I laid in my bed that night, the covers were thrown off on to the floor because I couldn't sleep. The clock on my night stand blinked 2:45am. My mind kept taking me back to the Mandarin, no matter how many times I tried to stop thinking about them. The little incident in the diner also worried me. I hadn't seen Dad since then. He took off in to the sky, leaving me with Rhodey.
Of course, I have no problem riding him Rhodey. The whole trip back to my Malibu estate, we talked about my Father, what's wrong with him, he asked about me and how I was doing. We discussed the Mandarin and what we know so far about them, and all the things that we don't know.
When we reached my house, we questioned the giant stuffed bunny sitting shadily outside the front door for about three minutes, and then I went inside.
I rolled over in my bed to try and get comfortable, but absolutely nothing was helping me. I thought that Dad was better after our discussion yesterday, but I was wrong. This whole terrorist thing put him right back into place. I was sad, mad, frustrated, hurt, and bunch of other not so good emotions.
Just as I was about to close my eyes, hopefully for the night, the sound of clanking feet sounded outside my bedroom door. I rolled back on to my bed, pouting my bottom lip with aggravation. It sounded like the Iron Man suit was trudging up the stairs "What are you doing" I hissed to myself, taking about my Father.
I slipped out of the bed in nothing but a white tank top and One Direction pajama pants. The room was dark as I made my way slowly to the door.
I poked my head out from the small opening and peered down the hallway. A ray of moonlight cut through the hall, hitting the Suit directly in the back "Why?" I asked in a hushed tone, not wanting to wake Pepper because the suit was right next to their door "Dad it's like 3 in the morning, go back to-"
He didn't even turn to face me, he wrapped his hand the knob to Pepper and Dad's door. Maybe Dad isn't even in the suit. He had programmed that suit to be mobile and get around on its own. I wonder what it's doing up at this hour.
The suit disappeared in to their bedroom. I was about to crawl back in to bed, but a high pitched scream ran through the house. I jumped, knocking against my dresser "Ow!" I yelped, rubbing my knee that hit the hard wood "Why is my life so painful?" I hopped on one foot before returning my other foot to the ground.
I exited my room and crept down the hallway to Dad and Peppers room to see what happened. Pepper stormed out of the room, her face looked pale as if she was just startled. That's probably what the screaming was from. She didn't see me as she stomped down the stairs to the living room.
Oh man, Mark. 42 must have really scared her to make her that pissed. I pressed myself to the wall and leaned my head to the side to get a peek of what happened. The light was on in the bedroom, and pile of armor was laying dismantled on the floor.
Dad was sitting on the bed, he must have been awoken too. His hair was tussled and he was squinting from the light. Sweat formed along his forehead and he didn't look quite awake yet. He was distraught, tired, and... suffering. I leaned against the wall out of sight. He really has it bad, doesn't he? I never saw how bad he was getting along until now.
He's been having panic attacks, sleepless nights, anxiety. PTSD is the cause, and New York is the original wound. I didn't want to bother him, I couldn't bring myself to it. So I went back to bed, but I didn't sleep.
***
I sat beside Happy's hospital bed that next morning. His skin was burnt and black, a lot of his bones were broken and he hadn't opened his eyes at all. The Mandarin happened again.
They bombed the Chinese theatre, that's where Happy was. He could have died, he should have! But he's Happy and nothing can ever kill that man, thank God. Just a few hours ago, there was another Mandarin video that took over all the Tv's. I was at home when it came on.
Dad sat on the other couch in the corner near me, he was staring at the Tv. The nurse entered the room to check on Happy. She hadn't seemed to notice our presence until Dad spoke up.
"Do you mind leaving that on?" He asked. The nurse gasped slightly, not knowing that we were there. She held the remote up to the Tv, about to turn it off.
"Sure." She set the remote back down on the table beside Happy's bed.
"Sunday nights. PBS. Downton Abbey" Dad explained, standing up from the chair "That's his show. He thinks it's elegant. One more thing. Make sure everyone wears their badges. He's a stickler for that sort of thing. Plus, my guys won't let anyone in without them.
"Come on, kid!" He waved his hand to me. I stood up from the chair and followed after him, giving a small smile to Happy and the Nurse before exiting.
"What do we do now?" I asked once we were inside the elevator that takes us to the ground floor of he hospital "and the Mandarin. Are you thinking about putting a stop to all of this? Because you heard what Rhodey said-"
"Yea, I know" Dad said quickly "it's not Super Hero business. But I have a plan"
"Okay..." I nodded as the elevator doors opened "what is it?"
"Dunno"
Oh, typical. Ahead, a crowd of paparazzi and news reporters had positioned themselves outside the hospital entrance, pointing their cameras at us. I sunk in to my navy blue sweatshirt, feeling very uncomfortable.
Dad put his arm securely around my shoulder as we pushed open the front door. Immediately reporters thrusted their microphones and cell phones in my Dad's face, desperate for his opinion. They totally disregarded me (which I totally wasn't upset about) and hammered Dad with questions.
He kept his arm around me until we reached the sports car and he opened the door for me. I climbed in over the drivers seat and sat down in the passenger, bringing the seat belt over my chest.
"Hey, Mr Stark. When is somebody gonna kill this guy?" A man asked, holding up his phone "I'm just saying" he added once he saw Dad's aggravated expression. All the reporters crowded around our car, pressing their bodies up against the windows.
"Is that what you want?" Dad challenged, turning to face the reporter who was video taping the whole thing "Here's a little holiday greeting I've been wanting to send to the Mandarin" Dad raised his voice to make sure that every camera was getting this "I just didn't know how to phrase it until now"
"No no no no" I whispered. He's going to do something that he'll regret later, I just know it. It's how he works.
"My name is Tony Stark and I'm not afraid of you. I know you're a coward. So I've decided that you just died, pal. I'm gonna come get the body. There's no politics here. It's just good old fashioned revenge. There's no Pentagon, it's just you and me. And on the off chance you're a man, here's my home address"
"Dad!" I hissed, but not loud enough for him to hear.
"10880 Malibu Point. I'll leave the door unlocked. That's what you wanted, right?" He looked back to the man. All of the other reporters were astonished by Dad threat, and mainly because he just gave out our address. Dad reached and grabbed the mans phone, chucking it directly at the wall of the hospital "Bill me"
He climbed in to the car and didn't waste anytime in pulling out of the crowd and speeding down the street "What?" He finally asked after a few moments of silence. He looked over to me before returning his eyes back to the sea side highway.
I sighed, bringing my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them "That wasn't smart"
"Look Jes" Dad smirked, changing lanes "The Mandarin is all talk-"
"They bombed the theatre, and the air base. I don't think that they are all talk"
Dad glanced over to me "Yea but let's be real for a sec, would they really attack me? Would they even dare"
"They might" I said in a hushed tone and leaned my head back against the seat, watching the city fade to nothing but ocean and palm trees.