«Star Shadows» A Night Angel Sequel

CHAPTER XLIII - FAIR ENOUGH

December 2012. 08:46. Malibu. Los Angeles, CA.

Third Person POV.

-Are you out of your damn mind?!.- Sophia yelled at Tony as they were driving to Tony's house. -What the hell were you thinking?!.- She yelled one more time and Tony flinched slightly.

-What did you want me to do, huh? Sit around with my arms crossed waiting for the man that almost killed our friend to do something worse?.- Tony asked her as he turned to glance at her.

Sophia was fuming and she was pissed, that he knew. He could see it in the way her chest would rise and fall quickly or how her eyes had that distinct flame on them that told everyone she was pissed. Her jaw was clenched and her cheeks were taking a rose tinge in them.

-Tony, you gave our address to a terrorist! A man we have no idea what he is capable of and decided to put a bullseye on our backs! We have no idea what we're dealing with, yet you decided that confronting him by challenging him to come to our house was the best idea!.- Sophia yelled back.

-He needs to pay, Star!.- Tony yelled back, panic rising in his stomach as he now thought of his not so well structured plan.

-I know! T, I know. I know he has. But right now, all we know is he is dangerous, and if he managed to pull out almost 9 attacks.- Tony turned to look at her surprised, remembering Rhodey had told him only very few knew about all the attacks. -Yeah, Rhodey's not the only one that knows.- Sophia replied. -God knows what he can do to us when we are home? This is not New York, T. We don't have Thor, or Nat and Clint or Bruce and Steve right now. We can't just challenge the man and expect to win when we have absolutely no idea of what we're facing.- Sophia said, her voice lowering and getting softer.

Tony knew that. He knew they didn't have the team right now and that they were on their own. He knew that this was not like what they faced in New York but he felt like he could do this, right? He was Iron Man and he was not afraid of this man, whoever he was.

But as he processed Sophia's words, he knew she was right.

He said that in the spur of the moment because his family had been hurt. Because his best friend was in a hospital bed and rage and anger were blinding his judgement. But it was too late to back down now. He couldn't take it back and while he was scared of what this might mean, he still needed to know more. He needed to find out what happened and how.

Silence filled the car as both siblings thought about what they had gotten themselves into because even though it had been Tony the one who challenged the man, Sophia had been there and no matter how stupid and reckless her brother had been, she was going to stick with him. Be with him till the end of times.

As Sophia glanced out of the window, Tony turned to look at her, the movement of her hands catching his eye.

-I thought the scratching had stopped.- Tony said as he turned his eyes back to the road.

Sophia, now being self conscious of her actions, stopped scratching her wrist. Biting her bottom lip, she sighed.

-It did. But the stress from today caught up.- Sophia said and Tony nodded. -It's an anxious tick.- She finished and Tony had already known that. -How are you with your anxiety attacks?.- At her question Tony turned to look at her with wide eyes. She smiled as she turned to him. -Rhodey told me.- She said and Tony looked back to the road.

-Snitch.- He muttered and Sophia laughed. -I didn't want to worry you with that. I never even thought I had them.- Tony said and Sophia scoffed.

-T, you've had them ever since the Battle. The nightmares, the flashbacks, the constant shaking of your hand, the urge to build suits? It's anxiety. You need to try and control it and don't let it control you.- Sophia said softly and Tony shook his head.