A/N:

This part was difficult to write, since I'm really not good at action, so forgive me. I hope you enjoy it anyway : ) I hope this is what you've been waiting for!

'It's time, I guess,' Tony tells JARVIS when he's doing the usual workout in the morning. With some exercises that are not just running, the more he works out with the upper body the easier it seems, and it's a great feeling. Like going back to himself. 'Pepper will be taking over on Wednesday. Hell, I still can't believe when I say it out loud, can you believe it, J? Finally.'

'I trust Miss Potts,' the A.I. replies quickly and Tony feels like throwing a pillow or something at the smartness.

'Everything is ready?'

'Yes, sir.'

'Access the main SI system, passcode one-seven-phi-oh-oh-nine-nine-jay-bourbon-three-nine-five-two-eight-es-es-sigma-one-oh-nine-one-blueberry.'

'Perfect, sir. Accessing. Your sense of humor will never cease to amaze me,' JARVIS adds blankly, but Tony can hear a smirk in the dry voice. 'Access granted. We're in the system.'

'Install Ginny 1.0., authorization password oh-oh-eight-theta. Go wild, baby.'

'Authorization granted, installing engaged. Estimated time until finish, three hours forty minutes.'

'You lazy thing,' Tony comments affectionately (though he knows perfectly that it's as fast as possible, with how big the security program is, and there is no risk of anyone learning what Tony is doing because when all the previous systems were installed he always left a backdoor, and the keys all ended with blueberry for his own amusement, yes, typical.) 'I need something to do in the meantime. J, ideas?'

'The weather is exceptionally nice today,' JARVIS replies in a perfect innocent voice. Of course he knows I need this, normalcy, and of course he'd know when I feel better, Tony thinks and laughs at himself. I've created a monster.

'Are you trying to get rid of me?'

'Why not, sir. And then I'd try to take over the world.'

Tony laughs, his voice echoing in the big space. Now, that's his J.

'You have my permission anyway, J, no need to hide. But you've got me there – is Happy around? Call him if he isn't. But he is.'

'He is, sir. Mister Hogan will be here in a moment.'

(It really is just ninety nine seconds, thank you.)

'Sir?'

'We're going for a ride, Happy. Okay with you?'

'Of course, boss,' the man replies, and if his voice is a bit reluctant, Tony is hardly able to tell. Well, of course, he knew how to choose his people wisely. 'Right now?'

'In five.'

'I'll be waiting –'

'Take the Tesla,' Tony cuts in, turning around walking away to let Pepper know where he's disappearing to, not giving Happy much possibility to protest.

Pepper is surprisingly cool about the idea, but then Tony is not sure she understands what he really means by 'I'm going out, will be with Happy, back in an hour or something' between two phone calls she is trying to handle at once.

'Are you sure you want to do this?' Happy asks Tony when he is finally sitting on the Tesla's comfy leather.

'No.'

'Okay,' Happy states and pulls out of the driveway abruptly, pushing Tony into the seat, the air murmuring into his ears and swirling around his body.

(Happy is kind of Tony's favorite, right after Pepper, JARVIS and other bots, and Rhodey. The competition is rather tough.)

'Trust you,' Tony adds when they get onto the main road. He's sure Happy is smiling.

They drive for an hour and a half, not at the crazy speed Tony was used to before, but fast. There isn't much talking or music playing, since the cabriolet is much too loud for that, especially with strong salt-scented wind – the little persistent thing that he's never cared to notice – in addition to the noise of cutting through the air at such speed. (Tony almost panics a few times, but he learns he has a better hold on things that he's expected. All it takes are some deep breaths, with the air forcing itself into his lungs, and practicing the chewy sweet method with an actual sweet, since it turns out Happy keeps a stash of Wham cola bars everywhere he goes. Kind of suspicious, but Tony doesn't complain.)

He wears sunglasses all the time, and his hair is such a perfect mess at the end of the ride. The winds still seems to whistle in his ears when he gets out of the car.

'Thanks, Happy. We need to do this again.'

'Whenever you want, boss. I was starting to get bored.'

(Tony has talked with Happy about babysitting him. Happy laughed at the word and said yes solemnly, saying that he has no power to be against Pepper's word. Tony couldn't help but agree.)

'Next time I'm taking you to narrate, J, you think the earpiece is going to be disturbed by the wind and air?' Tony asks as soon as he is in the house, still feeling slightly dizzy and overwhelmed after the big mad ride.

'Negative, sir. It really shouldn't.'

'We're perfect, hmm?' Tony muses, making his way to the workshop where Dummy is waiting with the shake already. It's almost an hour before Pepper calls him to the kitchen via JARVIS, and when he goes up, it turns out there will be homemade food, and he is ordered to a light duty of helping.

