Bucky was losing his mind. Cynthia had come and gone with clothes for the girls and Tony; the stylist had gone to Grey first, then Pepper, then finally Tony. But Grey still hadn't come out of her room. Bucky could hear, faintly, that Grey had both headphones and was dancing around their room as she finished getting ready.
"Everything is set up in the lab for you, Bucky," Bambi said in his comms. He nodded, knowing they would understand.
"Are you really gonna sit out here until she comes out?" Tony asked, stepping into the hallway. Bucky whistled his appreciation of the tuxedo. Midnight black with the tiniest threads of a Persian blue woven through. His pocket square was the same blue color, a shiny satin to match Pepper's dress. Rather than his usual orange Jarvis connected glasses, he wore a similar pair in blue to complete the set. Tony blushed at the compliment. "Or are you going to come check out the set up?"
Bucky sighed but hauled himself to his feet to follow Tony to the lab. Bambi and Jarvis had given him four screens, showing him ten different camera angles from the Disney Concert Hall, giving him full view of everything at the fundraiser. One monitor showed four different news teams covering everything. He could see Jayne in the sea of reporters, her new glasses recording everything she saw. The faint music coming from Grey's room stopped and Bucky smiled.
"Gametime. Clear comms. Check in."
"Go for Stark."
"Rhodes, all clear."
"Pepper's hot."
"Grey's clear."
"Barnes is good."
"I'm here," Happy said, still refusing a phrase.
"Jarvis is connected."
"Bambi's here."
"You never fail to amaze me, Stark," Bucky said, his eyes flitting over the screens. All the fancy technology might have been new, but Bucky knew how to run a job like this. He would adapt. "Let's get you and the girls on the road and wait for our queue."
Bucky was the first up the stairs, eager to see Grey dressed up. The girls were by the front door, waiting. Pepper was beautiful, a satin dress in Persian blue that complimented the peach color of her skin. Bucky could hear Tony come to a screeching halt behind him as he took in Pepper, but it was Grey that took his breath away.
With a sweetheart neckline, her red dress faded to white as it swished around her ankles. Gold heels in her typical style complimented the gold filigree that wrapped around her corseted waist, merging with the slim gold chains wrapping around her shoulders and chest. It looked like a gold lace modesty cover, but was actually jewelry, liberally decorated with real rubies and diamonds. The gold necklace she wore looked like something from a fairy tale, or a Victorian era princess, wearing her best for visiting dignitaries.
The tattoos on her arms were gone, giving her tan, unblemished skin. The stylist had once again hinted at a crown with her hair, but rather than gold pins, she braided a halo into Grey's hair and put shiny diamonds in it. Grey held the red tinted glasses her father typically wore in one hand. Bucky guessed Bambi was in the glasses.
"You two look incredible," Tony said when it became obvious that Bucky wasn't going to say anything. "Barnes, we might be the two luckiest bastards on the planet."
"Wow," Bucky finally said, after Tony elbowed him in the ribs. "You look, wow."
"Not too bad yourself," Grey said, leaning up to press a quick kiss to the corner of his mouth. Bucky was more than happy to leave the lipstick mark. His girl was beautiful. Happy came into the room with a digital camera and snapped the first photo of the night. "What is this, prom?"
"Photos are non-negotiable," Happy said, snapping another. Grey just smiled, letting Happy take his pictures. It did feel very prom to her, but she wasn't going to complain. Bucky ushered them all into the limo and waved them off before returning to the lab.
"We're good to go," Grey said when they were a block away from the party. "All we need is our entrance line."
"Yeah, waiting," Bucky said, watching the screens for the reporter. Grey had the same view on her tablet.
"It is right here at the Disney Concert Hall where Tony Stark's third annual benefit for the Firefighter's Family fund has become the place to be for LA's high society." Grey reached up and tapped at the window, giving Happy a silent thumbs up.
"Green light, Happy, go," Bucky said at the same time.
"Tony Stark, who hasn't been seen since his victorious press conference nearly a month ago. Some claim he is suffering from post-traumatic stress and has been bedridden for weeks. Whatever the case may be, no one expects an appearance tonight."
Their timing was perfect, and right after the reporter said that Happy came to a halt, and event security opened the door. Tony stark climbed out, and the volume skyrocketed as the press clamored to get pictures. When he turned back to the car and held out his hand, everyone expected his daughter. When Pepper climbed out, her dress matching the new colors in Tony's suit, the flashes increased as Los Angeles' new it couple premiered. They paused and let them have their pictures, before Tony turned back to the car, where Grey climbed out and stared defiantly at the cameras, a devious smile on her face that didn't match the elegance of her dress.
Reporters and fans shouted out questions and comments, photographers cried out for a pose and a smile. They posed as a family, before Tony offered his arm to Pepper and escorted her to the gala. Grey followed behind them, an amused smirk on her face. Just before heading inside, Grey spotted Jayne and blew a kiss in her direction. The camera on her glasses transmitted the image to Bucky, watching back at the lab.
Tony and Pepper made the rounds, greeting friends and business allies, and the odd politician that ended up at the party to campaign for themselves. Grey walked around the edge of the party until she found the man she was looking for.
"I thought about majoring in history, you know," Grey said. "I always believed that if we don't learn from the mistakes of the past, we're doomed to repeat them."
"Excuse me?"
"Oh, come on, Coulson, don't play shy."
"You know who I am." If he was still surprised, it was only visible in the way his eyes darted to the closest exit before glancing at Grey to ensure she wasn't holding a weapon. May was right, he does need to wear sunglasses.
"I know everything," Grey said, smiling broadly. "Well, I know more than I should anyway."
"What do you know?"
"What do you want to know?" Grey asked, leaning slightly closer to Phil. He swallowed and rocked back on his heels slightly.
"How did Mister Stark escape from the Ten Rings?"
"He's a genius. He repurposed the weapons in the cave to give him an escape. Caused a giant explosion on his way out with a flamethrower and the stores of ammo they already had. The Air Force saw it and sent Uncle Jim."
"How did he survive?"
"Survive what?" Grey asked, deceptively calm. She wanted to know what SHIELD knew about her father. "Their torture? Stark stubbornness. Patent pending, of course. Why does S.H.I.E.L.D. want to know?"
"We just want to debrief Doctor Stark on his time in captivity."
"We'd rather you didn't," Grey said, her dimpled smile vanishing. "I like you, Agent Coulson. And one day, I'm going to ensure you get the chance to live a life full of love. You'll understand when you get older. But for now, SHIELD and Stark Industries aren't friends. You'll understand why one day."
Grey patted Phil on the cheek and turned on her heel, walking off toward the buffet table laid out. Phil immediately pulled out his phone and made a call, leaving the party as he did.
"I don't believe we've met," a voice came from behind Grey as she glanced over the food on offer. She wasn't sure if it was the voice or the interruption that angered her.
"Ian Quinn," Grey said, dimpling up at the man as she turned around. It was the voice. She hated Ian Quinn. But never let it be said a Stark was bad at the game. "CEO of Quinn Worldwide. I heard you just got permission to break ground in Malta, congratulations."
"That hasn't hit the press yet," Ian said, shaking Grey's hand. Her grip was stronger than his and left him feeling uncomfortable. His skin crawled where her fingers dragged across his palm. "How do you know that?"
"Oh, I'm a pretty face, Ian, people tell me things they shouldn't. You'll have to invite me over, I love a good tropical climate."
