Iron Heart [1]

Chapter 6

Jackson stared as the doctors scurried around Ada. It had come two months after the accident. With one final movement she was off life support. They gave her a few minutes to live before she would eventually die. He took in a deep breathe as he waited for her to eventually flat line. The timer went off. She was supposed to die right then. He put his head down, and felt tears start to form in the brim on her eyes. The doctors then all had a surprised look.

"Jackson," Pepper gripped his arm. "She's breathing!"

Jackson looked up in suprisement as the heart monitor kept beeping. He then watched as her head moved towards the direction of the glass window between them. He saw her eyes flutter. She opened her eyes, but quickly shut them. Then, she opened her eyes to look around. Her brown eyes met his blue. She weakly smiled and with all her strength waved her hand by her side at him. Jackson smiled and waved back. The doctors then let Jackson and Pepper in.

"Hey, Ada," Jackson smiled lightly at her.

She smiled as she shakily reached out and held his hand. Maybe things would start to go right.

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Obadiah walked through the plain white walls of the hospital. It had been two months since the accident, and a week since she woke up. Since she did wake up, and there was 'no sign' of Tony, there were several legal issues. For one, who her legal guardian would be. He assumed he would just pick him, but there was also Rhodey and Pepper. He knocked on the door and was surprised when he saw Rhodey, kneeling next to the bed, talking to Ada.

"Oh, hey Obi," Ada greeted.

"Ada. Colonel Rhodes," he nodded in acknowledgement. "Ada, I needed to talk with you privately about some legal issues."

"Well excuse me. One of the few times I get to come back and I have to leave her," Rhodey started for the door, but not before glaring at Obadiah.

Once he was gone, Obadiah brought it up.

"Well, you need a legal guardian, and since Tony is presumably dead, they need you to pick someone to take care of you," he smiled reassuringly.

"Obi, I really don't want to talk about this," she replied. "Dad will come back, and-"

"Ada, it's been two months, the chance of him coming back is next to none," he interrupted.

Ada seemed to think about this.

Just go on ahead and accept the fact kid! he internally screamed.

"If that's the case then, I pick Rhodey," she huffed.

He stared at the girl.

"Fine, but you'll have to get him to sign the legal documents," he advised.

As he left Rhodey went back in after Obadiah left. He went back in to see Ada radiating anger.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Obi wants me to pick someone to be my legal guardian, because...h-he said Dad is never coming back!" she cried.

She hadn't realized until then how much she needed Tony. She stared back up at Rhodey with tears in her eyes.

"Let me guess, you didn't pick him, and he wasn't too happy about that?" Rhodey guessed.

She nodded.

"Then who did you pick?" he asked.

"You," she mumbled.

"Me?" he raised an eyebrow.

She nodded.

"I wanted someone who I knew I could count on," she halfway smiled.

Rhodey smiled and sat next to her on the bed.

"I'll gladly take care of you, but just...give it some time, maybe your dad is still out there somewhere," he reassured. "Hey, I'm looking every where for him, I swear I will do anything to try to find him."

She smiled as he stood up and left. Leaving her in the hospital bed, alone.

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Ada sat in her wheelchair as Jackson pushed her towards the restaurant. She looked up at him and smiled. They had started dating once she woke up, and he would take her out of the hospital on a date every so often. He was taking her to their favorite restaurant right by the beach. They eventually got their table and sat down.

"So how is Miss Stark doing?" Jackson started.

"Well, Mister Akins, I'm doing well, but I can't wait to get to finally leave that place," she scowled, just thinking about the hospital.

"So once you get out what are you going to do?" he asked.

"I honestly don't know, I can't live on my own because of this stupid paralysis. Rhodey said that he won't take me in until they find my dad. Pepper is job hunting, so I just don't know," she sighed.

"You could stay with me," he suggested.

Her head darted up to meet his eyes. He smiled.

"I would love that," she returned the smile.

After they ate and paid, Jackson was the one to break the silence.

"What if we just went to the cove? Just you and me?" he questioned.

She nodded and he stood. She started to wheel herself out, but Jackson quickly took control.

"You know I can do it myself right?" she laughed.

"Yeah, but I just want to take care of you," he responded.

They ended up at the cove and she sat on the beach while she watched him surf. She sat in a beach chair and stick her feet in the sand, even though she could barely feel the water. He eventually came back to her and kissed her on the cheek.

"You ready?" he asked.

"Ready for wh-" she started but he picked her up and put her on his surfboard.

He pushed her out into the shallows and smiled as a wave came and she rode it into shore. He met up with her and smiled as he brought her back out again and they just sat there for a while. Eventually Jackson leaned in and kissed her on the lips. When they broke apart he brought her back into shore and took her back to the hospital. Things were starting to look up for the teen.