a/n: this chapter is brought to you in part by jennifer walters, the after hours album by the weeknd and vanilla wafers.

hope y'all don't mind a slow ass burn bc we've got a few more chapters of prelude. can't build a romance when you haven't built the character. or some shit like that. idk.


"Destruction leads to a very rough road, but it also breeds creation.

And earthquakes are to a girl's guitar, they're just another good vibration."

- Californication by the Red Hot Chili Peppers


Breaking News: Explosion At Stark Industries Labs, Authorities Suspect Domestic Terrorists


"There are two of them?!"

Logan and Jamie turned to face Pepper, matching looks of shocking confusion painted on their faces.

Pepper looked almost as confused as them. She opened her mouth to try and formulate an explanation, but clamped her mouth shut upon realizing that there was none to give. Not without revealing that she knew who was in the second, smaller suit.

Jamie, however, noticed the look in the Exec's eye. The look she saw in several sources' eyes when she'd ask them a question and get a vague response, or even just a blatant lie. The fear. The fear of saying too much. The defiance to give up a vital piece of information for safety of themselves or someone else. What was Pepper Potts hiding from them?

"You know, don't you?"

Pepper blinked. "Excuse me?"

"You know who's in the other suit." It wasn't a question.

Pepper looked like a deer caught in headlights with how wide her eyes were in that moment. It was at that moment that Jamie realized that she didn't need Pepper to tell her who was in the suit, it was almost painfully obvious.

If that giant robot Stane was in control of was the weapon that he referenced in his meeting with the Ten Rings, it had to be the weapon Tony Stark must've let behind in his escape from Gulmira. Somehow, someway... Stark managed to pull off making this work in a cave in Afghanistan, of course he was bound to keep perfecting his model- hence the much smaller, more compact suit she was seeing up in the sky.

Jamie felt a chill run up her spine in realization.

Tony Stark was the one in that suit flying up through the clouds at the speed of sound.

An alarm rang out somewhere. Sirens cried out in the distance. Screaming children on the freeway down below echoed across the walls around them. This wasn't a safe place to be right now.

"Hey, we need to get somewhere safe," Logan grasped at her arm, effectively snapping her out of her daze.

She shook him off and turned back to Pepper Potts. "Tony Stark is in that suit."

The strawberry blonde flushed. Her eyes darting around, glancing around at anything other than Jamie. "What? No. We don't know that. It could... it could be anyone. It could be-"

"That wasn't a question," Jamie snapped. Pepper went quiet. The journalist internally grimaced before letting out a sigh. "Look, I know you don't know me. And you're probably trying to protect your boss right now- I get that, I do. But... c'mon. This is clearly bigger than corporate bullshit and it involves more people than just Stark Industries."

Pepper pouted, her eyes shimmering with tears of both empathetic pity and frustrated inner turmoil over her ethical dilemma. She didn't interrupt, so Jamie continued.

"I'm tired of the smoke and mirror show. I want the truth. I just..." Jamie's voice hitched. "I just want answers."

Jamie wasn't sure why she was laying it all out there for the Executive Assistant. For all she knew, Pepper Potts could've been involved in some way with the chaos and turmoil within Stark Industries that led to her Dad's death. But there was something in the way Pepper looked at her almost sympathetically, like she understood the pain and loss and desperation that came with this company.

It was miniscule, but Jamie could see Pepper stiffly nod in agreement.

"It is him. Tony. In the- in the suit, I mean," she sniffled, her voice uneven and shaky.

Jamie and Logan paused.

"Wow. I didn't actually think that would work," Jamie muttered beneath her breath so only her colleague beside her could hear.

"You... knew?" Logan uttered.

Pepper shrugged. "It's a new development. It's why I called the Agents-"

"Agents?" Jamie raised an eyebrow.

She gestured wildly over in the direction towards the Labs. All the windows were blown out, glass scattered across the ground inside and outside the facility. Jamie could vaguely make out the bright light illuminating from the larger than life Arc Reactor.

"They're probably still trapped in the lab. I barely managed to make it out before..." she trailed off, her eyes falling down to the massive hole in the ground. Jamie didn't need reminding. If she had been even a few moments too late with the EMP launcher thingy, Pepper Potts would've been a cherished memory in the hearts and minds of all that knew her. "We should... Should we call someone?"

"Who? The National Guard or the Air Force?" Jamie retorted, a little more harsh than she intended. But the frustration was bubbling over in her chest as well as her panic. Her eyes trailed back up into the sky where she could vaguely make out what looked to be two objects flying down at an alarming speed. "Uh... guys."

Logan followed her gaze and noticed the two objects until both vanished somewhere among the many buildings around them. "Oh shit-"

"Tony!" Pepper gasped abruptly, her hand coming up to her earpiece. "Oh my God, are you okay?"

Jamie gaped. "He's alive?" After that fall? How could anyone survive that? How advanced was this suit that he made himself? It could fly, it was strong and it was durable. Obadiah's had enormous guns attached to it. Jamie didn't even want to think about what Tony's suit was fitted with.

As if on cue, an abundance of lights, sparks and thuds rang out from the roof of the Stark Labs building just a few floors above them. They were on the roof.

Smoke bellowed out from the edges of the roof and seeped out into the air above the group still standing idly down below.

"What- what are we supposed to do?" Logan began to panic.

Jamie glanced around at what was available to them at the moment. "Uh, the- the EMP launcher thing?"

Logan kicked the studded out weapon on the ground. A large spark flew out from the center. "Pretty sure it was short-lived."

"Uh," the redhead spun around. Her eyes stopped on the large tank a few yards away. "Can you hotwire a tank?"

Logan stared at her.

"...does it look like I know how to hotwire a tank?"

"Tony?" Both Jamie and Logan spun back around to try and gauge what Pepper was picking up from the billionaire playing dress up in a highly advanced weaponized metal suit. "...Well, how are you gonna do that?" Jamie frowned. Well, it looked like Stark had a plan. "Oh- okay..."

Slowly, Pepper began to make her way towards the front doors of the Labs.

"Where are you going?" Jamie hissed to no avail. Pepper kept walking until she'd made it through the field of shattered glass and three rows of blasted glass doors and windows that led her into the main lobby of the lab. "Screw this- give me your camera. The digital one."

Logan glanced down at Jamie's extended hand. "What? Why?"

"I'm getting my proof."

Logan hesitated. He saw the determined flicker in Jamie's eyes and knew there was no fighting her on this. Or talking her out of it either. She was bound to do something overly dramatic tonight. Logan figured that maybe launching an EMP probe at an enormous robot would be the last of it, but clearly he underestimated the woman's ability to get herself into even more death-defying situations.

