Chapter 2: Impossibilities

I was walking down a hallway that had paintings and sculptures. Ahead of me, was a door that looked like a crest embedded in the handles. I pulled the oak doors to reveal a study. There were curtains draped on the windows and bookcases full of many books. There were books on people, places, medicines, culture, poems, songs, fiction, and nonfiction. I wanted to pull one out, but I wasn't sure if I should. On the wall near the door, hung a painting of three noble-looking men dressed in elegant robes that sat on thrones made of pure gold.

In the middle of the study, there stood a boy who looked no older than seventeen. He was staring out of the window until he somehow heard me come in. He turned around and I saw his face. He had pale-white skin, bronze hair, and his eyes; a deep, rich dark gold. "Hello Riley." He said with a smile. His voice was smooth and calming. It was familiar, but I couldn't remember why. I racked my memories desperately, trying to remember where I heard him before.

Suddenly with great force knocking the wind out of me, I remembered. His voice was the one calling my name in the woods. He's the one who was running after me in the woods trying to tell me something, but I didn't listen. I was afraid of him. Something in my gut was telling me that I have no reason to be afraid of him. I gasped and my eyes snapped open. As I sat up, I read the clock. 3:00 a.m. It had only been a few hours since Tony had called to say that the demonstration went well and to wish me good night. "Sleep tight kiddo." He smiled on the phone.

I got out of my bed, pacing. Who is this seventeen year old? How does he know my name? Why is he so beautiful? I grabbed a sheet of paper and a pencil and sat down at my desk. It wasn't hard to remember what he looks like. "May I ask what are you doing up this early?" Jarvis asked.

"I'm drawing a person I keep seeing in my dreams. For the past couple of days, he keeps telling me to draw him. I don't know why he asked me to. He didn't tell me why either. I'm only doing what he asked me." I grimly explained.

"Do you know his name?" Jarvis fired another question.

"No. He didn't tell me his name." I grimaced in disappointment. I put in every vivid detail about him. It had to be perfect. I grabbed my oil pastels and colored him in. When I was done, I held it up to examine my work. Everything was completely detailed. I hung him above my bed where I could see him. I wish he was real. I thought. I turned my attention to the deck in my room. I walked over to the doors and pulled them open. The dark breeze from the ocean greeted me. I then walked over to the edge of the deck and stared at the ocean. The moon reflected the dark blue waters creating an unearthly glow. I closed my eyes as another breeze surrounded me pulling me away from the world.

Riley. The breeze whispered my name. My eyes snapped open. Well I thought it was the breeze, but that's physically impossible. "I'm just hearing things. It's 3 in the morning and I'm hearing things." I muttered to myself. I walked back into my room trying to forget what happened.

I crawled into bed again, but I didn't go to sleep. I sat up thinking about the voice and the unknown boy in my dreams. "Riley." A voice loud and clear whispered in my ear. I jumped so hard I fell out of bed. I scrambled up and sat back in bed. That was really creepy. I thought. I knew I wasn't hearing things now. I could hear them and they were real. Someone was talking to me. Eventually, I drifted off back to sleep. After what seemed like a few minutes, I woke up finding it morning and Pepper in my room.

"I'm sorry to be in here, but we have lots of stuff to do." She said grimly. She began to scope my walls filled with posters and drawings I drew when I was troubled by something. "I've never been in your room before." Her eyes stopped on the portrait I drew this morning. "Oh my god did you draw this?" I nodded. "You're really good. It looks like a professional artist drew him." She kept studying the portrait.

"Thanks." I flushed. No one had ever commented on my drawings before.

"Does he have a name?" She asked curiously.

"I don't know his name. He keeps popping up in my dreams." I replied as I read the clock; 10:30. I got out of bed and went downstairs to get some breakfast. Pepper followed and grabbed a chair at the table.

"Oh so he does have a name."

As I walked into the kitchen, Jarvis announced:

"You have an incoming call from James Rhodes." I quickly pressed a button to answer the phone. Rhodey is Tony's best friend in the air force and makes weapons for his department.

"Hi Rhodey." I greeted.

"Hey Riley," He greeted back, "is Pepper there with you?" Something didn't sound right. Usually Rhodey's in a good mood when we talk to him.

"Yep," Pepper answered rushing to my side, "I'm here."

"I've got some bad news." He began, "Tony's missing. His Humvee was attacked earlier today. The soldiers that were guarding him were killed. I saw him run for cover after he jumped out of the Humvee when it was attacked. I didn't see anything after that. We're setting out a search party to find him. We won't stop until we find him no matter how long it takes. I promise." The call ended.

