The next day, Toni continued testing her armour. She sat in a seat at her computer with her armour on from her chest down as she typed new code in. "JARVIS, can you test this new flight code out?"
"Indeed, Ma'am." Jarvis said. "Testing now."
Toni stood up expectantly, but her flight boots let out a huge burst, sending her into the ceiling before crashing back down to the ground.
"Ow. My neck. I think I got whiplash." She mumbled. "Next time, JARVIS, remind me to wear the flight stabiliser gauntlets."
"Yes, Ma'am." JARVIS said.
DUM-E sprayed Toni with a fire extinguisher and Toni sighed loudly.
A little later on, Toni walked through her kitchen, holding a bag of ice to the back of her head.
"Toni, are you okay?" Pepper asked.
"I'm totally fine, Pepper. Thanks for asking."
"Only I heard that loud bang earlier-what happened?"
"I hurt myself. But it's nothing I can't handle." Toni sighed and sat down on her couch.
"Cool." Pepper nodded. "Well, I was just about to head out-"
Toni turned her head to look at Pepper. "Why?"
"Well, I had a call from Mrs Arbogast over at Stark Industries." Pepper explained.
"How is she? I haven't seen her in months." Toni asked.
"Oh she's fine." Pepper said with a nod. "She just needs me to go over some things with the company and then I'll be taking the night off."
"Alright." Toni said, somewhat disappointed. "Enjoy yourself. Not with the company working... um, I meant your night off. Microwave popcorn and watch Breaking Bad or something."
"I have something else in mind, but thanks for the suggestion." Pepper said.
"Great." Toni turned the TV on.
Pepper nodded and walked out of the room, leaving Toni alone.
Toni hadn't realised she'd fallen asleep until she woke up some time later in front of the TV.
"Pepper?" She called out instinctively.
"Mr Potts is not here, Ma'am." JARVIS said.
"Ah shit, that's right." Toni stretched her arms and yawned. She grabbed the remote, which had fallen onto the floor and turned the channel to local news.
"That's right, we're expecting guests to start arriving very soon here at the Disney Concert Hall for the Stark Annual Benefit for-"
Toni raised an eyebrow. "Hey, JARVIS, it's not just me but we didn't get an invite for that, right?"
"That is correct, Ma'am. There is no record of an invitation." JARVIS said.
"Yeah, I knew it."
"Now Ms Stark hasn't been seen in public since that highly controversial press conference, which was way back in June. It's currently thought that she is dealing with severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which is the reason she hasn't been sighted in public in over four months. Despite that this benefit is in her name, nobody expects her to make an appearance tonight."
"God, why do people need to speculate about my personal life?" Toni grumbled.
"I assure you, Ma'am, I have no idea."
Toni stood up and walked away, into her room.
She came out roughly an hour later, dressed in a sparkling black, knee length cocktail dress. It had three quarter sleeves and a high neck line so she didn't have to worry about people seeing her arc reactor yet. She was also wearing black kitten heels, to look nice of course, but also, not having worn then in so long, she didn't want to wear stilettos. Her makeup was done-or at least her eye makeup and lipstick was done. She'd shaved. And her hair was tied up in a messy bun-she hadn't known what to do with it.
"Alright, JARVIS," she picked up a black clutch bag with her phone and some money in it, "I'm off. Don't do any tests on the armour without me present."
"Of course not, Ma'am."
"Don't let Rhodey in." Toni continued.
"Still upset with Colonel Rhodes, are we?"
"Well, she was the one who insulted me by calling this project 'goddamn flower crowns, tie dye shirts and Kumbaya around a campfire'. As if there's something dirty about pacifism."
"Well she is a member of the US Air Force." JARVIS pointed out.
"She is." Toni nodded. "But she just can't see that just because I'm opposed to the US's War on Terror, it doesn't make me a complete pacifist. Like if someone's going to walk up and punch me in the face, well, I'm going to hit them back."
