Fall Out
Chapter Eight: Back to Business
Disclaimer: I own nothing…
Author Notes: Time for a little action, don't you guys think?
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"So are you back?" Rhodes asked, once they had both stopped laughing.
" Yes and no." Tony admitted once he hung up the phone, pizza would be there in twenty minutes.
"Care to explain that one?"
"Yes because I really, honestly can't do the wallowing thing. No because every time I close my eyes…" He let the sentence die off, not needing to finish it, " I take it this isn't exactly a social call?"
"No. Fury called me, it's time to get back in the suit. Otherwise… how did he put it?" James paused a moment, "Ah, he would come and personally throw your lily rich boy white ass in it." He grinned, he was liking this Fury guy.
Tony fingered his still scraggly facial hair, really wanting a trim and a shave, "Why?"
" Dunno, he just told me to give you the message to get back in the suit." Rhodes shrugged, "So I'm just the messenger, but my guess is he needs you to keep up on it. "
Tony nodded, "Hmm. True." He headed for his bedroom and the attached master bath, knowing Rhodey would follow and began to get out his expensive shaving kit.
"Uh. Tony, I don't think right now is a good time to spiffy up."
"Now is the perfect time. Plus it's bugging me, could compromise my concentration while in the suit." He picked up his trimmer and got to work, "Don't need that now do we?"
James Rhodes rolled his eyes and shook his head, "Some things will never change."
"Sir, your pizza just arrived."
"Thanks Jarvis," Tony glanced to Rhodes through the mirror, "Do you mind? I'm a little busy here."
Pepper's shower had gone on longer than normal, but it had felt so good that she stayed under the spray an extra ten minutes before finally pulling herself out and into a large, white fluffy towel. Carefully, she exited the guest bathroom and made her way towards her guest room when the door on her left opened and out came a shaved, dressed and pressed Tony Stark, causing her to freeze.
"Oh. Um." Tony gave one of his lopsided grins, "This is awkward."
Pepper's pale skin turned that fetching shade of pink that Tony enjoyed causing, "Yes. It is. I'll be going to my room now." She turned to leave, when she felt his hand fall on her naked upper arm.
"Pepper, I'm sorry…"
"Its fine, Mr. Stark, it won't happen again I assure you." Slowly she moved out of his grasp, "And thank you for your assistance last night."
Tony frowned, as she snapped into uber business woman, "That will be all Miss Potts." And he watched her go into her room and shook his head, running a hand through his hair and went to find Rhodey and the pizza he could smell.
(Two hours later.)
" You are a useless piece of scrap metal…" Tony growled as he waved off one of his robots which was trying to help him fix the damage he had done to his suit. It was time to be a hero again and go out to save the day, it wasn't like he did much else anymore. He still of course held Stark Industries firmly in his grasp, but going to the office was pointless, always was. Pepper did all that for him, thanks to her he hadn't seen the inside of his office for years. The board room however was another matter entirely.
"Hey Jarvis?"
"Yes, sir?"
"Flip the news on, let's see what's going on in the world. See if Iron Man is in need."
"Certainly. It is good to have you back."
"Thanks." The sounds of the CNN filled the shop as Tony continued to fix the dents, broken wiring and torn screws of the suit when suddenly, something caught his attention.
"Today we received word that insurgents employed by the Ten Rings are responsible for the recent attacks on US soldiers in Iraq."
The rest of what the anchor woman had to say became nothing but white noise in Tony's ears, instead his eyes narrowed on the screen and the warzone it showed. Anger welled inside him, burning hot and boiling, The Ten Rings. Why couldn't they stay dead? Or had he only taken care of a few mere pawns in their deadly game?
His lips twitched, his eyes grew dark and blank. He put the suit into place and went to slip into the black under suit. Moments later he was being fitted with the metal armor. His eyes never leaving the flat screen as each piece was put into place, finally the jaw was fitted and the helmet was lowered.
"Jarvis?"
"Sir?"
"Get Rhodey on the line for me. I don't want any raptors on my ass this time."
A moment later, "Colonel Rhodes here."
"Hey Rhodey. I'm going out, keep your friends off my tail okay?" He walked towards the exit tube that had been crafted from the hole he had made not so long ago.
"Consider it done, just be careful out there okay."
"Worried about me hunny?" Tony quipped, smirking inside the helmet.
"Always. Let me know when you're back home." With that James hung up.
The sudden sharp familiar click of high heels on the stairs caused Tony to turn and look in that direction, knowing who he was about to see. He watched her pause on the last step, frown and then quickly recover, " Do I need to sign something before I blast off Miss Potts?"
"Tony are you sure you're up to this…"
He liked how she had taken to calling him Tony more often lately, even though he found it kind of sexy when she called him Mr. Stark, "Very sure." He moved towards her, the face plat lifting slowly revealing his face, "I'll be back before you know it."
Pepper looked at him with doubt filled eyes, "This can wait until you get back then." She indicated the papers in her hands, "Will that be all, Mr. Stark."
He couldn't take it anymore, "No, that will not be all Miss Potts." And before she could turn away, react or discourage him, he took her in his metal arms and kissed her not caring if she kissed him back or slapped him. Instead when he finally let her go, she stood there stunned, staring at him in shock.
" I'll be back." He winked at her as the face plate lowered and locked back into place once again and he took off, flying up into and out of the exit tube, his lips still warm from being pressed against hers.
It truly had been the last thing she had expected, and yet she had wanted it for so very long. For a moment her mind went back to that night on that balcony… she could've had it then, if only she had had the guts to go through with it. But this time he had made it happen, and frankly it had been wonderful. As he flew off, her fingertips lightly pressed against her lips trying to capture the warmth that lingered from his.