He produced his handheld digital camera and handed it to her. "Please just... be careful."

Jamie nodded curtly. "Keep an eye on her," she jerked her head in the direction of where Potts continued her trek into the lab. "Also be aware of the Agents she was talking about. Feds will confiscate what we have the second they realize we're witnesses to this shit show."

And with those final words of wisdom, she was off. Logan watched her auburn curls bob up and down as she fell into a sprint towards the side of the building and around the corner out of sight.


The roof was dark.

Jamie could feel the thickness in the air as she stepped into the cloud of smoke. She maneuvered her way through the desolate rooftop by keeping close to vents and electrical boxes in case she needed to duck for cover. This was probably a really bad idea, sneaking up to the roof top where two metal suits were having a champion fight.

Tentatively, Jamie slid Logan's camera out of her jacket pocket and into her hand. She was shaking, but she tried not to think about it. She had a job to do. A job to finish.

"Urgh!"

Jamie gasped, ducking for cover behind a nearby wall when she heard the distinct sounds of fighting. Metal clashing with metal and robotic groans. Jamie couldn't see what was going on on the other side of the wall, but when she dared to peer around the corner, an object came flying out. She flinched away, but caught sight of a red and gold chrome armor lying flat on it's stomach in the center of the large glass roof fixture.

The reporter held her breath when she realized the helmet part of the suit was missing. From this vantage point, she was able to see the disheveled dark hair of Tony Stark's bare head.

There was more metal whirring and buzzing. Daring to steal another glance, Jamie leaned around the corner a little more. From there, she was able to see the large metal suit had opened itself up to reveal Obadiah Stane himself seated just above the glowing metal core. The metal suit he was in towered over Stark's at the end of the glass fixture. She could barely make out the gold and red helmet in Stane's robotic hand.

"I never had a taste for this sort of thing," Stane announced, his smile clear on his face and in his voice. That smug asshole. "But I must admit, I'm deeply enjoying the suit!" With a little bit of focus, Stane crushed the metal helmet in the palm of his enormous metal claw before tossing the crumpled remains back to where Stark lay stagnant.

This is it, Jamie told herself. This is your moment. This is where you take what your Dad never could.

"You finally outdid yourself, Tony!" Stane stomped towards the edge of the railing. "You've made your father proud."

Jamie propped herself up, her elbow on her knee and her hand holding up the digital camera. It was by no means professional-grade, but the flash still worked enough to get a clear picture of Stane in his suit. Even through the smoke and haze, there would be no denying who and what he was. Cold, hard evidence.

Stark began to rise.

Jamie angled the camera.

As Stane raised his arm to take aim, Jamie's finger rested on the 'capture' button.

"Love you to the moon and back, kiddo."

Jamie took a deep breath in.

Love you around Saturn's rings, Dad.

When she exhaled, her mind was set. She hit the button. The flash lit up the side of Stane's face, the back of Stark's head and the dark area surrounding them. The click of the camera was unmistakable.

The second the picture was taken, all Hell broke loose.

"You-" Stane sputtered, his eyes glaring daggers at her. Jamie froze like a deer caught in headlights. Before she could even think to react, Stane raised a metal arm and aimed the gun back at her.

"No- NO!"

She heard Stark shout just as she ducked behind the wall. She screamed bloody murder as bullets rained around her. Sparks flew out from the wall in front of her as pieces of metal and brick flew all around her. She tried to cover her head with her hands, but she could still hear the onslaught of rounds still pouring out all around her. It was a nightmare.

The gunshots only stopped after a loud explosion shook her to her core.

When she peeked out through her arms, Jamie could see the new target of Stane's never-ending rain of bullets was now a few yards away from her. Jamie's blood ran cold as she watched Tony Stark dangle from the glass fixture Stane was shooting relentlessly at.

"How ironic, Tony!" Stane spat. "Trying to rid the world of weapons... you gave it it's best one ever!"

"Pepper!" Tony shouted down into the lab as he dangled above what Jamie could only assume was the Arc Reactor down below.

"And now..." Stane sighed contently. "I'm going to kill you with it."

Jamie winced, tears of panic trickling down her cheeks upon realizing that this wasn't going to end the way Jamie wanted it to. With Obadiah Stane behind bars and with Tony Stark alive. Despite what his history was with weapons that led to her Dad's demise, she couldn't help but fear for his life. If there was one person capable of stopping Stane... it was him.

"C'mon," she muttered. "Get up."

She yelped, falling back after Stane let off the first missile that landed a few yards away from Stark. She took that as her cue to get the Hell out of Dodge.

Jamie was on her feet and dashing back the way she came. She faltered a bit when the second missile hit, almost in the exact spot she'd been in moments ago. The reporter only stopped for a second to steady the camera once more. Just one more shot and then she'd be done.

She zoomed in because there was a snow ball's chance in Hell that she'd survive if she got any closer while Stane was still letting off missiles. Another one hit the wall nearby, but Jamie remained diligent. Through the lens, she could make out the iconic hippie goatee Stark sported peeping out from where he hung, his metal armor still intact on the rest of his body. It wasn't the entire suit, but it would have to do.

She took the shot, the flash and click going off just as another missile hit another beam on the fixture Tony hung from.

Okay. Now it was time to go.

Jamie spun on her heel, her feet carrying her away as far and as quickly as they could go. Her feet landed on the sixth bar on the ladder when the entire building shook with a force so brutal, Jamie felt herself fall a few feet from the sheer blast. Her arms clutched at another bar as she hung on for dear life, bright lights and flickers of sparks and flames licked the edge of the roof where she had been just a couple seconds ago. Whatever that explosion was... Nothing could've survived it.

After the shaking stopped, Jamie managed to get herself back onto solid ground.

The second her feet hit the ground, she ran back towards the front of the labs.

"Logan? Logan?!" She looked around frantically for her photographer. Orange flames flickered all around the inside of the labs, the smoke made it impossible to pinpoint if Logan was inside. Or if anyone was inside really. "Miss Potts? Logan? Logan-?!"

"Over here!"

Jamie had to stop herself from crying out in relief upon spotting her photographer huddled behind the tank in the middle of the Lab parking lot. "Holy shit," she gasped, dashing over until her and Logan were wrapped in a firm embrace.

Logan pat Jamie's head, brushing away a few specks of ash and soot. "Glad you're not dead."

