The Characters and the plot of this story belongs to Marvel Studios.

The Only Exception

2008
Tony

Wonderful! First , I'm trapped in a cave in Afghanistan for 3 months, my entire living depends on palladium, I'm really hungry, people are still manufacturing my restricted weapons, I need some pizza, and there were just two military planes after me. Wonderful.

I wait for what feels like hours for the various, complex machines to finish dismantling the suit off me. My breath catches momentarily as I hear the clicking of heels making its way down the stairs to the workshop. I sigh in relief once I realize that my explanation to Pepper about the suit will be postponed, as the click of the heels that make its way down isn't practiced and professional, it's jittery and animated. I look over my shoulder to see my sister smiling knowingly at me and proceeds to kick her expensive Louboutins (the ones Pepper bugged her to buy) off before making her way towards me.

Elizabeth Maria Stark (to her birth certificate)/ Liz (to everyone else)/ Elizabeth (to Aunt Peggy)/ Lizzie (to me) isn't actually my biological sister. She's my biological niece. She's my sister in every other way but biologically. See, my actual older sister Bethany got knocked up and pregnant when she was sixteen. So in the delivery room (private, secluded delivery room that was literally the only room in that building since my dad had it built it for the sole purpose of delivering Beth's baby) there was this huge lightning (yep, just one lightning bolt) that hit the "hospital" evidentially killing everyone there except Lizzie, who didn't even get one strand of hair burnt (lucky bitch). She got out of that alive. She also got out of it with these massive, amazing powers. Meaning she can produce, control and emit fire, water, ice and most importantly electricity from her tiny little hands. About a year ago, she saved the city by holding up a transmission tower for six hours (using electricity and ice). Now everyone calls her 'Tricity', which is the most stupid name, people have ever given a hero (not that there are much anyway).

Well, I watch her make her way to me and watch her as she sits on the desk and I watch her as she quietly observes the machine. I internally panic. She is never quiet. She always has something to say. You see, she can never complete a sentence without rambling about something arbitrary mid-sentence, hence going off topic, which results in a 30 second answer to turn into a to a 2 minute conversation between Liz and Liz until you stop her.

"Anything wrong?"

I shake her out of whatever thought bubble she was in.

"Huh?"

"I asked if everything was ok. Your unusually quiet." I watch as the mechanical arms place my suit parts on different tables and walk up to her.

"Um. No. I'm fine. Nothing unusual. I mean, I'm quiet because I'm thinking of what to say because I usually don't think before I talk unless what I'm talking about is really important and has to be soul touching and brain shocking, not in the bad way though but in the good way, you know, the way when you actually ponder and consider what the person is saying and try to look at it from their point of view, that type of brain shocking cause I don't mean the one where you shock your brain cause I definitely don't want you to shock your brain cause I really care about you and it would really suck if your brain got shocked. But, so, ya, I'm fine I was just checking in on you. Well, no. I wasn't just checking in on you, I wanted to talk to you about something which is what I was thinking about, which is why I'm so quiet cause I'm doing some serious word assembling and..." see, I told you.

"What do you want to tell me?"

"Rhodey called me. Apparently, you were in the suit and you were attacking Gulmira. And I know why you're doing this and apparently Rhodey knows who the man behind the suit is but he doesn't quite get why you're doing it, which is something you need to do. Explain the whole purpose of the suit and what exactly your gonna do with that suit, we really need a name for it, cause it would really get tiring after a few days, if you're planning to keep it for a few days or more, if everyone keeps referring to it as 'the suit'. But all you need to do is wait, cause eventually people will see that thing flying around and they will think of a name itself. How does Red sound?" While ranting about my suit, and Rhodey and a bunch of other things I didn't quite get, she plays around with the metal hand of my suit electrically moving it around the air.

"I'll talk to Rhodey. Try to get him to understand, maybe even back me up if I'm ever gonna have to do a repeat of today. Sorry sis, but I'm gonna have to get going cause there is some stock meeting and if I don't go, Pepper will be on my case and I'll really be screwed this time. And no, we are not naming the suit and I 'Red'. It's even worse than 'Tricity'." And I run up the stairs dodging the cold snowball that flies past my head and hits the wall (never anger someone with ice powers unless you know how to dodge the snowballs they playfully throw at you) as I hear her laugh and run behind me.

