Believing In Heroes

“You know, I’ve been meaning to ask you…” I glanced up at the engineer as Anthony Stark stopped what he was welding a second. “Do you have any family?” I smiled bitterly. “No. You don’t want to know why, we already have enough depressing stuff on our plate as it is.”
Tony looked away as I thought about my late adoptive parents. I hadn’t found out that I was adopted until I was 17. The last thing I said to them was I hated them and I wished they died. Then I came back home to them dead, murdered. Too bad I never looked around to see if the murderer was still there.

“After this, when we get out, do you want to come work for me?” I blinked in surprise and turned to him. “Really, Anthony?” I asked, watching him with wide eyes. “Of course, Kady.” I growled at that. He sighed and continued, “Colonel Kadin. You have really helped me.” He tapped on the new arc reactor in his chest and my eyes traveled to it. Right. I had to put that thing in because suddenly I was a better choice than Yinsen.

Suddenly the door slammed open and Yinsen and Tony immediately stood, hands on their heads. I glared up at Raza and he gave an exhale at my defiance, probably a life. His eyes travelled to the arc reactor set in Tony’s chest, then to Yinsen, and he said, “Relax.”
Tony slowly let his arms down, along with Yinsen. “The bow and arrow once was the pinnacle of weapons technology.” He started, slowly rounding the room to look at all three of us. “It allowed the great Genghis Khan to rule from the Pacific to the Ukraine.”

I sighed. “And everyone who has Stark weapons rules these lands, right?” I asked, rolling my eyes. Raza turned to glare at me. “Angel of Death, I suggest you cease your speaking, or you won’t be able to for a long time.” My mouth shut with a click and I took to glaring at him as harsh as I could. If looks could kill, he’d be burned alive then, still alive, fed to piranhas.
I ignored the thing with Yinsen, averting my eyes to not see what happened. When he started to leave, I basically breathed out, “Bastard.” The whole group stopped and I glanced up with fear in my eyes as Raza stalked towards me slowly, before grabbing my chin and forced me to look up at him. I saw Tony in the corner of my eye with a sickened expression. “Hey, hey, I need her!” He cried.

“And you’ll get her back.” Raza answered smoothly, forcing me to my feet. I nearly fought him off but realized that would make things worse. Logic. Besides, there were tons of guns pointed at me. “I’ll be alright, ok Tony? Don’t worry.” I gave him a tired smile before I was pushed forward and nearly fell to the floor.

The door slammed shut behind me as I looked up fearfully at another man with a needle in his hand, thread attached to it. “No…” I whispered fearfully as he positioned it near my lips, and then I was screaming as it went through my skin.

-You spend half of your life, trying to fall behind. You’re using your headphones to drown out your mind! It was so EEEEEEAAAASSSSSYYYYYY~ and the words so sweet! You can’t remember, you try to move your feet! EEEEEEEeeeeeeEet, Eet, Eet.-

“You’re an idiot, you know that.” I glared up at Tony as he stepped into the Iron Man Suit, as I tucked my journal into my jacket which I put on. My lips were still sown together so no talking for me yet, but when we leave and get medical attention it will get pulled out. I just worry that they won’t be able to get it all out. I’m also starving. And thirsty.

“Okay, can you move?” Yinsen asked, and Tony flexed his hands in the suit. “Okay, say it again.” He affirmed. “41 steps straight ahead. Then 16 steps, that's from the door, fork right, 33 steps, turn right.” I chuckled inside my mouth, and Tony gave me a smile. “Yinsen! Retter! Stark!” Someone yelled from the door.

“Say something back to him!” Tony hissed. “He’s speaking Hungarian! I don’t…” Yinsen tried as the man spoke more in Hungarian. “Then speak Hungarian.” Tony said firmly. The explosion burst through the room and suddenly I was knocked out.

-My tea’s gone cold, I’m wondering why I got out of bed at all. The morning rain clouds up my window, and I can’t see at all! And even if I could, it’d all be grey! But your picture on my wall, it reminds me that it’s not so bad, it’s not so bad.-

I awoke surrounded by desert. I wanted to ask what happened to Tony, but he was barely awake as well. I reached up to my hat to feel that yes, it was still on. But I still couldn’t speak. I looked over at Tony with quizzical eyes. “Yinsen is… dead.” Tony choked out, getting out of the ground and helping me up. I took off my jacket and mimicked Tony, putting it on my head to shade myself. My tank top was super dirty. Disgusting. Can’t wait for a shower.

