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Previously: Tony had asked Pepper to go to Stark Industries to retrieve all the manifests from a ghost drive on the company server for any illegal shipments of weapons. There Pepper is confronted by Obadiah but, seeing as he wanted to keep face and not cause a scene, Pepper managed to leave the building with Agent Coulson. She was on her way back to S.I. with several agents to arrest Obadiah. However, she was unable to reach either Tony or Ed and called Rhodey to go check on them.
Ed's POV - A week after the fight
I slowly peered out of my room, down the corridor, waiting a moment to be able to confirm that it was indeed empty.
I had heard Pepper arrive and leave in the afternoon while I had been outside but I never heard her return since that time. That had been hours ago…
Maybe my sneaking around would be successful if she wasn't here: one less person to worry about it.
Now, if I could say the same for the other person remaining in the house.
It had been a week and Tony and I had successfully managed to avoid each other, as much talking to actually seeing each other, during that time period.
To be fair, it wasn't exactly difficult seeing as we stayed on different floors during that time but still.
The closest we had gotten to each other was about five meters, as I had been heading back to my room and Tony had been leaving his lab.
We had barely even glanced at each other.
Well, it didn't matter: I wasn't going to apologize and he needed to get his head out of his ass.
It wasn't my fault he didn't like the truth.
But…
The conversation I had had with Peggy the other day came to mind. She had managed to convince me to try having a video call of all things on the tablet. It had taken several minutes to figure out how it worked and I was only successful after Peggy had called me for the third time in a row and JARVIS had told me which button to press.
The moment I could see Peggy on the screen – which, once again, was another impressive show of how far technology had progressed – it didn't take long for her to ask the same thing Pepper had asked.
"What happened?"
Apparently, I still was an open book with my emotions. I had only briefly explained the fight with Tony after some prodding and an unamused stare from Peggy's part and, from the look on her face, she didn't seem all that surprised.
"The two of you together may be the best or worst thing to happen to each other," she had said. "But, you do know that you can't fix everyone's problems either, right?"
I hadn't particularly liked that comment and, considering my face was apparently over expressive, Peggy knew that as well without me saying it out loud.
I knew she was right but, at the same time, I couldn't just sit back and NOT do something about it...
I guessed the stubbornness had never really left.
Going back to my sneaking around this stupidly large house, I did a quick glance around the living room, finding it deserted, the lights turned down and the room almost dark. Good, he wasn't there and I hoped he was anywhere else but in his workshop downstairs.
All I wanted to do was check on the progress on my arm…
IF he even decided to keep working on it…
With a grumble, I crossed the living room and pressed the button for the elevator. I didn't want to use the stairs considering Tony would most likely see me coming if he was downstairs and I definitely didn't want that.
The elevator and adjoining room would work much better to accommodate my sneaking: not only did Tony never really use the elevator but, I could see if he was there or not from the small room.
I had almost been tempted to get JARVIS to tell me if Tony was down there or not or even show me a video feed of the workshop but…
I didn't have much else to do at the moment and it did get me out of my room.
My head was swimming from all the research I had been doing for the past several days. I had hit a roadblock with the energy required to power either one of the transmutation circles and I needed a break.
Hence my sneaking around.
Stepping out of the elevator, I slowly and quietly made my way to the door, straining my ears to catch anything on the other side.
Even though there wasn't any music blasting from the workshop, it didn't mean that asshole wasn't there.
I inched the door open and began scanning the large room, trying to see if I could spot him.
Nothing.
The workshop was empty.
I couldn't believe my luck!
Hurrying into the room, I glanced over the many, messy desks, trying to spot which one had my arm. If it had even been created by now…
If it had, I could at least take a quick look and maybe even take a picture with my tablet to study it later.
That was, if I managed to remember just HOW to take a picture with it…
Now, where –?
I froze, hearing a rumble of a car motor growing louder.
Coming from the ramp.
A quick count of the cars told me none were missing but, did Tony have others stashed somewhere else?
I hadn't even realized he had left.
No… He wouldn't have left.
I hadn't heard anything either.
I ducked behind the closest desk out of precaution and…
What the fuck?
