Second chapter. Enjoy!
Skye stared at the dorm building in disgust, checking the slip of paper again. The name matched.
She shouldered past a muscle man holding another man in a chokehold, both laughing. A girl in five inch pumps, too tall for walking across muddy grass, was holding a case of beer casually. She waved it up in the air at a boy across the quad who hollered in happiness. Skye forced a smile as a guy bumped into her trying to catch a football.
The dorm room hallways were small, full of doors open with people spilling out and around. Skye walked upstairs two flights and groaned at the sight of even more people milling around. A half-naked guy ran out the door, his chest painted red and grey.
"SCIENCE BOWL CHAMPIONS!" He shouted, stumbling down the hallway. Skye rolled her eyes. What else would MIT get excited for?
Skye found the room that her paper said, walking inside and putting her bag down. It was a big room, much bigger than she expected. "Hey, roomie?" Skye turned to see a short girl standing in the doorway. She had thick square glasses and short brown pixie-cut hair that reminded Skye a little of the Velma character off of Scooby-doo. Skye nodded and the other girl beam, pulling her into a hug. "I'm Chloe." Skye awkwardly pat Chloe's back, wishing the other girl would let her go.
"Cool. I'm Skye." Chloe backed up and waved her hands around her head excitedly.
"That is such a cool name! I wanted to change my name to Summer, because this physic told me that summer was my season. Dad threatened to disown me, though. He's really old fashioned. So, what's your major?"
"Computer science and engineering." Skye said. She felt out of place, but quickly fell into her carnival attitude. Confidence existed only to be shoved as the fall back emotion. Confidence in yourself inspired respect and admiration. It worked well through high school too. "What about you?"
"Oh, I'm in for Political Science. I want to be senator one day, then hopefully president." Chloe said, full of confidence. Skye smiled.
A great friendship was starting.
Skye flopped down onto the ground beside Chloe, bent in half she was laughing too much. Chloe took one look and laughed back at her. "You can not handle yourself in public. Seriously, why not wear a shirt that has drunk written on it?" Skye shook her head.
"Not drunk." She denied. "Not drunk at all. High, quite possibly, but not drunk." Skye said. She knew how much it took for her to get drunk, she had found that out a lot over the years, and two beers was not that at all. Chloe giggled and took another swig of the beer.
"You're so funny." She said. Skye looked up at the sky, waving at the stars. They were on the quad, a blanket spread out so the two of them could sit without getting muddy. The stars seemed to be winking in and out at them, dancing around a small crescent moon. "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players." Chloe quoted.
"They have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts," Skye responded. "Shakespeare, a man who loved language more than any woman."
"Or man." Chloe said. She shrugged a sweatshirt-covered shoulder. "All those rumors about him having a man lover he wrote the plays for. 'Romeo and Juliet' was supposed to be written for the servant boy of a neighbor."
"Progressive boy, our William was." Skye turned her head lazily to look at the new face. Medium height, black hair, expensive clothes. "You didn't tell me you were having a party tonight, Chloe."
"Shut up, Stark." Chloe demanded, passing the bottle back to Skye. "I'm having a conversation with Skye. He's Tony Stark, Professor Clemens's teaching assistant."
"Ouch. That hurts." Tony said, throwing a hand dramatically over his chest. "I'll have you know that I am a great conversationalist." He paused before winking at Skye. "Among other things that I excel at." Skye laughed at him.
"Like chess?" She joked.
Tony laughed. "Sure, I'm excellent at chess." Tony sat down beside them and grabbed the beer confidently, taking a swig. "So, Skye what?"
Skye stopped laughing and became serious. "Skye, only that. Why?" Tony shrugged and took another swig.
"Curious."
"Curiosity killed the cat, only satisfaction brought it back and I can assure you, you ain't getting any satisfaction from me." Skye warned. Then she nodded toward the bottle. "So you mind? We kind of have to make that one last for a while." Tony handed it back and it was passed around again.
Tony stretched out beside them, his hands behind his head. "You guys do this every night, then?" They shook their heads.
"Nah." Chloe said. We got better things to do usually. Tonight's just special. It's Skye's birthday." She bumped the younger girls shoulder. "She's turning 20 tonight. Right?"
