Chapter 7

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Enjoyy :)


Set durring the first Iron Man movie

Pepper has been working for Tony for 12 years

Maria is 14 years old


Tony looked up from the car part he was holding.

"Give me an exploded view" he mumbled to Jarvis. He was kneeling next to his hot rod, trying to fix it up, with his usual rock music blaring.

"The compression in cylinder three appears to be low" replied the AI.

"Log that" said Tony, looking back down.

Maria walked down the stairs to her father's workshop. When she reached the glass door, she saw Tony kneeling next to one of his cars, his back to the door. An evil smile krept onto Maria's face as she typed in her code on the glass door. The door opened and she walked in, Tony never noticing. She walked up to him quietly, then paused. The song that was playing was Thunderstruck by ACDC, one of Maria's favorite songs. The song continued, and worked perfectly with what she was about to do.

Youve been

Maria hovered her hands over Tony's shoulders.

Thunderstruck!

She grabbed Tony's shoulders and he jumped.

"Jesus!" he exclaimed turning his head to look at her. Maria started laughing, and after a moment of trying not too, Tony started laughing as well.

"You scared the hell out of me."

"I noticed" Maria replied, still laughing as she jumped into the drivers seat of the car. She leaned over the car door to see what her father was tinkering with.

"So what are you doing?" she asked him. Tony blew off that question, and asked his own.

"What time is it?"

"I dont know, around eight."

"Eight" Tony repeated. "Shouldnt you be at school?"

"I wanted to say goodbye to you" Maria replied, in the sweetest voice she could. Tony and Rhodey were going to Afghanistan today for a weapons demonstration. Tony looked up at her, their deep brown eyes meeting.

"One day wont kill me. Im way ahead" she added, her voice back to normal. Maria was in her last year of highschool, and was head of her class. She skipped grades here and there, just like her father had, because she was so smart.

"Okay" said Tony, looking back down at what he was doing. "Come here, I need your help for a sec." Maria slid over to the passenger seat of the car and opened the door. She climbed out and walked around the car to sit on the floor next to Tony. He explained to her what he was doing, and they got busy. About an hour later, they were still hunched over the car when the music turned off. Maria turned her head and saw it was because Pepper had entered the room.

"Please dont turn down my music" said Tony, not looking up. Pepper finished up the conversation she was having on the phone, then walked towards the hot rod where Tony and Maria were.

"Youre supposed to be at school right now" Pepper said, looking at Maria. She then looked at Tony. "And you are suppose to be half way around the world!"

"How'd she take it?" Tony asked, ignoring the fact that Pepper was scolding him.

"Like a champ" Pepper replied. Maria rolled her eyes and kept out of the conversation. They were talking about the girl Tony had a one night stand with last night. Christine Everhart, a reporter from Vanity Fair.

"Why you trying to hustle me out of here?" Tony asked, still tinkering with the car.

"Your flight was scheduled to leave an hour and a half ago."

"Thats funny, I thought with it being my plane and all, that it would just wait for me to get there."

"Tony, I need to speak to you about a couple of things before I get you out the door."

"Doesnt it kind of defeat the whole purpose of having your own plane if it departs before you arrive?" Tony said, ignoring Pepper. He stood and grabbed a rag, then leaned against the car facing Pepper, wiping the greese of his hands.

"Lary called, hes got another buyer for the Jackson Pollock 'In the Springs'. Do you want it? Yes or no?"

"Is it a good representation of his spring period?" asked Tony.

"No, uh actually the Springs was actually the neighborhood in East Hampton where he lived and worked" Pepper explained.

"Not spring, like the season" Maria said over her shoulder. She was still tinkering with the car.

"So?" Tony questioned.

"I think its a fair example" Pepper started. "But I think its incredibly over priced."

"I need it. Buy it. Store it" said Tony, as he set down his rag and stood up. Maria laughed. Tony started to walk over to the mini kitchen area set up on the other side of the workshop, and Pepper followed. She wasnt done yet.