A large white van screeched to a halt in the middle of the workshop and I blinked, remembering a similar one – if not THAT one – the day Tony and I had flown off to Washington D.C. to visit Peggy.
Happy had mentioned that they had been paparazzi but – having looked up that word on a later date – I didn't think people who wanted photographs of famous people would break into someone's house, like they just did.
The side door of the van swung open and out poured several darkly dressed figures, some carrying what looked like empty duffel bags and they spread out, heading to different desks.
And started collecting items.
Holy FUCK! They were robbers! How –?
HOW THE FUCK DID THEY GET PASS JARVIS?!
JARVIS would have kept them out. He had alerted Tony in Washington. And even this week, while I had been outside, a darkened boat had gotten too close to the mansion and JARVIS' voice had warned them away along with a bright spotlight.
Something – something had happened to JARVIS…
And… If that was the case where – where was Tony in all this?
Fuck…
Ok, one thing at a time: these intruders were not going to leave here with Tony's inventions. If JARVIS as a security system wasn't going to work then I would be the security.
I shuffled along the side of the desk, keeping myself hidden as much as possible as I neared one of the intruders.
They hadn't scanned around to see if anyone else had been down here so I had the advantage, the element of surprise.
I just needed to put my tablet down to –
Sound blared from said FUCKING tablet. Who the FUCK was calling me NOW?! I knew that sound all too well from when Peggy had tried calling me and I truly hoped it wasn't her at the moment!
Sadly, it alerted all of the intruders and they all turned in my direction.
There went the element of surprise…
Honestly, it must have been pure instinct because, to not only silence that damn tablet but to begin the fight, I dashed towards the nearest man and I smashed the piece of technology clear across his head.
The tablet broke and the man went down.
From the corner of my eye, I saw the intruders start to pull out guns so I kicked the man that was already on the ground to make sure he stayed down before jumping over him and dashing to the next one.
Just as he raised his gun, I grabbed it, pushing it away from me and kneeing him in the stomach. He doubled over and I yanked the gun away, slamming it across his face.
Then the others started shooting.
I ducked and dove behind one of the many cars, hearing the bullets hit the metal. I took a deep breath, going through my options and…
The gun still in my hand.
I could have used it. It would have been simple and the intruders would have been taken care of.
But…
I didn't WANT to use it anymore.
I had injured enough people with a gun.
It needed to stop.
Now.
I came to that decision just as one of the intruders turned the corner around the car and I landed a solid kick on his leg, making him fall forward. I raised my hand, the one still holding the gun, and slammed it into his face as he came down. He rolled away, groaning in pain, losing his own gun in the process.
Good.
I tossed mine under the car before getting to my feet, still staying crouched. I didn't know where the others were.
Yet.
Thankfully, there were many reflective surfaces around the workshop and I was going to use them to my advantage.
On the window of the car across from me, I spotted another intruder slowly making their way from the left and, after checking under the car behind me, I headed to the right where the coast was clear. Having spent so many hours down in the workshop was a damn good advantage because I knew where everything was.
Well… everything except for my damn automail…
As I circled around the car, I spotted another intruder a few meters away as he seemed to be watching the other's back. Two more were making their way through the desks, packing away pretty much everything they could get their hands on.
Wait… I squinted, eyeing one of them in particular. He looked familiar.
Which the idea of itself was bizarre enough considering I had barely met anyone since being thrown in 2009. So, who…?
My eyes widened as the answer hit me. Of course, I recognized him! He had been the one to try and DROWN me on the beach when I had first arrived! A quick scan of the others told me his accomplice wasn't among them which was some good news but…
Hadn't the police been called? Shouldn't he have been in jail?
If so, then what was he doing HERE of all places?
He…
I shook my head. Now was not the time to figure this out: I had intruders to take care of.
It was time to kick some ass.
After taking a deep breath, I sprinted out of my hiding spot, running head first into the nearest intruder, tackling him. We slammed a desk before hitting the floor. I vaguely heard a gun clattering away and smirked.
We shall see how good he was without his weapon.
As he tried to shove me, I used the momentum to roll off to the side, spotting one of them, a woman this time, raise her gun in my direction. I just smirked at her, grasping a nearby chair and flinging it in her direction.
