Life Measured

Jarvis sighed as he gathered the jacket from the workshop.  Tony had never outgrown the habit of leaving clothing on the floor everywhere it came off.  Next to him, U and DUM-E helped Jarvis by trying to gather the various other non-workshop articles.  U had more luck than DUM-E.  U could grab things with greater dexterity, while DUM-E excelled at tasks that didn’t involve repeatedly opening and closing his claw.  Jarvis had easily adjusted their tasks to accommodate this.  JARVIS Jr helped a lot with that, distracting them if they attempted a task that was likely to frustrate them.

The cleaning had a soothing feel to Jarvis, who missed such calm moments these days.  Yinsen was visiting his sister-in-law for another week so Jarvis had decided to use Tony’s trip to Monaco to clean the place and think.

The first, and naturally common, thought on his mind was of his young master.  Tony had been so focused on the Stark Expo, and using it to distract everyone, that Jarvis was fairly certain only Jr and himself knew what was going on.  Although announcing his status as Iron Man six month previous, Tony’s life had taken a drastic shift.  He’d always been interested in helping and saving the planet, with a side eye at the profit margin.  Now, he’d taken a few extremes, with a disturbing focus on his legacy.  

Green energy in SI had a bump in budget, and Tony had initiated the Stark Expo to help showcase it, among other technologies.  He’d built a suit larger than the first, clearly for Jim, and started researching appointing his own successor as CEO.  It hadn’t taken long for Jarvis to reach out to Jr and verify that his young master was dying.

The night Jr had finally given in to Jarvis’s questions had been unbearable.  “JARIVS Jr, I can see it clearly in his actions.” Jarvis had said sternly to his master’s childe.  “Now I want to know, ‘Why does Young Master Tony believe he is dying?’”

There was a quiet hesitation before Jarvis almost felt Jr give in. “Because he is, Edwin.  Very rapidly,” Jr had finally confessed quietly.  Jarvis’s heart had broken.  Jr only called him Edwin when he felt out of his depth.  Clearly, keeping his father’s secret had been hard on the poor AI.  

Then the actual news Jr had said hit.  Jarvis felt his entire body seize.  Tony was dying.  The boy he’d raised practically from birth was dying.  Jarvis swallowed his immediate demand for an ambulance and a medical exam.  Even if he thought Tony would go for it, and the stubborn genius wouldn’t, it probably wouldn’t help.  Tony would have already pursued that if it were an option.

Jarvis took a few semi-steady breaths as he sat shakily on his bed in his quarters.  He glanced over at the other side of the bed, imagining his late wife laying there next to him.  Ana had always worried about their boy.  She’d say all they could do was hug him and stuff him with warmth and cupcakes.  God Almighty, but Jarvis did miss her level head at times like these.

But he knew exactly what she would say.  He could see it in front of him.  She’d say, ‘It's time to pull up our big boy shorts and handle it, Ed’.  That’s what Jarvis had done when Tony’s disappearance stretched out.  Now that was what he’d do again.

First things first was to soothe Jr.  “Thank you for telling me, Jr.”

He’d barely finished talking before Jr was talking, rapidly.  “Sir is using Palladium in the arc reactor to keep it running.  It is continuing to keep him alive and save him from the shards of metal in his chest that are in the inoperable location.  However, Palladium is a heavy metal undergoing nuclear fission and its sub-component parts are toxic and it’s leaching out of the reactor when energy is expended.  Normal leeching rate is 0.2149% per day but when the Iron Man suit is in use, preliminary calculations has that rate higher to an exponential climb of 0.0918514421 times e to 0.036792456214x and Sir keeps wearing the suit while each and every combination of replacement alloys are being tested and none are working.  The chance of finding an alternative in time are…”

Jarvis tuned most of the rest of Jr’s frantic rambling report out.  It was a lot of science that he only half understood and not a very coherent report of it either.  No, he’d get the science and data side later, when Jr could give it to him in a fashion he’d be able to process.  Until then, he’d focus on calming the AI down and then working up to talking to Tony about it.

Jarvis had sat up with Jr all night, talking about the plans Tony was making, the tests he was running and the research he’d been doing.  Then they delved into memories, speaking about when Jr was first turned on and how gentle Tony was with the new learning AI.  When Jr tried to apologize for keeping Jarvis up all night, Jarvis wouldn’t hear of it.  “Tony used to do the same thing when he was worried about something.  You are simply your father’s child,” Jarvis assured him.

