Time had blurred since I boarded the plane back to Malibu, Pepper had called me what seemed like every 30 minutes to make sure I was okay. However, I'm pretty certain I hadn't said more than two words every time she called. I was too busy in my head trying to figure out what I needed to do when I got home. How I was going to be able to track down Dad. Rhodey was certain that he was still alive, and the terrorist needed him for something, most likely a ransom. However, if he was still live that meant he could be found, and I was determined to have him home by the end of the week.

The plan landed on the private tarmac before I knew it. Out the window, Happy and Pepper were waiting for me by a limo. I sigh and steeled myself for the on slight that was awaiting me when I stepped off this plane. A growl from my stomach had me realizing that I couldn't remember the last time I ate something. It probably had to be before I stepped off the plane in Afghanistan.

I walk down the plane steps to see Happy standing there he smiled at me in trepidation, as he raised a brown paper bag in hands.

"I brought cheeseburgers." His voice carried a small quiver to it as if he too were holding back emotions. Which probably wasn't far from the truth, Happy always was a big softie.

I thought I was holding it to together all things considering but hearing those words from him, I just broke down. My legs went out from under me and Happy caught me.

"Oh, Ellie I'm so sorry." I heard as Happy wrapped me in a big bear hug, not allowing me to fall. He led me back to the car, as Pepper held the car door open for the two of us. Tears slightly running down her face. As we sat in the back of the limo, the car started to drive away. I felt a small weight lift from me just being in their presence. Apart from Toney they were the only people who really understood me.

Happy looked at me and held out a white styrofoam cup telling me in a gentle voice. "I also brought a coffee milkshake for you to dip your fries into."

I wiped my eyes and smiled at Happy, "You always did know the right things to say." I laughed trough my tear as I grabby the greasy bag from Happy.

"Well you always said cheeseburgers make everything better." Happy shrugged a little as he leaned back into his seat. There were many of night in my younger teens where Happy drove me and Dad to nearest burger joint so I could drown my sorrows in a milkshake.

Looking down I felt more tears pool at the corner of my eyes, "That's because when dad didn't know how to deal with my emotions, he offered me burgers."

My smiled falter thinking back to a different time.

12 YEARS AGO

Tony entered the mansion and dropped a bag at the front door, as Happy came in behind him with the rest. He was just returning from a business trip in Europe and he couldn't wait to see Squirt. Two weeks without her felt like a lifetime. He was so sure she had probably grown 3x since he had been away. Honestly, he had missed her little voice yammering on about her new favorite subject, anatomy. Any second now he expected to have Squirt come running too fast down the staircase towards him, however, the house never seemed so still.

"Jarvis!" Tony yelled out as he walked into the main level of his mansion.

"Good evening Sir, how was your trip?" The automated butler responded.

"Uh, mind numbing dull"

"Sorry to hear that sir,"

"Yeah well what do you expect when you hold the meeting in Switzerland, any hoo." He clapped, "Shouldn't I be hearing a high-pitched voice right about now?"

"Ms. Stark is currently indisposed at the moment sir." Jarvis automated voice informed from above.

Tony looked up doubtfully at the AI above him. "She's 6 Jarvis," Tony deadpanned knowing full well that his daughter usually couldn't wait to see him.

"Ms. Stark has requested to be left alone. Ms. Potts is currently trying to negotiate with her to come down at for dinner. Apparently, there was an incident at school today." Jarvis offered Tony as the concerned Father frowned looking over at the semi spiral staircase.

"Incident?" Tony wondered out loud knowing his Squirt very rarely had problems at school. She took more after April in that aspect.

Right as he started to stand on the steps, Tony heard the clicks of Pepper's heels. She was coming down the stairs looking a little disheveled.

"Oh Mr. Stark your home." She startled as she jumped a little not realizing her boss had come home. Tony noticed she seemed a little frazzled.

"Hey Potts," He said jogging up the stairs to meet her. "I hear there's an issue with Squirt." He raised an eyebrow at her.

She sagged in exhaustion, "The school called you?"

"No," A concerned look crossed his face. "Jarvis said she indisposed, which honestly I didn't even know a 6-year-old could be indisposed." Tony said rolling his eyes up at the AI systems.

Pepper sagged a little in relief knowing that if anyone could help her with Elena it was her boss. "Tony, she's been inconsolable for hours. I picked her up from school and she was a wreck." Pepper talking started to pick up in that cute rapid way she talks when she's flustered, Tony noticed. "Some kid and her got into a fight, which apparently the teacher say Elena started, but I mean that can't right because Elena never starts fights. She's always been the perfect student. and when I ask her what happened she just started crying and honestly hasn't stop in the hour since we've been home." She hued out as she realized she hadn't taken a breath that entire time.

