Chapter Text
Tony woke with a start alone in his bed on what should have been a lazy Sunday morning as Pepper wasn’t scheduled to return for a day or two, he couldn’t remember which day exactly in his panicked state. It had to happen now because panic attacks didn’t give a damn about timing. He sat in his bed counting to ten and forcing himself to breath in and out. He needed to ground himself so he started reminding himself that he was safe that Peter was safe. That Pepper and Rhodey were fine. Nothing was happening to cause this but it happened anyway and he needed to calm down. Damn, he hated panic attacks. He knew he wasn’t going to be able to sleep again because of his insomnia and nightmares.
Eventually, the genius in distress reluctantly pushed himself from his warm sheets asking Friday to get a cup of coffee ready for him. He could hear his bare feet slap the wooden floorboards as he retrieved his indoor shoes, not wanting to step on any mess of broken things an Avenger could have left in the open. Of course his heart had to drag his mind back down into the depths of panic as he entered one of the common areas. The one a hallway away from the kitchen, square in between that and the bedrooms. It was early, too early for anyone to be in the area but of course he was wrong. He made out a tall blonde haired man noticing him slide down the doorway, Tony clutching to his left hand for dear life as he hit the ground. Tony was freaking out. And of course the only person awake in the compound was Steve and he had to run right into him. Tony was gonna have a panic attack in front of Steve and he hated it.
Out of everyone in the compound, he didn’t want Steve to be the one to see him like this and have to walk him through a panic attack. They had talked sure. But the dust was still settling between them and Tony still needed time to be completely comfortable around him and build the trust they had back but he was sure it would never be what it was. Steve had left him cold and alone and Tony was surprised he ever opened up to anyone new ever again but Peter had been different from the rest. Peter needed his protection and sought him out for problems in calculus. Peter wouldn’t have thought to betray Tony. He was a good kid. Better than the rest of them. The sooner Steve came to terms with that the better.
Tony spazzed, waving his hands at Steve in a deliberate attempt to get him to leave. He didn't want to confront him again. Not now but all he could keep picturing was the shield his father made imbedded in his chest.
“Do you need anything?” Steve tried. Blood was rushing in Tony’s ears as he tried to focus on calming down. “Tony you’ll just run yourself in circles if you do that you got to calm down.” So Tony was talking, talking in circles. He hadn’t known he needed to snap out of it. “Tony,” The worry in Steve’s voice was evident. Worry for Tony. But Steve had left him with his parents’ murderer hadn’t.
Steve wanted to coach him through this but Tony didn’t want it. He kept gasping for breaths and Steve must have pushed his water bottle into Tony’s hands. He drank from it but stayed on the ground. His heart rate declined some as the tides of his mind calm.
“Okay, I think in some way you've toned down enough. How are you feeling?” Steve looked for all the world like he wanted to ask what it was about this time but he held his tongue. Something still squirmed in his stomach.
“Better now,” Tony mumbled, hand on his face, too tired to feel mortified. “Thanks, Cap.”
“No problem.” Steve just wanted to make things right between them again.
“Sorry you had to see that.”
“No its no problem I’m just okay. I haven't seen you have an episode like that. The only other person I know to do that is…” Steve cut himself off before he said the name, that was smart. Tony quickly tried to think of something else. Something other than what he clearly had yet to get over.
“I’ve got to get my coffee,” Tony stubbled a bit to get up but ended up righting himself on his own. Cap nodded and they took it slow down the hallway, one half of it windows that let in early morning sunshine into their purview. They made it to the kitchen and Tony was beginning to feel more like himself when they opened the heavy glass doors to get some food and drink. However, the two founding Avengers were brought to a halt at the sight that met them in the common lounge.
There in the common room, was a teenage girl, probably in her later years of high school or early years of college, well lounged across three of the kitchen table chairs dressed in a purple v-neck, plain black leggings and sunglasses rested on her nose. She was nursing a pot of coffee, not a mug but the whole pot, the one from their coffee machine, in one hand and a phone in the other. It was odd, almost alarming that she was there. Neither Tony nor Steve recognized the girl. Tony had a sneaking suspicion about who let her in though. If the color combo wasn’t enough to give that away, then the way she occupied the space around her was far too familiar. They only knew of one other person who could make themselves comfortable while also not being able to sit like a normal human being. She had yet to look up at Tony and Steve and greet their confusion. Tony was more concerned as to why F.R.I.D.A.Y. didn't alert him to any break ins and why this girl was making herself right at home in their lounge.
