Believing In Heroes

I held the present Pepper helped me make in a box wrapped in red and gold paper. I may not like Tony that way, but if I do all this stuff maybe Pepper won’t get together with him and Stanner could happen. Tony looked up when I walked in, and I gave the box a ginger squeeze before setting it down on the table he was at. His biggest peeve- doesn’t like to be handed things.

“What?” He asked, furrowing his eyebrows. “It’s a present, now open it.” I said, trying to keep the true eagerness out of my voice. “Kady… I-!” He looked ready to say sorry, regret in his face, but I just pointed to the box. “Open it, Tony.” I said in a voice that left no room for protesting. Tony gave a sigh and slowly tore the paper off it, but looked like he liked the colors, so hey, that’s cool. The glass case with the old reactor sat in the case, and he read the words inscribed in it before looking up at me with wide eyes. “There, will you be happy now? You… You’re my best friend, Tony. Better than my last best friend, Ally, was. I…” My throat constricted a little as I was about to say I love you. Once I said it the first time it was always so easy to say it again, but it takes so much to force myself to say it that first time. “I care about you, Tony. I hope you realize that.”

Tony looked down at the glass case for a while, and I actually he was going to say that I was stupid to care for him, or that suddenly he hated the present now that Pepper didn’t give it to him. He said none of the above, and instead asked me, “How would you like to see what I’ve been working on?” And all I could do was smile and nod.

-I remember tears streaming down your face when I said I’d never let you go. When all those shadows almost killed your light. I remember you said don’t leave me here alone. But all that’s dead and gone and passed, tonight.-

“Um, maybe you should start with less than 10%, Tony.” I warned, and he shrugged me off. “Its fine, just 10%! Alright, 3, 2, 1!” He immediately thrusted into the air, and hit the wall behind him with a loud thunk. I gasped and jumped to my feet as Dummy sprayed him with foam. “Alright, set that…” I heard his voice grumble from the floor. “Time to work on the stabilizers.” I told him cheerfully, and he gave a huff.

A few hours later I was seated beside him as he tinkered with the hand thing, and Pepper stepped in. “I’ve been buzzing you, did you hear the intercom?” She asked, and I blinked. “The intercom buzzed?” I asked, and she nodded. “Obadiah’s upstairs.” Tony didn’t look up. “Great!”

I ignored them until Tony readied the glove, then I dove to get out of the way as it shot out, and he was sent flying. “You almost hit me!” I cried, and he rubbed his head with his ungloved hand. “Sorry, Kady, I didn’t expect that.” I sighed, and glanced at Pepper. “We’re going up now.” I grumbled, pulling Tony off the floor, fixing my glasses and hat, and heading up the stairs.

“How’d it go?” Tony asked once we got up the stairs. Obadiah glanced up at him from the piano but didn’t say anything. I poked the box of pizza. “Jeeze, Tony, it went badly.” I murmured, showing him the box. I took 2 pieces and gave one to Tony, eating one myself. Tony nodded in agreement, before starting to eat the slice.

“Just because I brought pizza back from New York doesn’t mean it went bad.” Obadiah said, giving me a look. Tony noticed and frowned. “Hey, Obie, don’t be mean to my best friend.” His mouth was full of food, so it was sort of disgusting, but sweet that he was sticking up for me. I gave a sad half smile but stayed quiet.

Obadiah sighed. “Look, it would have gone better if you were there.” I scoffed. “Do you want him to take it easy or go out there and work? You can’t have both.” Tony nodded. “Exactly!” Obadiah sighed as if we were children. We probably are acting like it. “You have to lay low in public. The press. This was a board of directors meeting!”

“This was a board of directors meeting?” Tony asked. “The board is claiming you have post-traumatic stress disorder. They’re filing an injunction.” I glared over at Obadiah, though with these glasses on it probably doesn’t look like it. “And who started to talk about the injunction?” I asked darkly. He swallowed a little.

“Just because the stocks dipped 40 points? We knew that was going to happen.” Tony said, acting like he was oblivious to the whole thing. “56 and a half.” Pepper added. “It doesn’t matter.” Tony continued on. “We own the controlling interest in the company.”

