Fall Out

Chapter Fifteen: Capable

Disclaimer: I own nothing…

Author Notes: A little special guest shows up for this chapter, we already met him briefly once. And Rhodey's back!

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Colonel James Rhodes, known to friends as Rhodey stood very still, very straight and very much the poster boy of the Air Force. His shoulders lined up perfectly, his feet pointed just right and his various buttons straight. Why all this perfection? It was because of the man standing in front of him, General Nick Fury of SHIELD.

The dark skinned man was not tall, but he held himself in a way that made James feel much shorter than his 6'2", the one eye that stared at the world was older than the man it belonged to, Rhodey wagered he had seen a lot of stuff in his days, stuff that he probably never forgot but never lost an hour of sleep over. In short the man was damn scary and he knew it.

"Colonel Rhodes did you contact Mr. Stark yet?" The commanding voice questioned, a single dark brow rising.

"Yes sir, he said he would be at home. Sir." Rhodey almost saluted every time he opened his mouth to the man.

Nick Fury was highly amused by the young Colonel's antics, he liked that the boy was a little bit afraid of him, how he constantly stood at attention in his presence. It was honestly a rarity for him to get such respect anymore, especially from anyone within the Armed Forces and in a high rank, to most of his fellow men in uniform he was a black sheep and crazy, "It's Fury." Never Nick, always just Fury.

"Yes Si—Fury." Rhodes swallowed a bit uncomfortably.

Fury sighed, "General Fury is fine too."

James breathed a small sigh of relief as they walked from the elevator and towards the black Hummer that would be taking them to Tony's house.

(Tony's Home)

Tony was not happy that Fury was going to be in his home again, but at least this time he knew the man was coming unlike the last time. His dark stare slowly traveled to the woman sitting calmly on the sofa, she wasn't worried so why was he? Oh yeah, she was not Iron Man, he was. Right.

Pepper could sense his eyes on her again as she scanned a few stock quotes on her Blackberry, it was the tenth time he had stared at her and it was beginning to get on her nerves, "Do you need something Mr. Stark?"



"It's Tony and no." He went to loosen his tie and then remembered he wasn't wearing one, just in a t-shirt and jeans, why get all dressed up for that intruder?

"Mr. Stark, are you nervous?"

Tony's eyes narrowed, "No."

Pepper just smiled one of her little amused smiles and kept her eyes on her Blackberry.

"Okay. Fine. Yes." Tony crossed his arms slouching back on the sofa, "Happy?"

"Impeccably." Her smile became sarcastic.

"Miss Potts is that sarcasm I detect in your lovely voice?" His head shifted so he could glance at her sideways without much effort.

Again she just looked up and smiled at him, "If you say so."

Tony smirked, he liked her this way, it felt good to have her this way again, like old times really.

"Sir, Colonel Rhodes and General Fury are here."

"Great." Tony muttered something else and was glad Pepper didn't catch it as they both stood and went to the door so they could greet their guest and friend.

A moment later the door opened, Rhodey lead the way followed by the man of the hour, "See Sir-- General Fury, he is here." Rhodes looked quickly to Tony and mouthed a thank you.

Tony nodded, "Ah, now I can properly welcome you to my home Fury." Not that I want to, he thought to himself.

"Show me your lab Stark." Fury was all business all the time.

"Well, it's not exactly a lab; it's a shop… actually my very expansive garage…" He was rambling, Tony hated rambling. Straightening his shoulders he headed for the stairs, "This way boys and girl." Yes Pepper was going to be included in this, mostly just to be something of moral support for him.

"Ah, Miss Potts we've yet to meet. General Nick Fury." He held out his large hand to the woman.

Pepper smiled, "Pleasure." She grasped that large hand with her petite one and felt suddenly out of place amongst the boys.

Without any more words the foursome headed down into Tony's shop, the robots all stood at attention and ready to do as their creator needed. The place was as it always was, an array of this and that all over the place. Tools, car parts, discs, metal fragments components for the suit and other odds and ends. Pepper had tried to get him to straighten it up a little; he had refused claiming he wouldn't be able to find a thing. She didn't disagree.

"Welcome General, Colonel Rhodes."

"Hey Jarvis, what's kicking?" Rhodey grinned, it was always nice to be welcomed in a polite manner once and a while.

"I am sorry Colonel Rhodes I do not understand your meaning. We've had this discussion before, a simple hello would suffice."

Nick Fury grinned, "Hello Jarvis."

"Thank you General."

Rhodey stared at his superior, frowned and then eyed the air above him and muttered, "Suck up."

"I heard that Colonel."

Luckily Jarvis let it go and all eyes turned towards Tony.

"Okay. So I didn't get much info on why you're here Fury." Tony folded his arms; clearly he wanted to be anywhere else but here right now.

"I want you and your suit to come with me. I need to know what it can do, what you can do." Fury was not going to let the play boy have his way; it was the General's way or no way.

"Problem," Tony almost grinned, "It doesn't leave here unless I'm in it." He had him now.

"Well?" General Fury did grin, "What are you waiting for Stark, a written invitation?"

And Tony's face fell, "Gimme a minute. I need to change." He glanced at Pepper who was once again nose in Blackberry and not paying much attention, "Oh Pepper, care to help?"

She looked up briefly, eyes only, "Hm?"

Fury had almost had enough, "Stark if you don't get your ass in gear I'll throw you in the suit myself. Now never mind tormenting your assistant and get to it. I haven't got all day." He folded his arms, that one eye glaring.

