A/N- and here's the 2nd chapter. i'll be dragging the scenes from chapters to chapters, to make the story longer, so to say. big thanks to my friend who BETA'd this chapter, and hopefully people will like it. and also, i'm thinking of updating once a week but if i have time, i'll update faster. R&R are highly appreciated. enjoy!

characters are all MARVELS. the story line is mine though ^^

chapter 2 : expectation part 2

The drinks never failed to cloud his otherwise occupied mind, that he knew very well. After downing his fifth shot of tequila at the bar - with 4 gorgeous ladies practically draped upon his person, all trying their best to appeal him, seduce him – he finally felt the alcohol get to him, it was definitely more than a buzz now. The party was still going strong, even though it's being going for almost six hours straight, passing midnight 2 hours ago. No matter how late it is, his party was never dull and always, always merry. Merry, in a way that faces and people he barely knew kept popping up like an endless stream to his house. There are few he knew, associates, share holders, business people, who would always takes his party as one short cut to be kissing up his ass so to speak, always trying to get him into whatever business deal they have in mind. Because let's face it: a deal with Tony Stark, and most importantly, Stark Industries, is like a staircase to heaven. Once you're in and on your merry way, you will be popular in a blink of an eye – not even heaven will be out of your reach then. ...that is, unless Tony says otherwise.

One of the girls - Mandy something, leaned on to him, softly nuzzling his neck, saying all those sweet nothings, complimenting him all seductively and, in her opinion, very, very sexily: the usual "trick" to try to get into his pants he noticed. He pretended like he was interested in whatever it was she was saying, nodding agreeably to nothing and grunting acknowledgements and whatever it was he needed to sound like he agreed to. Random people passing by him at him by the bar greeted him with a handshake, sometimes he indulged them with small talk before they went their way again, doing whatever they do at the parties. Usually, he would somehow enjoy being in the company of gorgeous ladies and his 'friends', but not tonight. The drinks were strong, but his mind and heart are stronger, thoughts more persistent in occupying his mind. Somehow tonight, the air is different, a bit colder – grimmer, despite the ongoing extravagant party.

Another hour passed and it's almost 3 am, and thankfully, the party is slowing down and he saw people starting to leave. He let Happy deal with the guests while he slowly descend the stairs down into his lab. The glass door opens automatically as he neared them, and Jarvis greeted him as usual, with his somewhat emotionless and digital tone.

"How was the party, sir? I managed to scare some of your guests who wandered off into the mansion, trying to find a private area for explicit activities". If Jarvis has a face, Tony was sure that he could see him smirking and looking all smug when mentioned about the scaring the guests away.

"The usual. But somehow, not as amusing as it always has been. Anyway, I don't wanna talk about it. How's the research going? Find anything useful yet?" he replied, plopping down heavily on the leather couch near his working area. He rubbed his temple, trying to ease the oncoming headaches, while pondering what he could do next after this.

"Unfortunately, there's still no viable replacement for Palladium that I could find, sir. I'm terribly sorry. I'll continue my search and update you on its progress," the AI replied, sounding almost sad and full of sympathy for his master – if only he was capable of real emotions. Tony can only wonder how his invention managed to become more and more like a human every day, but then the only easy explanation he would say is "I'm Tony Stark. My genius is over the top gorgeous and fantastic, that nothing's impossible and everything is as technologically advanced as possible", complete with his Stark grin and wit. As obnoxious as he can be, nothing can outgun his smart remarks and comebacks. Even if they manage to try, he would always have a back up remark or legitimate smartass comebacks to throw at people's face. But that's what makes him unique, what makes people stick and around him. His words and mind are his alone.

He managed to order Jarvis to recite his schedule from earlier on and prioritise projects and just concentrate on what he needed to concentrate on most at the moment. As an afterthought, he also commanded Jarvis not to accept any calls from anyone, whether or not it was an emergency call. He especially did not want to deal with Fury or Coulson. As much as he liked being a hero, he needed his time alone and to himself every now and then. Though Fury would sometime find a way to hack through Jarvis and contact him anyway, he was not in the mood to deal with it now. He's too preoccupied right now to care.

After a quick answer from Jarvis, he went to sit by his chair at his working desk, monitors and machines whirring quietly around him. This is his home. His mansion is somewhat just a cover up, another living space to make him appear more human and to show off his wealth and what not. But his Lab, this is where everything sinks in. Whatever thought that runs through his mind, scientific or not, this is where he will deal with it. His choices, big and small, are made here. History was made here. The northern wall held the case where he kept his suits. An archive of sorts: to serve as a reminder for his past, present and what's coming in the future. It seems like only yesterday that he came up with Mark I and now, he's already on his Mark 8 upgrades. Another reminder of how fast time goes by. He sighed deeply, staring off into space, but the gears in his mind are running hundred miles per hour just running through his life.

He touched his chest suddenly, his action purely done subconsciously. Then he felt that familiar pang of pain spreading from where he had touched them, and the more he breathes in, the deeper the pain sunk into his skin. He reminded himself yet again, to not think about it. He saw the readings on the monitor in front of him, showing random files of his ongoing projects and decided to pick a random one and work on it immediately just so he can pull himself out of his reverie. He went to one of the small dresser he has in the corner of the lab, just by his small lab bed and took out a black wife beater and casual jeans. He changed his clothing and went straight to work. Dummy was by the sink, blending his special concoction of chlorophyll; nasty drinks but it counteracts some of the symptoms he's having because of the palladium poisoning he's suffering from. As much as Dummy and Butterfingers usually annoyed him, he loves his invention nevertheless. They're like his kids, only metal and with no biological heartbeat. Instead of blood they have electricity. Instead of fingers, they have metal claws. His babies. He smiled at that thought, the notion of him having his own actual kids, children running around the mansion, who looked like him, acts like him, thinks like him. He can't help but reminisce a bit. But he manage to cut his thoughts short, and walk to one of his worktable and started his metal work with hope that he'll be far too distracted by the end of it, and not thinking about the 100% toxicity level. 'Oh wait, I just thought of it. Again,' he thought to himself. Sighing, he decided that it's best if he do something productive fast.

"Jarvis, put up some random songs, blast it to 70%. Not AC/DC though. Something... slow and nice," he spoke rather softly, not like the usual. He thought for a second, why would he want something slow now? Usually it's all rock and roll but he was not feeling it tonight.

"Very well, sir," Jarvis answered, followed by a slow start of a song; which slowly increases in volume to a somewhat almost unbearable level, but still sounded nice to his ears. Tony was all smiles while looking through a holographic design of his project, amused by his AI's choice of songs.

TBC