"Of course, Ma'am."
Toni adjusted her dress around her chest. "Don't wait up for me."
Toni arrived at the Disney Concert Hall in a red and gold trimmed Audi. She opened the driver's side door and stepped out.
Immediately, all press members noticed Toni there and started calling her name.
Toni however, ignored the press and walked down the red carpet to Obadiah, who was himself talking to the press.
"Weapons manufacturing is only one small part of what Stark Industries is all about, and our partnership with the fire and rescue community..." Obadiah trailed off when he saw Toni standing by his side. "What I'm saying is, we're going to have a great quarter, thank you." He turned away from the press to Toni.
"Hello, Obie." Toni greeted.
"Look at you. Hey. You look great, Toni. Really. I wasn't expecting to see you here though I-"
"Yeah, I know. I had to crash my own party." Toni said. "See, I didn't get an invite."
"Ah that was dear old Bambi Arbogast. She-her mind's starting to go now, bless her. She must have missed your name on the invite list." Obadiah said.
"Uh-huh." Toni's eyes narrowed. While it's true she hadn't seen Mrs Arbogast in months now-since before she was kidnapped-she doubted anyone would keep her on as a Stark Industries secretary if she had dementia. "Well, I'll see you inside."
"Of course, Toni. Take it slow. Your mind... it's still healing." Obadiah said. "The trauma. From your kidnapping." He lowered his voice to a whisper. "And lay low, alright, I got the board right where we want them."
"Yep. Just... cabin fever." Toni said. "You know what happened to that guy in The Shining."
Obadiah nodded. "Good girl."
Toni carried on up the red carpet. "Hey there, Hef." She tapped Stan Lee on the shoulder. "Looking good."
She walked inside the Disney Concert Hall and straight up to the bar. Another woman and a couple of men were also standing there.
"Give me a Scotch on the rocks." Toni demanded.
The barman nodded and began making the drink.
"Ms. Stark?"
Toni turned around in shock and looked at the young (probably younger than her) woman addressing her. "Yeah?" She asked.
"Agent Coulson." Phil smiled, showing Toni her badge.
"Oh, yeah! Yeah! You're from the uh... Strategic something or other, right?" Toni picked up her drink. "Pepper told me about you."
Phil nodded. "The Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division, yes."
"Good God, you need a new name for that." Toni chuckled and downed her drink.
"Yeah, I hear that a lot." Phil smiled. "Listen, I know this must be a trying time for you, but it's been a few months and we still really need to debrief you. There's a lot of unanswered questions, and we're really running out of time now-"
Toni wasn't paying attention. She was distracted when she noticed Pepper from across the room. "Yeah. Let's just put something on the books." She said distractedly.
"Is the twenty-fourth okay for you?" Phil asked. "Seven pm at Stark Industries?" She took a sip from her drink of water.
"Are you drinking water?"
Phil nodded. "Yeah. See, I'm actually at my job right now-"
Toni noticed Pepper again. "Tell you what." She said. "You got it. You're absolutely right. I'll make a note with my secretary in the morning."
"Thank you-"
Toni ignored the agent and walked across the room to Pepper. "I didn't know you'd be here." She said. "I thought you were watching Breaking Bad with microwave popcorn."
Pepper looked at her, confused. "I didn't know you'd be here either. Nobody told me you'd be here. What are you doing here?" He asked.
Toni shrugged. "Oh you know. Just avoiding government agents."
"Are you by yourself?" Pepper asked.
"Yes, I am." Toni said smugly. "Now since you just asked me two questions, I figured I'd ask you one-where did you get that suit?" Toni admired Pepper's sleek blue-and almost shiny-suit, complete with matching bow tie.
"Oh... It was a birthday present." Pepper said.
"That's great." Toni said
"And it was from you, actually." Pepper added.
"Well..." Toni paused. "Can't deny I've got taste."
