The next thing Kaitlyn knew, she was waking up in a hospital bed and Tony was nowhere in sight. "Dad", the ginger said sitting bolt upright. She tried to get out of the bed when a pair of hands stopped her.
"Take it easy Kait", a familiar voice said. Kaitlyn looked up to see Logan standing there.
"Logan", she breathed "I thought I was seeing things before. Its really you?"
"Yes, its me", the mutant confirmed.
"Thank god", Kaitlyn said "where are we? And where's dad?"
"You're at the army base", Logan replied, sitting down on the edge of the bed "Tony is fine. The doctors are just checking him out, making sure he's ok. You're both really lucky to be alive. And I'm sorry…"
The ginger frowned "sorry? for what?"
"Sorry, I couldn't find you two sooner", Logan replied. He felt really terrible that it had taken ages to find them…to find her. He didn't know what was worse, Kaitlyn and Tony being rescued from the desert, sunburned and dehydrated or the pair of them being trapped in a cell somewhere.
"Its not your fault", Kaitlyn said, softly, resting her head on his shoulder "I'm just glad that you and Rhodey found us when you did".
"Me too", Logan said.
Several days later, saw Kaitlyn, Tony, Logan and Rhodey flying back to America in a C-17. As the ramp slowly descended, the half angel stood up, assisted by Logan while her father was supported by his best friend.
When Tony noticed the gurney's that were waiting for himself and Kaitlyn, he had them sent away. He didn't know about his daughter but he'd enough of lying around being poked and prodded by doctors. "Pepper!" Kaitlyn cried happily, seeing the older ginger. The woman had been like a mother to her.
"Kait", Pepper greeted, with a smile, tears in her eyes at the sight of her boss and his daughter.
"Those better be tears of joy Pepper", the teenager remarked.
"Yes, they are", the woman assured her "Logan, can you let me go so I can give her a hug please?" the mutant complied and Pepper swept Kaitlyn up into a massive hug "I'm so glad you and Tony are safe".
"Me too", Kaitlyn agreed. Just then Tony walked up.
"Mr Stark", Pepper greeted professionally though she was just as happy to see him as she was with Kaitlyn.
"Miss Potts", Tony greeted back "A few tears for the long lost boss?" he commented.
"Kait said something similar", Pepper told him.
"They're…" Kaitlyn trailed off, seeing the mutants she'd befriended so long ago "guys!" the ginger moved around Pepper, running over to them.
"Angel!" the mutants chorused, surrounding the Nephilim before giving her a big group hug.
"I've missed you guys", Kaitlyn proclaimed "and Kai…you've gotten so tall!"
The Asian teenager laughed "and you've gotten far prettier over the years", he stated, tugging Kaitlyn out of the group hug and slinging his arm around her shoulders "a true angel" the ginger blushed at his compliment "wanna go out sometime?"
That had Logan giving a low warning growl at him. "Relax Logan, you know he's aware that Kait is your Mate", Dawn said quietly to him "he wont try anything".
"He better not", Logan muttered.
"Kait, honey we gotta go!" Tony called.
"I'll see you guys later, ok?" Kaitlyn said to her friends "swing by the house and we can have a proper catch up".
"Don't you get any ideas", Logan said to Kai as he passed, giving the teen a glare. He and Kaitlyn got into the black car that the Stark family bodyguard, Happy Hogan, was standing beside.
"Where to, sir?" Happy asked, after getting into the vehicle.
"Take us to the hospital please Happy", Pepper answered.
"We're not going to the hospital Pepper", Kaitlyn said firmly "I don't know about you, dad, but I've frankly had enough of hospitals and doctor's. And now I could kill for a cheese burger".
"You and me both", Tony agreed "Happy, cheese burger" he glanced at Pepper "and I'd like to call a press conference".
"A press conference?" Pepper repeated.
"Why do you want one of those?" Kaitlyn questioned, equally confused.
"You'll see", Tony replied. Kaitlyn glanced over at Pepper wondering what her thoughts were but she was already on the phone.
By the time they'd reached Stark Industries for the press conference, Kaitlyn had finished her burger which she'd thoroughly enjoyed. It was the best food she had in three months. Which wasn't hard considering they were forced to eat slop in the caves and the base food wasn't that much better, though at least that was edible. Plus…she was allowed to have that Jell-O that always seemed to be served in hospitals, which she secretly liked.
