"What do you mean you’re not dying? Did you just say you’re dying?" I heard Pepper say as I landed wobbly beside dad.
"Lisa, is that you?" Dad asks.
"Yeah yeah. I'm fine. I just need a minute or two." I replied as I tried to catch my breath.
"No, I’m not. Not anymore." Dad says and I realise Pepper is still on the phone.
"What’s going on? And why is Lisa sounding so out of breath?" Pepper asks.
"Lisa just kind of flew here. I was going to tell you. I didn’t want to alarm you." Dad replies and I really really wanted to seat down.
"You were gonna tell me? Wait, Lisa can fly and you really were dying?" Pepper asks and I groan.
"You didn’t let me." Dad says.
"Why didn’t you tell me that?" Pepper asks.
"I was gonna make you an omelette and tell you. I just found out Lisa can fly so I'm as surprised as you are."
"Hey, hey. I'm trying to relax for a few seconds here. I just discovered I could fly literally just ten minutes ago. Dad was dying but he's not dying anytime soon. Maybe we'll die in a few minutes because I know Vanko would've found out where we are."
"Lisa is right. Save it for the honeymoon. You got incoming Tony. Looks like the fight’s coming to you."
"Great. Pepper?" Dad calls out.
"Are you okay now?" Pepper asks.
"I am fine. Don’t be mad. I will formally apologise…" dad starts
"I am mad!" Pepper cuts in.
"…when I’m not fending off a Hammeroid attack." Dad continues.
"Fine."
"We could have been in Venice." Dad continues.
"Oh please."
I squat beside Rhodey tapping his arm. Dad comes beside me tapping his helmet.
"Rhodes? Snap out of it buddy. We need you. They’re coming. Come on, let’s roll. Get up." Dad says looking around.
"Oh, man. You can have your suit back." Rhodey says after he opens the helmet.
"You okay?" Dad asks as we help him up.
"Yeah, thanks. Tony, look, I’m sorry, okay?" Rhodey says
"Don’t be." Dad replies.
"No. I should have trusted you more." Rhodey continues.
"I’m the one who put you in this position. Forget it." Dad says.
"No. It’s your fault. I just wanted to say I’m sorry." Rhodey retorts
"Thank you. That’s all I wanted to hear. Partner. They’re coming in hot, any second. What’s the play?" Dad asks.
"Well, we want to take the high ground, okay? So let’s put the biggest gun up on that ridge." Rhodey replies.
"Got you. Where do you want to be?" Dad says as he begins to walk away.
"Where are you going?" Rhodey asks.
"What’re you talking about?" Dad asks.
"I meant me." Rhodes says and I roll my eyes. Here comes the bickering.
"You have a big gun. You are not the big gun." Dad states
"Tony, don’t be jealous." Rhodey continues.
"No. It’s subtle all the bells and whistles." Dad says.
"Yeah. It’s called being a badass."
"Fine. All right. You go up to. I’ll draw them in." Dad says.
"Don’t stay down here. This is the worst place to be." Rhodey advises.
"Okay, you got a spot. Where’s ours?" Dad asks.
"It’s the kill box, Tony. Okay This is where you go to die." Rhodey says. I pause.
"They're here." I said.
"How do you-" A drones lands behind us. "Nevermind." Dad continues. The drones keep landing until we were completely surrounded. Dad and Rhodey's helmet cone down and I activate my force field.
The drones stats shooting and we begin to take down as many as we can. Dad and Rhodey using repulsors, me using energy beams.
"See that?" Dad asks as he destroys the droids at once.
"Yeah, yeah. Nice." Rhodey replies.
"Rhodey? Lisa? Get down." Dad calls out as we get surrounded. I quickly get down as dad uses the laser to cut all the drones. A few trees fall as well.
"Wow. I think you should lead with that next time." Rhodey says and I scoff.
"Next time? This is the last time I'm fighting an army of robots." I said.
"Yeah. Sorry boss. I can only use it one. It’s a one-off." Dad says.
"Heads up. You got one more drone incoming. This one looks different. The repulsor signature is significantly higher." Natasha's voice comes in through the comms as a bigger and bulkier drone lands beside us. And I thought Rhodey's suit was bulky.
The mask opens to reveal Vanko.
"Good to be back." He says with his thick Russian accent.
"This ain’t gonna be good." Rhodey says as Ivan activates a thicker pair of whips. Like what's with this guy and whips.
"I got something special for this guy. I’m gonna bust his bunker with the Ex-Wife." Rhodey says and I frown.
"With the what?" I ask as Rhodey shoots it and it bounces off Ivan, fizzling off in the water. What a disappointment.
"Hammer tech?" Dad asks.
"Yeah." Rhodey says embarrassed.
"God save us all." I muttered under my breath.
"I got this." Dad says as he shoots at the amour but it doesn't do much damage.
Ivan throws his whip in our direction but we manage to jump out just in time. We all start attacking but it doesn't do much. Ivan grabs dad with his whip as he tries to fly up and slam him down.
He throws his whip in my direction and I grab it accidentally. Surprisingly, it doesn't affect me. Instead my hand glows brighter and I'm shocked.
