Chapter Text
Morgan ran down the stairs from her room cheering and glowing with excitement, Tony picked her up as she squirmed in his arms with giggles bubbling the room
Tony walked outside as everyone sat around the picnic blanket with her cake and presents, Morgan had practically ran and would have tripped if it wasn’t for her dad scooping her up into his arms again, the little miss huffed
Soon she was sitting on the lap of her dad as they sang along to welcome her coming of age that day. that day was the happiest she’d been and you couldn’t blame her they spent the entire day having fun and cuddling
but it’s not just that
That was the last birthday she had gotten to spend with her dad by her side instead of being in a better place.
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beep..
beep..
BEEP..
BEEP!
BEEP!
Morgan jolted up at the blaring beeps from under her head, she rubbed her eyes, looking around for a long moment to take in the fact she was in her room
BEEP!
BEEP!
BEEP!
It sounded, annoying Morgan even more than when she was asleep, she reached under her pillow and grabbed her phone and tapped the ‘Turn off’ button repeatedly wanting the noise to stop, once the noise faded and the screen turns back to it’s black reflective surface Morgan lets out a sigh of relief
She looked at the clock that hung from painted walls. The time was ‘ 8:56 am’ which was irregularly early since she doesn’t go back to school till later october and it was still august despite how fast time tries to pull strings on her. but, she wouldn’t just set a random alarm at 8 is the fucking moring for nothing, right?
She looked over to the calendar and found herself staring at it for a moment before blinking once, twice, then the realization sets in. It was Wednesday, August 10 2033. but also known as her birthday, Morgan stared at the date circled in red with ‘15’ written to the side. shoot, she’s completely forgotten it was her birthday!
Morgan hurried out of bed tossing her blanket to the other side of her bed as she rushed to grab her towel and down to the bathroom and almost slipping while doing so, as soon as she had gotten to the bathroom the door shut loudly which she hadn’t meant to do “Morgan is everything okay up there!?” her mother yelled out from down stairs
“Yeah mom!” She said hurriedly trying to get her sweats off “Sorry!” she yelled after she gotten her shirt off before getting tangled in her clothes and letting out a groan on trying to untie her from this morning mess, she may be a genius but she is definitely not qualified to untangle herself from her own clothes
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Morgan opened her closet trying to find an outfit she’d be most comfortable in for the day, if it was anything like the birthday’s she’s had before this year it’d be a close get together of friends and family to celebrate with her. and she’s never minded it, it was awesome just having a relaxing day and just hanging out
Morgan shuffled through the rack of clothes she had finding an old jacket and a white t-shirt and long black pants, she threw those to her bed and looking over her vanity and grabs a red and gold headband, she puts it to the side as she puts on her clothes, she ties the jacket to her waist the red and gold contrasting her headband
She soon rushed down the stairs and found her mom at the kitchen making what seemed like pancakes. Morgan takes a seat at the kitchen island before her mom slid a plate of the pancake over to her “a good breakfast for the birthday girl” Pepper said a grin spread across her face
Morgan slightly chuckled, her mom took a seat in front of her with a plate of pancakes of her own and maple syrup at her side as she stalled on the chair waiting for Morgan too take the first bite, noticing this Morgan cuts a piece of the pancake and bites it off it’s fork
a sudden feeling of familiarity hits her
'What are you making daddy?’ the little girl asked as her dad pour more batter into the buttered pan “I’m making pancakes princess” he said sliding her on of the pancakes on a plate, the little miss was skeptical for a moment and looked up at her dad who nodded in reassurance
“It’s good trust me” The man said flipping the pancake already on the hot pan, Morgan looked back at the thing that sat in front of her and stabbed her fork into it and taking a little bite
the thing tasted like heaven Morgan had declared that day and it delighted Tony to know that Morgan loved the pancakes Jarvis had so proudly taught him to make that he's continue to add to the recipe
Morgan looked at her mother in awe not knowing was to say of the taste that melted in her mouth and left a familiar feel of her dad’s cooking, pepper slightly chuckled at the sight of Morgan in awe of the pancakes, Pepper looked down at her own plate with a smile “I found the recipe when I was going through his office and decided that, maybe I’ll make it today for the special birthday girl after all, that’s what you dad use to make for you” she explained a with a fond smile
the moment the two talked for a little before going back into the comfortable silence as they ate the breakfast Pepper made, what they hadn’t called for was Rhodey getting there far earlier than estimated and just walked through the door “is that that the smell of Tony’s pancakes? cause if it is can I get some?” he asked looking at the two, the two looked at each other laughed at the sudden appearance of Rhody
“Make them ya’ self Rhodes” Pepper said pointing to the leftover batter and the pan, Rhodey just sighed and grabbed a plate and turned the stove on to start making himself some pancakes he used to get from Tony. Who knew Tony Stark knew how to bake and cook pretty well? certainly not the media that’s for sure.