'Agent Coulson called,' Pepper tells him when he is stirring the tomato soup. She is making grilled cheese, Tony can smell the melting cheddar, and it's a heavenly scent; her grilled cheese is the best. With herby butter (the kitchen does have the remote aroma of thyme, yes.)

'J?'

'I didn't consider it important enough to disturb you, sir.'

Pepper snorts amusedly, and Tony can't help but do the same.

'Why do you always manage to sweet-talk yourself out of scolding? I protest,' Tony asks, but there isn't any answer delivered, other than Pepper asking the A.I. to call Happy to come for lunch.

After eating Tony goes down to the shop again, with some music playing in the background, he calls the Agent. Because it's fun, not because he has to, obviously.

Coulson says he has some more questions, what isn't very surprising since they talked more about the terrorists than Mark I or arc reactor in Tony's chest, and according to what Pepper told him a few times before, those were primary concerns of S.H.I.E.L.D.

'Just come over whenever you can. Preferably before Wednesday – no, make it before Wednesday. You'll be grateful if you come before Wednesday.'

'I get the hint, Stark,' Phil says drily. 'I will be there tomorrow at noon. Not that the director will be happy, since I do have a day job to do. But maybe he'll forgive me because it's you.'

Tony laughs at the audible smirk in the man's voice, which is a lot coming from him.

'Just be here,' he adds before hanging up and moving to pretend to do some work for the (approximately) seventeen minutes left before the system is funny installed. It passes in a blink, and then JARVIS speaks up.

'Ginny 1.0. fully operational, sir. No conflicts detected. We're under all other layers of security in the SI systems as planned.'

'You see all the cameras and sensors?'

'Positive, sir.'

'Okay. Keep an eye on everything from now on, especially with Pepper there. I want you to have the armor on a stand-by before Wednesday, just in case. How long will it take to fly from here to the SI California headquarters?'

'Approximately seven to eight minutes at top speed, sir.'

'Will do for now. If anything is wrong fly over there without asking me for permission, just notify me as soon as possible.'

'As you wish,' the A.I. replies. The voice is maybe a bit more reluctant than usually, but Tony doesn't really pay attention.

Coulson comes over a minute before noon, which makes Tony laugh instead of greeting the man as he's standing in the doorway and listening to the Acura stopping in the middle of the driveway. They move the living room and Tony orders JARVIS to make coffee for the man, because the exhaustion is clear in his voice now; Tony feels just a tad guilty for dragging him away from his work.

But there's no way he can talk about that over the phone.

Tony offers rather vague explanations – vague technically, mind you – and Coulson tries to make him be more specific, taking notes with his soft-moving fountain pen. As much as Tony trusts the man (sure, JARVIS run background check on Phil and on whole S.H.I.E.L.D., plus Tony was more than surprised to learn his own father was one of the founders; he isn't stupid enough to follow them blindly) he is not going to give the tech specifications for the suit or the reactor, because it would mean compromising his and Pepper's security and fuck, he's so not doing that.

Coulson drinks another cup of coffee while Tony sips his shake without enthusiasm, and when they both are frustrated enough with each other, they decide to call truce and Coulson asks Tony what he was going to say.

'Pepper's taking over SI and shutting down weapons manufacturing. Thought I could give you and your secret spy club heads-up.'

The Agent is actually speechless for a few moments, what Tony awards himself about a million points for, well, that's probably excessive, but live while you can.

'And you're telling me this why exactly?'

'I don't know, to have you have our back when the media and the army go crazy?'

'Why would we?' Coulson shots back and Tony can tell he is curious.

'Maybe because I am fully aware that you're going to pester me about the tech unless you are satisfied, or at least partially satisfied, and you're the most secret agency in the whole country and you probably could do what you want and get away with it, along with threatening me and trying to steal my data what you'll never be able to do but you would try anyway? I might not be able to see, Phil, but I have my eyes on the whole lot of you in many other ways. And if I'm ever going to do anything for you, you need to do something for me first. Easy. That's my condition. And no, doing something for you does not include making you weapons.'

'What makes you think we want to negotiate?' Coulson asks, his voice icy, but Tony just shrugs easily. Power play and bullshit, ah, and I am the master of both. Still.

'Because no matter the circumstances, everything you want to have most is here,' Tony replies just as coolly, tapping his temple. 'In my head, and only there.'

(What is true, because the arc reactor specs were deleted from all the databases as they were fabricated, for Tony and the suits. JARVIS can recreate them soon enough anyway, when Tony asks him to. And the suits, or any tech S.H.I.E.L.D. might think about, it's all useless without a sufficient power source.)

'We're not almighty,' Coulson shots back and Tony laughs. He's really been feeling better, those last few days. 'But I'll see what we can do about all the army not getting mad at you.'

'Label it secret stuff,' Tony suggests easily, giving the man a quick wide smile.

'It's not so easy.'

'It just might be,' Tony replies, getting up. 'Staying for food?'