"Oh, Toni." Pepper put his hand on Toni's shoulder. "You have no idea about men's fashion. In fact, you have no idea about women's fashion."
"I do so know about women's fashion." Toni said indignantly.
"Look at what you're wearing." Pepper shook his head.
"This is fashionable." Toni argued.
"It's not." Pepper said.
Toni raised an eyebrow "Oh, so you're working for Dior now? Or is it Prada?"
"Still working solely for you, Toni." Pepper said. "But you need a new dress."
"And have everyone staring at my arc reactor?" Toni said in a hushed voice. "No thanks."
"Alright. Come on. You need to relax." Pepper led Toni onto the dance floor and the two started dancing to an upbeat song. Pepper, much more in rhythm than Toni. "Toni, you're acting a li'l weird here-are you uncomfortable?"
"Oh, no. No." Toni grunted. Obadiah's words were still playing on her mind, but she kept it to herself. "It's just that I'm here, dancing with my personal assistant in front of everyone works for me. It probably doesn't look good on me."
"Personal assistant?" Pepper repeated.
"That is your job title, isn't it?" Toni asked, causing Pepper to shrug.
"Please." Pepper scoffed. "I'm not just your 'personal assistant', I'm your personal friend."
"People are staring. I need some air before I get spotted by a Paparazzo." Toni said. "Or someone else."
"Yeah. Let's go."
On the roof of the Disney Concert Hall, Toni and Pepper leaned against the railings next to each other.
"That was weird." Pepper said.
"Really weird." Toni agreed.
"Well, you were weird, Toni." Pepper corrected.
"Why did we even do that? You instigated it!" Toni said loudly.
"In front of everyone I worked with-" Pepper said.
"Now they're gonna think I give you preferential treatment or that we're dating or some shit-"
"Well, yeah." Pepper nodded in agreement. "There's that too."
"What do you mean 'too'? Pepper I-"
"You don't understand, Toni, because you're you. I don't expect you to." Pepper sighed. "The whole world knows exactly who you are and how you are with... boys, girls. Everyone. And that's completely fine. But you're my boss."
"Preferential treatment?" Toni asked, repeating her earlier point.
"No, Toni. Not 'preferential treatment'. It makes me look bad, because I-"
"But-" Toni tried to argue.
"No buts." Pepper said. "It was fun while it lasted. But we forgot ourselves. And we can't let it happen again."
"But there wasn't any sexual tension or anything, we-"
"People won't see it like that, though. They see something innocent and harmless and they twist it to fit their own twisted narratives." Pepper put his hands to his head. "I need a drink."
Toni stood up straight. "A drink?"
"Vodka."
"Yep." Toni began to walk back into the building.
"Make it a double!" Pepper called after her.
Toni reached the bar and slumped down against it. "One double vodka and one vodka and coke please and make it extra fast."
The bartender nodded and got to work on the drinks.
"Toni." A voice came from behind.
Toni peeled herself from the bar and turned around. "What do you-" She stopped abruptly. "Bethany Cabe."
"Yep." Bethany nodded. "They said you weren't going to be here."
"Well, it is a party for me." Toni said.
"It's a benefit." Bethany said. "So about you, but not for you."
"I've changed" Toni said.
"So I've heard." Bethany said bitterly. "There haven't been a lot of layoffs though."
"Well, you're my security adviser-"
"And former girlfriend." Bethany added.
"That too." Tony said. "But former. Like you're no longer getting preferential treatment-"
"Cut the crap, Toni." Bethany snapped. "What the hell is going on?"
"What do you mean?" Toni asked, genuinely confused. "You're the one who's shown up here at the bar and just confronted me out of the blue-"
"You publicly stated, months ago, that you're not making weapons anymore." Bethany said. "That's good for you. But it's not true is it?"
"What do you mean? Of course it is." Toni said.
Bethany folded her arms. "I want answers, Toni. What's going on?"
