The Hamptons' House

2015: Part 3

"I dunno, Tones," Rhodey said, leaning back in his chair. "Maybe if you just promised to not go out and make any more murder bots, Pepper would agree to take you back."

It was Friday and Tony's official birthday. You'd gone out for your usual dinner and drinks at one of the local sports bars, and currently, you were all a little buzzed.

The week had been full of revelations. Normally, the rule for being in the Hamptons was the outside world stayed outside, but this time Tony seemed to actually want your help. It was an interesting change and one that you weren't against. The outside world rule was always Tony's and the fact he sought out your help with it, gave you hope that this thing you had might outlast the days when the orgies stopped. That maybe there would be a time when your family and his would meet up just to spend the week together and play canasta out on the patio.

The reason things had started to come spilling out was your introduction to FRIDAY, the house's new AI. You had never realized that JARVIS was Tony's AI everywhere and not just at the beach house. He had been in all of Tony's residences, and there were some all over the world. As well as in the offices, and in his Iron Man suits. When the Sokovia incident happened, Tony had been working on creating an AI to help protect the world from future alien attacks. Something had gone wrong and the AI had taken control of the Iron Legion and gone rogue, destroying JARVIS in the process. What was left of JARVIS then became the new Avenger - Vision.

It was strange and complicated, but it came down to JARVIS now being part of what made Vision's personality and the new AI, FRIDAY, taking over the running of the suits and buildings. After telling you about that, Tony had admitted to you that he'd promised Pepper that he'd stop being Iron Man and had blown up all his suits. Except, Thor had come back from Asgard, and having the whole group back was too tempting for Tony and he'd gone straight back into it, always assuring her it was nothing big and it would just be this last one. Or just until the Iron Legion was working. Or just until Thor found what he was looking for. Or just until Ultron was up and running. Until he was just Iron Man again and there were no more excuses.

After the events of Sokovia, Pepper had had enough. Tony had said he understood it. She had told him that waiting at home and watching on while he risked his life was killing her and she needed time to think about what it was she wanted and whether or not she was strong enough to keep doing it and that he needed to decide whether being Iron Man was so important that he would risk losing her.

It was one of those situations where neither was wrong and neither was right, but you hoped it could work out because you knew how much she meant to Tony and you wanted nothing more than for him to be happy. You could see where Pepper was coming from, you weren't even in a romantic relationship with him and his being Iron Man stressed you out too. It wasn't fair that she had to go through that. But conversely, it wasn't fair that he be expected to change and he deserved support.

"For starters, the murder bot was a group effort," Tony said, counting off one finger. "Secondly, I don't plan these things, they just seem to happen to me."

"Just 'happen' to you," Rhodey chuckled.

"And thirdly," Tony said, counting off his third finger. "That isn't helpful at all."

"Oh, you want us to actually be helpful?" Rhodey teased. "And when have you ever listened to advice?"

"I listen..." Tony argued. "Maybe I just have to come to terms with the fact that long-term relationships aren't for me."

You cleared your throat. "You and I have been in a long-term relationship for twenty-seven years."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Not exactly the same thing. If you add up the weeks we've spent together, it's less than a year."