Family Therapy

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

Madonna Inn or no, Tony was making good on his commitment to seek therapy. Or, in this case, facilitate it.

Every part of him was anxious, but he had some chamomile tea beforehand and prayed that the beta blockers were working their magic. And, of course, none of that showed on his face. To the world, he was the picture of cool. But all the adrenergic response inhibitors couldn't scrub the deep seated unsettled feeling that plagued him. It was almost existential. What caring god would decide that Tony Stark was the only adult around both informed and caring enough to round up some teenagers and a child for a mediated counseling session? Who was allowing this?

Alright. Deep breath. The young trio were seated around in his room. It was the most neutral, private setting he could think of. All of his clutter was pushed back into the bed area and arranged somewhat professionally. The drawing boards were covered with his spare sheets to reduce the amount of distraction and preserve the privacy of his work. Liz and Annie were seated on either side of Peter on the red sofa, and Tony was seated himself on the beige plush bench across from them, pulled in closer to provide some sense of intimacy. The candles already there provided some soft, warm lighting though Tony really was at a loss with the rocky interior. He'd grown desensitized to them but once he had to meditate over how it'd lend itself to a collective emotional breakthrough the damn walls just taunted him all over again. Tony told himself that if he ignored them, so would everyone else. Hopefully.

Alright. Go time. Tony pitied the universe where he was a social worker but many of the concepts and skills involved were translatable from his past life as a business man. Set goals and expectations. Identify and meet the needs. Strategize.

"Alright." Tony leaned back on the bench. "Before we all start talking, I think it'd be helpful if we all went around in a circle and expressed what we're hoping to get out of today. What we want to understand, what we want to change, what we want others to know."

Comments

[st_arkintern]

When Tony is done speaking, Peter turns and just stares in disbelief. It takes all of his willpower not to let his jaw just drop right then and there, but a half-minute of silence snaps him out of it when he realizes that he should probably say something.

Peter clears his throat and looks at the others in the circle.

"I just really want everyone to get along. I'm not not sure what we can do to make that happen, but I'm willing to do just about anything that I can to make that happen."

[st_hotflashes]

This was extremely uncomfortable. Liz tried to look relaxed, but she was sure that Peter could feel she was tense beside him. The truth was, if she thought about it long enough, she was the odd one out. Three super-powered people all from the same sort of universe and Liz Parker, a girl from Roswell.

She pressed her lips together and paused as she chose her words carefully. "I just... want everyone to be happy." Liz was not necessarily under the same impression that they could get along.

[st_ayedhidden]

Annie sat back on the sofa, but she listened. She wanted to sound as mature as her dad. She wanted to impress Mr. Stark.

She went to say she felt the same way, but growing up she had been told that lying was bad. Annie wanted everyone to be happy, but she wanted stipulations.

As she sat there, she started to look like she was straining in holding back her answer. Her lip trembled.

"I don't want them to have sex," she suddenly blurted out. "I don't want them together at all, but I know she makes my dad happy so...so I guess that's okay, but they don't need to touch."

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

Tony nodded, lips tightening for a brief moment. Partly because he was struck dumb by the girl's sheer gall in utter contrast to Peter and Liz's self-effacingly polite openers, partly because he wanted to laugh and it would be SUCH a bad time to. 'Lean into it. This is for the children. Think of the children.'

"Alright." He made a point of giving a moment of silence to acknowledge each participants statement. All were equal. "I think it bears mentioning that being honest will get us a lot further than telling each other what we think we want each other to hear. We're here because we want a breakthrough, right?" He let that hang, meeting all their eyes through his clear glasses. "Anything that comes out was already there. We just weren't saying it. Better on the dinner table than to simmer over on the pot."

That last part, he could say with authority, even if it was far more delicate than his usual phrasing. "That being said, we're gonna agree to be honest and respectful." He cast a sympathetic look to Liz, as if reminding her not to take it too personally. She didn't ask for this--no one did. "So. Let's keep setting the stage. What are our main concerns?"

[st_arkintern]

It took every cell in Peter Parker's body not to die of mortification right then and there after Annie's last remarks. He looks down at his hands, face flushing red. He probably has to be the one to say this because if Liz says it, she's going to look like the bad guy.