Tony made quick eye contact with Steve, able to see that the Star Spangled man with a Plan was just as confused as the billionaire was. Tony cleared his throat and Steve made sure to stand to his full imposing height.
“Um, excuse me, who are you and how did you get in here?” She looked up at that, her straight black hair swaying a bit at the motion. With one brow raised, her interesting blue eyes looked up above the rims of her black round shades at them. It was an odd but interesting feature on a girl that appeared to be at least partially East Asian.
“Oh, don't mind me. I’m just waiting on someone,” she dismissed their concern without having to move from her claimed chairs. She then departed her eyes from them at that, not waiting for Tony to even open his mouth, which was quite fast. Her dismissal of two well recognized Avengers in their own home no less was shocking on top of her smirk being creepingly familiar.
“You're drinking straight from my coffee pot. That’s unsanitary.” Tony got a bit defensive and sounded real world upset about it. He did not like people doing such things with his coffee machine even though everyone used it but he had bought it dammit.
Cap decided to speak up to get to the truth, “That and you also didn't answer his question-”
“Katie, kiddo, you still here?” Another all too familiar voice interrupted and, of course, with it was a certain unprofessional archer jogged into the room, fumbling to get a small transparent purple hearing aid on his right ear. With him, an exasperated Natasha trailing behind with far more poise and grace then Clint could ever hope to possess.
“Who is this?” Tony now directed his questioning to one of his most irritating teammates, voice full of accusatory confusion.
“Oh right, of course,” he said as though this had been something he could have easily forgotten. “Cap, Tony, meet Katherine Elizabeth Bishop Barton or Kate, as she likes to be called, my oldest.” Clint had gestured easily between them. The girl, Kate apparently, gestured a curt wave their wave with a ‘yo’. A beat of silence passed between them before the two confused Avengers spoke up.
“How does this keep happening? Do we all just not talk enough,” Tony spoke, still taken aback by the statement while somehow gaining the strength to also be exasperated. A more flabbergasted Cap spoke up at the same time, “I thought Cooper was your oldest.”
“Nope, Coop wishes he was though,” the girl spoke for herself, smiling a bit as she crossed her arms to lay back to get a good look at the group.
“We’ve never had a barbecue together so that’s probably why we don’t know that much about each others personal lives,” was Clint’s snide remark.
“Hey, Kate, how have you been,” Natasha smiled, speaking to the girl with an easy familiarity.
“Been good, Aunt Nat. Good to finally see the first mature adult in this place.” The girl got up to greet the assassin turned aunt with a hug. Kate appeared instantly more chipper with the Russian spy than any of them which was worrying. She also dismissed Tony and Steve as well as Clint usually did which was going to be troublesome.
“I wanted to see Clint at work, but really, I wanted to see Aunt Nat a whole lot more. Also to check in on Wanda.” Tony turned his head a bit, interested in how the girl addressed her supposed father so easily by his first name.
“That hurts my feelings, Katie. Take that back,” Clint mockingly pouted.
She shrugged with a satisfactory grin. “The truth hurts.” Tony saw Nat smile at that too.
“Where’s Wanda?” Kate popped up.
Natasha was the first to answer. “Probably still in her room sleeping. Just give her a bit and she’ll be here.”
“Cool, I can wait.” While Natasha and Kate were having a civil exchange, ignoring the rest for a moment as Kate ate blueberry muffin she stolen from the kitchen, the boys continued on.
“Um. Why is she here?” Tony pointed to Kate, eyeing Clint sceptically.
“Sorry, I meant to tell you guys, really I did. Kate had called me yesterday, well more like this morning, telling me she was coming over and she just got into the area and I wanted to show her around. I thought it would be fine as Nat trusts her and I promised her like years ago to. Also, seeing as Tony gets to bring around his son all the time, I thought it was fair.”
“That is so immature, Barton. What are we going to do with you?” Tony huffed exaggerating his mock displeasure.
“I can’t be away from my kids for too long, who do you take me for? Plus, it’s not like this place doesn’t have defenses. I’m just gonna show her around and she’ll stay for a bit. Hey, it’s on you for giving me the condo package quarters in case my family came by. And guess what one of them did.”
