

"Only if I'm wearing it. Here, let me do it," he mumbled, taking the tie and placing it around his own neck to twist and fold the soft cloth until he had a secure enough knot for Tony to finish it.  "So, you really think that crashing her birthday party is the best way to say 'hey there, I'm your real dad, not this other ridiculously rich guy'?"

"I'm not crashing the party, JARVIS scored an invite.  But it's not even her real birthday.  She turned eighteen already on (Y/BD)."  Tony disappeared into his closet for several minutes, finally reappearing with a suit jacket and returning to the mirror to check his final decisions.  "Today is the day I lost her thirteen years ago.  It's not her damn birthday.  There's not an ounce of joy in this date; not for me."

"You need to remember to hold it together, Tony.  If you do anything to upset or embarrass her, you know this might all be over before it even starts."

"I know," he agreed, "I just want to see her.  I need to at least see her."

~~~

Tony sat in his car at looked up at the expansive and massive house, thinking that it made even his Malibu home look average.  The valet knocked gently on his window, startling him back to the present moment; he opened the door and handed away his keys, but grabbed the boys' hand and wouldn't let him pass.  "Now listen, junior.  This is probably the most important thing you're gonna hear today, and if you mess it up," he reached out to grab the young man's nametag and inspected it, "Michael, it may be the last thing you ever hear, you got me?"

"Yes, Mr. Stark," he replied nervously.

"Good.  Whatever you do, do not block this car in.  You park it where I can leave easily at a moment's notice, whenever I want.  You got me?"

"Yes, Mr. Stark."

"Atta boy."  Tony released him and smiled, patting the boys arm as he turned and walked towards the entrance.  The gravity of the situation became more and more real as he neared the house and he felt as if his legs wouldn't allow him to make it; he had to consciously will his own legs to keep moving forward.

"Identification, please."

"You know who I am," Tony answered absentmindedly, tipping his head to see past the couple that was in front of him, hoping to get a glimpse of you at any moment.

"Yes, Mr. Stark, but I still need identification."  Tony groaned loudly to make his point and pushed his thumb into the fingerprint scanner, looking as if he were being terribly inconvenienced.  "Thank you, sir.  You can go in."

Once inside, Tony felt a little out of place, knowing that he wasn't really invited and starting to feel like he would be caught.  He paused at one of the bars and grabbed a drink, trying to shake his nerves away and take a few minutes to look across the room for you.  He had stared at the picture Steve had given him for hours, committing it to memory, knowing that it could be the only way he would ever see the current version of you if this didn't work.

"Well, if it isn't the illustrious Tony Stark," Bruce announced, reaching his hand out as he approached, taking Tony's hand firmly.  "I wasn't sure if the day would ever come that we would finally meet.  I can't say that I remember adding you to the guest list though," he said sarcastically and with a crooked grin. 

"I'm pretty sure I got it right.  Take two lefts off the freeway, the first right, then follow that until the gothic monstrosity on the left," Tony smirked.

"Tony," Bruce cleared his throat to quickly change the subject, "can I introduce you to my daughter, (Y/N)?  (Y/N), this is-"

"Tony Stark," you smiled softly as he grabbed your extended hand and put it to his lips, "I know exactly who you are.  I'm a big fan."  You pulled your hand back but he kept staring at you with a strange look on his face, almost sad at the sight of you.  "I've actually wanted to meet you for a long time, but the old man here would never set it up.  I've been working on a robotics design that I hope to expand on in college, but I can't seem to smooth out the pneumatic hydraulics enough to make the hand motions realistic.  I don't know if it's the torque, the angular velocity or the friction that's messing me up and I was hoping you might have some insight, being Iron Man and all. You're a legend in robotics design."

Tony turned his head away, trying to appear as if he were looking around the room, but in reality he needed to hide the quick wipe away of the tears building in his eyes.  "I would love to help you, (Y/N).  Here," he paused, pulling his phone out and handing it to you, "add your number and I'll get it set up."  His eyes were drawn to Bruce as you typed, both men holding an uncomfortable gaze as they waited.

"Thanks, Mr. Stark, I appreciate this, really."

"Please, call me Tony," he said so quietly that it was difficult to hear. 

"Alright, (Y/N), time to greet some more of your guests," Bruce interrupted, "if you'll excuse us please."  Bruce took your arm and linked it through his to lead you into the small crowd that filled the ballroom.  Tony heard you say something about not knowing anyone, and his chest began to ache knowing that most of your life had probably been events similar to this, mingling with Bruce Wayne's stuffy friends who had no clue who you really were.

Seeing you walk away from him made it that much more clear that he didn't want to leave without you. Never again.