Her eyes widened upon seeing the chair flying considering I had used a bit of extra strength. She dove aside but my attention was drawn to the other two intruders as they dropped what they were doing and began weaving their way towards me.
Fine, I could handle them.
I reached onto one of the many tables, grabbing the first large object I could reach and –
A wrench.
I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face.
I swung said wrench across the head of the man on the floor before dashing towards the woman.
A saving grace from those guns could be that they did not want to shoot one of their own. Therefore, getting into close combat with one could help me in the end.
Could.
Having recovered from diving away from the thrown chair, the woman raised her gun once more, aiming it at me. I swung the wrench again, knocking the weapon just as she shot and the bullet impacted somewhere behind me.
Thankfully, she didn't seem willing to continue her attempts at shooting me and she tossed the gun aside, taking her own swing at me.
I ducked under the punch, raising –
She nailed me with a kick to the side.
Damn, should have known better than to underestimate them…
Taking a deep breath, I side-stepped, trying to get her in between me and her 'colleagues', still aware of the guns they carried.
She, however, just kept bridging the gap, either attempting to punch or kick me and all I could do for the moment was block her attacks, never having a good enough footing or opportunity to fight back.
Apparently, the few solo sparring sessions I had managed to do during the months I had been here had not exactly been enough. Not for several trained fighters with guns…
I was a tad rusty…
And I was NOT proud of that fact.
Finally – finally! – I spotted an opening and I swung the wrench up, nailing her under her chin and she staggered back, cursing out. I kept pace with her, swinging the wrench to her side and then her arm.
The last one, she caught it and yanked it towards her, pulling me along with it.
And kneed me in the stomach.
I finally let go of the wrench, groaning as I fell to one knee, trying to –
I was yanked back, an arm around my neck that was squeezing tightly.
"My, my, we meet again," said a male voice behind me, one that I recognized all too well: it was that asshole from the beach.
He had had the upper hand once and I wasn't going to let him do it again.
I used my weight and some strength to lean forward, making his grip strain as he pulled back.
Then, I pushed myself back.
Hard.
With my extra force, my head smacked solidly with his face and he cried out, letting his arm drop from around my neck.
Not wasting any time, I performed a high kick, spinning to give me enough force that, when it hit the woman, she staggered to the side, even when she had tried to block it. I then ran towards her, taking advantage of her unbalance and kicked again, nailing her on the side of the knee. She crumpled, yelling out in pain but I didn't give her time to recover.
She got a solid elbow to the head.
And she hit the floor, unconscious.
Two more to go.
I whirled around, spotting the man from the beach cradling his broken nose as blood flowed from it. The other one –
I froze, seeing him with his gun raised and aimed in my direction.
Not good…
"So much for no one else being here," he grumbled, eyeing me carefully.
"I enjoy disproving expectations," I replied, catching some movement from behind that man. "But you should have already known there was someone here, DUM-E."
The man frowned, most likely thinking I was insulting him. To be fair, I was but it was more of a signal to DUM-E who used his fire extinguisher, spraying the man with foam.
The man yelled out in surprise and I grabbed the nearest thing on the desk, hurling it in his direction.
It smacked him right in the face.
With the amount of foam around him, he slipped, falling flat on his ass, disappearing into the cloud of white. I couldn't help but chuckle at the sight before dashing towards the other man who was trying in vain to wipe the blood from his face.
"You'll pay for that," he grumbled, using his sleeve once more but he only managed to smear the blood around. "And this time, Stark won't come to save you."
Those words sobered me up quickly.
What did he mean…?
Where – where was Tony?
Well, what I did know was that I needed to finish my fight with these two assholes as soon as possible to be able to search for Tony around the mansion.
To make sure nothing had happened to him.
Without another word, I dashed towards him, my fist raised for a punch.
And he fell for it.
He went to block my supposed punch and, instead, I whirled around on myself, raising my elbow and nailing him in the chest. I followed up with a kick to the hip and another one to his arm.
Take that you –
I was shoved to the side, smacking against a desk and I heard multiple things clatter to the floor. I, however, was more focused on the throbbing from my ribs and the weight of the other asshole pressing against me.