"Stark Industries is interested in Quinn Worldwide?" Grey laugh, a bright, bubbly laugh that caused Tony and Pepper to glance over worriedly. Ian resisted the instinct to take a step back.
"Goodness no, I'm interested in you." Grey raked her eyes up and down Ian. If flattery had been her intention, she missed it by a country mile as Ian felt like a lab specimen. "You're going to do so many things. Eventually, I hope you'll understand the gravity of this meeting, and you'll call me, when things get too bad for you. I think you should stay out of Italy."
Grey turned and left, her smirk in place as she crossed the room to go chat with Jayne. Tony and Pepper watched her from the dance floor, equal parts confused and amused as they watched Ian Quinn stand there with his mouth open.
"Do you think she's always been like this?" Pepper asked, watching Grey get stopped by a politician, who, after a few words left, fury on his face. "Ready to fight the world?"
"I think that bad thing that happened in 2020 had nothing to do with us," Tony said, pulling Pepper close. "I think whatever it was made her jaded and full off that rage. I think we just gave her the ability to do something about it."
"Sometimes, when we're training, she gets this look on her face, and I'm so scared of her world," Pepper said softly, still watching Grey, who was now beaming and dancing with Jayne. "Then shit like the Hydra fools happens."
"Oh, I know," Tony said, sad that his daughter was getting used to violence, but it was the path that she chose, he wouldn't stop her, just support her in everything. "Said she spent the day after at the range because one of her shots went wide."
"Still, four kills like that? Even Barnes wouldn't be upset with that. Especially with one of them being enhanced."
"Barnes wasn't the one upset, Grey was," Pepper explained. "Pushed herself even harder. I'm worried that she considered failure to be worse than death."
"I can hear you two, you know that, right?" Grey asked through her comms, twisting away from the DJ in the corner. "That's what open comms means, that everyone can hear you."
"Well, we're not all super spies," Pepper said, blushing furiously. "I'm not used to being on comms."
"Could be worse," Grey said, smirking from across the dance floor. "You two may want to get out of the way, this is my time."
When they glanced around, Jayne was also pushing people off the dance floor, and many of the younger celebrities were grinning. The only difference between the celebrities and Grey was that Grey kept her heels on, leaving her in six-inch heels for whatever she was planning on doing. Jayne handed her a hair tie, and Grey tied up a corner of her dress. None of her tattoos on her legs were visible with the change. Grey was fully invested in keeping Margaret a press favorite.
When the DJ hit the lights and the next song started up, Pepper was the first to laugh out loud as Grey danced to the middle of the now empty dance floor.
"If it hadn't been for cotton eyed joe, I'd been married a long time ago, where did you come from, where did you go, where did you come from cotton eyed joe?" Grey was first to start the line dance, though not the one Tony and Pepper had seen before, which made it slightly more impressive for what she was doing. Two one footed jumps on her left foot, then two to the right, switching back to her left foot, she leaned back, before twisting in the air, kicking her left leg up to clap under her knee, turning to do it again, slowly turning in a circle. People were quick to join her on the floor, laughing and dancing along, Grey in the middle, still in her heels. Tony quickly turned on the feed from his glasses, sending the video to Bucky's monitors so he could see the beaming smile on Grey's face.
When the macarena came on, Pepper was first to start pushing her way to the dance floor, a smile on her face. When footloose came on, Tony was the one to push his way to Grey's side, knowing every move. Jayne led the way through the electric slide, and Grey's cheer was the loudest for the still-new cupid shuffle.
"Now it's a party!" Grey cheered, her eyes glittering with happiness as they danced the cha-cha slide. Grey had to be dragged off the floor and over to the bar for a drink as the YMCA started. The family gathered off to one side, water in hand as they laughed together about the fun dancing.
"You gonna do this to every party we show up at?" Tony asked, grinning just as brightly.
"Just wait until I can do karaoke, Bambi, make a note, I gotta do some Broadway research," Grey said offhandedly, as if something had just occurred to her. The family was more than used to her making seemingly random comments like that, usually before she vanished off to work on some project.
"Stane's making his way to the press, anybody want me to stop him?" Bucky asked.
"Let him have his fun," Grey sighed, shaking her head. She pulled a straw out of somewhere and drained her cup of water. She stole Jayne's too, sucking it down with urgency. "Speak of the devil, look who is making their way over to us! Christine, lovely to see you again!"
"You have a lot of nerve, showing up here tonight," Christine said sharply to Tony. Pepper immediately took a dangerous step forward, standing in front of Tony almost violently. Grey reached over and took her arm, pulling her back. "Can I at least get a reaction from you?"
"Panic, I would say," Tony said, very confused. He had noticed Pepper's reaction and felt himself go gooey at her protection. "Definitely panicking over what you want."
"Cause, I was talking about your companies involvement in the latest atrocity."
"What the fuck happened now?" Pepper almost whined, looking skyward for divine intervention. When none was forth coming, she looked back at Christine, who pulled out a few photos from her purse.
"It's a town called Gulmira, ever heard of it?" Christine demanded. The pictures were dated yesterday. A shipment of Stark Industries weapons. The Jericho. Tony sighed heavily.
"I knew designing that thing was a bad idea," Tony lamented.
"Where did you get these?" Grey demanded, stepping forward and snatching the pictures out of her hands. "That's Raza, Dad, recognize him?"
"He had me tortured. You said this is Gulmira?" Tony looked at the Jericho missile and smiled, but it wasn't a good one. "Thanks for the intel Christine, we can use this."
"What?" Christine asked, bewildered. She'd been prepared for many reactions, panic and confusion prominent, or guilt. Not this. Grey was already on her phone, pulling drinks out of people's hands and shoving her family in the direction of the doors. "Jayne, what just happened?"
"You gave them the proof they needed that someone was dealing under the table. Congrats." Jayne smiled at the retreating backs of her family. "You're going to want to keep an eye on your email."
As if planned, Jayne's phone lit up with notifications, including several emails. Jayne smiled and took her own leave, waving to a stunned Christine, who was feeling slightly left out.
"What if I came with you?" Christine offered, calling out to Jayne. "I can help."
"You will. But not this time. Grey has an offer for you," Jayne promised, winking at the surprised reporter. "We'll talk soon!"
Jayne made it to the exit just in time for Robbins, to pull around the corner and have the door opened for her. Once she was in the back, to the astonishment of the reporters watching one of their own, Robbins pulled out, speeding away, heading to Malibu.
Iron Man
"Everyone's got fifteen minutes to go to the bathroom, and get into their flight suits," Bucky said, standing at the front door when they got there. He accepted the purses from the girls, opening them to pull out their phones and IDs to lock in the hidden compartment in the suits. Tony handed over his glasses and phone. "Pepper, you're going to want to put your hair back."
Fifteen minutes later, the trio stood in their flight suits, waiting to suit up. Janye had appeared and stolen a pair of sweatpants from Grey's dresser. Tony went first, his red and gold suit being built around him, while Bucky started getting the telemetry set up on his screens. The vitals and readings from the suit was visible on a wall, while the computer screens showed their flight plan, and their credentials. Happy was on a call with General Morrow, Rhodey just visible off to the side, double checking they had permission for this op.
"The three of them are green lit," Morrow said. "But if this goes bad, we're stopping all future ops. Reputation or not, I'm not about to let three of the most politically prominent figures in America right now die because they're too stupid to let the professionals handle this."