And he doesn't want Annie disliking Liz any more than she does already.

"I want," Peter begins and he struggles to press the words forward. He attempts again: "I want to be able to touch Liz, but I don't want anyone to be unhappy."

Was that even possible at this point? Peter's not even sure.

He's not sure he's going to survive this conversation, either.

[st_hotflashes]

Liz was probably going to die right along Peter, though she was very aware what he just did and she had to resist the urge to reach out and silently thank him with a simple touch. Instead, she kept her hands in her lap and tried to keep looking up despite desperately wanting to do the same thing Peter was doing right now.

She wet her lips and took in a breath. What could she say? She had no idea. She knew she was working against a lot of things.

"I don't want to be..." She paused. She was going to say Annie like Annie wasn't there, but the girl was. Liz forced herself to look at the girl. "I don't want to be your mom, Annie. She... she's not someone who can be replaced. She's special. I just..."

She just what? It would be a lie to say that sometimes she didn't picture a future with Peter that yes, involved kids.

"I want to try to get along."

[st_ayedhidden]

Annie's expression was stubborn. She always found it hard to be mad when Liz was being nice. She knew her mom would be disappointed in her for acting this way and she was aware her dad was not happy with it either.

She crossed her arms. She didn't want to answer. She didn't want to admit sometimes she didn't hate Liz at all.

"I know that," she said pectulantly. "But... But if you take all of my dad's love away he won't have any for my mom. And if you have a baby then I'm just going to be replaced."

The worries spewed out of the little red-head.

"What if he never meets her because he's with you?" She asked in a harsh tone. "What if... What if... What if he likes you more than me?"

Tears stung the little girl's face suddenly and she looked away and to the wall.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

Tony scooted over on the bench, reaching out to stroke Annie’s hair. The urge to jump in and start fixing was tremendous to resist. But the words had to flow.

“From a man with a humble Masters in physics...We’re in complicated scenario.” It was obvious, but it bore repeating. “There’s no rulebook for extradimensional relationships so let’s give ourselves a collective break, here.” Once he felt certain everyone got that in their heads, he scooted back.

“So. Let’s stick to feelings and work our way up to problem solving.”

[st_arkintern]

Peter wants to say something, but he waits for Tony to finish speaking before he says anything.

He looks over at Annie.

"We're not going to have a baby," Peter says to Annie. "I'm sixteen. I'm not ready for kids. Even if we did have kids, they wouldn't replace you. I love you a lot. If you're worried about that, you don't need to be. But if you are, that's okay too."

[st_hotflashes]

Liz didn't know what to say. Most of the stuff Annie was expressing, the girl had expressed to her already in one form or another and the truth was, she didn't blame Annie for all those thoughts.

To her credit, Liz didn't give up either. Had it been a year ago, her natural response would have been to bow out of the picture but she had tried that and it wasn't successful.

This time she brought her gaze to her hands. Despite not giving in, she still felt guilty.

[st_ayedhidden]

Her lip quivered as Annie tried to stay as 'grown up' as everyone else. She was well aware of her age in the group and everyone else were practically grown-ups to her.

She wanted to ask a bunch more questions like what if her mom showed up or what if they never went home, but Tony had said to focus on feelings so Annie was going to try to stay on task.

"Feelings," She said, trying to center herself. "I feel... I feel sad and betrayed and lonely and... scared."

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

Progress. Since Annie was being as forthcoming as she was, Tony nodded to her. Watching her struggle with the words and the task was trying. Every instinct he’d nutured since his arrival was demanding he take protective action. Now, his place was to be the pillar. Asking the right questions. “Why do you feel that way?”

[st_ayedhidden]

"Because..." She started and trailed off.

Annie searched for a way to explain. For a small frame, she had a lot of big feelings.

"Because it's supposed to be me and my mom and my dad." She said. "Because my dad and mom love each other very much and.. and it's like he's cheating on her. Because... Because he spends times with Liz instead of me even though -- even though--"

Annie felt the tears. She was struggling with keeping her emotions in check and the words were spilling out.

