Claire's pov
Natasha's cover alias doesn't know about the fog and I used the fog in front of her, how could I be so stupid? Everyone in the room began to nervously look around. "Rhodes was spinning me around. Where did you run off to?" I asked.
The smiled with a soft nod in approval to my lie opening. "Just to the bathroom." I nod. "Cool, what color was the soap?" I ask with a smirk. "Uh...white?" I smirk. "Didn't wash your hands! Ewe!" I giggle running around until dad catches me.
"Alright, maybe you got hit in the head a bit too hard." He joked. "Nah, just excited for the ice cream!" I giggle. He drops his hold on me and walks to the counter. "Help yourself." He grins. "Nat walks over and examines the two tubs of mint chocolate chip ice cream.
"Why did you get two? There's no way we can finish both." Nat said with a confused look. "Well Renee gets one and we all share the other." Dad replies confusing Nat even more. "A whole tub to herself?" I nod and drape an arm over her shoulders.
"Trust me, you don't want to share ice cream with me." She looks at me questionably. "And why is that?" dad chooses to pipe in.
"Cause she turns to a monster when it comes to her favorite foods. Ha, like when I got a tub of chocolate ice cream to share, I had to chase her around to get it back and even then she just climbed onto the raffles above up and ate it all." Dad laughed bringing up good memories.
"Oh yeah, you actually brought a latter in and tried to get me." I joined in the laughter. "And I was mid-way on the latter when Pepper walked in and the look on her face, ha priceless." Dad finished.
"Well how am I supposed to react when I walk in on you midway on a latter, her in the rafters with a tub of ice cream, and the rest of the house a complete mess?" Pepper pipped in.
I was giggling, dad and Rhodes were chuckling, and Pepper just stood with a fond smile. "It seems you have known each other for quite a while." Nat said skeptically.
"Well, before I was her body guard, I was her assistant and would help her and Tony as needed but after Tony disappeared I had to move out but since he is back I wanted to come see him, just didn't have the opportunity. But here I am, working for these two Grande people." I grin, lying through my teeth.
She nods, smirking knowing that she made me come up with that on the spot and that it was such a good lie. "So, how are you feeling kid?" Rhodes asked. "A bit dizzy, defiantly have a headache, oh and I'm dying for some food. Other than that I'm great." I answered sarcastically.
Dad looked at me worried. "Just what were you doing by the gate anyways?" Rhodes continued. "I was talking with Vanko trying to figure out what was going on with him. Turn out he hate Tony." I answer opening the ice cream and grabbing a spoon. "Who is Vanko?" dad askes, his parenting protectiveness kicking in.
"Uh...the bad guy? Ivan Vanko? You know the one in the pit crew uniform." I said stuffing the sweet minty happiness into my mouth. "You're kidding right?" Pepper asked in shock. Looking around the room everyone was staring at me with shock.
"What? Did I do something wrong?" I ask concerned. "You actually walked up to him? You knew he was bad and you still did that?" Nat asked trying so hard not to burst into laughter.
"Yeah? Why would I run and hide when there were lives at steak? I stopped him from hurting the crowd at least and I got Happy and Pepper in an area that was just right for Happy to come in and for Pepper to get Tony his suit to defeat those on the track." I defended myself.
"You did good Renee...just next time promise me you won't run off without thinking of your own health." Dad said putting a hand on my shoulder. "Hmn...speaking of which, I want to talk to you alone. Now." I said looking at the crossword puzzle on his neck.
"Right now?" he asked. "I'm done putting it off, you don't talk then I leave." I threaten. Dad's eyes widened and he looked to his feet. "Alright. Please excuse us everyone." He excuse us and led me off to his lab. "Show me."
He looked at me again in surprise but reluctantly removed his shirt revealing the blue palladium poisoning around the reactor. I gasped, walking forward to lay a hand on his chest. He sighed and pulled away. "I'm sorry Claire...I'm so sorry." He whispered.
"Don't say sorry when you haven't done anything wrong. Now what are you doing right now to keep it at bay?" he walked over to a desk and pulled out a box. Looking inside I sighed. He has been changing the cores but that won't keep him for long.
"And your research on the solution?" I pushed. "Well...there is no actual cure for this." He whispered. "But there is now reason to sit around and not actually do something. We are Starks dang it! We can do anything!" I tried. By this time I had tears in my eyes and dad just stood blankly.
"You don't want to...do you? You don't want to fight? That's why you gave Pepper the company. That's why you're making the suits to fit others! That's why you went racing! You don't have any plans to live, yet you have all these plans to die?! Why? How could you do this?!" I shouted.
Suddenly a strong force blew around me and a powerful air pushed from all directions. Looking around things were in slow motion as everything blew away from me including dad. Time normalized. "I'm sorry, I can't be here anymore." I whispered.
"No, Claire!" dad shouted, but I could care less as I ran up the stairs and to though the house. "Renee? Hey!" Pepper and Nat called but no one could stop me now. If dad won't look for the cure, then I'll do it myself.