"We are the professionals you need to handle this, General," Grey said, shouldering Happy out of the way. "No one else can do what we can. I know you're taking this on faith, but relax, we know what we're doing."
"You know what you're doing," Pepper said after the screen went dark. "The rest of us are trusting you."
"So, no pressure or anything, right?" Grey said, adjusting her watch nervously.
"No, there's pressure," Tony said from where his suit was being assembled. He was almost finished, just needing his chest plate and helmet. The suit assembled with lots of clunking and thunking sounds, but Tony's vitals were stable and steady. When the helmet was snapped into place, the eyes lit up an ominous orange color that matched Grey's when they glowed. "We just know you can handle it."
Iron Man stomped off the dais, and let Pepper step up. She took a deep breath, pulled her hair back in a low ponytail and let Jarvis suit her up. The Persian blue of her suit matched the shade of the dress she wore earlier perfectly, surprising Pepper, who had expected to see the reds and golds of Tony's suit. She looked over at Tony, who had the faceplate flipped up, watching Pepper with a sappy expression.
"It's my favorite color," Pepper said, finally finding her voice.
"Of course, it is," Tony said. Pepper blew him a kiss, before holding still so the frame could be locked in around her waist.
"Here," Bucky said, walking over to Grey. He handed her a pill, and she tossed it back, dry swallowing. "It'll wear off in six hours, but it should get you through most of the flight. Adrenaline will kick in after that."
"I adore you," Grey said, pressing a kiss to Bucky's cheek. Her still red lips left another mark, opposite of the one from earlier. "Thanks, sugar."
"Awh, nothing for us?" Tony asked, watching for Bucky's blush on the back of his neck. "Don't care about us, huh?"
"Oh, boss, let them be kids in love," Happy said, ecstatic to be surrounded by people in love. Watching Tony be happy would never be boring for him.
"Kids?" Bucky demanded. "I'm ninety-four years old."
"Maybe chronologically, sure. But you're not even thirty," Happy said. "I, however, am forty four, so shut up."
"I always forget you're older than me," Tony said, looking at Happy appraisingly. "Ha, old man."
"We can't all have graduated MIT at seventeen, dad," Grey put in. "Hell, I haven't even graduated college yet. Not Happy's fault you're a baby."
"You're nineteen, shut up, you haven't even voted yet." Grey had to give him that point. Something in the back of her mind shrieked at the reminder if impending elections. She silenced the thought by reminding herself she had two more years under Obama.
"Least I wasn't a teenage parent," Grey pointed out. Tony acted wounded, while Pepper couldn't help but laugh while her chest plate was secured. She had beautiful gold detailing around her wrists, and the arc reactor. "Awh crap, it's my turn."
Rescue stomped down, her faceplate up like Tony's, showing Pepper's excited face. Grey took a shaky breath and pulled Bucky down to her for a fierce kiss. When she pulled away, he seemed slightly stunned, and definitely out of breath. She adjusted the line of her lipstick and stepped up, letting Jarvis build the suit's frame around her.
"Are you sure you're up for this?" Tony asked Pepper, his hand on her shoulder.
"I'm never letting you out of my sight again, Stark, don't even try it," Pepper said, gripping the back of his neck with her gauntlet. "It's you and me, forever. Got that?"
"Of course, Miss Potts," Tony said gently, a warm smile in his eyes. He could tell by the sparkle in her eyes that they would have to sit down to discuss their relationship, and soon. "You doin' okay kiddo?"
"Nope, definitely having a panic attack," Grey said calmly as she stared straight ahead of her, forcing herself to not look at the suit slowly building its way up her legs.
"Your heart rate is elevated," Bambi said, bringing her telemetry up on the wall. "Are you alright, Grey?"
"Nope, definitely scared out of my mind." She closed her eyes and trembled for a moment, shivering as if she were cold. When she opened her eyes, she was calm. She held out her arms so Jarvis could start on the gauntlets, while the main pieces of the boots were put on. They were a pinkish red color, with dark purple and gold accents. She grinned, slowly gaining confidence in what she was doing. "My favorite colors."
"American Rose, it's a pinker shade of red. I figured the purple was just for fun. And now the three of us look like family."
"Terribly unrelated question, that mostly has to do with my lack of geography skills," Grey said as her legs were encased in the rest of the suit. "Is Libya still a no-fly zone?"
"They've never been a no-fly zone."
"Maybe that hasn't happened yet." Grey looked puzzled. "I swear I remember dad saying something about it."
"You barely remember to brush your teeth at night, I'm not too concerned," Bucky said, laughing slightly. Grey pretended to be offended but ended up laughing.
"Please remember to hold still," Jarvis said, directing the machinery required to suit up. Grey straightened up and let the shoulder pieces get locked on. The chest piece had the same filigree in gold around the reactor that Pepper had. Despite not having seen the final design plans, her dress from earlier had a very similar design. "We are almost finished."
"We've got flight clearance; the FAA and the Afghanistan government is aware you're coming and going again within a twenty-four-hour period. Once Grey's set, you three are good to go."
Grey felt a full body shudder run through her accompanied by every single doubt she'd ever had about not being good enough, just before her faceplate came down. She stood in darkness for a moment before Bambi finished their upload.
"Welcome, Iron Peacemaker," Bambi said through Grey's comms. Grey could see the room around her through the heads-up display and looked around until she caught her reflection. Her suits eyes glowed the same way her eyes did. She smiled.
"This is badass," Grey said, startling when she heard her voice through the speakers of her suit. She flipped up her heads-up display, letting her look at her family through her own eyes. "So, what next?"
"Time to work for a living," Tony said, a cold smile on his face. "Ready?"
"I'll come home to you," Grey said, her face even with Bucky's with the help of her suit. He put his right hand over the reactor in her chest. "Every time."
"See you on the flip, Stark," Bucky said, grabbing Tony by the forearm. He reached out his left hand for a fist bump from Pepper, and Grey snapped down her HUD. That was the queue for Pepper and Tony to do the same, lifting up and taking off behind Tony, up the garage spiral. And if Bambi had to mute Grey's mic, so no one else could hear her screaming, that was between the two of them. Bambi made notes to get them a different way out of they house.
Iron Man
"I want troops ready to go when they give the all-clear," Bucky ordered, talking to Jim several hours later. The trio in the suits would check in from a safe distance once they were near Gulmira. They just needed to make sure everything was ready for them. "What do we have in the way of foreign aid?"
"The Maria Stark foundation is on my heels," Rhodey promised. "They're not equipped for this, but they're all we got. General Morrow is reaching out to contacts in the UN, there's a chance we'll get something from them to help."
"I don't think it's going to be enough," Happy said, frowning. "These insurgents have lost their minds. Human shields, the Jericho systems, cleanup is going to take years."
"I've got two units suited and booted, waiting for the all clear. They're coming in first, dropping in once the family has cleared airspace." Jim explained.
"Sir has prepared for that, activating Grey Stark Foundation protocol," Jarvis said, sending a file to the three left in California. "Humanitarian aid, Bambi and I have them slated, they'll arrive twenty-four hours after the troops."
"What's the Grey Stark protocol?" Jayne asked, looking up from the article she was working on.
"Sir, create a foundation for Grey, as an apology for getting kidnapped," Jarvis explained. "A foundation, similar to the Maria Stark foundation, but designed to clean up after the Iron Family and the future Avengers when needed. They are also in place for humanitarian aid after natural disasters and terrorist attacks."
