~:~

Some time later….

"I….I don't know if I can do this…."

I gave the young mutant a small smile. "It's okay, Marcos. I know you can. Take a deep breath and focus."

He nodded his head and held his palms out. He closed his eyes and his palms began to glow. The lights in the room began to dim in and out. Suddenly, they shattered. He slumped his shoulders in defeat.

"I told you I couldn't do this." I reached to take his hand in mine. He pull it away. "Don't touch me. I don't want to hurt you."

"It's okay. You won't hurt me." He wrapped his arms around himself and turned away. "Marcos, I-"

Bzzz. Bzzz. I sighed at the interruption.

"I'll be right back." Walking out of the training room, I pulled the phone out of my pocket.

I know you just got settled back into work, but we have a problem- Pepper.

"Not again…." I groaned. I turned to walk back in the room and saw that Marcos was gone.

"I sent him to get cleaned up." Logan said from behind me.

"Logan…I-" RING! "I'm sorry I have to go."

"What's the rush, Ange? Got a hot date or something," he smirked.

I rolled my eyes. "I have to get out of here; have to make sure the old man hasn't killed
himself."

Logan chuckled. "I doubt that. That girl of his would have called."

"She did, Logan," I replied. "I gotta go tell Charles I'm leaving." I knew he sensed something was wrong, and he grabbed my arm before I could get too far.

"You've been having those dreams again, haven't you?"I nodded my head in shame. It was no use to lie to him; he would know.

"I'm sure it's nothing, Logan. Don't worry about me," I answered.

His face reddened. "Nothing my ass, Angie. How long?" Logan's eyes pierced through me.

"Since I went back to Malibu," I confessed, staring at the ground.

"Why didn't you say anything?" he boomed. "You-"

I put up my hand to stop him. "I know, Logan," I whispered, tearfully. "I'm sorry, I just- ." Bzzz. Bzzz.

Call me, now!- Pepper.

"I'm sorry, Logan. I have to go. You can yell at me when I get back."

Putting a hand on my shoulder, he said, "Look. I just don't want you to-" Get hurt.

"I know. It's okay," I nodded. "Can you tell Scott to take over Marcos' training till I get back?"

"Tell him yourself," he replied, motioning behind me.

Scott stood with his arms crossed. "You think that's a good idea, Oc?"

"Yeah, Cy, I am. I'll talk to him before I go." I walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Take care of him for me."

"For you, always." I smiled in reply, patting him on the shoulder.

"Thanks, Scotty. Plus, you'll get to brush up on your spanish."

He snorted. "The Professor was right; you have been hanging around Logan too much." I smacked him on the arm as I walked away.

"Shut up, One-Eye!"

After I spoke to the Professor, I went to my room and grabbed my things. I walked down the stairs towards the lobby and saw Marcos sitting in the bay window. I set my stuff by the doorway and walked in.

"Let me guess...You're leaving." he said, never looking away from the window.

"Yeah, just for a little while," I replied. "I have a family emergency to deal with….again."

He snorted. "I know you're leaving because of me. You don't have to lie."

"Marcos, that is not true."

"That's what they all say…" he got up from his seat and tried to walk out of the room. I held and arm out stopping him.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

He shook his head. "My parents, all the foster parents, basically every adult in my life: they always say it's not me but it always is."

"Well, I am not them. If I was, you wouldn't be here." I placed my hand on his cheek. "I care about you very much, Marcos. I just don't want to see you fail."

He nodded his head in reply. "How long?"

"I don't know, bud," I replied, pulling him into a hug. "Don't worry, I'll be back. I promise."

He returned my hug. "I'm sorry, for….everything."

"I am too, buddy, I am too."

~:~

STARK MANSION

"What the-," I shrieked as I walked into Tony's workshop.

He spun around in his chair, a smile plastered across his face. "Angie! What….are you doing here?"

I raised an eyebrow. "I leave for two months, TWO MONTHS! And what are you doing?! I thought you were done building weapons?"

"It isn't. This is a flight stabilizer. It's completely harmless." As he said this, the repulsor went off, blasting him into the wall. "I didn't expect that."

I stood there with my arms crossed, shaking my head. "You're lucky it was me and not Pepper. She would've had a heart attack." I walked over to him.

He reluctantly nodded, and went back to his work. "So, how've you been?"

"Good, until I got a text from Pepper saying there was a problem," I replied crossing my arms.

"I'm still in one piece, aren't I?" He gestured to himself. "But it's still nice to know you still care, even if you think I'm a senile, old coot."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever, old man. What are you doing that required a Pepper-grade Code Red?"

He took off the repulsor, setting it on the table in front of him. Tony let out a shaky breath. "Do you remember what I said at the press conference?" When I nodded, he continued, "I created something that destroyed so many lives. Now, I want to fix that by creating something that saves lives."

I nodded, now fully understanding. "Your building that suit, aren't you?"

"How'd you know about that?"

"I….uh….you kinda talk in your sleep," I lied.

"Oh...well, yes, I am. Just don't tell anyone." He gave me a pleading look. "I really need this to be top secret."