“But she’s a civilian,” Steve tried absently, more concerned than upset. Clint just tutted at the man.
“She’s not gonna get into anything too bad, Rogers,” Natasha offered.
“Yah, don’t get your panties in a knot,” Clint helpfully added. With a sigh of defeat, Steve nodded his head,
“Well, if Nat is okay with it, go ahead. I trust her judgement at least. I trust her with being a responsible adult the most out of all of you.”
“Yes!” The archer family duo cheered and pumped their fists in the air. Because of course both of them were like that.
“And it is nice to meet you, Kate. Sorry for being so hostile,” Steve attempted to backtrack his behavior. He really was just confused about it all anyway.
“Don’t even sweat it, El Capitana,” she had a goofy smile plastered on her face as she said the words with a mock salute.
“Where are Laura and your other kids then?” Steve prompted.
“They’re back on the farm. Katie came by herself ‘cause she’s a big girl,” Clint teased.
“Shut up. You can hardly do anything without mom or Natasha’s help,” Kate snapped right back, biting off a big chunk of her crumbling muffin.
“Touché, young one.” Kate snorted at her dad, rolling her eyes.
Not a moment later, a groggy Peter entered the room with a yawn making his presence known to the gathering of heroes and family. The only issue with that was he had done it all upside down.
“What the fuck,” was all Kate could manage to say, jaw unhinged as her muffin wrapper and two bites worth of pastry hit the floor with a muted thump.
“Language.”
“Can it, Rogers. We all know your Irish Catholic ass swears more than the best of us,” Tony spoke as he turned his attention to the grumbling, half conscious spiderling. “Kid, what have I told you about being on the ceiling in common places. Especially when we have a guest over.” Those words woke Peter right up as he glanced around the room for a newcomer. When he spotted Kate, his face flushed a bit in embarrassment at being caught on the ceiling.
“Oh, right.” Peter’s face was stuck in a semi-shocked semi-mortified look before he detached from the ceiling instantly, fast enough that Tony thought he wouldn't stick the landing but of course he did. “Hi, I’m P-Peter.” Peter stumbled a bit over his name, nervous, as always, to meet new people.
Tony looked back at the girl, who was mouthing ‘What the fuck’ to Clint who mouthed ‘ I know right’ right back at her.
Kate lifted the sunglasses she was smarting, which now rested atop her head, greeting Peter with an expectant hand. “Kate, nice to meet you. That’s my old man,” she shrugged a shoulder in Clint’s direction who had stuck his tongue out, probably knowing what she said deserved childish retaliation. Peter happily took her hand and shook it firmly.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Peter added, bright eyed as usual.
“Glad to meet your acquaintance as well, Peter,” Kate smiled over her jokingly formal tone.
“Looks like the cat’s out of the bag on this one already, aye, Spider-Boy.” There was an indignant ‘hey’ from Peter and a groan of frustration from Tony who looked on the verge of hitting Clint for the slip up. “Oh and this is Tony’s kid.” Kate thumbed that up. “Pete this is Katie. Katie is a champion at disregarding authority.” Tony just glared at the annoying archer.
“What do you want for breakfast, kiddo.” Tony addressed Peter, attempting to ignore the rest of the crew present. “We’ve got everything.”
“Don’t let your kid drink coffee like you did at his age or he won’t grow like he should.”
“What did you say? Also, Barton, your daughter’s chugging coffee from my coffee pot right now.” Sure enough, Kate was.
“As she should be, I’m so proud. Just gotta get me some of that stuff and we’ll be all good.” At that moment another voice piped up, allowing the rest to realize Scott was in the room.
“What’s going on?” Scott sounded through the granola snack he was munching on.
“That’s Barton’s kid,” Tony pointed to their unexpected guest.
“Apparently she’ll be staying for a bit,” Steve relays.
“Oh. Kate, right? Cool,” Scott answered lamely. Clearly Clint and he had gotten to know each other well enough for Scott to not be bothered by the revelation of Kate’s existence. “That reminds me, should we have a barbecue, I’d like to know so that Hope and Cassie can come over.”
“That doesn’t seem like a problem, does it, Cap,” Clint hollered from his spot in the kitchen, now hunting for some cold pizza in the fridge.
Steve sighed in fond exasperation, “I suppose not. When are you all free?”