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"So, I'm guessing that you're not going to want to go in front of the cameras with this?" Pepper asked, as they revised the press statement together. Roxanne shook her head, she didn't care whether Tony went on TV to tell the whole world about her, but she didn't want a part of it. As it was, the pictures that the press already had of her were blurred, so it would be difficult (but not impossible) to identify her from those – she didn't want to give them herself on a platter. "That's fine. If this statement is okay, I need you to sign the bottom of the page, so we can put everything in motion."

Roxanne liked Pepper already, she knew the lay of the land, and she always spoke diplomatically with a comforting smile. So, signing the bottom of the statement, Roxanne gave a deep sigh, looking back at the woman who sat beside her. "Is that everything?"

"For now," Pepper smiled again, "I know this must be difficult for you, but you're dealing with it well. And hopefully, when we release this to the press, the storm will die down."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Roxanne, we're going to protect you and your mother as much as we can. Tony, he knows how to charm the press, and it's my job to diffuse situations like this, so between us we're going to fix this."

She was just about to give Pepper her thanks when two men came out of the lift, neither of whom she recognised. Pepper stood, putting her business face on, "Can I help you?"

"We got a call from Mr Stark."

"Regarding?"

One of the men went to answer, when Tony came down the stairs, "Gentlemen, this way please. Quickly as you can." The men ran past Tony up the stairs, "Second on the left."

"That's where my mom is," Roxanne leapt to her feet, moving quickly across the room, "What's going on? What happened?"

"She's having trouble getting her breath, so I called the doctors."

"Two of them?"

"I don't take anything without a second opinion," he smiled.

Roxanne pushed past him to get up the stairs quickly, walking into her mother's room. In the bed, Carrie wheezed, desperately trying to catch her breath, seemingly to no avail, coughing and spluttering as the doctors began to test her. A hand came to rest on Roxanne's shoulder, "Maybe we should wait outside while they do what they have to," Tony spoke carefully, not wanting to push, "I promise she's going to be okay, they'll take care of her."

She couldn't do anything but nod as she watched her mother struggle, knowing there was nothing else she could do to help right now. Following Tony out, as he closed the door behind him, the two of them leant against the wall, Roxanne not wanting to stray from her mother's side and Tony not wanting to leave her on her own. There was a comfort to not having to sit on her own, Roxanne had never found this before, never had anyone else to look out for her and look after her while Carrie was getting worse. And in this moment she had to admit that she was thankful for Tony's presence.

They could hear the doctors moving around Carrie's room, their hushed conversation doing nothing to put Tony and Roxanne's mind at ease. Eventually, Tony found that the quiet in the hallway was becoming a little too much, "So…I hear you and Steve are getting on pretty well."

"Can we not do this? I'm not sixteen, Steve's not some kid at school. He's barely even a friend."

"Fine," Tony sighed, "This press release-"

"Let's not talk about that either."

Tony turned to look at her, "Nope, I'm sorry. I don't like it either, but that's something we do have to talk about," Roxanne sighed, but said nothing, "Pepper's worked it out, and it's happening later today, this way we'll be able to get the jump on the journalists. Get the truth out there before they've got a chance to spread a whole lot of lies."

"I don't know whether I can do this," she spoke in a quiet voice, "I can't be in the spotlight like you are. I've fucked up a lot, and I don't know whether I could cope with the whole world seeing it."

"If that's what you're worried about Roxy – don't be. I've been in this game for a long time, and I still haven't got my shit together. But, you'll get better at dealing with it, you'll find it easier to just be you – fuck-ups and everything. It's written into the Stark DNA."

Roxanne laughed a little, before facing Tony again, "Roxy?"

"Yeah, well, 'Roxanne' is a little long for me. 'Roxy' – that's snappier," she laughed at his casual shrug, "I'm a very busy man, my time is expensive."

Both laughed together, and for a moment at least, Roxanne forgot just what her mother was going through in the next room. Remembering, the laughed petered out, and her eyes lingered on the closed door beside her. "I can't do this without her."

"Hey, she's not going anywhere yet, Roxy," Tony spoke reassuringly, "I know the best doctors out there, and they are going to do everything they can to help your mom. Now that you guys are here, Carrie is getting the very best help she can. These doctors, they'll get her more time."

