Thank you all for checking out the first chapter. Reviews (feedback) make me happy, but this story will continue on no matter what. I am starting to plan out the following sequels, I plan to take it to the end of the line.
The next few weeks flew by. Pepper returned to work the day after the press conference while Aria sunk into a depression. The press were camped outside of the gates of the Stark Mansion. She didn't want to confront them or discuss the disappearance of her only family member. She spent most of her life out of the public's eye and hated whenever she was in it; letting Tony take the spotlight.
"Aria? Are you awake?" A voice asked.
A muffled no came from underneath the blankets of her bed.
"Aria, it's been a month. You need to come back to work. We need you. They'll find Tony soon, I know they will. He never goes down without a fight," Pepper lectured while gently tugging the blanket off of her.
"Alright, I'll head in today. Let me just get ready," she conceded.
"I'll be downstairs waiting for you," Pepper sighed.
Aria crawled out of bed and towards her bedroom. When she looked in the mirror she noticed the bags under her eyes, her long, dark brown hair was a mess, and her shirt looked as if it hung more loosely than it had before. After almost an hour of being left alone by Pepper, she finally emerged from her room, not bother with her contact lenses anymore, her black plastic frame glasses sat on her nose. Her long brown hair was in a pony tail and she wore a red button down blouse with red pants. The sound of someone descending the stairs caused Pepper to look up, a part of her hoping it was Tony.
"I'm ready. Who's driving?" The young brunette solemnly called out.
"Happy is driving," Pepper answered, following her to the door.
The drive was eventful to say the least. The paparazzi were feverishly trying to snap photos of the remaining Stark Child. On the freeway, a small caravan raced after them with video cameras, hoping for a good shot. Twice they almost caused crashes, spurring Happy to drive more swiftly. It wasn't until they reached the gates of the Stark Industries parking lot did they find sanctuary from their predators. Obadiah was waiting outside for them by his Segway, an amused smirk on his face.
"She returns!" Obadiah called out, his arms stretched wide in an attempt to welcome her back.
"You have Pepper to thank," Aria responded while being pulled into a hug.
"I know your not a fan of the weapons division, but I need you to look over something's and sign off on some others," he listed, leading the way into the main building.
"You know how much I hate the weapons division. That was Tony's. I worked in the division were we tried to improve lives, not end them," Aria complained.
"Since Tony is gone, you're now head of Stark Industries kiddo," Obadiah reminded her. "You've gotta step up and talk part in all of it, which includes the weapon division."
Aria sighed in response, following him through the maze of hallways with Pepper Potts on her heals. Her day was as bad as she feared. Every so often someone would tell her how sorry they were and offer the condolences. Adding on to everyone assuming her brother was dead, she had to okay a new assembly of Tony's Jericho missiles. Upon first seeing them she felt nothing but anger and hatred towards the weapon, blaming it for Tony's absence. She would have pulled the plug on the manufacturing contract for it if Rhodey hadn't of been there. Though once that meeting was over she bolted out the door.
"Look, I know how hard it was for you to okay this. It was hard for me too. He was just a few humvees ahead of me," Rhodey told her as he walked alongside.
"Yes, but at least you still have your family. My parents were killed when I was six and now my only living family member has disappeared, whom everyone assumes is dead," Aria said as calmly as she could, her anger starting to seep through.
"What about Pepper, Obadiah, and myself?" He asked, following her into her office.
"That's different," she replied, fighting tears from falling. "Your like family, but Tony is blood. Is the military still searching for him?"
"Yes. They're sending out drones and checking their satellite surveillance data daily. I have you listed to be the first one called when they find him. Tony's too stubborn to die," Rhodey answered.
"I think that's just a Stark trait. We're too stubborn," Aria commented.
"We worry about you, Pepper and I," her friend stated.
"I gathered that," Aria shot. "We'll, I've got a few things I need to do so if you wouldn't mind leaving?"
"Alright, but can you start eating more? What would Tony say if he saw you?" Rhodey pointed out.
Aria didn't answer, causing Rhodey to shake his head while leaving. The young woman sat at her desk and stared at the papers in front of her, completely lost in thought. Her brother's last words started to echo in her mind take care of yourself. Using both my arms, I swept everything within reach off my desk causing. The pent up anger and frustration of her brother's disappearance had finally burst. She breathed deeply for a minute before laughter started to erupt from her. Her emotions were soaring through the spectrum. Realizing how ridiculous she was being, she started laughing even harder. Falling off of her chair and clutching her side, her new temporary assistant, Pepper Potts, rushed in.
"What's going on? Are you okay in here?" Pepper asked, rushing towards Aria.
"Oh yeah, yeah. I'm good," she answered while wiping tears from her eyes. "I'm actually good. I've been so ridiculous. When Tony gets back he is going to make fun of me so much."
Pepper looked at her young friend, worried for her sanity. Offer her hand, Aria managed to stand and was able to survey the mess she had made. Her body began to shake, fighting the laughter that was threatening to escape again. Pepper stared at her and let a smile laugh escape her lips.
"Come on, let's clean this up. I'll call Happy and have him pick us up. That sound good?" Pepper suggested.
"Yeah, sounds like a plan," Aria confirmed.
Their return journey home was less eventful. There were no paparazzi or car chases, just a peaceful drive. When Aria walked into her home, Pepper carefully watched her. Her eyes watched the young woman, fearful of a relapse in her depression. Instead of breaking down in tears Aria took off towards the garage.
"Where are you going?" Pepper cautiously inquired.
"I'm going to play," Aria called over her shoulder as she bounded down the stairs.
"Good evening Miss Stark. Might I say, it is a pleasure to see you down here again," JARVIS' smooth voice greeted.
"Good evening JARVIS. Let's start a new project, but keep on my personal drive. Don't sync it up to the office. I need something to keep me busy until Tony gets back," She instructed, slowly walking around the garage.
"And what do you plan on creating?" JARVIS inquired.
"How about a new phone? We're gonna lose the whole app thing and for the first model and take it back to basics," She thought out loud.
She approached the workable and began sketching out dimensions of the device. Pepper had called Rhodey early on and the two were watching from the stairs.
"Did you say something to her earlier today?" Pepper asked, starting to ascend the stairs.
"I just asked her what Tony would have said if he saw her angry and depressed. I didn't know what I said would have this much of an effect on her. I should asked her that a while ago," Rhodey confessed.
"I think she needed time though to deal with losing her brother. When I found her after you left I thought she had gone insane. I think she has some issues that she may need to work out, but she has improved. Do you want to stay for dinner? I think I'm going to order us Chinese," Pepper replied, going through her phone for the number of the Chinese place that delivered.
"If Aria is going to be social, then I'll stay. I think we've made a breakthrough today," he confirmed.
They next two months flew by. When Aria wasn't at work, running the company, she was down in the garage working on whatever came into her head. She had finished her new phone with success, leaving her to work on the next, more technologically advanced model. It was during the weekly meeting with the heads of each division when her phone went off.
"I'm sorry everyone. I thought I had turned the sound off," she apologized before looking at the caller id.
Her smile dropped as the realization of who is calling sunk in. She took off out the door, starting to shake as she answered the phone.
"Hello Miss Stark, I'm Colonel Craig. I'm calling to inform you that we found Tony. He's alive and we should have him home to you soon. Colonel Rhodes will be contacting you shortly with more information," the Air Force officer informed her.
"Thank you," Aria squeaked out as she ended the phone call.
Before she could realize what she was doing, her feet had led her straight to Pepper Potts.
"Are you okay Aria, what's wrong?" Pepper asked, noticing her friend was crying.
"They found him. He's coming home," Aria grinned.