Pride and Joy

Chapter Three

"You've all received the official statement of what occurred at Stark Industries last night. There have been unconfirmed reports that a prototype malfunctioned and caused damage to the arc reactor. Fortunately, a member of Tony Stark's personal security staff..." Rhodey's voice played off of the tv from the back room, displaying what was happening in the main room of the building.

Pepper cleaned up a couple of Tony's cuts as he read a newspaper with the headline, "Who is the Iron Man?" Rory was sat on one of the chairs next to her father, watching him and Pepper talk.

"Iron Man. That's kinda catchy. It's got a nice ring to it," Tony said calmly as he looked over the news article. "I mean, it's not technically accurate. The suit's a gold titanium alloy," Pepper peeled a bandage off of his face, "but it's kinda evocative, the imagery, anyway."

Agent Coulson walked in and immediately handed Tony a blue piece of paper, "Here's your alibi."

"Okay," Tony accepted the slip, skeptically.

"You were on your yacht," Coulson explained. "We have port papers that put you in Avalon all night, and sworn statements from 50 of your guests."

"See, I was thinking maybe we should say it was just Pepper and me, and maybe Rory, alone on the island."

"That's what happened."

"All right." Tony looked down at the paper.

"Just read it, word for word."

Pepper started to apply some makeup to his skin. "There's nothing about Stane here."

"That's being handled. He's on vacation. Small aircraft have such a poor safety record."

"But what about the whole cover story that it's a bodyguard? He's my... I mean, is that... That's kinda flimsy, don't you think?"

"This isn't my first rodeo, Mr. Stark," Coulson replied. "Just stick to the official statement, and soon, this will all be behind you." He turned to Pepper, "you've got," he paused to look at the clock hanging on the wall, "90 seconds." With that, he turned to leave.

"Oh, Agent Coulson?" Pepper called, stopping him in his tracks. She walked over to where he was standing by the door and started talking to him.

"What is that Daddy?" Rory asked, peering over his shoulder at the blue paper.

"This," he held up the slip, "is the story I'm gonna tell everyone."

"So you're gonna lie?"

Tony licked his lips and looked in Coulson's direction. "Yup, you're right. I am gonna lie, bubs."

"But, I thought you said lying was bad, Daddy?"

Tony stared at his little girl for a second. He opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by Pepper, "Let's get this show on the road."

He stood up and walked over to her. "Y'know, it's actually not that bad. Even I don't think I'm Iron Man," Tony said as Pepper slipped his coat jacket over his shoulders.

"You're not Iron Man," Pepper said.

"Am so."

"You're not."

"All right, suit yourself," he said. "Y'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 going to die," Pepper spun him around to make sure he looked okay, "yet so proud of the man I'd become. She'd be wildly conflicted, which would only make her more," he cleared his throat, "crazy about me. Tell me you never think about that night."

Pepper continued to straighten out his tie. "What night?" She kept her gaze looking down at what she was doing.

"You know." Pepper paused and looked Tony in the eyes.

"Are you talking about the night that we danced and went up on the roof, a-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?"

Tony almost looked scared, "Mmm-hmm."

"Thought so." She finished making him look presentable and said, "Will that be all, Mr. Stark?"

"Yes, that will be all, Miss Potts."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"And now, Mr. Stark has prepared a statement. He will not be taking any questions. Thank you." Rhodey stepped away from the podium as Tony took his place.

"Uh, been a while since I was in front of you. I figure I'll stick to the cards this time," he held up the blue cards as the reporters laughed. "There's been speculation that I was involved in the events that occurred on the freeway and the rooftop..."

He was interrupted by Christine Everhart, "I'm sorry, Mr. Stark, but do you honestly expect us to believe that that was a bodyguard in a suit that conveniently appeared, despite the fact that you..."

"I know that it's confusing. It is one thing to question the official story, and another thing entirely to make wild accusations, or insinuate that I'm a superhero."

"I never said you were a superhero," she said.

"Didn't?"

She shook her head.

"Well, good, because that would be outlandish and uh, fantastic." Tony let a sigh escape his lips, flustered. "I-I'm just not the hero type. Clearly. With this, uh, laundry list of character defects, all the mistakes I've made, largely public."

Rhodey leaned into his ear and whispered, "Just stick to the cards, man."

Tony nodded and turned back to the crowd. "The truth is..." he read off of the cards. He thought back to what Rory just said about lying and looked out over the crowd of press. 

He dropped the cards onto the podium and said, "I am Iron Man."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"Daddy?"

"Yes, Bubs?" Tony tucked the little girl into her perfect pink bed and sat down on the end.

"Are you a superhero now?"

"Well, yea."

"Like Superman?" Rory giggled.

"No, actually, better than Superman."

She made a weird face. "Daddy, how can you be better than Superman?"

"I just am," he shrugged and handed her a stuffed rabbit. "Goodnight, bubs." Tony stood up and walked over to the door frame.

"Good night, Iron Man."

Tony smiled to himself and switched the light off. He quietly shut the door and walked downstairs into the living room. He stopped in his tracks when he saw a large man standing in front of the window, staring out at the ocean.

"I am Iron Man." The man said, keeping his gaze on the dark sea. "You think you're the only superhero in the world?" He finally looked away from the window and turned to look at Tony. It was dark, but Tony could a black eyepatch hung around his left eye.

"Mr. Stark," the man continued. "You've become part of a bigger universe." Tony walked towards him slightly as he kept talking. "You just don't know it yet."

"Who the hell are you?" He asked.

"Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. I'm here to talk to you about the Avenger Initiative."