"Wooo time out Potts." Tony said making the time out signa with his hands. "Breath. And try again with spaces in between your words." He chuckled as he started to follow her up the stairs as she started to re-explain what was happening with his Squirt.

Pepper took in a deep breath and started over, "This afternoon I got a call from her school saying Ellie and another kid had gotten into a fight. They told me I needed to pick her up and taken to the doctors, because they think her arm is broken. They also said that Ellie had started the fight with the other kid. He pusher her in retaliation and she fell off the jungle gym. So, I went to pick her up, brought her home, but the second I asked her what had happen she started to cry. I tried to take her to a doctor, but she ran upstairs and locked herself in her room. And now she won't let me in," Pepper explained as they made their way to Elena's room.

They stood in front of a large white door with light blue cursive E on the front of it. Pepper leaned against the wall next to the door in semi exhaustion. "Potts, that door are automatic, why didn't you just have Jarvis unlock the door for you?" Tony asked as he jiggled the handle to his daughter's room.

Pepper looked at him in mock astonishment, "Wow Mr. Stark what a great idea if only I had though of that before." She said with a deadpan expression. Tony got the idea that Ms. Potts had had a long day.

"She undid the automation Tony, Jarvis says he can't unlock the door," she relied to him. Tony looked at her doubtful for a second before his Ai system called out "Sir she has blocked my signal in her room, I haven't been able to check on her for a number of hours."

Tony looked up in astonishment "She's six guys."

Pepper shrug and just knocked on the door, calling out in a gentle tone, "Ellie bear your dad's home, he would really like to see you."

"No." came the muffled response of the six-year-old.

Tony walked closer to the door, lightly touching his head to it, "Come on Squirt I know you missed me. hey, I brought present of the chocolate variation, how about a sugar high and some cartoons." He called out in attempt to bribe the 6-year-old into opening the door,

He was meet with silence.

Tony looked at Pepper and saw a pen in her hair. He quickly reached over a took it out, allowing her strawberry locks to flow freely.

"Mr. Stark. "She yelled at him in astonishment, Tony wasn't one for invading personal bondaries.

Tony motioned to the pen, "Sorry need this." He began to maneuver it into the failsafe he had installed into every lock just in case Jarvis had ever lost power and they were locked out of their rooms. Tony herd the lock click out of place and felt the door handle give way to his push. He walked into Squirt's room and the scene in front of him broke his heart a little. There she way lying with her face snuggled into her giant stuffed sea turtle, her body wracked with sobs.

"Hey Squirt," He called out hoping that his voice would elicit a response. However, Tony only herd another pitiful sniffle as she buried her head further into the toy. "Hard day?" Tony asked as he made his way over to the bed. She was so tiny she barely took up any room on the giant California king sized bed. He moved to sit down and scooted his way over to her. He rested his hand on her hair and began to stroke it.

"Want to tell me what's bothering yah kiddo?" Toney ask as he tried to comfort her.

She didn't even look at him just shook her head and continue to sniffle. Tony continued to stroke her hair as he noticed that her left arm from her elbow to her wrist was wrapped in a gauze bandage.

"Can I look at your arm?"

She turned further away from him. As he went to say something, he heard what he thought was her stomach growling in hunger. The growl gave him an idea.

"Okay let's make a deal here Squirt we, don't have to about today, but we do have to go see someone about your arm, and maybe on the way for some," He trailed off seeing if he would answer for him. When she didn't, he got close to her and whispered Burgers. As if it were a secret between the two of them. At the mention of her favorite food she turned, lifted her head from the giant sea turtle plushie and looked at him. Her eyes were red from crying and she had tear stains down her face. It broke Tony's heart to see her so upset.

"Can I dip my fries if the milkshake" She asked hope starting to enter her voice.

Chuckling Tony wrapped his arms around her, "Squirt I would be disappointed if you didn't." he whispered down to her.

One doctor's visit, a cast setting, and hour and a half later, the Starks found themselves in a diner, Squirt kept her arm by her side as she attempted to eat her burger with one hand.

"You want help over there?" Tony asked with an amused smile on his face.

She looked up and glared at him through her messy auburn hair. The curls had tumbled into her face, because she didn't know how to pull her own hair up with a cast on.

"I got it." She grumbled out.

"You sure? No issue with asking for help squirt." Tony asked as he made his way over to her booth.

"No!" she shouted as he went sit next to her and fix her hair. She pressed herself at the far end of the booth trying to make as much distance between them as possible.

Tony frowned at her. Squirt never shied away from him.

"Okay Squirt out with it what is going on?" Toney frown as he actually sat in the booth.

"The kids at school don't like me very much," She grumbled as she picked at her fries.