'No time. Still need to report your – conditions, to the director. He's not going to be happy.'

'That's your problem, sweetheart,' Tony replies easily.

'Of course it is,' Coulson says before disappearing.

Tony and Pepper eat together, going over some last changes in Pepper's speech for the press conference that she'll schedule for four p.m. the next morning, since they agreed it'd be better to keep things secret as long as possible. The rest of the day passes in the usual way, and if at night Pepper sleeps close enough for Tony to feel her body , if searching for comfort and reassurance; he doesn't say anything when they wake up.

The two lawyers come by at ten, together with Happy what makes Tony raise his eyebrows questioningly.

'Two witnesses are a requirement, Tony,' Pepper explains. Tony nods, because it makes a lot of sense, he's just never thought about it before.

Then he makes a verbal statement, proclaiming Pepper his successor (and manages to keep his voice smooth, bravo.) The it's the paperwork, read out loud to him by one of the lawyers in the presence of the witnesses, and when he declares he agrees with everything it says – that's not so much, really, it's nothing more than a change of the CEO seat, giving her board right and all the jazz, while Tony gets a seat since he's still the owner, blah blah – he presses his thumb against the ink pad and, guided by the lawyer, leaves his impression in the right box.

'Everything is in order, Mister Stark,' the elderly man says; Tony thanks them both and they leave a few minutes later. Pepper goes up to her office to make all the required calls. Tony swallows down his shake and dozes off on the sofa, after having slept just three hours at night, the medicine is still making him so much more sleepy than he used to be.

Pepper wakes him up, and Tony can immediately tell that he's slept longer than he wanted, but it's okay. No nightmares. Thing of beauty.

'All the members of the board will be there, and the approved journalists. Just so you know,' she tells him softly. 'I'm going now, Tony. It's half past two. Wish me luck.'

'I wish you luck,' Tony replies obediently with a tight smile, sitting up. Pepper gives him a kiss on the cheek.

'Happy is in the gym,' she adds. Tony blinks.

'Isn't he driving you? You can't go alone –'

'Phil is giving me a lift.'

'Phil?' Tony asks, cocking his head. 'I'm not sure I like it.'

'Don't play jealous now, you know I'd never leave you and all this romantic things, I don't have time for this now – god, I spend too much time with you, I start talking like you now – I told you I'm not having you alone in the house, and if I took Happy, it'd be rather difficult to have someone who I trust here. So there. Talk later, bye,' she finishes and walks away quickly, heels clicking furiously, and Tony pities (just a tiny bit) anyone who'll try to mess with his Pepper today.

Tony goes down and spend some time with Happy, doing some light workout and counting minutes alternatively. Since the press conference is not going to be transmitted live anywhere, Tony cleans himself up waiting for the news channels to get hold of the information and start being crazy. It takes them around twenty seven minutes which is more than Tony expected, but then not everyone has a JARVIS to help them.

The media goes crazy. Tony listens to the frantic and hectic reports while waiting for Pepper to come back. There is a gossip that claims he is close to death and it's his last wish, huh. Now, that's new, Tony thinks, but he's not sure if he should laugh or be angry. Probably both. When they start to comment on how Pepper is not competent enough because she's only been a PA, Tony asks JARVIS to turn the TV off and play some music as he goes to the shop.

'They're gonna be surprised soon enough,' Tony tells the A.I. between sips of the shake that Dummy pushed into his hand by force.

'They will,' JARVIS agrees, and they are right because most people do not realize that as much as Tony knew how to be a good and effective CEO because hey, he's taken over SI when he was twenty one and he's done a good job and keeping it together, Pepper is better, and he lets her do as much as she wants.

Tony has JARVIS monitor all the SI contacts and messages and give him a brief overview. The stocks are going to drop like crazy over the next few days, obviously, but Tony is not worried about that. There is an endless stream of interview/info requests to Pepper and to other SI representatives, but surprisingly little to Tony himself.

There really isn't as much uproar from all the Generals (at least not where JARVIS can check) as Tony would have expected. Guess I owe the Agent some good coffee beans now, he thinks and asks JARVIS to save a bag or two for the next time the man comes to visit, along with tome platinum cufflinks because he is still an eccentric billionaire, and Coulson is seemingly in love with his custom tailored D&G's, according to JARVIS' reports; Tony likes to be informed.

Obie is livid.

Tony can't say he's surprised. They talk on the phone for a few minutes that consist mostly of the older man shouting and Tony trying not to grimace.

'You better make up for this mess somehow,' Obie says and it shouldn't hurt, but it does. 'I will come over tomorrow, I think all I can bear today is a good few drinks, Tony. We are going to talk,' he adds, and Tony can't not hear the threatening tone of the voice. But then he knew exactly what he was doing.

Just as the man hangs up, JARVIS informs Tony that Pepper entered the house and that she is alone, Coulson leaving in his Acura straight away.

