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Can't Handle This

Chapter 36

Tony's fist made contact with Kanen's face, making a loud thud. The blonde man groaned, already feeling bruises forming from everyone else that had been in this room with him. He was beginning to think that Mr. Stark was the coupe de grace of the whole thing, purposefully sent in at the very end to making an especially lasting impression of what he had done to them.

Kanen leaned his head back, trying to make sure his nose wasn't going to bleed all over his nice white, button-down shirt. "Wow," he muttered. "Even out of the suit, you sure do pack a wallop."

"Don't even start," Tony spat. "I'm in no mood for your sass."

"But I love being sassy!"

Tony punched Kanen again, insuring that he would get a broken nose, a black eye, or even both.

"Okay, fine," Kanen admitted, trying to adjust his face. "Fine, no more sass. But just let me say that in a sass off, you'd be the only person to prove some kind of competition."

"Don't," Tony said flatly. "I don't really want to punch you in the face again. I might bust open a knuckle or two."

Kanen rolled his eyes. "Whatever. You know you enjoy it."

"After all you've put me through, yeah, I do kind of enjoy it."

Kanen gave a half smirk. "And that's why you're my only competition in a sass-off."

Tony just stared down at Kanen, feeling the rage build up inside him. "Why did you do it? Why the hell did you have to toss my daughter off a building?"

He shrugged. "I gave a warning, you chose not to follow it."

"That's no reason to do what you did."

"Just say it how it is, Stark," Kanen said simply. "You know the truth. Everyone that came into this room at any point during the day knows the truth."

Tony could feel his eyes stinging with threatening tears. "No."

"She called for you, Tony, and you just watched."

Tony pulled back and punched Kanen again, harder than before, letting the blood flow onto his knuckles.

As Kanen moaned and groaned in pain, Tony gathered his leather jacket and opened the door. "Oh, and by the way, Kanen," he said without even turning to face him. "You picked the wrong family."

"I don't think I did," he said with a smirk forming under the blood and bruises. "I wanted you guys from the start."

Tony put down his jacket and closed the door. “Did you really think it would be easy to split us apart?”

Kanen shook his head. “Don’t be stupid, Griff. Of course I didn’t think it would be easy. From the time SHIELD conceived the idea of the Avengers Initiative, I banged my head against a concrete wall looking for a way to dismantle it. It wasn’t until you were put on the team that I knew the perfect way to destroy you all.”

“Antoinette.”

“Exactly. CJ knew that she was your daughter for the longest time, but what good was a billionaire’s daughter if he didn’t even know about her? After a while, she became Iron Man’s bastard child. Soon, after some prodding from CJ, she became Tony Stark’s well-known flesh and blood. After all that waiting and work, it was well worth it to watch you fall to pieces as she dangled from that rooftop.”

Tony sighed and hung his head. “Don’t even go there.”

“Why?” he asked snidely. “Didn’t she make it?”

“Let me tell you something, Kanen. You did pick the wrong family. Not only did you choose to bully a family with a couple of master assassins, a super soldier, two demigods, and a hulk, but you also took someone we all terribly care about away from us. She was Clint’s friend, Loki’s…girlfriend, Natasha’s buddy, Bruce’s fan, and, most importantly, my daughter.”

“And now she’s gone,” Kanen finished for him. “Completely and utterly.”

Tony shook his head. “You’re wrong.”

Kanen sighed and dramatically rolled his eyes. “Denial didn’t get anyone anywhere in life, Stark.”

Tony hastily grabbed his coat and walked out of the room, poking his head back in as an after thought. “I’m not in denial. She’s still with us.”

The blonde man paused and gave Tony a blank look. “What?”

The billionaire let a smile creep on his face. “Toni made it.”

****

Toni winced as the nurse sewed the cut on her temple. Loki held her hand and gave a light squeeze to remind her that he was there. She gave him a half smile and he returned the favor.

“There,” she said definitively. “All sewed up. By the looks of it, you’ll survive.”

Toni chuckled and shifted slightly on the examination table, thanking the nurse as she packed up.

