February 7 2008
"Good morning, Miss Stark, it's seven AM, the weather in Malibu is seventy-two degrees with scattered clouds. The surf conditions are fair, with waist to shoulder-high lines and high tide will be at ten fifty-two AM."
Josie groans, as the blinds opened and the early morning sunlight flooded in.
"What the heck, J.A.R.V.I.S, it's early, why you hassling me?", she asks.
"Your father is leaving for Afghanistan soon, he wishes to see you in his workshop before he departs.", J.A.R.V.I.S tells her.
"Oh, okay.", she shrugs, then hauls herself out of bed.
As Josie pads out of her room, a woman wanders down the corridor, wearing one of Tony's shirts and looking lost.
Another one? Really?
"Well, if it isn't the famous Joselyn Stark.", the woman says, when she sees Josie in her pink, sparkly, Barbie pyjamas.
"Um, hi.", Josie looks her up and down, gives her a dirty glare, then goes downstairs as quick as she can.
Pepper is waiting for the woman, so that she can give one of her usual, 'Mr Stark is a very busy man', speeches.
"Good morning, Josie.", Pepper greets her cheerily.
"Morning, Pep.", Josie grumbles, continuing down the stairs to her father's workshop, "Good luck.", she says to Pepper, signalling to the random woman..
Pepper nods, as Josie disappears down the stairs. She finds Tony messing with one of his cars and blasting music. When he hears the door open, he spins around in his seat and grins.
"There's my favourite daughter!", he opens his arms for him to hug her.
"I can't hear you!", she shouts over the music.
"I said, there's my favourite daughter!", he repeats himself.
"The music's too loud, I still don't know what you're saying! J.A.R.V.I.S, turn it down a bit, would you?", she yells, the music quietens to a faint hum in the background, Josie sighs, "Much better. What were you saying?"
"Well, I was saying you're my favourite daughter, but since you turned my music down, I'm not so sure anymore.", he teases.
"Got to say, out of all one of my fathers, you're my least favourite.", she flashes a cheeky smile, then bursts out laughing, "Where are you going today?"
"Afghanistan, for a weapons demonstration.", he says.
"Can I come?", she does her big puppy-dog eyes and walks right up to him.
He lifts up the tiny girl and sits her on his knee, "Let me think about that, no."
"Why not?", she crosses her arms and tries to look angry.
"Because, it's a weapons demonstration full of grumpy old men, and it would be unprofessional of me to bring my daughter. Besides, I don't want you in Afghanistan, I'm fairly sure that's one of the last places on Earth I would want you to be.", he explains.
"Do you have to go? I don't like it when you leave.", she whines.
"Jellybean, I'm only going for a day and a half. I'll be back before you know it."
"Are you sure you'll be back in time for my dance recital, at school?", she asks.
"Of course, Joy, I wouldn't miss it for the world. I'll bring you a present back with me, as usual.", he assures her.
She beams, "I've got my own solo, it's contemporary, really grown-up."
"I bet it is, I can't wait to watch you. You'll do amazing.", he grins at her and twisted her around, so she was sat facing him.
"Can I start dance classes? Please.", she asked, hopefully.
"Jellybean, we've talked about this. You're a bit young for dance lessons, aren't you?"
She raises her eyebrows at him and crosses her arms, "I'm six, they wouldn't have dance classes for six-year olds if we were too young."
He looks away, then back to the tiny brunette in front of him, "We'll talk about it when I get back, okay?"
A wide smile breaks out from ear-to-ear, "Deal.", she nods, contently.
At that moment, Pepper walks in, on the phone to someone, "I'm going to try again right now. I'll keep you posted."
She looks flustered and stressed out, "You're in trouble.", Josie whispers.
Tony spins the chair back around, so he's facing the car, and Josie is facing Pepper over his shoulder.
"Tony, you are supposed to be halfway around the world right now.", Pepper says.
"No he's not, he's not going.", declares Josie.
"How'd she take it?", he asks, completely ignoring Josie.
"Like a champ.", Pepper sighs.
"Why are you trying to hustle me out of here?"
"Your flight was scheduled to leave an hour and a half ago.", Pepper tells him.
