"Hey, we didn't see Obie last memory." Bruce comments. "What's he up to?"

"…stuff," is all I can say. "You'll see in this one."

"Is this when we finally find out what he's doing?" Steve asks, looking excited.

I just nod and motion towards the screen.

A~A~A

Tony and Taylor are shown looking at several models, charts, and graphs with the specifics for the suits shown on them.

"Notes. Main transducer feels sluggish at plus 40 altitude. Hull pressurization is problematic. I'm thinking icing is the probable factor."

"A very astute observation, Sir."

"Maybe," Taylor calls over, "if we intend to visit other planets, we should improve the exosystems."

"Right away, ma'am."

"Connect to the sys. co. Have it reconfigure the shell metals. Use…um…?"

Taylor speaks up. "The gold titanium alloy from the seraphim tactical satellite. That should ensure a fuselage integrity while maintaining power-to-weight ratio."

Tony nods, his mouth forming an 'oh'. "Got it, J?"

"Yes. Shall I render using proposed specifications?"

Tony glances at Taylor, who just grins mysteriously. "Thrill us."

Jarvis gets to work on the suits while the TV catches Tony and Taylor's attention, a reporter on screen.

"Tonight's red-hot red carpet is right here at the Disney Concert Hall, where Tony Stark's third annual benefit has become the place to be for L.A.'s high society."

Taylor leans back to look at her dad. "Did we get invited to that?"

Tony shakes his head. "I don't think so…"

"...hasn't been seen in public since his bizarre and highly controversial press conference. Some claim he and his daughter are suffering from posttraumatic stress and have been bedridden for weeks. Whatever the case may be, no one expects an appearance from either of them tonight."

Jarvis cuts in, reporting "The render is complete."

Taylor glances at the screen. "A little ostentatious, don't you think?"

"I do." Tony glances around the room, his eyes landing on a dark red hot rod in the corner. "Tell you what. Throw a little hot-rod red in there."

"Yes," Jarvis deadpans, "that should help you keep a low profile. Ma'am, your colors?"

Taylor leans back in her chair, propping her feet up on her desk as she taps a pen against her chin. "Hmmm…I'll go a little more edgy. Base coat black. And…um…" she glances at the sleeve of her hoodie. "Purple. Black and purple, if you would Jarvis."

"The render is complete."

Tony looks at the red and gold suit and then over at Taylor's black and purple sleek design. "Well don't you look dangerous."

"And you look like a muscle car." Taylor smirks at her dad.

"Hey, I like it." Tony defends. "Paint it. Fabricate them."

"Commencing automated assembly. Estimated completion time is five hours."

Tony and Taylor glance at each other, then the TV screen still showing footage of the party. "Don't wait up for us."

Tony is shown driving quickly through traffic in his Audi, STARK 4, while Taylor fixes her tie and straighten her vest in the passenger seat.

They pull up at the Disney conference hall, Tony leading Taylor - who is dressed in a long sleeved white dress shirt, black slacks, sparkly black boots, an unbuttoned black vest and thin black tie – down the red carpet, towards where Obie is talking to a crowd of reporters.

"... Weapons manufacturing is only one small part of what Stark Industries is all about, and our partnership with the fire and rescue community..." Obie trails off as he's distracted by the reports shouting Tony and Taylor's names.

A woman steps forward. "Tony, remember me?"

Tony waves her off. "Sure don't." He taps a man with slicked back grey hair and yellow-tinted aviator glasses on the shoulder. "You look great, Hef."

Obie turns back to the reporters. "We're going to have a great quarter."

"What's the world coming to when a guy's got to crash his own party?" Tony walks up, and Taylor follows up with "Honestly, it's sad."

Obie grins. "Look at you two. Hey, what a surprise."

"We'll see you inside."

Obie leans in to whisper to Tony. "Hey. Listen, take it slow, all right? I think I got the board right where we want them."

"Don't worry, Obie." Taylor reassures him as she follows Tony inside. "Just cabin fever. It'll just be a minute."

Tony, once inside, immediately steps up to the bar. "Get me a scotch, I'm starving."

Taylor just rolls her eyes and disappears into the crowd as Agent Coulson walks up to Tony.

"Mr. Stark?"

"Yeah?"

"Agent Coulson."

Tony blinks. "Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. The guy from the..."

"Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division." Coulson sighs.

"God, you need a new name for that."

"Yeah, your daughter said the same thing. Listen, I know this must be a trying time for you, but we need to debrief you. There's still a lot of unanswered questions, and time can be a factor with these things."

Tony looks over Coulson's shoulder at Obie talking to Taylor, who looks distinctly uncomfortable and is trying to actively back away without looking impolite. "Let's just put something on the books."

"How about the 24th at 7:00pm at Stark Industries?"