"'Cause you'd miss me?" she joking shot back as she pulled away.

Logan shrugged. "Well, that. And I'd be out of a job."

Jamie sighed, both the reporter and the photographer turning towards the charred remains of the Stark Industries labs and the Arc Reactor that had been inside of what looked to be more of an enormous bonfire. "We're still unemployed, technically."

Logan huffed out a bitter laugh. "You had to remind me right after we nearly got blown off the face of the Earth, huh?"

She shrugged, sparing her friend a wry smile. "I've always been more of a realist."

The pair fell into a content silence, watching as the fire festered while plumes of dark smoke billowed up into the night sky.

Jamie's heart sank. "Did Miss Potts make it out?"

Logan nodded, gesturing towards where the car they had brought sat. Sure enough, the strawberry blonde peeked out from behind one of the opened doors and glanced up in horror at the building in a blaze.

"And Stark?"

Both Jamie and Logan turned towards where Pepper had her eyes fixated on the roof.


It took all of five minutes before the Stark Industries Lab was flooded with authorities from every known branch.

FBI, CIA, LAPD, LAFD, the EMT's, Counterterrorism Units.

Every cop under the sun was covering the place like it was biohazard. While Pepper Potts was being overlooked by hasty EMT's and pesky FBI Agents pestering her for statements and an eye-witness account, Jamie Archer and Logan Zimmerman were trying their hardest not to look too suspicious as police of every sector walked past them.

Having been instructed to stay put for "further questioning," they were like two fish in the middle of the ocean at night surrounded by sharks.

"Maybe they won't notice if we make a run for the car," Jamie muttered beneath her breath so the EMT's examining her and Logan wouldn't catch wind of their scheming. She tugged the warm blanket the EMT's had given her to keep her body heat regulated up over her mouth, scared a police officer would take the opportunity to come and start taking statements.

Logan frowned. He had a large bruise on his forehead- from what, he still couldn't recall. "They'd pull us over before we made it out of the parking lot."

Jamie pouted. Okay, Plan B. "We could... make it on foot? Pick up the car when the place isn't crawling with cops?"

"We could do that," Logan nodded. "But then they'd impound the car and just question us when we'd eventually go to pick it up."

Jamie deflated. He was always shooting down her bright ideas. What came after Plan B? She didn't really have another plan besides escape.

"Okay, I have a plan."

Jamie pushed the blanket off her shoulders and rubbed her palms together. Logan watched with uneasiness as his colleague reached into her pocket and produced the digital camera she'd taken earlier. Her fingers worked fast and diligently as she dug the SIM card from out of the small cartridge on the side, being careful not to let the miniscule tab drop to the asphalt.

"Take this," she handed him the small card before digging back into her pocket for something else. "And take these." Logan struggled to hold all of the things she was handing him now. Her cell phone. Her wallet. Her tape recorder. "Call yourself a cab. I'll cause a distraction, but you've gotta promise me something."

Logan's eyebrows furrowed. He glanced sideways at Jamie, suspicious of her plan. "Okay..."

"Promise you'll bail me out as soon as you can. We need to get the scoop on this story ASAP before vultures like Everhart and that asshole from NPR beat us to it."

"Okay." Logan agreed without hesitation.

It wasn't until she had already began walking towards their rental car that he finally processed her words.

"Wait, what do you mean 'bail out'?" He called after her, but it was too late.

He watched her dark auburn ponytail bounce as she jogged over to the car door. Maybe it was intentional, but he could see the digital camera in her hand as she swung the front door open and made a show of slamming it shut behind her. Logan glanced around hastily, trying to see if any authority was planning on stopping her.

The car started up, loud enough for a nearby cohort of men in black suits to hear. They were dashing after the vehicle backing out of the Stark Labs parking garage at full speed, but not fast enough to catch her as she pulled out into the street.

Logan took the opportunity to rush towards a far-off corner while the rest of the cops and agents scrambled to go after their witness runaway.

He was shocked at how well Jamie's plan was working out. Shocked all the way up until he was able to hail down a taxi and spotted their rental car pulled off to the side of the road a few blocks away, a swarm of police cruisers parked around it.

Logan slumped back into his seat, his fingers playing with the SIM card in his hand. Now all he had to do was wait for her one phone call.


"Well, Miss Archer, if that's the last of your statement, we'll be finishing up here. Thank you for your time."

Jamie sat back in her chair, her arms crossed over her chest and her eyes peering up through her frizzy bangs at the two detectives across the metal table from her. They'd brought her to an interrogation room after pulling her over and sticking her in the backseat of a cop car. This wasn't the first time Jamie had been arrested, and with where her life was headed, it definitely wouldn't be the last.

She was able to keep her composure through the two and a half hours of questioning and interrogation. Lying through her teeth about "happening" upon the fiery scene at Stark Industry Labs was pretty amusing. Lying about how she obtained the Stark EMP Probe Launcher was not as amusing.

Still she was able to manage through her bullshit excuses and come out unscathed.

"And just for future reference, Miss Archer," one of the detectives paused at the door to address her.

Jamie raised her chin. "Hm?"

"Try not to leave the scene of an active crime in such a rush next time. Deadlines can wait. Our investigation cannot."

Jamie nodded enthusiastically. "Of course, Detective. I understand. It won't happen again." The Detective smirked at her just before slipping out of the door with his partner. Jamie counted to ten, waiting. When she was sure no one behind the double-sided glass mirror on the wall was listening in, she rolled her eyes and huffed, "Prick."

Her shoulders slumped back as she allowed relaxation to take hold. The mask of calm she'd previously worn was starting to wear off as the exhaustion and action from the last couple of hours finally caught up to her.

It was hard to process what had actually happened at the lab. The enormous metal armor hiding Obadiah Stane behind a pane of iron. Tony Stark sporting the gold and red armor on the roof. The explosions, the threats... the truth.

Stane's goal was never to take over an empire or acquire more money. His goal was world domination. Jamie could recall words her father had said to her once about men and their guns. "The world's most powerful men don't pray for power. They pray for chaos because they're the only ones with the means to remain on top when the world crumbles at their feet." Jamie ran her fingers over the ring looped around her neck as his words remained on replay in her head, a silent mantra only she'd remember now that he was gone.

The door to the interrogation room clicked.

Jamie sat up, half-expecting the police officers to finally return with her release forms and a cell to make her one phone call to Logan.

What she wasn't expecting was a man in a black suit to enter. She analyzed him from his polished brown Oxfords to the off-white patch of cloth on his chest and the fitted sewing on the lapels of his jacket. This wasn't any business man off Wall Street she was face-to-face with. It was a federal agent.