"I would say that I'm feeling panicked right now. Because I don't know what's going on." Toni replied. She turned around for the drinks.
"You still aren't capable of being serious for one second are you?" Bethany asked. She chuckled darkly. "I was there. At that press conference-"
"You were?" Toni asked, surprised.
"I'm Stark Industries' security adviser. I had to be there." Bethany pointed out.
"Point taken." Toni said. "I have to go now, it was great catching up Beth, you know my number, you know where I live, blah blah blah-"
Bethany stepped angrily in front of Toni. "You're not going anywhere, Toni." She said. "You know, I almost bought it. Almost believed you'd changed. Grown up."
"I have changed." Toni said. "I told the world-"
"Stop with the lies!" Bethany said loudly.
A few of the party goers and bar staff stopped to look at the two women.
"Beth... I-I don't know what you want me to say." Toni said in a much lower voice, aware that people were looking.
Bethany carried on glaring at Toni. "You said there would be no more weapons."
"And I mean that." Toni said.
"You said that there would be accountability."
"I meant that too."
"Where's the accountability for this; your weapons have been used in Afghanistan. Again." Bethany said angrily. "Villages have been razed. Men, women, children have been killed, Toni."
Toni turned back to the bar and put the drinks on the counter. She turned back to Bethany. "What the hell-"
"You said you didn't want to make weapons to kill kids. Yet kids have been dying." Bethany said.
"I-I... Beth, I promise you, I have no idea what you're talking about." Toni said.
Bethany unfolded her arms. "You really don't know do you?"
"Know what?" Toni asked.
"It's all over the news, Toni." Bethany's tone softened slightly. "Your weapons destroyed an entire village in Afghanistan."
"Where?" Toni asked.
"Gulmira" Bethany replied.
"That's where Yinsen..." Toni muttered.
"So you know the place?" Bethany asked.
Toni nodded. "I've heard of it, yeah." She said. "When did it happen?"
"Yesterday." Bethany said.
Toni's eye twitched. "I haven't approved any recent shipments."
"Well, at first, I was so intent to believe you. I thought 'Toni wouldn't do that, she said she'd changed and you know what, I'm that much of a mug that I believed her'. So I looked into it myself."
"And...?" Toni asked, bracing herself for the reply.
"And the company says you did approve that shipment." Bethany said.
"You should know me well enough by now to know that I'm not my company." Toni folded her arms.
"I know what I believe, Toni, and I believe the piling evidence. Not you." Bethany shook her head. "I was such an idiot to believe you. You can never change. You will never change. And I'm so glad I dumped you when I did."
Toni stormed out of the building and stopped next to Obadiah, who was standing on the red carpet talking to the press. She tapped Obadiah on his shoulder.
"Toni, please, do you mind?" Obadiah asked, as he smiled for a camera.
"Obie, this is important." Toni said. "What the fuck happened in Gulmira?"
"Taliban, Al Qaeda fighting the Ten Rings. Nothing to be alarmed about." Obadiah said, still posing for the cameras.
"Nothing to be alarmed about?" Toni hissed angrily. "Obie, an entire village was destroyed. People died. So answer me this; are we double dealing under the table? It's my company. I have a right to know."
"Ms Stark, your picture, please!" A reporter said as he held up his camera.
"A photo! What a good idea!" Obadiah put his hand around Toni and pulled her in close. "Toni, who do you think locked you out?" He whispered into her ear. "I was the one who filed the injunction against you. It's was the only way I could protect you." Obadiah took his hand from Toni and walked away.
Toni stared after him in disbelief with her jaw agape. "Bastard." She muttered under her breath.
A/N: Meet Bethany Cabe! She's an important character from here on out. In fact, she gets her own armour too. But not in this story.
You probably noticed that Toni hasn't yet done any flying or built the Mark III. There's a reason for that.
The familitarity so far is going to go out the window as things are going to look pretty different here. And it's going to go in a different direction from here.