"So I should let you know-"

"Don't wanna know."

"But I-"

"Will it actively effect today?" I asked her.

Nikki hummed. "No."

"Is he going to show up later, pregnant with your child?"

"Fuck no, I hope not."

"Then I don't care." I replied.

Nikki pouted. "You never want to hear about my day." She complained.

The look I gave her would send Steve Rogers back into the ice. "Your day involves: sex, death, or both." I stated. "So today. Your objective is clear. Don't be a shit."

The woman rolled her eyes. Still, even with her annoyance she obeyed. Her posture slid into one a bodyguard would take when at work. She had asked for a super suit- which I denied but was also designing because come on of course I was making her a suit- without it she decided to wear a short pink cocktail dress with black lace overlay.

She and Pepper had worked together on my clothes. Bright pink pants, a black peplum shirt with a white lapel collar, and a tight dark blue jacket bound with a bright pink belt. Nikki had sworn it was fashionable. Pepper also approved (which I accepted because Nikki probably wanted me in a matching dress to her's).

We had long since left the car- with appropriate waves to the crowd while also smiling. On the walk inside was when that conversation had gone on.

Which brings us to the inside of this...place.

"Hey kid." Tony walked up to my side.

"Parental unit." I greeted, blithely.

"You ready for this?"

'No absolutely not and I hate you.' "Sure."

Tony patted me on the back. It made me wish I had a drink in my hands so I could pour it over his head. "You know, it's Europe. Whatever happens the next 20 minutes, just go with it." Tony assured me.

"That doesn't comfort me. That doesn't comfort me at all." I replied. Nikki snickered.

"Ms Stark?" Natasha walked up to me. She was wearing a nice red dress. Given Tony and I's suits, it was hard to tell who properly owned that color. I suppose that was part of the point. Win Tony over to her, so she could be trusted enough for Tony to reveal aspects of his personality. Or perhaps to see if I would side with her over my father.

So many possible games at play it was hard to pinpoint the exact one that was leaving me pissed off.

I kept a calm expression. "Yes. Hello."

"Hey." Tony greeted, giving Natasha a wide smile.

She ignored him. "Hello. How was your flight?" Natasha asked me.

"Good." I answered.

"It was excellent. Boy, it's nice to see you." Tony replied.

Pepper held his arm, pulling him a step back. A server walked up with a tray of alcohol. Tony and Pepper took a drink. I declined the offered water.

"We have one photographer from the ACM, if you don't mind. Okay?" Natasha asked. She plucked away the drinks, putting them back on the serving tray.

"When did this happen?" Pepper asked Tony, meaning Natalie.

I got in place for the photo, putting on 'the smile mom wants so this can finally end' smile. Nikki behind me stayed vigil, scanning the crowd. Probably for a target. Not that she would find one here, not with so much press. I'd let her find a back alley in a bar later. Once all the drama cooled the fuck down.

"What? You made me do it." Tony replied to Pepper. He too got in position for the

"I made you do what?" Pepper asked.

"You quit. Somebody had to work for Beck." Tony excused. "Smile. Look, right there."

"Please go along so I can stop smiling." I requested, working to unclench my teeth.

Pepper got into position.

"Stop acting constipated. Don't flare your nostrils." Tony corrected, smiling for the camera.

"You are so predictable." Pepper remarked.

"That's the amazing thing." Tony replied to her.

The camera went away. My smile dropped.

"Right this way." Natasha requested. I moved to follow her, feeling Nikki at my back.

I walked in silence behind her. My mind rushing about too much to think about proper conversation topics.

"I'm liking the dress." Nikki remarked.

"Why, thank you very much." Natasha replied.

"Nikki. Keep professional." I reminded her. Nikki shrugged, poorly hiding a grin. "Ms Rushman, what's on the docket?"

"You have a nine thirty dinner." Natasha informed me.

"Good. I'll be there. Dad will show up promptly at eleven."

"Absolutely." Natasha smiled.

"Is this us?" Tony asked, pointing at a table.

"It can be." Natasha told him.

"Great. Make it us." Tony instructed. Natasha gave myself a glance. I opened my mouth. "You like window seats." I closed my mouth.

"Okay." Natasha agreed, at seeing my silent consent.

"Mr Musk. How are you?" Pepper asked, walking over to a man sitting nearby our new table.

"Hi, Ms Potts." He stood up. He shook Pepper's hand, then moved towards me at seeing me. Nikki took a small step closer. "Becky Stark. Congratulations on the promotion."

I smiled politely. "Thank you very much." With that done, I moved towards the table. Nikki took the seat next to me. Tony went to talk with Mr Musk. "You know, most bodyguards stand behind their boss to watch properly."