~~~

Tony had walked around the mansion for about twenty minutes before he stopped to realize that he had been so deep in thought that he was now completely lost within it.  He turned around several times to look down each hallway and wondered why one man would need so much space, and raised his eyebrows at how pretentious it looked, even to him; even though he himself had the tower and a home in Malibu, this mansion was excessive to say the least. 

He ran his hand over the ornate carved wood railing and walked aimlessly further down the hall, glancing at paintings of landscapes and displays of figures that appeared to be from a medieval period and much like a strange body armor.  He was suddenly halted when his hand hit a stop and an elevator opened before him.  Looking back over his shoulder one more time, he quickly scurried into the lift and found the basement as the only option that he could take.

When the doors opened again, he was taken aback by the chill and moisture in the air, feeling heaviness in his lungs as soon as he stepped out into the room.  The walls had a shine that made them look wet, and the lights were so dim that it was difficult for his eyes to adjust.  A bright glow caught his attention, turning to see a massive wall of computer monitors and equipment, looking much more advanced than a man like Bruce Wayne should need.

"Hey, J, can we plug into this?" Tony quietly said into the comm he had been wearing at Steve's insistence. He pulled his phone from his pocket and urgently fed information back to JARVIS so he could communicate with the system. "Make it quick, alright?"

"Tony, what do you think you're doing?" Steve asked.  "Have you completely lost your mind?"

"Mute."

His gaze darted across the screen while JARVIS broke in, flashes of code lighting up his face and reflecting in his eyes.  He gasped audibly and sat back roughly in the large chair behind him, nearly missing it in his inattentiveness when your pictures from the last thirteen years began to scroll past him.  JARVIS was in and knew exactly what his boss was looking for.  "Copy this.  I want it all."

"Sir-"

"No time to argue, JARVIS."

"But sir-"

"Excuse me," a voice boomed from behind Tony, the voice echoing through the cave with a deep authority and a threat in its tone.  "But I would like to know what the hell you think you're doing down here, Mr. Stark. And how you cracked into my system." Bruce stepped closer, his eyes growing dark when he saw the images that Tony was taking, "You know I can't allow you to have those."

"I have every right to these," Tony said as he stood to face him, his own tone deepening to match and his posture straight, "more right to them than you."

"As much as I would like to entertain that ridiculous idea," Bruce said quietly as he took slow and deliberate steps towards Tony, "I have business to attend to upstairs that you've inconveniently taken me from with your intrusion.  I have to insist that you leave my property immediately, but not before you return what you've taken."  The two men were now standing only a few feet apart but neither of them looked as if they were willing to back down. 

"This is a surprise, even from you, Stark.  You and your Avengers seem to think you're above the law...no, even above personal rights and common decency, and you just take what you want. To come into my home and disrupt my daughter's party-"

"She's not your daughter, Wayne," Tony sneered, "she's mine.  And I'm here to take her home."

Bruce's eyes widened for just a split second, but enough for Tony to notice.  He thrust his hands deep into his pockets and took a few steps back though still watching for Tony to take any more from him.  "That may not end well for you."

"It's a real shame that nobody asked for your opinion," Tony countered, taking steps forward to keep the gap between them small.  "Now tell me, did you know she was mine?"

"No.  I found her when I was assisting with the takedown of a HYDRA lab, but she had hit her head and didn't remember anything.  Finding her with HYDRA made me suspicious, but no, I didn't know."  Bruce again took a few steps back, seeming to purposefully steer the two of them in a specific direction.  "Not right away."