I started humming the first song that came to my mind, which was that terrible song that I had become oddly addicted to, Anaconda by Nicki Minaj. “What the hell are you humming?” Tony asked me incredulously and I flipped him the bird a moment, before swinging my hips slowly to the beat of the lyrics before the hook.

Then came the helicopter. I have never felt this much relief in my life. Like, ever, and I immediately fell to my knees and mirrored Tony’s peace sign as it set down. Conveniently, Colonel Rhodes was in the helicopter, and he ran to us, before pulling Tony into a hug. “How was the ‘fun-vee’?” He sighed. “Next time, you ride with me, okay?” I sighed through my nose and pointed to my mouth. “Oh my god!” He whispered in disbelief.

-Baby I’m preying on you tonight, hunt you down, eat you alive! Just like animals, animals, like animals, oh! Maybe you think that you can hide, I can smell your scent for miles! Just like animals, animals, like animals, oh!-

“Are you kidding with that?” Tony asked in disgust, waving off the stretcher thing. “Get rid of them.” I ignored Tony and Pepper’s banter, when suddenly he turned to me. “Well?” I cocked an eyebrow. “Well what?” I asked, and he sighed, before pulling me into the car. “Hey!” I cried. “I gave you a job, remember! You can live with me now.” I blinked in shock at the man, rubbing my eyes. “On one condition.”

“What?” Tony asked, true curiosity in his eyes. “Custom made glasses that turn into sunglasses in the sun, and have a mirror on the outside and see through on the other.” Tony leaned back as Pepper watched me warily. “Why?” I gave him a blank look and pointed to my eye.

“Take us to the hospital, Happy.” Pepper told the man, and Tony’s head snapped up. “No.” Pepper blinked in surprise. “No? Tony, you and Colonel Kadin have to go to the hospital.” Tony looked over at me and we nodded together. “No is a complete answer.” We said in unison, looking to Pepper. Without looking away from her we bumped fists. I was facing them with my back to the driver. “The doctor has to look at you both.” Pepper said sternly, looking between Tony and I.

“We don’t have to do anything. Look, we’ve been in captivity for three months. There are 2 things I want to do. I want an American Cheeseburger, and the other-!” Pepper cut him off, obviously thinking something dirty. “That’s enough of that.” Tony frowned lightly. “Is not what you think, Miss Potts.” I added. “I want to call for a press conference now.” He finished.

“Call for a press conference?” Pepper echoed in shock. “Yeah.” I answered, nodding. “He does.” Pepper gave me an incredulous look. “What on Earth for?” Tony ignored her and directed his next words to Happy. “Hogan, drive.” He said with finality. “Tony, we need the cheeseburgers first.” He quirked a smile at me. “Of course, Kady. Cheeseburgers!” I mimicked his words, with the exception of my name, and fist pumped the air at the same time.

Of course, we stopped at Burger King, and I gave him a look. “What?” He asked. “You wanted a good American Cheeseburger! Failing that, one of Burger King’s tasteless, squashed of grade D meat and soggy bread will do just fine.” I said cheerfully, sarcasm dripping from my words. “Well, where do you suggest?” Tony asked flatly. “Smashburger!” I cried, making jazz hands.

With 2 amazing Cheeseburgers in my hands and 2 in Tony’s, I ate as Tony started to get up to the press conference post, but he pulled me with him. Tony and I sat on the floor in front of the podium as Obadiah (that scumbag) said, “Hey, look who’s here! Yeah!”

“Hey, would it be alright if everyone would just sit down?” Tony asked, and I laughed airily, taking a bite out of my burger. I waited and nearly fell asleep until he said, “I never got to say goodbye to dad. I never got to say goodbye to my father.” He sighed through his nose. “There’s questions that I would have asked him. I would have asked how he felt about what his company did.” I don’t know why Tony pulled me up onto the stage. I’ve watched this press conference so many times it wasn’t even funny.

I nearly fell asleep as I leaned against the podium and sighed. Yada, yada, yada… Then suddenly I was pulled to my feet and pushed off the stage. “Kady!” Tony cried in shock and I turned, pushing myself to my feet. “What we should take away from this is that Tony is back and he’s healthier than ever!” Obadiah’s voice floated through the room, and I glared at him. Did Tony look fine?! And he freaking knew about the arc reactor, so why was he acting like that?!

Tony sent me to his Miami house with Pepper at the end of the conference. Just as well, if I had gone with him to see Stane near the Arc Reactor then I would have exploded. “What do you want with Tony?” Pepper suddenly asked me, emotionlessly. “What do you mean?” I asked, adjusting my hat ever so slightly.

