Ironman 3 (Charlotte Stark)

Ch. 10 Just Build Something

"Harley, tell me what's happening. Give me a full report." I tell him as Tony and I are driving. I put the phone on speaker so that we both here it.

"Yeah, I'm still eating that candy. Do you want me to keep eating it?"

"How much have you had?" I ask him, feeling my motherly instincts coming in.

"Two or three bowls."

"Can you still see straight?" Tony asks.

"Sort of."

"That means you're fine." I slap Tony on the arm. "Ouch. Give me Jarvis. Jarvis, how are we?"

"It's totally fine, sir. I seem to do quite well for a stretch, and then at the end of the sentence I say the wrong cranberry." I stifle a laugh but I receive a look from Tony and shut it down real quick, knowing he's right. We need to stay focused. "And, sir, you were right. Once I factored in available AIM downlink facilities I was able to pinpoint the Mandarin's broadcast signal."

"What are we talking? Far East, Europe, North Africa,
Iran, Pakistan, Syria? Where is it?" I ask him, getting impatient.

"Actually, Miss Charlotte, it's in Miami."

"Okay, kid, I'm gonna have to walk you through rebooting Jarvis's speech drive, but not right now." Tony says, pressing his fingers to his head.

"Harley, where is he really? Just look on the screen and tell us where it is."

"Um, it does say Miami, Florida." Harley informs us.

"Okay, first things first, I need the armour." He looks to me, "You can get along without it, but where are we at with it?" Tony asks.

"Uh, it's not charging." As Harley finishes his statement, Tony slams on the breaks and we swerve off to the side of the road. I can hear the fires screeching and Tony's breath quickening.

"Actually, sir, it is charging, but the power source is questionable. It may not succeed in revitalising the Mark 42 and Miss Charlottes suit has not been responding." JARVIS says.

"That's fine, I don't need mine, but what's questionable about electricity?" I raise my eyebrow in question.

"All right? It's my suit, and I can't... I'm not gonna... I don't wanna..." My brother begins to have another panic attack. "Oh, God, not again."

"Tony?" I ask, placing my hand on his shoulder. He is currently gasping for air.

"Are you having another attack? I didn't even mention New York." Harley says throw the speaker.

"Right, and then you just said it by name while denying having said it." Tony says angrily. "Got what are we going to do?"

"Just breathe, Tony." I say to him.

"Really, just breathe." He looks to me and glares.

"Yes just breathe. You'll pass out from the lack of oxygen. Relax. We can figure out another way, without the suits." I tell him, reassuringly.

"You're both mechanics, right?" Harley asks him.

"Right." Tony says.

"You said so."

"Yes, we did." I say to him.

"Why don't you just build something?" Harley suggests. Immediately, Tony slowly starts to regain his breath.

"Harley, you're a genius! Truly!" I say to him.

"Thanks, kid." Tony says and he hangs up.

"He's a good kid. Reminds me of you, back in the day." I tell my brother. He gives me a smile. "Well have to do something special for him. When this is all said and done."

"Yes. Yes we will." We then sit in silence for a few minutes. I look over at Tony and notice his worried look on his face.

"Pepper will be okay. Happy is going to make it. We're going to stop the Mandarin and Killian." I reassure him.

"I'm also worried about you, you know. I don't want to see you get hurt."

"Tony, let me remind you. I was on my own for about 15 years. And during that time, I've learned how to take care of myself. I was doing this type of shit before you even knew I was back. Risking my life for Red Room, and then SHIELD, and then along side the Avengers. Along side you. I can do this. We can do this. We're hero's, bro, it's what we do."

"I know you're capable of it, but it still worries me. I've already lost you once. I just got you back, I don't want to loose you again. Your my little sister, Char. And I love you." Tony says, glancing to me. I place my hand on his.

"I love you too, Tony. Even after all your bullshit, I will always still love you. You're the only family I have left. We're all each other's got, and we'll look out for each other. Okay?"

"Okay." He says.

We drove through the bright Florida sunlight and turned into the local hardware store. If we were going to confront the Mandarin, we would need some provisions. It was bad enough that we didn't have our suits. If we could just pick up a few things, we might at least have a fighting chance.

Inside the store, Tony quickly and methodically threw item after item into his cart, taking exactly what he needed but nothing more. During our shopping spree, I tried to call Rhodey, but he didn't answer.

As we were checking out, the cashier was watching a news report on her cell phone. The report said that the president of Stark Industries was now missing. Tony and I froze in our tracks. Pepper.

She was the president of Stark Industries, and now she was in danger. The Mandarin or A.I.M., or both were going after her to get to him.

"It ends here," Tony said. I nod at him with grim determination as we exited the store.