Author's Note: This chapter title comes from Different Seasons by Stephen King.

I give you the fifth installment of But Iron, Cold Iron.

Chapter Five - Get busy living (get busy dying)

"Do you think you could bribe the judge to get me an easy sentence if I finally snap and kill all the paparazzi?" she asked, frowning out the window as the limo slowed to a stop in front of the concert hall.

Tony chuckled. "Let's not find out today, okay? C'mon, there's free food inside."

She slid across the seat so she'd be able to follow him out. As Happy opened the door, she asked, "Can I have a fake ID for the bar?"

"Absolutely not." He stepped out of the limo, fixing his tie. He turned and offered Danielle his hand, helping her out. She squinted at the flashing cameras and followed him up the stairs.

"Hey, Tony," a woman said, smiling and turning towards them. "Remember me?"

"Sure don't," he said automatically, adjusting Danielle's hand so it rested on the crook of his arm.

Danielle glanced back at the woman. "Ew, Dad," she said, wrinkling her nose. "Seriously."

He shot her a grin but it died quickly as they approached Obadiah. He cleared his throat and interrupted the interview. "What's this world coming to when a guy has to crash his own party?"

Obadiah turned towards him. "Hey, look at you. What a surprise." He didn't look impressed. He glanced down towards Danielle. "You're all dressed up, even."

She wrinkled her nose but Tony rested a hand on the top of her head. "I'll see you inside," he told Obadiah.

"Hey. Listen. Take it slow, alright? I think I've got the board right where I want them."

"You got it," Tony said, but there was an odd tightness in his voice that made Danielle look up. "I'll just be a minute." He steered Danielle into the building. "I'm feeling like a Scotch. How about you?"

She grinned, though eying him worriedly. "I'd love a Scotch too."

"Yeah, yeah. You're getting a water, kiddo." He stopped at the bar and leaned forward. "One Scotch for me and a water for my kid," he said, waving down the bartender.

"Mr. Stark?" someone asked.

Danielle looked up and grinned. "Phil!"

Tony frowned. "Sorry? Who's this, Dani?"

"Dad, this is Agent Coulson. He's with SHIELD."

Coulson smiled and stepped towards them. "Listen, I know this must be a trying time for you, but we need to debrief you. There's still a lot of unanswered questions and time can be a factor with these things."

Tony nodded, taking the Scotch from the bartender and tossing some of it back. He nudged the water towards Danielle. "Let's just put something on the books."

"How about the twenty-fourth at seven PM at Stark Industries?" Coulson asked.

Tony got distracted by something out in the rest of the room. Danielle frowned and followed his gaze to Pepper. She grinned. Pepper was wearing the dress she'd helped choose. Tony patted Danielle on the head. "You got it, Agent," Tony said. "I'm going to have a chat with my assistant. Keep an eye on my kid for me, will you? Warning: she's a talker." With that, he left.

Danielle excitedly turned towards Coulson, clutching her glass of water. "What are the physical expectations for someone in the Academy of Operations? Like, is there a test to get in?"

"There's an exam," he admitted, arching an eyebrow. "You have to meet a certain level of benchmark requirements to be considered. Then, of course, there's the interview that you have to pass as well."

"How old would I have to be?"

"Typically, because of the growth that happens at the age you are now, the Academy won't accept anyone under the age of sixteen. Your fighting style would just have to change too much the taller you got."

She pursed her lips. "Okay. So I have what, three years to prepare? I can do that."

"You really want to join SHIELD, Stark?" he asked.

"I'm definitely thinking about it," she said, shrugging and sipping at her water. Then she frowned. "Hey, you don't think you could get me some wine, do you?"

"No."

"Two vodka martinis, extra dry, extra olives, extra fast," Tony said, leaning up against the bar. "Hey, kiddo."

Danielle looked up and smiled. "Getting a drink for Pepper? Aw, that's sweet."

"Yeah, you're a sap."

"Tony Stark," a new voice said. "You have a lot of nerve showing up here tonight."

Danielle glanced up and frowned. "Hey, Brown, right?" she asked. Tony looked down at her and Danielle crossed her arms. "How's that acting coming?"

Tony shook his head with a slight smile and turned to Christine. "I'm sorry?"

"I'm referring to your company's involvement in this latest atrocity."

"I'm sorry?" he repeated, ignoring the drinks that were placed at his elbow by his bartender.

She held out a stack of photos. "It's a town called Gulmira. Heard of it?"

Tony snatched up the pictures and began looking through them. Danielle rose on her toes to catch a glimpse. She frowned at what she saw. "Dad?"

"When were these taken?" he asked sharply.

"Yesterday," Christine said.

"I didn't approve any shipment."

"Well, your company did."

"I'm not my company. Dani, stay with the agent. I have someone I need to talk to." Tony pushed past Christine and started for the door.

Danielle looked up at Christine. "What's that about?"

"Sorry," Christine said with a tense smile. "I can't talk to you about this. I need to remain unbiased, don't I?" With that, she turned and left.

Danielle stared at her. Then she swallowed thickly. To her left, Coulson said, "Stark?"

