Peachy Keen

Chapter 9

Friday cheerfully created a history for Sterling Keener, going all the way back. Tony suspected if he
asked she would provide prenatal medical records for Sterling's mother. Fed Ex showed up two days
later with a packet of paperwork, including various IDs, several common credit cards, and a passport
with a few stamps, mostly from European nations.

Sterling had been traveling and out of touch with the family, Holly had explained to a few people in
her church 'Stitch and Bitch' group who made quilts and knitted blankets for charity. She told them
he'd come to live with them and help out once he'd heard about his deadbeat brother.

"Welcome to Rose Hills, Sterling!" the heavyset man behind the counter at Fred's Store said when
Tony stopped in to pick up some food the day after he got the credit cards. The limit on them was
ridiculously low, Tony wasn't used to limits. Holly had given him a list, and directions to the
discount food store, and a request not to buy too much junk food.

"Thanks, Fred," Tony replied, wondering at the speed of the gossip chain

"I'm George," the man said while totting up the groceries. "But George's Store sounded stupid."

Tony laughed.

"Holly and her kids are good folks," George said. "We're all glad they've got kinfolk lookin' out for
them now."

"Holly and her kids are good folks," George said. "We're all glad they've got kinfolk lookin' out for
them now."

"Yeah, well," Tony felt awkward.

"Oh, hey, Harley says you're good with cars! How 'bout motorcycles?"

"Sure, I can fix up a motorcycle for you, if you want."

"Nah, my 'bikin' days are over." George patted his belly. "But I was thinking' you'd need some
wheels, and I've got a busted hog in my back yard. The old lady's been complaining about it killing
the grass. I'd be grateful if you'd take it off my hands."

"That... that's awfully kind of you." Tony just barely refrained from offering to pay for it. He'd had to
borrow Harley's beat up truck to get the food, after dropping him off at his latest job, reshingling, at
least that's what he thought Harley said he'd be doing.

Tony wondered if all small towns were like Rose Hill, or if it was just that he was a novelty.
Everyone he met wanted to shake his hand and tell him something about the town. Where to go if
you wanted the best fishing, or who made the best burgers (Bubba Brew's Sports Bar & Grill), or
who was planning a yard sale and might have some nice shirts in his size.

It was a little overwhelming, especially when some of the widowers and other unmarried women
around his age smiled really sweetly at him, but after a few weeks, things settled down. He politely
sidestepped all the attempted romantic overtures, attended the BBQ's, and remade a corner of the
Keener property into a small garage where he repaired anything too big to fit into Harley's appliance
shop. Sometimes he and Harley would go out together to fix up homes, or build kitchen cabinets, or
pretty much anything, up to and including dog houses.

Tony didn't quite trust himself not to make a mistake if he was too relaxed, so he always ordered a
soft drink at Bubba's to go with his burger. Someone noticed, and he was invited to AA. He didn't
think booze was ever really his problem, but he went to a meeting out of curiosity and found there
were actually things he wanted to confess. Now he had sort of a family relying on him being sober,
and it wasn't a hardship to refuse the occasional beer offered when he and Harley had completed a
hot and sweaty job. He was even beginning to like lemonade.

A month later he got his first chip. It was a simple bronze coin, embossed with the words 'To Thine
Own Self Be True' and Unity, Service, Recovery around a triangle encasing a circle around the
numeral 1.

He liked it better than the medal Stern had pinned on him, and kept the coin in his pocket, to brush
his fingers over from time to time when the news would mention the Avengers, or Stark Industries,
or a lot of things from his past. Pepper attended the auction of his personal possessions in New York,
and he just couldn't take his eyes off her in the brief clip they showed. She was so beautiful and so
strong. She bought everything. No one wanted to bid against her. The auctioneer wouldn't let
anything go on a single bid, so Pepper would place the minimum, and someone in the crowd would
say 'Plus a dollar', and then there would be silence until Pepper placed the winning bid

It made Tony's heart feel very strange. The auction house was full, standing room only, and none of
them would take anything away from Pepper. Friday sent Tony reports and images from auctions
around the world, where people in Stark Industries jackets would quietly appear and bid on the
things that Tony had really liked, not just the 'must have here because it's a convenient location' and
most times, it went the same way as the New York auction.

The only auction that wasn't attended by S.I. was at the Avengers' Compound. Tony had signed the
facility itself over to the team, but he'd paid the expenses, including the taxes. It would be a while
before that caught up, and the compound itself could be sold for arrears, but the contents? All paid
for by Tony Stark. All the tools and toys and wardrobes and furniture, most of it custom made. If the
Avengers ever returned, even if the government let them keep the Compound, it would be to a bare
cement barracks. No red velvet designer dresses, no hand made Italian shoes in 1940's styles, none of
the little homey touches. It was petty, Tony knew it was petty, but he still liked the idea of them
being surprised when their wishes weren't automatically granted.

The world, though, the world hadn't forgot Tony Stark. And they didn't hate him. They didn't think
he was a fuck up. They didn't even blame him for running away and hiding.

Maybe... maybe he could still help? He'd have to think about it.