Leah Stark - The Unknown Child

2.01.0

Trigger Warning - Panic Attack
                                   - Alcohol Use
                                   - Kidnapping
     
Leah's POV
It was nearing the end of our holiday in Malibu, and everything was great. For the first 3 days there where no press, and we were all enjoying the beach and the city's streets. However eventually the press caught up and figured where we were.
Now, on the last day of our small Vacation, Dad decided to have a party, and not a small one either. The house was packed full of rich snobby people who I had didn't know and their children who were 10 times more arrogant and unbelievably snobby purely because they were born to be heirs of huge fortunes. Either way more people were turning up by the second and it mostly entailed teens and collage students crashing the party for the free booze. Personally I didn't drink, I loathed the stuff because my mother used to use it as a thing to escape what was happening at home, but I could see why others might take to it. An escape from reality briefly would make any person with the smallest of problems come running, however if rather just deal with them over attempting to loose my grip on reality.
I sat at one of the tables with Bucky, who also hated parties and alcohol. I think the war made him hate the loud noises and alcohol meant he didn't have control of what he did, kind of like before he managed to escape. We were chatting about creating him a new arm, one that wasn't as cold and let him actually feel things again rather than what he already had. He seemed glad that I was willing to take in the job of creating it for him. I guess the idea of getting rid of the reminders of what happened to him was good, and I think both of us could understand the need to get rid of the reminders, even though mine were plastered all over my body and could never be deleted.
We sat for a while after that before I decided that I could also put a layer of a gel like substance and a skin substitute over the top of the mechanics to create something that would resemble a flesh and blood arm. He liked the idea, smiling at it and nodding viciously. A lot of the people avoided Bucky in the compound and the tower because he could snap at any moment, but I thought he was nice, and I always avoided things he didn't want to talk about.
As the night progressed, Bucky got overwhelmed and went to find Steve, who took him on a drive around the city so I was alone again. Tony, Natasha and Clint were drinking heavily, so I avoided them. Bruce had gone out for the night with Sam because he believed if he went he would inevitably hulk out and Sam went with him because 'no one should be alone when they're like that'. I had no idea we're Scott or Wanda had gone too.
In the end I settled for leaning against the wall near a bunch of teenagers who had crashed the party. I was wearing some pretty expensive looking stuff, like a stupid black dress Natasha and Wanda had forced me into wearing and heels that I had take off as soon as I sat down because they ached so bad. I got some funny looks from the teens and many of recognition.
It wasn't until one of the boys asked for a selfie with me, and I said yes, that the chaos started. I was suddenly surrounded by teenagers and collage students begging me for selfies and autographs. It was at that moment I realised why Tony had tried to keep me out of the presses way. Being a Stark was a huge deal, and being the future of the biggest technology and service providers in the world was a big deal. I was taking photos and chatting with people and giving out autographs left right and centre. It was overwhelming, and soon I could feel a panic attack coming.
"Excuse me, I have to go really quickly, I need to tend to something." I said looking down at my phone. In reality however, I was praying to get to the bathroom to calm down enough to go back out and find my dad or one of the sober Avengers if any of them were even here.
I managed to eventually get to the bathroom and locked the door before collapsing onto the floor. My breathing was heavy and my body was wracked in sobs from my heavy breathing. My body shook like there was an earthquake happening inside myself. I scrambled over to the toilet, throwing up everything I had eaten or drank at the party. I flushed it and slowly lifted myself onto the now closed toilet seat. Slowing my breathing took a few times, but eventually they became less sharp and ragged and more smooth and calm.
I walked over to the sink and turned it on, gulping down the cool water before spitting it out along with any of the acidic bile left in my mouth. I threw some water on my face with little concern for the makeup. Natasha did it and insisted I always use waterproof, 'in case of emergency'. I dabbed tissue on my face to remove the water and put on a brave smile before heading back out. Suddenly, something covered my nose and mouth and an arm had wrapped itself around my waist. I freaked out, kicking, screaming even punching at the mysterious figure that had clamped around my body. No matter what I did, it wouldn't let go. Quickly black spots had invaded my vision, but I refused to stop fighting my assailant. I fought harder than before however it was no use and my vision disappeared; I was unconscious.

Tony's POV

The morning after the party, I had a massive hangover. I knew I should t have been drinking so heavily, but as the night went on, I blacked out and I guess I did shots or something because now I had a hangover, which was rare. My liver was never gonna thank me.
Eventually, I got out of bed and got into the shower where I took a cold shower, which in my mind was a hangover cure. We were leaving today, so I got changed and picked up whatever clothes or belongings I had left lying around the room and stuffed them into my suitcase before trying to track down Leah.
I first visited the room, which was empty. That was unusual. I then went to the kitchen. Then the living room.
Then the small lab. And the gym. And the pool. And even the unlikely wine cellar. She was no where to be found. I knocked on everyone's doors, I had begin to panic. No one had seen her. She wasn't in the house. I called her, only to find the phone in one of the tables used from the party.
Eventually I called the police, reporting her missing. I explained what happened. We had security tapes of the entire party so we could see if she left or if someone took her or if she simply left this morning to explore a bit.
The first cop got to the house in minuets, and began questioning everyone in the house. What we were doing, what happened, what our relation to the missing person was. I gave a list of all the people I had invited to the party and then set about identifying party crashers by running it through facial recognition software, giving those names to the police as well along with a copy of the tapes. I could only pray she was okay, my little Leah. I hadn't even told her how much I cherished her being my daughter, and how proud I was. I hadn't told her any of the things I had wished my father said to me.

I'm so sorry guys for that short soul crushing chapter. It is important however, and before you guys say 'It's HYDRA', it's not actually HYDRA for once. You'll just have to wait and see. Mwahahahaha! Also how are we already at almost 300 reads?! Like woah! You guys rock!