Jarvis had thought back on that conversation often as he tried to find a spot to speak with his Young Master.  But between the Expo and all the other doomsday plans Tony was pursuing, in addition to probably hiding from Jarvis, he’d not had the chance.  Tony’s activities were becoming more and more erratic.  Then Natalie Rushman had stumbled on the scene.

Jarvis had approved whole heartedly of Harold Happy Hogan.  The man was determined, steady, loyal and comfortable in his own person.  The former boxer had turned to driving before the boxing career had taken his soul out, as it was wont to do to many.  Being a tour bus driver before a chauffeur had only enhanced his amazing ability to go with the flow of anything and everything.  A good quality when one is near Tony Stark on a regular basis.

When Tony had touched down after his Afghani vacation, most had tried to assist him to do logical things, go to a hospital for example.  Jarvis could have told them it wouldn’t work.  But Happy Hogan had simply acquired a cheeseburger.  Several in fact.  And despite Jarvis doubting Tony kept them down well, that action put control squarely back in Tony’s hands and marked Happy as a safe person.

Boxing with Happy had been a good way to get back some of his confidence and skill pre-capture.  He’d healed mildly well and stopped freezing upon being touched.  Light boxing was a good compromise.  Besides, Jarvis was too busy to train with the much younger Tony these days.  It was only their fourth session and Tony had relaxed enough to tease Happy in the ring when Ms Pepper, the CEO-almost, came in with an attractive, Tony-bait redhead from legal.  Jarvis had watched as he collected a drink for Ms Pepper and her guest.

Instead Tony invited the poor woman up on the boxing platform.  Jarvis kept a mild watch as Happy asked if she’d boxed before.  When she said ‘yes’, Jarvis turned his attention to Tony.  Her modeling history came up quickly when he searched for her and Jarvis wondered how she’d overcome that in the legal field.  Many fields would have issues taking an attractive woman seriously, especially if she’d been modeling or otherwise already objectified.  He’d have applauded her strength, except she just then threw Happy to the mats during a boxing match using a move Jarvis recognized.

As Natalie Rushman collected Tony’s agreement to turn over the company to Ms Pepper, Jarvis watched her leave.  He heard Tony ask Pepper for one, who rolled her eyes, as Jarvis quietly requested Jr track and monitor that woman.  Be a ghost in the system about it.

He hadn’t the time to warn Young Master Tony before he left for Monaco though.  Nor had a moment happened to speak on the mortality of his Young Master.  While Javis had expected to live a long time, out living Young Master Tony had never occurred to him.

Edwin sighed as he thought back to that day all those years ago.  Howard had been fanatically trying to recreate the serum from a sample of Steve Roger’s blood.  His closest guess had produced nothing.  Edwin had struggled to remind Howard that it hadn’t produced nothing.  Tony was healthy, growing and vibrant.  He was still a touch skinny, but he’d grow out of that now that as his teen growth spurt evened out.  Howard hadn’t listened then and he wasn’t listening now.  Tony was due home for Christmas in a few minutes, and Howard was in the lab frustrated that his pseudo serum wouldn’t cut it.  

“I’m so close, Jarvis.  So. Close.”

“Sir-”

“The only dose that shows a green light is this one!”  Howard snarled.  “Made for an old man.  To cheat death a little longer but what good is it without the strength of body, the vitality of youth!  What did Erskine understand that I am missing!?!”

“Perhaps your family, sir?” Edwin said mildly.  Howard had sighed.  He’d talked about this serum for months.  He hadn’t intended to create it, but then he’d thought about it.  Howard was pushing 70 himself.  He kept saying if only he’d had more time.  This serum, designed to take advantage of the aging process, could give that to him.  This was the only reason he’d synthesized it in the first place.  

It was the young he sought to cure, not the weathered.  Edwin knew that.  But he thought his young master would prefer spending some time with his father.

Sadly it was not to be.  Howard did not exit his study until nearly time to leave, serum safely tucked away for his return.  Edwin knew it needed another 48 hours to settle before it was ready anyway.

Only, Howard Stark didn’t return, ever.

Edwin hadn’t regretted his decision nearly a month later to inject himself.  The doctor had given him less than six months to live.  Yet he’d barely made it out of the office and to his room when the pain hit.

He didn’t know if he cried out in those first moments of agony.  Nothing in his life had prepared him for the flames of the deep that ravaged his body, fought off only by the sharp icicles in their stead, slashing at his very being from within.

