Biography | Quentin Beck

Saturday, March 1st, 2009

03:00 AM. Month Two.

No easy way to say it but Quentin looked awful. He had been crying and who knows how sleep deprived he was. It had been two months since the vehicle that had Tony in it, blew up, but Quentin wasn't giving up hope. His friend may be missing but he sure as hell wasn't dead. Pepper had given up early on believing he was dead and boy did that make Quentin mad.

She even made jokes about it and he found them to be in poor taste. Rhodey on the other hand was in Quentin's boat. Doing tons of research and trying to track down his location night after night. The bags under his eyes spoke volume. He'd be walking into walls and all kinds of stuff.

He even spilled coffee on himself when he had to stand in for a meeting since Tony was unavailable. It was a depressing sight but people understood. After all, Tony and Quentin were very close. Well, used to be. That was another thing that was in the back of Quentin's mind.

Why was he going to extreme lengths for a man who hadn't even told him good morning or good night. The most simple answer Beck had was he wasn't that kind of person. Tony had treated him poorly but he wasn't going to backstab him and give up for that. Stark was troubled. And that was okay.

"I do not wish to interrupt but you should perhaps eat something." Jarvis' voice spoke up in the workshop.

"Can't." Quentin replied. "Even if I tried to I can't. He's out there somewhere and he's counting on me."

"I'm sure Mr. Stark would want you to take care of yourself so you don't pass out from low blood sugar or other medical reasons."

"Yeah well he's not here is he."

"I know how hard this is for you. A good night's sleep might also help you think."

Jarvis did have a point and he didn't want to admit it so he ignored the AI hoping he'd give up. He did not. "It is seriously dangerous to go this long without food in your system and energy."

"I don't really care about me right now okay? Didn't I make that obvious??"

"You indeed have."

"Good. Don't you have security duties to check up on or something." Quentin looked down to see that his hand had been set on one of the keyboard keys for a good five minutes or so.

"My duty is to watch over the building, yes, it is also to watch over the people in the building, no?"

Quentin sighed and slammed his fist into the keyboard, just now noticing the tears that had fallen down his face. Flashbacks of when they were kids took over his memories. How close they used to be and how they went through everything together. "I miss him." Quentin choked.

"I know sir. I still remember the first day you entered the house." The lights in the workshop dimmed before the glass door unlocked and swung open. "But I do believe it is time for at least a snack and a nap."

"I can't.." Quentin replied under a whisper while trying to turn a light back on. "I can't help him if I'm sleeping.."

"You also cannot help him if you were to die."

Jarvis was just as stubborn in this argument and he once again brought up a good point. A good enough point to even convince the man. "...Fine."

"I know this is difficult Mr. Beck. But I do believe this will be the best solution for now."

"Fine- okay? You win. I'm going." Quentin grabbed his full water bottle that he hadn't had the time to drink from and as soon as he sat up his vision became fuzzy and he was just now noticing how dry his lips were. He bumped into tables and walls and for a second couldn't even see the door. 

"Take your time sir."

He blinked a few times which cleared it up enough for him to make it out of the workshop and back up the stairs. Pepper was asleep in her bedroom this time so the couch was available and both him and Jarvis knew that Quentin wouldn't be able to walk down the hall to his room. So he flopped on the couch, his face in a pillow. For Quentin's luck there appeared to be a nice fruit basket on the table beside. He knew Jarvis couldn't do anything to make him but he was also just now noticing how loud his stomach was.

His eyes were trying to force themselves shut but he didn't let them. He gave in and grabbed an apple for a quick snack. He tried to think of new ways to track Tony down but his head was like a static. He couldn't even hear himself think. Everything was out of order.

His arm dropped against the side of the couch and the apple core slipped through his fingers. He watched as the living room lights dimmed which proved Jarvis was keeping a close eye on him. He wanted to protest by getting up but he couldn't move. His body wouldn't let him. Right after his eyes didn't let him either as they closed and forced Quentin into a slumber.