Tony clapped his hands twice. His workshop began to light up. "Wake up, Daddy's home," he instructed. "Welcome home, Sir," Jarvis greeted. "Congratulations on the opening ceremonies, it was such a success, as was your senate hearing. And may I say how refreshing it is to finally see you in a video with your clothing on, sir?" Jarvis said as he pulled up the YouTube video of the senate hearing. "Ha-ha-ha," Tony laughed. "May I ask where Miss Stark is?" the AI asked. "She's upstairs, hacking Hammer Industries," Tony replied. "Have you finished total integration in the house yet?" "Almost, sir," the AI replied.
Over in the corner kitchenette, You started the blender and it went flying. "You," Tony called. The robot knocked over the blender entirely as it turned around. "Careful with that, I'll dismantle you, I'll sell your motherboard, and I'll turn you into a wine rack." The robot lowered its head sadly. "20 ounces a day of this," Tony muttered as he poured himself a glass of chlorophyll. "God, there must be some plants disappearing." "We are up to 80 ounces a day to counteract the symptoms, sir," Jarvis informed him. "How are you planning on keeping this a secret from Miss Stark? She is your personal doctor." "That is a very good question, and I'm working on it," Tony said. "Don't tell Bee." "Yes, sir."
Tony pulled out the blood tester and ordered, "Check palladium poisoning." He pushed his thumb onto the needle. As the results came up, Tony pulled his finger away and announced, "Blood toxicity: 24% It appears that the continued use of the Iron Man suit is accelerating your condition." Jarvis pulled up the specs on one of the screens. "Another core has been depleted," he announced.
Tony pulled the arc reactor out and ejected the smoking core. "God, they're running out quick," he commented as he pulled it out. "I have run simulations on every known element," Jarvis announced. "And none can serve as a viable replacement for the palladium core." Tony put the new core in and watched it seal itself up. He put it in as Jarvis said, "You are running out of both time and options." Tony began to breathe easier as the device re-engaged. "Unfortunately, the device that is keeping you alive is also killing you."
Tony pulled his shirt up in front of the mirror. The dark lines on his chest looked like puzzle pieces. "Sir, Miss Potts is approaching. I recommend that you inform her of…" "Mute," Tony ordered as Pepper came down the stairs. He heard her put in the code and opened the door. "Uh-uh," Tony said. "Is this a joke?" Pepper asked. "What are you thinking?" "What?" Tony asked. "What are you thinking?" Pepper demanded. "Eh…I'm thinking I'm busy…and you're angry, about something. Do you have the sniffles? I don't want to get sick."
"Did you just donate our entire modern arts collection to the…" "Boy Scouts of America?" Tony put in. "Boy Scouts of America!"Pepper exclaimed. "This is a worthwhile organization," Tony said as he walked through his files and disposed of things as he willed. "I didn't physically check the crates, but yes. And it's not our collection, it's my collection. No offense." "No, you know what?" Pepper said, still yelling. "I think I'm actually entitled to say our collection, considering the time that I put in, over ten years, curating that." "You know, it's a tax write-up, I needed that." "You know, there's only about eight thousand and eleven things that I really need to talk to you about."
"Dummy," Tony called as he patted the robot. "Stop spacing out. "Hey. Stop spacing out. The bridge port's already in that machine's parts." "The Expo is a gigantic waste of time," Pepper said. "I need you to wear a surgical mask," Tony said as she coughed. "Just 'til you're feeling better, is that okay?" "That's rude," Pepper said hoarsely. "There's nothing more important to me than the Expo, it's my primary point of concern." "The Expo is your ego going crazy," Pepper pointed out.
"Wow, look at that," Tony said, finding an Iron Man painting. "That's modern art," he said. "That's going up." "Oh, you have got to be kidding," Pepper groaned. "I'm going to put this up right now," Tony said, walking around, looking for a place to put it. "Stark is in complete disarray," Pepper informed him. "Why do you…" Tony began as Pepper said, "Don't you understand that?" "No!" Tony exclaimed. "Our stocks have never been higher." "Yes, from a managerial standpoint!" Pepper exclaimed. "Well if it's messy, let's double back, let's move on to another subject," he said, finding where he wanted to put the poster. "No, no, no, you are not taking down the Barnett Newman and putting that up instead!" Pepper exclaimed.
"I'm not taking it down, I'm replacing it with this," Tony said, shoving everything off the counter and climbing up. "Let's just see where I can…Where's Bee?" "In her room, working on psych reports, and don't change the subject!" Pepper cried. "Okay, fine," Pepper said. "My point is…we have already awarded contracts to the wind farm people…" "Don't say wind farm, I'm already feeling gassy," Tony said. "And to the plastic plantation people," Pepper continued, "which was your idea, by the way, those people are on payroll…" "Everything is my idea." "And you won't make a decision!" Pepper finished. "I don't care about the liberal agenda anymore! It's boring, I'm giving you a boring alert. Do it." "I do what?" Pepper asked.
"Excellent idea," Tony said, as if he was just coming up with it. "I just figured this out. You run the company. Pepper, I need you to run the company." "Yeah, I'm trying to run the company," Pepper told him with a disbelieving look. "Well stop trying to do it and do it," Tony said. "You will not give me the information that I need," Pepper insisted. "I need you to physically do it," Tony said. "I am trying to do it!" Pepper yelled. "You're not listening to me!" Tony responded. "No, you're not listening to me!" Pepper called back. "I'm trying to make you CEO!" Tony insisted. Pepper froze. "Why won't you let me?" Tony asked.
"Have you been drinking?" Pepper asked, looking deep into his eyes, a concerned look on her face. "Ah, chlorophyll," Tony said. Pepper was still staring in shock. Tony stepped forward. "I hereby, irrevocably, appoint you Chairman and CEO of Stark Industries, effective immediately." Pepper almost started hyperventilating. "Yeah," Tony said, thinking that it was getting awkward. "Done deal. 'Kay?" Tony walked away.
"I've actually given this a fair amount of thought," Tony said, getting a couple glasses of champagne. "Believe it or not. Done a bit of headhunting." He pulled out a bottle of champagne. "Trying to figure out who a worthy successor would be. And then I realized," he said, popping the cork off the champagne and turning around to look at her. "It's you. It's always been you," he said as he poured two glasses of champagne.
Pepper took a few steps forward and sat down. "I thought there'd be a legal issue," Tony admitted. "But actually, I'm, uh, capable of appointing my successor. My successor being you," he said, extending some champagne to her. She finally realized that he was telling the truth, and an awestruck look came over her face. "Congratulations," Tony offered. Tony waved the champagne glass in front of her face. "Take it, just take it," he ordered. "I don't know what to think," Pepper replied, starting to tear up as she took the champagne glass. "Don't think, drink," Tony replied. He offered her a toast and she giggled as they drunk the champagne.