The Next Day
Liz

God! These shoes are so painful. How the hell does Pepper wear these every day? I pause for a minute to shake my right foot before walking into the conference room located in the top floor of my hospital. As I walk in, the other members of the table immediately quite down and I take my seat at the head of the table. I give a small nod to Richard, the head of security, indicating for him to commence his presentation. As I wait for him to set up, I look at the glass walls that display my reflection. My long, dark, wavy hair is pulled back into one of those complicated buns Pepper makes, my usual makeup-free face contains some tan eye shadow, eyeliner, and mascara which make my brown eyes look much bigger. I smooth out the wrinkle on the white dress I wore today, and I uncomfortably uncross my legs.

Unlike most days where I'm running around the hospital stitching someone up, mending a broken arm, or removing a bullet, today I have to do some real CEO work. I own Stark Med Care, a successful, international, medical chain that is involved with hospitals, clinics and pharmacies (which was kinda weird in the beginning since my brother owned a weapons company that literally manufactured equipment whose sole purpose was to cause injury and I owned a medical chain that helped people, but since Afghanistan and the closure of the weapon part of the company it's getting better now). My usual day-to-day clothing includes some nice comfortable jeans and simple top and my "doctor coat" or scrubs. Today is not one of those days, I think to myself as I partially listen to Richard go on about securing the perimeter of the building and security cameras. I catch his gaze, I encouragingly give him a smile, and he continues. I wish Happy was here, he would find some way to throw Richard off guard with a question which usually results in him cutting his presentation short in fear that Happy might ask another question, but it's my brother's turn to get Happy for his meeting (we take turns bringing Happy to our meetings). My phone lights up and I quickly bring it under my desk and lower the brightness.

Knight: How's the meeting going?
Lizzie: Horrible. This guy won't shut up. Can I have Happy?
Knight: No can do little sister. He's mine all day. And all night...
Lizzie: I didn't need to know that but I like your way of coming out.
Knight: Shut up. I'm not gay.
Knight: Hey, does a scrawny, blond haired, blue-eyed guy seem like Pepper's type?
Lizzie: I don't know. Why?
Knight: Cause' he keeps staring at her!
Knight: Do you think they're dating?
Knight: I should do a background check on him.
Knight: Lizzie?

I internally roll my eyes. Pepper and Tony (Knight) better get their act together and start kissing the hell out of each other soon because if I see any more of those long loving eye locks, and that incredibly thick sexual tension the appears whenever the two of them are in a room together, I'm going to forcefully lock their lips together with ice and not unfreeze them until they admit they like each other.

But all silliness aside, Tony likes Pepper. I knew that when I saw her at the front desk of his office a week after she was hired (the other female didn't last that long). Pepper likes Tony. She wouldn't have chose to work for him if she didn't (his reputation was very well known). I like Pepper (and yes, that is an important factor). She's smart, fun, talented, witty and a great friend.

Tony really likes Pepper. She wouldn't have lasted 10 whole years if he didn't. There wouldn't be a 'Pepper's Room' in the mansion if he didn't. There wouldn't be a 'Pepper Potts access code to all the rooms in the house' if he didn't. Pepper really likes Tony. She wouldn't have accepted the room and the access codes if she didn't. She wouldn't work her ass of everyday, get Tony food, get his clothes and drag him to meetings if she didn't. She wouldn't spend 10 whole years with him if she didn't.

Tony is in love with Pepper. He wouldn't be fretting and pacing across the room in total panic when she's late for work if he weren't. He wouldn't keep tabs on her parents to make sure that they are safe if he isn't. His eyes wouldn't follow her whenever she was around if he isn't. He wouldn't smile those real, deep smiles at her if he weren't. Pepper is in love with Tony. She wouldn't have spent the entire 3 months of Tony's captivity crying her eyes out of she isn't. She wouldn't have slept in Tony's bed during those 3 months if she weren't. She wouldn't give him affectionate smiles and her eyes wouldn't linger on him while he's working if she isn't. She wouldn't have stopped covering her freckles with makeup because he told her he liked them if she isn't. Tony and Pepper are in love with each other. Maybe I should try that ice trick.

"What do you think about my idea Ms. Stark" Richard's voice grabs me out of my daze.
I blink once, then twice. I smile and then I face him.

"Wonderful idea and presentation Richard. Now everyone back to work."

Later On During That Week (Or, On the Roof at Stark Industries)
Tony

I mentally berate myself for not seeing this coming. Come on Stark! The man was a walking, talking human bomb and you didn't even realize! And he made a suit! How did he make a suit? What the hell is my life? I think as Obadiah tosses me around like a puppet.

