Radioactive | Bucky Barnes

IRON MAN: CHAPTER NINE

"Hello. Miss Jones."

"Again, Jarvis." Rhiley entered the house, "Just call me Rhiley, for the love of-" She stopped mid-sentence Pepper speaking to a woman who was putting on her shoes, hair messy and then it clicked.

"Rhiley." Pepper greeted.

"Reporter?" Rhiley nodded her head in the woman's face.

"Who are you?" The woman asked, eyebrows raised.

"None of your business."

"Rhiley, down," Pepper ordered, Rhiley moved over to Pepper.

The woman just moved on, yet she kept her distance from Rhiley. "Look, Tony wanted me to stay for breakfast, but I've got to get a jump on the day. Call me a cab, would you?"

"Cab's waiting outside," Pepper tells her.

"And a coffee, hon. Black. One Splenda."

Pepper smiled sweetly, "Should I tell Mr. Stark, was you satisfied with the interview?" Rhiley shivered in disgust. She already knew what had gone down the moment she had entered the house.

"Nasty," Rhiley spoke up the moment the reporter left, Pepper smiled over at Rhiley. "Have I told you that I'm in love with you Pepper Pots?"

Pepper smiled kindly at Rhiley. "Twice a day." She liked Rhiley. Unlike many women Tony somehow managed to hire before, Rhiley was actually - not like any of them. Also, he's not once flirted with the young woman, and that still confused Pepper because Rhiley was good-looking. She did have the same eyes as Tony. "What are you doing here?"

"Repacking for Tony."

"Honestly, I'm really glad Tony hired you so I can focus on the actual business side of Stark Industries," Pepper whispered as the two made their way into the kitchens. "Yet, somehow, I still get pulled into his shenanigans."

"Oh, Pepper." Rhiley perked up, "Happy Birthday."

Pepper eyed Rhiley and smiled. "Thank you, Rhiley. I'm gonna go yell at Tony, wanna join me?"

"Gotta pack for him." Rhiley points up the stairs, "I'll see you later, Pepper."

-

0

-

"Sorry, pal -- car trouble."

"It wasn't car trouble." Rhiley had slumped out of the car; tired. The nightmares were worse last night than most nights. She carries her luggage. 

"I figured," Rhodey commented, they both headed onto the plane. "I was standing out there for three hours, what the hell?"

"I had car trouble."

Rhiley sat down across from Tony, closing her eyes, head against the window. "Thanks, maybe later-" Tony declined a towel, "And none for her, she's quite pissy when she's disturbed from her sleep."

"I hear you." Rhiley flipped Tony off.

"That's why I keep you around."

Rhiley found herself falling asleep after that only to be woken up a few hours later by Rhodey and Tony talking to each other. "We're working, Tony."

"You should have a drink. We've got a twelve-hour flight ahead of us."

"It's two in the afternoon."

"It's two in the morning where we're going. C'mon, ten hours "bottle to throttle"

"Don't start with me."

"Oh! Look, sleeping beauty is awake." Tony noticed Rhiley's eyes flicker open, "Want a drink?"

"No."

"Jeez, we're not getting hammered. Just a nightcap. We'll sleep better and arrive fresh. It's the responsible thing to do." Tony told the two of them.

"I slept just fine." Rhiley pointed out, straightening up and then sinking back into her seat.

"I don't know about you lot, but I want to sell some weapons."

Now, Rhiley didn't understand how exactly it happened, well, she did. Rhodey gave in to peer pressure and the two men got drunk. "You don't get it. I don't work for the military because they paid for my education or my father's education. Don't cheapen it like that."

"All I said was, with your smarts, your engineering background, you could write your ticket in the private sector -- on top of which, you wouldn't have to wear that 'straight-jacket"

"'Straight-jacket'? This uniform means something. A chance to make a difference. You don't respect that, because you don't understand."

"See that one? Her I understand. Croatian. Hot-blooded, I'm serious. Must be those winters in Zagreb"

"You're not listening to a word I'm saying."

"I am listening. I'm changing the subject. It's the same litany, every time you've had a thimble of alcohol. Drink One: reflections on the New American Century and related topics -- "

"Something's...seriously wrong with you, man."

"Drink 2: A History of World War II and the Tuskegee Flyers. Drink 3--"

"You know, hell with you. I'm not talking to you anymore. " Rhodey undoes his seatbelt, and rises, looking for somewhere else to sit.

"Go hang with the pilot. You'll get along, he's got a personality just like yours."

"I will." He walks off.

"You're an ass, you know that." Rhiley takes this opportunity to speak up, Tony chuckles at her and winks. Lighting up when Rhodey comes back and slumps down.

"That's funny."

"You could tell?"

There had been no pilot.