Roxanne nodded stiffly, tears filling her eyes, as the door opened, the doctors stepping outside. "Mr Stark, can we have a moment?"

Tony took Roxanne's hand comfortingly, "Anything you need to say, you can say in front of her. Carrie's her mother."

The doctors nodded, one of them stepping back to let the other take the lead, "Miss Teller is displaying all the symptoms of pneumonia. Given the toll her illness has had on her body; the immune system is much weaker than it should be. She's not able to fight the pneumonia as we would like and it's making her considerably weaker than she already is."

"Wait, what are you saying?" Roxanne asked anxiously.

The doctor sighed, "Unless your mother begins to respond to the treatment we've started her on, her health will continue to rapidly decline. She may not have as much time as you thought."

Roxanne's grip on Tony hand tightened instinctively upon hearing the news, "Isn't there anything else you can do?"

"We're doing everything we can."

"Thank you, doctor. Both of you." Tony cut in, as Roxanne stood speechless.

The two walked away, leaving Tony and Roxanne by the open door of Carrie's room. Roxanne removed her hand from Tony's, going inside to see her mother hooked up to a second drip, a mask over her mouth connected to a tank of oxygen at the bedside. She looked so much weaker and frailer than before, it seemed that the full extent of her illness had caught up with her. Tears began to fall onto Roxanne's cheeks, as she rushed to her mother's bedside.

Tony closed the door, knowing that the two of them needed some time alone. He still had to sign off on the release, and that would be more of a help to Roxanne right now than him hanging around her and Carrie.

"So, you're happy for me to go out there and say this?" Pepper questioned, brandishing a page with the agreed-upon press release.

Tony nodded, "I don't want Roxanne to be named. It's better for her that way."

"Okay."

"Go get 'em," Tony gave Pepper a kiss before moving her to the side of the stage.

In the quiet, all that could be heard was the sound of Pepper's high heels as they clicked on the flooring. When she reached the podium at the centre of the stage, she was faced with the sea of press – journalists, photographers and camera men stood in front of her. She could hear the whispers, wondering why it wasn't Tony up there, why him and his daughter weren't making a big show of their new relationship.

"Ladies and gentlemen," she began, and they all sat up straighter, "You're all here today to hear all about Tony Stark's daughter. I imagine you're wondering why you haven't heard about her sooner, and some of you might even be wondering why it is that I'm the one up here talking to you and not Mr Stark. Well, after speaking with Mr Stark and his daughter – who will not be named, to preserve what little anonymity she still has – they came to one very certain conclusion. It is nobody's business but theirs. This news has been a major upheaval in both of their lives and they would like to ask for you to respect that, and allow them to work through this together, as a family, without your judgement and speculation. Mr Stark would also like me to add that anyone who does not respect their wishes at this delicate time will face numerous expensive lawsuits that will bankrupt your publication. No questions will be taken now, and I thank you for your time."

Pepper walked away, as the journalist began to shout they're questions, cameras flashing behind them. She nodded at Tony, who smiled warmly at her as she walked down from the stage.

"You did great," he pulled her into a kiss.

"I should be saying that to you," Pepper grinned, "The way you've stepped up to protect Roxanne. There was a time when you would've insisted on facing them yourself."

"I couldn't trust myself to stay on message. And I didn't want to risk blurting out Roxy's name and ruining everything."

Pepper linked her arms around Tony's neck, "I'm proud of you, Tony."

"Wanna show me how proud you are?" He grinned, pulling Pepper closer.

"I'm serious," she giggled, "I like seeing this side of you. Papa Tony, the big bad dad."

Tony cringed, "That makes me sound like an old man."

"Hate to break it to you, but you're now the older Stark," Pepper smirked, "And you're Roxanne's 'old man'. So far, you're doing a wonderful job."

"I owe her this. She reminds me so much of me at that age – she good be great, Pep. But she's sad and she's angry, and she's losing control. Carrie has done an amazing job raising Roxy, but there's only so much she can do now and it's my turn."

Pepper could see the anxiety etched in his features, "What did the doctors say?"

He swallowed, "She hasn't got much time. And when it happens, it's gonna hit Roxy hard," Tony tightened his grip on Pepper, "All I can do, I try to be ready for it."