"Sir, the suit is losing an immense amount of power."
No shit Sherlock!
"I kinda got that part J.A.R.V.I.S. Now tell me something I don't already know!" I dodged a fist.

"Sir there is something coming your way. It's traveling at a immensely great speed; I am unable to scan the object." I dodge another punch and I brace myself when I see Stane's other 'arm' coming at me for an additional punch.

A peculiar rope-like, wire of electricity surges from beside me and I turn to the source as my sister twists her hands and strikes them forward, causing Stane to stumble backward. She turns to face me.

"Can we fire him after this?" The corner of her mouth tips to the side.

"He's all yours sis. But first, lets create an 'after this'." She nods and puts a gloved hand to her ear (She has a suit too. You can't emit ice and fire if there is a possibility that it will burn your leg or arm or something. With Pepper's help, we created a blue and gold 'suit' that was bullet proof, and comfortable. Now, I'm no fashion prince but the suit looks pretty good, actually. Her blue and gold leather jacket is made from Kevlar which ultimately protects her from bullets. It's usually zipped up three quarters of the way since Pepper claims it look much better that way, so she wears a white tank top which has melted gold titanium alloy scattered across the front and back to create a shield and a really cool design which was also Pepper's idea. She wears leather boots and leather pants which has a more thin and flimsy version of Kevlar that is contained inside the fabric. Bottom line is; her suits awesome.)

Right, so she puts her gloved (blue with gold titanium alloy) hand to her ear.

"Friday, how much power do I need to get rid of that thing? Not get rid of it as in kill him cause I don't want him dead. I mean not that I care if he's dead or not, well I kinda would but I just want to break that suit apart. How much power do I need?" Similar to J.A.R.V.I.S., Friday is Lizzie's personal A.I. It (she) manages her company and her personal life and helps her when she's 'Tricity' in the form of contacts lenses and an earpiece.
She turns to look at me. Her face is apologetic and guilty.
"I don't have enough power to break something that technologically advanced."

Well, back to plan A.
"Get Stane to the skylight on top of the original reactor so I can blow it up!"

She looks at me as if I lost her mind but then runs towards Stane who has managed to get back on his feet after the harsh blow he received. One of the things I love about my sister (there are many); she questions my crazy, messed-up antic after she has finished helping me with it (If I asked) so if it does somehow end up successful, she hasn't blown up at me for no reason and picked a fight. I instruct Pepper to press the button when I say so and run to help my sister in the fight.

My sister had her powers ever since she was born so Aunt Peggy thought it was a good idea to teach her combat along with how to use and control her powers. It sure as hell paid off I think, as I watch my sister do a series of graceful flips, kicks and punches as a multitude of colour flies around her, all sizzling with energy making it beautifully lethal. I fly towards her contributing my own series of Repulsor blasts.

"I've always had a suspicion that you were Tricity honey. Tony here always looked so smug whenever your alter ego came on the TV. Now I know for sure." The suit made Obadiah's voice sound eerily creepy and villainous, guess he forgot to make those changes (or maybe the villainous voice was intentional.) While he was speaking to my sister, I fired up my arm to its full capacity and gave Stane a quick but hard punch to the center of his suit. With that, the colourful tornado of electricity that was circling around us the entire time (courtesy of Lizzie) merged together and flew towards Stane and landed on him with a crash knocking him towards the skylight just as I screamed "NOW!" to Pepper.

The two of us stood there, on the roof as Stane recovered from the electric mega-blast he received. On the corner of my eye I saw Pepper run into the car a fair distance from the building, I sighed in relief, the fear in my chest vanishing. I felt it before I saw it, and Lizzie and I zoomed away; me flying on my repulsors and her gliding across water, which formed a river like path for her to zoom through, as the building blast with a blinding blue light.

~.~.~~.~.~~.~.~~.~.~~.~.~~.~.~~.~.~~.~.~~.~.~~.~.~~.~.~~.~.~~.~.~~.~.~~.~.~~.~.~~.~.~~.~.~

"The truth is..."

I look up and catch my sister's eye. She knows what I'm thinking, she knows what I'm gonna do. She smiles fondly, crosses her arms, and watches me.

"I am Iron Man."
And as the media goes crazy and the reporters have seizures, my eyes find her once more to see that she is has a full on smile now, the one with the cute eye twinkle and the dimple that makes her look so much like Beth.

God I Love My Sister!