Skye nodded, humming an agreement. In the back of her mind she felt slightly guilty. She was not 20, she was not even 18. She leaned back on the blanket and wished herself a happy 14th birthday. It had almost been enough years for her to be old enough to drive.
"Happy birthday, Princess." Tony wished, almost sarcastically. She ignored the sarcasm in the statement and thanked him. A woman's voice called Tony's name and he groaned, rolling his eyes. "Hell no."
"Tony! Tony, baby!" A blonde girl and a red head both practically raced over to them. "Tony! I totally forgot to give you my email. Well, I'm fairly certain I forgot to give you phone number too, but I'm not fully sure. Luckily, though, Amanda here told me to just give it to again. Here it is." She paused and leaned down to give a full view of her cleavage. "You know, we're free tonight if you want to catch dinner, and then maybe…" The blonde trailed off, no one missing what she was implying.
"Maybe later, Katie." Tony told her. "Maybe later." She pouted and crossed her arms, boobs getting even further pushed up.
"Twenty bucks if she falls out of her shirt." Chloe whispered. Skye nodded. Although they were bound to fall out soon anyway, Skye was always open to winning money through luck. Especially when she didn't have any money to lose and Chloe always forgot to collect on money.
Amanda wrapped an arm around the other girl to pull her away and her shirt almost came up short on one side, but it was caught in time. She moved away along with the other girl.
"Damn you." Chloe snapped, she dug a twenty out of her pocket and stuffed it in Skye's waiting fist. "That was my last twenty, you know. You are paying next time we go somewhere." Skye gave a short laugh of rejection. Like hell she was paying.
Skye tilted her head toward Tony who was laughing as he figured what they were betting on. "You just won me twenty bucks. You can stay all you like, rich boy."
Skye walked upstairs to the apartment she had rented, trying to ignore the difference between it and her dorm. Even her dorm, as small and as gross smelling as it was, was clean and didn't have hookers and drug dealers on the stairs. A man in a large green overcoat called out to her and she ignored him beyond flipping him off.
She grabbed for the new key and opened the door and leaned on it to shove it open. The smell of marijuana was strong and the room was still hazy. The curtains were ripped slightly and the something scurried behind them to under the bed.
"Home sweet home." Skye dropped her bag on a chair that looked cleaner than the bed and opened it for some clothes. She had been lucky to get her job back, even if she rathered that someone else have it.
She dressed out of the jeans and MIT t-shirt, pulling on the uniform dress and high heels. They gave her an extra seven inches and made her almost as tall as the was still privately amazed that she could walk in the heels, despite the years of practicing. She grabbed a trench coat and pulled it over her, not willing to broadcast her career.
Skye shoved the rest of her money in her hollow bible, shoving the book beneath her clothes. Honor amongst thieves was shit once free money was involved.
She locked the door behind her and headed back out, ignoring everyone else. The club was just around the block, houses getting less sketchy and more clean before turning into businesses. A line was already in front of the door, the bouncer glaring down any kid that tried to sneak by. Skye walked up to him and he let her walk by.
They exchanged nods and she brushed past him to the back, climbing over the raised doorway to the dressing room. Some of the other girls were already there putting on finishing touches to make up and hair. Almost none were legal yet, the younger the more paid. Skye wasn't the youngest at fifteen by a long shot. The club wasn't classy, but it was a safer alternative to the street corner.
"Skye!" One of the younger girls hugged her. "When did you get back?" Skye gave a noncommittal shrug. It was better for them not to know incase one of the street lords started asking about her. The other girl understood and nodded. "How was school?"
"Same old. I'm working more with computers now." Skye said. "You still in school?" They were the only ones that knew her age and had all promised secrecy. The young girl- Sheila?- nodded.
"Yep. Not sure for how long, though. Momma needs me now that Kelia had her baby." She said. "He's a cute baby, though. He doesn't cry much neither so we get sleep. I remember with Celia's first, Sandy, all she did was cry and cry. We wasn't surprised when she turned out sick. Got better though, thank God."