And that was without mentioning that fire extinguisher foam that fell around us!
"Get off!" I growled out, wiggling as I tried to get free.
Of course, he didn't listen so, instead, I grasped the closest, heaviest thing I could reach and slammed it across the man's forehead.
And he crumpled like a leaf.
Right on top of me.
I groaned out, cursing under my breath at how fucking heavy this asshole was. This was not what I had hoped would happen…
Besides, there was still one more person to take care of.
With a final huff, I shoved the man off my back and quickly scanned the room for –
FUCK!
I let myself fall to the floor as bullets flew over me. He had gotten his fucking gun back!
"The more you prolong this, punk, the harder it'll be for you," said the man as best he could with the blood and broken nose.
"You should know by now I won't make it easy for you, asshole!" I snapped back, squatting behind the desk and chair, watching his movements from underneath to determine in which direction he was walking.
Readjusting my position, a plan formed in my mind to distract him to get close enough without getting shot.
I shoved the nearest chair away from me and I noticed how the man turned to follow the movement. Good, that was what I wanted him to do. Meanwhile, I shuffled backwards in the opposite direction and around a desk, still managing to keep the man's legs in sight.
As I kept backing up, I spotted several pieces of metal underneath a table. I grabbed a piece that looked heavy but small enough to easily throw.
And that was exactly what I did.
I threw it away from me, diagonally from where the chair had been pushed and that idiot took the bait. The resulting clatter of the metal drew his attention and he headed in that direction.
Meanwhile, I could circle around and come up behind him.
Carefully and silently grabbing another wrench, I stood and crept towards him.
He only noticed me behind him when it was too late.
"Payback," I stated already swinging the wrench and hitting him solidly on the head.
He even did an amusing spin on his way down.
That should have been the last of them.
And, a quick scan of the workshop confirmed that all of the intruders had been taken care of and nothing had been stolen.
Take that you –
FUCK! TONY!
I tossed the wrench to the side as I sprinted towards the staircase. One of them had even mentioned how Tony wouldn't be able to help this time. Something – something must have happened! I needed to –
I skidded to a halt, hearing the elevator doors open and a solid bang, as if something hit the wall. My gaze flickered from the stairs to the elevator room before making a choice and turning heel, heading towards the room instead.
Thankfully I had…
Tony stumbled out of said room, pale and covered in sweat, his breathing ragged as he leaned heavily against the doorframe.
And… and his arc reactor was missing.
We locked eyes for a moment and I finally realized my breathing was shaky, my body frozen in surprise.
Who…? Who had done this…?
Only when Tony started moving – STAGGERING – forward did I race towards him, catching him just before he fell face first onto the floor.
The shrapnel in him… The arc reactor was the only thing keeping it out of his heart…
I tried to control my shaking arm as I readjusted my grip on him and had him lean heavily on me.
"Arc… reactor…," he breathed out and I quickly nodded, glancing back towards the stairs.
"I – I can catch whoever did this," I stated, already dragging him to the nearest car to get him to lean on that instead.
"No… Gone – gone now…"
My breath caught at those words. No. No there had to be something I could do. He…
He could die…
"Box… Glass… Ex-extra reactor…"
Those words sounded weaker than the previous ones and dread began to fill me. He couldn't…
I WOULDN'T let him die!
Getting him to lean against the car, I whirled around, scanning the desks for any glass box that held an –
THERE!
I sprinted towards it, picking it up and, having taken a quick glance at the box itself and finding no easy way of opening it…
I smashed it against the metal table, shattering the container.
"Fu…"
I glanced behind just as Tony slid along the side of the car and crumpled onto the floor.
No, no, NO!
I yanked the arc reactor from the base and sprinted back to him, falling to my knees beside him.
He was not going to die today.
I didn't want to be useless AGAIN!
Useless like I had been with Al, Nina, Dr. Erskine, Mustang, Bucky, and Steve…
Mom…
I was not going to go through it again with Tony!
Trying to keep a steady hand, I pushed Tony onto his back. He looked ever paler now, his breathing much too shallow. I – I could barely hear his heartbeat anymore…
Keep it together!
