A.N So I had a small idea on where to put Ashley in Iron Man 3, but when I watched the movie again I had to change it because of how different it was set out to how I thought it was. She'll be in most of the movie up to the end because of this. I hope that's alright with you guys. I bet it is.
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Today I'm travelling to see Tony and Rhodey. I'm getting my private jet and flying to Malibu to stay for one night and then come back to Washington, as I have a special meeting at SHIELD as I'm giving a lecture to newbies to tell them more about SHIELD and if they actually wanna be there. But I'm letting myself see Tony and Rhodey first before SHIELD get's in the way.
As I finished packing I placed my gun in my back pocket and hid it under my shirt. They won't take it off me if they see me with it though. I'm aloud cause I'm Agent Gomez. I zipped up my bag and carried it to the living room where Steve was watching the tv and eating some cereal. It was early in the morning as it would take me about 5 hours to get to Malibu, and another half hour to get to where I'm meeting the boys.
I smiled at Steve and kissed his cheek before heading to the door.
"Woah, hang on." I heard Steve say and I turned round to face him. "That's all I get before you leave for two days? A kiss on the cheek? I think I'm entitled to more." I sighed and dropped my bag on the floor before walking over, sitting next to him and kissing his lips. His hands moved to the sides of my face keeping me there. I smiled into the kiss before pulling away.
"Don't do anything stupid." I told him before kissing his lips once more and getting up to get my bag.
"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you." Steve said and I turned to smile at him. He got up quickly and hugged me tightly.
"I love you." He smiled at me and I smiled back.
"I love you too." I told him before opening the door and leaving shutting it behind me. I took a deep breathe before going to my car and going to the airport where my plane was.
I smiled at the pilot, John, and went on board ready for the plane ride ahead. It was nerve racking being on a plane on my own, without Steve, but I'm sure I'll be fine.
*5 hours later*
Once we landed I got my bag and walked out to a car that was waiting for me. The driver gave me the keys and I thanked him before getting in and driving away. I followed the map and found the place where Tony wanted to meet. I parked the car and got out. I made sure no one could find my bag and locked my car.
"Dude, is that Agent Gomez?" I heard someone say as I walked in. Once inside I scanned the place and saw Rhodey sat on a table near a TV. I knew it was Tony sat with him cause, well who else would it be? I smiled and walked up to them.
"Yo, weirdos." I said making them turn to me.
"Hey, Ashley." Rhodey got up and hugged me. Hugging Rhodey, was different from last time.
"Woah, hold up." I said pushing out of Rhodey's arms. "Have you been working out?" I asked and Tony groaned and Rhodey nodded.
"A little bit." Rhodey smiled and I felt his arm.
"Jesus, you have haven't you?" He really had been working out. A cough then interrupted us and Tony was stood there.
"I'm here too if you wanna hug me." I laughed and went over to Tony and hugged him like I haven't seen him in years.
"It's good to see you." I said before pulling away.
"You too. Care to join us?" Tony gestured the the table.
"Don't mind if I do." I said before sitting next to Rhodey making Tony go sit across from Rhodey.
"So, how's Steve?" Rhodey asked as I ate a chip from Tony's sandwich.
"He's good. Everything is going really well." I said and Rhodey smiled eating his sandwich.
"He popped the question yet?" Tony asked and I looked at him weirdly.
"What?" I asked.
"Like, has he asked you to marry him? It's okay if he hasn't though."
"Since when did you care?" I asked.
"Since you are my best friend and I love you and would do anything to make you happy, and considering Steve makes you happy then, your question is answered." I smiled at Tony and he wiped his mouth with a napkin. "For a second there I was almost caring for Steve. Ew." I laughed and stole another one of his fries.
"So, how you guys been?" I sang poking them both.
"Tony's not been sleeping." Rhodey said and Tony looked offended.
"Dude. What did I say about telling her that?" Tony asked a little pissed at Rhodey.
"She deserves to know, Tony." Rhodey said and Tony groaned.
"What do you mean he hasn't been sleeping?" I asked and Tony couldn't look directly at me. "Is it nightmares?" I asked and Tony nodded slowly. "What about?"