"Don't you mention His name here." Steve, the stage manager, was at the door. He flipped through papers on a clipboard and waved his hand to collect the names he called out. "Alrighty, Sheila, Skye, and Lana. Ya'll are all up, usual posts. Remember, girls, they don't come here to see classy girls on stage."
"They don't see them off the stage much, either." Skye muttered and Sheila laughed.
Steve gave her a warning look but was distracted by the girls exiting. "For the love of-, Brittney could you not stop there? There is a line of people behind you." He pushed through the small room and started ranting at a girl who entered. Skye didn't recognize her and realized she must be new. She even looked new- shame still on her face.
Skye followed the others onto the small pathway leading to the circular stages, then broke off. Each stage was big enough for one person to stand and dance, with a pole running up the center. Lights flashed through the whole club, bodies of the crowd moving with the pulsing beat.
Skye briefly glanced through the club before cutting off everyone else and focusing on herself. She had done exercising pole dancing with some of the ladies in the carnival and if she focused on those memories, the dancing wasn't as bad. She just had to follow another beat and move her hips more.
She was just getting into it when another body moved to her stage and pulled her back to the present. Skye gaped at Tony as he smirked down at her, pulling her away. A couple of lonely men booed at the action, but he didn't seem to care.
"Tony? Tony, what the hell?" Skye yelled, still not heard over the music. Sheila gave her a weird look from where she was dancing and Skye shrugged helplessly. Tony pulled her all the way to the dressing room before throwing the coat she brought at her.
"Get dressed. You're going home." He commanded. She rocked back on her heels and crossed her arms.
"Oh, really? I have to pay for that home and this is my job. You don't like it, don't visit. It's simple." Skye said. She was aware of two of the girls in the room staring shamelessly. "I have to work, Tony. I'll see you at school next semester." She moved to go back on stage but he grabbed her arm.
"Skye." He said. She looked at him and cursed as soon as she did. He had the same expression that Clint used to when he was trying to stop Skye from doing something stupid, like riding the elephants at two in the morning. She wilted and turned her back to the stage.
"Okay." She said. Skye turned to look at Steve who had come out of his office. "Apparently I quit." She announced then walked out. Might as well make an exit, even if she had only been back for a night.
She let Tony lead her away, an arm around her waist. He took her out of the club and past the line of people waiting and chatting. A black car was waiting on the street and a man held the door open to both of them then closed it once they were inside.
"Where's your house?" Tony asked. Skye gave directions and the car drove away. It was only once they were in front of the building that he spoke again. She had made a move to get out and he just grabbed her wrist. "Wait." She did so, feeling like a puppy. He called and she followed. Then again, she had nothing to lose at this point. Tony held all the cards.
The driver got out of the car and held the door open again. "Miss Skye." He requested. She got out and Tony followed until the three of them were standing by the car. "If you want to go to your apartment, we will follow."
"What?" Skye interrupted. "No, you can't come up. No, sorry, but you have to go." Tony repeated her name and gave her another one of Clint's looks. She cursed him in her head but lead up the stairs to her apartment. One of the hookers moved to walk toward them but the driver must have done something because she backed up quickly. "It's kind of a mess, I didn't clean." She said as she opened the door.
They didn't comment.
"Skye, grab your stuff. You're leaving." It wasn't phrased like a question and Skye meant to comment but the animal scurried again and she just grabbed her only bag. They walked back out and to the car, not speaking again.
Once back inside the car Tony spoke. "Skye, you're 15." She shot her head up and leaned back. "Relax. I won't tell, but I'm not letting you strip for a living when your friends with the heir to one of the wealthiest companies in the world- if not the richest by this point. You're coming to live with me. If you don't like that then you can live at one of my houses." He waved off his wealth in a way that made Skye jealous.
"I don't take charity, Tony." She said. He rolled his eyes.
"Princess, it's not charity. You have one of the greatest minds and you're not even old enough to drive. Think of what you will be able to do in twenty years; Hell, think of what you could do in two! Plus, think of it as me doing my civic duty as an American. Your underage, in need of a guardian. Congratulations, you got me. Lucky you." Tony said. Skye rolled her eyes back. She knew it was useless to argue. Chloe was stubborn but Tony out passed even her, Skye had learned to roll with the punches with the two of them.
