[1] BROKEN ONE // t. stark

16

After I took a shower, I quickly dressed myself in a t-shirt and jeans. I think I've worn the same t-shirt and jeans for ten times already throughout my holiday with my father. Even though we had gone out a lot, but I didn't have times to stop at the mall for shopping. It made me missed all those times where we, as a family, would go out shopping no matter what event was coming. Sometimes when I was not in the mood, Dad would just rent a dress for me because he knew, I have a bad taste in dresses when I'm not in a mood.

     I didn't go to the cafeteria. I didn't feed myself. I straight away walked to Rhodey's ward room. After asking ten agents in the Facilities, I finally found the room. Too bad I forgot to bring Dad's device. I waste lots of my times on the journey here.

     "Good morning, Rhodes," I greeted him as soon as I walked in. Rhodey was lying on his bed, watching the television. I supposed he'd just finished taking his breakfast because a tray of empty bowl and a mug was on the portable table at the end of his bed.

     "Terri!" he cheered upon seeing me. "Morning, Stark! How it's nice to see you. You've made my day!"

     "Aw, how sweet of you," I said. I took a seat beside his leg, facing him.

     Before we started a conversation, Rhodey turned the volume of the TV down. His full attention was then on me like I was an interesting subject in the room rather than his favourite TV show. By looking at his face, how irony that he didn't look like he was exhausted and in pain at all. I may be wasn't there when he's in distressed, but right now he's totally the opposite of my father.

     "How are you?" I asked, smiling at him.

     He looked down his body before looking up at me as if to show me his condition. "Not too bad. But I still need to go to therapy session."

     "Therapy session?" My eyebrows raised.

     Rhodey nodded with a smile, though his smile didn't reach his eyes. "Paralysed."

     "Oh, I feel you, man. We could be therapy buddies, but I'm good now." I smiled down at my leg.

     Rhodey laughed. "No offense, but I didn't even want to go to therapy with you, for your information." I grimaced at his statement. But before I could object, he opened his mouth to explain. "I would look like a loser beside a Stark."

     "What the- don't be too modest, will you? You're just as amazing. You're Iron Patriot after all. And what am I?"

     "Seriously? You're the daughter of Tony Stark and Pepper Potts. You have everything every girl wants. You're not supposed to be modest!" Rhodey argued back.

     I laughed and Rhodey laughed along.

     "Hey, where's Tony?"

     As if that question has its curse, I was totally stunned when he asked. For a second then I totally forgot about my father. I totally forgot that we met this morning and that he told me that he still had jobs to do that he had to go out again. The air suddenly tensed with the mention of Tony like Rhodey could guess what was happening.

     "Oh.... Him...." I trailed off, smiling bitterly. "Said his job is still not done yet so he flies out again. I wished I could stop him."

     As I looked down, playing with my fingers, I felt Rhodey gave me a sympathetic look. He sighed, understood how I was feeling. "I'm sorry," he said. "Tony shouldn't be doing this to you. He needs to be with his daughter rather than going out, risking his life. He's got two beautiful ladies at home waiting for him! If it's me, I would be sitting at home, eating popcorns while watchinf Law and Order."