"That's funny, I thought, with it being my plane and all, that it would just wait for me to get there."
"Tony, I need to speak to you about a couple of things before I get you out of the door.", Pepper is really trying to get things done here.
"Doesn't it kind of defeat the whole purpose of having your own plane, if it departs before you arrive.", he turns back around to face Pepper and Josie studies the flames on the car, still sat on Tony's knee.
"Larry called. He's got another buyer for the Jackson Pollock in the wings. Do you want it? Yes or no.", Pepper gives Tony a frustrated look.
"Larry.", Josie giggles to herself at his name.
Tony gives Josie a funny look, "You're silly.", he turns back to Pepper, "Is it a good representation of his spring period?"
"Um, no. The Springs was actually the neighbourhood in East Hampton, where he lived and worked. Not 'spring' like the season.", Pepper attempts to explain.
"So?"
"I think it's a fair example. Um, I think it's incredibly overpriced.", she says.
"I need it. Buy it. Store it.", he lifts Josie up and balances her on his hip.
"You're silly.", Josie mumbles.
"Okay. The MIT commencement speech-"
"Is in June.", Tony cut her off, "Please, don't harangue me about stuff that's way, way, down.", he walked over to the coffee machine.
"Well, they're haranguing me, so I'm going to say yes."
"Deflect it and absorb it. Don't transmit it back to me."
"I need you to sign this before you get on the plane.", she opens a file.
"He's not getting on the plane. I already told you guys!", Josie throws her hands up in frustration.
"What you trying to get rid of me for? What, you got plans?", he asks.
"As a matter of fact, I do."
"I don't like it when you have plans.", he says.
"I'm allowed to have plans on my birthday."
"Oh yeah!", Josie jumps down from Tony's arms, onto the floor, "I got you a present!", she runs out of the lab and upstairs.
"It's your birthday?", he asks.
"Yes.", Pepper nods, "Josie remembered."
"I knew too.", he lies, "Already?"
"Yeah. Isn't that strange? It's the same day as last year."
Josie comes rushing back downstairs and hands Pepper a badly wrapped present. Pepper opens it and finds a black box, inside is a golden necklace, with a blue jewel in the centre of it.
Pepper gasps and Josie smiles eagerly, "Do you like it? Do you?"
"It's gorgeous, Josie, thank you.", Pepper hugs her, making Josie grin.
"Just pointing out, I definitely paid for that.", Tony adds.
"It's the thought that counts.", Josie says.
"Well then, get yourself something nice from me.", he tells Pepper.
"I already did."
"And?", he asks.
"Oh, it was very nice. Very tasteful."
"Yeah."
"Thank you, Mr Stark.", she smiles a bit.
"You're welcome, Miss Potts.", he downs his coffee and hands the empty cup to Pepper, "Okay."
"Please don't go, please. Please.", she begs.
"Jellybean, I've got to go, you know that.", he tilts his head at the little girl in front of him.
"No you don't. What if something bad happens?", she ran over to him and wrapped her arms around his leg.
"Jellybean, you say this every time, and I'm always fine. I'll be surrounded by the military's finest. I'll be okay.", he picks her up again.
"Pinkie promise?", she holds out her pinkie finger.
"You're really serious, huh?", he chuckles.
"Pinkie promise?", she repeats.
He links his pinkie with her much smaller pinkie, "I pinkie promise."
"You can't break that, you know that, right?", she raises her eyebrows at him.
"Duh, isn't that the whole point?", Tony laughs.
"I really don't want you to go. I have a bad feeling.", she says, her voice goes softer and quiet, almost a whisper.
"Aw, Jellybean, don't worry yourself. I tell you what, you can come to the airport with me, then Happy will drive you straight to school, okay?"
She nods happily, "Okay."
"Right, now go get changed.", he tells her, putting her down on the floor.
She runs off upstairs and changes into her uncomfortable uniform. Then, she comes back downstairs in her pleated skirt, white blouse, frilly , snow-white socks and shiny, black school shoes. Pepper has disappeared to go enjoy her birthday, so Happy was looking after Josie when she got back from school.
"Come on, Jellybean, let's go."