"Yea." She intoned. She looked out the window of the car, leaning her head against the cold glass. It felt like a dream. Skye blinked lazily at Tony before smiling slightly. She whispered to the window. "Thank you."
"Tony, I mean it! You are going to be late!" Skye looked up from her tablet as Pepper waved a folder at the billionaire. Pepper was looking her usual put-together-but-thoroughly-harassed self. "Skye, please tell him!"
Skye closed her windows and leaned against the pillows. She had been living in the Stark Tower for almost two years, long enough for her to get the flow of things. "Tony, listen to Pepper." Tony shot her a mock-betrayed look and she shrugged. "I know who's really in charge."
"One day." He threatened. Everyone knew he was bluffing. He could never get rid of Pepper and would never get rid of Skye. Even Chloe knew that and she didn't even know the full story of why Skye was living in the Stark Tower to start with.
Sometimes Skye felt she didn't know the whole story. It still seemed like she would wake up one day to see the dingy apartment walls instead of a designed room and floor length windows.
Skye looked back at her tablet and waved distractedly over the couch. "Have fun at your Expo. Make the others jealous of your newest toys." Tony nodded and he and Pepper moved to the elevator still fighting affectionately. "J-baby, I may take a nap if you could wake me up in a hour?"
"Yes, Miss." JARVIS replied. Skye felt the small surge of pride she always did at the AI. She had helped Tony with a small part of creating him, adjusting math and doing what directed to in the lab. It was her baby despite Tony's claims that JARVIS was all his.
Skye lay the tablet on the table beside her and leaned back on the couch. She had been working on her latest project for three days straight, having Pepper bring her coffee when she brought Tony his. She was honestly surprised that Pepper did it. None of her inventions went to Stark Industries (she was going through what Tony and Obi called her "hippie phase" and protesting things having to do with the war.
"Miss. It has been one hour and thirty minutes." JARVIS's voice jolted her and she woke up with a start. "Miss? You are in Malibu, the weather is 85 degrees and sunny. There is a 35% chance of rain," He started but Skye interrupted him.
"Not a nightmare, J. Just startled me, that's all." Skye interrupted.
"Of course, Miss. Just making sure. You were not responding." He clarified. She hummed an agreement before leaning to pick back up her tablet. Her work was on the screen still and she went back to typing in data and figuring measurements needed. She had decided on a hologram notepad, trying to save the trees and because she thought it would be cooler than just paper.
She was not sure how long she had been working before JARVIS started speaking again. "Miss. Mr. Stane is trying to gain access to this floor via elevator. Are you granting him access?" Skye waved an negative distractedly. She was so close to a breakthrough. Obi would understand, he always did. She was almost back in the zone before the AI spoke again. "Miss. Mr. Stane is very insistent that he speak with you."
Skye sighed and put her tablet aside before responding. "Alright. Let him in. Come on, J-baby, let's grow a backbone next time, okay?"
"I am incapable of growing anything." Skye rolled her eyes. He was apparently capable of growing a sense of sarcasm. She had not programmed him to get sassy.
The ding of the elevator doors had her look over and smile at the man walking in. Her eyes flickered up to his bald head involuntarily before back to his face. It had always amazed her that he had absolutely no hair on the top of his head, just pictures showing he did infact have hair once besides the beard. He looked haunted and he stumbled in to sit at her feet, holding her outstretched hand.
"Skye, sweetheart. I have some bad news." He paused and seemed to collect himself. "It's about Tony." He closed his eyes and looked away. Skye sat up, worried. She had seen Obi go toe to toe with senators and presidents. There was nothing that ruffled him.
"Obi, Obi, what's wrong? You're scaring me." She said.
He covered his face with his other hand and took several deep breaths. "Skye, there was an accident. The van Tony was in… it was attacked. He's-." He shook his head. Skye's chest felt suddenly tight and she shook her head.
"What? No, no Tony's fine. I saw him minutes ago." Skye said.
"Three days and two hours, Miss." JARVIS corrected. Skye blinked and checked her phone. Huh, what do you know?
