Rhodey is asleep when my eyes blink open, I groan blearily. The hospital sheets are cool and smooth under my fingers. I'm in a nondescript hospital room, connected to a dozen softly beeping machines. Rhodey shifts in his sleep and I freeze. Reaching out, I snag the newspaper laid next to him

Youngest Stark overdoses, carted out of apartment by EMT's

I scan the article nonchalantly, noting that both the girl that apparently found me - I remember that! And a few of the party-goers gave witness testimonies. Obadiah's going to give a statement later, oh I might tune into that.

There's a picture of me being wheeled into the flashing ambulance, Rhodey grabbing at my hand, oh yeah.

Rhodey shifts again, straightening out and stretching the crick out of his neck. He sighs, eyes still half-shut.

"Hey, Sour-Patch," he yelps, nearly falling out of his chair. I laugh weakly.

"You're awake! How do you feel?" he starts to question, but then sees the newspaper in my hand. "What.. No, Tony you shouldn't be reading that," Rhodey reaches over to grab the newspaper out of my hand, but I hold it high.

"I just tried to kill myself, Or, I think I can read a newspaper about it. I was there, afterall." I snark, keeping reading.

"It's not a joke, Tony."

"Isn't it?"

He fixes me with a deadpan stare. "No."

"Look, Rhodey, it's…" I trail off, unsure. Rhodes waits for me. "I'm fine, just y'know, my parents dying and everything. Not gonna happen again."

"No shit," he snorts, "I'm never letting you out of my sight again, and I don't believe that for a second."

"What? I have deep-seated daddy issues, and I'm secretly seeking approval and parental love? Yeah, a girl once tried that on me, hint," I lower my voice to a whisper, "It didn't work."

"This stuff doesn't come out of nowhere," It's said softly enough, but I still feel the tremors deep in my bones.

"Yeah, well it did, so."

"Tony, I've ignored it all: how you look when your father calls, or is on the TV, or how you never talk about your childhood, or how you obviously drink and party to try and get away. But I will not ignore this."

"Then don't. Just pretend to - for publicity's sake," I let my gaze wander, over the blank hospital walls, the window, the hustle of hospital life from outside the door. Just anywhere away from Rhodey

"How?"

I shrug, "figure it out," I still look away.

"I'm trying," his voice breaks and it takes him a moment. He's leaning over the bed, voice urgent and face no doubt creased and worried. I don't look.

He sighs explosively, about to say something, the door opens before he can. None other than Obadiah Stane charges in, holding a massive gift basket and belly wobbling - either with worry or happiness to see me.

"My boy!" he yells, wrapping me in a hug before I can say anything.

"Hey, hey Obi," I say, voice muffled from his shirt.

He draws back, big face beaming.

"So, how are you," he asks, rather seriously.

"I'm fine," I smile and he smiles back.

Oh, so trusting.

Fool.