My shock is cut short when he flings me away and I land far away from the fight. I stop to catch my breath.
Gosh, if we survive this, I'm taking a twenty four hour nap. I look up to see dad and Rhodey on either side of Vanko struggling against the whips on their necks.
"Rhodes. I got an idea. You want to be a hero?" Dad suddenly ask.
"What?" I ask.
"I could really use a sidekick. Put your hand up." Dad continues and I get where he's going.
"This is your idea?" Rhodey asks in disbelief.
"Yep." Dad replies.
"I’m ready. I’m ready. Go, go, go!" Rhodey says as repulsor lights up.
"Take it!" Dad says as Ivan looks at them confused. The energy meets at the middle causing another explosion.
The glass shatters around me but it doesn't touch me. I get up and walk towards dad.
"Smalls, you okay?" Dad asks.
"Yeah but if you try that when I'm around again I'll make JARVIS play opera music in your suits for a whole month." I replied.
"Yeah. Whatever." Dad says as Rhodey stands behind us.
The frizzling sound catches my attention and I turn to see Vanko all messed up in his armor.
"You lose." He spits out and dies. The reactor starts flashing red and beeping so does all the drones.
"All these drones are rigged to blow. We gotta get out of here man." Rhodes says and only one thought comes to mind.
"Pepper?" Dad says and takes off immediately and I sigh in relief. I just hope he gets to her in time.
▪️▪️▪️
"Let's take a break." I said to Rhodey over the loud whooshing of the air.
"Yeah." He replies as we both land on a roof. We'd gone to where he parked his car only to be met with smoke and fire.
We seat for a few minutes and I stare at the star filled sky. I've always wondered as a little girl what it would be like out there.
I've always been interested in astronomy. Growing up I've followed all of Jane Foster's and Erik Selvig's works.
Dad doesn't believe in all that stuff but I did and still do.
My thoughts are interupted when dad and Pepper lands in front of us completely unaware of our presence. Rhodey starts to talk but I nudge him and he gets the sign.
Dad's helmet fizzles and he quickly takes it off, throwing it in the ground beside him.
"Oh my God. I can’t take this anymore." Pepper says breathing heavily.
"You can’t?" Dad asks.
"I can’t take this." Pepper continues.
"Look at me." Dad says gesturing to his damaged suit.
"My body, literally, cannot handle the stress. I never know if you’re gonna kill yourself or wreak the whole company." Pepper says
"I think I did okay." Dad says.
"I quit. I’m resigning. That’s it." Pepper says.
"What did you just say? You’re done? That’s surprising. No, it’s not surprising. I get it. You don’t have to make excuses." Obviously not expecting her to say that.
"I’m… I’m… I’m not making any excuses." She says stepping closer to him.
"You actually were just making excuses. But you don’t have to." Dad replies stepping closer too.
"No, I wasn’t making an excuse. I’m actually very justified." Pepper counters.
"Listen. Hey, hey. You deserve better." Dad admits
"Well…"
"You’ve taken such good care of me and Lisa. You practically raised her, you did a good job and I'm thankful for that. I’ve been in a tough spot, but you got me through it, so… Right?" Dad says.
"Thank you." Pepper replies.
"Yeah." He says grabbing her hand.
"Thank you for understanding." Pepper says she's less than a foot away now.
"Yeah, yeah. Let’s talk clean-up." Dad says.
"I’ll handle the transition. It’ll be smooth." Pepper says.
"Okay. What about the press? Because you only had the job for a week. That’s gonna seem…" dad states.
"Well, with you it’s like dog years." Pepper replies.
"I know." Dad says and they're practically in each other's faces now.
"I mean, it’s like the Presidency."Pepper replies. And the next thing I know, they were kissing. I smirk at Rhodey and he rolls his eyes. He and Happy owe me now, well Happy did say they would get together soon, but not this year. I turn back to see dad and Pepper still locking lips and I roll my eyes. Now it was weird.
"Weird." Dad says as they break the kiss.
"No, it’s not weird." Pepper replies
"It’s okay, right?" Dad asks
"Yeah."
"Run that by me again." Dad says as they lean in for another kiss.
"I think it was weird." Rhodey says and they jump apart and turn to us.
"You guys look like two seals fighting over a grape." Rhodey continues.
"I had just quit, actually." Pepper tries to explain.
"Yeah, so we’re not…" dad starts like a teenager that was walked in on by his mom.
"You don’t have to do that. We heard the whole thing." Rhodey explain
"You should get lost." Dad says to Rhodey.
"We were here first. Get a roof." Rhodey says.
"I thought you were out of one-liners." I ask turning to him.
"That’s the last one." He replied.
"You kicked ass back there, by the way. Both of you." Dad complements.
"Thank you. You too. Listen, my car got taken out in the explosion, so I’m gonna have to hang on to your suit for a minute, okay?" Rhodes says standing up and walking a few feet away from me.
"Not okay. Not okay with that." Dad says.
"He wasn't asking." I replied as he takes off.
"How are you gonna resign if I don’t accept?" Dad asked turning to Pepper and I smiled.
A/N: Happy Friday guys. Have a wonderful weekend. Don't forget to press that little star.