Nothings been the same since New York. Everything has changed. I can't sleep, when I do, I have nightmares. The only thing thing that keeps me sane is Pepper. Oh gosh, Pepper; honestly, I don't know where I'd be without her. "Tony!" I heard come down the stairs; it was Pepper, of course. I quickly close what I had open. She didn't sound angry which was a relief to me, possibly to some others as well.
She steps toward me, "We need to talk." She says.
I take a minute to drink the rest of my coffee, "Um, okay. You talk...and I'll consider listening." I reply getting up from my seat to take care of some designs I had made for an upgrade to the Iron Man suit.
"Tony," Pepper says soothingly. "This is important. It's about your father." She adds.
I freeze facing my design. My mind quickly races through images of my father. "What about him?" I ask her.
"He's alive, Tony," Pepper says with a slight frown that reflects in a screen in front of me. "He's in the hospital; they've worked him up to good health." She adds with somewhat of a cheery attitude. I didn't see how he could have survived all these years. Especially since that night of the plane crash. I thought I was the only survivor of that crash. "Which hospital?" I ask hesitantly.
"St. Marks." She said before answering her phone that had been ringing for almost two minutes.
"St. Marks," I mutter. "JARVIS."
"Yes sir?" Asked Jarvis.
"Get me a video feed from St. Marks hospital." I tell him.
"Yes sir." Jarvis replies.
I hear Pepper hang up; I look to the screen beside me that shows my father lying in a hospital bed. I feel Peppers arms wrap around me lovingly. "You should go see him." She suggests. "I am seeing him, just virtually." I reply lost in the screen.
"Tony, he's your father. You should go to the hospital and see him." She says.
"No, I'll stay here." I say frowning slightly.
Pepper hugged me and kissed my cheek, "Are you sure?" She asks.
I nod slowly, "Yeah, I'm sure." I say.
She pulled away from me, I turned around to face her directly. "Okay, so-" Pepper began before being interrupted by Jarvis.
"Excuse me sir, pardon my interruption, by Mr. Rhodes is here." Jarvis said.
"Rhodey? Send him down." I ask myself. I look to Pepper, "What's he doing here?" I ask Pepper quietly.
Pepper shrugged and leaned against the desk, I look at the door seeing Rhodey enter the pass-code for the door, I hear the code access alarm beep as Rhodey walks in.
"Tony, I need to talk to you about something." He said before looking at Pepper, "Alone if you don't mind. Ms. Potts." He adds.
Pepper frowns, "What's this about?" She asks.
"It's nothing to serious. I just need to speak with Tony about the matter." Rhodey replies.
"Then it shouldn't be a problem if I knew." Pepper said crossing her arms looking worried.
I nodded to Pepper, "Pep, go. I'll be up in a few minutes." I tell her.
She nodded with a sigh, grabbed a few files she had come down with and walked back up stairs. Rhodey looked at me and smirked slightly.
"What?" I asked.
"You and Pepper...?" He says.
"Is this what you wanted to talk about?" I ask raising an eyebrow.
"No, no." He replied shaking his head. "Remember Justin Hammer?" He asks.
"The one that teamed up with the psycho to try and ruin my company? How could I forget?" I reply walking over to the bar counter.
"Yeah, well, he escaped prison last night."
I freeze before I started to pour some Rum into a small glass, I take a small sip and approach Rhodey.
"Escaped. How the hell did he escape?"
"He faked an injury." Rhodey said with a sigh.
I set the glass down on my desk and fall into the chair, "Any idea where he is now?" I ask looking up at him curiously.
He shakes his head, "No. But we're concerned that he might come for you." He says.
I sigh, "Thanks for comin' to tell me, buddy."
"I'm going to have a few guys patrolling your house until we know he's not coming for you or Pepper. Until then, be careful."
"Careful is my middle name." I joked.
"Uh-huh, right. Look, just...try not to do anything stupid." He said.
"I make no promises." I say quickly.
Rhodey shakes his head and walks to the door, we walk up stairs, Pepper walks to me frowning.
"Is everything okay?" She asks.
"Everything's fine." I say with a positive tone.
Because, everything IS going to be okay. Hammer isn't taking a step into this house, not while I'm still breathing. I watch Rhodey slip his hat out from under his forearm and put it on, he makes his way to the door and looks back at me.
"Thank you for your time, Tony. Take care of yourself." He said opening the door.
Rhodey steps out and shuts the door, Pepper turns her back to the door and looks up at me almost glaring.
"Is everything okay?" She asks.
"Yeah, everything's fine."
"Are you sure?" She asks almost exactly after I answer her.
"Yes, I'm sure."