For what seemed like forever, Pepper stood in the that spot, her body frozen in time as she worked on gathering her senses about her once more. Maybe it didn't mean anything, maybe he just wanted a kiss for the road and she had happened to be the closest woman around. Or maybe not, maybe she just needed to stop thinking about it and go back upstairs. Yes, that was a perfectly good idea.
Steadying herself, Pepper Potts walked up the stairs with a purpose in her step and went to her office. The emails had piled up again and she had a few of her own to answer. One she had gotten a week ago that she needed to reply to, a request from Vanity Fair to be interviewed, why not? Once she was settled at her desk, she clicked that one first and replied with a simple yes and asking when they would like to do the interview and then she proceeded on with the rest of the emails, her own and Tony's… no, Mr. Stark. She really needed to stop thinking of him as just Tony, wasn't professional.
Seventy emails later and Pepper had moved onto doing some budgeting of Mr. Stark's charity accounts. Anything to keep her mind busy, anything to keep her focus off of him, off of what he was doing at that very moment.
(High above the Middle East)
Iron Man soared effortlessly through the skies, his body taunt with determination, his lips still tingling from that kiss. Oh yes, there had been sparks for him, he was sure.
"Sir, you are approaching target."
"Huh? Oh. Right." He shook his head, had to stay focused. Time to blow up the bad guys, " I think some tunes are in order Jarvis."
"Certainly Sir, what did you have in mind?"
Tony thought a moment and then grinned, "I feel like a little Linkin Park, No More Sorrow."
"Excellent choice, Sir."
The sounds of guitars and screaming lyrics filled Tony's ears, pumping him and making him focus on the task ahead as a shell suddenly shot passed him.
"Whoa! That was close." Tony watched as his targeting system searched and then locked on his assailant, another one of those tanks.
"I'm getting tired of the damned tanks." With that he sent one of his specially designed mini missiles towards the large dust covered moving weapon. Within seconds it blew into a thousand bits. Tony grinned, this is what he lived for, that thrill that made his blood rush, that feeling he was doing some actual good in the world, "Yeah!"
"Good shot, sir. Warning, heat seeking missiles locked."
These were too big for him to blow up, he'd have to out maneuver them, especially since they would be able to follow him no matter what. But it gave him an idea for an improvement on the suit, cutting down the heat it gave off.
"Missiles have been deployed."
"Thanks for the warning. Here we go." He waited and watched for them to come just below him almost seconds from hitting him and blowing him all to hell.
"Jarvis. Cut power." The AI didn't protest as the suit gave a small whine, signaling the loss of power and he began to fall as the two missiles collided above him and sent him falling faster, "Okay Jarvis, power back up!"
In seconds he was jetting smoothly through the air once again, " Okay where did those bad boys come from." Tony grinned as he hovered, the suit searching out the bad guys.
"Come out, come out where ever you are." His system locked on, "Bingo." Soon all the bad guys and their toys lay in ruins, smoking heaps of nothing. Tony smiled satisfied, Linkin Park still roaring inside the helmet as he made for home.
"Sir, you have company."
I have wha…" Tony found himself interrupted by enemy fire, this time from a plane they had obviously stolen from the air force. He flew up and over the top of it, out of its range, inspecting it as he did so. He was right, stolen, it had been stripped of any signs it had once belonged to the USA.
"Jarvis, get Rhodes on the line please." Tony quickly ducked just under the tail of the jet and waited.
"Colonel Rhodes speaking."
"Hey buddy, how's it going?"
"Tony? Are you all done?" That was rather quick, James thought to himself.
"Not exactly, it looks like you're missing a jet."
"Come again?" Rhodes was puzzled.
"At this very moment I am currently hiding just under the front of the tail of a fighter that used to belong to us, you. It's been sanded and stripped." Tony wondered how long he had before the pilot got smart.
"Well, take it out. What are you waiting for a written invitation?"
"Not exactly, just wondering if your boys would like a crack at it." The jet sped up, and so did he.
"It's all yours."
"Fine. Be that way." Tony's voice match the sarcastic grin on his lips, "Let me have all the fun."
"Gladly. Be careful."
"Always. Catch you later then." And they hung up.
"Any suggestions Jarvis?"
"Might I suggest the element of surprise, sir?"
"Works for me." Iron Man then proceeded to maneuver his way around the tail to fly just above the jet that had no idea he was there, for the moment.
"Engage magnetics." Slowly he lowered himself down onto the back of the jet, his boots sticking instantly with a small clang. The metal hero slowly inched forward, his intent to see who was home. For a moment he just stood there gazing down into the cockpit before finally reaching down and knocking sharply on the glass, "Hello? Anybody home?"
Tony watched with amused satisfaction as the pilot jumped and then looked up at him, his eyes narrowing. In reply, Tony just waved and hung on as the idiot rolled the jet, only to be further annoyed when Iron Man was still there like a permanent hood ornament, "You won't get rid of me that easily."
And then the pilot's eyes basically said, wanna bet? And before the man in the suit could react, the pilot punched out leaving the jet to fall and crash in the desert, hoping that Iron Man would still be so firmly attached.
"Ah, crap. Disengage magnetics." As the jet plummeted towards earth, Tony fired up his rockets and dove after the pilot who's shoot had opened easily, but it wasn't going to stay that way, " Happy landings." With that, Iron Man shot up the man's chute and finally was able to head back home.
"Well done sir."
"Always nice to hear from you Jarvis and it's time for a music change, something a little mellower for the ride home please." A second later the suit was filled with the sounds of Beethoven, "Good choice." And Tony wondered as he flew what sort of damage the suit had taken, hopefully not much, he would rather focus his attentions elsewhere when he got back to Malibu.
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Well there we go… could've been better on the action part, but I gave it the good old college try. Iron Man cookies for all.