"I heard my name," Grey said, her voice coming through comms. Bucky switched over to a view of the family, showing all three of them starting to wake up from their naps. "What's going on? Bambi, eta?"
"You are thirty minutes to Gulmira. I suggest landing and putting together a plan," Bambi said. GPS confirmed it, so the trio touched down, disengaging their static locks and doing some quick stretches.
"We need a plan," Pepper said, her HUD popping up.
"We have a plan," Grey said, thrilled to be quoting her dad. "Attack."
"Jarvis, turn on suit cameras, Bambi pull satellite for us back home," Tony said, tilting his head side to side. "Ready to work for a living?"
Grey and Pepper had twin grins, and glitter in their eyes as they looked at Tony.
"Time to clock in," Grey said, hopping up and letting her thrusters kick in. She hovered a foot off the ground. "Jim, are they ready for us?"
"Knock knock, motherfuckers," Jim said, giving them the green light. Grey's HUD snapped down as she took off, arching backwards to flip before barrel rolling to land in front of the terrorists, loading women into the back of their truck. Iron Man and Rescue landed behind her, the whine-thump of their repulsors standing out from the crack of automatic gunfire as the Ten Rings realized they weren't alone. Behind them, smoke from the Jericho was still visible.
Grey was quick to blast the terrorist holding a man at gunpoint, standing fiercely between the men of the village and any further threats. One man tried to shoot Iron Man, but his bullets hit the adamantium in the suits and fell to the ground. Rescue blasted the man away, sending him careening into a wall. Five men threatened the women and children, hiding behind the women's bodies. Cowards.
Tony clocked them all through his HUD, powering down his gauntlets. The shoulder rockets popped out, and with a simple command, each terrorist took two bullets to the head. One son broke away from his mother and ran past Grey, shouting for his father. She flipped up her face plate, letting the little boy smile his thanks at her. She winked at him; glad she left her makeup on from the gala.
"There's one there, dad, be a dear?" Iron man stalked off, reaching through the wall to pull the one remaining threat through it, leaving him at the feet of the villagers. It wasn't Raza, sadly, but the family trusted that the villagers would make sure the man saw justice.
"The weapons cache is one klick west," Bambi said, slamming Grey's faceplate and starting liftoff.
They flew west, following Bambi's directions. One anti-aircraft missile was fired, knocking Pepper out of the sky. She swore and climbed out of the hole, launching a missile from her forearm at the tank. A dozen seconds passed, and the tank exploded, their signal to the Air Force that things were hot. Grey and Tony landed behind her just as several remaining terrorists opened fire. Grey snorted at how ineffective their weapons were and glanced at the HUD, selecting her own three missiles to go out and take them down. Iron Man chose to target the Jericho, his cameras zooming in to try and catch the production number. It had one, meaning it was manufactured and sold – not stolen. That was their proof that it was an inside job. Grey had been right all along. Once the gunfire stopped, the three knew their jobs were done, and they took off, Tony dropping the marker for the Air Force.
The Iron Family headed home, intent on getting out of their suits and showering before debrief. Jim had spent three hours teaching them the best way to debrief, it was time to put that into practice.
"Air Force is landing now, thanks for the help, Iron Man, Rescue, Iron Peacemaker," General Morrow said, Bucky and Jim having patched him in for the mission. "We'll see you at debrief."
"I need a fuckin' nap," Grey bitched as Bambi took over flight controls. "And a bathroom, Gods above this was a terrible idea."
"We can push the thrusters on the way home," Tony promised.
"How hard?" Pepper asked, already giving Jarvis the go ahead for her suit. No one heard Grey's scream as they left a sonic boom in their wake, tearing through the skies heading back home to California. They had more to do. The work of a CEO, Superhero, Billionaire was never done. No wonder Batman was always so damn tired.
Iron Man
Katherine was the first one to realize Stane had left the country. Then again, she was the only one looking for him to leave the country. He started in Spain. Stopping over in Seville for a meeting with a few department heads. Then he jogged through Paris, nothing Stark Industries related, it looked like he was just there to visit his favorite restaurant.
What was interesting was at the same time Obadiah Stane was in Paris, he was also flagged entering Afghanistan for Stark Industries related things. He stayed in the desert less than eight hours, then flew directly back to Los Angeles. She had no idea why, but she put out some feelers anyway. She sent a report to Lizzie and Brian, then also to Grey and Tony. If there was anything to know, they would find it.
Iron Man
"The last Stark Expo was held in 1991, as we didn't believe we could have the expo without Howard," Tony explained, thrilled beyond belief that this was a sit-down interview and not the typical press conference he has to stand for. His legs were killing him! "And then it just seemed low priority when we were focusing so hard on weapons production, who wants to celebrate that?"
"So, this is to celebrate the new direction of Stark Industries?" Christine asked her recorder out, as well as a notepad, already two pages full. Jayne was sitting next to her, not taking half as many notes, already having her pieces written, just needing fluffy details. "An entire almost fifty billion dollar expo just to celebrate green energy?"
"No, bigger than that. Back in the forties, Pops held an Expo focusing on The City of the Future. Ours wants to celebrate technology in all her forms," Grey said. "From, yes, solar panels, to whatever those Merlin engines are that Musk expects to work. My favorite time in history is the Space Race, solely because of how much stuff came from it."
"Solar panels as we know them, are because of our rush to the moon. So are wireless headsets, and even memory foam," Tony said. "Smoke detectors, that are now considered necessary in everyday life, only came around to alert astronauts to toxic fumes."
"Are you going to give me any information on the rumored changes within the company?" Christine asked. Jayne smiled fondly at the other reporter, always digging for another scoop.
"We are officially announcing a series of internal changes, to start in the new year. Grey, in her incredible wisdom, went through the Stark Industries employee handbook, and all our hiring processes and updated them, lessening the impact of discrimination in the workplace. Now it's my turn to step up and make some changes." Tony always considered himself a futurist, something the media occasionally poked fun at, but having a daughter from the future gave him a new perspective on other ways to better humanity's future. He used to think it was all engineering and coding, now he knew it was everything. So as a futurist – and a capitalist, sue him – it was important to him that Stark Industries developed those areas. And with Grey's anger over every injustice, they'd spearhead the change.
"Weapons are a fine thing," Pepper said, taking over the presentation as the soon to be CEO of Stark Industries. Not that Christine was aware of that, yet. "And we do plan on continuing our nine-millimeter line for three years for those in law enforcement. We also plan on finishing out our current contracts with the US military. But we're going to devote our time and resources to different endeavors."
"And you're not going to tell me, are you?" Christine asked, amused. Grey gave her a dimpled smile and pulled out a Stark Industries folder.
"This is going to outline the next few steps we're taking, including pushing for more renewable energy sources. We're planning on going fully green by 2015," Grey said, her excitement almost pouring out of her. "Stark Industries locations around the world are being given the funds to install solar panels, and new and improved HVAC systems that all cost less to run. The fifty we announced previously are just our first steps. More will be announced as we get closer to the expo."
"And I'll be publishing these with Jayne?" Christine asked, pulling out the tentative contract they were presenting her with, additional compensation for free-lancing for them.
"No, I've got my own projects I'm working on," Jayne said brightly, tapping the cover of her own folder, this one significantly thicker than the one Christine was flipping through. "These are less introductory pieces, and more targeted articles."