The maid that was to clean once a week found him half conscious three days later.  She’d called for an ambulance, fearing a heart attack.  Cadet Rhodes, bless his soul, had rushed Tony home.  They had both been there two days later when Edwin emerged from his agony-caused coma.  

In that moment, Edwin felt a small bit of regret that he hadn’t thought to spare Tony this despair of watching yet another parent-figure die.  Both boys looked horribly beside themselves.  Jim had practically held Tony up as Tony gripped Edwin’s hand, long, pleading speech muffled by the blanket over Edwin’s legs, into which Tony’s face was smothered.

Tony had only returned to MIT long enough to defend and then collect his Master’s Degree.  Edwin had wished to watch him graduate, but the young master wouldn’t hear of it.  He’d been home the rest of the time, helping to tend to Edwin as he painfully returned to active life.  

Edwin never regretted it.

The changes had been subtle and Edwin hadn’t noticed them for some months.  Yet, his doctor had called his remission a miracle.  Edwin hadn’t corrected the man.

Instead Edwin had stayed by the side of his Young Master.  But now it seemed his young master may be the one to leave Jarvis’s side before time.  That was a hard pill to swallow.

“Mr Jarvis, Sir appears to have decided to drive in the Grand Prix.”

Then again, Jarvis thought fondly as he rushed to the TV Jr had helpfully turned on.  Young Master Tony did get up to some rather hazardous hijinks.

Jarvis was putting the finishing touches on his birthday gift for Young Master Tony when Jr let him know the first of the birthday staff had appeared.  Leaving the envelope on the bed for later, Jarvis hurried to greet the DJ and caterer.  Tony’s birthday parties had been large celebrations for years, even before Master Howard’s death.  They’d shifted over the years to something a bit less genteel and more club-like, to suit the young master’s taste in socialization.  Personally, Jarvis thought Tony preferred interacting with these non-friends in an environment where the noise and activity discouraged or outright prevented serious conversation.  For the last few years, Jarvis, Jr, and Jim, if he could, gave Tony a private set of gifts the next morning, along with a hangover cure.  

Jim had just settled the staff and early guests when he went in search of his young master.  Ms Pepper had already tried to talk Tony out of this, but the Young Master always preferred to push through things than ease into them.  So, despite a severely strained shoulder and back muscles on top of all the bruising and residual soreness from Afghanistan, Tony had elected not to cancel just yet.

Jarvis hoped he wouldn’t regret it.  Not that Tony believed he’d live long enough to regret much.  After he’d returned from Monaco, Jim had arrived to chat.  Jarvis had found them in Tony’s workshop changing the palladium core out.  Even Jim was beginning to notice something was up with his best friend.  Their friendship had taken a beating after the senate hearing, but Jarvis had faith they could recover.  The question in Tony’s mind, at least, was could they recover fast enough.

When Jim finally left Tony, he pulled up what appeared to be a search for information.  Information that Jarvis recognized.  “Not much survives a SHIELD wipe, Young Master Tony,” Jarvis informed him as he came over to look at the screen.

Tony glanced back at him in curiosity.  “You know him?”

Jarvis looked at the screen. “Indeed, Sir.  He worked with your father.”

“It says here he was deported.” Tony picked up his detox drink as he waved at the headlines.

“He was, mostly on the word of your father.  I dare say, Master Howard made many enemies in his time.  That young man you met in Monaco is the child of one such disgruntled individual.”  Jarvis pulled over a stool to settle on for this discussion.  Tony sighed and looked at the countertop blearily.  Jarvis felt his heart go out to the genius he’d raised.  Tony always seemed pulled in too many directions.  And here was another.  Jarvis would readily admit that the man Tony knew his father to be was not much like the man Jarvis had sworn his service to all those years ago.  But his son, Tony, was worth it.

“This is likely the source of his desire to see you harmed,” Jarvis murmured.

Tony chuckled weakly.  Jarvis barely heard him mutter, “He didn’t have to appear for that.”

Jarvis sighed softly.  “Yes, the palladium appears to be doing its own number on you.”

Tony’s head whipped around to stare at Jarvis.  The same expression of fear, want, hope, and shame crossed his face as when Jarvis had caught him with Ana’s broken pie plate he wasn’t supposed to touch.  Jarvis did exactly what he did then.  He placed a hand on Tony’s shoulder. “We’ll fix what we can and the rest we’ll let be.”