"Yeah." She leaned in, lowering her voice to a whisper. "But you know everyone in here who could want to kill you." She leaned back, picking up the fork to twirl it between her fingers. "You could toss them out the window if they tried. Can I get a drink?"

"Are you legal?"

"Are you?"

"In America, no." Nikki beamed. "But this is Monaco. They're limit's 18." She stood up. "Come on! I want a drink."

"Why didn't you get yourself one before?" I asked. Rising from my seat, I followed her.

"Cause I wanted us both to get drinks." Nikki excused. She wrapped her arm around mine, making sure we followed after Tony and Pepper. She held out her hand. "Bartend. Two margaritas: one on the rocks, one with salt."

"ID?" The bartender prompted Nikki.

She pulled one out from the chest of her dress, showing it to the bartend. A quick glance got a nod from him.

"Not me?" I asked her.

She gave me a flat stare. I kept my mouth shut.

"Whoa hey don't I need to approve any drinking?" Tony asked.

"In the states. This is Monaco- I'm legal here." I informed him. The bartender put down a margarita in front of me. I accepted the drink. Nikki and I toasted, taking our first sips. "Ahhh...that's actually better."

Nikki grinned. She tipped her drink to Tony.

"You want a massage?" Tony asked Pepper.

"Oh, God. No. I don't want a massage." Pepper replied.

I rolled my eyes, pointedly putting my back to Tony and Pepper. Nikki gave me a stupid expression- something you would see on someone much drunker than us. I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing.

"I'll have Natalie make an-"

"I don't want Natalie to do-"

"Don't want you tense. By the way, I didn't mean to spring this on you."

"Thank you very much."

"Green is not your best color."

"Oooh." I sighed, sipping again on my drink. "Did you hear that, Nikki?"

"Hmm. He was so close." Nikki sipped on her own drink. "Shame. I was rooting for him."

"Anthony. Rebecca." I tensed up. "Is that you?"

Tony sighed behind me, while I slowly turned. "My least favorite person on Earth." For the oddest reason, I relaxed at seeing Justin Hammer.

Our competition- the equivalent of a villain who would go "McDonalds! McDonalds!" even as an adult- walked up. "Hey, pal." He greeted. He mimed a fake punch towards me. "And you! You little tyke!"

The only way my expression could be any flater was if the Hulk jumped on it.

"Justin Hammer." Tony greeted, dryly.

"How you doing? You're not the only rich people here with a fancy car." Justin reminded, as though to explain away our obvious expressions to Justin's presence here. "You know Christine Everhart from Vanity Fair. You guys know each other?"

Said reporter walked up. I couldn't stop myself from grinning so I hid it behind my drink.

"Hi. Yes."

Pepper was smiling, giving Tony a knowing look. "Yes."

Tony "Yes, roughly." Tony replied.

Nikki snorted into her drink. I glared at her- damn her for putting that dirty joke in my mind.

"We do."

"She rings a bell." I added.

"BTW, big story. The new CEO of Stark Industries." Justin waved his hand at me.

"I know, I know." Christine replied.

"Congratulations." Justin told me.

"Wow. Such high praise." I acknowledged.

"My editor will kill me if I don't grab a quote for our Powerful Women issue." Christine told me.

"Huh." I hummed. Nikki snickered behind me.

"Can I?" Christine asked.

"Why not." I picked up my drink.

"She's actually doing a big spread on me for Vanity Fair. I thought I'd throw her a bone, you know." Justin explained, as though boasting that he was getting a bigger article which made him the better person. "Right?"

"Right. Well, she did quite a spread on Tony last year." Pepper commented.

Nikki and I both snorted into our drinks that time.

"And she wrote a story as well." Tony threw in.

Which only made the snorting worse. It grew to full on snickers.

"It was very impressive."

"That was good."

"It was very well done."

"Thank you." Christine accepted the praise at face value, ignoring any of the implications of the remarks.

"I'm gonna go wash." Pepper stated, walking off.

Christine pulled out the recording device. She held it out towards me. My eyes focused on it for a moment, then back up to the reporter.

"Don't leave me." Tony pleaded.

"Hey, buddy. How you doing?" Justin greeted, taking up the space between Tony and myself.

"I'm all right. Me and the kid. We're both good." Tony assured.

"Looking gorgeous." Justin praised him. Then he nodded his head at me. "Of course, clearly Rebecca there is stealing the show."

I silently sipped at my drink.

"Please, this is tough." Tony replied.

"Can I ask you...Is this the first time-" Christine began- only to be cut off my multiple things at once.

