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Chapter 8 - Right of the Patriarch

Pepper, wearing a dark green dressing gown, stood in her bathroom in the penthouse in New York City. The door was opened to her bedroom. She was looking in the mirror and putting up her red hair.

"Pepper?" She heard Tony yell down the hall.

"I'll be there in a minute." She called back through the door. Her hair was not working with her that morning. A small strain had decided to just hang next to her ear. She groaned and considered wearing her hair down. She smiled at how well her make-up had turned out though.

"Pepper." Tony's voice was closer. She turned and saw him standing in the doorway of her bathroom. He had wet hair that he had just combed, and was buttoning up an oxford shirt to one of his suits. He looked as if he had just stepped out of the shower. His cologne met her nostrils. But, the first thing she noticed was the absence of his beard.

"You shaved? It was just beginning to look normal again."

He picked up her hairbrush and ran it through his hair while looking in the mirror. "Yeah. Everyone knows me with the beard. Besides, this will annoy Gene. What do you think?"

She smiled at his reflection. "It's….different."

"Good? Bad?" He turned to her and she took her hairbrush away from him.

"I can't believe you have you already taken a shower."

He looked back in the mirror to tie his tie, "Yeah. I'm the master of the two minute shower. Rhodey showed me how they do that in the Army."

She laughed at him, "Showed you?"

He stopped and rose his hand, "That was not as gay as it sounded. He explained to me. Nevermind."

She turned back to the mirror, laughing at him. She noticed he was oddly quiet. She turned and watched him untie his tie and start again.

"I need a different mirror." he complained.

She pointed in the bedroom. "There's one just here. On the closet door."

He moved to the closet and used the mirror that hung on the outside of it to finished tying his tie. When he finished, he ran his fingers through his wet hair. He sighed and shook his head.

She walked over to the closet and stood in front of him, "You're pissed. What's wrong?"

He looked surprised, "You can tell that by how I put on a tie?"

"You are furious. Why?"

He sighed and shook his head. "I was right about that kid."

"Velt?" she asked.

He took a few steps back and picked up his jacket he had tossed on her bed. He nodded to her as he pulled it on. "John and Lewis worked out he's been kidnapped and ….. well…..it's involved. I'll explain it all later. I'm still processing it myself."

She noticed him looking down at his hands to avoid looking at her.

"You are really upset about this. Tony. He's safe. He's alright."

Tony nodded as he looked away and bit his lip. "Yeah. Listen, how long does it take to get something out of a safe deposit box?"

"That's what we're doing at the bank? I didn't know you had something like that."

He put his hands on his hips. "Yeah. How long does it take?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "Not long. It would probably take us longer to get there. It's a rather simple process."

He nodded, "Good. We might be able to do this. Ummm. Are you working in the next few days?"

"There's a banquet tomorrow night-"

He waved his hand, "Cancel. Come with me."

"Where?"

He walked back to her and held her hands in his. She saw him relax as he exhaled, "I won't need an assistant for the next few days. And you need to take some time off."

"Time off, huh? I don't know if I can do that."

"Boss really riding your ass, huh?"

She smiled, "I just don't even know, what to say about that."

He bit his lip and looked at her, nervously, "I need to go help with something. The kid can't leave the ship until I have made him a bracelet to prevent him from being transported. They are going to look for his actual father. But, he's not comfortable with John and Lewis. I don't know how long it will take for them to find him. I probably should have asked, but-"

She smiled, "It's fine. You know it's alright."

He looked at her and nodded his head. "Thanks, Pepper. I just…."

"It's the right thing to do. I'm alright with that. He likes you. He trusts you."

He nodded his head. "You'll be honest with me, have I lost my mind?"

"Well, yes."

He sighed.

"But, not about this little boy."

He looked at her and chuckled, "Alright." He rubbed his face. "So…I've lost my mind. Do we need to talk about that?"

"I'll prepare a full report on the subject, Mr. Stark." She teased as she walked back into her bathroom.

He ran his hand through his wet hair and laughed under his breath. "So, about going with me? It should just be a few days."

"Good, because you need to be back by Monday night." Her voice called from the bathroom.

He put his hands on his hips. "What? Why?"

"Your big announcement at the Expo, and the interview with CNN."

He groaned. "Damn, blood suckers. Just…postpone them, or something."

She walked back out of the bathroom. "Tony! You've already postponed it…three times!"

He made a face of disapproval. "So? I don't care."

"You need to care. Just…get it over with."

He shook his head. "Whatever. Important stuff first. You, with me. This weekend. Yes? Please, say yes."

She smiled, "I'll make some phone calls."

He grinned at her, "Well. Alright."

"When do we leave?"

