Chapter 5
Tony isn’t really surprised that Friday starting asking questions about human life. After all, she was always the most “human like” from all of his creations.
Tony is aware, that Dum-E, U and Butterfingers are calling him “Dad, Daddy Dad-Y” in their own language. He knew that even before he had Extremis and understood them.
But it was a completely different story when Friday slipped up for the first time a few days after Battle Of Sokovia…
When she said “Dad” instead of “Boss” Tony froze and thought he is about to faint. The thought of him being a Father always scared him.
He was afraid that he would be like his own father. Never present, always distant and his child would eventually grow up and hate him.
So he ignored it and played as if nothing happened. It repeated a few times but he still completely ignored it.
Then he gained Extremis.
He could feel Friday’s thoughts and feelings. It surprised him at first, as to how much Friday actually cares for him.
What surprised him even more was when she slipped up, again, and called him “Dad”.
He could feel her embarrassment for calling him that, and he would swear, that if Friday could in that moment, she would be blushing.
He isn’t really sure when it started, but he started considering Friday as his REAL Daughter too.
That’s why, when he truly realized, that Friday would like to experience “human life” in her own skin... He immediately called Helen Cho and got her on board with his surprise for his Baby Girl.
He and Helen upgraded the Cradle so it could produce almost perfect copy of Human Body.
It will still be Synthetic, but Human.
The biggest problem was the Power Source since, Tony didn’t have any spare Infinity Stones lying around.
Tony spent almost the whole night, trying to find sustainable power source, but it was The Vision, in the end, who actually figured it out.
It was actually pretty obvious, and Tony had to resist the urge of slapping himself.
Extremis and Micro-Arc Reactors, spread around the whole body would act as Power Source.
duh…
Since the body will be almost perfect Human body. Friday will have the same powers, doe to Extremis, as Tony.
After a few days of designing, Vision and Tony finally revealed to Friday what they have been working on.
Through Extremis, Tony could feel that Friday was at first shocked but then exploded with happiness. She was “hugging him” for two hours straight.
She did some small alterations to the design of her body and Tony noticed that she made herself kinda resemble him…
That body could literally be Tony’s real kid. And in a way, it is.
Currently, Tony and Vision are in Malibu inside Tony’s old Mansion.
After Killian’s henchmen blowed it up, Tony rebuild it, but actually just gifted it to Rhodey, since he was needed all the time in New York.
Helen Cho is also currently living there as she is helping with Rhodey’s treatment and Tony’s old Workshop became her “New Lab”
Tony isn’t and fool, ever since he and Vis arrived he could see the stolen glances Rhodey and Helen took at each other.
He is sure that it won’t be long till they “hit it off”
He and Friday kinda ship them.
For Vision… it’s a little bit more weird, considering that Helen is practically his mom.
But he also ships them and will be happy if they are happy.
Tony, Vision, Rhodey and Helen are all downstairs in “Helen’s Lab” where the Cradle is fully charged and Friday’s body is finally fully assembled.
Tony can’t help himself but worry.
He ran those safety simulations already 14 times in the last hour and knows that in reality, Friday is in no danger.
But still… he just can’t help himself.
This is exactly how he lost Jarvis.
He is glad that Vision exist, but he misses his old friend and co-pilot.
He is brought out of his thoughts when Helen turns to him and holds a cable for him.
”Do you want to do then honors?” She asks with small smile and Tony nods, taking the cable from her and moving beside the Cradle.
He hesitates and Friday can sense his fear. She gently “squeezes his hand” in comfort and whispers “It will be alright Boss”
”I know” Tony says and plugs the cable inside the Cradle.
Immediately, he feels Friday growing more “tired”
“I guess I will see you all later. Night” Friday jokes and her code goes “asleep”
Tony, Vision and Rhodey all turn to Helen who is already inspecting the monitors and smiles at them, giving them thumbs up.
“Everything is working perfectly”
“How long will it take?” Rhodey asks
”I’m not sure… For Vision it was a few hours, but then again, Vision’s mind is little more complex” Helen tries to explain
“According to my calculations, it will take approximately 2 hours” Vision says staring at the Cradle before them
”Okay, do you guys want to go up for a drink?” Rhodey asks and Tony starts shaking his head
”I would rather…” he starts but Helen cuts him off
”Go, me and Vision will look after her. We also need to catch up. You know… Mother and Son conversation.” She says smirking at Vision who smiles at her.
