Saving Grace

Three

After that, Grace started spending a lot of time with Pepper. She liked to show her all the cool toys her father bought her, and they'd watch movies together sometimes. She liked Disney movies; Pepper did, too.

They still do, all these years later. And, for the umpteenth time, they're going to be left at home with Happy while Tony leaves on a business trip.

It hurt him to tell her so — especially so suddenly — and the silent tears dripping down her face now are breaking his heart.

"Where are you going?" she asks shakily.

He's crouched in front of her, holding her little hands in his — little, yet getting bigger everyday. "Afghanistan."

That means almost nothing to her. "For how long?"

"Oh, only a few days," Tony replies like it's nothing. He gently wipes a tear from her cheek and tucks a lock of her dark brown hair behind her ear.

She starts crying harder. "But I want to go with you."

Tony's heart effectively shatters, even though they've done this before — and it was even worse when she was younger. He hugs her to him. "Tell you what: You can go with me to the plane, but after that you have to come home with Happy."

"O-Okay."

On the way to the airport, she has to sit in the back while Tony drives, but she laughs joyfully the whole way there, her hands in the air. Tony is driving well over the speed limit — so fast that Happy, who's following him in another car, can barely keep up.

The windows are down, wind whipping through the car. Tony can still hear her laughter, though, and it makes him smile.

When they reach the airport, he parks on the tarmac and gets her out of the car, holding her on his hip as he closes the door. Happy, meanwhile, is getting Tony's bags out of the other car's trunk.

Standing at the entrance of the plane, they spot James Rhodes. Grace happily shouts, "Uncle Rhodey!"

He smiles, and Tony knows it's only for Grace that he does so. He walks down the stairs and steps down onto the tarmac. He's wearing his uniform. "Hey, mini Stark."

She's grinning; she hasn't seen him in a while. "Hey, Rhodey."

Happy has already gotten Tony's bags on the plane, and he knows it's time for him to go. Rhodey does, too. "I'll see ya later, mini Stark." He fist bumps her — which he taught her how to do when she was four — and gets on the plane.

She turns to Tony. "Do you have to go now?"

Tony nods a little. "Yeah. I do."

She hugs him tightly, and it's almost painful for him to set her down and pull away. "I'll miss you, sweetheart-" he kisses her forehead "-but I'll be back before you know it."

Happy takes her hand as Tony gets on the plane. The stairs are moved, the door closes. Tony waves at her through the window. They watch the plane take off, and he's gone.

Happy helps Grace into the car, his heartstrings being tugged by her sad, tear-stained face. He gets in the driver's seat. "You want to go somewhere before we go home? We can stop for ice cream?"

"Can I get the really, really big cone with the chocolate and the sprinkles on it?"

Happy, knowing there's no way she'll eat it all, says, "Of course you can."

~~~~

Tony, meanwhile, is having a conversation with Rhodey.

"Three hours," Rhodey says. "I've been waiting for you for three hours."

"I said I was sorry, okay?" Tony replies. "I said I was sorry."

"I'm not mad. I'm not even mad. I'm indifferent. You don't respect yourself, so I know you don't respect me-"

"I respect you-"

"-I'm just your babysitter, so whenever you need your diaper changed, you let me know."

"You're not my-"

"I am. You are incapable of being responsible."

"Am I?" Tony asks. He points out the window, though they're already in the air. "Look at Grace. Who raised her? Me. Not her mom, no, it was me."

Rhodey sighs. "Tony, she's not raised yet, she's only seven years old."

"But I fed her," Tony argues. "I changed her diapers. I-I bought her every teething ring, every bib, every toy on the market."

"Ok, yes, you did," Rhodey admits. "But it takes a lot more than that to raise a child. You're her role model. She looks up to you. She watches you, she imitates you. What kind of example are you setting when you're going a hundred miles an hour with her in the backseat when the speed limit is only seventy? What kind of example are you setting when you're three hours late to a flight for a business trip?"

"She doesn't know I was late-"

"And," Rhodey continues, "let me ask you this: Who's raising her right now? Happy?"

"I am," Tony replies.

Rhodey can sense his rising anger. "Alright. I just want you to make sure you're doing it right."

"I am."

"Okay."

"I'm always doing what's best for her."

"Alright."

"Even when it's hard."

"I know," Rhodey says. "Let's get to work, okay?"