The flight back was uneventful and nearly silent. Paramedics had checked Addy, as well as the rest of them, over at the track. She was fine, just scrapes and bruises, but the girl had sobbed herself to sleep, the terror from the events of the day proving overwhelming.

As soon as they'd landed Stark had handed her off, literally as he'd been carrying the sleepy child from the plane, to Happy. "She's not allowed at the party, got it Happy? Look after her k?" Before Happy could protest stark held his hand up to silence him, "Yes I know, my head of security, well secure the kid."

With no other options Happy had taken her home with him. They sat in silence, opposite sides of his worn leather couch. "So, uh, your dad's parties usually drag on. May as well get ready for bed." He looked around uncertainly at his home, "I haven't got another bed, but couch is all yours kiddo."

"Thanks Happy," Addy whispered before heading to the bathroom to change. When she returned the couch had been layered with three knitted throw blankets and two pillows. Happy seemed to have vanished. "Status little girl, frightening adult men into hiding since her creation." She mumbled in amused annoyance.

Addy glanced curiously around the small living area. To the left was a galley kitchen, a seemingly unused range stationed across from a stainless steel sink, ancient looking beige refrigerator in the far corner. The only items that appeared to receive actual use being the toaster and coffee maker. Three empty coffee mugs sat waiting to be washed in the sink and half a pot of coffee remained in the pot. Between the two main rooms stood a dark hallway, two doors on opposite sides leading off to the home's remaining two rooms, a bathroom and bedroom presumably.

Addy was used to silence, her mother had worked odd hours leaving the girl to her own devices more often than not. She wondered on tiptoe into the kitchen, rifling through cupboards until she'd located the cups. A cursory scan of the fridge turned up nothing of interest, the pantry, however, was filled with snacks.

The girl settled happily onto the couch with her drink and snacks. Her borrowed blanket, a soft red plaid number, wrapped around her like a hooded cape. She scrolled disinterestedly through channels, nighttime television always disappointing as it is. She almost missed it completely, her hand hurried to her elbow in the large bag of potato chips. Addy stared open mouthed, the snacks falling to the floor in her shock. "Happy?!"

A thud followed by a muffled string of curses and pounding footsteps alerted Addy of the man's approach. He stood looking tired and jumpy in the hallway, his gun held upward and ready.

Addy stared wide eyed at her father's disheveled head of security, "wow Happy, overreact much?"

The man sighed, grumbling under his breath as he lay his gun on the counter, running a hand through his short hair. "Addy it's," he paused squinting his eyes at the glowing green numbers displayed on the microwave, "Addy! It's 2:00 a.m.! Why're you up?"

Addy had the good sense to look sheepish before pointing towards the television. "Tony's made the news..."

Happy collapsed next to the girl with a muffled curse. "Don't repeat that," he ordered quickly.

Addy held up her hands as if to say, don't look at me. "Sooooo, are you heading over there?"

He seemed torn, glancing back and forth between the mayhem playing out on the television and the girl sitting quietly curled on his couch. He'd nearly convinced himself to just take her along when Tony roared at the cameras, Addy's flinch changing his plans. "No kiddo, we're staying put. Hopefully Rhodey and Miss Pots can handle it. You're my responsibility for tonight." He reached around removing the remote from where she'd placed it on the arm of the couch, "no more news k? Honestly what normal kid wants to watch that sh-crap anyway? Bed, got it?"

Addy sighed but settled back into the pile of pillows. "Night Happy."

"Night kid."

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The rubble crunched under her worn sneakers as Addy approached her father's home. After searching for breakfast items and settling on pop tarts, Addy had snuck her's into the trash while Happy had gone to get changed, the pair had hurried to the house. She was meant to be waiting in the car but couldn't contain her curiosity and wondered into the yard.

The house was silent, standing battered like the toothless maw of an ancient dragon. She stepped gingerly through the empty casings that had once been floor to ceiling windows. The floor here was just as bad if not worse than outside. Glass, rubble, and bits of what appeared to be watermelon, squished and crunched as she walked.