"But that still doesn't mean that Tony was attacked. He's fine." Skye denied. Obi just gave her a sad look. "No! He can't be missing, Obi! Tony's fine! He's-," She lost her composure and started sobbing. The older man pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her, rocking her on his lap and muttering reassurances. She buried her face in his sweater and let the tears fall.
She couldn't lose another person. She wouldn't.
"Run that by me again, Skye?" Rodney asked. Skye dropped her forehead to the counter before rising to put her chin on the surface instead.
"J and I have been doing some research and have narrowed it down to a section of Afghanistan. We have done enough searching that we are almost 86% sure of where Tony is, Rodney." Skye repeated. She sat up and leaned back in the stool of the kitchen. "All you have to do is look at the map and send some troops."
She could hear Rodney sigh. "Look, Skye. I realize that you two were close, but we can not do anything else. It's been three months, too long for us to send another search. Too much money is being spent. I have been trying but they're telling me no." She bit the inside of her cheek in anger. "Look, Skye, I got to go. I'll talk to you later, okay?"
"Okay." She closed her eyes to block out the click of the phone. She stood up and walked over to the bar cart. She opened a vial of scotch and poured it in a glass. Skye had discovered the miracles of alcohol while Tony was gone and not even Pepper's disappointing looks and comments on her age- even the age being wrong by years- could stop her from enjoying those miracles.
Slye sipped at her glass and and cursed the military. After all the things Tony had invented for them, nothing was being done to help him. She knew he was alive despite what Obi, the press, and government claimed.
"J-baby." Skye spoke up. "Can you pull up the hologram program on my laptop? I need to do some work. Get something productive done."
"Miss. Might you want to sleep before you go back to work? You have been up for almost 120 hours only drinking scotch." JARVIS advised. Skye gave him a bitter smile and took another swig of her drink.
"Only 120 hours?" Skye said. "Barely anytime at all. Do me a favor and only tell me when it has been six days." She reached for her computer and started working through the numbers again. The screen went black suddenly and she held her hands up in surrender. "JARVIS, what did you just do?"
There was a second before her responded. "When Sir was here, Miss Potts had a rule that any work day lasting over 121 hours would have the computers shut off. That program still lasts." Skye moved to protest but he interrupted. "I am sticking with this, Miss."
"Bastard." She muttered.
"I heard that." JARVIS said. Skye stuck out her tongue and swallowed the last of her glass. She got up to refill it but he spoke again. "I think you will find the bar off limits. Another thing necessary." Skye glanced to see the glass case over the cart, bullet proof and unyielding as it was designed.
She threw the glass at the wall and walked over to fall into the couch. A few hours sleep and then she would be ready for anything.
"SKYE! SKYE!" Skye jerked awake to see Pepper shaking her shoulders and yelling at her. "Skye!" She sat up and waved her back slightly but she didn't move. She was beaming so loud and laughing slightly. "They found him! They found Tony!" Skye was instantly awake and grabbed the other woman's shoulders.
"What?" She asked.
"Tony! Somehow Rodney got where they should search and got a plane and Tony was just there in the sand. He'll be home in about an hour at the most. We were a little late in getting the information." Pepper said. Skye felt herself start to cry and she hugged Pepper tightly.
"I want to be in the car." Skye said. She untangled herself and stood up. "Let me change and I'll go with you." Pepper noded and Skye ran to her room to throw on a pair of jeans under her t-shirt. She walked back out barefoot and to the elevator. "Come on, Pepper, Tony's coming home."
They arrived at the base where the plane was to land and Pepper got out of the car. She spoke quietly to a soldier on guard standing. After a minute, she walked back to the car.
"Chris says that the base is secure for the moment. No one should be here for a while. Obi's on speed dial for once the plane arrives." Pepper said. "You can get out of the car if you want." Skye nodded and walked out of the car and leaned against it. "Tony will be here soon." Skye nodded and pulled out her phone. "What are you doing?"
"J-baby should be here." Skye said. "I programmed him on my phone the other day. Why, though, I have no idea. He is such a nanny and I'm not actually sure why I want him to be with me all the time."
