June 19 2008
"You've all received the official statement of what occurred at Stark Industries last night. There have been unconfirmed reports that a robotic prototype malfunctioned and caused damage to the arc reactor. Fortunately, a member of Tony Stark's personal security staff..."
"Iron Man. That's kind of catchy. It's got a nice ring to it. I mean, it's not technically accurate. The suit's a gold-titanium alloy, but it's kind of evocative, the imagery, anyway.", Tony rambles, more to himself than anyone else, since Pepper and Josie have elected to ignore his rambling.
"Here's your alibi.", Agent Coulson, of the Strangers' Hometown Invention Enflaming Losers Department -or whatever they're called, hands Tony a stack of cards.
"Okay.", Tony takes them.
Coulson turns to Josie, "You must be the famous Joselyn Stark."
"No, this is my new bodyguard, since one blew up in the arc reactor or whatever last night. We're starting them young.", Tony smirks, Josie just rolls her eyes.
"The signature Stark eye-roll gives it away.", Coulson says, "Don't worry your secret is safe with me. Back to the alibi, you were on your yacht."
"Yeah."
"We have port papers that put you in Avalon all night and sworn statements from fifty of your guests.", Coulson explains.
"See, I was thinking maybe we should say it was just Pepper and me, alone on the island.", Tony tries, and Pepper rips off a band-aid.
"That's what happened.", Coulson insists.
"All right."
"Just read it, word for word."
Tony flicks through the cards, "There's nothing about Stane here."
"That's being handled. He's on vacation. Small aircraft have such a poor safety record."
"I thought Obadiah moved to England to become a candlestick maker?", Josie asks.
"Yeah, of course he did, Jellybean.", Tony tells her, then he turns back to Coulson, "But what about the whole cover story that it's a bodyguard? He's my... I mean is that? That's kind of flimsy, don't you think?
"This isn't my first rodeo, Mr. Stark. Just stick to the official statement, and soon this will all be behind you. You've got ninety seconds.", Coulson goes to leave.
"Oh, Agent Coulson.", Pepper walks after him, "I just wanted to say thank you very much for all of your help."
"That's what we do. You'll be hearing from us."
"From the Strategic Homeland Inter-"
"Just call us S.H.I.E.L.D.", he says, then walks off.
"Right.", she turns to Tony and Josie, "Let's get this show on the road."
"You know, it's actually not that bad. Even I don't think I'm Iron Man."
"You're not Iron Man.", Pepper tells him, as she helps him with his jacket.
"Am so."
You're not.", Pepper repeats.
He turns to Josie, "You're really not, Dad."
"All right, suit yourself. Your optimism constantly astounds me, Jellybean."
"Right..."
He turns back to Pepper, "You know, if I were Iron Man, I'd have this girlfriend who knew my true identity. She'd be a wreck, 'cause she'd always be worrying that I was gonna die, yet so proud of the man I'd become. She'd be wildly conflicted, which would only make her more crazy about me."
"Jesus, get a room.", Josie mutters, god knows where she learnt that phrase, as a six-year-old girl.
"Tell me you never think about that night.", Tony says to Pepper.
"What night?"
"You know."
"Are you talking about the night that we danced and went up on the roof, and then you went downstairs to get me a drink, and you left me there, by myself? Is that the night you're talking about?", she asks, raising her eyebrows slightly.
"Mhm.", he mumbles.
"Thought so. Will that be all, Mr Stark?"
"Yes, that will be all, Miss Potts.", he starts to leave.
"Don't do anything stupid! Stick to the cards!", Josie calls after him.
"When have I ever done anything stupid?"
She turns back to Pepper, "Well, it was worth a try. When does he ever listen to a word I say anyways?", they both walk over to the TV, where the press conference is playing.
"And now, Mr Stark has prepared a statement. He will not be taking any questions. Thank you.", Rhodey says, as Tony walks up to the podium.
"Uh- Been a while since I was in front of you. I figure I'll stick to the cards this time."
"He better.", Josie says.
"There's been speculation that I was involved in the events that occurred on the freeway and the rooftop-"
He's interrupted by a familiar, annoyingly squeaky voice, "I'm sorry, Mr Stark, but do you honestly expect us to believe that was a bodyguard in a suit that conveniently appeared, despite the fact that you-"
"I know that it's confusing,", he says, very patronizingly, "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."
"I never said you were a superhero.", the reporter says.
"Didn't? Well, good, because that would be outlandish, and fantastic.", he sighs, he's really going off-topic here, "I'm just not the hero type. Clearly. With this laundry list of character defects, all the mistakes I've made, largely public.", Rhodey leans over and whispers something in his ear, "The truth is. I am Iron Man."
Josie gasps, "Son of a-"
From this moment on, the best thing in either of the Stark's lives, each other, would be slowly ripped apart. By maniacs from Russia. By aliens. By terrorists. By robots. By their own family. and most of all, by each other.
But before we get to all that, a couple more things are happening to fifteen-year-old Josie...
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His Joy {Peter Parker X Stark's Daughter}
Fanfiction"Friends. I have friends. Friends who aren't superheroes. Oh Josie, if only you knew." Ever since Afghanistan. Ever since he became Iron Man. Ever since he almost died. Tony Stark has changed. Josie knows it, the whole world knows it. So what change...
