I don't know how long we walked through that desert, but it was perfect timing when a triad of US helicopters came flying out of nowhere. I, like the lunatic I am, even with my injured knee, got loose of Tony and ran excitedly down the sandy slope we were on top of. He ran after me, grinning and waving up at the choppers.

"They're here!" I roared over the rumbling of the propellers as they cruised back over us and landed. "We're goin' home!"

Home had never sounded so good.

I limped along towards the nearest helicopter as they started unloading, and two figures in Air Force desert khaki came racing towards me and Tony. I laughed when I saw one was Rhodes, and the other was my best friend in the world. Major Samantha Matsuo was a fellow MIT grad with me, ROTC and Air Force, and her own engineering degree had sometimes gotten me to joke around with her. Sam was no-nonsense, so I had to be the more lighthearted one despite our near-ten-year age difference. But I was nearly knocked off my feet when she suddenly grabbed me in a hug. Wow. That was a first.

It didn't last long before Sam stepped back and shot me a glare.

"Andy, if I have to come save your ass one more time…" she threatened, and I laughed even as Tony and Rhodes shared a bro-hug.

"Hey, you still owe me remember? I was the one who rescued your grades, thanks very much!"

"You were also the one that hacked my radio to tell me you'd gotten your first-ever email," Sam retorted. Why did everyone I care about know how to shut me up? But I shrugged, and Sam helped me along to one of the helicopters. Tony glanced at me worriedly as Rhodes walked him along to another one of the three, but I waved Tony off. I knew Rhodes was going to give him an earful.

"Sam…how long?" I asked tiredly once I was settled and a medic started right on my knee. She sat down across from me and took off her combat helmet, shaking out her cropped black hair before she leaned towards me. She did look concerned, poor major.

"Three months," Sam replied eventually, and I gaped a little. It had only felt like a matter of weeks. "At least there was an explosion in the area that got us sweeping the area, otherwise we might not have found you two."

"Thank me later for the explosion, it's a great story," I cracked, and that got a smile out of her.

My knee got bandaged up, and I had to endure a full medical checkup. It was extremely annoying when the medic found the arc-reactor in my chest, and Sam nearly freaked, thinking it was a bomb. Well, no, it's not a bomb, and please don't touch it or pull it. I had to explain about the missile before she decided not to radio Rhodes and tell him I was wired with some bomb.

And then came the most blessed release in the past three months: sleep. I didn't wake up for days, I think, apart from a few moments to eat, get loved thoroughly by Tony, and transferring from chopper to plane. When I was fully awake, I was back in my dark, discombobulated room lit by idled computer monitors and a few shafts of warm California sunshine sneaking under my shut blinds. I stretched luxuriously on the fluffy feather bed and soft mattress and sighed.

Until I was struck by my engineering genes.

Usually, I'm a hacker. When I get inspired, it's for codes that can rip open firewalls without tripping wires, ways to mess up foreign governments, that sort of thing. Well. Today, I was inspired by that wreck of a medieval armor Tony and I had built to get back here. What if, I thought, I could make it a little more…slender? Refined, perfect for infiltration in a physical sense? Weapons, armor, other toys…it was like I could see it getting sketched right in front of me.

Within a few seconds of getting struck by metaphorical lightning, I was up, clad in a comfy t-shirt and sweatpants, and bolting down to snatch up a mug of coffee. Then it was straight down to the garage, where I immediately started computerizing the plans starting to coalesce in my brain.

And it. Was. Beautiful.

After a few minutes of drawing, I had a three-dimensional representation up on the special projector, planning away what I wanted to put on in the way of weaponry and extras. I had the music going, nodding to Bon Jovi, but the guitar was interrupted by the beeping of code getting punched in. Judging by the swiftness of the typing, it was Tony, and I was proved right when I glanced up to see him looking at me, at his computers, in absolute confusion.

"…what are you doing in my garage?" he asked after I'd turned the music down. I shot him a smile as I jerked my head towards the plans.

"Working. What's it look like to you?" I ventured in reply as I returned to my fidgeting, dragging and dropping away like a pro. Tony dropped into his chair and watched me. Obviously, he was still working on waking up.

"You don't build stuff, Andy."

"Hence, working. The whole planning and designing scheme I do so well at."