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After a while everyone came along and they gathered on the large picnic blanket, there were some of her friends like Mika,Kayla, and Scarlet then there's Happy, Rhodey, and her mom of course. it was a small get together to celebrate her birthday, they were the closest people in her life she’d trust them with most thing she held close to her chest
That day was a day to never forget, Morgan gets to spend time with her friends and her family her birthday will always be the best day of her life, she can sit down and take things slowly and not worry over something so little with some much worry
the day went by like the wind, so fast yet so memorable, Morgan waved her friends goodbye and walks back to the cabin, Rhodey was staying the night and Happy had already driven off to who knows where, but Happy was out of sight that’s for sure, Morgan walked into the kitchen then the fridge and grabbed a cold hot chocolate
“Someone left something for you, i put it on your bed” Pepper said kissing Morgan’s cheek, Morgan gives her a little nod and a smile, Morgan told her mom goodnight as she retreats back to her room, to find a red box with a golden ribbon
Morgan lets out a tired sigh and takes a seat on the bed, she takes the box, she examined it carefully for a tag or a name but there was nothing to indicated who gave her the ribbon wrapped present, She started to untie the ribbon and hesitated to open it further after untying the ribbon
She shifted on her bed and pulled the top of the box off, inside was shredded paper. intrigued, Morgan rummaged through the torn up papers until she felt something and pulled it out the box. It was a flash drive? Morgan examined it when she saw the initials on the flash drive, almost dropping it when she saw it
She looked disbelieved for a moment until she looked at it again, it was her dad’s initials, but what was it for? The questions were answered mere seconds later when she spotted the tacky bold black text ‘memory bank’ as it read. the feeling of tiredness suddenly disappeared and is replaced with excitement and bubbling ideas of what she could possibly do with her dad’s memories
She rummages her hand through the box again seemingly trying to find anything else in the box, then she felt it, a different type of folded paper, she gripped it and pulled out a crumpled envelope with her hand eyes fixated on said envelope. Morgan sets the box to the side and looked down at the envelope, a lump forming in her throat
she wanted to know
She decided, as she ripped open the envelope, a letter was held inside, neatly and carefully folded, just like her dad used to do with letters of any sorts. she chuckled slightly at the sight, she hadn’t seen a letter folded like how her dad folded his into an envelope, it was sort of always an identifying system. if it was neatly folded and weirdly place in the envelope it was from Tony Stark alright
She took a deep breath, unfolding the envelope as the ripples of paper made it's sound, she closed her eyes and taking another long deep breath and looked down at the paper “Dear, Morgan”
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I wanna start by Saying, Happy birthday kid
Hope you haven't caused your mom too much worry
I'm sorry I can't be there beside you or with you
I really wish I could but if you're reading this
Probably means I couldn't or can't
Which ever one it is I want you to know
I'm so proud of you, at your young age you already knew so much
I don't know how much you'll already know when you open this old thing
I hope you're doing well even without me there
But know, wherever I am, I'll always watch over you
No matter what
You may ask why the memory bank
But I thought it was only fitting that if I'm not around
You get to see glimpses of my life get to know me without me
It's not conventional I know but it's the best I got
You can do anything with it I really don't mind
But don't do anything I'd do
You were always like a mini me when it came to these things
The last thing I need is your mom worrying
Best of luck kiddo
And remember
I love 3000
-Sincerely Tony stark
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Morgan's eyes looked over each letter and word carefully written in black ink, she gripped the letter tight crumpling it at where she held it, she blinked back the tears threatening to fall, she wipes them away with her palm and a sniff, she took in a shaky breath and puts the letter in her lap
She placed her face in her hands. She hasn't read anything one to one from her dad in a long time, and right now all she could think of doing was crying and letting it go, her had thought about her when he had gone into the “Last mission” as her mom called it, but it reminded her that every milestone she's hit there's always a gift or a box waiting for her to open that day
She's always thought it was from her mom, but the warping was always similar, a red box with golden ribbon to hold it together, it all made sense.