'I want to castrate all the old chauvinistic men,' Pepper declares as she enters the shop. Heels are off, Tony can barely hear her soft footsteps. 'But the looks on their faces were priceless, when I showed the documentation.'

'I'm so glad, Pepper,' Tony tells her, resting his hands on her hips. 'I'm so happy I have you, and that you are so brave to take all of this shit on yourself. I seriously owe you. What do I owe you?'

'I could reason with a kiss,' she replies, making Tony blink and smirk. 'No, really. That, and a long holiday with SPA is some exotic place when everything is calmed down enough for me to take some time off, what probably will not happen in months –'

Tony cuts her off with the kiss. (For a fraction of second he's worried he'll miss her lips since he can't fucking judge by sight, but he doesn't. It should probably count as one of the greatest accomplishments of a blind man.)

He breaks off when he feels like suffocating. Silence hangs between them for a few moments, until Dummy chirps, rolls up to them and pokes Tony, and the Pepper. Tony pets the bot absentmindedly, but a moment later he realizes that the robot, who never sees Tony being physical with anyone, is just jealous. Pepper seems to understand that, too, because they break into laughter simultaneously.

'Don't worry, Dummy, buddy, you'll always be my first love,' Tony assures the bot, patting his claw sensor. The bot makes a happy beep in reply and moves away.

'My life is strange,' Pepper announces, her voice light and tired.

'I'm sorry,' Tony replies sheepishly, but before he can say anything else, there is a short loud noise from the corner and half a minute later Dummy is back with shake for Tony. It's a full hour before the schedule, though. Tony takes the cup with a frown, but the bot rolls away happily.

'I think Dummy is trying to tell you to drink now, since he's aware of your aversion, sir, so that you and Miss Potts can have a dinner together later in the evening.'

I don't have any idea of what's happening here, huh.

'Did your robot just set up a date for us?'

Tony laughs again. He can't quite remember being that happy – carefree – for a long, long time, and even all the craziness that will need to be addressed the next day doesn't concern him at the very moment.

'Bots, Pepper, bots,' Tony responds, giving her a quick kiss and taking her hand to lead her upstairs.

'Indeed sir, I have just placed an appropriate order, the food will arrive in about one hour,' JARVIS replies, and if this isn't being smug, Tony doesn't know what is.

'You're not in right mind, Tony,' Obie says when he enters the house at eight a.m. sharp. Tony is sitting in the living room, but since it's all open space the strong voice carries and he can hear the words clearly, followed by quick heavy steps.

'Actually I am, according to a professional –'

'What are you trying to pull off this time? Please,' Obie continues, ignoring Tony's words and throwing an arm around his back patronizingly. 'You're making your PA the CEO and make her pull this crazy stunt at the same time. We are iron mongers, Tony! That's what Stark Industries is! That's what we do, we make weapons.'

'And I thought I haven't been taking part in anything these last few months,' Tony counters, because that's exactly what Obie told him to do. Lay low.

'It's just a few months, and think of what you've been doing your whole life, even when you were still a kid, you were helping you father and me and the business, like you should be. I don't want to be angry with you, Tony, I understand this is difficult for you, but you can't take your frustration out on the company, because it's not only your thing, did you think about me? About the board? About shareholders?'

'I'm not taking my frustrations out, Obie. This – it's something more. I don't want the body count to be out only legacy,' Tony replies, wriggling out of the man's embrace and walking away a bit, into the other room, and sitting by the piano. Obie follows him, the shoes clicking on the marble floor.

'Tony, what we do keeps the world from falling into chaos –'

'Then we're not doing a good enough job,' Tony cuts in, putting his right hand on the instrument and pushing some random keys, making a high echoing sound. 'We can do better. We're gonna do something else.'

'Like what, are you going to be a hippie now? You can't just throw away all the SI legacy.'

'It's my name at on buildings and on the contracts and on the weapons –'

'Everyone in the company has rights!'

'– and it's in the rules and in everything where you put your signature, too, that I can make decisions single-handedly when I think it's necessary, wasn't that one of dad's conditions?'

(He actually says dad and not Howard, because Obie hates when he calls his father by his name, you've got to respect him, Tony, repeated endlessly throughout his childhood.)

'Howard didn't mean it for whining like that, Tony.'

'I don't care what he did, the decision is final. Full stop. We'll look into another directions to develop and expand.'

'Like what?' Obie snaps, tapping his hands on his leg, like he always does when he's upset. Tony presumes he's seated himself on one of the leather armchairs.

'Energy business. Clean energy is kind of the thing now, there is never enough new tech in the area, and you can have a lot of contracts if you're good, which Stark Industries is,' Tony replies flatly, continuing to tap the keys randomly. Wonder why Obie hasn't stopped be yet, huh.

