Chapter 2: The Flashback

"Visionary. Genius. American Patriot. Even from an early age, the daughter of legendary weapons developer, Howard Stark, quickly stole the spotlight with her brilliant and unique mind. At age 4 she built her first circuit board, at age 6, her first engine."

The team looked at the TV in shock. They had known Tony was smart, but not this smart.

"At age 17, she graduated Summa Cum Laude from MIT. Then, the passing of a titan."

Steve felt a wave of sadness wash over him as the news that Howard died in a car crash came to him.

"Howard Starks lifelong friend and ally, Obadiah Stane steps in to fill the gap left by the legendary founder, until at age 21, the prodigal daughter returns and is appointed the new CEO of Stark Industries."

The team frowned as one. Who was this Obadiah Stane that he movie spoke of? Nat knew who he was from her undercover work at Stark Industries as Natalie, but she hadn't realized he had this much power.

"With the keys to the kingdom, Tony ushers in a new era for her father's legacy, creating smarter weapons, advanced robotics, satellite targeting. Today, Tony Stark has changed the face of the weapons industry by ensuring freedom and protecting America and her interests around the globe."

The team looked dumbfounded as the camera spiraled out to show lots of people clapping at a man that stood on the podium talking to the crowd.

"As a liaison to Stark Industries, I've had the unique privilege of serving with a real patriot. She is my friend and she is my great mentor. Ladies and Gentleman, it is my great honor to present this year's Apogee Award to Miss Toni Stark…Toni?"

'Where is she?' Steve thought as the man looked around and glanced at Obadiah who shook his head before rising and walking forward to accept the award instead.

"Thank you Colonel."

"Thanks for the save," the man muttered to Obadiah who had taken the award and was inspecting it.

"This is beautiful, thank you. Thank you all very much. This is wonderful," Obadiah states, nodding to the camera and looking to the crowd.

"Well I'm not Toni but if I were, I would tell you all how honored I feel and what a joy it is to receive this very prestigious award…Toni, you know, the best thing is also the worst thing, she's always working."

The team nodded. They all knew that.

The scene changed on the TV to Tony in Vegas, throwing dice onto a table, smirking as she won chips.

"Work it! Come on!" she shouted, throwing the dice on the table again.

"You are unbelievable," the man from before said in a disbelieving tone.

"Oh no, did they rope you into this?"

"Nobody roped me into anything," he growled out.

"I'm so sorry," Toni apologized half-heartedly.

"But they did tell me that if I presented you with an award, you'd be deeply honored."

"Of course I'd be deeply honored. And it's you, it's great," she replied, looking over to the woman next to her right that had a complicated, but lovely hairstyle.

"Hey…Yeah you…How'd you get your hair like that?"

The team laughed. This was a common occurrence. Tony was always asking Nat if her hair color was fake or not, and if it was, how could she get it done. Toni wasn't very fond of her own hair and its unruliness.

She turned her attention back to the man.

"So, when do we do it?"

"It's right here. Here you go," glared the man. Toni started weighing the trophy in her hand.

"There it is. That was easy…I'm so sorry," she apologized, not sounding sorry at all.

"Yeah, it's okay," the man sighed.

"Wow would you look at that? That's something else. I don't have one of these floating around at home," she smirks, handing the trophy to her left carelessly, and then leaning over to collect her recently won chips.

Toni turned to the woman on her right.

"Hey, your hair has to be good luck with all the attention you're getting. Give me a little something-something." She turned to the glaring man.

"Okay, you too."

"I don't blow on a woman's dice," he growled, slapping her hand away with enough force that the dice are knocked out of her hand and onto the table.

"There it is! Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes rolls! And…Two, crap. Line away."

"That's what happens," Rhodes muttered, looking away. Toni rolled her shoulder as her chips were taken away.

"Worse things have happened. I think we're going to be fine."

The scene changed and they're walking side-by-side out of the building.

"Color me up William," Toni snapped to the man on her left.

"This is where I exit," Rhodes muttered.

"Alright."

"Tomorrow, don't be late!"

"Yeah, you can count on it."

"I'm serious!"

Toni mock waves, "I know, I know," before walking toward her car, bodyguards either side of her.

"Render unto Caesar. That which is Caesars. There you go," Tony said fluently, tossing her award to a man dressed in armor.

"Ms. Stark, excuse me Ms. Stark!"

A bodyguard grabs a well-dressed young man by the arm.

"Chris Everheart, Vanity Fair Magazine. Can I ask you some questions?"

Tony briefly looks at her driver. "He's hot," he whispers.

Tony spun around to look at Chris.

"Yeah, okay let's go."

"She only answers question if they're hot?" Clint asked incredulously while Steve has a jealous rage going on inside him.

"You've been called the 'Da Vinci' of our time. What do you say to that?"

"Absolutely ridiculous, I don't paint."

The team chuckled. That was definitely a Toni answer.

"And what do you say to your other name? "The Mistress of Death?"

The team sucked in a breath. They hadn't known about that.

"That's not bad. Let me guess. Berkeley?" Tony asks amused.

"Brown actually," he replies dryly.

"Well Mr. Brown. It's an imperfect world but it's the only one we've got. I guarantee you, the day weapons are no longer needed to keep the peace I'll start making bricks and beams for baby hospitals."

"Rehearse that much?"

"Every night in front of the mirror before bedtime."

"I'd like to see that firsthand."

"I'm sure you would," Tony deadpans.

"All I want is a serious answer."

"Okay here's serious. My father had a philosophy, 'Peace means having a bigger stick than the other guy."

"That's a great line."

"My father helped defeat the Nazis. He worked on the Manhattan project. A lot of people, including the professors at Brown, would call that a hero."

"And a lot of people would call that war profiteering."

Everyone winced as a brief flash of hurt got past Toni's mask. That comment must have really hurt her.

"Tell me, do you plan to report on all the millions we've saved by advancing medical technology, or kept from starvation without intellect-crops? All those breakthroughs, military funding?"

"You ever lose an hour of sleep in your life?"

"I'd be prepared to lose a few with you."

The team 'ew'ed and covered their eyes for the next scene where Tony and Chris fell onto the bed kissing.

Steve felt sick; it wasn't nice to see the object of your affections falling into bed with another man.

"Tony, we didn't need to see that." Bruce says to no-one in particular.

"Tony was a play-girl Bruce," Nat replied factually.

Everyone on the team groaned while Steve and Bruce looked a little green.

This was going to be a long movie.