It hadn't really been her home, she'd only stayed there a day. Still, the sight could only remind her of the devastation she'd left behind nearly a week before. She almost expected ash and soot to billow up from the remains as she wondered further into her father's mansion. Maybe it wasn't logical but sometimes when you're feeling overwhelmed reality warps around you until you can't tell what's now, what's past, and what's imaginary. This was how Addy felt. Her mind created images of flames licking up the wall, a woman's choked screams filling the air, overwhelming heat catching her breath, or maybe that was the building panic.

She hadn't even noticed his approach and jumped when a heavy hand settled on her shoulder, "Addy, I told you to stay in the car."

"What happened?" She mumbled, glancing around the ruined mansion.

Happy sighed, "why don't you run on up to your room, grab some more clothes or something?"

"We brought all the things Pepper bought me."

"Oh, right. Umm snack? The kitchen seems to be relatively untouched."

They'd no sooner stepped into the kitchen before Stark appeared, looking tired and disheveled, in the doorway.

"Addy, go ahead and see what's in the cupboards yeah?" Happy began, ushering the girl away towards the kitchen, "I need to talk to your dad."

Tony moved to the, partially intact bar, hands ghosting over the three bottles standing unbroken on top. "Drink?"

"I don't really think either of us need to be drinking with a child in the house." Happy responded in a reprimanding tone.

"Oh come on Happy Mcnanny, don't be so uptight."

Happy sighed, "Tony I'm serious, I'm your friend I'll always be here for you."

"I appreciate that buddy" Tony interrupted, clapping him on the shoulder.

"But you gotta step up now," he continued, "you're all she's got, come on. I know you didn't exactly have a shining example of fatherhood."

Tony snorted into his scotch.

"Yeah, alright. But here's you chance to be more." Happy shrugged, "I'm just saying you should try. If you'd seen the look on her face when we got here, staring at the rubble like she was afraid of what she was gonna find under it."

____________________________

Addy startled as she rounded a corner, noticing a man standing silently in a black suit. "Oh, ummm are you looking for Mr. Stark?"

The man smiled kindly at her. "No im aware of Mr. Stark's whereabouts. You must be Adeline."

"Addy."

"I'm sorry, Addy," the man corrected himself with a smile, "my name is Phil Coulson. I'm here to look after your father. Make sure he behaves himself."

"Good luck with that," Addy mumbled under her breath.

Phill grinned, "hungry? Surely your father has something to eat around here." He began rummaging through the cupboards.

"I don't think he cooks much. Or eats. He might be a vampire." She looked thoughtful, "no vampires drink blood, undead of some sort."

Coulson chuckled as he poured bowls full of captain crunch and passed her one across the kitchen island, "might have something there kid."

Addy climbed up onto the barstool and accepted her bowl, "did Pepper hire you?"

"I work for S.H.E.I.L.D, we started watching Mr. Stark when he first showed up in a super suit."

"So you're here now because he's going loco?" She motioned circles next to her head.

Phil laughed, "yeah something like that."

"Hey, so I'm gonna start sifting through stuff," Tony called from the doorway, "you gonna give me a dad speech too or you gonna watch Ally?"

The girl scowled angrily, "Addy! A D D Y! It's really not hard! Aaaaa-dddd-eee!!!"

"Yeah sure that, so coming with me or are you two bonding?"

Coulson made shooing motions, "yeah go get to your science and what not. Addy and I are fine, aren't we sport?"

"Yeah, fine." She scowled after him until he vanished. "He never gets my name right."

"I think he's probably still in shock, or maybe denial, that you're here."

"Yeah," the girl sighed, "so, do you have a gun? Mr. Happy has one, he said he'd show me how to shoot it."

Coulson laughed, pointing his spoon at her half eaten cereal, "eat up Addy."

"How long you gonna be here?"

"Till your dad figures himself out." Phil responded. He turned to rinse his empty bowl, "I'm gonna watch some television, you joining?"

"That depends," Addy responded with a grin, "you have snacks?"

"I think we can work something out."

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Hey peoples!! I'm so sorry it took so long! I had some major writers block I'm so so so so so so sorry! Anywho I usually like my chapters to be longer than this but it felt finished here and I didn't wanna force it and have a long chapter but crappy ending so short it is. So I'll have an update for you soonish? I have ideas for the next chapter so it for sure won't be as long a wait. Once again I'm very sorry for the wait hop you like the chapter. See you soon😁💙