'You've got something up in your sleeve, don't you, Tony?' Obie says as he gets up and walks to where Tony is siting. 'I know this face. What do you have?'

And yes, Tony thinks, I guess it's time for the grand show. Because he's known, since the day when he asked JARVIS to check if he can appoint his successor, that when the day comes, it'll mean showing off the jewel in his chest

'Arc reactor,' Tony says easily, never stopping to play, and Obie's warm hand stops his all of sudden. 'Just what you heard.'

'Arc reactor that is not even close to being cost-effective and there has been no work done on it for what, thirty years?'

Showtime.

'Not really,' Tony says, starting to unbutton the shirt he's wearing. 'I mean something more like this – it works,' he adds with a dramatic finish, opening the shirt. He knows there was no light seeping through it before, since he made sure to choose the thicker one that'd block the light, and Pepper recently had most of his tops lined with a thin layer of a special fabric (saying that if he'll be in public, maybe, he can't show off his light, what is perfectly right.) It was supposed to be for army uniforms, but apparently JARVIS decided that it was good for something else, too.

'Tony?' Obie sounds kind of stunned, and Tony grins widely. He can only imagine how it must look, seeing the circle of blue light embedded in his chest, with all the scaring around, and with no warning.

'I made it back there,' Tony explains, making a face. He's quite aware of the older man staring at him and he hates feeling the eyes on his mutilated body, but it's okay for now. 'To keep shrapnel out of my heart. A few pieces. It seems that necessity makes everything possible – you see. It works.'

'Why haven't you told me about it before?' Obie asks accusingly, instead of acknowledging Tony's words.

'I only told Pepper,' Tony replies because it's perfectly true, Rhodey and all the doctors that saw him back in Europe found out by themselves. It's not really an answer though. 'I needed time. Do you think it's easy to live with this thing inside your body, Obie? It's not. And I could only imagine what would be the reaction if – people knew. '

Now, that is both true and will probably keep all other questions at bay.

'Okay, Tony. Okay. I need to think about this. You better have something good to do with the reactor,' Obie says, buttoning up Tony's shirt quickly. 'I need to think about this, and we can talk on Monday or something. I need a few days off with some good scotch and a cigar to relax from this madness you put me in.'

'Sure thing.'

'I call you,' Obie adds and pats him on the back strongly before walking away. Tony doesn't move until JARVIS announces the man drove off.

Wasn't so bad, he thinks. Though I dread what Pepper will say when she comes back after the stock going down like this.

Tony spends the rest of the day on the usual activities, dragging Happy along with himself as they chat about – everything. Really. They have a lot in common, in a way, and Tony almost forgot how it is to have a normal conversation on mundane topics.

Pepper is exhausted and her voice is a bit raw from all the talking she had to do during the day, explaining and explaining and explaining everything. Tony makes her, with JARVIS' help, honey and lemon drink that is good for sore throat, gaining himself a kiss on the forehead.

I really should write those little bastards some nice code upgrades, he thinks, because it's been – better, whatever it is between him and Pepper. Even though nothing more than the supper with a perfect chocolate fondant and a few light kisses happened.

They spend the evening 'watching' yet another of the sci-fi classics and Tony can't stop himself from pointing out that Pepper hated those when she started working for Tony, telling him that every single time she found him watching a movie instead of working. It seems like a very very long time ago.

The next two days pass in a similar way, with Pepper heading out early, Tony and Happy passing the time, and evenings together. It's a routine Tony could get used to if Pepper was only less tired, because it's feeling – good. Tony's been taking the medicine and has been drinking the smoothies and even has managed to put on little weight, bravo, mister.

On Sunday Pepper stays at home and Rhodey comes to visit, bringing a lot of still hot food with himself and congratulating Tony from behind the box that he's holding as he enters the house.

'You've made quite a stir,' the colonel says. They go to the kitchen because it's lunchtime and the food is ready to eat. Perfect. 'That little agent of yours is kind of scary when he gets serious, though.'

'You met Coulson?' Tony asks, surprised, because the man has never mentioned anything like that.

'Yeah, he came by to talk with the generals and thanked me for looking out for you. I mean, how weird is that? Some stranger, a perfect incognito agent with clearance level and authority higher that yours, walks up to you and says I'm from S.H.I.E.L.D. Mister Stark asked me to handle a few things regarding a matter I was told you know of. We'll make it easier for you, colonel. And thanks for having his back. That's almost exactly what he said.'

'That's so like Phil,' Pepper joins in, laughing and sets the table.

'Yeah, he pretends to be nice, but I'm sure he's lethal,' Tony adds before digging into the food: it's fried chicken pieces from a place Rhodey and Tony love, so it doesn't even require using cutlery and Tony is happy like a kid when he can eat with his hands.

Later, Pepper disappears upstairs to read a bit and simply relax, and the two men and up in the living room, with a football game on the big screen – and in the speakers, hidden cleverly around the room – and drinking alcohol-free malt beer that was hidden in Rhodey's magical box.

