Sweet Child of Mine (Tony Stark Daughter)

ii. GREAT PAINT JOB

IRON MAN
ACT ONE
CHAPTER TWO
GREAT PAINT JOB

malibu, california
summer 2005

THE MONTH OF JULY HAD COME AND GONE BY THE TIME OLIVIA WAS NEEDED OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY AGAIN. Armed with the supposition that Tony hadn't done anything -- to her knowledge -- during his trial week that would give her reason to find someone else, she gave him a call the moment she booked her flight. As expected, both the father and daughter were ecstatic upon hearing the news that they'd have a full three extra days on top of what they'd received the last time; ten more days to continue growing their relationship. Along with this news, Olivia also delivered to Tony the idea that they should go somewhere to shop for furniture to put in Riley's room at the Stark Mansion. Having only been given an hour of notice the last go around, he hadn't had time to make up a room fit for the five year old. Instead, she had slept in a dull room that she constantly complained of being "too blegh for her style." Now, with the prospect of more one-on-one father/daughter time coinciding with Olivia's work trips, both parents found it reasonable that Riley should have her own room with a bed and other furniture meant for and picked out by herself. That's how the ex-lovers, redhead assistant, number one bodyguard, and five year old found themselves in an IKEA parking lot on the afternoon of Olivia's flight, which she didn't need to consider for a good seven hours.

It had taken some convincing for Pepper to come along, since she was usually busy with actual work, but she eventually gave in. Happy could be seen waiting for Riley to arrive with as much anticipation on his face as Tony. When Olivia's Toyota pulled into the space three cars down, the three patient adults wore huge grins on their faces; Riley had that effect on people.

Upon seeing the small blonde leap out of the parked car, Tony leaned forward forty-five degrees with his arms outstretched. The warm feeling of pure happiness that spread through his chest when she ran into his arms, wrapping her smaller limbs around his neck and waist as he hoisted her up...that feeling couldn't be replaced by any material thing in this world.

"Be careful, kiddo, someone might think you missed me." Tony joked, squeezing Riley in a tight hug.

She loosened her grip around his neck to look him in the eye as she responded, "I did miss you, Daddy." His lips stretched in a beaming grin as he adjusted her so she was sitting on his hip. "Did you miss me?"

"Of course I missed you." He told her matter-of-factly, leaving her with a relieved smile on her face. "Who wouldn't miss this face-," Tony pinched her cheek with his free hand, "-and stunning personality?" She giggled, swatting his hand away. He didn't question it, but for Riley, it meant the world to hear him say those words. Within her first week back with her mom, Robert -- the same Robert who supported Olivia during the parental rights hearing and had become somewhat of a father figure to Riley -- told her that she shouldn't get her hopes up, suggesting that Tony would forget about her easily. The relief that came with the knowledge of just how wrong he'd been was unquantifiable.

"Shall we do this?" Olivia said, finally approaching the group who wasted no time before agreeing and turning to make their way inside the enormous IKEA warehouse.

The product inside didn't disappoint; Riley was on cloud nine running around, trying out every mattress she could and picking out the most mismatched items she could find. She picked a twin size memory foam mattress that fit on a magenta colored wooden bed frame that had two drawers underneath, which would prove to be a helpful storage tool for her toys, but didn't come close to matching the sky blue dresser with five drawers (the top one destined to remain empty until she grew at least another six inches). The squeal that escaped her as she ran over to a unicorn patterned comforter set was enough to turn the heads of many other shoppers and their scolding expressions. Somehow, and without her mom's immediate knowledge, Riley -- a five year old with killer puppy dog eyes -- managed to convince Tony -- a grown man with an usually strong will -- to buy her matching pillow case for the pillows she also convinced him to buy. All eight of them. When she came across a circular carpet about three feet in diameter, Olivia had to scold her for laying down on it and essentially making carpet angels on the wonderfully soft, fluffy razzmatazz and electric purple colored material. The floor lamp Riley picked out was one of those with five maneuverable arms, a different color shade to cover the bulbs at the end of each. Nothing else that would go into her room would match the green and yellow shades; the blue, purple, and pink shades didn't come close to matching the other colors in the room, not even the pastel paint they later picked out for the walls.