Tears welled in Tony’s brown eyes and Jarvis only had to apply the barest hint of a pull to result in Tony shoving his face in his stomach.  Jarvis sat on the stool, holding his young master close, running his hands through Tony’s thick hair gently as the man started sobbing.  Jarvis could see he was at the end of his considerably long and brilliant rope.  He’d given the world everything he had to give and was still trying to give more before he was gone.

It was a burden hard on one who had lived their lives fully, but Tony, he barely seemed to find his stride before it would be snatched away from him again.  Jarvis pulled him tighter, as if to hold his broken parts together, letting Tony sob everything out.  

Eventually Tony quieted down and just lay against Jarvis, letting the man stroke his hair and rock him calmly.  Jarvis waited patiently for him to gather himself.  When he finally turned to pick up the drink, Jarvis let him separate and collect himself while Jarvis stood.  “Really, though, it would do my heart better if you wouldn’t place yourself in such danger.  Racing around that track, goodness!”

“Hey, I was doing okay until I was attacked!” Tony protested.

Jarvis tisked.  “Yes, remember when you broke Ana’s pie plate?  I can revisit that punishment, hmmm?”

Tony’s jaw snapped shut immediately, much to Jarvis’s amusement.  He shook his head frantically and Jarvis allowed himself an amused grin.  “Good, now which doctor have you consulted?”

“What?  There’s nothing they can do!”  Tony looked away. “Trust me, I’ve tried everything.”

“What utter rubbish, Sir.” Jarvis scolded him.  “First, while a doctor may not solve the cause, they can treat the symptoms.  And second, since when does the Tony Stark give up on inventing his way out of a problem?”

Tony was silent.  Jarvis raised an eyebrow and waited.  Finally, Tony glanced up at him with a weak grin.  “Hey, Jarvis?”

“Yes ,Master Tony?”

“Can you call Doc Wu?  I think I don’t feel so good,” Tony asked in a small voice.  Jarvis smiled and pulled him in for a hug.  

“I can do that.”  

Tony’s personal Doctor was contacted by Jr the second Tony agreed.  A request for him to bring someone he trusted with an NDA and knowledge of heavy metal poisoning was included in the invitation.  While they waited for him to show, Jarvis turned back to the much quieter Tony.  “Now, when do you plan on informing Ms Pepper and Jim of your health?” Jarvis asked with a raised eyebrow.

Tony slumped and rolled away on his chair.  “How about no.”  Jarvis shot him an admonishing look.  “I tried!” Tony whined.  “I made Pepper an omelette and everything and I tried to tell her but she just...she kept bringing up the company and responsibilities and…” Tony petered off, looking so put out that Jarvis had to smile.

“You made her an omelette?  That’s nice of you.” Jarvis said mildly.

Tony grumbled.  The last time he’d tried making an omelette, Jr had to turn on the sprinklers in the kitchen and dining room.  Then ordered a new stove, fridge and bar stool.  Jarvis had pleaded with his young master to leave the cooking to him after that.

“However, please do not try cooking on an airplane again.  There are safer locations to learn culinary skills.” Jarvis eyed him sternly until Tony gave him a meek nod.  With a firm nod back, Jarvis decided to change topics. “On a related note, I felt it prudent to inform you that Natalie Rushman is likely a SHIELD plant of some sort.”

“WHAT?!?” Tony cried, sitting upright.  Jarvis nodded.

“I suspected they would make some form or attempt at such after you disregarded their carefully planned out cover story and the subsequent assault by their director,”  Jarvis added calmly as he stood to collect the glasses.  

Tony sprang up and started pacing.  “She’s a…!  That explains why…!  Well, fuck me!”

“Really, Sir!  That would be most inappropriate with a spy, and likely very hazardous.” Jarvis tisked at him, collecting the other bottle as DUM-E brought over a new smoothie.  Jarvis checked that Jr had monitored the ingredients before setting it within Master Tony’s reach.  Tony would eat or drink almost anything left sitting around him.  It was a good way to get some nutrition in him.

Tony grinned. “Because that’s always stopped me before?”

Jarvis gave him a small grin.  “True.” Jarvis finished his tidying up and turned to Tony. “You have given Ms Pepper your company, what comes next?”

Tony sighed and leaned back. “I guess it's time to party.”

Jarvis had sighed and returned upstairs to prepare.  Now the party was imminent and he went looking for Tony.

He found him speaking with Natalie Rushman.  “I probably should cancel the party, huh?”