"Don't you dare die on me, you bastard!" I growled out, grabbing the arc reactor.
He had never exactly explained how the arc reactor was connected or even WHAT it was connected to but, from the wire that was dangling from the piece itself, I was sure I could figure it out.
I didn't exactly have much of a choice.
My entire body was shaking as I went to connect the wire to… something inside Tony's chest, attempting to ignore whatever that thick liquid in there was.
Come on… Come on!
I finally managed to connect the wire and hurriedly placed the arc reactor itself into the hole, watching it light up under my hand.
Was – was that enough…?
I stared at Tony's face, holding my breath, hoping to see… ANY sign that this arc reactor was working, that it was enough to save him.
That he wasn't going to die…
Finally – FINALLY! – I saw that his ragged breathing was evening out.
It… It HAD worked!
I exhaled shakily in relief, leaning forward completely, weariness setting in from the fight and the fear for Tony's life.
I didn't even care that I was resting my head on his sweat-drenched shoulder.
He was alive.
That was all that mattered.
I didn't lose him too…
I took another shaky breath, then another, hearing both my and Tony's heartbeats slowly return to a normal… normal…
Tony… He – he had reached for my hand, the one still over his arc reactor. His grip wasn't the tightest but…
Shockingly, not only did I let him, I… I rotated my hand enough to grip his tightly. It helped ground me, proving that he wasn't going anywhere.
Even though I couldn't stand him sometimes, I didn't want to lose him too, not on top of everyone else…
I had lost ENOUGH people. It needed to stop. It –
"–ny! Hey, Tony!"
My body snapped up upon hearing that voice echoing from upstairs. You can't fucking be serious?!
Who else was there?!
I stumbled to my feet, reaching for the closest object near me, ready to kick whoever's ass it was that was now running down the stairs.
I placed myself between Tony and the exit just as a man jumped the last few steps, calling out for Tony once more and stepping into the workshop.
And then he stopped suddenly upon seeing me.
His hand automatically reached behind him as he frowned in my direction. Not another gun… "Who are you?" he asked, eyeing me cautiously. Thankfully, he hadn't pulled it out.
Yet.
"You first," I snapped back. "Anyone seems to be able to get in here today."
The man's frown deepened in confusion and I caught him briefly scanning around the workshop, probably taking in the unconscious intruders.
It was clear though, the moment he spotted Tony on the floor behind me, his demeanor changed as his eyes widened in surprise and he took several steps forward.
I just blocked his way once again.
"Who. Are. You?" I repeated sternly.
"A friend," he snapped back, his gaze flickering back to Tony. "Now let me –"
"Funny, for a friend, I haven't seen you around here in the last FOUR months," I interrupted, still not moving from in front of Tony.
I was… surprised to see the flash of guilt and hurt pass through his features. Maybe he truly was a friend but… Why hadn't he been by? Why hadn't I heard of him? Had Tony just decided not to talk about him but they truly did know each other?
But, could I take that risk?
"Platypus, Short Stuff, enough…"
Those words were not the strongest but they were much better than how Tony had been talking before when he had staggered into the workshop.
I turned slightly to see Tony push himself up, massaging his chest as he eyed both of us tiredly.
"Down, both of you," he added with a wave of his hand before focusing on the man. "Where's Pepper?"
Uh… Maybe the man had been telling the truth about being a friend.
"She's safe," he replied, cautiously moving closer, eyeing me as he did. "She's with several agents and they're going to arrest Obadiah at S.I.."
Even though my eyes widened at the news, I felt anger bubble within me at that asshole's name. "He did this?" I growled out. I knew he was an asshole but to do this… to hurt…
I WILL KICK HIS ASS!
Tony nodded as he slowly tried to push himself up with shaking arms. The man and I took a step forward to help but Tony sent us a look that made us stop and merely watch him finally get to his feet.
And he probably just noticed at that point the state of the workshop as he scanned the things around him with a slight air of surprise.
Well, to be fair, there had been some damages done during the fighting.
"Short Stuff, I didn't imagine gun shots, did I?" muttered Tony, eyeing the nearest intruder who just happened to be the one with the broken and bloody nose.