'I'm sorry, man,' Rhodey says at some point, and since it's completely out of context, Tony doesn't have an idea what it's about.

'Huh?' he replies wisely, waiting for elaboration.

'That I was so mad at you when you told me you're shutting down the weapons manufacturing.'

'You already said that,' Tony says with a frown, because the colonel did say that, and Tony doesn't hold a grudge, honestly, this is not some teenage drama.

'I know, I know, but … You're going to hate me for this –'

'For?'

Rhodey shifts next to him and Tony can easily tell he's uncomfortable, even though the reason is still unclear. He takes a sip of the beer and sets the bottle down, turning towards the colonel and making his best impression of an expectant face.

'I think I would keep being angry at you for doing something like that if it weren't for – this situation. I know you won't like when I tell you this, but I keep thinking about you, about all this differently than I would otherwise, and I feel like I should give you more space yhan in any other situation.' (The speech is messy, but Tony knows what it means.) 'It makes me think a lot, you know. About my job, and your job and everything. Puts things into perspective. When you notice there are different things that are more important than what you though holds the first place, you know? I want to see you happy, man, first and foremost. I want to be here when you need me and I hate when I can't. And sure, we've been friends before, but I've never felt… protective.'

'Hey, you're going to make me think you're hitting on me,' Tony jokes, but Rhodey sighs ad probably gives him a long look, so he stops. 'Okay. Thanks. I mean, you've looked for me, no? When most people wanted to give up. Fished me out of the sand, and all that. Kept my secrets. Been here for me. Just – thanks, sweetheart. And if you want, I can never mention the hour of girly confessions to anyone, buttercup, if you swear not to do it either.'

'Pinky swear, man, like that time in eighty eight –'

'Ugh, don't remind me that,' Tony whines.

He feels safe in the colonel's presence, and it's all he could ask for. Even though he's sometimes ordered around like a baby, but it's kind of in place.

Rhodey insists to help Tony with washing, like he always does, making it an unspoken rule. The water is up to Tony's knees, without asking, he never asks and thank heavens for that, Tony knows he'd panic. The level's still far, far away from his head or the reactor, but he's all in goose bumps anyway.

Tony is tucked in, Rhodey leaves and Pepper comes to bed and falls asleep in a few minutes. Tony drifts off for a bit, but he's not sleepy much, and when JARVIS speaks up softly, he's on alert immediately.

'Sir, there is an issue I feel obliged to tell you about.'

'Now?'

'It can't really wait,' the A.I. replies, what makes Tony actually shiver in a wave of fear, because whatever has upset JARVIS must be serious. Tony sneaks out of the bed barefoot, walking as quietly. Pepper doesn't wake up, a testament to her exhaustion, when he opens the door and tiptoes to the workshop. One good thing, he thinks for the hundredth time, is that I can be around at night and it doesn't make difference.

'What is it, J?' he asks, sitting on the sofa and wrapping himself with a blanket that Dummy – no doubt forewarned by JARVIS – holds in his claw.

'I've been running a routine check of the SI servers, going from year two thousand, like you asked me, sir, and I have noticed a series of shipments you were not aware of. Recently, neither Miss Potts not the deputies were not notified of them either.'

Wow, it shouldn't be that unexpected, the terrorists had to get the weapons somehow, but that it was happening for such a long time, fuck fuck fuck.

'In fact, there is no authorization on either of them, they just seem to be done through a program that would make them undetectable for the usual security.' (What means as much as it must be someone who knows the normal security measures, one of the best in the country of course, and that narrows down the possible suspect t.)

'It's the wayward weapons that you mentioned when you were talking with Miss Potts and Colonel Rhodey and most recently with Agent Coulson. Some of the serial numbers match those recognizable on photographs from Gulmira that I told you about.'

Of-fucking-course.

'The latest one is from yesterday.'

'And you know who it is,' Tony states, because that's what the A.I. s trying to say, he knows well enough the methods that JARVIS learned from himself.

'My data is conclusive that it is Mister Stane, sir.' JARVIS states coldly. Tony is not sure he's more stunned at the information or at how livid the robotic voice sounds. 'It's one hundred percent sure, given that her was the only person present in the facility from which the yesterday's logs were made.'

Fuck, Tony thinks. And it's about as much as he is able to come up with, because hell, Obie –

'He's going to go after Pepper,' Tony realizes. 'And – and after the arc reactor, why the fuck did I show him… Am I right, J? He's going to, no? He's been fucking with me for decades – are you really, really sure?

(Tony knows JARVIS can't be wrong or her wouldn't tell him.)

It's easier to believe this is really happening than Tony would have thought, what is rather terrifying.

'The eight minutes you'd need to get the suit from here to LA is not enough, J,' Tony states firmly. 'We need a plan.'