The agents Pepper Potts had mentioned calling.

Jamie could feel her insides churn at the infinite amount of reasons this particular agent could've been there for.

"Jamie Archer," the Agent greeted her with a smile that held a trace of friendliness, but Jamie wasn't blind to see that the depth of that smile only went so far. "I'm Agent Larson. I'm here to ask you a couple questions about what happened-"

"Look, I've already given a full statement to the police on what happened-"

"-at Stark Labs!" the Agent finished his previous statement. His voice echoed across the room, effectively cutting Jamie off. She felt like a little girl again, getting scolded by administrators in the headmaster's office back at the Academy.

The Agent- Agent Larson, apparently- smiled down at her in a feeble attempt to restore his friendly approach that he'd entered the interrogation with. But it was too late for that. Jamie knew what he was. Who he was.

"We just want to be thorough, Miss Archer. I'm sure you understand what thorough entails. Especially as a reporter with the Daily Globe," Agent Larson drawled on. He snapped his fingers a beat after his initial statement. "Oh- wait. You're no longer employed by the Globe."

Jamie's jaw clenched and, just as quickly, unclenched.

He was playing a game with her. He wanted to make it known that he knew who she was; tidbits of her life that no normal everyday cop would know. It was an intimidation tactic. But Jamie wasn't going to fall for it.

"Who's 'we'?" The redhead tilted her head up.

Agent Larson looked a little confused by her question. "Excuse me?"

"You said 'we just want to be thorough'... Who's 'we'?" she prompted. "What agency did you say you were apart of, Agent?" She made sure to spit the word agent out like it was poison on the tip of her tongue.

"Not one you would be familiar with."

"Try me."

A ping of satisfaction rippled through her chest when she saw the way Agent Larson's face fell for a split second. For that moment, she saw the man underneath the title of 'Agent.'

Agent Larson crossed his arms over his chest. There was a beat of silence before he finally answered her question. "Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division."

Jamie pulled a face. "That's a mouthful. How do you remember it? Is there an acronym or something-"

"Let's stick to subject at hand, Miss Archer."

Jamie frowned as Agent Larson pulled up the chair across the table from her. "I'll stick to the subject when you stop repeating my name to remind me that you know it."

Agent Larson tilted his head. "Fair enough." Jamie watched the man take a seat across from her, placing his elbows on the table and clasping his hands. Jamie mimicked the movement just to spite the asshole. "I don't need another debrief on whatever happened tonight. We've already concluded our investigation of the full timeline of events leading and during the anomaly at Stark Labs."

"Then what do you want with me?"

"It's not about what I want with you, but rather what I need from you," he corrected. "Pepper Potts and several other eye witness accounts put you and your photographer, Logan Zimmerman, at the scene of the event. They concurred what we suspected that you were there to capture what occurred on camera." Jamie's mouth went dry. "Now, we've already processed the camera we got off of you upon your arrest, but it, uh- well, I'm sure you're already aware that it's missing it's SIM card."

He was expecting an answer. A reaction. Some form of evidence that could prove her guilt.

Jamie kept her mouth shut and facial expressions stoic.

Agent Larson leaned in closer. "I'm gonna need that SIM card, Miss Archer."

The reporter leaned forward, mirroring his actions yet again. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Agent Larson's eye twitched in agitation. "Miss-"

"Jamie Archer."

The door to the interrogation room swung open to an officer standing in the doorway. He glanced over the Agent's shoulder to the woman across the table from him. "You Jamie Archer?" She nodded. "You've made bail. You're free to go and your ride's out front."

Saved by the bell.

With a sly smile on her face, Jamie pat the metal table as she turned to Agent Larson. "It was a pleasure meeting you. I'm sorry I couldn't be more help to find the missing evidence, Agent." And with that, the smug young woman practically dashed out of the interrogation room, all too eager to put distance between herself and possible jail time.

Upon walking out of the interrogation room, getting her few belongings back from evidence and signing out with the precinct front desk, Jamie was fully expecting to find her ride out front to be Logan. She was pleasantly surprised when her ride happened to be someone completely different.

She was halfway down the precinct stairs when she faltered for a moment. Nick Park leaned casually against the side of a silver BMW. He wasn't wearing his consulting FBI windbreaker anymore, so it was a little hard to point him out in the dark with all the black and grey he wore. He looked like a college kid with his hair haphazardly whipped from the wind, wearing a grey sweater, black skinny jeans and black Vans. She wondered if this was his usual attire for picking up women after bailing them out of jail.

"Hey," he nodded.

She awkwardly waved. "Hi..." Jamie made her way down the rest of the stairs until she was a few feet away from Nick and his car. "You, uh, you bailed me out of jail?"

Nick chuckled. "I have a friend in the precinct. Also your photographer called me- uh, Liam? Lenny? Leo-"

"Logan."

"Logan." He snapped his fingers. "I didn't realize you gave him my number."

Jamie shrugged. "Emergency purposes. Thank you, by the way. You didn't have to bail me out. I was going to call Logan as soon as they gave me my one phone call."

"They feed you prison food?" Jamie tried to cover her laugh with a cough. "Did you get yourself a bitch?" She didn't try and hide her laugh this time. "I see they didn't let you shower in there. Even looking like shit, you look gorgeous."

Jamie smirked. "How charming. I bet you use that line on all the girls."

"Only the ones I bail out of jail." Jamie tried not to let his words get to her head too much, but even she couldn't help the butterflies in her stomach when Nick brought a hand up to her shoulder to brush some of her back. "I heard about what happened at Stark Labs. You okay?"

The sincerity in his voice made her knees weak. "I, uh..." She shook her head. "I don't really wanna talk about it right now. I think I just need to get home, shower-" Nick chuckled at that. "-and maybe try and get some sleep after this nightmare of a day... a month, really."

"Alright. Well, let me drive you back to your hotel. It's the least I can do-"

"No, no, no- you've probably dropped a good chunk of money bailing me out. Plus, you put your job on the line raiding SI's office this morning for us. Really, I've asked you for enough favors to last a while," the redhead insisted.

"You can always pay me back on a later day," Nick suggested, a smirk playing at the edge of his mouth as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "There's a pretty impressive omelet bar at this winery in Calabasas if you're free sometime next week."

Jamie opened her mouth only to close it after a beat.

Well, she certainly wasn't expecting that. Then again, this was the... second time he'd be asking her out now. Maybe she should've expected it.