I ignored them then, picking up one of those cool Stark Pad things. I started to slowly hack into the transcript from the board of directors meeting. Jarvis, thank the lord, helped me out cause I’m not that good. I saved the file and was about to try and hack into Obadiah’s computer when Tony pulled me to my feet and grabbed the pizza. “I’ll be in my shop, and I’m taking Kady with me!” He called, but Obadiah took my arm. Wait, what?! “Tony, come on, listen! I’m trying to turn this thing around but you gotta give me something! Something to pitch them.” Obadiah’s eyes travelled to the arc reactor. “Let me have the engineers analyze that. You know, draw up some specs.”

Tony glared at him and grabbed my other arm, pulling me out of Obadiah’s grip. “No. No, absolutely not.” Obadiah grit his teeth. “It’ll give me a bone to throw the boys in New York!” He grabbed my arm again! “Why are you guys grabbing me?!” I finally asked, ripping myself from both of their hands, rubbing my arms while giving them both looks. “Look, this one and Kady stay with me. That’s it, Obie.” Obadiah exhaled harshly and grabbed the pizza. “Alright, well, this one stays with me, then.”

I fixed my hat and glasses, before rushing down the stairs to the lab. Ever since Tony got back from talking with Obadiah after the press conference I was given free admittance to the lab and anywhere else in the house. I found the lab the most comfortable, and I sat behind the counter, before pulling my hat and glasses off. My ears stood straight up a moment since they had been cooped up in the hat the whole time. I didn’t stop the magic I used to keep my skin human color and keep the human ears, though.

When I heard Tony rushing down the stairs, I put the hat back on, but kept the glasses off. Still no tears. I’m pretty sure that’s unhealthy, but I don’t cry, and maybe that’s a good thing now that I’m in Marvel. “Hey, Kady, you ok?” Tony asked, looking over the counter at me. I looked up into his eyes from my seated position. “Yeah, Tony. I’m fine.” I answered. He gave me a sad smile and scratched the back of my head underneath my hat before leaving me alone.

-Oh dear diary, I met a boy. He made my dull heart light with joy! Oh dear diary, we fell apart! Welcome to the life of Electra Heart!-

“Day 11, test 37, configuration 2.0. Kady is now on fire safety, since I don’t trust Dummy. Please don’t douse me unless I’m actually on fire.” I shrugged and gave him a grin. “No promises.” He grimaced a little and got ready. “All right, nice and easy. Seriously, just gonna start with 1% lift capacity.” I nodded. “Don’t hit the awning again.” He glared at me and took a deep breath. “Alright, 3, 2, 1.” He gently lifted into the air and I smiled lightly.

Tony landed again and I made sure to keep the extinguisher pointed at him. “Please don’t follow me around with that. I feel like I’m gonna catch on fire spontaneously.” I sighed and relaxed the extinguisher. “Thank you. And again, let’s bring it to 2.5.” He counted down and lifted, before suddenly veering towards the cars. “Where are you going, Tony?!” I cried. “Okay this is where I don’t want to be! Not the car, not the car!” I winced as he hovered over his long line of cars.

He floated over the table and I moved out of the way as papers started flying and he nearly hit me. “Table! Sorry Kady! Oh, could be worse, it could be worse.” He settled back to the test area and set down. “We’re fine! Ok. Yeah, I can fly.” Tony looked over at me and gave me a toothy smile. I joined him and gave a breathy laugh, before fixing my hat which was close to falling off.

-Lying on a fake beach, you’ll never get a tan! Baby, I’m gonna leave you drowning, till you reach for my hand!-

“Alright Kady, I have a job for you.” I looked up at Tony. “What?” I asked. “I uploaded Jarvis into the suit, but I need you to have a headphone in to keep me from doing anything to dangerous.” I gave him a look. “Is this really to keep you safe, or are you worried about me? Or are you going to get lonely up there with just you and Jarvis?” I asked, and he gave a slight blush.

“Just put this in your ear and take off your glasses so you can put this on.” Tony grumbled, handing me glasses-like things that had live footage of whatever Tony saw in the suit. I put it on and put the ear thing in my ear. Good thing my magic was good enough that I could hear through the human ears.

“Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3. Can you hear me, Tony?” I asked. “Yeah, can you hear me?” I gave a nod and answered, “Yeah. Are you gonna fly, Mr. Stark?” I asked wryly. I heard his smile in his voice when he answered, “Of course, Colonel Retter.” And he was off.