"That doesn't matter." Tony said grabbing the ketchup and putting some on his plate. I sighed not wanting to make Tony say if he didn't want to. I love him like a brother but I need to know where the line is when talking about something with him.
"If you so." I said before turning my attention to the tv. The tv then went to a rainbow colour with some sort of symbol on it.
"Not again." Rhodey complained and I watched as some man was talking about something. He had his hair in a ponytail and a goatee.
"Who's that guy?" I asked Rhodey.
"The mandarin. Or so he says." I looked to Tony then back at Rhodey.
"The mandarin?"
"Yeah, haven't you seen him before?"
"I don't exactly watch a lot tv since I'm at SHIELD most of the time so no." After footage of what looked like Afghanistan the tv when back to normal. I wanted to ignore what happened as it was kinda weird. But Tony hasn't exactly told me about it so it shouldn't worry me....yet.
It then turned to Joan Rivers talking about Iron Patriot. Or Rhodey. She was making a joke of the colours and the name and I gotta agree, it was like Steve vomited on it.
I looked to Tony and saw how desperate he was to make a joke about it.
"It tested well with focus groups, all right?" Rhodey said before Tony could say anything.
"I am Iron Patriot." Tony said in a gruffly voice making me laugh. "It sucks." He added in his normal voice which Rhodey was ready to argue.
"Listen. 'War Machine' was a little too aggressive. All right. This sends a better message." Rhodey said and Tony sighed as I stole another one of his fries.
"So, what's really going on? With the Mandarin?" Tony asked and I because interested. I wanted to know who this guy was because if he's a threat to America, SHIELD has to know about it. "Seriously, can we talk about this guy?" I nodded agreeing with Tony. Rhodey sighed and me and Tony leaned in closer so we could talk amongst ourselves.
"It's classified information, Tony." Rhodey said.
"I like classified information." I told Rhodey and he was beat.
"Okay, there have been nine bombings." Rhodey told us. Nine bombings? Has SHIELD been monitoring these?
"Nine." Tony repeated
"The public only knows of three. But here's the thing, nobody can ID a device. There's no bomb casings."
"You know I can help. Just ask." Tony said and I checked my phone in case Steve had called me. No calls so far. "I got a ton of new tech. I got a prehensile suit. I got bomb disposal. It catches explosions in mid-air."
"When's the last time you got a good night's sleep?" Rhodey asked.
"What did I say about talking about this?" Tony asked which made me worry. He was avoiding the question just like before. I'm worried about him.
"When was the last time? And don't lie to me, Tony." I told him.
"Einstein slept three hours a year. Look what he did." I rolled my eyes. A typical Tony answer.
"People are concerned about you, Tony. Me and Ash are concerned about you." Rhodey said and I nodded agreeing.
"You gunna come at me like that?" Tony asked before they started talking over each other. I then nudged them both to stop as there were two kids, one boy and one girl, standing over us.
"Do you mind signing my drawing?" The girl asked Tony and I smiled at her.
"If Richard and Ashley don't mind." Tony said and I nodded showing her it was fine. "Are you alright with this, Dick?"
"Yeah. Fine with me." Rhodey said sipping his drink.
"Best Agent in the world?" Tony asked me and I smiled at the girl
"Go ahead." I said and Tony took the picture and a colouring pencil to sign it with.
"What's your name?" Tony asked the girl.
"Erin" She answered. The boy next to her, probably her brother, looked up at Tony as he looked at him.
"I loved you in A Christmas Story by the way." I smiled slightly poking Tony for him to stop and just sign the drawing.
"Listen, the Pentagon is scared. After New York, aliens....Come on. They need to look strong. Stopping the Mandarin is a priority but it's not..."
"It's not superhero business." Tony finished for him.
"No, it's not quite frankly."
"I get it."
"Its American Business."
"That's why I said I got it." Tony then stopped as he managed to break the colouring pencil he was signing with. He put his head in his hand and exhaled sharply. I put my hand on his shoulder to calm him.
"Tony, you okay?" I asked as he looked distressed.
"I broke the crayon." He said.