Tony seemed to wake up a bit more as he examined my plans. I kept fidgeting at it, wondering how to put together a good HUD program without resorting to Jarvis, but I got jarred out of my thoughts when Tony spoke again.

"Just tell me you're gonna use it to pound on Stane for awhile…"

That was the first time I had ever heard Tony refer to Stane as Stane. I glanced up at him and beamed.

"How'd you know?"

"Had some iffy dreams durin' my nap," he mumbled as he picked up some random tool and fingered it. I frowned a little, concerned. I waited, keeping my eyes on him before Tony finally said, "He denied it, you know."

A cold pit dropped into my stomach as my hope that Tony would keep his promise about getting back at Stane faded fast. If he'd called Stane, asked him about that night, and he believed Stane enough to doubt me

I clenched my fists and jaw, fighting off tears as I replied, "You know I'd never lie about… about something like that…"

"I know, I know," Tony moaned a little, setting the tool aside and running a hand through his hair. I felt the but coming and turned back to my designs. I battled back the feeling of betrayal bubbling away, but I didn't stop the pain of loneliness ripping through me. I heard a smack of skin on skin.

"Andy, I swear I'm not doubting you, okay?" he pleaded. "I can't figure out how he could sound so damn sincere about it and fake it at the same time."

"Because he's a bastard, that's why," I replied, not looking at him. I was already planning on being extremely forceful the next time I face Stane. No words, and no mercy. Tony sighed behind me before he scooted over towards me and put an arm over my shoulders.

"You do what you want to him," he murmured softly. "And you know what? I'll help. Whatever you need."

I glanced at him and managed a tiny smirk as I wiped my tears away. Thank God for sane big brothers.

"Maybe you can start by helping me build this thing?" I asked. "You're the engineer, after all."

Tony grinned and smooched my forehead.

"Then show me your plans."

This was how we passed the first few weeks at home: get up, head down to the garage, work on the suit. It was how we started putting our tight connections together again. Of course, since we stayed home, the press came up with their own stories about what had happened to Tony, why he wasn't coming out and talking, the works. Apart from the suit, I kept working on a few other projects that needed doing, especially if I wanted to not lean on Jarvis for keeping my new armor in prime condition.

But, one day, it was just too boring to stay inside. I was staring out at the ocean beyond the living room window, cradling my mug of coffee as the water started lighting from the sun coming up from behind the house. And that cool blue water just looked too good to leave alone today.

I bounded back upstairs and changed into – can you believe it – a two-piece swimsuit, flip-flops, and packed up a towel, cover-up, and iPod before heading back downstairs to find my sunglasses, then write a note to Tony, which I left on the kitchen table: Down at the beach, curing cabin fever.

After writing that, I headed down to the garage, and even in my current getup I climbed onto my bike and roared out of the house. The nearest strip of beach wasn't too far away, so, soon enough, I was sprawled out on the warm sand, shades on and wired up as I let the sun pour heat onto me. Ah. Yes, this was just what I had needed...

I was grooving along to Sheryl Crow when I was attacked. I screeched as my eyes flew open from that Zen attitude I was starting to reach, only to see Tony hanging over me, tickling me like mad and laughing.

It was as if we were kids again.

I broke out into hysterics as Tony kept tickling me, no matter how much I tried to kick him off me. Of course, eventually, I squirmed free and, like the perfect little sister, stuck my tongue out at him tauntingly.

"Can't catch me!" I called out before racing down the sand. I heard Tony running after me, and I glanced back a couple times and laughed, even as I turned and started running back through the water. Of course, he caught up to me, and tackled me hard enough that I landed face-first into the grainy sand. I laughed even though I had sand in my mouth and nose and eyes, and I eventually rolled over and spat it out even as Tony embraced me tightly.

"Missed you, screwball," he sighed into my ear as I buried myself tight against him, grabbing his hand and squeezing. For the first time in a long time, I felt...whole. Complete. And it was because I'd finally gotten my brother back.

"Missed you, too," I murmured as I grinned faintly, resting my head on his shoulder. Tony returned my squeeze and just held me for the longest time. That was okay. I was actually about to fall asleep before Tony spoke up.

"Wanna go have some fun?"

"...how mean?" I asked as I shook off my contentment. Dammit.