“Do a weather and ATC check. Start listening in on ground control.” Tony told Jarvis, and Jarvis’ voice filled my ear and Tony’s. Cool! “Sir, there are still terabytes of calculations needed before an actual flight is-!” Tony cut the British voice off. “Jarvis, sometimes you got to run before you can walk.” I watched the Iron Man fly off through the garage, yelling, “It handles like a dream!” and I grinned again. “Alright Tony, can you still hear me?” I asked. “Yeah Kady, we’re still connected. This is awesome! I have to make you one!”

“Oh Tony.” I shook my head as his sight filled mine, and I laughed as it nearly felt like I was actually flying, actually him. “Alright, let’s see what this thing can do.” I grimaced. “What’s SR-7’s record?” He asked. “The altitude record for fixed wing flight is 85,000 feet, sir.”

“Tony, if you go to high you can start icing.” I warned. “Stop worrying, Kady! Records are made to be broken!” I sighed and pulled myself to sit on the table. “Right, Tony. That’s exactly what you do when a woman is worrying about something- tell them not to worry…” I chided him, and he laughed at me. “Sir, there is a potentially fatal buildup of ice occurring.” Jarvis told Tony, and I jumped off the table. “I told you, Tony! I wish we made a bet, I could use some money.”

Tony probably rolled his eyes at me, but I couldn’t actually see that. “We iced up, Kady!” He suddenly cried as the footage from the suit shut off from the glasses, and worry settled in me. “Deploy flaps, Jarvis!” I heard him cry, before the ear thing stopped. I was completely cut off from Tony!

I pulled the ear thing out of my ear for a little bit then put it back in, before giving a scream as suddenly the sound came back. ”KADY! Ugh, finally, you worried me! We’re here, I’m at the roof. Ok, Jarvis. Kill power.” And then the sound of him crashing the roof went through my ear before he landed on the other side of the garage. I gave a shriek and jumped onto the table as he groaned where he landed. “Remind me to fix the icing problem… And the landing problem…” Tony groaned, and I winced, before slinking off the table and going toward him. “You ok?” He flipped the mask and gave me a half- hearted glare. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

-Voices won’t go away! They stay for days and days, they say some awful things, ways to make you fade away! I don’t think no one’s home, and we’re just here alone, I better find you first, before you find the phone.-

“Notes. Main transducer feels sluggish at 40 altitude.” I glanced over at Tony who held an ice pack on his head and was talking to Jarvis. I was laying on the couch in the lab on my stomach. “Hull pressurization is problematic. I’m thinking icing is the probable factor.” I scoffed. “No shit, Sherlock.” He gave me a look.

“Perhaps if you intend to visit other planets, we should improve the exosystems.” Jarvis said, and I laughed. “I wish you had a hand, Jarv. I would totally high five and/or bro fist you.” I could practically hear the AI’s smile. “Thank you, Miss Retter.” I smiled at the ceiling. “You, sir, can call me Kady.”

I turned to the TV while Tony told Jarvis what he needed to change the armor. “Tonight’s red-hot red carpet is right here at the Disney Concert Hall, where Tony Stark’s third annual benefit for the Firefighter’s Family Fund has become the place to be for LA’s high society.” The woman on the TV said. “Hey, Jarvis, did we get an invitation to that?” Tony asked. “I have no record of an invitation, sir.”

“… Whatever the case may be, no one expects an appearance from him tonight.” The woman finished, and I chuckled. “The render is complete.” Jarvis said, and I looked at the picture from behind Tony. “A little flashy, huh?” I asked. Tony looked up at me and I sort of wished I had put on the glasses. “How about add some hot rod red?” He asked without looking away from me, and I cocked an eyebrow. “Yes, that should help you keep a low profile.” Jarvis said sarcastically. “The render is complete.”

“I like it.” I said, smiling at Tony. He nodded. “Fabricate it. Paint it.” Tony ordered Jarvis. “Commencing automated assembly. Estimated completion time is 5 hours.” Tony stood and looped his arm through my arm, making me squeak. “Ready to go?” He asked, and I sighed. “We’re crashing your party?” I asked flatly, and he nodded cheekily, yelling back to Jarvis, “Don’t wait up for us, Honey!”

“At least you’re not taking me to a casino…” I grumbled, and Tony smiled at me. “I should take you to a casino. You’re good t gambling with me, imagine the money you’ll win!” I glared at him. “Let’s just go, Tony.” He laughed and pulled me into a car. “See you, Jarvis!” I called to the AI, and he actually said goodbye to me! Alright, let’s just hope he doesn’t dance with Pepper.

Notes