Tony glances at Coulson. "Tell you what. You got it. You're absolutely right. Well, I'm going to go talk to Taylor, and we'll make a date."

He walks over to Taylor and Obie. "Is everything okay over here?"

Obie instantly straightens up and smiles. "Yeah, of course Tony. Everything's fine."

Tony looks at his daughter. "Taylor?"

"Yeah, dad, like Obie said, everything's fine…"

Tony puts a hand on her shoulder. "You need some air. Go on."

Taylor heads towards the stairs as Tony nods to Obie and follows.

He quickly joins her on the roof, where Taylor is looking out towards the city. "What was that about?"

"Nothing, dad."

"It is not 'nothing'. You've been acting weird around him since I got back. Come on, Taylor, what's going on?"

Taylor stays silent, not looking at him.

"You can tell me, Taylor, I promise I won't get mad."

"You promise?"

"I do."

"Fine." Taylor sighs and turns around. "When you were…gone…Obie…remember that shipment that was supposed to go out a week after you came back?"

"Yeah, I gave it to R&D to handle."

Taylor shakes her head. "Obie didn't. Guess who was making 200 missiles in about a week?"

"You didn't."

"Did I have a choice?"

"Did you get any sleep?"

"Didn't have any time." She shrugs. "And you weren't there to see anything."

Tony clenches his jaw. "How dare he…you…I'm going to go-"

"Dad, no." Taylor puts a hand on his arm, and Tony relaxes slightly. "Don't, please, you need Obie in the company."

"Not as bad as I need you safe!"

"Daddy, please." Taylor pleads.

"Fine." Tony relaxes, but Taylor doesn't move her hand. "Want to go back downstairs?"

"Sure."

Tony walks back up to the bar, Taylor trailing not far behind. "Get me a vodka martini, extra dry, extra olives, extra fast. Dirty."

"And a Sprite, if you have that. Please." Taylor hops up next to her dad.

"Well it looks like Phil was right about you being agreeable."

"Sometimes." I shrug. "Someone has to."

She looks over his shoulder. "Dad, random woman from earlier approaching."

Tony quickly spins around just as the female reporter reaches him.

"Wow. Tony Stark. Fancy seeing you here."

Tony tilts his head. "Carrie?"

"Christine."

"Right."

"You have a lot of nerve showing up here tonight. Can I at least get a reaction from you?"

"Panic." Taylor supplies. "I would say panic is the reaction you're looking for."

"'Cause I was referring to your company's involvement in this latest atrocity."

Tony shrugs. "Yeah. They just put our names on the invitations. I don't know what to tell you."

Christine glares at him. "I actually almost bought it, hook, line and sinker."

"I was out of town," Taylor snorts softly, "for a couple months, in case you didn't hear."

"Is this what you call accountability?"

Taylor looks over Tony's shoulder at the pictures she hands him, pictures of Stark Industries weapons – including the Jericho and the Sherman - being used by the Ten Rings to attack civilians.

"It's a town called Gulmira. Heard of it?"

Tony's eyes harden. "When were these taken?"

"Yesterday."

"I didn't approve any shipment." Tony glances back at his daughter. "Taylor?"

She shakes her head. "No, I didn't."

"Well, your company did."

Tony and Taylor glance at each other. "Well, we're not our company."

Taylor, Tony, and Obie are shown on the red carpet outside.

Obie pushes away a camera. "Do you mind?"

"Have you seen these pictures? What's going on in Gulmira?"

Obie shakes his head. "Tony, Tony. You can't afford to be this naive."

"You know what? I was naive before, when they said, "Here's the line. We don't cross it. This is how we do business." lf we're double-dealing under the table..."

Taylor steps up, eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Are we?"

A reporter suddenly shouts. "Taylor, Taylor, you picture please!"

"Let's take a picture. Come on. Picture time!"

Obie throws an arms around Tony's shoulder and rests his other hand on Taylor's shoulder, ducking his head to whisper to them both.

"Tony, Taylor. Who do you think locked you out? I was the one who filed the injunction against you two. It's was the only way I could protect you."

Obie walks way, leaving both Starks staring after him in shock. Taylor wavers on her feet and Tony grabs her collar to keep her upright. They share a glance of fear and betrayal.

A~A~A

"That…that…he…what…"

Clint's barely comprehensible, so I pull him back into his chair before he hurts himself, then I look around the room.

Natasha is glaring at the screen and cursing again in obscure languages, Steve looks horrified and confused all at the same time, Bruce has his fists clenched and he looks like actually approves smashing people for once – namely Obie, and Thor has his fist clenching and unclench on his belt, where he normally keeps Mjolnir.

I just sigh and run a hand through my hair and try to contain the oncoming headache.

This was bad enough the first time.

Also, I call first shot at Crazy Witch girl.