Her brain felt like putty, the adrenaline was slowly fading away and the exhaustion from running this story was finally catching up to her. She was barely presentable after the past 24 hours involved in a fire fight with two high-tech robotic suits and ending up in police custody, she wasn't quite sure if she was even ready to date after the emotional toll these past couple months had taken on her.

"I, uh... maybe- possibly-"

"You don't have to give me an answer now. Maybe just give me a call some time soon, even if it is just to ask for my help in pulling strings with the FBI." Jamie's eyes crinkled as she laughed at his jab at her. Nick gestured towards the car, "May I?" He opened the passenger door for her.

Reluctantly, the reporter let out a heavy exhale. There wasn't a scenario that he'd give up on getting her home safely. Nick Park just wasn't that type of guy, or at least that was the impression she got from him so far after only knowing him for less than a week. Maybe a week was all she needed. After all, a week ago she didn't have a complete story.

"You may."

Jamie allowed Nick to help her into his BMW, not paying too much attention to the way his fingers lingered intertwined with hers for a moment before shutting the door behind her. Maybe when this whole situation with Stark and Stane was behind her, she'd be able to pull on the string Nick was leaving out for her to take. But until then, she had a job to get back to. And an employer to publish it... hopefully.


From: jjjameson1

To: JaymeArchr777

attached file

You're an incredibly difficult woman to get into contact with. My secretary has been trying to find your personal email since word got around that you dropped the Globe. Congratulations.

This is a formal invitation for a collaboration with the Daily Bugle. I've read your work and can say with full confidence that the Daily Bugle needs more reporters like yourself, Miss Archer. I've gotten word about a free-lancing story you're chasing out in California. My ears are open to any pitches or potential stories you may have.

With regards and thinning patience,

- J.J. Jameson


When Jamie was little, her mom had enrolled her in a ballet class. It was more or less to appease her Grandma Imogen with a fun activity that she considered to be 'rich with life lessons.' Whatever the Hell that meant.

Jamie hated ballet. The weird exercises, the lack of balance she had, the prissy rich girls in her class, being the center of attention during recitals. Jamie was always more of a shy girl in her youth, a homebody. So the second the bright spotlights shined down on her as she stood front and center of the large stage... something in her just shut down. It was as if she dreaded even moving an inch in the light that the people in the crowd would really see her.

After she'd eventually ran off the stage enough times for her instructor to grow frustrated, her parents pulled her out of the class and promised her she'd never have to go back.

Now, in the present day, Jamie Archer stood idly in the large expanse of Tony Stark's driveway, her feet nervously shuffling as she waited for someone to tell her what to do as if she were back on that bright stage waiting for her cue.

The Stark Labs Incident was plastered across every newspaper headline under the Sun. The Chronicle had even coined the name 'Iron Man' for Stark's compact suit, even going as far as labeling Stane's much larger suit the 'Iron Monger.' It had already been a week since the incident and Jamie had yet to hear anything else from the news coverage on the event. It seemed that all anyone wanted to know was who was under the masks of these armors. There were so few people who knew the truth about what happened that night at the Labs... Jamie was one of them.

The young reporter was expecting someone from Stark Industries to contact her soon about what her and Logan had witnessed. It wasn't long before someone did finally get into contact with her, it just wasn't what she had been expecting. In fact, she almost didn't believe her eyes when a text popped up on her phone at 3am while she was elbow-deep in a rough draft of her piece and dozens of documents scattered on the floor of their motel room.

Jamie had almost buckled over in disbelief upon reading the notification.

One (1) New Message from Unknown Number:

Coffee?

- T. S.

After arranging a few details and after a strenuous forty minutes trying to navigate her way to the Stark Malibu Mansion on the edge of the California Coastline, Jamie was here... Waiting... Or maybe she was stalling. She wasn't quite sure what she was doing here outside of Tony Stark's front door holding a printed copy of the final draft of her article, but something told her it was better to face this quickly before the Stark Industries Press Conference took place the next day.

The young reporter probably stood outside the excessively large entrance to the mansion for a good ten minutes, debating whether to knock or just wait some more... or run back to the rental car and hope and pray Tony Stark never tried to contact her again.

Six months ago, Jamie would have jumped at the opportunity to have a one-on-one with Tony Stark. Hell, this entire mess started the day she tracked him down to Caesar's Palace with nothing but dumb luck and a voice recorder. But today, all that she wanted was to disappear in a puff of smoke before someone saw her here.

Around the eleven minute mark of her standing idly outside, the front door opened to a group of men dressed in black suits wearing sunglasses. Her initial thought was 'why are these douchebags wearing sunglasses inside?', but the moment they started towards a large brigade of SUV's off to the side of the driveway, opposite her rental car, Jamie quickly realized that she recognized one of the men.

Her head tilted, her eyes narrowed in the blazing California Sun as she strained to see if what she was seeing was just a trick of the eye. The man at the forefront of the group of suited men happened to be very familiar... she could point out Agent Larson at the far end of the group walking towards the car, but it wasn't Agent Larson from the Strategic... shit, she didn't even remember whatever long name he'd given her the night she'd been arrested.

Jamie did, however, recognize the man who looked to be leading the men in black. His jaw was familiar, the shape of his face, and more importantly- the hairline she distinctly remembered seeing... Where she knew him from, she wasn't sure.

"Phil?"

Jamie hadn't meant to call out the name that tumbled off her tongue, almost as if it were a tentative question.

The redhead was prepared to embarrass herself when no one reacted to the name. Until someone did.

The familiar man with sunglasses jerked his head in her direction at the sound of the name... His name.

Suddenly, it all fell together like pieces in a puzzle. Phil. That was what he'd said his name was when she went to collect her Dad's insurance money. The man who had given her his last belongings that consisted of the letter (which remained unopened back in her apartment), the photos her Dad had of them, and the Tim keychain from Coney Island that kicked off this entire debacle.

Just as soon as he turned at the sound of his name and the second his eyes fell on her from across the driveway, he quickly turned away. She could practically see the fear in his facial expression before he scrambled into the driver's seat of one of the SUV's.

What was an insurance agent doing among Federal Agents? Jamie couldn't help but ponder these questions as the brigade of vehicles sped off and away from the Stark Mansion.

"Hey! Loiterer!"

Jamie spun back around, standing ramrod straight at the sound of a new voice coming from the double door glass entrance of the mansion.

Tony Stark leaned against one of the open doors, a playful pout on his face as he gestured towards her. "You gonna stand out there all day? Hate to break it to you, Lois Lane, but I'm not looking for another statue for my driveway right now."