"Banks? In few minutes. I need to, go downstairs and do something. Andromeda, this afternoon."

Her eyes became huge. "This afternoon? I need to pack-"

He chuckled in amusement. "Pack. Whatever, Pepper. I'll copy the damn closet to the ship."

She couldn't believe his words, "What? Copy it-"

He pointed at the closet. "This is the only one you have? Right?"

"I only have one in here. How do you not know that?"

"Why would I know that?"

"This your apartment-"

He looked around the room as if he was seeing it for the first time, "I don't think I've ever been in here. Have I?"

She rolled her eyes. "There was one time. When that guy got in…."

He nodded his head. "Oh, that's right. I think that was the first time in here. Huh. I like the light. You have a nice view of Manhattan…just there."

She rolled her eyes and walked over to the closet. He opened the door and looked inside at the large, walk-in closet. "Oh, good. You need a big closet. I think this one is bigger than mine."

She giggled, "Well, if you need some more space. Just don't confuse my dresses for tank tops."

He walked into the middle of the closet as he smiled at her. She watched him take the transport trigger out of his pocket and open the bottom of it. He took out what she thought was a small, metal battery, and pressed it to the ceiling.

He looked at her. "As John would say, 'Sorted.' Anything you want to bring, just toss it in here. I'll have the guys copy it to the ship before we leave."

She nodded her head in surprise, "Right. Sure."

"Is this too much? Is this too strange?"

She shook her head, "I learned a long time ago, not to ask too many questions with you. Just…roll with it."

He looked back at the bedroom door that was opened to the hallway to make sure they wouldn't be overheard, and then faced her, "Ask me questions. Don't feel as if you can't. Let me ask you one. Why haven't you moved any of your stuff into our room?"

She took his hand in hers and whispered, "You are a secret. Remember?"

He looked confused, "No one would see it-"

"Housekeeper?" Pepper reminded him.

He looked surprised, "I didn't know there was a housekeeper. Really? When did that start?"

She rolled her eyes. "Tony. Yes. She's always came in and cleaned up everything. You didn't think I did that, did you?"

"Really? Every day?"

She giggled, "Of course. Just downstairs and up here. She finds your toothbrush habit strange, too."

"I don't have a toothbrush habit-"

"You do. And I've told John about it. He's going to introduce you to some toothbrush he uses."

Tony rubbed his freshly shaven face, "Well, if it's like that laser razor it will take practice. I totally fucked this all up this morning. That's the reason I shaved it off."

Pepper teased, "Something on your mind?"

He smiled, "Someone. Someone you might know."

She smiled at him.

He nodded, "So, not moving your stuff in our room-"

"Not now. Remember, you are a secret."

His face spread into a smile slowly. "Yeah. A secret. Close your eyes. The guys are still downstairs."

She closed her eyes and felt him put his finger gently to the bottom of her chin, raising her head up. He slowly began to kiss her lips. She could taste the peppermint toothpaste in his mouth, and his cologne filled her lungs. He put his fingertips to her cheeks and gently held her face as he continued to kiss her. She moved her hands to his hips and became lost in his touch. His smoothly shaved face rubbed against hers. The absence of hair felt so different than the night before.

They both heard Timon yell from downstairs. "Hey, Tony!"

They both returned to reality and broke apart. Tony looked dreamily at Pepper, "Wow." Is all he could muster.

Remembering Timon, Tony turned his head and yelled back. "I'll be down there in just a bit. Jarvis, unlock the shop."

Jarvis replied, "Yes, sir."

Pepper smiled at him. "I'll be ready in ten minutes, Mr. Stark."

"I'll be in the shop, Miss Potts." He said as he returned her smile.

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Tony joined Timon and Legate downstairs.

Legate stopped talking and looked at him, "Well, you look nice."

He grinned at them. "I always look nice, man. It's me."

Timon laughed, "Right. Anyway. How many of the suits do you think we should take?"

Tony waved his hand at them and they walked down the stairs to the shop together. Jarvis had already turned on the lights in there. Legate looked around. "Where are they?"

Tony walked over to his desk and opened a drawer. "After the Cyber Invasion, a friend of mine told me to keep them hidden. They look too much like a Cyberman and he thought the government would drive tanks through New York to take them."

Timon rose his eyebrows. "Sounds like good advice. Have I met this friend?"

Tony shook his head as he looked down in the drawer and pressed a series of buttons, "No. And that's a shame, too. You guys would have really gotten along."

The floor behind where Timon and Legate stood hissed loudly as steam rose and it opened in a spiral pattern. Legate put his hands on his hips and nodded his head, clearly impressed. He turned and slapped Timon in the chest and said something in Quauthin.

