(2) Bring Me Home (T. Stark)

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Tony weaves through the crowds, his hand holding Spencer's tightly as they make their way to the bar. One more drink and then home. It's crazy, the idea of coming out and having a few hours away from the children was a good idea, but not even an hour in and they both just want to go home. Back to their babies.

"Wine?" Tony asks at the bar, Spencer hums and shakes her head.

"A vodka martini, extra dry, with extra olives"

"Okay, big girl drink" Tony teases, wrapping his arm around her waist to pull her closer. Nuzzling into her neck as he waits for the bartender to make his way to them. Tony pulls back to order their drinks, the bartender nods and moves to pour them out. Tony takes the two drinks from the Bartender and then turns to find himself face-to-face with a reporter, Christine standing behind him and Spencer.

"Mr Stark! I was hoping I could get a reaction from you"

"How's panic?" He asks and hands the martini to Spencer at his side.

"I was referring to your company's involvement in this latest atrocity" Christine points out.

"Hey, they just put my name on the invitations..." Tony goes to argue but Christine thrusts a dossier of photos out to him.

"Is this what you call accountability?" She asks. He looks at the photos, going stone-faced.

"When were these taken?" Tony asks and then looks at Spencer, she takes the photos from Christine and goes through them.

"Yesterday. Good P.R. move, you tell the world you're a changed man, even I believed you" Christine scolds a little. Spencer lets her eyes scan over a photo of victorious insurgents, the Ten Rings insignia on their vehicles, clutching Stark machine guns, RPGs. Behind, a town burns, bodies strewn. A photo of civilians being marched in rows, pre-execution, Stark weapons trained at their backs.

"I didn't approve this shipment" Tony assures her and then looks at Spencer who purses her lips. That feeling she's been having about Obadiah is starting to show itself, they both know it. They both know there are only two people that can approve this sort of shipment and it is not Tony that has done so. Tony meant every word.

"Well your company did" Christine informs them.

"Come with us," Tony tells Christine who looks at Spencer who nods reassuringly at her. Tony walks away, making a beeline for the exit. Christine and Spencer follow behind him.

........

Outside, Tony strides out to the red-carpet paparazzi that are gathered still. He stops in front of them and takes a deep breath. Christine and Spencer coming to a stop behind him in the doorway, watching him.

"I made some promises I'm not going to be able to keep" Tony admits. "I suggest you pull all your money out of Stark Industries immediately..." Obadiah is suddenly there, steering Tony up the entrance stairs.

"Is this like a tick for you? Whenever you have a feeling, you start going to all the people who don't trust you, who don't protect you. They're going to put a spin on everything you say" He scolds Tony. "Are you out of your mind? You're messing with the 'guys in the rooms', we're talking about billion-dollar interests, the world order...."

"I'm not worried about that right now.." Tony argues.

"You should be. You'll disappear. I can't protect you against people like that" The Paparazzi has snuck up on them, snapping photos of the two men. "Do you mind?" Obadiah scolds and moves Tony further up the stairs. "Tony, don't be so naïve..."

"Naive? I was naive before, when I was growing up and they told me don't ever cross this line, this is how we do business. In the meantime, we're double-dealing under the table. We don't even deserve to represent the United States..."

"Tony, you're a child!"

"You don't believe I can turn this company around, do you?" Tony asks Obadiah.

"You've got about as much control over things as a child riding in the back seat of your father's car with a red plastic steering wheel in your hand"

"Maybe I'll just get out of the car"

"You're not even allowed in the car." Obadiah counters. "I'm the one who's filing the injunction against you." Tony is shell-shocked. Then, he goes after Obadiah who walks away. Spencer grabs Tony's hand and stops him, Tony spins on her, her free hand finding his chest.

"Look around" She whispers to him, he finally notices the press, his eyes scanning over them as their camera's flash. "Let's be smart, baby," She tells him. He looks at her and she gives him one back. He nods in agreement and she releases his hand, he touches her cheek. Grateful for her at that moment. He would have made things ten times worse if she hadn't stopped him. She looks through the crowd at Obadiah who is watching her back. She clenches her jaw and turns to Tony. He presses his forehead to hers as he calms down. He knows she is right. They need to be smart, not emotional. But this company, his company, this is his children's future, his legacy, he will not let that man destroy it.

.......

Spencer, now wearing jeans and plaid, moves through Tony's workshop, picking up bits and pieces before moving to the main computer where she takes a seat, dumping the equipment on the top to sort through. She's worked up, much as Tony is, over what happened with Stane. She knows she is right about him.

"Jarvis" She states without looking up from her little pile of bits and bobs.

"Yes, Mrs Stark" Jarvis answers her as the computer lights up.

"Show me what you found on Stane," She asks of the computer, and as suddenly as she asked of it, the computer screen is filled with file after file of information on Stane since the moment he was born. She is going to go through it, piece by piece until she has what she needs to prove her point. She knows he is bad. She can feel it in her bones. She hums a little and pushes her chair closer to the computer screen. She is going to do what she does best, research the crap out of this problem.