Jamie fought the urge to roll her eyes at his quip. It was almost as if he could sense her anxiety from where he stood in his doorway. Taking him up on his invitation- and now that her escape plan was rendered void- Jamie had no choice now but to make her way into the Stark Mansion.

She wasn't sure what she was expecting from the world's most prolific billionaire's house to look like, but maybe she was too poor to actually process just how impressive it was. Floor to ceiling windows overlooking the Pacific Ocean, stairwells winding down both sides of the impressive expanse of the space large enough to fit three whole houses inside, the stainless- almost mirror-like- black tile floors. Jamie had to step lightly in fear of smearing anything.

"So, you want anything to eat? Drink? I've got Toaster Strudels, Pop-Tarts, Raisin Bran Cereal- the good kind. Uh, Coke, Dr. Pepper, Earl Grey Tea, Coffee-" Stark listed off as he led her through the equally impressive kitchen. As Jamie stumbled into one of the kitchen island bar stools, she watched the billionaire scrummage through the many cabinets and drawers. He looked a little lost for someone who was quite literally in his own kitchen.

"Um, water's fine," Jamie shrugged. It felt odd having the billionaire practically waiting on her. And offering things as mundane as Pop Tarts and Coke. There was a time where those were considered expensive treats for days when her Work Study job and Internship checks came through during her undergrad.

"You sure?" She nodded in response. "I make a mean latte."

"I wouldn't want you to burn yourself, Mr. Stark."

Stark groaned aloud. "Please- no Mr. Stark. It's Tony. You saved Pepper's life, nearly got yourself killed at my Lab last week. You can call me by name, Ariel."

Jamie nodded slowly. "Well, then, my name isn't Ariel or Lois Lane. It's-"

"Jamie Elizabeth Archer."

The redhead jumped at the sound of her name being echoed through the kitchen walls, coming from a voice unseen and definitely not Stark's- Tony's.

"24-year-old former junior reporter with the Daily Globe, NYU alumni and Boston Native," the mysterious voice continued.

Jamie spun around in her seat, still searching for the source of the voice relaying her life information to her from the ceilings. "What the fuck...?" she uttered in awe.

"Oh, don't mind him. He tunes in from time to time," Tony waved off as he poured what looked to be a glass bottle of Scotch into two small glasses.

Jamie eyed the glasses, but paid more attention to his choice of words. "'Him'?"

"The AI program built into the house's mainframe. Just Another Rather Very Intelligent System."

"Just Jarvis for short, ma'am," the voice chimed in.

Jamie frowned, nodding idly. Of course Tony Stark would have an AI built into the mainframe of his mansion. And of course only he would refer to his multi-million dollar mansion as a 'house.' The place was a military compound with a view and a fully stocked cabinet of liquor.

Tony held out one of the glasses towards her. "Johnnie Walker?"

Jamie gawked. "...It's eleven in the morning."

Tony shrugged, pouring what was supposed to be her glass into his own, filling it to the brim before taking a swig. "Five o'clock somewhere," she heard him mutter beneath is breath.

As he turned back towards the cabinets, in the morning light she was able to see the bruises that marked his cheekbones and a slowly healing scar on the bridge of his nose. Stane had certainly done a number on him. She couldn't imagine how his suit must've looked after taking quite the beating from the so-called Iron Monger.

"Whatcha got there?" Tony prompted as he set her water glass in front of her, gesturing towards the stack of papers she'd laid out in front of her.

"It's uh..." she immediately ducked her head, not quite sure if she was ready for Tony Stark to see the story she'd worked so hard on and had poured her blood, sweat and tears into completing. "It's the article. I finished it the other night. I don't even really know why I brought it, I just thought... thought you might want to read it before it goes out tomorrow after the Press Conference."

Tony's smirk fell from his face as he glanced from her to the papers in front of her. He took another quick swig of his Scotch. "May I?" he pointed down at them.

Jamie was hesitant, but she already told him that she'd wanted him to read it... If what she had said was really true, then why was she terrified for when he finally did read it?

Carefully, she slid the stack towards him and watched as he traded his drink for the article. He'd only read a little past the title and the lede when he smirked. Not a mocking smirk, but rather a fond almost-smile. "Hm, I see the 'Iron Man' name may be sticking, huh?"

Jamie huffed. "Well, it was between that and 'the Tin Man with a Glowing Heart.'"

Tony actually laughed aloud at her quip.

As he continued to read, Jamie tried her best to decipher his facial expressions. Thankfully for her, he was a very easy person to read especially when his reactions were so comically over reactive at certain points throughout the article. Her nerves began to grow overwhelming the further into the piece Tony got. She found herself taking him up on his offer of Johnnie Walker, biting back a gag after downing the shot in one go.

"Hmm."

Jamie glanced across the marble kitchen island counter to find Tony lost in thought. It looked as though he'd made it to the last page of the article. His eyebrows were furrowed and he had a hand over his mouth, covering what looked like a semi-frown. Whether it was a frown of concentration or just because he didn't like her writing was difficult to tell. It wasn't until he glanced up at her with an expression void of any discernable emotion that her heart suddenly dropped to her stomach and her blood ran cold.

"You hate it."

It wasn't a question. It was a horrified realization. Tony Stark hated her piece. This article she poured her blood, sweat, and tears into for the past six months- he hated it. God, this was such a mistake-

"It's not bad, actually."

Jamie paused. There was a beat of silence as she stared at the genius with a look of pure confusion mixed with a bit of curiosity. He... didn't hate it?

Tony set the stack of papers down back on the counter between them. "I like it. It's... a lot better than what I've been seeing about what happened on the news."

Jamie imagined their thoughts were both going back to the poorly put together breaking news column Christine Everhart had slapped on the third page of Variety's latest issue last minute, along with a handful of other poorly reported segments on nightly news channels across the US.

But as the moment lingered, Jamie couldn't help the shy smile that began to work it's way across her face. He liked it. All her hard work and he actually didn't hate what she had to say about him. It was like a giant anvil had just been pushed off her shoulders and she could breathe easier now.

"But you can't publish it."

The moment of bliss and satisfaction was suddenly popped just as abruptly as it came.

"What?" She gawked. Tony frowned, but didn't show any signs of kidding around with her. "Seriously? Why- why not? I mean, this is everything I've worked for. What you worked for. Don't you want people to know the truth?"

