The Invention Left By A Little Stark | Book 2

17) Artificial Intelligence

As 5am dawned the next day, New York was relatively peaceful.

In Avengers Tower, almost everyone was still asleep, Tony included for once. He had been awake until two o'clock in the morning writing his mission summary but after a strict order from Pepper he soon found his way into bed.

He was dreaming for the first time in a long while. Normally it was nightmare after nightmare but ever since seeing you in the HYDRA fortress, things had changed. Rather than tossing and turning and gripping the sheets until his knuckles turned white, he was breathing soundly and didn't flinch once.

His dream was forged by one of his rare happier memories from your childhood. It was mere months after your mother died and he took you home. He remembered the day being a cloudy Fall morning even in Malibu, and the leaves had just become golden, brown, and red. He was attempting to make pancakes in the kitchen while you babbled away on the counter laughing and giggling at his failure.

The dream he was having now, on the other hand, was slightly different to the true memory. Rather than it being just you and him, and you only a few months old, he was dreaming of the same scenario with you as an adult and Pepper also involved. The three of you were covered in flour and having more of a food fight than actual breakfast, your raucous laughter filling the room like a sweet melody.

It was pure bliss, and the only thing Tony craved out of life.

Sadly it was interrupted by an abrupt announcement from JARVIS, startling Tony into consciousness again. He muttered a swear, squinting against the darkness of dawn and trying to find a light to switch on.

"My apologies, but I have an incoming call for Ms. Potts."

Tony muttered something incoherent as bright light fueled by the bedside lamp flickered into existence. "Tell 'em to wait."

"I'm afraid it's Mayor Williams, sir."

"So?"

"It cannot wait."

The man groaned and rolled onto his back, turning his head to look at Pepper. She was still asleep, her hair tied back and her bangs barely grazing her fluttering eyelashes. Her breathing was steady and slow, and Tony actually felt bad about needing to wake her.

"What does the mayor want?" He asked.

"He hasn't said."

"Typical politician."

He sighed and then placed a hand on Pepper's arm, lightly shaking and softly calling her name to rouse her. Unlike him, she awoke much more gracefully.

"Tony?" She asked sleepily. "What's going on?"

He smiled sympathetically. "Sorry, Pep. The mayor's calling."

"What?" She frowned as she pushed herself into a seating position. "What time is it?"

"Too early."

"What does he want?"

"Won't say."

Pepper was the one to sigh that time and nodded her head as she rubbed her eyes free of sleep. "Put him on."

JARVIS did as she requested and patched the mayor through to her phone. Since it was most likely regarding your memorial, she put the phone on speaker and set it on her lap.

As Tony lay on his back with his eyes closed, he didn't bother to sleep. Instead he chose to listen in, hearing profuse apologies from the mayor about the time of his call. He expressed the importance of it all and Tony only opened one of his eyes when he heard your name being mentioned.