"Even though back home I might not even see him again," she half-sobbed. "And my mom and I were going to save him. My mom. Not Liz. And now I'm here and daddy's back home without me to help rescue him and I have to watch my dad love someone else here and not know my mom like she's not even important."

[st_arkintern]

Peter gets up and sits next to Annie, then pulls her close. He's not sure if he should say anything, so he doesn't. Instead, he gives her a kiss on the top of her head.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

Tony sat back, watching the dynamics play out. A sad, angry, confused and likely traumatized young girl. A well-meaning but hapless teenage boy. A teenage girl now bearing the title of "the other woman" through no fault of her own and an unfortunate willingness to accept burdens for the sake of others.

And then himself--a narcissist in recovery playing therapist. He hadn't crumbled under the weight of the vulnerability on display because he was showing virtually none of his own. He'd been convinced, somehow, that all of this mess could resolve with a bombastic breakthrough with dashing heroics the way all of his own seemed to play out instead of something so hellishly mundane. But every young face in the room trusted him. He had to see it through, even if it took a few late nights with antiquated psychology texts and a lot of mirror training.

"Annie." Tony leaned back in, keeping a gentle tone. "I'd like to spend a little one on one time. I think that'd be helpful. Peter and Liz will be back shortly. That alright?" Tony glanced at every one in the room. The girl needed some space to calm down and work a few things out, and he was fully aware of how intimidating that could be when you were 'outnumbered' by older faces.

[st_ayedhidden]

Annie didn't look at anyone. She looked at her knees as she tried to save face.

Annie nodded to Tony with his suggestion. She didn't like crying and she didn't like crying in front of so many people.

[st_hotflashes]

Perhaps ironically, Liz was doing that similar stare off in the distance to keep herself from crying. She felt terrible for Annie and had no idea how to fix it except, again, for her to just not be around. Her minds stilled wandered to that solution, but she knew it wasn't the best solution.

She took a deep breath and stood, trying to offer a reassuring smile but it didn't reach her eyes and she basically moved like a robot to the door and went outside.

[st_arkintern]

Peter nods at Tony and then gives Annie one last hug before following Liz out.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

Once the door was latched shut, Tony leaned in to rub the girl's shoulder before pulling her in for a soft hug. "It's okay. It's okay to cry." He murmured.

[st_ayedhidden]

Annie did cry.


"He's going to hate me," she said. "I making things hard just like I did back home. He's going to hate me."

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

"Why do you think that?" Tony rubbed her slight back slowly, the tears wetting his shoulder dissipating quickly.

[st_ayedhidden]

"Because... Because he likes Liz and it makes me upset so it makes things hard because he likes to make everyone happy." She replied. "Just like... Just like home."

She closed her eyes.

"If I didn't break my bracelet or help my friends, he wouldn't have had to fight," she said quietly. "And he wouldn't have been taken. The man who saved us said he was probably..."

Annie stopped herself from saying dead and just shut her eyes tighter.

"I just... I want my mom and dad and for things to be the way it used to be" Annie continued. "Liz is ruining everything."

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

Tony continued to hold the small girl until her trembling slowed and her breathing calmed. Crying was getting out what you had to get out in a strict physiological sense. Same for vomiting. Thank god for the suit.

"Juice, per favor." Tony motioned at a silver robot still in the far corner of the bedroom. It had the appearance a crane mounted on a platform with wheels. It bore a few joints for movement, and its lower body was cylindrical for storage. It steadily rolled over to the pair, popping its thorax to reveal a stack of chilled juice boxes. It delicately reached inside with its jaws, placing one down before Annie. Tony simply blinked at it, gesturing expectantly for his own, and was nearly smacked in the face when its lagging AI over-corrected by thrusting it right at him.

Baby steps.

"Can I tell you what I think, Annie? About feelings." Tony peeled open the straw, sticking it into the foil. "You can tell me if I'm right or not."

[st_ayedhidden]

She took the juice box and held it in her hands. Annie looked to Tony and nodded. She knew he was a grown up and would have some answers.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

"I don't think you hate Liz." Tony passed his juice box from hand to hand, patting his bot as if to say At Ease--only able to tolerate its expectant hovering for so long.

"I think you hate with what she represents. Not having your mom or your dad around."