Tony looked troubled. He leaned on the counter with his elbows, the whiskey in his glass swirling as he idly spun it in his hand. "Here's the thing-" he abruptly slapped his hands together, rubbing them before continuing. "I want you to publish this piece. It's great. You worked hard for it, and... Hell, I probably owe you a lot more than just my approval. But I- I can't. It's out of my hands. You can't publish it. I'm sorry."

Jamie couldn't believe what she was hearing. With every word Tony spoke since initially telling her she couldn't publish her work, she could feel that anvil weight slowly coming back to crush her dreams and spirit.

"So, that's it?" was all she could manage to muster up as she tried to find the words for just how disappointed and confused she was in the moment.

Tony frowned. He looked as though he'd resigned to the fact that while they both knew what was right, he couldn't- for some unknown reason- have the truth getting out.

"No."

Tony stood straighter at her abrupt refusal. Why would he even begin to think that this was going to be an easy task, getting Jamie Archer not to report on something? Jamie could see he clearly hadn't been expecting that, but she stood her ground.

"No," she repeated in a more firm tone of voice. Her hand came up to slowly slide the article papers back towards her. "I was nearly killed- twice- for this article. I quit my job, travelled across the country, my intern travelled across the globe for this." She placed her palm atop the papers. "I've regretted a lot of decisions in my... so far short career, but I'm not going to let this be one of them. I worked for the truth, my Dad died for the truth-"

"Look, I want this for you. I do," Tony insisted. "But I've got-"

"You've got what? Authorities telling you what to do and what not to do?"

"Exactly!" He exclaimed as if they were on the same page.

Her unimpressed look told him differently. "Since when has Tony Stark ever done what someone's told him to do?"

Tony looked a little taken aback by that. He looked as though he wanted to argue, but couldn't. He let out a humorless laugh, taking a quick sip of whiskey.

Jamie shook her head, still unable to wrap her head around any of this or why he was doing it. "They're covering their ass and you know it. Who's to say they didn't play a part in all of this? I mean, why step in now after everything has already played out? Who are these people anyway? Strategic... Something?" she trailed off. God, she was really bad at making arguments out loud. She was much better at it on pen and paper.

Tony tilted his head slightly. "I see you've met the Men in Black," he mused. "And yeah- their name definitely is a mouthful."

Jamie's head fell, her eyes falling to her lap as she tried not to let her brain scramble puzzle pieces trying to work out why she saw her Dad's insurance agent walking with a group of government agents outside of Tony Stark's mansion. There was something wrong. Really wrong. First Stane, now whatever this was. She couldn't keep hitting road blocks and expecting to always come out on top, but there were just some strings she had to keep pulling.

"You know that they're just trying to control the narrative, right?"

"Oh, for sure." Tony pursed his lips, the glass at his lips as he took another sip to finish off his drink. "I have questions of my own."

The redhead furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Then why do what they tell you to do? Do they really know best?" Tony didn't answer. Probably because he more than likely didn't have an answer. At this point, Jamie had had enough. "I'm running it," she stated. She made a move to stand, grabbing the papers in the process so Tony didn't have a chance to stop her.

"Woah. Hold on-" the billionaire tried to protest.

"I have a source at the Daily Bugle. It'll be hitting the papers not long before the Press Conference that your company is holding at HQ. Maybe I'll see you there if you don't sue me for libel-"

"Wait."

Jamie halted at that. She had already collected most of her things, not even bothering to touch the water glass he'd given her earlier. She readjusted the sleeve on her jacket as she awkwardly waited for Tony's argument or proposal.

The billionaire could only stare at her for a moment. It looked almost as if he were searching for something in her that she couldn't see. He pursed his lips, sighed, and looked down at his clasped bruised hands. "Give me until the Press Conference."

"What?"

"Hold off on running the story until after the Press Conference," he reiterated as he glanced back up at her. "Let me just... mull it over for a couple days. Then I'll make my decision."

Jamie couldn't help but smirk. "You offering me a scoop, Stark?"

"Possibly... Lois."

Jamie rolled her eyes. She nodded towards the billionaire before starting her departure. She really did have other things to do- like get the piece to the Daily Bugle as soon as possible as well as figure out some living arrangements for when her and Logan's motel funds ran dry. "See you around," she said lamely. She gave him a pathetic wave on the way out.

"Hey, kid." She stopped just before she'd made it out of the large kitchen and turned back towards where Tony was. "Thank you."

Jamie frowned, "You're the one who saved the day. Why are you thanking me?"

"For throwing me a bone when I... definitely didn't deserve it," he clarified.

A warm feeling spread throughout Jamie's chest at that. She really did put everything on the line in hopes that someone, anyone would hear her calls for help. Jamie Archer was just a broke girl from Boston with a degree in journalism and mass communication, there was only so much she could do with the few puzzle pieces she'd managed to put together. It was really her faith in Tony that got them to where they were now. Standing idly in his oversized kitchen reflecting on just where the past six months had taken them.

Jamie ducked her head. "Thank you for taking it, Tony."


The Press Conference came a lot faster than Jamie had anticipated.

JJ Jameson was persistent, but she was able to keep her word to Tony about keeping her story under wraps until after the event. However, she didn't promise him that she wouldn't have her email open the day of waiting for the second the conference was over so she could hit Send to Jameson.

"You're gonna break it."

Jamie was pulled from her thoughts by the familiar voice of Nick Park bringing her back to where she was. In a crowded room surrounded by reporters and officials from nearly every agency and major news outlet. This was a big Press Conference, one that had been anticipated for some time now and was only open for those who got an invite. Thankfully, Jamie knew the guy in charge.

However, how Nick managed to get in was beyond her. Especially since the last time he was here at Stark Labs was when he'd helped run a FBI raid through their general office. It wasn't likely Stark Industries welcomed him back so soon after that.

"What?" Jamie sounded like an idiot with her answer, but she was pretty caught off guard by his presence.

Nick chuckled, his hand coming down to tug at her fingers that were idly twisting and twirling her necklace. Jamie dropped the necklace, letting Nick pull her fingers until they were loosely entwined with his. "You're nervous. It's normal," he explained as he lowered himself to take a seat on an open surface along the back wall of the conference room beside Jamie.

Jamie shook her head. "I don't even know why I'm nervous. I already have the story..." Her free hand lingered above the keyboard of her laptop on her lap. Her index finger tracing the Enter key that was locked on Send. "... just a few more minutes."

"Hey," Nick pushed his fingers further until they were fully holding hands now. He squeezed to get her attention. "Whatever happens... at least know you have job security if it doesn't pan out in your favor." When Jamie frowned in confusion, he smirked. "I can still pull a few strings at Senator Corrigan's office. They'd kill to have someone like you pulling the PR strings."

