"I am Ironman." Those three words changed the lives of the Starks and everyone associated with them exactly less than half a year ago. If Vanessa thought her life was hectic before it was even more so now.

Everyone wanted to know what it was like to have a hero for a dad, which was definitely a step up from what's it like to a have an alcohol abusing skirt chaser for a dad. Some people were even asking when she'd get a suit of her own.

But on a brighter side Sue was pregnant with her and Reed's first child. The baby shower had been wonderful filled with friends and laughter. Vanessa had made a mobile that projected beautiful scenes from space in a 3D holographic image as well as playing all sorts of soft lullaby and other lilting music all of it fit into a pretty mobile that would hang above the baby's crib. It had been great fun and then there was what was happening right now.

"What's your twenty dad?" Vanessa asked into her earpiece as she stood in the wings of the stage.

"Coming down right now, just got to get through the…OW!…fireworks." Tony said having been hit by one of the colorful projectiles. "Are they aiming for me?"

"Hurry up." Vanessa said rolling her eyes. "We don't have all night."

"Your concern for my safety is overwhelming." Tony said sarcastically. "Coming in for a landing now."

He dropped in through the open roof landing in his customary pose then stood up his hands raised in the air. Robotic arms came up and took the Ironman suit off as the scantily clad dancers moved around behind him. The music came to an end with all of the dancers around him their hands outstretched showing the 'repulsers'.

"Ah, it's good to be back." Tony said as he clapped his hands together. "I missed you to."

"Blow something up." Someone in the crowd shouted.

"Blow something up? I already did that." Tony said with a self-confident smirk. "I'm not saying that the world is enjoying its longest period of uninterrupted peace because of me, I'm not saying from the ashes of captivity never had a better phoenix metaphor been personified in human history…" Tony said as he bowed his head slightly.

"I'm not saying that Uncle Sam can kick back on a lawn chair, sipping on an iced tea because I haven't come across anyone whose man enough to go toe to toe with me on my best day…" Tony said then Vanessa took her que and walked out on the stage.

"What about woman enough?" Vanessa said as she strutted across the stage with a confident smile wearing a long single sleeved silver fitted cocktail dress that reached down to mid thighs and strappy silver heels. "Because I think I could take you down a couple of notches."

The cheers erupted mixing with wolf whistles and cat calls as Vanessa flipped her long straight hair over her shoulder and stood next to Tony.

"I'm not too sure about that." Tony said as he out his arm around her in a hug.

"I love you Tony!" Someone shouted.

"Marry me Vanessa!" Someone else shouted. The cheers continued until Tony put up his hands silencing them.

"Please it's not about me, or her, or even you." Tony said taking a couple of steps. It's not even about us."

"Well then why don't you tell us what it's all about dad?" Vanessa said and felt a little bit of her soul die as she repeated these scripted words.

"I think I will. It's all about legacy, it's about what we choose to leave behind." Tony said as he wrapped his arm around Vanessa again. "What we choose to leave for future generation and that's why for the next year and the first time since 1979 the best and brightest men and women of the nation and corporation of the world over will pull their resources and share their collective data to leave behind a brighter future." The crowd burst into more cheering. "It's not about us, therefore what I'm saying if I'm saying anything is welcome back…to the Stark Expo." More loud cheering. "Now before I go any further I do believe we have a special guest."

"And who would that be dad?" Vanessa asked feeling like she was the straight man for a comedy act gone horribly wrong.

"Making a special guest appearance from the great beyond and to tell you all about it, please welcome my dad Howard Stark." Tony said and gestured up to the screen.

Both Stark's walked off stage as Howard began to talk. Once in the back Vanessa starred up at the screen and couldn't help, but to wonder what he would have thought of her. She glanced over to her side and noticed her dad was not there. She spotted him standing next to a table with some strange pager looking thing in his hand.

"What's that?" Vanessa asked as she walked over to him, but he slipped whatever it was into his pocket before she could get a good look.

"It's nothing, you ready to go?" Tony asked as Howard finished up.

"Yes, I need a nap." Vanessa said with a groan as she leaned against Tony. They followed Happy down the hall where they paused outside the doors.

"It's a zoo out there so watch out." Happy warned as he made sure that both Starks were in his line of vision.

"Into the breach once more." Vanessa said before the stepped out and were instantly set upon by fans and reporters. They smiled and waved as they went along, her dad signing a few autographs and such. When they finally left the raging crowd behind they came up to their cars.

"That wasn't so bad." Happy commented.

"No, it was perfect." Tony said.

"Yeah, no one grabbed my butt this time." Vanessa said startling both men.

Vanessa laughed to herself as she walked over to her green Ferrari with gold accents listening to the men make plans for watching her more closely then they noticed the woman leaning up against Tony's car.

"Look what we got here, the new model." Happy said as Vanessa leaned against her car waiting to see what the woman wanted.

"Hey, does she come with the car?" Tony asked as they walked.

"I certainly hope so." Happy said.

"Hi." Tony said shaking the woman's hand.

"Hi." She replied.

"And you are?" Tony prompted.

"Marshal." She answered.

"Irish, I like it." Tony said.

"Please to meet you, Tony." Marshal said.

"I'm on the wheel. So you mind?" Tony asked as he circled the car. "Where you from?"

"Bedford." She said.

"What are you doing here?" Tony asked.

"Looking for you." She shamelessly flirted.

"Yeah? You found me." Tony said getting into the convertible. "What are you up to later?"

"Serving subpoenas." She held a white envelope.

"Yikes." Tony cringed as Happy reached over rand took the paper.

"He doesn't like to be handed things." Happy explained.

"Yeah, I have a peeve." Tony said.

"I got it." Happy said tucking it away.

"You are hereby ordered to appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee tomorrow morning at 9:00 am." She said.

"Can I see you badge?" Tony asked.

"You wanna see my badge?" She asked still flirting.

"He likes the badge." Happy said as she held it up.

"You still like it?" She asked.

"Yep." Tony replied. "How far are we away from DC?"

"DC? 250 miles." Happy answered.

"Vanessa we're taking a road trip." Tony called out.

"I heard, makes me glad I always pack an emergency overnight bag." Vanessa said as she hoped into her car and reeved the engine. She followed her dad as they peeled out of the parking lot.