"Wait, what do you mean not right away?  When the hell did you know?"  Tony's face was beginning to flush a deep red with anger and he could feel his heart begin to race and pound in his ears.  He fought the urge to grab Wayne by the throat and choke the life from him, but he told himself to wait until he had his answers.  After that, there were no more guarantees. 

"She didn't remember you. She doesn't remember you."

"No doubt you made damn well sure of that, didn't you?"  He began to charge forward towards Bruce now, unable to hold himself back.  His hand reached out to grab the front of his suit coat, but before his fingers could connect, the entire cave went black and he couldn't see even his own hand in front of his face.

"JARVIS!  Suit!"

Part 3

"Well, I had been accepted to MIT, but Bruce really didn't want me to leave the state.  I decided on Cornell instead, and they do have a really strong biological engineering program-"

Your words were broken by the sound of a scream from the foyer and a loud crash of breaking glass.  The room silenced as all eyes turned to see what was happening but it was all so fast.  "Get down!" you yelled out, gasping at the red and gold torpedo that shot over your head.  It stopped at the end of the hall and turned, the casing opening just slightly and firing a blast into the floor repeatedly until a large hole was left behind; it disappeared into it just as quickly as it had appeared.

"Alfred!  Clear everyone out!"

"Miss (Y/N), where are you going?" he shouted nervously over the commotion, pushing his way through the frantic partygoers to stop you from heading towards the unknown threat.  He knew exactly what was happening and what you were about to see; things that you were never meant to know.  "(Y/N), stay here!"

"I have to find Bruce!" you yelled back, already beyond the point where he could reach you.  The hole in the floor was larger than you had anticipated, struggling to stop in your heels when your toes teetered over the edge. Grabbing your phone from the small pocket in your dress, you tried to shine a light down to see anything, but all you could see was darkness.  "Bruce?!"

The floor began to shake beneath you, tipping you slightly off your footing so that you had to grab the wall behind you.  Something was terribly wrong, and you felt fear coursing through you, but it wasn't going to change your mind.  You pulled off your shoes, took a deep breath, and sat on the edge of the opening, preparing yourself to jump in.  If Bruce was in any kind of danger down there, no one was going to stop you from helping him.