"So, you pushed a kid." Tony not believing that's what caused the outburst.

"Danny M told me that no one likes me because I don't have a mom and then he said that you only kept me around for the optics, and when I became too much of a bother you would send me away." She sniffled a little and went to wipe her hand with her casted arm but stop when she realized it.

"So, you pushed him?" He asked as reached over her and grabbed a napkin to hand to her."

"He tugged on my hair, first." She explained.

"Ellie, I know Pepper would want me to you can't punch people, and to use your words, but that kid Dummy M-"

She giggled around the fries she had just popped into her mouth.

"Danny, Dad" She interrupted

He scoffed and moved closer to his kid. "Whatever, he's an idiot and I give you permission to hurt any idiot who hurts you." Elena nods in understanding.

"Is that all?" Tony as stealing a fry from her plate.

She shook her head no as she went to try and eat her burger again with one hand.

"I overheard a mom this morning say I was such a waist and you needed to start a real family." She said quietly, as if she really didn't want to tell him.

"Hey," He said in an angry tone that was in no way directed at his daughter. "You are not a waist or trouble. You my favorite person in this whole world. And if other people have a problem with that then that's their issue not yours. You're perfect to me Ellie and I love you more than," he was trying to find something that would explain just how much his Squirt meant to him.

"French Fries," she said excitedly holding up some fries to his face. He chuckled and munched the fries out of her hands, and he lightly kissed her tiny fingers.

"Yes Squirt, I love you more than French fries." He said lovingly

They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes as Tony as tony took a hair band off of Elena's good wrist and quickly put her hair in ponytail so it wouldn't get into her face a she ate.

"Can I skip school tomorrow, I'm already way ahead of everyone else in the class?" asked breaking the silence. Tony chuckle looking at her hopefully face, maybe she was more like him than he thought.

"How about you and I spend the day at the beach, just the two of us. I tell Obie I'm playing hooky." He offered as he broke up her burger into smaller bites. "But you have to finish your food today and apologize to Ms. Potts when we get home."

The smile on her face now reached from ear to ear. " You've got yourself a deal!" She cheered.

"Well you do drive a hard bargain Ms. Stark." He said as he put his arms around her.

Present Day

Yensin was looking at Tony over, making sure that the car battery he was attached to was doing its job in keeping him alive.

"Am I going to make it Doc?" Tony quipped to his new friend.

He chuckled, "Yes, Mr. Stark despite the newest addition to your chest, I believe you will make it."

"Good, I got places to be" He paused a looked down at his chest. He got somber for a sec and asked, "So what the hell did you do to me."

In a serious tone the doctor answered, "What is did is save your life." Yinsen went on to describe what the hit from the explosion had done to Tony, and how if it weren't for that rigged up car battery Tony would be dead.

Dead. It was all Tony could think about. He couldn't die he had to get home to Elena. He couldn't leave her alone. Not like he had been left alone after his parents and April had died. His squirt was waiting on him.

Taking in the way Yinsen had rigged that battery/magnet up, he couldn't help but notice that this was something Elena would have come up with in a bind. She was always finding innovative ways to advance to medical tech. Maye when he got out of here, they could work on a permanent solution together, but for now he would have to channel his inner Squirt and figure out how to get out of this hellhole and back to her.

Tony was broken out his thoughts by Yinsen "We met once, you know, at a technical conference in Bern."

"I don't remember." Tony replied not real attempting to wrack his brain for the memory of this doctor. All he remembered from that trip was returning home to a broken Ellie.

Looking down at his wrist he realized he didn't have his watch on, that he always wore. Even if he didn't have it on his wrist, he always kept it in his suit pocket, just so it felt like he kept a piece of Elena with him at all times.

"I had watch on when they took me, you wouldn't have any idea if it's still around here." He asked in nonchalance voice not sure if he should give away how much this article meant to him.

Yinsen smiled and walked over to a medical station opening a drawer and pulling something out. Tony despite himself smiled when he saw it was his watch.

"I took if off you when they brought you in. While these men may not be in the type of jobs that warrant such extravagant watches, that piece would probably feed some of their families for a month" Yinsen explained as he handed it back to the battered man.

"Honestly it more sentimental then cost I was worried about." He explained as he thumbed the insignia on the back of the watch. The front of the watch's face had been cracked in the explosion and it looked like the time had stopped ticking as well. But Tony turned it over and smiled as he read the words that he had read a thousand times since he had received the watch.

I love you more than French Fries."-XO, SQUIRT.

It just reminded who he had missing him back at home "Where are we?" Tony was growing impatient, and just wanted some answers.