I sighed. "Alright, just….be careful." I started to leave the room but remembered, "Oh, and Obadiah's upstairs with pizza. Which means something went wrong."

"I'll be up there in a bit," he replied, turning back to his work. I shook my head and started back up the stairs. Once I entered the living area, I saw Obadiah sitting on the couch. "Where's Pepper?"

"She had to take a call."

I sat down in the armchair across from him, watching his odd demeanor. I gave him a once-over. "Obadiah, I don't know what exactly you're up to, but I will figure it out and you will fail."

"No, you won't," the man chuckled in reply. "Wouldn't want Tony finding out your little secret, would you?"

My eyes widened. "How- I mean, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, really? Well-." Pepper walked back into the room.

She looked at the both of us. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No," Obadiah replied. "We were just catching up."

I forced a smile. "Yeah, just catching up."

Pepper opened her mouth to speak, but Tony walked into the room.

"Obie! How'd the meeting go?" He looked at the pizza on the table, then back at Obadiah. "That bad, huh?"

"Just because I brought pizza back doesn't mean it went bad." Both me and Tony raised a brow in reply.

"Sure it doesn't," we said in unison.

"It would have gone better if one of y'all were there," Obadiah said.

Tony took a bite of his slice. "You told me to lay low, and that's what I've been doing."

"And you already know where I stand," I added.

"In public. The press, Tony. This was a board of directors meeting."

"A what?" me and Tony asked, again in unison.

"The board is claiming post-traumatic stress, and they're filing an injunction."

"A what?" I shrieked. "They can't do that!"

Obadiah turned to Tony, ignoring my outburst. "They want to lock you out."

"Why 'cause the stocks dipped 40 points?" Tony argued.

"Fifty-six and a half," Pepper corrected him.

"It doesn't matter. We own the controlling interest in the company."

All their emotions clouded my head. I really needed to get out of here. Their voices slowly drowned out as I walked toward my room. Finally, as the voices calmed, I said," Hey, JARVIS?"

"Yes, Miss Angie?"

"Can you get me the feed from the living room, please?"

"Of course, miss."

"Tony, I'm trying to turn this thing around for you. But you got to give me something. Something to pitch them," Obadiah said. He pointed to the arc," Let me have that. I'll have the scientists look at it and- ."

"Absolutely not, this one stays with me. That's it, Obie, forget it."

"Okay, that's enough, JARVIS," I sighed, letting out a shaky breath. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, miss," the AI replied, shutting off the feed.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

I turned to the door. "Come in!"

"Hey," Pepper held up the plate in her hand. "I brought you some pizza in case you were still hungry."

I smiled and took the plate from her. "Thanks…." I set it on the table and rubbed my temples.

"Your head still bothering you?" I nodded in reply.

"From time to time, but most of it's just stress."

She nodded in understanding. "Look, I know it's hard for you and Tony right now. You almost lost him, but you need to remember so did we." Pepper sighed, looking at me tearfully.

"I realize that Pep, it's not Tony being back that's hard. It's Obadiah," I said grabbing my computer. "All the things he's done since Tony's been back. First at the press conference and then what just happened in there." I started typing and looked up at her. "He's up to something, Pepper, and I need to get to the bottom of it."

She shook her head. "Do you hear yourself, Angie? You're just as bad as Tony, right now," she said pointing towards the door. "I thought that you would've got over what Obadiah did over the years, but it's clear you haven't."

"This isn't a grudge against him, Pepper. I just have a bad feeling about him and his intentions with..."

"Exactly!" she exclaimed. "That's what it is: a feeling. Not fact, a feeling." She closed her eyes, trying to calm herself. "I just don't want to see you to kill yourself over some white rabbit."

I stopped typing. "Pepper it's more than a feeling. It's hard to explain. I- ." She gave me a look that told me to just stop.

"End this now." She turned and walked out the door, slamming the door behind her.

I set my computer down and laid back with a sigh. I couldn't just tell her how I knew. That would...I don't know what. It may be good, but it could also be the end.

Ring….Ring….

"Hello?" I answered, rubbing my eyes.

"Hey, Ange. You okay?"

"I'm fine, Logan. The professor put you up to this?"

"No, I….yes, but that's not why. We've been trying to call you but you haven't been answering."

I sat up quickly. "What happened? Is it Marcos?"

"Nothing happened. One-Eye did want some feedback on the kid's training."

"Then, why make it sound like it's the end of the world again?"

"It's more fun," Logan replied. "You doing' okay?"

"It's….complicated. I know Obadiah is up to something. But I can't just tell them how."

"Why not? Maybe it's time they knew instead of being lied to."

"You know why, Logan. Tony will-"

"That's what you're worried about? Being your uncle's pet project?" Logan exclaimed. "He should be the least of your worries."

I huffed in defeat. "You're right….But that doesn't mean I'll tell them."

"At least you admitted I was right. What do you want me to tell the others?"

"I'll call Scott later. Just tell them I'm fine and I said 'hi'," I replied.

"You got it. Also, Angie, don't think our conversation is over."

I smiled. "I know. Talk to ya later."

"Yeah." Click.

~:~

Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed! Stay tuned for the next chapter later today!