"No, you didn't," I replied, shaking my head before remembering what got shot. "I know a car got damaged. If any thing else got hit, well…" I shrugged, looking around too.
"Did you?"
I shook my head. "Do I look like I got shot?"
He sent me a look and I understood the second question as well. "Didn't shoot either," I added with a mumble.
There was a moment of silence before the man whose nickname – I hoped it was a nickname – was Platypus asked, "What did they want?"
"Whatever they could get their hands on," I replied with a shrug. "Didn't work though. I mean… Down here…," I added, eyeing Tony and his arc reactor.
"So, the two of you fought them off?" asked… Platypus.
Tony shook his head. "All this mess is Short Stuff's doing. You will be cleaning up after yourself, you know that, right?"
Unbelievable. I protected all of HIS things and I was going to be the one who was going to CLEAN?
I rolled my eyes as I snapped back, "Well, you need to check on what the fuck happened to JARVIS that allowed these assholes into the house."
"Wait, wait, wait," cut in Platypus, eyeing the two of us even as Tony didn't listen to his 'wait' instruction and was heading towards a computer. "You're telling me that a kid with a prosthetic arm took down three armed –"
"There were four."
"– FOUR armed men –"
"One was a woman actually."
He sent me a look of annoyance. "– FOUR armed INDIVIDUALS, alone and was going to use said prosthetic arm against me?"
What…? I was going to do what?
I finally took a look at what exactly I had picked up to defend myself against Platypus and… Damn, it truly was my arm.
My NEW arm.
There were still metal plate coverings that were missing in some spots but the base of it, the main part, looked complete. It resembled Winry's design but… It had less lines and the plates had slightly rounder edges.
And it weighed less than any of my old ones!
"I didn't know you had finished it," I stated, glancing towards Tony.
"I didn't finish it," he responded. "I was still doing tests."
"It works?"
"So far."
"Wait," cut in Platypus, holding up his hands. "Not only did you fight them off, you did so without an arm?"
I even spotted Tony look up from his computer screen, also waiting for an answer. Even though he probably had no reason to not believe me, he probably also didn't expect me to have been able to do it.
"Well, yes, I did," I replied with a shrug, leaning my automail on my shoulder. "DUM-E helped with the fire extinguisher."
DUM-E even beeped happily at the mention of his name.
Tony and his friend glanced between myself and the unconscious intruders before sharing a look.
"Who is –?"
"I'll share the story later," interrupted Tony, typing away at his computer. "For now, round these bad guys up while I get JARVIS back online and get to S.I.."
"But I told you, Pepper has some agents with her," repeated Platypus.
"It won't be enough," said Tony, motioning for us to hurry.
The man and I shared a look and I shrugged, not ready to argue about this just yet. I put my arm down and started looking around for anything to tie the intruders' wrists together.
"Here, found some tie wraps," said the man, handing me some.
"Thanks," I said as I grabbed them.
Before I could head to the first one, Platypus asked, "I know Tony used your nickname but what should I call you?"
"Ed's fine and he's lucky I haven't kicked his ass because of that name," I replied, slightly annoyed because Tony would probably NEVER stop calling me that, before motioning to the man. "And your name's not Platypus I take it?"
He shook his head quickly. "Only Tony calls me that. I'm Colonel James Rhodes but you can call me what you'd like."
I slowly nodded in acknowledgement but I was more stunned by the fact that – once again! – there was a damn Colonel in my life. I just couldn't seem to escape that fact: it just continued to haunt me!
Rhodes and I split up, heading to different unconscious intruders and I wondered for a moment how I would manage to actually tie them up with just one hand…
Oh well. I would get creative. I didn't particularly care for asking for help because of my handicap anyway.
And by creative, what I had meant was holding the man's arms behind his back by stepping on said arms and using my one hand to secure the tie wrap.
As I did, I saw Rhodes from the corner of my eye as he dragged one of the intruders to the van and tossed them into the back before heading to the next one. I huffed softly, knowing that he would be able to tie them up quicker than I could.
