Usual disclaimer: I don't own Avengers. Watch out for the f-word a couple of times.

Ivy made a valiant effort of trying not to start bawling on the subway, but some tears did manage to escape. She just couldn't believe that Tony was still holding a grudge-it had been twelve years for Gods sake, and Tony wasn't exactly blameless.

Her inner pity party was cut short as she came to her stop in Brooklyn. As she walked the short distance to her apartment herself pity was replaced by anger. Who the fuck did that smug git actually think he was!? Was he expecting her to come on her knees begging for forgiveness (probably yes), well if that's what he was expecting he was sadly mistaken, and why was it up to her to try and fix things anyway?

"Tony Stark, kiss my ass." She muttered sourly as she barged into the apartment and slammed the door behind her.

"It went well then?" Chris asked from the couch. Mark poked his head around the door and gave a sympathetic smile.

"I need hugs." Ivy stated leaning against the wall, "and alcohol."

"So let me get this straight." Pepper stated, "that woman was your sister, who you haven't seen since she was seventeen...and you just let her walk out."

"Pretty much." Tony stated "and let the record show that I didn't let her walk out-I kicked her out."

Pepper sighed, fingering a small rectangle of card which bore a phone number and email address.

"You're an ass Tony."

Any retort that Tony had died when the elevator door opened and a confused looking Steve walked out.

"Ivy Stark?"

Tony snatched the piece of card from Pepper and slid off his bar stool.

"Miss Potts, if you could please fill Cap in. I'll be down in the lab."

He had some thinking to do.

"Seems to me like she's reaching out to you." Pepper looked at the card she had spotted where Ivy had been sitting. Tony snorted.

"And that's supposed to make me happy? Trust me Pep, she's trouble."

"Look Tony, she's the only family you have left. I know for a fact the other Avengers would kill to be in your position right now. Maybe you should hear her out."

"Jarvis, bring up everything you have on my dear sweet sister." Holographic files appeared showing a mass of school records and such.

"Ok, so College in Connecticut, graduated with honours, kindergarten teacher, last job in San Fransisco, blah blah blah."

One file caught his eye. Curious, he bought it to the front of the holographic pile.

"You little-" He pulled out his cell phone and started angrily punching in numbers.

The room started spinning slightly as Ivy downed another glass of wine. That was one trait the Starks seemed to share.

"I mean, is it me? You think I made a mistake going over there?" she asked, digging her fork into the slab of chocolate cake Mark had shoved in front of her.

"Sweetie, I distinctly remember saying when you suggested it 'I think that would be a huge mistake'." Mark said, sipping his own glass of wine and running his fingers through Chris' shoulder length blond hair.

"Shut up." Ivy grumbled aiming a half-arsed kick at him.

She set down her plate when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She dug it out and quickly glanced at the screen. It was a number she didn't know.

"Hello?"

"I have a niece?"

Ivy was forced to momentarily hold the phone away from her ear or risk being deafened.

"Tony?"

"When the Hell were you planning on telling me that minor detail?"

Ivy could feel her anger rising again.

"Her name's Molly and she's seven. Anything else?"

"Answer the question Ivy!"

"By the time I was pregnant you'd made it perfectly clear you wanted nothing to do with me. And how the Hell did you even find out about her?"

"I have my ways , and I still don't see why you didn't tell me."

Ivy spluttered and shot Chris and Mark an I-want-to-watch-him-slowly-die look

"What did I just say?! Every other time I tried to get in touch with you, you made a point of ignoring me."

"Ok kids." Chris said, taking the phone from Ivy, "Time and place for this and over the phone while Ivy's half toasted is not it. Tony if you want to talk this out, Ivy will be at Stark Tower at 2pm tomorrow. Bye bye." And with that he pressed the end call button.

In different parts of the city two siblings simultaneously uttered the same phrase:

"What the fuck?"

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