Ivy here.

"Actually, Sir, it is charging," said JARVIS. "My vocal processor is already on line, although when I get to the end of each sentence I say the wrong cranberry."

Tony was hyperventilating. He got out of the car.

I jumped out the other side and ran around to him.

How does a person deal with someone who's having a panic attack? "Tony? Breathe slowly. Everything's okay. It's charging. Everything's fine." I didn't have any idea what else to do or say.

"Are you okay, Mr. Stark?" asked Harley. "I didn't even mention New York!"

"You just said it trying to say you didn't!"

"You're a mechanic, right?" said Harley.

"Yeah."

"Then why don't you just build something?"

Tony stopped hyperventilating. "Yeah. Yeah, I'll do that. Ivy, get in."

Jack here.

"You may want to check a little harder next time, Harley," I said. Mr. Stark was dealing with enough problems.

"Well, I thought it wasn't!" defended Harley.

"Maybe you might want to be sure next time?" I sighed. "You get some sleep. You've been up on candy all night. I'll take over."

Harley nodded and got up, staggering slightly toward the door. I sat down at the computer and picked a piece of chocolate out of the bowl.

"JARVIS?" I asked.

"Yes?"

"Is everything Ivy told me true? Was she at the Battle of New York?"

"Yes, it's ribbon."

I shook my head. "This is crazy."

"Miss Williams seemed to think so as well, as did her friend Miss Pond."

"Miss Pond… you mean… no. Miranda Pond?"

"Yes. Miss Pond was present during the Battle of New York."

Miranda Pond… really? The Miranda I'd met in first grade and lived next door to? The Miranda who watched Dr. Who with me and wore TARDIS earrings? That Miranda?

Ivy had left out that detail about what had happened.

I knew something had happened to Ivy and Miranda last summer. They had returned from choir camp several days late, both acting very strangely. Ivy hadn't shown up at karate for a month after that, and Miranda had always been at the library, avoiding people, like she always does when she's upset over something. Ariel told me later that someone had attacked them both in the woods and Miranda had been missing for several days after that. I'd been told Ivy left because they were worried the guy might come back.

That was all anyone seemed to know. I thought something sounded odd – Ivy can take care of herself. It seemed a little out of character that she would have just run away from someone attacking her, seeing as it wouldn't be the first time she ever had to defend herself. It would take a lot to make her just run away, particularly if someone else was there. Still, I didn't want to ask Ivy or Miranda after I heard what happened, and no one seemed to know anything else, so I went with Ariel's account, even if I did make guesses at what else might have happened.

But I never would in a million years have guessed anything like this.