"(Y/N), stop!  Don't go down there!" Alfred called to you, meeting your gaze just as you dropped out of his sight.

~~~

Tony smiled at the sound of his suit finally approaching, staring Wayne in the eye with a smugness despite the position he was in, being held to the ground by a man in a giant bat suit.  "I never, in a million years, would have guessed that you were the winged freak," he groaned under the weight.  "I didn't take you for the vigilante type." 

Tony was just able to bring his knees to his chest enough to push Bruce away so that his suit could connect. Once fully encased in his armor, he stood with his palms forward and felt relief at the sound of his repulors charging, ready to strike his opponent down.  "Or wait, this isn't just some weird role-play thing is it?  Please tell me I didn't stumble into some bat-kink fantasy."

"You might have that fancy suit, Stark, but you're in my house.  Like I said, this isn't going to end well for you." 

Tony raised into the air, hovering just above Bruce to maintain the higher viewpoint and the tactical advantage.  "JARVIS, I need a scan of the room," he whispered, "think quick getaway."  He shifted his position further back to keep a safe distance, knowing what Batman had been known to be capable of, but didn't get far before a grappling hook embedded into a groove in his armor and threw him firmly to the ground. 

Bruce unexpectedly raised in the air now, using newly-installed rocket boots to lift himself over Tony, laughing at the turn of events.  "Bats can fly too, Stark.  It's really not that special.  You do realize, that because you know who I am now, I can't let you leave."  His right arm raised into the air and a jagged blade emerged that roared with a frightening sound, "and once I cut that ridiculous suit off, we can finalize the details of how to go about that."

"But you know who I am," Tony grumbled as he slowly stood again, "the whole secret identity thing is really overrated anyway."  He turned rapidly and fired, hitting Bruce square in the chest to throw him powerfully into the far wall, bringing broken rocks and dirt raining down over him.  Tony's head snapped to the noise of your entrance, completely shocked to see you there. "Besides, Batsy, I think the secret just took a turn.  Are you going to kill her too?"

"(Y/N), what the hell are you doing down here?" Bruce panted, pulling himself up from the ground. "How did you get in?"

"Bruce," you gasped, "what is all this?  Are you seriously...Batman?!"

"Stark, we're on the way," Steve said through the comm, but Tony didn't want any backup.  This was far too personal for the team to get involved. This was something that he needed to do on his own, even if that meant that Iron Man would lose to a guy in a rubber suit.

"Fall back, Cap."

"Stark..."

"I've got this.  J, block my signal; take me off the grid."

"Oh, please," Bruce mocked, "by all means, bring in the mighty team.  The only way you could get out of here now is through me.  You're not leaving, and you're not taking (Y/N) anywhere." As he spoke, his hand slipped into his utility belt and pulled out a sharp dagger, able to pierce any material and laced with a powerful sedative.  With a flip of his wrist it flew through the air, but JARVIS was a step ahead and blasted it swiftly from mid-air.

"Wait, what do you mean, 'not taking me anywhere'?" you asked urgently, moving closer to the two men despite the imminent danger to yourself.  "You need to tell me what's going on, right now!"

"(Y/N), there's something you need to-" Tony began, but was hit with a blast that knocked him backwards, scraping along the ground until he slipped over the edge of the platform and into a deep drop of blackness.  The sound of the suit hitting each wall around him on the way down resonated through the cavern, then faded into silence.

Bruce ran to you and took both of your arms in his hands, gripping them so tightly that it began to hurt and you were sure that you would find bruises there tomorrow.  "(Y/N), go back upstairs.  We can talk about this later, but right now you need to get out of here."

"Oh my god, what did you do?!"  You yanked yourself from his grip and rushed to look over the side to see if Tony had survived, in complete shock at what was happening, but Bruce took your arm and stopped you before you got more than a few steps away.

"How long have you been lying to me, Bruce?" you asked, your tone growing furious and your posture becoming tense under his hold.  "What else don't I know?  I can see it in your eyes that there's more.  You said you would never lie to me, but this really puts a huge dent in your integrity and now you're just plain pissing me off."

"(Y/N), please. Please go."

"Why shouldn't she hear the truth, Wayne?  Are you scared?" Tony questioned as he rose into the air, his blasters faltering slightly from the fall and its impact.  The suit sputtered as he landed as far from the precipice as he could.  "Are you afraid of losing her?  Because I can give you a first-hand description of exactly how that feels if you want.  I can describe in perfect, painstaking detail how it feels to lose her."

"Stark, this is between you and me," Bruce growled, though still keeping his eyes on you, "let her leave and we can work this out on our own."

"Let me tell you exactly where in hell you can go, Wayne.  This concerns her more than anyone, and it's her decision to make." Tony stayed in place with his hands raised and poised to attack, but he opened his helmet to reveal himself to you, waiting for any reaction.  What he got was so unexpected that it shook his resolve to let you make your choice.

You rushed across the platform to Stark, standing toe-to-toe, raising yourself up to meet his eyes.  He began to grow uncomfortable as you looked at him, examining his expression and his features.  His eyes were familiar, and his voice stirred emotions in you that you couldn't shake.

"Tell me," you whispered, "tell me what I need to know, Mr. Stark."

Tony's mouth opened and quickly shut again, hesitant to say the words he was so desperate for you to hear. You were eighteen now, an adult; what would this revelation do?  Would it be worth the pain that it was sure to cause you?  Would it be worth fracturing the relationship you had with Bruce, and the stable home he had given you?  Would you just end up hating him anyway, for not finding you sooner?

In the flash of a moment, he decided that yes, it was worth it all.

"You're my daughter, (Y/N)," he replied quietly with a strained voice that began to crack as the words were finally able to be spoken.  "HYDRA took you from me when you were four years old.  The base was attacked, and Bruce found you.  You didn't know who you were.  He gave you a home and a life that I was supposed to give you."

You stared at him for a moment, unsure of what to even say.  The words didn't shock you as much as you had expected, and you could see that Tony was ready for nothing and everything from you at the same time.  Closing your eyes, you sighed and relaxed, opening them again with a softness that you hoped would put the poor man at ease.

"Thank you, Tony. Thank you for trusting me to handle that."

Spinning on your heel, you looked at Bruce with disbelief and pain, walking towards the elevator as quickly as you could, leaving both men standing alone in shock and confusion. 

"Get the hell out of my house, Stark," Bruce hissed, "and keep your mouth shut about what you've seen here, or we will meet again."