"Alright, alright. Don't get your boxers in a bunch."And with that Tony disappeared for a few minutes to change into the black under suit.

Moments later, Nick Fury watched with an impressed one eyed stare as the Iron Man armor was put into place on Stark's frame. The process though slow was worthy of applause, quite the show, " Any way to streamline the production of putting it on?"

The face plate closed down and Tony's voice took on that amplified mechanical sound, "I'm not sure. I can look into it."

"See that you do. Now let's go, Miss Potts you're with us."

Moments later, Pepper had to drag herself from watching Tony flying high above them to feast her eyes on a new marvel, the SHIELD heli-carrier. It was a vast thing, almost like a floating island. It hovered just above the ocean waves silent and daunting. Her eyes took in everything possible, but not fast enough.

"Miss Potts?" General Fury's voice shattered her visual exploration, "We'll continue by hover boat from here."

"Oh." She smiled and stepped out of the Hummer and took a deep long breath of the salty air. Nervously she allowed Rhodey to help her climb into the hovering boat.

"Hold on tight."

"Certainly, General." She smiled briefly and secured both hands to the railing of the boat as it took off sending her backwards slightly. After second an almost girlish smile spread across her lips and for a brief moment she understood why Tony enjoyed flying around in that suit of his.

Once all parties were aboard the heli-carrier, the four of them headed into one of the many building like structures built onto it. Pepper followed close behind, her eyes darting left and right, she took a glance at Tony walking before her next to Jim and smiled, he was like a kid in a candy shop. She swore if he could he'd make his head spin around just to take every inch of the place in.

"Here we are gentlemen, and lady." Fury stepped to one side revealing a vast metal room.

A perplexed expression passes across Tony's face( the face plate is up), his suited arms cross, "Um. Okay. Nice big room you have there…"

"This is an advanced training room Stark, this is where we will be testing you and your suit's capabilities."

"Oh." Tony was still a bit confused, "Okay."

Pepper began to wonder what she was doing there, was she just brought along for the ride or was there an actual purpose to her presence. Slowly she stepped forward, heels clicking on the metal floor as she peers at the vast room through the obersvation glass window, eyes traveling up until she spies suspended in the center what appears to be a control room, "I've heard of a room like this before."

"How have you heard of a room like this and I haven't Pepper?"

A hint of a smirk ghosts over Pepper's lips, "You mean I've heard about something in the technological world before you?"

"Pepper…" Tony was looking at her now, unamused.

"Oh just give me a minute. I want to enjoy this." She smirked fully and then moved on from gloating, "In New York state, Westchester county area the Xavier Academy has a room similar to this for the mutant hero team the X-Men to train in. It's called a Danger Room."



"Very good Miss Potts." General Fury turned to address the three of them now, "Colonel Rhodes will accompany me to the control room, Miss Potts you are welcome to join if you want or you can observe here."

"Cool." Rhodes was obviously excited about this, "So. I get to help you try to blow Tony up?"

Tony glared.

"In a matter of speaking, yes Colonel you do." Fury had to smile, it was indeed amusing.

"I think I will remain here. Thank you General." Pepper smiled and watched as they departed.

(Six hours later back at the Stark mansion)

Tony lay on his sofa practically covered in ice packs. Even when he had been hit by that tank shell he had never hurt this bad. He had a nicely blossoming bruise on his right shoulder that he would bet was Rhodey's doing. He'd challenge him to racket ball at some point and get his pay back. But not anytime soon, he could barely move and Pepper was refusing to let him have any sort of liquor to ease the pain.

"How about a wine cooler?" Tony asked as she glided through the living room, "Low alcohol percentage. Basically the lowest. It's a sissy drink for crying out loud."

Pepper sighed, paused and folded her arms, "No." She turned to leave when a groan from the sofa paused her once again.

"Fine." Tony was not happy, his dark eyes seemed to fade into blackness as he stood slowly and let the ice packs fall to the floor, "I'll be in the shop." He brushed passed her without a look and headed down the stairs, but then stopped, turned and came back up them, "Why?"

Pepper froze and held her ground, her stilettos making them eye to eye as he stopped right in front of her, "You know why."

"Really? Because last I checked you weren't my mother… which is a good thing."He folded his arms, he wanted a drink and by damned he was going to get one.

Slender fingers rose as she pinched her nose and that crease began to take shape between her eyebrows, "To begin with the mansion is dry. Remember, Jim cleaned it all out."

"Well that's easily fixed I have money and you can—"

"No."Pepper shook her head, "Honestly Tony don't you care about yourself at all?" Suddenly her intense blue stare softened a moment, briefly, "I can get you some asprin, or even call your doctor for some sort of a pain medication, but really I think a couple of asprin would do wonders."

He opened his mouth to say something about how the liquor would help the asprin work but he stopped… she was concerned about her boss, truly concerned, "Hm. Fine. Asprin it is." He moved to head back for the sofa, paused and turned to face her once more, "Can I at least have a Coke?"

Pepper bit at her lower lip and smiled, "I think I can manage that Mr. Stark. Will that be all?"

Tony by now had limped his way back to the sofa and plopped down with a sigh, "Yes Miss Potts… that will be all." He felt like a little kid, but whatever if it got her off his back to not drink then fine.

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This chapter was rough to write really rough…so sorry if it's not that great. Next one will be better promise and some sad news; we are reaching the end, which probably explains why this chapter was difficult. I'm guessing roughly three more chapters, maybe more maybe less we'll see.

And again thanks to all of you who read, review and favorite. You're truly awesome.