A viewing panel on the door gets pulled back and orders in a foreign language are barked. Yinsen is instantly tense, far tenser than he has been at any point in Stark's interactions with him. He quickly runs over to Tony and pulls him up and raises his hands above his head. "Come on, stand up. Stand up! Just do as I do." He explains in a rush.

Noticing the weapons his capture is toting he asks, "Those are my guns. How did they get my guns?" Could Elena have been right had he not been making sure his weapons were being tracked properly? The man who enters the cave is bearded, dark-skinned, wear military clothing and carry an assault rifle. He's bigger than the others, has a larger belly, but still seems imminently threatening right off the bat. The booming Arabic words he speaks certainly help with that impression too.

Bakaar, launches into an extended bit of speech, only the words "Mr. Tony Stark" distinguishable. He looks to Yinsen to translate, who does so with a certain nervousness.
"He says, 'Welcome, Tony Stark, the most famous mass murderer in the history of America'. He is honored. He wants you to build the missile. The Jericho missile that you demonstrated." Damnit Elena was right the wrong people where after his weapons. But fat chance he was. About to let that happen.

"I refuse." Tony said without any hesitation.

The round man smirked and began to rifle for another photo. He waltzed over closer to Tony and got into his face with a new photo. It took a second for the photo to come into focus for him, but Tony felt his blood run cold when he did. The man began to speak in Arabic again, however Tony really didn't need Yinsen to translate what he was saying, the photo told him all he needed to know.

Yinsen turns to Tony with a sympathetic yet fearful look in his eyes "He says they know all about your daughter Elena, and that if you do not cooperate, they will find her and they will bring her here to be tortured until you do as they wish."

The photo that was is in Tony's face was of Elena in her military scrubs getting into the Humvee when they were on their way to the missile test.

The man smirked again and licked his lips while looking Tony dead in the eye, he spoke with vile tone in his voice. Yinsen did not immediately translate.

"What did he just say." Tony shot out

"You don't want to know Stark," Yinsen said in a hesitant voice

"Tell me." Tony bit out, all this time never breaking eye contact with the man in front of him.

Yinsen hesitated for a moment again before translating "He said that he would take great pleasure in making your innocent daughter scream."

Before he even knew what, he was doing Tony spat in the man's face and said, "Over my dead body."

After that the world went black.

Present Day-California

I stumbled down into dad's lab completely exhausted.

"Jarvis" I called out.

"Good evening MS. Stark how may I be of assistance?" The AI called out...

"I want to start a locator database, based off of all the Stark satellites and military satellites we have permission to use."

"To my understanding Stark industries is not allowed to use military satellites" The system informed her.

"Well then we have to find a way around that won't we." I said sarcastically, as I went to boot up the computers in dad's lab.

"Ms. Stark, I feel it is my duty to point out that, that is illegal." The AI system said in monotone voice.

"Note pointed Jarvis," I responded not really caring about legalities at this moment.

I made my way over to Jarvis's station and started to type in the new code I wanted to create for the program, while I may love medical research and surgery, I would not be the child of Tony Stark if I didn't know how to code a god damn program.

"If I may inquire Ms. Stark what federal crime are you actually attempting to commit." Jarvis asked as I started to hack my way into the U.S. Military's satellite database.

"I'm going to create a satellite surveillance that will scan face in the vicinity of where dad escaped, if his pops up anywhere near there I want to know." I stated

"That a huge invasion of privacy Ms. Stark." Jarvis said in the most concerned voice he was programmed with.

"Yeah no shit Jarvis." I said.

"Miss Stark-" the AI went to start.

"Jarvis criticize me again and I will program you to sound like one of those people form the Jersey Shore show." I spat out not in the mood to be denied.

"Threat noted Miss Stark. May I ask how long you think you'll be at this." He asked.

"As long as it takes to find Dad," I answered.

"Shall I start the espresso machine."

"That would be wise, oh and while we are at have dummy bring me any food I have ordered to the door. I have a feeling I'll be down here awhile."

"Will do Miss Stark. Anything else"

"Hunker down Jarvis, we are in this for the long haul."

Who knew how much time had passed since I had locked myself into dad's lab? I had been running algorithm after algorithm trying to find him. Hoping to find one crumb of proof that he was still alive. Pepper had been down here trying to bribe, plead, or threaten me to leave the room. But I couldn't give up on him. He would never give up on me. e would beer Not knowing what time, it was I heard the door open to the lab assuming it was Pepper, once again trying to lure me out.

I called out, "I don't care if you take away my trust fund, I'm not leaving this room."

"Well that's some dedication." I heard a voice chuckle.

I quickly whipped my head around to find Uncle Rhodey in his fatigues standing there holding a bag of food. Remy whined as he ran to Rhodey knowing he would give him the affection I had been neglecting him.