"Like a sniper scope," Grey mumbled, causing Pepper and Jayne to start snickering. Tony reached over and swatted at Grey. "Sorry, dad."
"Jayne is going to be your main contact for these," Tony said, taking control of the meeting. "We've, unfortunately, got too much to deal with in the next few months so if you have questions, reach out to her, she knows almost everything we're up to."
"Almost?" Christine asked, looking at Jayne.
"Still working on getting their list of dirty politicians," Jayne said, smirking slightly.
"Just wait," Grey said, her usual smirk on her face, her eyes dancing with ideas. "You two will be plenty busy in the coming years."
"That's what I'm worried about," Jayne said petulantly. "I've got the Expo announcement ready to go, I've already sent it through to Bambi, who gave me the green light. Here's your copy, we're posting it, well, now, since it's already noon."
Stark Expo 2011: A Vision of Innovation, Connection, and Celebration of Technology
By Jayne Vittori
Stark Industries Press Release
September 1, 2010
Stark Industries is thrilled to announce the official return of the Stark Expo 2011, which will be held at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, in Queens, New York. Next year's Expo promises to be a monumental celebration of innovation, technology, and creativity. With a record-breaking budget of $25 billion from Stark Industries and an additional $10 billion from the Stark Family Trust, the event aims to bring together visionary companies, inventors, and thinkers from around the world to showcase the latest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
According to Margaret Stark, the CEO of Stark Industries, this year's Expo will include an expanded entertainment component. In a statement, Margaret shared the goal of broadening the Expo's reach to embrace new frontiers in tech-driven entertainment. "If it has anything to do with a STEM field, we want to showcase it. Movies are more and more using technology to do things like 3D animation, CGI, and animatronics. It's all technology, so why not celebrate it too?" Her words reflect the ethos of the Expo as a place where innovation across industries is acknowledged and celebrated.
For exhibitors, applications are now open on Stark Industries' website for various participation opportunities:
Show Spot Applications: Perfect for individual inventors and smaller companies, a Show Spot allows you to share your groundbreaking project with an international audience.
Stand Applications: For larger organizations, a stand at the Stark Expo will allow direct engagement with the public and media.
Travel Scholarships: To ensure accessibility for all, the Stark Expo is offering scholarships to assist with travel expenses, prioritizing smaller and emerging enterprises.
Marketing and Showcase Opportunities: Businesses looking to market their items or showcase their entire company at the Expo are invited to apply for exclusive spaces.
This year's event will introduce five new permanent installations, funded by Stark Industries. These installations aim to enhance Corona Park and enrich the local community. Among them, the show-stopping globe-shaped botanical garden will represent both a commitment to sustainable technology and a symbol of global unity—a core value of the Stark Expo.
Recognizing the immense contributions of their team, Stark Industries is also offering special discounts to employees and their families. Tony Stark shared his enthusiasm for honoring the hardworking men and women of the company: "This is a family business, and our employees are family. Why shouldn't we do everything we can to show them how much we appreciate them? We've thrown so many changes at them, and they're just taking it all in stride. It makes us all very proud to be part of Stark Industries."
Set to kick off on the first of May 2011, the Stark Expo is more than an event—it's a call to innovators and dreamers worldwide. It's an invitation to join Stark Industries in shaping a future powered by new ideas, advanced technology, and a shared vision of progress. For information on attending or applying for exhibition space, please visit Stark Industries' official website and prepare to be part of one of the world's most dynamic gatherings of the year.
"It's noon?" Tony demanded, twisting to look at the clock on the wall. "Awh hell, I'm late for a meeting."
Tony grabbed his tablet and tore out of the room, leaving Pepper scrambling to chase after him. Jayne and Grey exchanged bewildered looks.
"Isn't that meeting with General Morrow tomorrow?" Jayne asked, trying to keep a straight face. Grey shrugged, she trusted Bambi to have her where and when she needed to be places.
"They'll be okay, I've emailed Morrow and explained that they're willing to have the meeting today if he wants," Bambi said. "We'll just be ahead of schedule for once. That will be nice."
"We're never ahead of schedule, this is just gonna suck," Grey complained, scooping her tablet up and shaking her head as she headed after her parents. She was needed in that meeting, if only to prevent Stane from interrupting. "Nice to see you again, Christine, Jayne can you wrap up here?"
"I got it," Jayne said, watching Grey leave the conference room. "So, what questions do you have?"
"She trusts you to take over?" Christine demanded. "The family trusts you with that much? Are you the new head of PR?"
"No, they're going to offer that to you, eventually." Christine sat there, stunned. "But not yet. For now, I'm in charge. We'd like your first article to be about the new Margaret Stark Foundation, and their efforts in Gulmira, Afghanistan after the Air Force was able to take back the area from the Ten Rings."
"How did the Air Force take back Gulmira?" Christine demanded. "Four days ago, the Ten Rings were using civilians as human shields. Our troops couldn't even get in the area, they didn't have permission!"
"That's the article you're going to write. I'm actually kinda upset, you get to use the moniker I coined before I do." Jayne handed another packet over. "We want this to feel like a puff piece. But don't worry, it'll have teeth. I took the liberty of getting you a few quotes you can use, if you need something with a different tone, just let me know. You can also reach out to Bambi if you need anything."
Christine's phone lit up with notifications, three emails, a text message, and four new contacts were added to her phone. She stared in surprise, but immediately pulled up a new word document and got to work. Jayne smiled, and pulled up several of her own articles, adding details as necessary.
Iron Man
"This is the fourth meeting I've had since seven this morning, and it's barely one in the afternoon," Grey bitched while Cynthia compared shades of red against Grey's complexion. Another stylist was carefully applying eyeliner with a steady hand while another pinned curled segments of her hair up. "Technically it's the fifth, because you forced that meeting with Tom through today instead of just waiting until tomorrow."
"Wasn't my fault," Pepper said back, also getting prepped for the cameras. "Your father sprinted outta that room like his ass was on fire and had Tom on the line before I'd even made it to the boardroom. I just took your advice."
"My advice?" Grey asked, surprised. She didn't remember giving advice – she usually avoided it.
"Fuck it, we ball," Pepper said, causing Grey to crack up laughing, having to push the stylists away from her so she could double over, tears building up in her eyes.
"Okay, please, please say that where dad can hear you," Grey wheezed out, trying to calm down while the makeup artist fixed under her eyes. "Sorry, that was just the funniest thing I've ever heard Pepper say."
An outfit with Persian Blue accents was sat out for Pepper, including a new blazer that perfectly matched the shade and shine of Rescue's suit. Cynthia laid out a similar outfit in American Rose for Grey.
"Dress," Cynthia ordered. "Cameras are ready."
"I just want one week with no cameras," Grey complained lightly, standing and rolling her shoulders until they popped. Pepper made a face, but stood as well, taking an extra moment to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. The gold and blue earrings Tony designed for her were lovely, and Pepper couldn't wait to show them off to her friends. "Is that too much to ask? Yes."
"You look good," Pepper complimented. Grey's old money style of dress was jarring against Pepper's more modern clothing, but they had plans to adjust that as well. Already Pepper had traded in her pencil skirts for dress pants. In a few weeks, she would start adding button down shirts to her rotation of press clothes. "I'm kind of jealous of your ability to walk, in six-inch heels."
Grey's outfit cut an imposing silhouette as she stood tall. She claimed it was a manipulation, but Pepper thought at least some of it was just to give the family a signature look for branding. But what was advertisement without subtle manipulation?