"Tones, be real with me now." I slowed what I was doing, curious to know what Rhodes was whispering about to Tony. He clearly didn't want me to hear it seemed. "Is he your kid?"
Seriously?!
I looked up, spotting Tony staring at me with a knowing smirk.
"I told you it would have been a better cover story," he said, his voice louder than Rhodes' had been as he kept his smug look.
I flipped him off before grabbing the unconscious man by the back of the sweater and hauling him towards the van. I didn't exactly care for him being right about that…
"You didn't answer my question, though," continued Rhodes, no longer whispering. At least he a was smart enough to understand that it wouldn't do any good to try to remain sneaky.
"You actually may not believe the truth," replied Tony and my eyes widened. Was he actually going to –? "And Short Stuff, how ever much you trust Pepper, you can trust Rhodey, got it?"
What…? How…?
I opened my mouth, closed it before finally nodding half-heartedly. I would humour him for the moment until I got more answers from both of them.
"Good, you kids need to play nice together," added Tony, pointing a finger to Rhodes – Rhodey? Another nickname? – and myself. "Because I'm heading out. Now. J, get the suit ready."
"You're going against Obadiah with the suit?" I asked in surprise as the mechanical arms began getting the pieces ready. "What…? Why?"
"He took my new arc reactor and I have a feeling I know what he needs it for," replied Tony solemnly, getting onto the platform and letting the mechanical arms begin the assembly.
I walked up next to Rhodey and we both watched with wide eyes as the pieces were put into place, connecting almost effortlessly together.
Even though this would be the third time that I knew of that Tony had been in the suit, I hadn't been present the last times it had been assembled.
And it was damn impressive.
"Short Stuff, stay here," said Tony as the face plate was put into place.
"You can't be fucking serious?! AGAIN?!"
"Obadiah –"
"You said it yourself that the agents with Pepper won't be enough. You think just yourself with your suit will –"
"Keep the skies clear, Rhodey," cut in Tony, pointing in his direction and, without even waiting for a response, he flew right out of the workshop.
Un-FUCKING-believable.
Well, if he thought I was going to stay here and sit still, he was dead wrong.
"I need your help," I said, turning towards Rhodey who was already walking towards the stairs.
"I need to –"
"How ever you need to keep 'the skies clear' can wait two minutes," I snapped, walking towards a desk. "Can you use a screwdriver?"
I heard Rhodey sputter behind me. "Of course, I can."
"Good." I removed the loose t-shirt I was wearing, leaving me in just my usual tank top. I tossed the shirt on the desk and picked up my automail arm. "Then you need to use said screwdriver to reattach this."
"Tony clearly told you to wait here, Ed," said Rhodey sternly, giving me a look that may have worked on someone else.
I, however, was unfazed.
"I don't listen very well, not to Tony and not to Colonels either, you'll learn that soon enough," I said, holding out the screwdriver in his direction. "And I sat back the last time, I'm NOT doing that again! Besides, did this," I waved towards the workshop and the van, "not prove that I can fight? And I'll be even more help WITH my right arm!"
"It's dangerous, you're just a kid!"
I couldn't fucking believe it… I thought I was passed hearing that awful excuse. 1940s, 2000s, it didn't matter it seemed. People just saw my age, my appearance and made assumptions based on what they saw.
Rhodey probably didn't even believe that I took care of all these intruders alone.
"Fine. FINE!" I snapped, turning around and walking to a desk. "Go then. I'll do this myself!" Reattach my arm, probably take one of Tony's and somehow figure out where S.I. – was it Stark Industries? – was located.
I would just need to show them I CAN be useful, that I was NOT a child like they kept believing I was.
"Why do I believe that you'll just steal a car and follow anyway?" sighed Rhodey and I turned to see him walking up to me. "Let's go, tell me what I need to do."
I paused, surprised by the change of attitude.
"Even though I'm still not convinced you're not Tony' kid –"
"I'm not."
"– I still know him well enough to see that you're like him and won't take 'No' for an answer, probably causing property damage to do whatever you plan on doing. Now, arm so we can go help his stubborn ass."
I stared at him for a moment before a smile broke across my face and I handed over the screwdriver.
"You're not so bad, Colonel."
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