Your Little Stark

Ch•13-Remodeling

"Wow, well..." he thought to himself, returning back to the model "in which case, this is the nucleus" he pointed towards the center of the map, where the circled globe was. He highlighted the globe to a gold color "loose the footpaths, get rid of them" Jarvis started to take away parts of the map one by one.

"What are you trying to do?" I looked to Dad, then back to the map.

"I'm discovering, uh Correction re-discovering a new element"

"An element? Like oxygen? Nitrogen? Vitamin D?"

"Shh Shh" Dad placed his finger to my lips "questions, too many, silence" I frowned, closing my mouth up tight. He started getting to work on the model "Lose the landscaping, the shrubbery, the trees, parking lots, exits, entrances" Dad flicked away most of the remaining map, dialing it down to the center. I help by lightly pushing some of the things away "Structure the protons and the neutrons using the pavilions as a frame work.

All the pieces suddenly came together in a massive hologram ball, after, Dad clapped his hands together and the blue sphere expanded. It stretched around the room in a web of atoms. This was absolutely insane. The new element.

I walked slowly around the webb, examining each of the little atoms connected to one another "Dead for almost twenty years... still taking me to school" Dad smiled solemnly, bringing the circle of light back in to his hand.

"The proposed element should serve as a viable replacement for Palladiam" Jarvis spoke out into the open. I look at him, feeling smile form on my lips "unfortunately, it's impossible to synthesis" Dad listened, holding the ball of hologram energy in his palm. His dark eyes becoming lost in the light.

"Looks like we'll have to add another square to the periodical table" I said to him with a quick sigh, leaning comfortably against his arm as I joined him in gazing at the element. He cut his eyes to me, letting out a quick chuckle. I must have said something wrong but I wasn't sure what. He turned his body towards me in the swivel chair and held elemental hologram up to my eye-line. I glanced between his eyes and the hologram before raising my fingers to take the small, blue dot.

"What do you think?" He asked me, smiling.

"Does this mean you're not dying?" I asked back.

"Nah, course not. You're still technically financially dependent on me until you're 18" he stood up, giving me a shake on the shoulder. I continued to look at the small circle in my hand. Dad stood up from his chair "get ready for a major remodeling fellas" he said to his robotic friends around the basement "We're back in hardware mode"

***

I heard the front door open, my face was stuffed with pizza at the moment. It was Pepper "Hi" I mumbled through the cheese "where have you been?"

Pepper handed me a napkin "I've been busy at the industries. I'm actually glad I caught you" she sat down on the couch next to me, turning down the Tv "I'm heading to New York for a few days, and I was wondering if you wanted to tag along? To get away from here for awhile"

"Whoa!" I sat up excitingly "New York? That sounds amazing! We just finished up our exams at school, so now it really doesn't matter if I show up or not"

"Alright" Pepper nodded, smiling "We have to clear it with your teachers first, but bright and early tomorrow, we're leaving, and it's only for a few days. Maybe you and I could do some sight seeing?"

"Of course!" I jumped "Times Square, Brooklyn Bridge, Radio City Music Hall, but not Trump Tower, please"

"Deal" Pepper winked.

"Deal?" Dad appeared in the living room, he was holding cables and wires in his hand, an axe in the other, not very comforting "what's going on?"

"Pepper is taking me to New York!" I exclaimed, wrapping my arms around her arm. Dad raised a eyebrow, staring straight at Pepper.

"Just for a few days" Pepper raised her hand out "I figured she could use a little vacation. Justin Hammer is throwing an Expo convention there and sadly I was invited, so I'm going and I just thought Jessi could go"

"Why didn't you tell me?" Dad asked.

"Can I go Dad?" I begged, clasping my hands together tightly "please please please! I've never been to New York! Did you know that Captain America was born in Brooklyn? Which is like right next to New York. It'd be really cool to go, I really want to go, I have to, please...?" I pouted, giving my puppy eyes.

Dad set the cables down on the floor next to the grand piano. He kicked them around for a moment and then rolled his eyes "Fine"

"Yes!" I hugged him quickly and ran to the stairs "I'm going to go pack!"

***

Pepper stood awkwardly in the room,
in front of her former boss. She was waiting for Jessi to come back. Tony had sat down on the couch and flipped on the Tv. More news about Iron Man and his disappearance "So, you're taking my daughter to the Big City?"

"I think she needs to get away, just for a little while" Pepper cleared her throat.

"So what are you? Her Mom now?"

"Jessi needs someone Tony, a mother figure, someone who's not you. If you know what I'm saying"

Tony kept his back turned from his former
assistant. Their relationship has been a little hot since the argument in Stark Industries. She can't stand him, he doesn't care. Jessi was the only thing keeping them together.