Jamie snorted.

"What?" When Jamie kept giggling beneath her breath, Nick pressed. "What? What is it?"

"I just-" she giggled one more time. "I just can't imagine myself working for the people I write pieces about. Power hungry. Arrogant. Rich-"

Nick feigned a wince. "Ouch."

"Look me in the eye and tell me you like your job," Jamie turned towards Nick, looking him dead in his soft brown eyes. When all Nick could do was smirk and shake his head, she knew she had him. "Thank you... for the offer. But I think I may just go back to my old job at the underground duel piano bar on Broadway. Work my way back up to possibly a PA on the set of Good Morning America."

Nick outwardly laughed at that causing a couple of reporters near the back of the crowd of people getting settled in to look back at them in annoyance. "Sorry," he grimaced as Jamie covered her mouth to hide her laugh.

This was nice. Being there with Nick, knowing she had job security whether the Press Conference panned out in her favor. Knowing she had a support team behind her. Logan was already back in New York where Margot and Mickey were anxiously awaiting her return. And her family...

Jamie frowned at her brain's reminder that her family actually existed still.

Actually existed and were fully in her business, yet again. She'd gotten a call not long after the incident at Stark Labs that her family lawyer would be in bound from DC immediately because of course her Grandma had access to a family lawyer in DC. She had probably heard about her granddaughter's arrest via the Los Angeles County District Attorney who used to play high stakes poker with Jamie's Grandpa.

Jamie squeezed Nick's hand as a silent gesture of gratitude for bailing her out of jail before her family's attorney beat him to it. She just hoped he wouldn't hold it over her head like she knew her family was bound to.

"Looks like they're about to start," Nick budged her arm with his.

Jamie abruptly dropped his hand and straightened herself out. Her eyes traveled across the room of reporters as people began to take their seats and cameramen began to start adjusting their cameras. Here we go...

The room was partially silent, save for the soft clicks and flashes from cameras and the light presses of pen against paper. The first person to open the conference just so happened to be Colonel James Rhodes- the same man who had delivered the bullshit press statement about the 'training exercise' that Jamie suspected was actually Tony in his suit.

Rhodes was dignified. Calm, diligent. He was professional, which was probably going to be the total opposite of the act that was sure to follow him. Jamie had to wonder if for the split second that her and the Colonel's eyes met from across the room that Tony might've told him about her. He looked like he recognized her, maybe.

"And now... Mr. Stark has prepared a statement," Colonel Rhodes concluded his statement. "He will not be taking any questions. Thank you."

The room jostled slightly upon the entrance of the playboy billionaire. Most of his wounds that Jamie had seen him sporting a few days ago at his mansion looked to have either faded, healed, or were just covered up really well by whatever make-up specialist he had on call. Maybe one day she'd have to ask Stark for their number.

Tony stood with his chest puffed and his shoulders straight from behind the podium. Up to a hundred people staring back at him, Jamie included. She couldn't imagine the nerves he must've been feeling. All this time from the back of the room, Jamie could practically feel her heart beating out of her chest. She hadn't stopped to realize that maybe someone had it worse.

"Uh... Been a while since I was... in front of you. I figure I'll stick to the cards this time." Yeah, she definitely wouldn't trade places with Tony in this moment.

Jamie took a deep breath, almost as though she were the one about to deliver a speech. Perhaps she wasn't the one in front of the entire world right now, but the rest of Jamie's career would be dictated by this moment. By Tony Stark's decision.

No pressure.

"There's been speculation that I was involved in the events that occurred on the freeway and the rooftop-" Tony had just begun when an agitating voice spoke up from the front row. Jamie didn't have to peer over the dozens of rows of reporters to know who it was.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Stark-" Christine Everhart piped up from her seat a few feet away from the podium. "-but do you honestly expect us to believe that that a was a bodyguard in a suit that conveniently appeared, despite the fact that you-"

"I know that it's confusing," Tony cut back in, an irritated grimace on his face as he glanced down at the blonde reporter. "It is one thing to question the official story, and another thing entirely to make wild accusations, or insinuate that I'm, uh, a superhero."

Jamie had to chuckle at that.

Everhart was quick to backtrack. "I never said you were a superhero."

Tony looked like a deer caught in headlights... well, more like camera lights in this case. He stared, dumbfounded and at a loss for words. "You didn't...?" Jamie could barely make out Everhart's 'mm, mm' from the back of the room. Thankfully, Tony Stark was quick on his feet and even faster with his quick quips. "Well, good, because that would be outlandish and, uh... fantastic."

He said the last word a little beneath his breath and while the rest of the room full of reporters had to laugh at the line, Jamie frowned at the conflicted look on the billionaire's face. It was the same torn look he gave her back when he'd first told her that she couldn't run the story. Was this him making his decision? Here? Now?

Tony let out a heavy sigh before continuing. Or at least trying to. "I'm just not the- the hero type. Clearly. With this, uh, laundry list of character defects, all the mistakes I've made, largely public."

Out of pure habit, Jamie's hand came up to clutch her necklace.

Colonel Rhodes leaned over to whisper something unheard in Tony's ear which got him back on topic.

As Tony raised the cards in his hands to read, Jamie could feel herself slowly growing more anxious by the second. Her heart was beating in her ears so loud she was scared she was going to miss the announcement, despite having been hanging on every word up to this point.

"The truth is..."

Tony paused. His eyes strayed away from the cards and traveled across the room. He took in the reporters, the flashing lights, the cameras, the faces, the eyes, the noises... The world expected an answer.

But when he looked across the room and spotted Jamie Archer staring back at him, all he could hear were her words: "Since when has Tony Stark ever done what someone's told him to do?"

The world wanted an answer. All Jamie wanted was the truth.

Carefully discarding the cards and the lies and the red tape, Tony stood for a moment in this quiet. The calm before the storm. Nothing would be the same after this.

"I am Iron Man."

The room erupted into chaos. Cameras flashed, reporters shouted, Colonel Rhodes looked like he was about to have an aneurysm.

But through it all, Stark still managed to lock eyes with a certain redhead perched in the back of the room with her laptop in front of her. He could see the smile stretched across her face from the second she'd hit Send on that piece. Tony knew that maybe this was a mistake, but just the pure satisfaction and relief on Jamie's face told him that at least he got a part of this thing right. He'd just have to figure it out from here.

How hard could it be?


a/n: hehehehehehehe. sorry for the wait, i got busy lol.