I felt tears run down my face. I looked at Pepper and she too had tears running down her face. She gave me a long hug. I started to shake uncontrollably and began sobbing. Pepper's tears and cries joined mine. The thought of him being dead brought fresh tears to me. "I hope he's alive." I gasped through my tears. I stopped crying, but I was still shaking.

"I'm sure he's fine. We both know that if your brother is in any type of trouble, he can escape. That clever mind of his will help him out." She comforted. She stopped crying, but her eyes were red.

"Everything will be ok Riley. I promise." The too-familiar voice said. Pepper didn't seem to hear it. It calmed me and my shakes turned to trembles.

The rest of the day was quiet. In the evening, I sat curled up on the couch, leaning my head against the cushions. Pepper brought me a bowl of soup and sat down. I ate a little, but I wasn't hungry. I don't each much when I'm upset. It's too hard to turn your attention to something else. Pepper turned on the TV and switched it to the news.

"In other news," The anchorman began, "billionaire industrialist Tony Stark was reported missing in a Humvee attack located in the Afghanistan desert. Air force colonel James Rhodes witnessed the attack."

"I'm going to bed." I muttered. It was too much for me. Pepper seemed to understand. She didn't say anything, but she nodded as an ok. When I got to my room, I flopped down upon my bed. I looked at the portrait long and hard. I didn't know what else to do. It took me a long time to fall asleep when I finally did. I was back in the study with the unknown seventeen year old boy. Everything was still how I remembered about him. He had a smile that reached his eyes. He stood next to me with a gentle grip on my shoulder and still smiled.

"Everything will be fine. You'll see." He said in my ear. I woke up with a start. He sounded so close. What's wrong with me? I keep dreaming about him. Across the dark room, my insides went cold. He was standing there looking at me and smiling. That's impossible. My eyes were playing tricks on me. Or so I thought they were. His dark gold eyes gazed into mine. Quickly, I turned on the lamp on my bedside table. When I turned around, he was gone.

It was too good to be true. I turned off the lamp and went back to sleep. Better get a good sleep or I'll be snoozing during school tomorrow. My body was still numb and my mind was still in shock. I may never look at things the same way again.

I woke up early and did my usual routine. I got up, got dressed, ate breakfast, brushed my hair and teeth, gathered my stuff, and grabbed my jacket. Happy Hogan, my brother's driver, was waiting outside for me in the car. "Good morning Happy." I greeted him with a smile as he opened the car door. It pained me, but it seemed to fool him.

"Good morning Ms. Stark." Happy replied with a smile.

"Please," I protested, "call me Riley. It feels too formal if you call me Ms. Stark. And you know how I am."

"Ok then M- Riley." He agreed. He drove me to the high school where teenagers from freshmen to seniors bustled into the building. Class didn't start until 8:15 and got out at 3:15. Normally, my days are usually dull and boring. Something in my gut was telling me that today was going to be different.

"Thanks Happy." I said as I climbed out of the car, "See you at 3:15." He nodded approvingly. As I walked towards the building, I felt everyone's eyes stare at me. They know that I'm Tony's sister, but they don't say much. Last year in my freshmen year, everyone treated me like a celebrity. They only wanted to be my friend just because I was rich and my older brother is a weapon designer. I really hated it. The staff still treats me like one, but otherwise the other students ignore me, except for the freshmen. They're usually shy around me, but I don't care. I kept walking and still felt everyone's stares follow me.

English, Geometry, Spanish, Art, and U.S History went by slowly, even though I'm in all honors. I guess you could say I'm pretty smart. In all honors, my grades are an A plus. At lunch, I sat down at a table that Nicole was sitting at. She greeted me with a smile and I grinned back.

"Hi Riley," She said still smiling, "Sam's here today. She's in line. I was watching the news last night and I'm sorry to hear about what happened to Tony." She gave me a quick hug. Sam joined us seconds later.

"Hi Buddy," She greeted with a smile, "sorry to hear about what happened to your brother. It must be hard on you."

"Thanks for your concern." I said glumly, "You two are the only ones who've said some comfort today."

"Really?" They asked together.

"Mm-hmm." I nodded my head. I dropped the subject. It was too depressing for me. After a few moments of an awkward silence, Nicole blurted out,

"That Edward guy's kina hot!" Sam and I looked at her with bewildered expressions on our faces. "What we're all thinking it. At least I have the guts to say it." She pointed her finger over to one of the tables. Our gazes followed her finger. The boy sitting at the table looked exactly like the picture I had drawn the previous morning. He had pale-white skin, bronze hair, and dark gold eyes that were almost black.