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1989

Despite his usual flair for dramatics, Tony was feeling anything but celebratory. Sure, he'd aced MIT, but this visit wasn't about him, for once. It was about her.

His new sister, Aurora Stark.

Even the name annoyed him a little. He had liked being the center of attention, the golden child. 19 years old and already an engineering genius, with nobody to overshadow his brilliance. But now, there was this... baby. A squirming, wrinkly, unpredictable baby, who would demand all the attention and affection that was, in his opinion, rightfully his.

Tony had never imagined his parents having another kid, especially at their age. It was strange, foreign. His dad had been distant for most of his childhood, more in love with his company than with fatherhood. And his mom? Sure, she was warm, but she was always so composed, so proper. He couldn't picture her holding a tiny baby in her arms without looking like she was about to attend a board meeting right after.

"Stark party of four now?" Tony muttered to himself as he pushed through the hospital doors, rolling his eyes. "This ought to be good."

As he entered the room, Maria Stark's eyes lit up, her smile soft and serene. She was cradling a tiny bundle of pink in her arms, looking every bit the radiant new mother, even though she was older now than most women who'd just had their first child.

Howard Stark stood by his wife's side, occasionally caressing the baby's head with his thumb. A fond smile on his face which seemed strange to Tony.

"Tony!" Maria exclaimed softly, her eyes lighting up. "Come in, sweetheart."

Tony hesitated, shoving his hands deep into his pockets. "Yeah, about that. You guys, uh, sure about this? I mean, you had me, and that was, like, peak achievement, right?"

Howard let out a gruff chuckle, but Maria shot him a glance that silenced him immediately. "Tony," she said, tilting her head with that motherly tone he could never quite dodge. "Just come say hello."

"Hey, Mom," he said, leaning in to kiss her cheek. "How're you feeling?"

"Like I just did ten rounds with a heavyweight," she said with a tired laugh. "But it was worth it.

"Tony, Meet your sister, Aurora," Howard spoke with pride in his tone.

"Aurora? Like the princess?" Tony raised an eyebrow, but the humour was there. "Wow. Really setting her up for success, huh?"

"Be careful," Howard said. "This one might actually turn out better than you."

"Ha, ha. Very funny."

Tony looked at the small bundle in Maria's arms, wrapped in a pale pink blanket. He hesitated, his throat suddenly dry. All his bravado, his irritation at being upstaged, melted away as he looked at the tiny, delicate face peeking out from the blanket.

Aurora's eyes were closed, her lashes dark against her cheeks. She had a thatch of soft, dark hair and the faintest hint of a smile on her lips, as if she was dreaming of something wonderful.

"She looks like a wrinkly potato."

Maria gave him a mock stern look. "Tony."

"What? I'm just saying. Potatoes are cute, right? French fries, mashed potatoes... It's a compliment."

Howard cleared his throat in the background. "Tony," he warned.

But Maria's smile softened, her eyes twinkling. "Do you want to hold her?"

Tony blinked, suddenly feeling like he was being asked to diffuse a bomb rather than cradle a newborn. "Uh... I'm more of a 'hands-off' kind of brother."

"Go on, hold her," Howard persisted.

Tony hesitated. It wasn't that he was scared, per se. He just... wasn't sure what to do with a baby. "She's not going to explode, right?"

Maria laughed softly. "No, she won't. Just support her head." Adjusting Aurora carefully before handing her over to Tony. He stiffened as the weight of the tiny baby rested in his arms, staring down at her with wide eyes. She was so light, so fragile. For a moment, he feared he might drop her, or worse, somehow short-circuit her.

Aurora stirred in his arms, and then, as if sensing something, her eyes fluttered open. Big, bright, and impossibly brown. She looked directly up at him, her gaze intense for such a little person, like she was examining him, trying to figure him out.

Tony's heart did something strange. It tightened, but not in the way it did when he was nervous. It was warmer. Softer. Aurora's tiny hand reached up, grasping at the air until her fingers brushed his shirt. She made a little cooing noise, something so small and innocent that Tony almost laughed. Almost.

"Hey there, kiddo," he murmured. "Welcome to the madness."

He didn't know why, but he couldn't look away. She just stared at him, her expression both curious and trusting, as if she already knew he was someone important in her life. Like she expected him to protect her. To be there for her.

"I think she likes you," Maria said, her voice filled with joy.

"Yeah, well, she's got good taste," Tony said, grinning down at his sister. "Because I'm not letting her off the hook just because she's cute."

Maria laughed, and Aurora's tiny face scrunched up, as if she was trying to figure out what was so funny. Tony's grin widened. "You're going to be a handful, aren't you?" he said, bouncing her gently. "Poor Mom and Dad. They have no idea what they're in for."

Tony then felt something shift inside him. The jealousy, the irritation he had felt at the idea of another sibling, all seemed to melt away. Holding Aurora, with her tiny hand now clutching the fabric of his shirt like he was the most important thing in the world, Tony realised something.

This wasn't about losing attention. It was about gaining something he hadn't known he wanted.

He gave Aurora a small smile. "Alright, kid," he whispered, "I guess I'll keep you."