"The MIT commencement speech-"

"Is in June" Tony interupted. "Please, dont harangue me about stuff thats way, way down-"

"Well theyre haranguing me, so Im going to say yes." Pepper opened a folder with muiltiple papers in it.

"I need you to sign this before you get on the plane." Tony turned to face her, a small cup of coffee in his hand.

"What are you trying to get rid of me for? What, you have plans?"

"As a matter of fact, I do."

"I dont like it when you have plans."

"Im allowed to have plans on my birthday."

"Its your birthday?"

"Yes" said Pepper. She wasnt surprised he forgot.

"Happy birthday Pepper!" Maria called to her from her spot by the hot rod. Just because she wasnt actively involved in the conversation, doesnt mean she wasnt listening.

"Thank you."

"I knew that" said Tony, trying to cover up the fact that he forgot his assistant of 12 years' birthday. "Already?"

"Yeah, isnt that strange? Its the same day as last year."

"Well, get yourself something nice from me."

"I already did." Tony smiled a boyish smile.

"And?"

"It was very nice. Very tasteful. Thank, you Mr. Stark."

"Youre welcome, Ms. Potts." Pepper smiled, and tappe the edge of Tony's coffee cup with the tip of her pen. Tony chugged it till it was empty, then handed it to Pepper.

"Lets do this" he said, as he walked past Pepper and towards the door to leave the garage. Maria stood up when she saw her dad leave, and caught Pepper before she could leave as well.

"I didnt forget about you. I have your gift, I'll give it to you once dad leaves."

"Maria, you didnt have to" said Pepper, a smile on her face. Atleast one Stark remembered her birthday.

"You wont say that once you see what I go you" Maria said, smug. They both went upstairs, Maria going into Tony's room and sitting on his bed while he packed, and Pepper talking to Happy in the living room. Pepper had called Happy to come over right before she went down into the garage, and he had just arrived. He was going to be driving Tony to catch his plane. After 10 minutes, Tony and Maria came into the living room. Each carried a suitcase, although they were both for Tony.

"Hey Happy" Maria greeted. Happy was only able to get out a quick 'hi' before Tony started talking.

"Wanna race?"

"What?" Happy replied, confused.

"You in the Rolls Royce, me in my old Audi. I worked on the engine, and I wanna test it out" Tony explained.

"Okay" Happy agreed, taking the suitcase Maria was holding and heading towards the door. Maria and Pepper followed Tony and Happy out the door, and hung pack while they put both suitcases into the Rolls Royce. Tony threw Happy the keys to the Audi.

"You wanna go get that for me?"

"Sure thing, Boss" Happy replied, and he started for the garage. Tony walked over to Maria and Pepper, and hugged Maria.

"Bye dad" Maria said quietly. She was used to Tony leaving for weapons demonstrations, but not like this. He was going into an active war zone, and that made her nervous.

"Ill be back tomarrow" Tony said into her hair.

"I know. Just be safe."

"Always am" he said, pulling back after hearing Happy pull up his Audi. He took a step back, and looked at Pepper.

"Bye" he said simply.

"Bye Tony."

'Akward' though Maria. Maria, along with everyone else in the world, agreed that Tony and Pepper were meant for each other. Its been 12 years. They need to get their crap together.

"You ready?" said Happy, breaking up the akwardness. Tony cleared his throat.

"Uh, yeah. Yup." They each climbed into the driver seat of their cars. Tony rolled down the window and looked at Maria.

"Love ya, kid."

"Love you" Maria replied.

"You know, we need a starter" said Tony, and Maria smiled. She walked inbetween the cars, and knocked on Happy's window. She pointed down, and Happy rolled down his window. She positioned herself so she was an equal distance inbetween both cars, and raised her arms in the air.

"Okay! On your mark!" They both revved their engines. "Get set! Go!" She threw her arms down, using them as a flag. Both cars took off down the driveway, kicking up dust. Maria laughed. She had no idea that would be that last time she would see her father for 3 months.