When the Stark's got out of the car, they were met by the applause of Stark Industries employees Obadiah Stane. Logan eyed the man as he hugged Tony. "You ok?" Kaitlyn asked him quietly as Stane led her father into the building, the rest of them following.
"I'm fine", Logan answered. The Nephilim raised a brow but didn't press the issue. Something about Tony's partner/ mentor was bothering the mutant, that much she could tell.
When they got into the press room, the Stark's were met with tons of reporters and cameras. Obadiah immediately went to the front where a podium was set up, Tony and Kaitlyn following. Pepper stopped Logan from doing the same. "This is just for Tony and Kait", she told him.
Obadiah open his mouth to speak when he was surprised when Tony sat down on the floor in front of the podium with his daughter. "Would it be alright if everyone sat down?" Tony asked "that way I can see you…and it's a little less formal…"
The reporters sat down, ready to hear what Tony had to say. Obadiah joined Tony and Kaitlyn on the floor in front of the podium. "I never got to say goodbye to my father", Tony said and Kaitlyn took his hand knowing the subject of Howard was pretty sensitive for her dad "there were questions I would've asked him. I would have asked him how he felt about what this company did. If he was conflicted, if he ever had doubts…"
Where is this going? Kaitlyn thought.
"…Or maybe he was every inch the man that we all remember from the newsreels. I saw young Americans killed by the very weapons I created to defend and protect them. I saw that I had become part of a system that is comfortable with zero accountability" Tony glanced at Kaitlyn "And that almost cost me the most precious thing in my life, my daughter".
"Mr and Miss Stark!" a young male reporter spoke up. Kaitlyn recognised him as Ben Johnston, an up and comer in the reporting world. He had good instincts and didn't always focus on the models that her father was dating, unlike some reporters.
"Hey Ben!" she greeted cheerfully.
"What happened over there?" Ben asked.
Tony stood up, pulling Kaitlyn to her feet as well as he was still holding onto her hand. He walked around the podium, letting go of her hand "I had my eyes opened. I came to realise that I have more to offer this world than just making things that blow up. And that's why effective immediately, I am shutting down the weapons manufacturing division of Stark International until such time I can decide what the future of this company will be".
That had everyone in the room in a bit of an uproar, asking questions and talking over one another, demanding answers to that shocking statement. Kaitlyn could only stare at her father, equal measures shocked and happy. For so long she had wanted him to do something besides making weapons and it appears he was having a change of heart. She only wished that they hadn't been held captive for 3 months in that hellhole for him to change.
As soon as Kaitlyn and Tony stepped through the door of Stark Mansion, they were greeted by the home's AI, JARVIS.
Welcome home Mr Stark, Miss Stark. Hello again Mr Logan.
"Glad to be back Jarvis", Kaitlyn said.
Tony turned to Logan "You can go now", he said.
"But dad…" Kaitlyn started.
"No, Kait", Tony interrupted "Logan I appreciate you helping Rhodey to find us but its time for you to go".
Logan wanted to argue but seeing that he wasn't going to be swayed, he agreed to leave. "Logan, wait!" the teenaged half angel called, running after him "I wish you didn't have to leave".
"I don't want to go either", he admits "but your dad doesn't want me to stay and with what you've guys been through, its best not to push it".
"Will I see you soon?" Kaitlyn asked, hopeful.
"Of course", Logan promised "I want to see you again as well".
"Great!" Kaitlyn said with a smile "oh and by the way" she kissed his cheek, surprising him "thank you for saving me. Not just from the desert but from your half-brother too".
"You're welcome", Logan said "I'll see you soon". Kaitlyn watched him leave before she closed the door behind him and went back to join her father.
"I think I'm gonna go change", she told him, plucking at her borrowed jacket "I want something that fits a little better than this". She started towards the stairs when Tony said
"Once you're done, meet me in my workshop" Kaitlyn turned to her father "and bring the notebooks on those ongoing projects of yours".
"You're really being serious. You want to do something other making weapons", the ginger said.
Tony nodded "I do. You had the right idea all along", he admitted "I just wish it didn't take us being held hostage by the Ten Rings for three months for me to realise it. I'm so sorry, Kait".
Kaitlyn went over to her father and hugged him "no apology necessary daddy. It's not your fault we got kidnapped by those people", she said and moved back "and we will get past this, together". Kaitlyn lightly squeezed his arm before she darted off upstairs.