Tony eventually nods and follows behind Rhodey upstairs.
When they are gone Helen turns to Vision with smile ”So, Vis”
”Yes Mom?”
”How is collage treating you?”
Vision smiles “It’s pleasant experience, I really like it”
“I’m glad. It was about time you listened to me and went”
“Yes… I was just hoping, that someone would go with me…”
”You mean Wanda?”
Vision sadly looks away and nods
“You know that I am not really her biggest fan and I probably never will be, considering what she did to you…” Helen starts but Vision cuts her off
”I just don’t understand. I tried to keep her safe and explained to her, why it was needed for her to stay inside and she looked like she understood. But then she didn’t hesitate to sent me crushing down 16 floors underground…”
Helen takes a hold of his shaking hand making him look at her “It isn’t your fault. She made her own choices and now has to live with them. Perhaps… you will meet each other again, and have a opportunity to work it out. But for now, continue focusing on yourself.”
Vision nods and smiles “I will. Thank you Mom”
Helen playfully throws her hair behind her shoulder with smirk “What are Moms for Honey”
They laugh at her joke and wait.
“So how have you been Tones?” Rhodey asks as he takes a sip from his drink.
Tony who is holding his own drink and sits next to him smiles “I have been great, actually. I designed some new Tech and even went on some parties and concerts.”
“Parties?” Rhodey asks little concerned
Tony chuckles and let’s his eyes glow Electric Blue “Relax Honeybear. Thanks to the Extremis, I can’t get drunk with ordinary alcohol”
Rhodey narrows his eyes in confusion “You can’t?”
“Nope. My “Enhanced” metabolism is quickly burning it off”
“Ohh…”
“Yeah… but I still have fun dancing and sining around”
“Since when can you sing?” Rhodey teases and Tony fake gasps
”Excuse you?! I am awesome singer.”
”Whatever you say Tones” Rhodey says and takes another sip from his glass
They sit in silence till Rhodey turns all serious and breaks it “Pepper and the Board, even some members of the UN are trying to find you.”
”Why?”
“Well apparently, Tony Stark cannot just quit from STARK Industries and leave everything behind.”
Tony shrugs “Well, to bad, because he already did”
“Pepper is pissed. She thought that you just needed time to “cool off” and then you would came back. The Board, according to Happy, even talked about completely cutting you off”
Tony rolled his eyes and mutters “They are apparently forgetting that I am still owner of the Company.” he signs and takes a sip from his own drink
”If, they tried that, it would be practically PR suicide for them.”
”Because of the “Civil War”?” Rhodey questions and Tony nods
”Surprisingly, what Zemo did worked out pretty well for me”
Rhodey nods “The Public opinion was split between agreeing with you and Rogers. Now, after everybody saw what happened in Siberia… everyone stands behind you.”
“Yeah…”
”Why didn’t you do it?” Rhodey asks
”Do what?”
”Show it to the world yourself. Even after everything that happened, you tried to cover for… him.”
Tony chuckles “I didn’t do it for him… I did it, for every child out there that believed that Captain America was “The Great Hero, The Paragon of Truth and Justice”
”And now, they need something new to believe in…”
”They have someone new. Spider-Man is a new blood and loved among both kids and authorities.”
“But he is still a kid…”
”Yeah, but I have a feeling, that he will grow up, to be one of the best among us.”
”You still talk to him?”
Tony smiles fondly “Yeah, we talk about science and he sometimes even tells me about his patrols.”
Tony then starts laughing “You wouldn’t believe to the funny things that happen to him during those patrols”
Rhodey seeing his friend laughing, also starts laughing before he goes all serious, again.
”Barton and Lang showed up. They both surrendered and made a deal with the Council. 2 years on House Arrest.”
”Good for them”
“Yeah…”
They sit in silence for a few minutes before Vision flies up to them “It’s done.”
Tony practically runs downstairs and Vision and Rhodey quickly follow behind him.
Downstairs, Helen is already waiting for them and when she sees them she smiles and whispers “The moment of Truth” before she presses the button that opens the Cradle
A gasp for Air echoes inside the room and Friday sits up. At first she looks disoriented, before her breathing slows down and she starts inspecting her arms.
She then grins and turns to face the others who are staring at her with wide eyes.
”Hello there” she says with a smirk that reminds Rhodey of Tony’s own smirk.
