Battle Scars {An Iron Man FanFic}

Chapter 2: Last Request

A/N: Dedicated to my awesome friend/fan @robin12 :D

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Chapter 2: Last Request

Tony Stark

"Jarvis look up Antonio Valdez, both on personal files and the web" Tony asked aloud. Immediately, multitudes of individual files cluttered the blue holograph table in front of him. He swiped away some and read random headings off of newspaper clippings. He sighed loudly and picked up the photo from the edge of the table.

          He looked at it closely and struggled to remember the day. Looking past the two centered in the photo, he observed the background. Next to a large cardboard presentation stood a small girl a few steps behind the men, smiling and standing straight. She had her light brown hair down, smoothed out with a headband at the top. She wore black suit pants and a white dress shirt with small blue designs on the side.

"Separate between personal files and public"

"Yes sir" the files immediately split into two piles and Tony minimized the public set, flicked them aside, and started flipping through the personal files. He found another picture of the two of them, but realized it to be back at MIT. Blueprints and outlines followed, all based on a new series of weapons that he remembered used to fill up their days. As he scanned through the information, he slowly began to remember all the past events. He first met Antonio at an award ceremony in high school and then again when they both took the early graduation exit exam. They were the only two who took it.

                He remembered the last letter he sent him, nearly sixteen years ago. He scanned through the documents again and found the digital copy. Enclosed in the letter was a picture of a small, brown haired baby girl giggling to the camera.

"My dad used to write to you, huh?" a voice said quietly. Tony jumped at the sound and looked over to see Andy with her hands behind her back.

"Yeah...." He trailed off, submerged in memories.

"There's one letter he forgot to send, either that or didn't have a chance too. I didn't open it. Here," she passed the letter from hidden hands and looked at it longingly. He wondered how she could have bared to not read it; any unheard of words most have seemed so tempting to read.

"Just put it on there, I don't like to be handed things" he said hurriedly. She obeyed with a curious glance and he reached for the envelope.

                He tore at the envelope softly, hands shaking slightly. He unfolded the letter and began to read the scrawled handwriting carefully, rereading lines immediately as if to find every possible meaning. Once finished, he tossed it onto the table and ran a hand through his hair. He let it fall back down over his face and let out a sigh. He felt his stomach drop and a headache beginning to form at the right side of his head.

"Why don't you go to the living room and... take a nap or something" he muttered as he began to massage his temples. "I need time to think," he whispered, turning to his side and dismissing her.

"Um, no thanks. I'm heading out. You can keep the letter but I want the photo back. Please." She said in a relatively calm voice.

"You can't leave," he said hastily, "you have to stay here."

"No" she said simply. She had one foot already turned to the side, ready to walk away.

"Where will you go?" he asked desperately, not wanting her to leave. He was still so confused. In the end, he was just afraid of her disappearing before he could sort it all out.

"No idea, but I can't stay here."

"And why not?"

"I just can't. I'm sure I'll find some place. Thanks for the help, good bye Tony." She reached for the photo and grabbed it between tight fingers. Her blue sneakers squeaked against the floor as she turned and started to walk away. She made her way out of the entrance to his workshop and walked up the stairs. She crossed towards the living room and Al hopped off of the couch.  She reached for her bags by the foot of the couch and turned to see Tony running up to her.

"Wait!" he called out before he caught sight of her. He muttered something to himself before boldly asking, "Do you respect your father?"

"What kind of questions is that?" she asked, slightly angry.

"Do you?" he demanded.

"Of course!" she exclaimed, offended.

"And that includes his decisions?" he asked, exasperated. He had his hands behind his head, in the moment of making a point.

"Yeah" she said confidently, feeling the end of the conversation coming soon.

"Well then looks like you're staying" he said calmly.

"What?" she exclaimed, noting that he hadn't made a point yet. He turned in his spot and sighed aloud. "Waiting for an explanation here" she let out impatiently.

"Your dad told me to! It's in the letter and who am I to deny his wish" he said unhappily. He walked over to the kitchen counter and placed his head down. This was too much to take in. He had moved instinctively, not fully considering what he signed up for.

                But promises, especially last ones, struck him harshly. At the thought of a last request, he remembered Yin-sen. If he could keep that promise, how hard could it be to take care of one girl? He looked up from his arms over to the girl in question, only to see her collapsed on the couch, looking lost.

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Editted November 6, 2013. Remember to vote and comment! Let me know what you think! :D

-Ela