Tony POV

My fingers tensed with anger as I gripped the steering wheel of my Black Audi. I was in the the middle of a press conference, ready to head to the after party to drink away all the stress that came with every conference and board meetings when I got the call. I, of course ignored it, telling whoever it was to wait, I had more important things to attend to. But the calls persisted.

I finally put the call through ready to yell at whoever was interrupting my night when I heard Director Nick Fury from S. .L.D. He didn't say why he was calling but directed me to go to a nearby orphanage. Before I could ask why, he hung up. I shut off the car and barged in. Probably not the best choice considering where I was.

At the front desk sat a young man, maybe in his early 20s. He looked up and frowned as I slammed the front door shut but apparently let it slide.

"Do you have an appointment sir?" He asked me.

"Yes. I'm here to meet Nick Fury."

"Right this way" He led me down the hall, into a room.

In the room, was a least a dozen beds, all were filled with sleeping girls.

"Over here Stark" Fury's voice came from behind me.

I turned to see Fury sitting in a large chair.

And this I could not believe.

On Fury's lap, was a little girl. She had to be no older than two.

"Stark, I'd like you to meet Antonia Maria Cortex. Hey little one. This going to your Daddy." he said as the toddler looked up at me, her deep blue eyes sparkling. "Hold on." I was completely caught off guard. "You want me to adopt her?"

"Stark-" Fury began but I cut him off.

"You know how I feel about kids."

"I know. This one doesn't necessarily need a father, she needs protection."

"Fury" I looked him dead in the eye "No"

Just then, the little girl, er, Antonia, leaped down from Fury's lap and toddled over to me. She wrapped her tiny arms around my leg and looked up at me, smiling. I couldn't help but smile back. I had to admit it, she was adorable. She had long wavy black hair, deep blue eyes, rosy cheeks, I might just take her home. "I'll have to think about it" I said to Fury after he had put Antonia to bed. I walked over to the crib, watching her sleep. She was curled up in a way that made me want to pick her up a cuddle her. I gently touched her cheek, she put her tiny hand over mine. "It might be a while. I've got a lot of work to sort out and then..."I trailed off as the little girl stirred. I really wanted to take her home. But I just couldn't.

"Take your time. She'll be be here when your ready for her." Fury said as he walked out of the room.

I watched her sleep for a bit more before I grabbed my keys and headed out the door.

On the flight home, I began thinking. Why was Fury so urgent for me to take in this little girl? Why was she was in danger? Who would hurt someone so innocent and so sweet?

And why did Fury want me to raise her? Me. Out of all seven billion people in the world. Why me?

"Good evening Sir" J.A.R.V.I.S greeted me when I got home.

"Pull up all the information you can find under the name of Cortex." I sat down on a stool in my lab.

"Yes Sir" replied the A.I. "There seems to be nothing available. Except for the fact that they were once agents on the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division'."

They were S.H.I.E.L.D agents. That explained a lot.

Whenever one of the agents had a child, the entire S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters went to great lengths to make sure these kids were safe.

I had never joined but always knew what was going on. But I never heard of an agent Mr. & Mrs. Cortex. I had never heard anyone even talk about them before.

Now I was going to take care of their kid?