"I happen to know of some...festivities that're planned for tonight," he laid out, smirking a little, "and no one's gonna mind us gate-crashing, I think."

I fought down a groan. I knew what he meant: the benefit thing for the firefighters' kids. But it also meant standing around and looking pretty and pretending not to be the annoying little sister who was half a criminal.

"Am I gonna hafta raid Pepper's closet again? I still owe her a new outfit..."

"I'll add it to her Christmas bonus," Tony excused. "But, yeah, you might hafta."

"How fancy we talkin'?"

"Enough."

I pulled a face at the idea of having to wear a dress. I hated dresses and skirts, especially low-necked. No, it's not because I have a certain accessory in my sternum now.

"Can't we stay here?" I pleaded. "All day?"

"Guess we could," Tony replied with a shrug, but I saw a look in his eyes, one I'd slowly figured out meant he was thinking of a certain redhead assistant of his. Ah, so the flirting wasn't just an idle fancy! Well. I wasn't going to stand in his way; I'm a secret romantic, after all.

"All right, then, lemme pack up..." I excused myself, reluctantly getting out of Tony's embrace and jogging to grab up my towel and iPod. Easy. Tony watched me, propped up on his elbows and a brow arched at me.

"Changed your mind awful fast..."

"Well, considering who else is on the guest list..." I prodded, smirking broadly as I went to help him to his feet. Tony leveled me with a scowl.

"You know what people say about assuming, Andy..."

"If it has to do with my brother getting soft for his assistant," I goaded with a wicked grin. Tony's scowl deepened, enough that I nearly laughed.

"I didn't say that!"

"You didn't have to!"

Tony groaned as I laughed. Yep, just like old times. Minus the constant flushing at the idea of being with a pretty girl other than his sister. I'm serious about this, because at MIT's homecoming, Tony had been so terrified to get a date that he asked me to go with him. Me, a little freshman, not to mention his kid sister!

"You're still a troublemaker, you know that?" he sighed in defeat. I shrugged.

"Always have been, always will be," I declared. "Maybe that's why Dad never liked me that much."

This is true, I mused as I cruised on my bike, side-by-side with Tony's R8, back to the house. After all, I was the second child, so, in the typical patriarchal attitude, Dad had ranked Tony far above me. Not to mention I was a girl of a second child, which put me fairly low on dad's opinion of me. It didn't get bad until after Tony had left for MIT, when I was left all alone in the same house as Howard Stark. Worst two years of my life; can I be blamed for hacking MIT's student database and enrolling myself, out of sheer desperation? If anything, Mom's death was the whole cause of our problems; if only she hadn't died, I wouldn't have been too badly alone when Tony had left for college.

I actually surprised myself when I went digging through my closet, because I found a dress. I'm serious; this is a major breakthrough to even have a pair of heels in my collection of clothes and shoes. It was just my style, too: high back, mid-height collar that hid my reactor nicely, and in dark red that would compliment my desert tan and dark hair and eyes. Of course, it took me awhile to find shoes, and, yet again, I had to raid Pepper's closet. She didn't mind, or I think she didn't; she was already gone by the time I snuck into her room and found a pair of black heels to wear. A few touches of makeup later, I was down in the living room, waiting for Tony. I worriedly ran a hand through my raggedly-cut hair before he jogged downstairs. As usual, Tony's hair was neatly brushed back, but still messy in the back, and he looked like a real classy sort in the tux.

"Andy!" he breathed in amazement – or maybe not, because he was reaching for something in his jacket. "I found somethin' for ya…."

I arched a brow at him as Tony pulled out a sealed envelope and presented it to me. I took it carefully, turning it over to check the address. Written on the front was Andrea Stark, and a pit dropped into my stomach as I recognized the handwriting: Dad's. A lump climbed into my throat, but I forced it back down before I shoved the letter back at Tony.

"Probably it's a laundry list of everything I ever did wrong," I noted dryly, refusing to register the tiny, faint hope that had risen in my gut. What if it wasn't, though? What if it was really the one thing I'd wished for my entire life from my father? Tony seemed to notice the slightly hopeful glance in my eyes, and he tried to push the letter back at me.