Monday morning, Tony tries to behave as normal as possible, which he manages to perfectly enough for Pepper not to notice anything unusual. As soon as she gets out of the house and into the car with her personal driver waiting, Tony gives JARVIS thumbs up and the suit is deployed. It's going to land on the top of one of the buildings near SI headquarters, since that particular skyscraper has activity sensor on the roof, of course. But not everyone is that insightful, luckily this time.

There is no actual indication that anything would happen so soon, but Tony has a bit of a gut feeling, so he prefers to be prepared anyway.

At eleven, Obadiah pulls up in front of the mansion, and Tony braces himself – because it's fucking scary, not being able to know what exactly he's facing – and gives JARVIS a command to do whatever is needed to ensure Pepper's safety, short of killing people. The armor has enough tranq shots for fifty people. (Because Tony figured they'll be both – attacked – at the same time, since otherwise JARVIS would inform the other immediately.)

Happy is out running on the beach and of course Stane would know his exact workout hours.

Tony is in the workshop and JARVIS narrates him what's happening, as the older man puts out a device that is supposed to disturb all the electronic impulses around, meaning disabling the A.I.

'Pretend you're not here,' Tony orders and JARVIS goes quiet. That would be an issue, maybe, before the updates Tony gave to his tech during last few weeks.

Tony, without information from JARVIS, hears the man go down to the workshop, footsteps echoing in the wide staircase. Apparently Obie thinks that Tony is not able to use any of the equipment, and since he can't tell if the lights are out, he's surely not supposed to notice that something is wrong with power in the house. (Of course he would notice, because he's been used to the soft buzz even before the blindness thing, but not everyone is aware of that.)

'Tony,' the man starts with a cheerful voice, walking up to where he is sitting on the sofa, smoothie cup in one of his hands. 'I came to talk to you.'

'I know, Obie. What do want to say?'

'Up to business, no? That's my boy,' Obadiah adds, dropping onto the sofa sext to Tony. 'I was considering what you said, about the arc reactor, and I thought it could be a good idea. It seems like a good prototype that we could work with,' he adds, tapping his hand on the reactor which makes Tony flinch suddenly because it's not what you fucking do, and suddenly, the other hand is circled around his neck and making it hard to breathe, and Tony can feel the unpleasant warmth on his chest.

'That's good, Obie, you're not mad at me anymore?' Tony tries, because he's not sure what's going to happen –

'How about I take the only working prototype, Tony?' (Tony knows that with the hand tracing the edges of the reactor he should be panicking, but – all he can think about is Pepper) 'That will make it so much easier for both of us, you kn–'

Then Obie suddenly inhales and his grip loosens, his body suddenly limp and sinking into the sofa, making Tony stand up quickly, shuddering with disguise.

'I thought we were to make it longer,' Tony states, massaging his throat and trying to calm down his racing heart. He wanted Obie to say more, because it was all recorded. Obviously.

Tony doesn't want to add another number to his body count, so the man is only tranquilized.

'He was touching the reactor, sir,' JARVIS replies as it if was obvious. Maybe it is.

'Okay,' Tony agrees, 'and Pepper, is she okay? Did they come after her like I thought –'

'There are four men approaching her office, sir, dressed in business suits, probably disguised as clients who want to go for a lunch, since Stane would not want it to be obvious, he apparently wants – wanted – to arrange kidnapping… Engaging, sir. The armor's been deployed, the men faces match with secret services databases, they are mysteriously disappeared convicts.'

'Oh fuck,' Tony breathes heavily, still standing in one place since he doesn't want to come any closer to Obie's, Stane's unconscious body. 'Are they very dangerous?'

'They are attempting to be polite, but Miss Potts seems to notice that something is wrong…'

Then Pepper hits a security breach button when one of the man takes out a small syringe with whatever med they want to use to 'persuade' her – Tony is sure the cameras are conveniently broken, to anyone but JARVIS – and then the armor comes crashing through the windows, startling all of them. The A.I. controlling the suit immediately uses the tranq ampules and outs out the four men before the can do any real damage.

'Miss Potts seems to be in light shock, staring at the four people laying around on the floor and at the armor that to knew knowledge should be at home – she's okay. I've just told her you're okay. The security guards are almost at her level, reaching now… entering the room.'

'Don't go anywhere, J. Stay with Pepper in the armor until she's home.'

'Of course, sir,' the A.I. replies, and so he does.

Tony calls Coulson, because it's the best idea he managed to come up with at night. He says something along hey, could you come by, I have my father-figure, who just tried to kill me and sent his goons to kidnap Pepper, unconscious on the sofa, but he's going to stay that for only two more hours, and by the way, he's been the source of leak of SI weapons all over the world.

The agent comes twenty minutes later in a helicopter that lands in Tony's garden, probably destroying all the precious plants, not that anyone cares. In the meantime, Tony calls Pepper and tells her a few warm words, and assures that everything is okay, is going to be okay.

