Your Little Stark

Ch•15- A Regret

    I swung my feet over the side of the bed and sprung off. A light vibration still sounded in my ear but I'm pretty sure that was all in my head. Outside, the sun had sunk below the water, it was completely dark. I jogged to the door of my bedroom and cracked it open.

     A voice spoke from downstairs, it didn't sound like Dad or Pepper. Was that Obadiah? His low, raspy voice whispered around downstairs. What was he doing here so late? I know Dad and I are still hostile to each other right now so I stayed upstairs. I snuck around to the top of the stairs and stood behind the wall, out of sight. For some reason, a nervous pit formed in my stomach. That little voice in my head was telling me that something was off.
Something wasn't right.

    I poked my head around the corner and peered down the stairs from the balcony to the living room. A warm fire blazed in the pit, and the lighting of the room was low. Two figures were present in the room, Dad sat slumped on the couch and Obadiah stood over him. Something about this was wrong, this was all wrong.

     I watched silently as Obadiah mumbled something to Dad, and then he shifted. My draw dropped silently. Dads face was white as paper, and Obadiah held the reactor from Dad's chest in his palm. That bald man was literally holding my Fathers heart in his hand. The wires that connect the reactor to his body were in Obadiah's fingers. He disconnected the magnet from his chest, causing me to flinch. Dad's body jumped at his sudden actions. He was in pain. Obadiah was hurting him. Dad's breathing became labored as Obadiah smirked.

     "Oh, it's beautiful. Tony..." Obadiah spoke quietly, too quiet for me to hear everything, but I made out a few sentences "What a masterpiece. Look at that. This is your legacy...Weapons that will help steer the world back on course, put the balance of power in our hands. The right hands...I wish you could see my prototype. It's not as... Well, not as conservative as yours" I squinted my eyes, trying to understand what was happening.

     A prototype means a second model, right? So now, Obadiah has made himself a super suit? I covered my mouth, holding in a gasp. Dad never wanted him to have the plans to the Suit, and now he has somehow gotten hold of them! Is this my fault?

"Too bad you had to involve Pepper
in this. I would have preferred that she lived..."

3rd POV :

    "Too bad you had to involve Pepper in this. I would have preferred that she lived..." Obadiah Stane eyed Tony, giving an evil smirk. Tony looked past Obadiah, fearing the worst for his assistant. Tony's mind was racing. On the second floor of this very house was his daughter. If Obadiah wanted to, he could go up there and harm her and Tony would not be able to do a thing about it. He prayed that Jessi was asleep and wouldn't bother them.

    "What's happening?" A small, timid voice asked from the top of the staircase. Tony's heart stopped. Up the flight of stairs, Tony's little brunette daughter stood in the shadows. She peeked around the corner, looking carefully at the scene "what do you mean by you 'preferred that Ms. Pepper lived'... is she going to die or something?"

    Obadiah tucked the reactor inside his brief case and turned to the child. Tony tried to speak, tried to move, he tried to do something but his whole body was frozen. The only thing he could do was watch in horror.

    "Jes...Jessi my girl" Obadiah smiled brightly, walking towards the stairs "come here kiddo"
Obadiah knew he couldn't leave Jessi here, she would soon figure out what was going on. She may be young but she's not an idiot. He'd either have to kill her or take her with him.

    Jessi cautiously made her way down the stairs towards Obadiah, still not sure of what's going on. Tony screamed internally, praying that his throat would work. Jessi glanced to her father, nervous of what he was thinking. Why wasn't he talking to her? Was he still mad at her? "Don't worry about him Jes, he's just a little sick"

    "Why'd you take his reactor out?" Jessi looked Obadiah dead in the eye, becoming suspicious. The puzzle pieces were clicking together in her eyes "He needs that to live"

"Well I-"

"Why are you here Mr. Stane..." Jessi took a step back, her eyes hard. She had figured it out.

     Obadiah wanted the Reactor plans, he's the one that sold the weapons to the terrorists. Now, he's taking the reactor for himself and is building his own suit. He's stealing. He's also hurting Tony. Jessi's blue eyes widened.
Obadiah realized that she knew, this child figured it out "I'm calling the police" Jessi made a dash for the phone but Obadiah caught her arm.

    "Ohhhh no ya don't" Obadiah rolled his eyes as he swung Jessi back around "you're coming with me" he started for the front door, not loosening his grip from Jessi's arm.

     "Stop! Let me go!" She struggled, tugging away from the old man. Jessi looked frantically to Tony who sat helplessly on the couch. She knew that Tony couldn't do anything, Obadiah had done something to him. She knew that.
Obadiah kicked the front door open and shoved Jessi out. She landed on the front deck, letting out a painful grunt "Ow!"

    "Get up" Obadiah grabbed her brunette hair roughly. Jessi gritted her teeth at the sensation "that's right, we're almost to my car"

    "Stop it! It took me nine years to grow this hair!" Jessi kicked against him as they struggled to Obadiah's car "my Dad will come for me!"

    "Kid your Father doesn't care about you at all. He sees you has a problem. In fact, he has a lot of regrets, you're one of them" Obadiah sneered, ripping open the back seat of his car and he threw Jessi in. She sprawled out onto the seat, dumbfounded by his words.

    What if he's right? What if Tony just thinks of Jessi as a problem, a regret. Jessi slouched down in her seat, feeling worthless once again.
Obadiah walked around the car and slipped in to the front seat. He set his brief case with the Reactor down on the passenger seat beside him. The glow from the light could be seen through the briefcases cracks. Jessi looked glumly out the window as the car started to drive around the driveway. The house was dark, barely any of the lights were on "Don't worry kid, Howard didn't care for Tony that much either..."

"Who's Howard?" Jessi asked, looking to Obadiah.

"Your Grandfather"

      A/N: Who would have thought that Obadiah is a bad guy? Am I right? Detective Jessi is on the case!