“People have always been trying to use him for one thing or another, you saw what happened in Afghanistan. What do you want from him?!” She asked again, sitting up and leaning forward to glare at me. “I don’t want anything from him! I’m just trying to help my friend! He’s the one who kept me from going insane with the 10 Rings! He offered the job, I never even took it! He just assumed!” I cried back, hand pushing on my hat. Pepper leaned back and rested on the seat, glancing into my eyes, and I watched back.

-His little whispers, ‘Love me, Love me!’ That’s all I ask for, ‘Love me, Love me!’ He battered his tiny fists to feel something! Wondered what it’s like to touch and feel something! Monster, how should I feel? Creatures lie here, looking through the window!-

“Hey Kady, how big are your hands?” I raised one eyebrow at the genius beside me as I adjusted my new glasses. “Um…” Tony grabbed one of my wrists. “Alright, they’re small enough. Could you do a favor for me?” Oh no. Hell no. “I’m swapping the old Arc Reactor for this newer version, which will be keeping me alive for the foreseeable future.” He held it up for me.

“You need me to swap the reactors?” I asked, eyes wide. “You catch on quick. Exactly.” He pulled out the old one without actually ripping it out. “There’s an exposed wire underneath.” He ripped it out and I jumped in shock. “What-?!” He smiled at me tiredly. “Just set it on the table.” I obliged and turned back to him. “You’re just going to reach in and gently lift out the wire.” He explained softly, and I took a deep breath and slowly maneuvered my hand into the metal chest piece.

“It’s like Operation, just don’t let it touch the sides of the socket wall or it goes ‘beep’.” Tony continued. “Uh, I’m the worst person at Operation, I always lose!” I cried, grimacing with a wild expression on my face. “It’s ok, you’re going to do great.” He soothed. Oh well, at least Pepper’s not doing this. I definitely think Tony and Bruce are better together than Pepper and Tony.

“I am not qualified for this, Anthony.” I murmured, and he waved me off. “No, you’re fine. You’re the most capable, qualified, trustworthy person I’ve ever met. You’re doing great.” I sighed, before gently lifting the wire. It made a disgusting squelch and I flinched a little. This caused the stupid wire to touch the wall, causing him to cry out in pain.

Tears leaked from my eyes without meaning to, however, I still didn’t cry, which I’m pretty sure s unhealthy. “I’m so sorry, Tony!” I cried, and he shook his head. “I-its fine, Kady. It’s ok.” I pulled slowly. “Now there’s a magnet at the end of it.” I stopped. “Make sure to don’t pull it o-OUT!” I accidently yanked the magnet out and I stared wide eyed for a split second before I hurriedly grabbed the new arc reactor and started to put it into his chest. “I am so sorry, Tony!” I cried, before clicking the reactor into place and stepping back.

“Was that so hard?” I gave him a half-hearted glare. “That was fun, right?” He asked, and I softened, panting. “Don’t ever ask me to do anything like that again…” I mumbled. “Aw, but Kady, it’s either you or Pepper. I… I’ve known her for a long time…” Tony pulled himself up and swung his legs to the side. “But you- everything you’ve done…” He grimaced and turned his head. “Kady, just, just go.” He grumbled, and I looked down. “What do you want me to do with the-?!”

“Just throw it away!” Tony yelled, snapping up to glare at me. I gasped lightly, and rubbed at my eyes, where more tears had sprung, but did not fall down my cheeks. I haven’t cried, actually cried, since I was 17. Not when my adoptive parents died, but after, when I lost… well, I was not going to cry over Tony yelling a little.

“Not going to keep it, Mr. Stark?” I asked, going dark. “I was never a sentimental person, Colonel Retter.” He snarled back at me, and I looked away, wiping at my eyes before taking the reactor and leaving the room. “Hey Pepper?” I asked once I saw him. “What’s wrong?” She asked worriedly.

“Will you put this in a glass case for me?” I asked, handing the arc reactor to her. “Can you engrave it with the words, ‘Proof That Tony Stark Does Have a Heart’?” I asked, and she nodded. “Of course.” Pepper verbally answered, before leaving the room and taking the reactor with her.

“I’m sorry, Anthony.” I whispered to myself, playing with my camera I had grabbed from my jacket. Maybe it was time to make another video diary. Lord knows I’ll need them to remember everything.

Notes

So yeah. I hope you liked. Favorite, follow, review.