AN: I'm back! Thank you for being patient, the last few days have been hell and just found some time to sit and upload the chapter. I will try to upload again within the week, but chances are that the next ch. will be up during the weekend. I will not hold you any longer, you waited long enough for me to actually put the ch. up. So, many thanks to my Beta MegaDiary123 and...

All rights go to Marvel


Skye's POV

I thought that being separated from computers for two days would be agonising. Especially after leaving the Academy, hacking would be the way to pass time and make a living and so it had become second nature to me. But I had to admit that it created an opportunity to get back to something that I had neglected ever since my arrival at the Tower. And that was physical exercise.

True, in my state, or more specifically the state that my arms were in, I couldn't do as much as I would like to do. But Tai Chi was always there for me to relax and lose my thoughts into. This focusing without straining myself too hard was something that I hadn't even realising that I had missed. A connection to May and Natasha that would never truly be lost. Also, J.A.R.V.I.S. had to report to Stark only if I were to go online, but not if I were to hit the gym. The billionaire had no idea about this part of my life, among others, and I was glad for it. After all, with the Expo coming closer and closer by the day he seemed to spend more and more time at his basement, building and upgrading his suits. So, all I had to do was use the facilities in my apartment and he had no idea what was going on. Because, of course and there would be a fully equipped gym in every apartment in the Stark Tower. Why not?

Apart from this time-passing activity I would spend some hours with Pepper. It would drive me crazy if I just stayed locked up in my room for 48 hours and Pepper truly needed someone to be there for her, and Stark wouldn't be the one no matter how much she wished for it.

She would talk and talk and talk. Sometimes it would be to herself as she went through analytics and arrangements that needed to be made. Other times she would address me and I would stay quiet and listen to her as she went on and on about her thoughts and what was going on. Honestly, being in the same room as her just for a few hours gave me more intel about the company, herself and Stark than any internet-based research would have in days.

And, apart from everything else, it was nice having someone who knew about my powers and past.

Pepper would more often than not ask me if I needed anything or if I were in any pain. Being used to act like a mother to Stark seemed to have stuck and she seemed to have adopted a similar role when dealing with me. It was cute if anything else. She reminded me of Jemma in this part.

We grew closer in the span of those days of my recovery and even on the day of the Expo when, as Stark had said, I was working since sunrise, she would knock on my door regularly just to make sure that I was alright and didn't need anything. After half the day had past, I couldn't stand the sound of her knuckles on my door every hour, or so, anymore. So I informed J.A.R.V.I.S. that if I were in the room and Pepper wished to enter she had my permission. But only if I was in the room, giving her full access all day and with no restriction was too much. I wanted to see how the restricted access would work out before I gave her more trust.

But when she came next time to see how I was doing, I found an ear-to-ear smile in my sign of trust. And to her credit, she didn't comment it at all, just checked that I didn't need anything and left.


It was incredible. Stark would get in trouble without even looking for it. I was on one of the Industries' private planes, flying to Malibu, California as I was watching the replay of his attendance at the Senate Armed Force Committee in DC that took place only this morning.

"The point is, you're welcome, I guess" Starks voice echoed through the plane. It was near the end of the whole ordeal.

"For what?" Senator Stern had to ask and make Stark start rambling about his achievements. It was obvious that the playboy didn't like the Senator and the guy provoked him all the time. I mean, come on. He was asking for it.

"Because I'm your nuclear deterrent. It's working. We're safe. America is secure. You want my property? You can't have it!" He was now hitting the desk with every word as he was speaking very passionately. " But I did you a big favour. I've successfully privatised world peace. What more do you want? For now!?" I turned the TV off after that.

Sitting back on my chair I pressed my fingers over my closed eyelids remembering the events of that day. Just as the Senator had pushed Stark to a corner, he took over the television's use for display of evidence and showing the U.S. trials with Justin Hammer to recreate Iron Man suits with trials and similar trials all over Asia. All failed, of course, since Stark's blueprints were safely secured and it was my job to make sure that they stayed that way. Given what I saw today, I wouldn't let that happen, not if it was up to me. And after all of that he disappeared and went to his mansion alongside with Pepper and his errand boy, Happy.

Pepper…

I still couldn't understand how she could stand Stark from time to time but from what I had gathered, it was all down to her love for him. I watched the news, with her in the background and I could tell that she was totally filled up with him.