First a camera man, coming to take a picture of the three of us.

Second, Nikki and I taking a drink at the exact same time thus preventing us from unwanted conversation.

Third, Justin Hammer. That's it. Just Justin Hammer.

"Fromage." Justin threw his arm around Tony, then moved to throw the other one around my arm. I pulled away from it. "Say 'Brie'."

Nikki switched us around, standing in my place while the picture was being taken. Better yet, she was holding up her drink for the camera. She would probably want it framed, if it ever saw the light of day.

"-that you guys have seen each other?" Christine tried again.

"God, that's so awful." Tony complained.

"Agreed." I sighed.

"Listen, is it the first time you three have seen each other since the Senate?" Christine asked.

"Yes." I answered plainly.

"Since he got his contract revoked-" Tony asked.

"Actually, it's on hold." Justin interrupted.

"-when you were attempting to-" Tony was continuing. He gave Justin a look for the interruption. "That's not what I heard. What's the difference between 'hold' and 'cancelled'? The truth?"

"Yes, what is it?" Christine asked, now turning to Justin.

"No. The truth is." Justin glanced down at the recording device in her hand. "Why don't we put that away? The truth is, I'm actually hoping to present something at your Expo."

Now we were beginning the walk back to a table. Most likely Justin's, or maybe just a random table that Tony was using to get us out of this mess.

"Well, if you invent something that works, I'll make sure I get you a slot." Tony remarked.

'If I had any say in that, I'd tell him to fuck off. However I have no say because if we tell him no then where the fuck will Whiplash begin his attack? It needs to be somewhere controlled- of which Stark Expo is my best chance of my doing that.'

"Ms Stark, Mr Stark, Ms Stevens?" Natasha walked up to us.

"Yes?" I replied.

"Your corner table is ready." Natasha informed me.

"You're a lifesaver." I moved to follow her. Nikki behind me.

"I actually have a slot this year. Yes, I do." Justin was telling...I don't even know who was really listening.

"Hammer needs a slot, Christine." Tony told Christine.

"We kid, yeah. We kid. We're kidders." Justin was laughing.

Soon we got to the table. Tony left- also for the bathroom. Nikki and I took our seats.

She leaned in, so Natasha couldn't hear. Hopefully. Maybe. "You good, kid?" She asked me.

I took a big gulp of the margarita, making sure to get the extra salt. "Haven't decided."

"You got fucked up when he said your name."

"He didn't." I heard myself replying.

"I'm pretty sure it was-" Nikki began.

"No, my name is Becky. He said the long one." I cut her off. Nikki paused. "I don't- it was that bastard that kept saying the long one. And he- you know."

"Yeah...I know." Nikki sat back in her seat. She tapped my shoulder, holding it for a beat before letting go. "You need a minute?"

"Maybe." Thank Author I was drinking. Emotions were so fucking awful without alcohol. "Go to the bathroom, see if a guy wants his dick sucked."

Nikki grinned. "I love your ideas."

"It's because you're just as awful." I told her, as Nikki got up from her seat to walk away.

Once she was gone, I slouched in my seat.

Natasha came up. My moment of calm vanished in a blink. "Ms Stark, are you alright?"

"Depends." I answered, having more of my drink.

"On?" Natasha asked. She walked closer to my side.

'Are you investigating me too?

What will your report of me say?

Will you tell the truth, or lie?

Will Tony actually come to me for help, or will he just keep on going as if I don't already know?

Can I stop being the depressing drunk? Seriously, being a chatty drunk is more fun. Or at least Nikki makes it look more fun.'

"On if you can get me another one." I decided to say, holding up the margarita I had almost finished.

==NM2==

In the bathroom, Tony was looking at his latest results.

They weren't good.

Tony supposed they were good, in their own way. Just another day closer to death- of being without the constant pain in his chest as the poison spread through his blood. Another day closer to when he'd stop being such a lousy dad to Becky. Or a lousy...whatever to Pepper. He didn't want to put a label on this thing just yet, in case he...you know.

But he had so little time left...so many other things he could do...a bucket list with a lot of things he wouldn't be able to do before dying.

"Got any other bad ideas?" Tony asked his reflection.

"I've got one."

Tony turned around. Nikki Stevens was standing there. "This is the men's room." He heard himself saying.

"I know." Nikki smacked her lips, wiping away something on her chin. "But I've got an idea. Seriously. My ideas are the bomb." She took a step forward. "You ever wanted to drive one of the cars?"

==NM2==

AN: A bit of a rush job, but I still think it got the point across. Besides it was fun to write it.

Thanks to Sarge123 for following