Author's Note: The title of this chapter is from Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison.

Chapter Nine - Life is to be lived (in the face of certain defeat)

"Get him. I need Happy."

Danielle couldn't stop watching the TV. Her nails were digging painfully into her palm, fingers curled tightly around her fork. Her mouth had gone dry. She knew exactly what this was. She knew it. And it terrified her.

"Danielle." Pepper pulled out the chair next to her and sat down.

"What's he doing?" Danielle asked with a shaky voice. "I mean, I know what he's doing, but . . . ." She sniffled and rubbed her eyes.

"Your father is an idiot," Pepper told her. "I know you tell him that enough, but it's worth repeating."

"What is he doing?" someone asked.

Danielle looked up to find a pit crew person walking out in the middle of the track. His top practically melted away, exposing the metal harness. He raised his arm and a whip flashed brightly, slicing through an on coming car and send it careening to the side.

"Oh, my god," Pepper gasped. She glanced back. "Natalie! Thank god you're here. I'm going with Happy. Take Danielle back to the hotel."

Danielle stiffened as Natalie agreed and then put her hands on her shoulders. "Wait, no, but Dad—"

"Let's go," Natalie said calmly, easily pulling Danielle up from the chair.

"But—"

"Let's go," Natalie said again, wrapping an arm around Danielle's shoulders and steering her away. "Your father is going to be just fine. Let's go."

Danielle threw one last look at the TV before letting Natalie guide her out the door and the car. They were halfway back to the hotel when Danielle muttered, "He's being stupid."

"Hmm?"

She sighed and dropped her head back against the headrest. "I'm hungry. I didn't get to finish my food."

"We'll order in."

"Pizza?"

"I don't see why not."

"Thanks." Danielle sat forward and tugged a hand through her curled hair. "Hey, Nat?"

"Hmm?"

"It's okay if I call you Nat, right?"

Natalie glanced towards her and smiled once, nodding. "It's okay."

"Thanks. Do you . . . think my dad's gonna be okay?"

"I think that's up to him."

"B4."

Natalie glanced across her pieces and then sighed. "You sank my battleship."

"Yes!" Danielle said, throwing up her arms with a grin. "That's seven to one wins in my favor! I thought you would be better at this."

Natalie's response was interrupted by the click of the door. Instantly, the woman was on her feet and slipping her heels on. The door opened and Tony stepped in, dress pants rumpled and tie lose. He stepped aside. "Rushman," he greeted tiredly, nodding to her as she left. He closed the door behind her.

Danielle climbed to her feet, shaking out the numbness in her legs. "So, you're still alive," she said, shoving her hands in her pockets. "What happened? Nat wouldn't let me turn on the TV."

"The son of someone Howard pissed off. Doesn't matter, though. He's locked up now, I'm fine, and I got ice cream on the way back." He held up the grocery store bag in his left hand. "Double dark chocolate chunk."

"Ooh, my favorite," she said, mustering up a smile. "I, uh, I'll get spoons."

After a few minutes, they settled on the couch with the tub open between the two of them as they licked their spoons and watched a Spanish soap opera. Danielle kept glancing towards him, watching the way he was tapping his fingers against his chest where his arc reactor was. She looked down to find her hands were shaking. Danielle sniffled and lowered her spoon. The salt in her eyes became heavy and she couldn't stop the sound building up in her throat. Then the dam broke.

"Whoa, whoa, Dani, what's wrong? Baby, look at me." Sticky fingers rubbed the tears from her face. "Did I scare you? I'm sorry. Here." There was loud clattering but she couldn't really see what was going on with her blurry vision. Tony pulled her tight against him. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Danielle sobbed, turning her face into his chest. She pressed her hand against where she could feel the arc reactor. She'd thought she was going to lose him. She knew why he was being reckless. She woke up every day terrified that it would be her last time seeing him. But she didn't say that. Instead, she said, "That was really stupid of you."

"Yeah. Yeah, I know." He put a sloppy kiss against her forehead and kept murmuring apologies. "I hope you forgive me someday."

She sniffled, rubbing her eyes. "I, I hope so too."

"Good morning, Daddy!" Danielle grinned, stepping aside to give him a full view of the table. "I made pancakes with funfetti sprinkles!"

"Ooh, my birthday favorite," he murmured. He smiled at her. "You were outside in the garden?"

"Yeah, well, everything is still adjusting to being planted. How could you tell?"

He reached out and rubbed his thumb across her forehead. "You've got dirt. How're the plants?"

"They're doing okay. I read up on some stuff and I'm pretty sure the hydrangeas will take, but they need some nurturing until they manage it." She pulled out a chair and sat down. "Any big plans today? It's the big four-oh!"

"Hmm, I thought I'd just spend the day with my favorite girl."

"Oh? You finally got around to asking Pepper out?" she asked, giggling.

Tony rolled his eyes, drowning his pancakes in syrup. "You know exactly what I'm talking about." He cut out a bite of food. "So!"

"So?"

"So tell me about Dani. You've made a lot of progress with your studying over the last few months. Any more thought towards what you want to do long term?"

"Well, I thought I might be CEO of SI someday, but then you handed that to Pepper." When he started to apologize, she giggled. "Just kidding. Can you imagine me sitting behind a desk like that? No. I like the research. The innovation. The, the creativity. I wanna do something with that. Something to help people. Something . . . something like that."

"Something like that," he echoed, smiling. He nodded. "No concrete plans, then? What are you, what are you wanting to do when I'm gone?"

Danielle caught her breath and her lungs squeezed. She distracted herself with another bite of food. She took a long time to chew, keeping her eyes on her chocolate milk. Then she looked up at him and smiled. "That won't be for a long time, Dad."

As the credits for The Incredibles rolled, Danielle sank against her dad's side. She only half paid attention as Tony asked JARVIS to start Mulan next. Finally, she whispered, "Why'd you give Rhodey the suit?"

"Hmm?" He shifted and she felt his breath against her hair. "The suit?"

"I saw him fly off with it," she murmured. "Don't pretend it didn't happen."

He sighed. "It's complicated, sweetheart."

"Is it?" she asked, straightening. "Is it really? What's going on, Dad? Why are you hiding stuff from me?"

He watched her for a moment and then smiled sadly. "I love you, Dani. No matter what, remember that. Please?"

"Dad—"

"Please."

Danielle took a deep breath and then snuggled back up against him. "Okay," she whispered. "Okay." Then, after a too long moment, she whispered, "I know you're lying to me."

He flinched. "I . . . ."

"I'll accept if you don't want to tell me. But please don't lie to me."

It took too long for him to respond. "Okay."

Danielle pushed herself up. "I'm gonna go to bed. I don't wanna watch Mulan."

"Dani—"

"Night, Daddy."