When she was finally gone, Loki nudged her slightly. The teen looked up at him, giving a sleepy smile. “Hey,” she muttered.

“How are you feeling?”

She shrugged, not quite sure how to answer. “A bit more relaxed than before.” She paused and looked him in the eye. “This wouldn’t be your doing, would it?”

The god tried not to smile as she gave him an accusing look. “Why on Earth would you think that?” As he held her gaze, he closed the distance, planting a tentative kiss on her lips.

“Hey, now,” Tony said sarcastically as he walked into the room. “I’ll have none of that.”

The two of them pulled away quickly, trying to act as if the kiss had not been shared.

Tony sat down between the two, ignoring Loki’s mumbled complaints. “How ya feeling, kiddo?”

She shrugged. “Okay, I suppose.”

“Think you’ll be able to make the trip home?”

She nodded. “Loki mentioned something to me when he came in earlier,” she added. “What’s going on with you and Steve?”

Tony’s face brightened slightly. “I asked Steve to marry me, and he graciously agreed.”

“That’s fantastic!” she said enthusiastically. “When’s the wedding?”

“In two weeks or so.”

“Wow, could you be anymore last-minute?”

Tony rolled his eyes. “It’s not going to be a huge deal. Schaef said he’d handle everything for us.”

“Am I invited?”

“Don’t be silly! Of course you are! You’re my daughter

Toni blushed and looked at her shoes. “I didn’t realize you saw me that way. I mean, last time we discussed family lineage, you told me to never call you ‘dad.’”

“Well, now I welcome it. You’re my daughter, and there’s no denying it after all we’ve been through.”

She smiled up at her dad, who returned the favor.

****

Toni sat with her dad in the kitchen, drinking bottles of Coca Cola and eating cake while talking about the suit that ultimately saved her life.

Their laughter and chatting stopped when a shrill voice was heard from down the hall.

“What do you mean I can’t come in?! Let me the hell through!” a woman shouted.

A middle-aged woman barged into the kitchen with Clint close on her heels. “I tried to keep her out, but she wouldn’t listen.”

“Antoinette Louise Miller! What the hell do you think you’re doing here?!”

“Hey mom,” the teen mumbled.

“Don’t you ‘hey mom’ me! Answer the question! I had to find out that you left home to find your father through the news this morning! Absolutely out of the question!”

“Mom, I’ve been gone for over a month now.”

“No exception! You’re coming home with me this instant!”

“Claire,” Tony said as he stood. “It doesn’t have to be like this.”

“Hell yes it does, Tony Stark!” she barked at him. “Either you tell her to go home or I call the police and accuse you of kidnapping her!”

Tony opened his mouth to retaliate only to have Toni interrupt. “No, I’ll go!” she said quickly. She turned to her father. “It’s okay. I don’t want to risk anything. I’ll go back. Besides, I’ve got school coming up.”

“Toni, after everything you told me that you went through there-”

“I’ll be fine, dad,” she said with a brave face. “I promise. I can tough it out there for a about a year, then I’ll be eighteen. No biggie.”

He nodded and hugged her close. “I’m sorry,”

She shook her head, face burying into his shoulder. “Don’t be.”

Notes

Comments

Chapter 28 is sad because Cj says "Let's just say I've got red in my ledger and I physically cannot wipe it out.". That's sad because Natasha says that in Avengers.

Natasha Barton Natasha Barton
10/17/16

I am going to cry. Natasha is my favorite Avenger and SHIELD agent. I've always looked up to her character. I almost cried during chapter 25 and got some weird looks from my family. Well they don't understand so if they have a problem then they can suck it.

Natasha Barton Natasha Barton
10/17/16

MAJOR SPOILERS! Unless you finished chapter 24

OH MY GOD!!!!!!! NATASHA"S DEAD!!!!!!!! AND SHE HAS A SISTER?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Natasha Barton Natasha Barton
10/17/16

CLINT SAID HAWKWARD!!!!!!!!! THAT"S AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!! BEST PUN EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Natasha Barton Natasha Barton
10/17/16

Are you planning on continuing in a sequel?

Anonyme_Amour Anonyme_Amour
3/20/14