"It's fine, Tony, it's just a crayon, she can get another one." I told him reassuring him.
"Are you okay, Mr Stark?" Erin asked and I turned to Rhodey.
"Has he been having panic attacks, anxiety attacks, anything I should be worried about?" I asked Rhodey and he shrugged his shoulders.
"All I know about is the sleeping." We were then cut off by Tony pushing his chair back abruptly and running outside.
"Tony?" I shouted after him. I smiled at the kids before running outside to find him. "Move it people." I shouted trying to get to him as quickly as possible. I caught him just before he got into his suit. "Tony" I shouted running to him. He then knelt down and seemed to be struggling with breathing. "Jarvis, check the heart." I told him and I knelt in front of Tony. "Just breathe Tony, okay." I told him.
"No sign of cardiac anomaly or unusual brain activity." Jarvis answered.
"Any poison?" I asked.
"My diagnosis is that, sir, has experienced a severe anxiety attack." I sighed heavily knowing what an anxiety attack feels like. I've had many times in my years and they're awful. I then saw Rhodey and he knelt next to me and tapped on Ton's head.
"Come on, man, this isn't a good look. Open up." Rhodey said and I wanted to help Tony as much as I could.
"Sorry I gotta split." Tony said pushing us back before standing up and flying off.
"Do you know what's wrong with him?" Rhodey asked and I turned to him.
"Anxiety attack. You panic so much you can't breathe." I said and looked out to where Tony flew off.
"How long are you here for?" Rhodey asked changing the subject.
"Until tomorrow." I said before looking at my phone which had a message from Nick telling me to get back to SHIELD now. "Scrap that, until now. I gotta go back, Rhodey. You better promise me to keep an eye on Tony, and if he does that again you call me and tell me. Got it?"
"Sure." Rhodey nodded.
"Thanks." I smiled lightly had him before going to my car, getting in and driving off. I called my pilot to be ready and once I got there we left.
Once I landed I drove to SHIELD to meet with Nick and Alexander Pierce about something. When we were done I drove home. I got in and shut the door behind me. I sighed and threw the keys in the bowl before slumping on the couch and turned the lamp on. I sighed again and put my head in my hands.
I then heard someone enter the room so I grabbed a gun I hid in the couch and turned and aimed it at the person. I relaxed seeing it was Steve.
"Sorry, Steve." I told him putting the gun back where I got it from.
"Are you alright?" He asked and I slumped back into the couch.
"I'm fine." I said and he came to join me on the couch.
"No you're not. Look at me." He said and I ignored him as I knew he would know something was wrong just by my face. "Ash, look at me." He said putting his hands on my cheeks and slowly moving my head so he could see my face. "Baby, what's wrong?"
"I'm worried about, Tony." I said removing his hands from my face.
"Why? What's he done?"
"He had a anxiety attack today. I dunno what triggered it but apparently he's not sleeping either. I would have stayed with him longer if it wasn't for bloody SHIELD." I said starting to get angry.
"Hey, calm down." he said placing his hand on mine. "He'll be okay. He has great friends like Rhodey, and I'm sure Pepper can help. You can't be there all the time, Ash. I don't think he expects you to be. He knows you have a life other than him, you don't have to be there physically for everything. And he knows that. Do you want me to run you a bath? I know it calms you."
I lightly smiled at Steve and nodded. "Thank you." he smiled at me and placed a kiss on my forehead before getting up and running a bath for me.
Steve was right in a way, I can't be there for Tony all the time and he probably knows that. If I just call him and show concern that should be enough, right? I don't have to be with Tony every time a little thing happens. Right?
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A.N I hope this is alright for you guys. Iron Man 3 is turning out to be a bit weird as I'm stuck on how Ashley should find out about Tony and what she's going to do. I'll figure it out soon don't worry, I'm not completely lost.
Sunday's are looking like the days I'll be updating as they're the days I'm always free and don't have anything to do unless I make plans.
Once again, please vote and comment as it means a lot to me. And also, Agent Gomez is entered into the Watty's2014 so if you could use the hashtag with Agent Gomez on facebook and twitter to put it as a finalist that would be amazingly nice.
-Emma x