"Thank you, Miss." JARVIS's voice spoke through her phone.
"Your welcome." Skye put the phone on the top of the car and put him on speaker. "Sir arriving." The plane was indeed landing and driving around the track to slow down. When the plane finally stopped and the door opened, Tony walked out with both hands in peace signs.
"Tony!" Skye ran to the steps and jumped at him. He caught her and spun her slightly.
"Skye!" He yelled. "How are you doing, darling?"
"Pretty good! I can't believe you're back!" She yelled back.
"Right though!"
"Children!" Pepper yelled over. "Get in the car, we need to get back to the tower so that we can talk. Come on." She pushed them to the car and inside before facing them. "Get in the car, loser. We're going shopping." Skye laughed and Pepper gave a proud head jerk nod. "I did like that movie."
"Movie Wednesday wasn't the same." Skye told Tony. She noticed a circle of blue in the middle of his chest and she leaned forward. "Ton, what's that?"
He put a hand over the circle but looked confused. "What's what?" She gave him an unimpressed look. "We'll talk later, Skye. Now, Pepper I need two things. Well, three we need to drop Skye off at home first." He started speaking and the car moved. Skye's phone dinged and she glanced at it to see the arc reactor plans. She looked up and Tony's eyes nodded for him. Skye paused, always happy to read classified information but not sure why it was important. Then it clicked.
An arc reactor in his chest. Numbers flashed in front of her eyes and she started forming the equations of the process. Whoa. Skye looked back at her phone and started memorizing any and all of the data. She had just gotten him back she wasn't going to lose him.
Skye leaned against the office door. Pepper was inside, searching for data on something for Tony. He wouldn't tell her, only give her a sad look like he had to tell her her puppy had just bitten someone and had to be put down.
She jerked slightly as a tap on the door alerted her to the end of the search. She stepped aside and Pepper stepped out and nodded once. Both women walked hurriedly to the elevator and to Skye's floor before Pepper pulled out her cell phone.
"Mr. Stark, it's Pepper. You were right. Something that Mr. Stane is doing is not on the books. Money just appears." Pepper reported. Skye scoffed. She would love for money to just appear. Christmas early.
The she realized what Pepper had said. Obi. Obi was doing this.
Skye slowly shook her head in denial. Obi wouldn't do that. He had accepted her with no questions, was moving with Tony's plan on no weapons despite an early disagreement. Obi was a good guy. He had been there when Tony disappeared. He had taken care of everything and let her stay in the tower to finish her holograms. All she had had to do was finish some of the rough sketches started by Tony on some weapons- oh.
Skye mentally slapped herself. Ah.
Pepper hung up and walked over to pour herself a glass from the bar. "You want one?" She offered. Skye, still lost in her mind, shook her head and spoke without thinking.
"Nah. I'm only 16." She wondered if she could call in some friends to take care of the problem. That lady had offered to help with anything the year before. Skye almost missed the sound of shattering glass, but looked up in time to see Pepper staring at her in shock.
"What?" Pepper whispered. "What did you just say?" Skye looked at her in confusion before turning white too.
"Nothing. I was just kidding. Ha-ha. You know me." She tried. Pepper looked unimpressed and Skye was faintly admiringly of her quick expression change. Pepper started forward slowly and Skye matched her pace backing up. "Pepper. Peps, let's be reasonable. I think we need to get our priorities in order here for a minute." This seemed to snap Pepper to reality and she nodded, pulling out her phone again.
"We are going to have a talk, a long one that you will probably say has too much emotion. It will be so damn fun that by the end you won't dare to keep important things like this secret." Pepper threatened. Skye nodded, knowing better than to protest. "Good, now go scram. I need to call help and Tony would kill me if anyone knew you knew him. Probably best if you're so far underage." Skye moved to the elevator and pressed up to Tony's floor as Pepper dialed the number.
Tony's floor was too quiet and Skye felt all the hair on her arms and neck rise. "J-baby? J, where is Tony?" There was no answer and Skye paused before running in and to the piano in the corner. Everything was visibly from there.