~~~

The tears began to flow freely as you ran to your room, your chest now beginning to ache and heave with sobs that you couldn't control.  All you wanted was to be as far away from either of those men as you could get. Once inside you slammed your door closed and locked it quickly, running for your closet to pack as many things as you could before making your escape.

"Miss (Y/N), please let me in."

"Go away, Alfred!  I don't want to talk to you!" you yelled between panting and uneven breaths, "please leave me alone!"

"You know I can't do that, miss.  Let me help you."

You stormed towards the door and threw it open angrily, a harsh contrast to the calm gentleman on the other side.  Alfred was your protector, your confidant, and your friend.  He never faltered in caring for you, and you trusted him implicitly. But this...this was more than you could ask of him.

"You can't help me, Alfred. Just let me do this."

"Wait here," he pleaded, raising his hand to signal his intent to return; after a mere few moments, he was back at your door.  "These," he paused, dropping a set of keys in your hand, "are for the black Audi at the end of the garage.  I can block anyone from searching your plates and I'll disable the tracking if you wish." His hand dipped into his pocket, returning with a small roll of bills.  "Take this, it should be enough to get you started until I can get a bank account set up for you so Master Wayne can't access it."

"Alfred," you sighed, your tears building even more, "I can't let you do this.  If he knows that you helped me..."

"Then he will need to realize that you mean that much to me that I would risk it," he smiled, a small hint of tears in his eyes now, "I know how to deal with him.  Just be safe, darling."

You pulled him into a tight hug, your tears now staining his pristine white shirt and suit coat.  "I love you, Alfred.  Thank you," you whispered, releasing him to turn and grab your suitcase.  "I'll call you, I promise."

Taking the fastest route to the garage, you walked quickly and watched in each direction so that you wouldn't run into Bruce.  You had nothing to say to him, at least not right now, and you knew that he would never let you go like this.  All you could think of was the look on Tony's face and you needed answers.  You needed more, and there was only one way to get it. Throwing your suitcase in the back seat, you started the car and roared from the garage, not looking back as the mansion faded away in the distance.

Part 4 

Your phone was ringing incessantly from nearly the moment you had left. First it was Bruce, then Tony joined in, each of their numbers scrolled across your phone, sometimes in unison. When you finally couldn't take it anymore, you pulled over to the side of the road and considered what you were actually trying to accomplish by running. You held the phone in your hands when Tony called again, this time answering it.

"Mr. Stark."

"Listen, (Y/N), I'm really sorry about what happened back there, okay? I was totally out of line. I never should have gone down there, and definitely should never have said anything to you."

"And my mother?"

The sound of his gasp was clear, and it took a moment for him to compose himself from the unexpected question before he finally answered. "She's...gone."

For a woman that you never knew, the pain in your chest was sudden and real with the knowledge that she would never be there for you. There was no mother in your life, only Bruce and Alfred to take care of you, and now Tony trying to assert himself into it. A slight sting of tears filled your eyes, but you fought them back. "Mr. Stark-"

"Tony."

"Tony," you paused, "I've left home and was wondering if you...if you could..."

"Malibu or New York?"

"I'm sorry?" you replied, a bit shocked that he agreed so quickly.

"Do you want to be in Malibu or New York? I have homes in both, so it really depends on how far you want to run."

"Well, which home was mine?"

"Malibu," he said quietly, remembering back to the day you were taken and how he had failed to save you. So many years later, he still felt it as acutely as he had then, and somehow, the sound of your voice only brought it all back.

