Lockhart and Stark

The Stark Expo

It had been six months since Tony revealed that he was Ironman. There hadn't been a single threat to America since then. Victoria was always behind Tony and supporting him out of the eyes of the public. They had officially become a couple, to all of those who knew that they loved each other. Tony was with Victoria at his house, they were sitting on his couch.

"Tony I don't know if holding an Expo for a year is a good way to spend your time." Victoria said.

"It's perfect, a perfect way to spend my time. We can bring together a bunch of new technology and show it off to the world." Tony said.

Oh how Victoria wished that she could control her ability to make someone do something. Lately she had not been afraid of her new found power, she was trying to control it.

"Aren't you going to showcase something?" Tony asked.

"Do I have to?" Victoria asked.

"If I say yes would you be mad?" He asked.

Victoria giggled and looked back at him.

"No, it will just be annoying." She said.

"Oh come on, you put stuff on the market all the time, is this any different?" Tony asked.

"A little." Victoria said.

Tony laughed and Victoria changed the subject.

"So on a different note, happy early birthday!" She said.

Tony playfully rolled his eyes and held Victoria's hands.

"Are you still holding your party?" Victoria asked.

"I-I well I don't know. I might just want a quiet dinner alone with you. Or a small party with just you, Rhodey, Pepper, and Happy." Tony said.

"Well, I wouldn't be too bummed about that, but you've been planning for this party for what... months. Why are you having second thoughts now?" She asked.

Tony knew that he was dying, the arc reactor was poisoning him. But he didn't have the strength to tell Victoria and make her worry about him. Victoria on the other hand had learned to control her "hearing peoples thoughts" power. She could read peoples minds at will, but she considered that as an "invasion of privacy".

"I don't know, I'm still thinking about it." Tony said.

"Well, here's the real question. What does the great Tony Stark want for his birthday from me?" Victoria asked.

Tony paused, what did he want? Then he came up with an idea.

"If you can, I would like a watch like yours. One that can handle JARVIS, because every time I try, it just never works." Tony said.

"Very specific, thanks for the suggestion." Victoria said.

"So, how are your therapy sessions going?" Tony asked.

"Wow, way to change the subject." Victoria replied.

Both of them smiled. Then Victoria continued.

"They are going well, but they said that something is wrong with my mind. That is why I have very frequent panic attacks and PTSD episodes." Victoria said.

"Well, do you feel okay?" He asked.

"Well I feel fine, in the moment. I really don't feel like there is anything wrong in my mind, but I have no say in the matter." She replied.

"Have they done any tests or even a brain scan?" Tony asked.

"They have and they have found that something is wrong, but they can't explain it." She replied.

"I'm sorry, maybe if I took a scan or give a test I could help." Tony suggested.

Victoria knew that if he took a test he would become suspicious and it would drive him, and her crazy.

"I think that you will get the same results as the other doctors. It will be a useless test." Victoria said.

"Oh, well if you need me to help I will. I still feel so guilty about it, what happened to you, none of it would have happened if I just let you go with me to the press conference." Tony said.

"Tony, you need to stop blaming yourself." Victoria said.

They looked into each other's eyes and then kissed for the tenth time that night. Victoria held Tony's hand.

"If we want to make it to New York we should go now." Victoria said.

"To the Stark Expo." Tony said with a half smile.