2. The Diary of Natasha Rogers

Instructions

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Hey, Dad, I'm gonna go to Tony's for a bit. Is that okay?" I asked over breakfast. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Yeah," he nodded. "I've got some things to do anyway." He smiled funny and looked down at his plate. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"What's so funny, Dad?" I asked. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Nothing, Nutmeg," he said. "Just have fun." ⠀⠀⠀⠀I nodded and stood up, putting my plate in the sink before grabbing my shoes. ⠀⠀⠀⠀Tony lived in a giant mansion in town. I had to walk seven blocks to get to the property. At the gate, I pressed the doorbell. The gate opened after a second. The guard in the house had to verify who I was through the camera. ⠀⠀⠀⠀Once inside, I took my shoes off and adjusted my sweater vest. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Tony?" I called out, walking into the living room. "Oh, I'm so sorry," I said quickly when I spotted Mrs. Stark sitting on the sofa. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"It's no trouble, dear," she smiled. "He's in the library." ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Thanks," I said before running up the stairs. "Hey, Tony." ⠀⠀⠀⠀He looked up from the notebook he was writing in, "Oh, hi, Nat." ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Whatcha working on?" I asked, sitting next to him. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Stuff," he shrugged. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Okay," I didn't push, knowing he liked to be secretive. "So, do you want to go do something?" ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Sure," he stood up. "I have a plan to tease Jarvis." ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Again?" I asked, following him. "He was very angry last time." ⠀⠀⠀⠀"I know. That's what makes this all the more fun," he set his notebook down and started to walk down the hall. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"So, how does your plan work?" ⠀⠀⠀⠀"It involves the garden, leaves, and the banister," Tony answered me cryptically. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"He's going to be standing under the stairs?" I understood Tony's blunt plans, but I wanted to make sure he was sure. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Yes. I've been watching him. He admires himself in the mirror for fifteen minutes every day at eleven o'clock." ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Wow, so precise." ⠀⠀⠀⠀"One must always be, Nat," he shrugged. "Now, go into the garden and get me some leaves." ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Any specific kind?" I asked before running away. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Anything but poison ivy," he grinned. ⠀⠀⠀⠀The clock in the hallway chimed eleven, and Tony and I bent our heads over the banister. Sure enough, Jarvis walked over the mirror directly below us. He smiled and checked himself, turning his head. Tony and I tried not to laugh. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Now," he whispered to me. Carefully, I reached my arm over and dropped a single strawberry leaf. Tony and I quickly ducked back as Jarvis lifted the leaf up, looking confused. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"What in the world?" He muttered. Frowning, he dropped it into a waste basket. ⠀⠀⠀⠀Then Tony dropped another leaf down. We watched Jarvis look at it. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Well played, Master Tony," he called out. "And I suppose you have Ms. Rogers helping you." ⠀⠀⠀⠀Tony sighed, "So much for that," and we walked back to the library. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Is your dad here?" I asked as Tony picked up his notebook. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"No, he's at the new headquarters. With your mom, right?' ⠀⠀⠀⠀I nodded, "She gets back tomorrow." ⠀⠀⠀⠀"So, you're all alone then?" He asked. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"No, my...babysitter is with me," I said, making something up. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Oh," he looked down. "Do you wish you had a dad? Since yours died before you were born?" ⠀⠀⠀⠀And that's what most believed. I was the daughter of Steve Rogers, but he went down in the plane before I was born. Which, as you know, is a lie. Why my dad was still alive, I still didn't know. ⠀⠀⠀⠀"Are you hungry?" Tony looked up. "How about some cheeseburgers," he grinned.