The ginger stopped in the doorway of her bedroom, taking in the place she hadn't seen in three months. It was pretty clean, cleaner than it should've been considering she hadn't been around to do it. Pepper must've had someone around to do the housekeeping Kaitlyn thought moving into the room. She went over to her shelves where she had several file boxes on the different projects she'd done for charities both complete and incomplete. She considered a couple of the incomplete projects before she selected the red file box marked 'Save the Children'. Kaitlyn removed it from the shelf and set it onto her desk.
She then went to her drawers, pulling out an oversized t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Kaitlyn quickly swapped her borrowed clothes for her own. She held up the ends of her ginger hair noting the split ends. She was going to have to get a trim soon. Making a mental note to pop to the hairdressers, she twisted her hair into a messy bun, securing it with a scrunchie. Kaitlyn scooped up the file box from her desk and headed downstairs.
She stopped on the bottom step, file box falling out of her hands when she saw her boyfriend of two years Josh, Martin standing next to her dad. The noise of the box falling onto the floor caught both of their attention. Before Kaitlyn knew it, she and Josh were moving toward each other, hugging tightly. "I'm really glad you're ok", Josh mumbled, clinging onto his girlfriend. He'd been so worried about her when he had seen the news that she and Tony had been kidnapped in Afghanistan. So the moment he had seen the press conference on TV, he had hurried straight over.
"I'm gonna leave you two alone. But no funny business", Tony said looking pointedly at the pair.
Kaitlyn shot him a 'really?' look. She knew what he was implying. Tony just ignored it, picked up the file box from where it had fallen and went downstairs to his workshop. As soon as he was out of eyeshot, Josh kissed Kaitlyn. "I love you Kait", he said.
"I love you too Josh", Kaitlyn countered. She moved back "you wanna sit outside?" she asked gesturing to the balcony where a few deckchairs were set out.
"Sure", Josh said and the pair headed out to the balcony "so how are you doing?" he questioned sitting down on one of the deckchairs, tugging Kaitlyn onto his lap.
"Honestly? I don't know", Kaitlyn replied resting her head on his chest "all I know is that I want to put this behind me as quick as humanely possible".
"And I'll do whatever I can to help", Josh promised. Kaitlyn looked up at him and smiled, touched by his promise.
"Thank you", she said.
"How about you and me do something tomorrow? Like a walk on the beach?" Josh suggested.
Kaitlyn smiled again "I'd like that", she said. The pair cuddled on the deckchair, Josh catching Kaitlyn up on whats been happening in the past three months, tactfully avoiding the subject of hers and Tony's kidnapping. Eventually they said their goodbyes about a couple of hours later, leaving on a kiss and a promise of a beach walk tomorrow. Kaitlyn leaned against the now closed front door with a smile on her face. She stayed there for a minute before she pushed off from the door and made her way downstairs to her father's workshop. There she and Tony delved into her file box, looking at her currently ongoing projects.
It felt rather surreal to Kaitlyn as she sat at Tony's desk, listening to her father and jotting down notes on the construction of a safe water drinking system of all things. For so long she'd wanted her dad to do anything else besides from making weapons. And here they were discussing ideas on helping the charities that she was involved with. They'd even started brainstorming ways on how to best honour their fallen friend Yinsen so that he would never be forgotten.
When Pepper came down to check on them hours later, father and daughter were fast asleep on the sofa, notebooks, paper and pencils scattered over the floor. The older ginger couldn't help but smile at how Kaitlyn's head was on Tony's shoulder and him with a protective arm around the teenager. It was nice to see as her boss wasn't always the most affectionate when it came to Kaitlyn. Yes, he did have a soft, caring side that was only reserved for the teenager but it very rarely came out as he was far too busy with his company or his numerous flings. And it seemed that their time in captivity while horrible, actually brought them closer. So Pepper could at least be grateful that some good may have indeed come out of an awful situation.
She picked up a blanket that had been chucked to the side of the room and gently draped it over the slumbering pair. Neither one of them stirred as she did this, thankfully. "Jarvis dim the lights", she requested when she reached the door. The AI did as she asked, dimming the lights. Pepper looked back over at the sofa "goodnight Tony, Kait", she said quietly and left the room, closing the door behind her.