Inside of the circulator room under the floor, sat fourteen metal suits against the walls. Some had hoses and plugs in them, most had been painted red and gold. Two were black. Only one remained silver, the original one that Tony had built during his captivity in the cave.

Tony walked over to them and climbed down a ladder into the room. Legate and Timon joined him. Tony pointed at one wall. "I'm thinking five. What do you think, Legate?"

"It would be nice to have one on the Corvus. If you don't mind."

"Six then. I need to put an exterior shield on them so they can fly in space, but otherwise…these are ready." He pointed along a wall where the two black ones flanked the red and gold ones.

Legate nodded, "We can copy them if we need more."

"The arc reactor becomes unstable through the copy process, and all of them have one now. Something screwy with that. I'm looking into it. Transporting them doesn't seem to be a problem. But, I'll double check them when they go up. Let me know when they get solid."

Legate looked at the other wall. He pointed to the one Tony had made during his captivity. "This must be the prototype."

Tony nodded as Timon looked at it with him. "Yeah. That one is damaged beyond repair."

Legate looked confused, "Then why keep it?"

Tony rubbed his chin, "Hell. I'm sure no one else wants it. It doesn't take up much room."

Legate nodded as he looked back at the primitive suit.

Timon nodded. "Alright. I'll mark them so I know which ones to take." He put the same battery looking piece of metal to each suit that Tony had pointed out.

Tony rubbed his face. "Take the case of arc reactors. I'll copy the suits, and put those in them. That would work. I also marked my tools upstairs. Copy those. Oh! And Pepper's closet. That's just easier than packing stuff."

Legate chuckled, "Where do you want us to put the closet?"

"That bedroom. In my suite. That tiny one. Looks like a closet anyway. It will be fine. Spark can sleep in the other one."

Pepper stood at the top of the opening of the floor. "Has this always been here?"

They all looked up at her shocked face.

Legate looked back at Tony. "All you, man."

Tony groaned and climbed back up the ladder. He stood up in front of her. "Has what, exactly, always been here? The guys? No. They've been here just for an hour or-"

"You know damn well what I mean."

He turned and pointed at the room. Timon was talking to Legate in Quauhtin. "The room, yes. It was part of the building reconstruction after the Cyber Invasion. And the suits….. ummm…."

She said quietly back to him, "You painted them."

He looked back at her, "Yes. There was this really pretty girl who told me I should do that. She seems smart, so I took her advice. I don't think they look so much like Cybermen anymore."

Timon transported away. Legate climbed back out of the room in the floor. Tony turned to Pepper and held up his finger. "Just a second. This won't take long."

Legate looked back at Tony. "He says he's ready. Suits first."

Tony walked back over behind his desk and typed something in on the display from his bracelet on his arm. "Alright. Tell him to go ahead. I've got my eye on them. If they become unstable-"

"He'll send them outside. It's alright. He's ready." Legate insisted.

Legate nodded and then Pepper watched as six of the suits disappeared. Tony continued to look at the display on his arm. "One. Two. Three and Four. Five…..and Six. They are all good." He rose his head and gave Legate the thumbs up. "No need to transport them out. Reactors are fine."

Tony clicked a few buttons on display and Pepper noticed a case disappear from the floor. Legate looked back up at Tony. "Solid. They are good. Thanks."

Legate stood next to Pepper. After Tony typed in something in the drawer, the floor closed back with a loud hiss. Pepper thought she caught a glimpse of a very, primitive suit she had never seen before.

Legate rubbed his hands together. "Well, that's done."

Tony walked over to join Pepper. He looked at her and grinned. She wore a lovely dark grey dress that hugged her curves, "You look…very nice."

She looked concerned. "Tony. Why are you taking the suits?"

He bit his lip as he looked at her. She realized that he wasn't wearing his sunglasses as he normally did. He must have left his optics on the ship.

Legate asked, "John's cool with you two, going on your own?"

Tony nodded, "We'll be alright. I'll call if I need help."

Legate crossed his arms. "I don't like it. Exton is upstairs and says he would be happy to go with you."

Tony continued to look at Pepper. "Yeah. Tell him to join us then. It's fine." He turned and looked at Legate, "Where are you off to?"

"I need to go to Torchwood and see Michelle. Pick up something."

Tony nodded his head. "I have her doing something for me. Can you-"

Legate smiled, "She told me about it already when I rang her. I'll take care of it. Don't worry about it. John says to remind you …. 4 hours and 58 minutes."

Tony looked at his watch and nodded his head. "I'll be there."

Legate pressed a button on his wristband and popped away.

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The Doctor was sitting at the bar talking with Pete and Lewis when Rose walked into the suite from running. She smiled at them. "And hello."

