Ghost

9

After the whole scenario in Monaco, the electric man, who's name was Ivan Vanko was arrested. From what she heard, Tony had worn his iron Man suit and took Ivan down, but Maddie was too busy being pulled around by Natalie. Now Maddie, Tony, Natalie, Happy and Pepper were all on Tony's private jet,watching the TV.

"It's just unbelievable. It proves that the genie is out of the bottle and this man has no idea what he's doing. He thinks of the Iron Man weapon as a toy. I was at a hearing where Mr Stark, in fact, was adamant that these suits can't exist anywhere else, don't exist anywhere else, never will exist anywhere else, at least for five to ten years, and here we are in Monaco realising, "These suits exist now." Stern yelled on the TV.

"Mute" Tony mumbled walking into the main area, holding a plate in his hands. "He should be giving me a medal. That's the truth". He plops the plate infront of Pepper.

"What is that?" Pepper looks at the food.

"Your in-flight meal". Tony smiled as he sat across the way from her.

Surprised by the fact Tony actually made food, Pepper spoke up.

"Tony, what are you not telling me?"

"I don't want to go home. At all. Let's cancel my birthday party and... We're in Europe. Let's go to Venice, Cipriani. Remember? It's a great place to be healthy" Tony admitted.

"I don't think this is the right time. We're in kind of a mess."

"Yeah, but maybe that's why it's the best time. 'Cause then maybe I can also spend time with the goblin over there" Tony nodded towards his daughter sleeping across the isle, head leaning on Natalies shoulder.

"She's a good kid Tony. She knows you're busy."

"But that is not an excuse to cancel plans with her. This would be a perfect time to hang out, you included."

"Well, I think as the CEO I need to show up." Pepper replied.

"As CEO you are entitled to a leave" Tony smirked back at her. "Call it a company retreat".

"A retreat? During a time like this?" Pepper groaned.

"Just a ride. Well, I'm just saying, to recharge our batteries and figure it all out."

"Not everyone runs on batteries Tony" Pepper motions to the arc reactor in his chest.

******
After a long flight, the group were back at the Malibu Mansion. Tony heading straight to his workshop while Pepper walks through the living room answering multiple phone calls about the situation.

"Yes, but the fundamentals of the company are still very, very strong despite the events in Monaco." Pepper spoke through the phone, giving a small smile to Maddie sprawled on the couch, asleep.

"The AP wants a quote." Natalie got off a phone and spoke to Pepper. Pepper covering the speaker of her phone answers back with "Don't tell them. Fax them...".

"Where is he?!" James Rhodes bursts through the doors into the main living room, causingMaddie to wake with a jump, almost falling off of the expensive couch.

"He doesn't want to be disturbed" Natalie spoke, being quickly followed by Pepper replying "he's downstairs".

Running downstairs, Rhodes let's himself into Tony's workshop. Infront of him, Tony sits in one of his very expensive cars.

"Tony, you gotta get upstairs and get on top of this situation right now. Listen. I've been on the phone with the National Guard all day, trying to talk them out of rolling tanks up the PCH, knocking down your front door and taking these. They're gonna take your suits, Tony, okay? They're sick of the games. You said nobody else would possess this technology for 20 years. Well, guess what? Somebody else had it yesterday. It's not theoretical anymore. Are you listening to me? Are you okay?" Rhodes yells, but his voice turns pitiful for the last sentence.

"Let's go" Tony replied, standing up and falling out of the car. To which Rhodes rushed to his side.

"Hey, man. Hey, hey! You all right?" Rhodes asked in a concerned voice.

"Yeah, I should get to my desk.See that cigar box?" Tony pointed as Rhodes helped him towards the desk.

"Yeah?"

"That's palladium" Tony mutters as he takes out his arc reactor, Rhodes watching him.

"Is that thing supposed to be smoking?" Rhodes questioned.

"If you must know, it's neutron damage. It's from the reactor wall."

"You had this in your body? And how about the high-tech crossword puzzle on your neck?" Rhodes points out the lines trailing up Tony's body.

"Road rash. Thank you" Tony replaces the reactor. Getting up, he walks towards the kitchen area and drinks the green liquid like before. "What are you looking at?".

"I'm looking at you. You wanna do this whole lone gunslinger act and it's unnecessary. You don't have to do this alone."

"You know, I wish I could believe that. I really do. But you've gotta trust me. Contrary to popular belief, I know exactly what I'm doing." Tony protested, throwing the now empty glass into the sink.

"Just think about it" Rhodes turns and heads towards the door.

"Wait Rhodes" Tony calls after him, causing Rhodes to to turn slightly.
"Not a word of this to anyone, especially Maddie" Tony pointed to the lines on his neck. With a quick nods Rhodes continue out the door.

*********
Hours later, Tony was sitting in his room, observing the rash on his chest. Tony was no idiot, he knew he was dying. The palladium was keeping him alive but also killing him slowly. He couldn't tell anyone, nor did he want to. The last thing he needed right now is people pitying him and feeling sorry for his daughter. Maddie. Yep he definitely could not tell Maddie. It would break Tony's heart to see the look on her face if he were to tell her. The girl is her fathers number one fan, not to mention the fact Tony missed out on the first few years of her life because he was to ashamed of admitting he was getting older. So for now, Tony was keeping his situation hush hush.

Natalie enters the room, pulling Tony from his thoughts. "Do you know which watch you'd like to wear tonight, Mr Stark?" She asked in a calm, soothing voice.

"I'll give them a look. I should cancel the party." Tony spoke up, avoiding eye contact with the woman.

"Probably" she replied

"Yeah. 'Cause it's...".

"Ill-timed." Natalie finished Tony's sentence, causing Tony's eyes to shoot up from the ground.

"Right, sends the wrong message" Tony nodded, standing up from sitting on his bed. "Can I ask you a question, hypothetically? Bit odd. If this was your last birthday party you were ever gonna have, how would you celebrate it?" He asked Natalie.

"Honestly, I'd do whatever I wanted to do with whoever I wanted to do it with" she smiled before leaving the room.