"Traitor." I mumbled out as I watched my dog lap up the affection from my uncle. My uncle bent down to be level with Remy and gave him a quick scratch behind his ears as Remy tried to lick his face.

"I brought you some food," He offered as he stood, with his arm held out with brown paper bag

"Shouldn't you be in a dessert looking for someone very important right now." I glared over my shoulder as I turned back to my multiple computer screens. I was now trying to see if I could create a drone that could fly into the mountain pass, we were near when we were attacked. I was hoping to create a way for it to camouflage itself so that it wouldn't be shot down before it even entered the air space, I needed it to. I figure if I could figure out how it could be come self-reflective that would be the trick.

"Hey, Ellie come on you think I'm not looking for him every minute I can." Rhodey asked me with a hint of hurt in his voice.

"Well that funny because you're here and not there." I responded not even turning to look at him again.

"Ellie" he said in his firm army tone that has never worked on me once. Guess I am my father's daughter.

"Rhodey." I said back.

He sighed and pulled up a chair next to me dropping the bag of food down on my keyboard, so I had no choice but to stop.

"You know it's been over two months Ellie." He said to the side of me in a tone the indicated he thought I was ignorant to the complete passage of time. While I may not know the exact hour was pretty fucking aware that my father had been missing for over a month.

"Oh really, thanks for the update." I quipped. He was silent for a second as I continued on.

Suddenly my screen gave me the go ahead, saying my drone was ready for launch.

"Yes." I cheered as a jumped away from the computer running over to make sure Dummy was in the mist of building my design.

"Ellie, I need you to listen to me for a sec. It's been weeks Ellie." Rhodey tried to reason with me in a tone I was not ready to listen to. I turned away from Dummy to frown at him. "Yes, you've mentioned that already. What's your point? I know how long he's been gone." I answered him as I watch my drone be assembled.

"That's just it I don't think you've realized how much time has passed. You've had friends visit; Pepper's been down here trying to connect to you. Happy's tried. This isn't healthy kid."

"So, they've elected you to come reason with me is that it?" I questioned turning away from my project and staring him down full on.

He looked bashful for a second as if caught doing something wrong. "I Volunteered Elle." He responded.

"It will all be worth it once he's home." I said to him as I head back down towards the computer I had been working on.

Rhodey whipped his hand down his face in exasperation. "Ellie you need to start preparing yourself for the fact that there may be nothing to find."

"What like they've moved him to a new location. Because I've had that area on surveillance 24/7 so if they had had a massive move out, I would have seen it." I responded knowing full well that's not what he was trying to prepare me for.

"El sit down for a sec." He said, in the same tone he uses to use one me when I didn't understand when I was younger.

I wrapped my arms around myself and frowned. "No every time someone tells me to sit down it's bad news. Just tell me now." I demanded.

"Okay. Ellie you need to prepare for the fact that Tony may not be coming home. They want to call off the search. "Hearing those words my, I felt my blood begin to boil as my hands closed into fists. "That's ridiculous he's out there I just need some more time." I argued,

"El more time might not do anything." He reasoned, in a tone that while sincere made me want to throw the closet wrench at him. "Stop," I pleaded, "He would never give up on us, why should we give up on him?"

"Ellie it's time to be realistic. They haven't made any demands, there has been no sightings this whole time, and one of the investigators said that there was enough of his blood at the scene to assume he was bleeding out. They don't think he could have lasted long without the proper care." He justified to me.

I shook my head at him and spat out, "He would be so disappointed in you for underestimating him. "

He just put his head in his hand in exasperation and looked at me pleadingly. "You need to move on with your life Ellie, it's what he would want. Finish your residency, go to Calcutta, go be the best you, you can be." He implored me. But I couldn't accept this lying down. A part of me felt that if he were really gone, I would have felt it. I would have known in my gut. But every fiber of my being that he was still out there. Our bond was telling me he need help.

"He's the only person I have left, and you want me to just move on?" I yelled at Rhodey knowing full well he did not deserve my anger, but he was taking the brunt of it anyway

"You have me, Pepper and Happy. We are all here for you." He implored to me, and while I knew that was true it wasn't enough, they weren't enough.

"He's alive I know it." I stated.

"No, you hope." He shot out, finally allowing his frustrations with me to bleed through. Maybe if I pissed him off long enough, he would leave me in peace.

"Well someone had to!" I screamed at him.

Before he could reply Dummy whirled in my direction with the drone in his hands.

"Yes, dummy! Thank you" I said to him. Grabbing the drone from his arms. I turned to Rhodey with it in my arms. "Here, take this back with you. All you have to do is hit this button on the side to turn it on and I have it programed to do the rest. This should be able to get in o places no pilot has been allowed to fly, and it can camouflage itself from all types of scanners so that it can't be shot down or come back as unauthorized spying!" I exclaimed proud of this little drone I had made.