'You make my schedule such a mess, Tony,' Coulson greets him and follows all the way down to the shop. (And yes, Tony could just walk around orienting himself by counting numbers, but he feels safer with the cane. It's more sensible, too, probably, since he's kind of distressed.)

'My pleasure,' Tony replies and presents the agent the view of the workshop, that – he thinks – is very calm and casual and doesn't indicate that if not for JARVIS, he's probably be on the floor, drawing last breaths of a pained cardiac arrest.

'Sir, Miss Potts is calling to confirm –'

'Palmers, Romanov, Folse?'

Tony is not sure what it's about, he reflects during the brief moment of silence.

'Yes, Agent Coulson,' JARVIS replies.

'Confirmed, then. I sent agents as soon as you called me, to clean up your mess. Four people tranqued there, huh? And what, an armor? Stark, what did you come up with this time?' Coulson's voice is bored and disbelieving at the same time, what makes Tony almost giggle. Of course it's just the tension that's been building up in his body and nothing else.

'I will tell you later… He's not leaving Pepper until she's back here. Don't worry,' Tony says rather not reassuringly, but it's okay. But on the second thought – 'Or I can tell you now. Just JARVIS, talk to Happy when he's back.'

(The A.I. took care of restoring the power system and bringing everything back to the usual state in whole twenty seconds)

'Let's get some coffee, shall we?' Tony suggests, and lets Coulson lead him up. There are some people walking there and back, but Ton was informed they are S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, ready to take Ob– Stane into custody.

It's an hour before Pepper arrives with ever more agents, and in the meantime Tony does make a coffee for the agent and the rest of them, too, only shooing them out of the kitchen. And the shake, again, for himself. He talks about the suit and about what he discovered last night and Coulson is mad at him for not telling anyone, but not as mad as he probably could be since everything ended well.

'I can't believe you knew!' Pepper shouts as soon as she is in the house, making everyone in the hearing range cringe at her angry tearful voice. 'And you'd let them – you'd let him come after you –'

'Calm down, Pep,' Tony pleads, embracing her as soon as she's close enough. 'See? Everything was fine. I was sure it would be fine, me and JARVIS, we are the great team… That was easy, no? The easiest way.'

'I hate you so much sometimes, you irresponsible moron,' Pepper replies and kisses him on the mouth. Tony is sure that Coulson looks away.

'I'm sorry, Tony, but you said that you and JARVIS are the team, but what about the person who is in the armor?' Coulson asks blankly and suddenly Tony knows what was the thing he managed to leave out, somehow. Ah. Now, time for the fun.

He tells Coulson everything the man needs to know, as soon as they go down to a body-free workshop: Tony insists it must be not be general knowledge, even in the S.H.I.E.L.D., since a sentient A.I. in a suit that can take out a few dozes grown up men at least is not what the public can know about.

'You're my permanent headache recently,' Coulson complains at the end, probably staring at Mark IV's shiny perfect surface. 'So it's nothing more than your A.I.'

'Exactly,' Tony admits. 'Help with covering for it?' he adds sweetly.

Coulson sighs again, this time almost unison with Pepper, and they start plotting again.

On Tuesday morning, after the whole America has learned about Obadiah's betrayal – Pepper decided the story should be told to media, in a shortened and censored version – and everyone is outraged and crazy about the events, Tony being in the virtual spotlight again after those few months of break, and after all the mysterious cell phone photos of an armored man flying around Los Angeles – there is yet another press conference.

Tony sits in the living room with Happy, sipping his usual and listening to Pepper's calm words, as if it wasn't strange at all, describing the events in the SI headquarters and Stane's connection to it, and introducing JARVIS in Mark IV.

'This is a special suit that was designed for Mr. Stark's bodyguard, who happened to be testing it with me recently. In these circumstances I'm sure we all understand the need to feeling safe, especially since Mr. Stark is still vulnerable because of his condition. The armor is under control from Unites States authorities, so there should be no concerns about the your personal safety.'

Again, Tony owns Coulson for taking care of everything and signing the armor under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s custody, what means he can do what he wants without any interference. As long as he doesn't turn into a villain, at least.

There are some questions, most of them silly so Tony doesn't listen, letting himself replay the two previous days in his head again: sure, it might look like he was okay with getting Obie and proving him his faults, but Tony feels betrayed, betrayed at the most fundamental level, and it hurts more than he'd expect.

When the conference is done, Pepper comes back home, taking a day off from work to relax after the whole madness; by the time she enters the house, Tony and Happy are laughing at all the cheap info websites and channels headlines, ranging from cliché Stark comeback's to the one that Tony likes a lot: Iron Man saves the day.

That sounds almost like superhero, and when Tony says the comment aloud, he's sure JARVIS is pleased.