Aurora blinked up at him, almost as if she understood. And in that moment, Tony Stark, had already lost his heart to a six-pound, wide-eyed bundle of energy.

"By the way," Tony added, turning toward his father. "Just so we're clear, when she grows up, she's going to like me better than you."

Howard smirked, arms crossed. "We'll see about that."

"Uh-huh," Tony said, turning his attention back to Aurora. "But you can't compete with this face." He made a ridiculous expression at her, crossing his eyes and puffing out his cheeks. To his delight, Aurora let out a tiny, almost smile.

Maria laughed softly. "Looks like she's already chosen."

"See? She's got good taste." Tony grinned, and for the first time since he'd gotten that call about the baby, he felt... good. Better than good. He felt like maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all.

"Welcome to the family, Rory," he whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. "You have no idea how much I'm going to spoil you."

Aurora made a soft, contented sound, snuggling closer to his chest, and Tony couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, I think we're going to get along just fine."

He looked back up at his mother, his smile turning a little sheepish. "So, uh, how does this whole big brother thing work, anyway?"

His mother laughed, reaching out to caress his cheek. "You'll figure it out, Tony. You already are."

Maybe being a big brother was something he could handle.

━━━━━━━━━━

Aurora smiled, watching as Tony prepared himself for the press. News had spread around about Tony Stark's alter ego was Iron Man, and he was ready to deny allegations.

"You're stressing," Aurora laughed, leaning on her palm as she sat on the couch near him. "You need to relax. It will be fine."

"Me? Stress? Never," he scoffed, as Pepper began to cover his injuries with makeup.

Coulson appeared, handing Tony cards. "Here's your alibi."

"I don't like being handed things," Tony turned to Aurora. "Give it to her."

Aurora rolled her eyes, taking the cards off Coulson and reading them. "We were on a yacht?"

"Yes, we have port papers that put you in Avalon all night, and sworn statements from 50 of your guests," Coulson clarified.

"See, I was thinking maybe we should say it was just Pepper and me alone on the island," Tony teased, making Pepper rip the band aid off his forehead.

"Just read it, word for word," Coulson said.

Aurora sat next to Tony, showing him the cards. "There's nothing about the Stane's here."

"That's being handled. They're on vacation. Small aircraft have such a poor safety record."

"But what about the whole cover story that it's a bodyguard? He's my- I mean, is that- That's kind of flimsy, don't you think?" Tony asked.

"This isn't my first rodeo, Mr Stark. Just stick to the official statement, and soon, this will all be behind you. You've got 90 seconds."

Coulson walked away with Pepper following behind, leaving the Stark Siblings alone. "You're thinking too much," Aurora pointed out as she helped Tony put his tie on.

"I'm not," Tony denied.

"You are. Spill."

"You know, Iron Man needs a sidekick."

She fixed his collar, narrowing his eyes at her. "Technically, I would be the first superhero if I actually used my powers before you created Iron Man."

"I'm the oldest," Tony pinched her cheek, earning a smack on his hand from her.

She sighed, taking a deep breath. "I'm not ready," she murmured.

"That's fine," he understood why she didn't want to. "But i'll still make you your very own suit."

Aurora laughed at that."Don't wasted your time on it."

Tony noticed when she looked at him with those almost teary eyes. "You're gonna get sappy with me, aren't you? I can feel it coming."

"So, what?" She scoffed. "Since when did it become illegal?"

"Right now," he teased. "Please don't."

"Shut up and listen."

"Okay."

"I'm proud of you, and i'm lucky to have you as my brother," she spoke softly.

"That's it? No big speech?" He raised a brow.

"You were just nagging about it a second ago," she rolled her eyes.

"I want to hear it now," he persisted.

"Too bad. It's time for you to go up there now, Big T," she patted him on his chest. "Break a leg."

"I will," he smiled, ruffling her hair.

Aurora made her way out minutes later to catch Christine Everhart speaking, "I'm sorry, Mr Stark, but do you honestly expect us to believe that was a bodyguard in a suit that conveniently appeared."

"I know that it's confusing. It is one thing to question the official story, and another thing entirely to make wild accusations, or insinuate that I'm a superhero," Tony spoke.

"I never said you were a superhero," Christine pointed out.

Aurora winced at that when Tony looked at her, practically begging for help, but she gave him a thumbs up, mouthing a 'you've got this.'

Tony turned back to the press. "Didn't? Well, good, because that would be outlandish and fantastic. I'm just not the hero type. Clearly. With this laundry list of character defects, all the mistakes I've made, largely public."

Rhodey made eye contact to Aurora, eyes speaking itself and asking what the hell Tony was doing. Aurora just simply shrugged, confused herself.

Rhodey leaned in to whisper to Tony. "Just stick to the cards, man."

"Yeah, okay. Yeah. The truth is-" Tony glanced at his cards and then back to the press.

"I am Iron Man."

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"How are you feeling today, Rory?" Dr. Hayes began.

Aurora glanced around the room, her gaze lingering on the various plants. She found it hard to shake the lingering anxiety that had gripped her in the days since Tony's announcement of being Iron Man.