Pete turned to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water for her. "And welcome back. Good run?"

She stood beside of where the Doctor sat and Pete handed her the bottle. The Doctor put his arm around her waist. "It was. Timon has done the coolest thing. He's turned down the gravity in this section of the floor. That way, we can all do yoga without falling on our heads."

The men all chuckled.

Rose smiled, "I rather enjoy it now that the fear of hurting myself has been eliminated."

The Doctor nodded, "You'll have to show that to Genie."

Pete sipped his tea, "Or to Howie. Oh that video of him doing yoga is hilarious. Did you get that one, son?"

The Doctor smiled, "Oh yes. Tony wants me to send it to him, but Pepper has insisted I don't. He stays in enough trouble without help."

Rose laughed as she sat down her water. "That's very true. I'd go with Pepper's advice on this one."

Lewis nodded his head, "I make it policy to never argue with a woman."

"Especially a ginger." Pete insisted.

Rose pointed at him, "You might be the wisest man in this room, Lewis."

He shrugged his shoulders, "I'm trying to give these two lessons."

The Doctor rolled his eyes.

Pete looked back at Samuel who was still sleeping. "He's still out. Why don't you two go out for breakfast? I'll stay up here and keep an eye on him and Genie."

Rose turned around and looked at Sam. "He went to sleep watching telly?"

The Doctor shook his head. "He went to sleep drinking his bottle."

Rose put her hands on her hips and looked back at him.

"And watching telly. Yeah. He had finally stopped crying! It was football."

She smiled and kissed his cheek, "Relax, I'm not cross with you."

"Sometimes, it's hard to tell." He sighed in relief.

Rose asked Pete, "Are you sure, Dad-"

"I'm sure." He insisted. "You two need to get out more just on your own. I'll give Genie some breakfast. Don't worry about anything."

Rose smiled at the Doctor. "I'll just go change."

"I know the perfect place." He smiled at her.

She walked down the hall.

Pete sat down his tea. "Lewis. I have a question that I don't trust this guy to give me a straight answer on." He pointed at the Doctor.

The Doctor turned and held his hands out to him. "What? I'm honest with you. Far more than you have been with me-"

Pete waved his hand, "We aren't going to bring that up again."

Lewis sipped his coffee and smiled, "What's your question, Pete?"

"He's a Quauhtin."

Lewis nodded. "Yes."

"He's a member of the family."

Lewis nodded, "He is."

"But, I'm the patriarch-"

The Doctor groaned, "And I already see where this is going."

Lewis smiled, "You are."

"So, if I really feel strongly about something I don't want him to do, can I ask him not to do it?"

The Doctor sat back and crossed his arms. "Really?"

Lewis smiled, "Under the guidelines of the Quauhtin, he is bound by Oaths to obey the wishes of the patriarch of the family he serves."

The Doctor pointed at Lewis. "No one enforces that."

Lewis knew this was really getting under the Doctor's skin. He laughed, in spite of himself.

Pete nodded, "I understand. Well, in that case, I really don't want you to go oversee the construction of that lab. Not with that plague so close. Send someone else."

The Doctor leaned on the bar and threaded his fingers together. "You could just ask me-"

"I'm asking. But, it's good to know I can make it a demand if I need to. I don't want you, Rose or the children out there. The entire thing, is simply terrifying. That, with Andromeda on the brink of war, and these demons out to get you. Just…..don't."

"Pete. I've lived a very long time. That hasn't happened by accident."

"It's not just you any longer. It's my daughter and grandchildren. I'm asking. Do this for me. Send someone else."

The Doctor sat back and nodded, "I'll send Lance."

Satisfied, Pete made himself another cup of tea. "Good. You don't have to ever get me a gift for anything now. I'm happy."

Lewis smiled, "And how about that? I didn't have to get involved."

The Doctor looked back at Lewis sipping his coffee. "What? Were you going to break my arm?"

"I'll let Rose do that."

Pete shook his head. "Ouch. That hurt."

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "There is a problem though. Lance was going to go with Poltious."

Lewis nodded his head. "He really needs Timon. I'm not sure about the Corvus. She sat for a long time."

Pete asked, "Why doesn't he just take Legate's ship?"

"Nah, there's no way to know how long he will be gone. The Corvus will be a lot more comfortable for a long journey."

"Isn't Legate going with Poltious?"

"Nah. I asked if he wanted to, but he knows Genie will miss him. He said he felt like he was needed more here."

Pete nodded his head. "I like that kid. That 87 year old kid."

Lewis stared into nothing.

The Doctor noticed his friend's look on his face. "You alright?"

Lewis nodded and sat down his cup. "I'm alright. I need to go check on Arles. I'll tell Timon he's needed with Poltious."

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