She cleared her throat. "Right, then. Guess we can't let these go to waste." She reached for one of the martinis.

"I don't think so," Coulson said, sliding both of them away.

She pouted. "Jeez, adults really are no fun."

"Danielle," Tony said, approaching them quickly. "It's time to go. Happy's waiting outside."

She frowned. "Wait, Dad, what's going on? I thought you were taking drinks to Pepper?"

He hesitated, taking her hand and turning towards the front door. Danielle shook her head. "Dad, did you say bye to Pepper?"

"Go to the car," he ordered. "I'll be there in just a bit."

"But Dad—"

"Go!"

"Where were you?"

"Not now, Danielle," Tony said, stepping up and lifting his arms so the machines could start taking the armor off.

"Really? It's Danielle now?" She crossed her arms and eyed the armor. Danielle swallowed thickly. "Are those . . . bullet holes? Dad? Does this have to do with what Brown said yesterday? Those pictures?"

"Danielle— Ow! Hey!"

"It is a tight fit, Sir," JARVIS said.

"Yeah, yeah. Watch it!"

"Sir, the more you struggle the more this is going to hurt."

Danielle couldn't help the curl in her lips. "That's what she said," she mumbled.

Tony's gaze jumped to her. "Hey, whoa, no. Not cool, Dani." But a grin was tugging at his mouth.

"What's going on here?"

Danielle jumped, glancing towards the doorway where Pepper stood. Tony cleared his throat. "Let's face it," he said. "This is not the worst thing you've caught me doing."

Danielle made gagging sounds. "Gross!"

"Are those bullet holes?" Pepper asked, staring.

"Question him all you want," Danielle said, scowling. "Apparently he's not sharing anything again. I'm getting pretty used to it."

Tony flinched. "Sorry, kiddo." He glanced towards Pepper. "Could you do me a favor and order in some take-out for us? Then you can go home for the day. I'll be fine."

Pepper hesitated and then nodded. "Right. I can do that." She turned and left.

The armor's chest plate finally came off and Tony gasped in relief. "Finally."

"Is that the Mark III?" she asked, curiously as she watched the robots take off the rest of it. "Can I . . . take a look?"

"Of course." He stepped down from the platform and motioned her forward.

She stepped up as the robots put the armor back together. Danielle ran her fingers over the bullet holes and focused in on the joints. "None of the bullets got through. You improved the density, then?"

"It took a little finagling, but yes, I did." Tony cleared his throat and leaned against the table. "How, uh, how are you independent studies going? I noticed some books in Russian lying around. What happened to German?"

She shrugged. "Got through it. Still could use some real world practice, but figured it was time to move on to another one. My brain just doesn't like sitting still."

"You come by it honestly." He pushed himself up with a sigh. "Hey, Dani?"

She looked up and frowned. "Yeah, Dad?"

He stopped in front of her and put his hands on her shoulders. "I'm sorry that after Afghanistan I came back without ever actually . . . coming back. I'm sorry."

She smiled weakly. "It's okay."

"No. No, it's really not. And I'm sorry. I'll try to do better."

Danielle swallowed. "Really?" she asked, voice cracking.

"I love you, kiddo. So I promise." He dragged her into a hug and pressed a kiss against her temple. Danielle tucked her head against his shoulder and curled her fingers in his shirt. Tony whispered, "I promise."

As the credits began to roll, Danielle popped up from the couch. "Oh! I have a present for you!"

Tony blinked, shoveling another handful of popcorn in his mouth. "What? Really? What for?"

She grinned. "You'll see. Stay here and I'll get it." She skipped over to the stairs. "And don't start WALL-E without me!" she yelled over her shoulder, scrambling up the stairs. Danielle raced down the hall and slid her way into her room. She flicked on her light and stepped over to her desk.

"Alright," she mumbled to herself. "Gift," she said, setting the wrapped square in the middle of the desk. "Card." She opened the card to double check it was done. Then she slipped it in the envelope and licked the flap. Danielle wrinkled her nose and sealed it shut. "Ribbon." She set the card on top of the gift and looped the ribbon about it. She tied it neatly. "There!"

Danielle turned and took the stairs two at a time as she went back downstairs. But as she turned the corner, she stopped and her heart caught in her throat.

"Oh, it's beautiful. Tony, this is your ninth symphony."

"Obie?" she rasped, staring at the arc reactor in the man's hands. Then her gaze dragged to her father's pale, still face. "What— What are you doing!" She dropped the gift in her hands.

Obadiah looked up and straightened. "Oh, Danielle," he sighed. "What a pity. I really was hoping you wouldn't get involved."

"Give it back!" she yelled, voice breaking and stepping forward. "What are you— Dad!" Tony's eyes managed to turn towards her and she swallowed at how bloodshot they were. "You're killing him! Give it back!" she screamed, running for him. "Daddy!"

A tough hand closed roughly around her shoulder. "Oh, Danielle," Obadiah said with a sigh. "You were supposed to be smart."

The floor dropped out from under her and she felt her heart jumping as she was thrown away. She slammed into something and it shattered beneath her. Pain exploded in her head and she screamed.

And then everything was black.