He looked at me in doubt "Look I know I'm not as mechanical as dad," I answered to his look. "But this should work. Please just try this for me. I swear if this doesn't come back with anything tangible, I will get a semblance of a life" I bargained with him.

"Okay here's the deal how long will this take?" He asked trying to broker a deal with me.

"Probably a few weeks for it to completely canvas the entire mountain pass. I have it programed to search in caves and detect body heat. But it's a lot of area to cover plus weather may not be favorable so it will land if winds pick become too harsh, so it doesn't crash." I explain rapidly.

"Okay during that month you are to resume your residency-,"

"I'm still on break for another few months." I interrupt.

He sighs, "Fine what about you trip?"

"They already left, I had Pepper pay for the trip in full since I had reneged on my promise to attend. Plus, there will be other trips she goes every year."

He sighed. "Okay in the next few weeks you are to go outside, get some air, be an 18-year-old kid." He gives in.

"Fine," I agree. "If you will send the drone, I will do it." He reluctantly nodes "Deal." I say handing him the drone. He almost drops it not realizing how heavy it is.

"What the hell," he exclaims.

"Oh, I also weaponized it in case someone tries to disturb it and loaded it with my new healing hydro spray prototype... It should stem any bleed dad may have from wounds. Only small ones though nothing life threatening. I'm still working on the formula." I say nonchalantly.

Rhodey looks at me as if I have just spoken Latin to him. "What," I question "I've had a lot of time on my hands." I shrug as I look at him.

During the next few weeks I've decided I wanted to refresh my self-defense skills and I want to keep my healing skills up to date. So, I split my time up in a few different ways. Mainly, I volunteer at a local VA hospital and I signed myself up for private combat lessons. My instructor, Francis, but he goes by Frank, was well built and never went easy on me. Which was refreshing because all my life I've had people treat me like glass, whether because of my age, gender or the fact that my father is Tony Stark. He was average height with short dark hair, and I noticed some days he wore hearing aids. Frank would joke with me as he kicked my ass and he never let me get in a shot I didn't earn.

Frank had kind of found me in a way. I was at the coffee shop down the hill looking over ads, when I had been looking at on for a boxing class. He had come up next to me claiming that those classes barely taught you to punch let alone defend yourself. He offered to show me his website, so that I wouldn't think he was some psycho trying to lure me to random warehouse. After looking at his space, he offered me private lessons, since I really didn't want the public catching wind of my new hobby. They already stalk me at my yoga class.

Over the past few weeks I think I've become somewhat adequate at hand to hand fighting. My former training came nowhere need to what Frank had been teaching me. However, I appreciated the challenge.

While I may be carrying out the deal, I made with Rhodey, I still was keeping a constant feed on me of the drone footage, just in case it came up with anything. I was currently dying on the mat as Frank jumped around taunting me. He always knew how to get a rise out of me. He was like an annoying older brother that I never realized I wanted.

"Come on trust fund. Get your ass back up here." He mocked from above, with his oh so endearing nickname for me.

I sighed as I attempted to pick myself back up. " You know this is not as easy as it looks." I said to him in a huff as I stood back up and got myself into position.

"If it was easy it wouldn't be worth doing, now attack me"' He coached me as got himself into position as well. I shook my head knowing that if I went for him, he would block me, and I would land on my ass. Again.

"Come on trust fund can't get through life always on the defense. Sometimes you have to go out and attack. You didn't get to be the youngest brain surgeon in the world by playing it safe." He chuckled as he knew he got me, just a little.

I smirked and shook my head "I'm not full surgeon yet I have bit more training to do. Also, I'm into trauma not brains surgery." I said in a mocking tone to match his.

He shrugged, "Eh technicalities."

While he was semi-distracted, I swung my left leg at his head hoping to make contact with his smug face, however he saw my move a mile away, and grabbed my leg midair, twisted it, and I landed faced down on the matt. My stomach took most of the brunt and I grunted knowing I would be a nice shade of purple tomorrow. I also needed a minute as the air was gone from my lungs and I a sec more than most to find my breath.

Knowing my breathing limitations but not coddling me Frank laughed "Nice try Len but distracting me won't work. You need more power behind your kick until you can attempt that move." He laughed out from above me

I grunted in response.

"Go take a puff trust fund and we'll get back to me kicking your ass" He quipped once again as he headed to his stuff on the other side of the mat, adjusting his aids as he went.