"I was the shortest person in my grade, I started wearing heels as a freshman, irritated everyone, but I loved being able to reach the top shelf. I kept it up, and eventually it became a joke, here comes Grey, only she makes that much noise walking in the halls. I hate public school."
"I hated it too," Pepper said, pulling on her gun holster before her blazer. She didn't really like the backpack feel of the holster, but it was the easiest to conceal in dress clothes. "But you know what I really hate?"
"Shooting the fifty cal?" Grey teased.
"I was going to say the automatic," Pepper said, laughing. "Did you see the upgraded training sets your dad designed for us?"
"If you think I'm gonna spar with you this evening, you're wrong. I've got three interviews this week, I don't need another bruised jaw."
"That's entirely fair," Pepper said. "Are you excited for the expo though?"
"I'm excited about the announcements," Grey said, adjusting her blazer in the full-length mirror in Pepper's office. "They're going to be thrilled. And guess what is getting wrapped in December?"
"You're kidding? Already?"
"They're perfectly on schedule, which means it'll be late, but that's okay!"
"I'm so excited. Ready?"
Line Break
Nick Fury stared at the reports in front of him. A contact in the Air Force told him the story of Gulmira, how Tony Stark, his girl and his daughter led the charge in robotic suits to get the civilians out of the area so forces could get in to establish order. He even provided a photo. Three humanoid suits, one red, one blue, one pink. Fury sneered, wondering what Stark thought he was doing this time. He knew they were the Iron Family mentioned in Everhart's fluff piece about the Stark Princess.
"You sent Phil, this must be important," Sharon stated, walking in the office, Phil Coulson on her heels. "What happened now?"
"What do you know about Tony Stark?" Fury demanded. Sharon raised an eyebrow, surprised this was the direction he wanted to go. And how he wanted to handle it. Of course, he knew about her connection with Peggy Carter, they interacted a few times when she was younger. But he kept her secret, the same way he kept Trip's.
"A decent amount, we were raised as cousins," Sharon offered, eventually. "With an age gap, anyway."
Sharon never said she was going to make it easy on Fury. She may trust the man, but she didn't exactly like him. But she believed in the mission, so she stayed.
"Do you think he's the one dealing the weapons under the table?" Phil asked. Sharon shook her head. She had to remind herself that they didn't really know Tony, no one did, outside of his family. Grey was even worse, which was impressive.
"Tony would never," Sharon swore, trying not to glare at the Director for the insinuation. She knew that he was only doing his job. "You'd know this if you just talked with him."
"We've been trying to debrief him on his method of escape," Phil explained. "He refuses all attempts. His assistant sends back our emails, and the last time I spoke with his daughter, she threatened me."
"Grey didn't threaten you, she warned you," Sharon said. She didn't know it for a fact, but most of Grey's ominous warnings about the future often came out accidentally sounding like a threat. Even the good things sounded threatening when she brought them up. "You'll get your meeting; she just has things she needs to finish first. They'll never operate on our timeline."
"We don't care about the kid, we need to know how Stark got out of the cave," Fury said. "We also wouldn't mind knowing how he ended up in the cave."
"You're looking in the wrong direction, Director," Sharon said. She let herself sound cryptic, all the better to mess with the master spy's head. "Grey will tell you what to do, you only have to ask."
"You sound like you're driving the crazy bus, Carter," Fury warned, looking at one of his best agents. Sharon was sure he could see the amusement in her eyes, and that was likely the only reason he was letting her play the game.
"For now. I trust her," Sharon said, surprising her superiors. Sharon didn't trust anyone but Maria, Natasha, and Melinda. Sharon didn't even trust Bobbi all that much. "Tony isn't the one you want. Grey told me to have you look into Stane for her."
"I'm the director, not her," Fury sneered, shaking his head.
"I know. And you make an excellent director," Sharon reassured. Even Grey praised Fury. Technically. "But Grey has a way of getting into your head, you'll see. She wants you too."
Sharon left the office and returned to hers, wondering if her conversation sounded as crazy to them as it did her. It was hard to keep the truth from those she trusted, but if Fury put Grey on the index, it would all be over for him. Sharon pulled her phone out of her pocket and pressed redial.
"Fury's looking for you, be ready," Sharon said. It was a loaded statement but served well.
"Yay me," Grey said dryly. "Do you ever bring good news?"
"Nah, that's Trip's thing," Sharon teased before ending the call. In California, Grey groaned loudly in her own office
Line Break
Tony Stark Establishes Foundation in Daughter's Name for Global Disaster Aid
By Christine Everhart
Vanity Fair
September 1, 2010
In a heartfelt move symbolizing both responsibility and forward momentum, Tony Stark has created the Margaret Stark Foundation, a dedicated humanitarian initiative aimed at providing aid and relief in the wake of natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and other crises where assistance is urgently needed. Following Stark's dramatic return from captivity earlier this year, the foundation's establishment seems to mark a shift in focus from weapons manufacturing to global restoration and support.
The Margaret Stark Foundation, named after Tony's daughter and Stark Industries' current CEO, seeks to not only repair the damages wrought by catastrophic events but to redefine what it means to be a leader in corporate accountability. Its first project: assisting with critical recovery efforts in Gulmira, Afghanistan. This location, where the Ten Rings – the same terrorist organization that reportedly held Stark hostage - stockpiled illegal weapons, faced recent violence when an American Air Force-affiliated private military group took action to eliminate the Ten Rings' presence. Despite initial concerns, no civilian casualties were reported, largely due to careful planning and ground support.
Air Force Lt. Colonel, and Stark Industries military liaison James Rhodes commented on the operation. He praised the private military contractor's actions, referring to them as "the Iron Family" — a moniker affectionately used by military personnel who have come to see the group's focus on protecting civilians and minimizing harm. Rhodes declined to provide further details, citing an ongoing investigation, but his remarks indicate a level of trust and camaraderie between this "Iron Family" and the military, perhaps hinting at future collaborations in humanitarian missions.
"The Margaret Stark Foundation isn't just about financial aid," Stark Industries' Pepper Potts stated in a brief press release. "It's about showing up where we're needed most, from providing resources to helping communities rebuild. The Starks are committed to using the company's technological advancements and expertise for good." Indeed, with Stark Industries pivoting away from weapons manufacturing, the foundation reflects the Stark family's pledge to focus on rebuilding communities rather than fueling conflicts.
Tony Stark's decision to name the foundation after his daughter seems deliberate, as Margaret herself has championed causes of social responsibility since assuming leadership of Stark Industries. Her commitment to clean energy and tech innovation has ushered the company into an era that prioritizes sustainable progress. The foundation's initial success in Gulmira highlights this dedication — a message both to shareholders and the public that the Stark legacy now centers around helping humanity, not harming it.
While details of the operation remain classified, the Iron Family's success in clearing the Ten Rings weapon cache and neutralizing threats demonstrates the power of quick response and ethical intervention. With this foundation, the Stark family signals an ongoing commitment to the broader, interconnected world, one that builds not with weapons but with humanitarian support and compassionate innovation.
As the foundation's efforts continue to unfold, many will be watching to see if this new direction by Stark Industries is here to stay. The legacy of the Starks is evolving, from power to purpose, and the world seems eager to witness the impact of this transformation.
Line Break
"No crown this time?" Tony asked, sliding in the room while the girls were being prepped for the cameras. Grey's hair was down and curled in sleek brown waves, swishing around her jawline. Pepper had a more elaborate updo and looked incredible.