"Then Malibu it is. Thank you, Tony." A fleeting thought of Bruce crossed your mind but you pushed it away, keeping your focus on what you were doing; getting the answers that you deserved, the answers to questions you hadn't even formulated yet. "Could you send me the address and when I can meet you there? I'll be driving, so don't rush."

"We can fly if you want," he offered, his voice becoming lighter in its tone. "I would feel better if you weren't driving across the country alone."

You paused for a moment and fought your instinctive reply, the one that would tell him to mind his own business and that you were capable of handling yourself. Instead, you took a long, deep breath and kept your voice calm.

"I can manage just fine, Tony, but I appreciate the offer. I just...I just need the time to think, okay?"

He understood, though he still fought the urge to tell you how wrong you were, how scared he was to lose you again, and how much he just wanted that time with you. Yes, you were his daughter, but you were also a grown woman now that we really didn't know. He had to trust you. "Well, would you be willing to keep me updated on your progress along the way? If you don't mind?"

"That's the least I could do."

—

"Alfred!"

"Yes, Master Bruce?" he asked calmly, despite the rage in his boss' tone. "How might I be of service?"

Bruce sat in the darkened cave, looking at the wall of monitors before him, your face alight on several of them. "I can't track the car and her license plates aren't in the system. What the hell did you do?"

"I did what was right. She is finding her way, sir." Alfred could see Bruce's hands shaking as they rested on the panel in front of him, his fists clenched.

"Finding her way to where? To Stark? Oh, well that's just perfect," he groaned in a sarcastic tone through clenched teeth. "You've really outdone yourself this time, Alfred."

"She deserves to know her lineage, sir. She deserves to know who she is."

"She knows who she is!" Wayne hollered, standing abruptly to put his fist through the largest monitor; the one filled with Tony's smug likeness. "She's my daughter," he panted in a harsh whisper.

"No, sir," Alfred sighed, "she's not."

—

By the time you had reached the border into California, you had none of your questions ready, and no idea how you would begin a conversation that would change your entire life. What questions would even touch how important this was? Would he be honest with you anyway? Of course he would. He had nothing to lose.

Nothing except you. Again. "Sure, no pressure," you mumbled to yourself, lost in thought as you drove your final stretch of miles to the house. The house that you didn't remember, and honestly, were terrified to remember once you were there.

Rounding the final corner to the private drive that wound up to it, you saw the glow of the house in the sky above. You could feel your heart racing as you got closer, and your palms began to sweat from the anxiety. "Not now, not now," you mumbled, trying to ward off the panic attack that now felt inevitable. You slammed the brakes to halt the car, threw it into park, and jumped out into the open air to try to catch your breath.

Closing your eyes, you sat on the ground and leaned back against the vehicle, focusing on your breathing and trying to slow it to an even pattern. As the minutes passed, your heart began to calm, but you could still feel the shaking from deep within you.

"You get that from me," Tony called out from a few feet away, slowly and cautiously approaching you. "That, and your genius, of course."

"What about my good looks?"

He laughed openly, his entire demeanor changing. "Nah, that was all your mother. She was gorgeous, obviously." He pushed his hands into his pockets, still reluctant to approach to quickly, "now, that humor, that's me."

You took a few more deep breaths and reached your hand up for him to take and help you to your feet. "That humor has gotten me into more trouble than I care to mention, so thanks." He released your hand once you were up and motioned towards the car.

"Should I drive us the rest of the way?" You nodded in agreement and took the passenger seat next to him. "I'm sorry that you have to deal with those. I haven't figured out any magic cure just yet."

"Well, let me give you a hint," you sighed, "if you want to help a person with raging anxiety, don't spring any surprises on them. You know, like the whole, 'Luke, I am your father' thing your threw at me." You gave the last line with your best Darth Vader impersonation, just to lighten he mood a bit.

"Noted," he chuckled. "But my suit is way cooler than Vader's, let's just get that straight."

"No one is cooler than Vader." You shook your head and looked out the window as the house finally came into view. "Not even you, Tony, and I'm a huge...fan..."