"I'm okay," Aurora said. "I've been thinking a lot, but I guess that's nothing new."

Dr. Hayes nodded. "You've had quite a lot of change recently. I understand that Tony has made a significant change to both of your lives. How does that make you feel?"

The mention of Tony pulled Aurora from her thoughts, redirecting her focus. She felt a familiar pang of anxiety mixed with a strange sort of relief. The news of Tony revealing himself as Iron Man to the world had been a seismic shift, not just for Tony but for her as well.

"It's been overwhelming," Aurora admitted. "It's hard to describe. I mean, I always knew Tony was brilliant and, well, larger than life, but seeing him put everything out there like that... it's a big change."

"How do you feel about his decision to reveal himself as Iron Man?"

Aurora hesitated, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her sweater. "It's- complicated," she said finally, her voice trembling slightly. "Part of me is incredibly proud. He's always been fearless, but now he's out there for everyone to see. And part of me feels anxious. I mean, he's put a target on his back. It makes me worry about him, about what might happen next."

Dr. Hayes nodded understandingly. "It's natural to have mixed feelings about such a significant change, especially when it involves someone close to you."

"I had a dream last night," she began. "And it was a good one."

Dr. Hayes raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise in her expression. "That's a change," she said, her tone encouraging. "Tell me more about it. What did you see in this dream?"

Aurora took a deep breath, her eyes drifting as she recalled the details. "It was... different from most of the dreams I've had. It was a woman who was holding me. She was singing a lullaby."

Dr. Hayes's eyes lit up with interest, her expression warm and encouraging. "A lullaby? How did the presence of this woman make you feel?"

"She made me feel warm and safe. It was like I was wrapped in comfort. Her voice was soothing, and the way she held me was so gentle."

Dr. Hayes nodded, taking note of Aurora's response. "That's a powerful feeling, to experience such warmth and safety in a dream."

"But- but there was something else," she said slowly. "A man came into the dream. He was speaking in a different language- Russian, I think. He was calling out to the woman, but I don't know what he was saying."

"Did you catch any part of what he was calling her?"

Aurora shook her head. "I don't know what his exact words were. I couldn't understand him. But he did call her something else, a name. I don't remember the name though, but I called her something else."

Dr. Hayes's brow furrowed slightly. "What did you call the woman."

Aurora's eyes softened as she spoke. "Mama."

━━━━━━━━━━

The grand entrance hall was quiet, lit only by the soft glow of the moon through the tall windows when she noticed a shadowy figure standing near the grand staircase. "Please stop trying to hack JARVIS." She crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes glaring at the man. 

"I've already had a busy day and i'm too tired to smack you up. The door is that way so I suggest you leave because there's nothing here for you to steal," she said, a hint of annoyance and tiredness in her tone.

"Oh i'm not here to steal anything." The man spoke and Aurora frowned.

"Great. Another crazy fan," she muttered.

The figure stepped forward into the faint light, revealing an imposing man with an eye patch. "Miss Stark," he said. "I'm-"

"Nick Fury," her voice was gentle, as she turned on the light, looking him in the eye. "I remember you."

Fury nodded, a faint smile on his lips. "It's nice to meet you again."

Nick Fury had made it his business to know exactly what Howard Stark's children did especially the younger one and what he had discovered about her hidden abilities.

"Likewise," Aurora tilted her head. "Why are you here?"

"I'm surprised you didn't do your research."

"I don't need to." Aurora took a seat opposite him. "You run a secret government division that's interested in recruiting my brother and I to join a super secret boy band."

"The Avengers Initiative," Fury corrected her. "But i'm impressed."

"Your thoughts are too loud," she commented. "And I know, you know about my powers."

Fury simply smirked at that. "What makes you think I'll keep it a secret?"

"Because I know you want me."

"And?"

"I'm not interested in becoming a hero," she said.

"You don't have to be a hero, all you have to do is fight for them," he said.

Aurora pondered for a moment, fiddling with her fingers. "I- I can't," she stammered. "You don't understand. These powers- They're not safe."

"I figured you'd say that," he said.

"Then why ask me if you knew the answer?"

"Because I was hoping that we could help you and you could help us too."

She tilted her head to the side, eyeing him curiously. "What do you mean by 'we?"

"Join SHIELD," Fury offered. "Coulson told me you gave this acronym." Aurora beamed with pride, making him chuckle at her excitement.

"No," she instantly said.

"Good-" Fury began. "What?" He was taken aback with her answer.

"You don't need me," she said. "I'm sure you'll find others to join your boy band." Standing up, she gave him a pat on his shoulder.

"Your brother will fight to keep this world safe, and I know you will fight to keep him safe," Fury tried to convince her.

"And I'll continue to do that. By myself," she said.

Fury smirked, noting how stubborn she was. "You win."

"I'll see you soon, Mr Fury," Aurora smiled.

"Oh, we definitely will," Fury smirked.

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author's note:

- that's the end of act one! moving on to the second act which will follow iron man 2, which i don't like, but it will have more of my original plot instead.