AN: First of all, I just recently realized that I forgot the disclaimer, and warnings, and all the other stuff I'm supposed to have at the beginning of a chapter in all the chapters so far. So here's the disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers and I never will. There. It's done. Warnings: mentions of child experimentation. That's it. Everyone knows how this chapter ends, and if you don't, why are you even reading Avengers fanfiction? Anyway, this is the last actual chapter. There's still an epilogue, though.
At the press conference, Rhodey was speaking. "You've all received the official statement of what happened at Stark Industries last night," he said. "There have been unconfirmed reports that a robotic prototype malfunctioned and caused damage to the arc reactor. Fortunately a member of Tony Stark's personal bodyguard was able to shut it down."
Biela kept one eye on the TV screen and the other eye on Tony and Pepper. Pepper was currently dabbing makeup on Tony to hide the bruises and cuts. When they'd found him atop the SI building, they'd thought him dead. She'd quickly latched the arc reactor in Tony's chest up to a power box, something he'd showed only her how to do, and jumpstarted it. It worked, and Tony woke up.
Learning that he was her biological father was a shock, to say the least. They'd both agreed that they wanted to keep her existence from the press, so she was currently posing as Tony's personal doctor. "Iron Man, that's kind of catchy, it's got a nice ring to it, it's not technically accurate, the suit's a gold titanium alloy, but got a good vocative, doesn't it?" Tony asked. "I like it," Biela put in.
Coulson walked over and handed Tony a stack of note cards. "Here's your alibi," he said. "O-kaay," Tony said. "You were on your yacht," Coulson said. "We have port papers that put you in Avalon all night, and sworn statements from fifty of your guests." "You know, I was thinking we could just say it was just Pepper and me, alone on the island." Pepper gave him a look. "Ew," Biela said from across the room.
Tony looked at her. "How could you hear that, I wasn't being that loud? And come to think of it, your hearing's weird isn't it, the paralysis device didn't affect you in the slightest, Obie had to slam your head into the doorframe to knock you out." "I'm…special," Biela said, with a nervous look at Agent Coulson.
The agent smiled at her kindly. "Miss Stark, we're not going to take you away and lock you up, your father would bring the entire world to its knees to get you back. You can talk, I'd just put it in your file for future reference." Biela bit her lip. "My mom…my mom worked with General Ross on his super soldier project, it was always a side job of making money. She worked with Dr. Banner on the Gamma Pulse project later, but while she was pregnant with me, she was working on a chemical to enhance the senses for General Ross. She didn't want a kid, so…she injected me with the chemical while I was still in the womb. Every other test subject died, but it worked on me."
"So…you can hear and see better?" Pepper asked. Biela nodded. "The paralysis device didn't affect me because I normally hear in the range that it uses, so usage of the range at super-human levels doesn't bother me. My senses also help me pick up tells, it makes me a better psychologist, I can analyze people at a glance. Oh, and Agent Coulson?" The agent looked slightly nervous. "Yes?" "The SHFS is having a sale on Captain America memorabilia." The agent's eyes widened.
"Anyway, that's what happened," Agent Coulson said, turning the subject back to the notecards. "Alright," Tony said. "Read it word for word," Coulson instructed. Tony flipped through the cards. He looked up at Coulson. "There's nothing about Stane here." "That's being handled," Coulson said. "He's on vacation. Small aircraft have such a poor safety record." "But what about the whole cover story that it's a bodyguard? He's my bodyguard? I mean, that's kind of flimsy."
"This isn't my first rodeo, Mr. Stark," Coulson said. "Just stick to the official statement and soon, this will all be behind you." "You were the agent after the first Banner incident!" Biela exclaimed. "And you were the five year old," Coulson muttered. "Of all the scientists and brilliant geniuses there, it would be the five year old who still remembers me. Aren't five year olds supposed to have bad long-term memories?" "Child prodigy with an eidetic memory!" Biela sang. Coulson rolled his eyes. "This super hearing is starting to be a pain."
"Mr. Stark, you've got…ninety seconds," he said as he walked away. Pepper followed him and said, "Oh, Agent Coulson, I just wanted to say thank you, very much, for all your help." Coulson smiled. "That's what we do. You'll be hearing from us." "From the Strategic Homeland…" Pepper began. "Just call us SHIELD," Coulson said. "Good, you took up my suggestion," Biela called. "I totally get credit for that, right?" Pepper smiled and nodded as Coulson walked out. "Right."
She turned back to Tony. "Let's get this show on the road," she said, picking up his coat. "You know, it's not that bad," Tony said. "Even I don't think I'm Iron Man." "You're not Iron Man, remember?" Pepper said. "I know, shut up," Tony replied. "You know, if I were Iron Man, I'd have this girlfriend who knew my true identity, she'd be a wreck, she'd worry that I was gonna die, she'd be so proud of the man I've become, she'd be wildly conflicted, which would only make her more crazy about me. Tell me, do you ever think about that night?" "What night?" Pepper asked. "You know," Tony said. Pepper looked at him. "Are you talking about the night that we danced? We went up on the roof and…and then, you went downstairs to get me a drink and left me there, by myself. Is that the night you're talking about?"
Tony mumbled something along the lines of, "I had to go get Bee!" Pepper raised an eyebrow as she put his handkerchief in his pocket. "Thought so," she said. "Will that be all, Mr. Stark?" "Yes, that will be all, Miss Potts," Tony said as he headed for the door.
"So…does this mean I get to be the Iron Bee?" Biela called after him. Tony looked at her. "We'll get straight to work on that as soon as we get home," he said. Biela smiled. "Black instead of red?" "Great idea. Write that down," Tony said. Biela tapped her temple. "Eidetic memory." "Right." "Good luck!" Biela called as he walked out the door.
Biela mouthed to Pepper, "So, did he kiss you or not?" She rolled her eyes and followed Tony out. She pulled out her StarkPhone and sent Tony a text.
Tony's phone buzzed just as Rhodey was about to announce him. He took it out. It was Bee. The text read, "BTW when r u going 2 ask Pepper out? ; )" He rolled his eyes with a smile and put his phone back into his pocket.
"And now," Rhodey said, "Mr. Stark has prepared a statement. He will not be taking any questions, thank you." Tony walked up to the podium on the stage. He turned to face the press, who, like always, had their microphones out and their cameras flashing.
"Uh, it's been a while since I was in front of you, I think I'll stick to the cards this time," he said, holding said cards up. The press laughed. "There's been speculation that I was involved in the events that occurred in the freeway and the rooftop…" "I'm sorry, Mr. Stark," Christine Everhart interrupted. After all her meddling, he wasn't going to forget her name. "But do you honestly expect us to believe that that was a bodyguard in a suit that conveniently appeared, despite the fact that you…"
"I know that it's confusing," Tony said. "It is one thing to question the official story and another thing entirely to make wild accusations or, uh, insinuate that I'm a superhero." "I never said you're a superhero," Christine said with a smirk. "Didn't…" "Mm-mm," Christine replied. "Well good, because that would be outlandish and, uh, fantastic." Tony sighed. "I, ah, I'm just not the hero type, clearly, with this laundry list of character defaults, all the mistakes I've made, largely public…"
Rhodey leaned over and whispered, "Just stick to the cards." Tony nodded. "Yeah." He spoke up for the press. "Truth is," he said as he stared at the cards, conflicted. He set them down. He said the four words that would change his life forever. "I am Iron Man." The press jumped up and started flashing pictures. If this wasn't the top news story since 9/11 in the next five minutes, he'd be shocked.