Her dad left those
For her
It was for her to receive these boxes when she hit certain milestones in age school or anything specific, she never thought they were from her dad, but now it all made sense, the vague gift, and a handful of things not even her mom can answer. Because it was never from her it was from him
It was all from her dad
Her hands felt wet, as she pulled them from her face, tears threading down her cheeks as that realization sets in, she never knew she needed to know something like this, but that tight string that tugged at her heart loosened
She's always loved her dad, but she never knew if he loved her too. She's heard story but never heard it from him, and to finally have something to tell her that her dad would always love her made her realize how much she actually still misses him
She breathed in a shaky breath her, hands trembling as she wiped away the tears not wanting to ruin the delicate black ink on the paper in her lap, she sniffed wiping her hand on her bed,
She puts the paper with it's envelope back in the box closing it, she closed her eyes taking another deep breath attempting to steady her breathing, she picks up the box and walks over to her vanity, putting the box down gently and pits the flash drive on top of the box
She takes a step back and takes a second looking at the box before letting out a sigh “I'll find out what to do with you in the morning, for now, I think I'll sleep” She said to herself with a smile walking away from vanity and back to her bed falling face first onto her pillow.
She took deep breaths relaxing under the soft feeling of her blanket, she closed her eyes as the world around her starts to fade into the background as she doses off..
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Drip…
Drip..
Drip
Morgan groaned at the noise of the dripping tap, she rubbed her eyes opening them to the warm orangish light above her, wait– why was she on the couch?
Morgan lifted herself up to be leaning against the couch, when she looked around everything was normal, well mostly, the kitchen tap was dripping which was out of place
She rubbed her eyes again and stood up, she let out a yawn as she walked towards the front door needing fresh air of sorts. When she was outside the wind passed around her as the cold weather wash over her she hugged and shivered slightly
It was only a couple minutes she spent outside, yet it felt chilling enough she now just wants to curl up in her heated blanket, she push open the door and closed it gently behind her not wanting to wake up her mom, she heard faint steps approach and she felt herself freeze at the voice
“Morgan, What were you doing outside?” her dad asked looking questioningly at her, Morgan turned to him eyes her eyes wide “Morguna? Hey are you—” he felt the warm body that clung to him “—Okay..?” He felt arms wrap around his back and face buried into his chest
Tony looked at her concerned, he put his right arm around her and his left on top of her head “Morgs? Hey, is everything okay?” He asked, concerned, pulling her closer to his chest, then he heard her say muffled with a shaky voice “I miss you..”
Tony was both concerned and confused, he hasn't gone out for a while and why was Morgan holding on so right like she'd lose him if she lets go for just a minute “Morgan..I haven’t gone anywhere for months now, what are you talking about kid?” Tony asked lifting her chin
Her eyes were glassy and she was shaking, he put his hand to her forehead feeling the warmth of a fever “Oh Morgan, you've got a fever. C’mon let's get you some rest” He said pulling her closer as he guided her to her bedroom
Tony tried to lay Morgan down on her bed but she clung to him, not willing to let go of him, he sighed in defeat and decided to call happy for some help.
Tony sat on her bed as she had her legs wrapped around him burying her face in his neck “It's okay, Morguna, I'm not going anywhere” he promised, but she knew it wasn't true not for her at least.
She missed her dad
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Morgan woke up to the sunrise with the orange hue shining over her room. She prompted into a sitting position as she detangle herself from her blanket, she rubbed her eyes as she settles the warm feeling in her chest ‘it was a dream..’ she thought to herself with a heavy sigh
Her gaze moved to her vanity table as the flash drive sat atop the red box, she didn't know what to do with it just yet, which made her think. What could she do with it?
She sorted through her thoughts trying to figure out what she could do, then a voice chimed in snapping her out her thoughts “Good morning miss Morgan, Mrs.Stark has told me to tell you that she will be out for the day, and to not make too much of a mess” Friday said with her normal calm tone, that started to make Morgan think
“Hey FRIDAY? You know how dad had a different system before you? What was his origin?” She asked getting out of bed to have an attempt to tidy her bed “Of course, from what I am aware JARVIS is the Ai before me that boss had created to honor and preserve his father figure Edwin Jarvis” FRIDAY explains
Morgan hummed in response as she folded her blanket, “I see..FRIDAY calculate the percentage of making a Hologram and Ai system with someones memory bank” Morgan asked shuffling through her clothing rack “I estimate the likelihood of success to be 72,5% Miss” Friday chimed, Morgan satisfied with her answer nodded “Alright, thank you FRIDAY” she thanked her as Morgan grabbed her towel and headed for the bathroom