I grumbled as I tried to stand up. My stomach pulsed in pain, yup that's going to hurt till next year. I slowly made my way over to my bag on the corner of the mat that we were working on. I reached in for my inhaler and as I did my monitor for the drone started to vibrate.

I quickly reached in to check it, the drone had detected heat signature and a location in the mountain pass not far from where we were attacked.

"YES!" I shouted looking at the feed of some sort of base camp. I noticed a huge cache of Stark weapons at the base, so much so that if it wasn't for the gorilla base camp set up, I would have assumed the drone had picked up U.S. base camp.

I quickly pulled my phone out of the bag and called Rhodey. He picked up on the third ring.

"Hello?" He answered quietly

"UNCLE RHODEY he found something!" I yelled into the phone.

"Who?" He sounded very sleepy, and at the moment I realized I had called him at who knows what time in Afghanistan.

"My drone is sending out a feed of some sort of camp with stolen weapons. I think that's where they are holding dad!" I explain to him.

"Ellie." He sighed.

"I'm sending you the feed now, how long before you can get a team out there to retrieve him?" I asked excitedly. Hoping that any day now Dad could be home.

"Elle have you actually seen him on the feed?" He asked in a condescending tone.

"No but it's not far from where we were attacked, and they have a huge store of our weapons!" I argued.

He sighed again in exasperation "Elena I can't just order an attack based on an unauthorized camera feed. We need more concrete proof that he is being held there."

I felt myself beginning to get angry. "He's there Rhodey, I know it."

"Then hopefully they will let him come outside at some point. Let me know if you get clear proof that he's there Elle and we will be there as soon as we can."

"So that's it you're just going to sit on this until it's too late?" I asked incredulously.

"Elle there are procedures in place I have to follow." He tried to explain.

"Fuck your procedures." I spat completely over the military and their shit. "If this was you in there Dad wouldn't hesitate." I seethed out to my Uncle completely blown away that he was going to just roll over on this.

"Elena that isn't far." He said in a tone of voice that allowed me to mental picture how hurt he was over my statement.

"Do what your protocol tells you Rhodey, but if he doesn't come back this is on you," I spat as I hung up the phone in an angry huff. After I ended the call I turned and threw it against the wall. Yelling out in frustration

"Whoa there trust fund what did the wall ever do to you?" Frank questioned as he made his way over to me from his side of the room.

"How much did you hear?" I asked slightly ashamed of my outburst.

He smirked at me and said well "I tuned you out after that high pitched 'yes' caused my hearing aids to short circuit."

"Haha" I mocked, "I think I might have found my dad, and the military won't do anything about it because of protocols." I said making air quotes at the word protocol. I handed him the monitor to show him the feed.

He took the monitor from looking it over for a second and whispered, "Did you make this?" He asked in an impressed tone

"I designed the drone and then programed the signal to send alerts to the monitor." I informed

"Can you send the signal anywhere?" he asked quite intrigued.

"Yeah, of course, I'm sending it to my Uncle as we speak."

He handed me back the monitor, "That's amazing Len you sure you want me to knock around that precious brain of yours, I don't want accidental knock the cure for cancer out of your head."

"You know what Old Man, one day I'm going to knock your hearing back into place and you're not going to see it coming. Speaking of which, I could design you something that isn't so easily displaced if you want. Hell, I'm sure I could come up with a micro implant if you give me enough time." I offered. I had noticed in our time together that he was constantly taking them out and adjusting them or they will get displaced during our training sessions. Once in a while I noticed he signed while he talked. In my spare time I had even looked up some ASL incase he ever wanted to communicate that way.

He looked uneasy for a second "I'm not sure if I want to be your Guinea pig." He said skeptically.

"I like to think of it as lucky test subject." I smiled at him with a full grin.

"Yeah that doesn't sound better." He crossed his arms at his chest and lifted his left eyebrow up.

"Please one day people will be lining up for my new inventions and when that happens you are going to be sorry you missed out!" I said unwrapping my hands from the bandages needed for fighting.

"Okay trust fund calm down, let's get back to basics. Your form is fine, but your strength leaves a little to be desired. Let's get you lifting some weights and maybe one day you'll be able to leave a bruise when you punch." He jeered at me.

I made a face at him as I went over the weights in the corner of the gym. I tend to zone out during this part of mine and Frank's workouts. I tried to figure out a plan on how to convince Rhodey to look for Dad, after I figured out that I may have to wait it out a few more days, I start to process how to go about creating a new hearing aid for Frank so he wouldn't have to worry about replacing his constantly when they got destroyed training.

Two hours later I was past exhausted and ready to drop. In fact, I was so tired I had to walk back into the gym to grab my bag. Before I left for the second time, I asked Frank "Is the hearing loss sensorineural or conductive?" I asked trying to figure out how I could go about repairing his hearing.