While they were alone all evening in Malibu, I was working in the Industries which was a much more quiet place without them being present. I was wrapping everything up when Jar informed me that I got a call from Pepper. Curious about what she could want at that time and if something had happened with Stark I picked it up. And, yeah, something had indeed happened. Stark made Pepper the new CEO of Stark Industries. The arrangements would happen the next day for everything to be official and legally proper, but it was happening. And Pepper wanted me to get ready and leave for California with one of their private jets as soon as possible to continue working close to her as she took her new role in the company.

This was how I found myself, well past midnight on a jet and on my way to Pepper and Happy welcoming me to the airport with one of Stark's cars.

"Get in" he simply said without even leaving the car.

"Nice to see you too. How are you?" I asked as I placed my small language in the back sit and I sat in the front. He didn't even turn his head from looking at the road to glance at me. "Look, I get it. You don't like me or you are indifferent to my face. But we will be seeing each other frequently from here on out, so why not try to get along? Just give it a try" I let out a sigh and slumped onto my seat. He didn't reply and he kept the same facade until we reached the mansion and he showed me my room.

"It's not as big as the one you had in the Tower. You should get used to it, because this is it" and with that he disappeared to the corridor, probably heading for his own room.

Well, it appeared that he wasn't indifferent but just didn't like me. It also appeared that being Stark's personal bodyguard and errand boy was not a great job to have. And he wasn't in a position similar to Pepper's so he couldn't really express his opinion on the billionaire's behaviour. And then there was me, a new face in the close circle of Stark who could speak with him, and who was closer than many to the new CEO.

But, I didn't really care what he thought and if he knew that the smaller room that I got in the mansion, comparing to the apartment of the Tower, was a relief more than an annoyance he wouldn't be particularly happy.

Ha, I thought. I have never seen Happy happy… poor guy.


I was awake for at least a couple of hours before I heard a knock on the door with Pepper's voice following it. "So, how do you like the place?" She said and entered to see how I settled on the place.

"It's nice. I like the room, it's more my style. But hadn't really had the chance to wonder around to see the rest of the mansion" I said mindlessly with a smirk on my face.

"Sorry about that" Pepper said and I turned with a look of confusion, not understanding the reason for her apology. She was looking down and she was wearing a small frown that I didn't know where it came from. "I know that you had to come here in the middle of the night and considering the time difference between here and New York…"

"Don't even mention it" I walked up to her, hoping that my closeness to her would be enough to get her to actually look at me. When that wasn't enough, I faced myself and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Really, don't worry about it. You have a lot more in your plate now. I wasn't even tired when you called so I would have been up either way" I smiled when she finally lifted her head. "So, how do you feel about your new job?" I teased and moved back to my desk as she went to the small sofa in the room. "Hard?"

"Hard?" She laughed when she said the word while raising her eyebrows. "No. Hardness would be all the years that I was trying to run the company on Stark's behalf and get him to agree and sign for everything. I know how almost everything works by now and have the authority to do as I please for the best of the Industries. I just have a lot more to deal with and I have to have people I trust close to me. And I trust you, Skye"

She spoke of trust so easily, though we only knew each other for about a week. And, once again, she seemed to read my mind. "Yeah, I do trust you. Why do you think I got you here in the first place? The mansion doesn't have lots of rooms and the only ones here at the moment are the two of us, Happy and Tony. And this is why I am going to give you a promotion". She got up from the couch and just then did I notice the folder full of paperwork on the inside. She got out a couple of them and gave them to me.

I read through all the lines and was left with my jaw hanging open. "This gives me full access to all the cameras all over the Industries, plus access to all the files concerning the company. I– I don't know what to say" I lifted my face to see the smiling face of the woman.

"Don't say, do. Sign the papers" she handed me a pen. "Of course, nothing will be official until the new assistant that will come today and is from legal gets Tony's signature for my appointment as CEO. But I can't think of anyone better to keep an eye on this place and the people inside it". She pointed the papers, still held tightly in my hands, with her chin. "So, what do you say?"

"I can't even… thank you" was all I managed.

"As you said before, don't mention it" she went to place a hand on my shoulder but J.A.R.V.I.S. interrupted us.

"Ms. Potts, Natalie Rushman is in the entrance asking to see you"

"Please let her in, I'm going to the lobby to greet her" she said and I handed her the papers, now signed. "The notary's here" she declared and left to go meet her.