She froze before she arrived. Tony was lying on the floor, a hole where the blue light used to be, SHOULD BE. Skye fell to her knees and slid over to him, putting his head in her lap. "Tony? What do you need? Are you alight?" It was a stupid question to ask if he was alright, but somehow that question came out with the rest. Tony didn't answer but his eyes flickered to the desk where a container sat with the first, crude mini-arc reactor. She jumped up, wincing as his head hit the floor with a thud, and ran to grab the jar.
It was sealed at the top with a thumbprint and she recognized the standard Stark casing. It would only allow the owners in, but if Pepper had been telling the truth when she said she had made the present for Tony (she had been making sure Tony wouldn't take it offensively. Somehow it was assumed Skye knew everything that happened in Afghanistan and would know what triggered his PTSD as well as normal emotions. Skye had decided to take it as a compliment since it was almost scarily true), then the thumb taken would be Pepper's, Tony's, and hers. She pressed her thumb into the hidden slot and the whole container opened for her.
Skye lifted the reactor and rolled through the blueprints in her head. She was 89% certain she could put it back, but the 11% was what was important to her. She stopped and turned to focus on the part of her that believed in herself. She took a breath and moved the reactor to press in gently. As she was to place it in, Tony's hand shot up and grabbed her hand, navigating her hands.
"Thank God." Skye gasped, letting him take it over. Once it was inside and Tony was taking gasping breaths to recover, she collapsed, hugging him tightly. "T-Tony!" She realized she was sobbing but couldn't stop. Skye struggled to sit up push slightly away from Tony. "Obi hurt you didn't he?" Tony nodded slightly, still weak. He struggled to sit, then stand up and pushed a tablet toward her.
"JARVIS." He whispered. She nodded and quickly coded herself into JARVIS's mainframe and brought him back online. Obi had clearly not understood what he was doing- stupid since he worked with the program on the daily and was there when he was built and through all his early changes and developments- and had just rewritten the codes to have a few less 1 and 0 and create a back door.
"He's up and running. You want to-?" She started to speak but was interrupted by the fact that there was no one she was speaking to. "JARVIS?"
"Sir is currently in the suit." He answered. Skye nodded, annoyed.
"Of course he is. Where the hell else would he be after almost dying?" Skye snapped. She shook her head and waved the fact away. "Whatever. There will be time to tell him he was stupid later. Remind me to tell him, J." JARVIS confirmed he would.
Skye walked into the house to see Tony and Rodney talking. "Hello darlings!" She called. She threw her bag on the table and stepped out of her sandals. "I bought the best birthday present for Pepper, don't worry Tony we can totally say it was from both of us." Skye glanced over and paused. "You are not, Rodney."
"You're a genius too." The man said dryly. He had an eye patch covering one eye and a scar running around it. He was completely decked in leather to the point that Skye would have turned around and left if not for the trench coat covering him some.
"Nah, she just cleans my pools." Tony interjected smoothly. Then he paused and waved a finger at the older man. "You need something from me." He stated. Skye went to creep out but Tony held up a hand for her to wait. "I'll work with your little boy band, I'll even house the other when they meet, but I want something in return. Starting now and involving anything in the past, Skye doesn't exist, and she never did. If at anytime she does, I stop everything. SHIELD will fall, everyone will know your name and what you do. Your planes won't fly, your internet won't connect, every security protocol to keep you safe will turn against you." Tony was the most serious she had ever seen him, including when she was deciding her doctoral and had tried to go to CalTech instead of MIT. He had full on intimidation mode in and she almost feared him. "You keep her a safe secret, or I will destroy you."
The other man considered the offer before nodding slowly. "Reasonable. She stays hidden though, she can't start doing anything crazy to test it." Tony glanced toward her and she nodded. She could handle that.
"Okay." She said. The two men shook on it before she spoke again. "Who are you?"
"Director Nick Fury." He introduced. "In charge of SHIELD." Skye tilted her head in contusion before the abbreviation was clarified as she remembered the business card Pepper had gotten at the press conference after Tony had gotten back.
"Okay." She repeated. He gave her a card before he left, no name written on it, only numbers.
She entered it in her phone under Uncle Nick.
Tell me what you think!