"Huh" he asks with a smirk. I knew he heard me, but he was being a smart ass as usual.

"Very funny old man, turn the aides up a notch and answer my question."

He shrugged "Mainly sensorineural however I'm sure some stupid decisions in my career have caused some issues as well." He answered truthfully,

I nodded "Good to know, till next time old man." I waved him off.

"Yeah try doing some push-ups this week trust fund." He called as I made my way out of the gym.

I got into the car Happy was waiting in while I was out.

I went back home, fed Remy, and sent him out with a dog walker as I quickly made my way back down to the lab I had slowly commandeered over time. I had moved all of Dad's computers into one corner and moved a few computer screens over there as well. On my chair was a zip up sweater of Dad's that still smelt like his cologne with a mixture of grease and bourbon. I kept it around for comfort. Dummy would occasionally bring me snacks from the fridge I had set up down here.

I hooked up the monitor to the computer to try and figure out a more exact trajectory of the drone. I also wanted to see if I could recalibrate the drone to see if it could fly closer in the caves. I knew I couldn't have it go too close without it banging into an actual person. I spent another hour down here before I heard the telltale clacks of heals coming down the stars.

"Ms. Potts has entered the lab." Jarvis announced.

"Yes, all-knowing system thanks for telling me something I already knew." I rolled my eyes up at the ceiling.

"Well your snark is back so you must be feeling better." Pepper said to me as she handed me a bowl of soup.

I took the bow and smiled at her for second before I went back to my calculations. "Rhodey refuses to act even though I found the base he's being held at." I told her hoping she would take my side on this.

"He has other people to think about, what if they are ready for an attack, or worse what if they attack the base and your father isn't there." She said brushing my curls out of my face.

"He's there Pepper I can feel it." I looked up at her with determination.

"Elle, I know you would do anything to get him back. But you can't put anyone else's life at risk. Your father wouldn't want that." She said trying to reason with me "I know but he's all I have left Pepper. I never knew my mother, He's the only one who knows me." She looked at me hurt for a second. "I'm sorry you feel that way Elle. But I know you, you'll figure out a way to get him back."

"I love you Pepper you're the closest thing I have to a mom, but please understand I need him" I begged her.

"I do sweetie." She said in a tone that always came as a comfort to me. She put her hand on my face and held it there for a second.

Undisclosed location.

"Are you saying a 19-year-old hermit made this cloaking mechanism?" Nick Fury asked to the agent in front of him, with a look of disbelief across his face as he looked over the information that was being fed to his screen.

"I guess genius runs in the family." I younger agent shrugged his arms with a smirk in place on his face. "She's a hundred percent certain that's where he's being held." He went on to inform the intimidating man at the desk in front of him.

"I thought she was supposed to be a doctor not tech whiz." He snarked as he looked up at his agent, tone suggesting he didn't really believe what he was saying.

With a proud smile on his face, over what his charge had accomplished he spoke, "She's that too, offered to make me some new state of the art device for my ears."

Fury smirked at the agent in front of him. As he watched the monitor feed of the drone Ms. Stark had built. "Could you imagine if we had this tech on our side, the ops we could run?" He asked knowing the two people in front of him took it as a rhetorical question. However, Fury began to imagine all the possibilities this type of tech could bring him and his organization.

"She a smart kid commander. More than I think people give her credit for." The youngest agent in the room defended the teenage Stark, having had a small warm spot for her grow in their encounters over the past few weeks.

"I want to bring her in." Fury commanded.

The soldier in front of him hesitated and looked to the third man that had been sitting in the room. Fury smirked over at agent Coulson who looked at his charge. "What do you think Coulson, she's ready?" He asked knowing his right-hand man would probably side with him, unless he truly believed the Stark girl wasn't a good fit. He wasn't one for keeping his opinions to himself.

'With all due respect sir- "The youngest agent started to answer.

"I wasn't asking you 'Frank', I was asking your boss." Fury smirked at the cocky field agent and gave a look to Coulson that only he could interpret. Coulson smirked at his hot shot charge and then turned towards his boss with a small frown. "She's young, maybe a little too young. I say we keep our eye on her and maybe in a year or two she'll be ready." He negotiated not wanting to bring the young girl into this life before she was ready.

The alarm on the monitor started blare, Fury clicked on the screen and what he saw brought a grin to his face.

"Coulson alert the U.S. Military that Mr. Stark has been found" He commanded his number two.

Both agents looked at their commander in awe as they saw a giant metal figure emerge from a cave, with what looked to be fire throwers. The man known as Coulson went to move from his spot but before he could Nick Fury stopped him.

"And Coulson…"

"Yes Boss?"

"Bring them both in"