The Curious Tales of Evelyn Stark

I am Iron Man

February 2009*

"What the fuck do you mean he's been captured?" Evelyn yelled at Obadiah. She watched the man shrink back from her. "Where the fuck is Pepper? Where is Rhodey?"

Obadiah watched as Evelyn paced his office, he'd been terrified of the late Howard Stark's super solider sister and he was right to be. "Mr. Stark's assistant"-

"Her name is Pepper, or Miss Potts," Evelyn snarled, "Until Tony is back I'm taking control of Stark Industries."

"You can't do that!"

"Last I checked I was on the Board of Directors. I can fire you Obadiah. And if I find out you harmed a hair on my nephew's head I will kill you myself. I've spent the last sixty four years alone. A twenty five year sentence is nothing," Evelyn said, with a smile. "My boy better be found alive, Obadiah." She left his office, going to Tony's where Pepper was waiting.

"Miss Stark I have everything ready for you to assume control until Tony is back," Pepper said.

"I left DC for this," Evelyn stated, "I was visiting with Peggy."

Pepper frowned, "Is she all that's left?"

Evelyn nodded, "Nick is great, so is Phil. But it's not the same. They're not Howie and Pegs." She studied her nephew's empire. Her brother's empire. "You need to tell him you love him."

Pepper scoffed. "Hardly."

"I've been around a long time Pepper. I know when someone is hopelessly in love," Evelyn stated, settling at Tony's desk, "I was myself once."

"Who was he?" Pepper settled across from Tony's desk. She loved his Aunt Evie, the pair often had drinks when Evie was in California. Complaining about the man they shared.

"His name was James. He died in World War Two. Sergeant James Barnes, I still remember his Brooklyn accent. He called me 'doll'. I met him when Howard and I were part of the SSR. Might have blacked his eye the first time we met. A lifetime or two ago. I look great for eighty eight huh?" Evelyn chuckled, lacing her fingers behind her head as she leaned back slightly in Tony's chair.

"I'm worried Evie," Pepper stated.

"I am too. No decisions from Obadiah go past me. I approve everything. Understood Pep?" Evelyn said.

"You have a picture of this Sergeant?" Pepper asked.

Evelyn smiled, "I do. Always." She opened the locket that Steve had given her after James fell. It held a small photograph of James. Pepper came around the desk, and looked at the old photograph.

"He was handsome."

"He was a horrible flirt. God, the ladies loved him. I wasn't impressed at first. I ended up at the 107th with Steve. It was my job to babysit Captain America. He brought James and the other captives back. James latched onto me, in a bar. I blacked his eye, because he was a little more forward than I liked," Evie stated, "I was a proper lady."

"How'd you end up"-

"I let Howard experiment. The super solider serum that made Captain America made me as well. Only the variant Howard created had a side effect. I don't age," Evelyn said, with a shrug.