"I don't think he'd keep something like that…"

"Tony, the man hated me," I bit back, pressing the letter into his chest. "Why should I care what he has to say? I know you remember those looks he used to give me, the one that said I was stupid, wasn't smart enough…"

I stopped before I went off in a flurry and decided not to go to the party. Mercifully, he got the same drift and simply dropped the letter on a nearby table before heading down to the garage. I trailed after him, knowing full well that I wasn't going to be riding my bike in this getup. Of course, he picked the Audi, and, of course, we drove a wide margin above the speed limit. We were both grinning like idiots when we arrived outside the Disney concert hall, but my smile evaporated on the spot when I saw Stane. He, too, was in a tuxedo, paired with a scarf despite the relative balminess of the night, still as bald and massive as ever.

"If we walk right past him, I'm saying hello, very noisily," I murmured to Tony as we strode up the red carpet, ignoring the flashing cameras and pressing questions from the reporters to either side. "Don't try to stop me."

"Won't bother," Tony replied, voice equally low. "Unless we just wanna find a back way, avoid all the press…"

"Man, I'm itchin', though," I answered, and just in time; Obadiah Stane had just spotted us, and he was making his way down towards us. I started walking for the stairs up into the hall, forcing a small smile onto my face as we started drawing even. Stane opened his arms wide in welcome, and a smile on his face. I kept my face unresponsive as I got into his reach.

"Andy!" Stane exclaimed in surprise. "My dear, you look –"

I didn't let him finish. I clenched my fist and slammed my knuckles into Stane's nose, and I breezed on past him, into the hall. Once I was safely inside, I allowed myself a self-gratifying smile. Ah. That had felt so good. Tony came up next to me, giving me a wink as he slipped his arm through mine, walking me in the rest of the way. Of course, we ended up splitting up once we got to the nexus of the gathering: Tony made his way to the bar, and I found a quiet corner to hide in. Of course, as is my luck, someone did find me.

"Miss Stark?" a voice asked behind me, and I turned from my quiet study of a far wall and scanning for good exits points. I blinked in surprise when I saw a clean-cut, smartly dressed young man in Air Force blues. As usual when I run into military types, I glanced for the name tag, but there wasn't one. A glance to the shoulder informed me exactly of just who it was I was talking to.

"Lieutenant Moreau, from the humvee, right?" I asked in surprise, but the good kind. Here I was, thinking he'd been dead...and he wasn't. He'd pulled through, just like me and Tony, and, maybe a bit more than us, had gotten out in one piece. Moreau shot me a small, sincere grin as he nodded confirmation.

"Yep, that's me, though I didn't think you'd remember," he noted, settling in to lean next to me. I propped my elbows on my end of the bar and made a check on Tony; he was cutting across the dance floor, away from the bar, and towards a certain redhead in a near-backless blue dress. I smirked to myself before glancing at Moreau again.

"Despite five minutes talking, I don't think we ever got rightly introduced," I commented before offering Moreau my hand. "Andrea Jacqueline Stark; call me Andy."

"Even if your name's pretty?" Moreau flattered me as he took my hand and shook gently. "Second Lieutenant James Moreau. Everyone calls me Jimmy, though."

I flushed a little at Moreau's – Jimmy's – praise as he let go of my hand before motioning to the bar and asked, "So can I get you a drink? Or are you more the dancing type?"

"How about the 'stay at home and never get out much' type?" I offered with a chuckle, and my sarcastic crack was fully appreciated. We traded a bit of small talk – barely touching on the events of Afghanistan – before Jimmy actually glanced over at Tony and Pepper, who were now both walking outside to a balcony. Great. Maybe Tony'd man up and admit his crush on her.

"Y'know," Jimmy noted once they'd slipped away, "I dunno if you remember, but, uh...you sorta promised to grab a bite with me, if we met up again..."

"I do remember that," I replied, managing a smile. Sure, it was something I'd subconsciously blamed Tony for ruining, but now that Jimmy was actually alive, that meant Tony'd zeroed out that particular bitterness. I try not to hold grudges long, unless, of course, it's Stane. "So, how about we bail and go someplace quieter, yeah? You'll have to drive."

The grin Jimmy gave me could've lit the whole room, and I felt like a bad girl by heading back out less than an hour after arriving without telling Tony. But I was allowed; it was my first date, after all, and I wasn't going to let my sometimes-overprotective big brother ruin it.