"Apparently it's inappropriate," Grey said matter-of-factly. "This is a somber occasion, hence why we're wearing darker colors."
"We don't have to go," Tony said, choosing to lean against a wall. All the chairs in their hotel suite were covered in different outfits or makeup. Grey had her eyes closed; the makeup artist was doing her eyeliner with a steady hand. "We aren't required. Well, we can always cancel."
"It's important, dad," Grey said, sounding exasperated, like she'd had the argument before. "I know you got used to hating press events, but if you want this to work, we need to get used to being in front of the camera."
"But I like being a reclusive billionaire that cares for nothing," Tony said. Pepper snorted at the quote from Marsha Smith's article several days before. They'd reached the point of comedy, and Tony had joked about creating a scrapbook of them all. "That woman really is just awful."
"Did you see her scathing article about Pepper?" Grey demanded, her hand clenching into a fist since she still couldn't move. "Insulting her because of her modeling work, if I see that woman at one more event we're hosting, I'll introduce her to Peacemaker."
"It wasn't that bad, Grey," Pepper tried to soothe. She hadn't been bothered by the article, as within a few hours of it posting, Twitter had taken to Pepper's defense.
"She said that all you're good for it taking your clothes off for the camera," Grey scathed, opening her eyes, and sitting back upright. "What's worse than that, is that it's all implied, she never outright states it, but it's what she's leading everyone to think."
"I just take it as her calling me pretty," Pepper teased. Grey didn't see the humor. Pepper put a supportive hand on her shoulder. Eventually, Grey nodded, accepting the fact that she wasn't upset, and Grey knew she didn't have the energy to waste on Marsha Smith of all people. "C'mon, don't let her get to you."
"You're right, I've got more important things to worry about, like this whole speech you roped me into, dad, what the fuck?" Grey quietly thanked the girls as they filed out, leaving the three of them alone.
"Someone needs to say something. I've done enough, frankly, and it won't mean as much coming from Pepper, not yet, so it has to be you or Rhodey, and Rhodey can't say the powerful things you can."
"Except for the fact that I was barely four when it happened, I don't remember 9/11, I never did. I knew it was a tragedy, but honestly, I was too young to remember it."
"But you lived a life around it," Pepper said. "You know what your generation thinks about it. And you're the best we've got with words, you always have a comment or an answer."
"I'll tell you now, I'm gonna say fuck on camera."
"Make it count," Tony said brightly, holding out the black blazer Grey'd been given to wear. It matched with the dark black pants and her usual heels. She wore a black calla lily on her jacket, back in her mourning clothes. The three of them were all matching, mostly black, with a single accent color. Grey's dark pink tie, Pepper's Persian blue vest, and Tony's red pocket square.
"Are we ready?" Bucky asked, coming in the main room for the first time since the girls started getting ready. "Wheels up in five."
He left as quickly as he came, still on the phone with Happy, who was giving him instructions of what to do while the rest were at the party. Bucky was their driver for the night. Happy was stuck bringing Jim and General Morrow.
"I think he likes giving orders," Tony said thoughtfully, still looking out the door Bucky disappeared through.
"It reminds him that he's free," Grey said, an adoring smile on her face as she thought of her man. Tony clapped her on the shoulder and started ushering his girls outside, where Bucky was waiting for them.
"Ladies, you look beautiful," Bucky said, pressing a kiss to Pepper's cheek, then the top of Grey's head. Tony only got a handshake. "Stark, you look good too. I really like the darker tones."
"Are you saying dad is too flamboyant?" Grey asked, her chin wobbling as she tried not to crack up laughing.
"No, I'm saying he's too big a target, and the bright ass red he wears on his chest doesn't help for stealth. Your suit might be some shade of pinkish but it's dark enough to not stand out too much."
"We don't really go for stealth that often," Tony said, ushering Grey in the back of the limo. "Do we need to?"
"Grey?" Pepper asked as she climbed in next to her. Grey started, pulling her thumb nail out of her mouth. She had a thoughtful expression on her face.
"Had a thought, I'll have to give it to Fitz first, see if he can make it work for what I want," Grey said, tapping her thumb against her speech. "I'll run it past y'all later, this isn't the time."
"You actually wrote a speech?" Tony asked, nodding to the folder as Bucky pulled the limo away from their New York manor to take them to the city.
"Bambi put something together for me, to make sure I can stick with a plan," Grey said, passing the speech over. "I doubt I'll stick to it directly, but it will be nice if I can keep the theme."
"What theme?" Bucky asked from the front.
"The past was shit, let's make sure the future is better," Grey said baldly. Pepper and Tony looked at each other and had a silent conversation.
"Try not to say that directly," Pepper said at last. "Also try not to say that we're the only people that can fix the future, that's how you piss everyone off."
"I do know how to make people like me," Grey said, mildly offended. "And besides, it's not just us that can fix the future."
Line Break
"Margaret, Margaret over here!" Reporters shouted as Grey kept a soft smile on her face. She let them take their pictures, several with her parents and even more on the arm of her Godfather. The photographer sandwiched between Christine and Jayne took as many pictures as he could, focusing on the family, but occasionally sneaking pictures of the crowd for reaction shots.
Grey gave a dimpled smile in the direction of another group of reporters, barely remembering that they'd need face time too.
"Margaret, Margaret! When are you gonna get naked for the camera?" One reporter brazenly shouted out. As Grey turned in disbelief, she had a wonderful view of Jayne hitting him with a lovely left cross that left the man lying on the ground, astonished. Jayne clutched her hand to her chest and cried out. Bucky appeared from the shadows and scooped her up in his arms, playing dashing prince to Jayne's damsel in distress. When the reporter tried to say something, Bucky glared at him. Even Grey was slightly put off by the dark glare he was giving the reporter.
"Take her for X-Rays," Pepper said, appearing next to Grey. "New Amsterdam is nearby. Go we'll handle it from here. Happy, get rid of the trash, please."
Happy appeared and help get Bucky and Jayne away from the crowd, now realizing something else had happened. Then he hauled the man to his feet by his dress jacket and dragged him out. Robbins met them, trading places with Barnes to take Jayne to the hospital.
"I have something I feel the need to say in light of the poor decisions made here," Grey said, stepping forward and holding her hand up to catch everyone's attention. It was like a switch had been flipped, silence fell, and everyone waited to hear what the Stark Heiress had to say. Even Happy froze with the man still in his grip. "This man asked me a question that he could have phrased a dozen different ways. He asked when I was going to get naked for the camera. If this was a slight on the character of my dad, or Pepper Potts, who have both had brief modelling careers, then it was a poor one. What kind of insult is it to call someone attractive? If this was an insinuation that all I'm good for is a pretty face, I'd like to point out that even without a college degree, in the five months I've overseen Stark Industries we've done incredible things. But sadly, that isn't even what I'm upset about."
"What are you upset about?" Christine called out, realizing she was looking for someone to ask.
"This is the September Eleventh memorial, we aren't here to dance and drink as a fundraiser, this is a solemn, somber occasion to commemorate a tragedy. Is this really the place to ask about my hypothetical modeling career? Is this really the time?" Grey shook her head, looking disgusted. "We have bigger things to worry about than what I wear. Maybe you should just grow the fuck up."
Grey turned on her heel and returned to her family, still shaking her head. She glared at her dad through her lashes before heavily rolling her eyes and straightening up.