You had seen Stark's house in magazines before, and a few times on TV, but in person now, it hit you like a punch to the chest. You remembered falling in this driveway, cutting your knee open and needing stitches while your dad tried to calm you down.

"I still have the scar," you whispered.

"What?"

"From where I fell," you said, pointing out the window to the exact spot. "That's when I got my fear of needles. Remember? You bought me the biggest teddy bear after we left the hospital. It wouldn't even fit in the car."

"(Y/N)..." Tony put the car into park and turned in his seat to face you, not afraid to take your hand into his as he watched you, not knowing what was happening in your mind. When you finally turned to face him, you looked completely different.

"It wasn't your fault, dad."

—

Bruce, I'm okay.

Where are you? It's been two weeks! Do you know how scared I am?

I'm sorry.

There was a long pause before he texted back, so long that you worried that he might have been too upset to continue.

No, I'm sorry. I'm overreacting. Will you tell me where you are?

You know where I am.

Are you getting the answers that you need?

He's my dad, Bruce. Of course I am.

And with that, his reply never came.

—

"You need to talk to him, (Y/N)," Tony sighed, leaning against the dining room table, rubbing his eyes in frustration. "I'm not saying go back to him, but he raised you. He deserves more than this. As much as I can't stand the batty nutcase, I have to be thankful that he was there when I wasn't. I owe him to convince you to talk to him."

"But he should have found you. At the very least, he should've told you when he realized who I was!" You pushed your chair back angrily and stood, pacing back and forth in front of him. "Don't get me wrong, dad. I am so thankful that he was there. I do owe him so much, but I can't excuse the fact that he kept me from you."

"Then don't."

You stopped and looked at him, now confused at the point he was trying to make. "I'm sorry?"

"Don't excuse him. Thank him, tell him what he meant...means to you, but hold him accountable. He's a grown man, he can take it."

"Could you?"

A small smirk crossed Tony's face at your implication, "of course not, sweetheart. I'm nowhere near grown up."

—

As Tony's jet approached the mansion, it looked cold and sad somehow. Even in the middle of the day, it eminated a darkness that unnerved you and only made your anxiety worse. When the plane finally landed, you stood and turned to leave, but paused when Tony didn't follow.

"Aren't you coming with me?"

"Nope," he said quietly, "the last person he wants to see is me, I can guarantee that. Besides, I need to man the getaway car. Or...jet."

When you stepped out and onto the grounds, you brightened at the sight of Alfred waiting for you with open arms. You ran to him like you hadn't been together in years, tears already threatening to spill before you had even reached him.

"Alfred," you sighed, feeling the safety in his arms that you had known since childhood, "I've missed you so much."

"And I've missed you, my darling."

"Did you get into much trouble? Are you okay?"

"Not to worry, (Y/N). Let's just go inside, shall we?" He reached down and took your hand, his other giving a courteous wave to Tony as you entered the house.

Alfred led you into the main living room where Bruce was waiting, standing silently as you entered. When he finally turned to face you, a wide smile crossed his face and he ran to hold you. "(Y/N), thank you for coming home...I mean, coming here...to talk. I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, Bruce." You said hesitantly, though you really did mean it. He had never treated you poorly; in fact, he had given you a great life filled with a caring father figure who would do anything for you. You did still love the man, after all, but this needed to be done. "I needed to gather the rest of my things, so this is as good a time as any."

The tone of the room immediately changed, and you could feel it. Bruce's face dropped slightly and his posture became defeated. "Well, I won't keep you too long. I just wanted to give you a proper goodbye." He released you and sat himself limply onto the couch.

"Bruce, I love you. I do. But I need to take this path now. Please understand that."

"I do."

"Thank you for all that you've done for me. You saved me and gave me the best life. I can never repay you."

His head snapped towards you, his expression sorrowful. "And you're never expected to, do you understand? Everything was out of my love for you. You were my daughter."

"I still am, Bruce," you whispered, glancing back to Alfred for support. "But I'm his too. I'm his first." You hurried towards him and kissed his cheek, turning to run towards Alfred for a final goodbye before sprinting towards a waiting Tony.

"I need the getaway jet," you sobbed into him, "get me away from here, dad."