"Think he was influenced by Smith's article?" Grey asked Pepper with false cheer.
"Okay fine, the woman is a menace and needs to be shut up, can we deal with that tomorrow? You did good, Grey." Pepper said, wrapping her arm around Grey's shoulders, just as Tony came around to offer Pepper his arm. He escorted his girls into the hall, where staff was waiting with Champagne for Pepper, water for Tony and Grey. "Wow, they went all out this year."
"I don't think I can do this," Grey said, suddenly realizing the number of people she had to speak in front of. Her knees wobbled, and her right hand trembled at her side.
"You did cotton eyed joe in six-inch heels, on live TV, I think you can handle this." Jim soothed, stepping in just behind him. As he was in his dress blues, he denied the champagne and accepted a water.
"There's a hundred people in here," Grey said, pale faced as she turned to face her dad. Panic was clear in her eyes. Tony pulled her into a hug.
"You can do this, kiddo. You did fine out there, that was the worst part." Tony practically dragged her into the room, Pepper following, shaking her head with fond amusement. "Now come on, they're waiting on you so they can serve dinner."
"And now, to commemorate the ninth anniversary of the devastating attacks on the Twin Towers, may I introduce Margaret Stark!"
Grey took a shaky breath and stepped up to the podium. She took a deep breath and smiled at the audience and the cameras in the back.
"Today marks the nine-year anniversary of the attempted destruction of our republic," Grey started, surprising everyone with her word choice. "A group of people made a decision to do something terrible. And because of that, I am standing in front of you today. Today, we take a moment to remember what happened, one block away, just nine years ago."
Grey held up her hand and everyone fell silent for one terrible, long moment.
"We have to take the time to reflect on the resilience that has defined us for nine years. Today, we honor those that we lost by focusing, not on the pain that September Eleventh will always bring, but the strength we showed in response. The community we made. If we drown ourselves in the pain of our loss, we will be no different from Bin Laden's men."
Several people in the audience had tears on their cheeks as they watched Grey stand in front of them, an immovable wall determined to protect them from the horrors of the world, no thought to the consequences for herself.
"The passage of time has allowed wounds to heal, but the scars will always serve as a powerful reminder of our shared history. As we pay homage to the victims and their families, we also have to recognize the unyielding spirit of unity that emerged in the aftermath of the attacks; the resilience of not just individuals or communities, but the entire nation, all of which has been nothing short of remarkable.
"Stark Industries may not have been the first company to send financial aid to the City of New York, but neither were we the last. In the face of this terrible tragedy, the American people demonstrated unwavering solidarity, the likes of which we haven't seen since. The first responders, not only of the local station, but of stations from around the country piled in, even coming when they knew they likely faced their own death. Search and rescue showed up with dogs, who ended up so depressed from finding only causalities that their handlers had to bury themselves, so the dogs didn't quit fighting."
A cheer went up for those that responded. Several retired firefighters were in the audience, clapping for their friends that they lost. Others toasted, raising a glass with their friends in remembrance of those they might have lost when Al Qaeda killed hundreds on American soil. Pepper gave Grey a watery smile. Her uncle had been a police officer that responded to the attack. He died rescuing a woman from the first tower.
"However, remembering the past is not the only thing that we do, as Americans. We look to the future, using the past not as an obstacle to be overcome, but a lesson to carry with us to the future. In the past nine years not only have we banded together to protect those that can't from this same enemy, but we've also made transformative changes in security, diplomacy, and the way we perceive our connection as people of earth. We have learned that this is not a world where countries can stand alone in isolation but must work together worldwide to continue to foster our commitment to creating a safer and more united world.
"Here soon, construction will end on the Freedom Tower, standing tall at One World Trade Center to serve us as a symbol of resilience, triumph, rebirth, and the indomitable human spirit. So please, raise a glass to those we have lost." Grey held up her water, smiling, her dimples charming everyone in the room.
Grey got her toast, and another roar of applause as she stepped down from the stage, where her dad was waiting with an encouraging smile. She placed her shaking hand on his and took the last step down before she was pulled into a hug.
"You did good, kid," Tony whispered in her ear as she finally stopped shaking. "Now we just mingle."
"Actually, I'm going to find a quiet hallway and check in on Jayne. I want to see how her hand is doing." Grey accepted her phone from Tony, who smiled. "And ask her what she was thinking hitting the guy like that! Crazy woman."
"Is that her calling?" Tony pointed to the phone, already lit up with an incoming call. Grey looked at it and shrugged, answering it before stepping into a side hall.
"Why?" Grey asked, not waiting for a greeting. "Why the fuck would you hit him?"
"'Cause I saw Barnes coming and knew it was going to be either me or him!" Jayne said, her words slurring a bit. "Happy took me to the hospital, Bucky's back waiting for you, somewhere."
"Are you okay?" Grey asked, concerned for her best friend.
"Doc called it a boxer's break. Just a little thing in the middle of my hand. I can't type for two weeks, so you might have to have Christine run any pieces you need," Jayne said. "How'd your speech go?"
"Oh, honey, I don't care about any articles, I care about you," Grey said, laughing slightly. "The speech was fine. I didn't curse, although I definitely told that guy to grow the fuck up, and that was likely live."
"It was, CNN was showing it while we were in the ER," Jayne said. Grey could easily picture the amusement on her face as she giggled. "Public support is definitely in your corner with most Americans under forty agreeing with you about the modeling your parents did. Women around the word are on your side, and hey!"
"I took her phone and tablet," Happy said, his voice suddenly coming through. "You should be resting. Now rest. We're still waiting on Ortho to sign off. You did good, tell Tony that Barnes is back on his six."
"I found him," Grey said, leaning backwards blindly. A hand reached out to catch her, guiding her back so she was leaning against his chest.
"How the fuck do you always know I'm behind you?" Bucky asked, slightly surprised. "One of these days you're gonna fall."
"Nah, you'll always be there to catch me," Grey said. "Bye Happy!"
She ended the call and leaned up on her toes to kiss her boyfriend. Bucky let her for a moment, then gently pulled away.
"I gotta go, you gotta get back, go stun them all."
"I love you, James Barnes," Grey said looking up at him before she vanished around a corner and appeared back, just in time for the first course of dinner to appear at her table. If Bucky stood there, shock clear on his face, that was between him and the shadows he hid in.
"How's Jayne?" Jim asked, handing over the pepper.
"Boxer's break, Happy's watching her now. They're waiting on Ortho."
"Ouch," Tony commiserated. "Any other updates?"
"Barnes is on our six, and America loves me," Grey said, wobbling her head from side to side with a smile on her face. "Anything on your end?"
"Thaddeus Ross is here. He came in during your speech," Pepper said, pointing him out with her wine glass. "This is definitely not a pinot gris."
Grey pulled it out of her hand and took a sip and immediately pulled a face. She handed the glass back before reaching over to take the glass of red from Jim.
"What did you order?"
"It's supposed to be a cab."
"Jim, hate to break it to you, this is a malbec, Pep, that's definitely chardonnay. Congrats, this party blows, who is their Somm?"
"No," Tony said, putting his hand on Grey's knee. "Let the party have strange wine choices and slightly wilty salad. It's not our party."
"Still don't know how you confuse a pinot gris with chardonnay," Pepper whined, moving the glass away from her. Jim didn't care that much and continued to drink the malbec. Grey scrunched her nose up at it all.