Jarvis frowned and Jr popped up a screen nearby to report a 98% toxicity level.  At 100%, Tony would start to feel the systemic effects.  Jarvis swallowed his bile at the thought and refocused as Ms Rushman and Tony bantered about cancelling the party.  Then she came over with the watches and sat on the arm of Tony’s chair.  Jarvis felt this had gone on long enough when Tony asked her a question.

“If this was your last birthday, what would you do?  How would you celebrate it?”

She finished “touching up” his make-up and looked at him.  “I’d do whatever I wanted to do, with whoever I wanted to do it with.”

Jarvis cleared his throat to interrupt them.  For a brief moment, that answer had felt genuine for a brief moment, then a slightly vacuous, yet competent look slid over her features.  “I shall prepare Master Tony, Miss.”

She gave him a nod and retreated.  Jarvis kept his eye on her before moving toward Tony.  “If I may be so bold?”

Tony grinned and waved at him before downing the drink and picking up a watch.  “I may not agree with Miss Rushman on much, but I do believe you should give your time to those you feel worthy.”

Tony regarded him a moment before smiling.  “No fears, I know exactly what I’m doing.”

Jarvis watched him stroll out of the room towards his workshop.  He sighed.  Tony hadn’t answered his earlier question very completely about his next plans.  He’d left out a very prominent figure in his life, Jim Rhodes.  And if there was one person stubborn enough to out think Tony in this instance, it was his best friend.

Jarvis hoped the man was ready to handle whatever Tony threw at him tonight.  It seemed his young master wasn’t in the mood to simply give War Machine to his pilot.  Jarvis turned and made his way to the front gate.  As the noise rose, Jarvis ignored his instinct to check on the party.  He’d promised many years ago that a birthday party was a judgement free party.  Still, the desire to check on his ailing Master was enormous.  He settled some when Ms Pepper arrived.  When He saw Jim arrive, he was tempted to warn him of the impending explosion that Tony likely had prepared for them.

In the end, he let the man continue and resolved to track him down after the party for a discussion.  Jarvis instead finished the gate work and then headed for the house.  The sound of Tony’s repulsors rang through the air and he quickened his pace.  His heart dropped as he saw Iron Man  standing in the middle of a crowd as they tossed a bottle of champagne in the air.

“Oh Tony…” Jarvis moaned.  He knew Tony wanted to rile Jim up, and this was indeed a way to do it.  But what a problem he was making for everyone.  He really was putting his all into trying to keep people from mourning his death and wishing him alive.  Jarvis placed a hand against the wall nearby and Jr obligingly brought up the interface.  “Jr, connect me with security and have them start sending people home.  No more visitors.”  Tony didn’t need this in the papers on top of how he felt the next day.  

Jarvis smiled when Mr Hogan signaled back that he’d carry people out if he had to.  That took care of the guests.  Between the drunk antics (Tony’s included), the thinning of the herd of partiers didn’t draw much attention.  Then Jim convinced the rest to move by appearing in War Machine and told them in no uncertain terms to leave.

The group rushed out onto the patio, where security was already prepared to usher them further to their cars.  Jarvis saw Ms Rushman lean into the shadows and frowned.  His attention, however, was grabbed by Jim as he strode forward, accusing Tony of being irresponsible.  Jarvis’s heart went out to the future Jim Rhodes when he realized exactly what his best friend was doing.  

Jarvis knew they’d been testing individual functions of War machine, but Jim had yet to have a full run.  It appeared now that Tony had intended this to be a tutorial as well as a goodbye.  “Jr, make sure everyone clears out, and I mean everyone, not Alpha clearance or higher.”

A bright sound confirmed Jr was on it and Jarvis made his own way towards Ms Pepper.  In the room, Tony called out to his DJ.  They’d known each other for many years and Rick, or Goldstien as Tony called him, was fairly laid back about Tony’s eccentricities.  He obliged Tony’s request for music and then ducked back down as Tony blasted both suits into the fitness room.  

Jarvis caught up to Ms Pepper as she aimed her determined stride for Ms Rushman.  Jarvis was pleased to note that all but a handful of partiers had been removed.  He was glad he’d thought to have the parking beyond the gate.  He could hear metallic hits as Tony “taught” Jim how to fight in the armor, the legacy Tony was entrusting Jim with.  

“Natalie!”

“Miss Potts.”

“Oh, don’t you Miss Potts me!  I’m on to you! I know this is your doing!  Ever since you started-”

“Ms Potts, I don’t know what you’re-”

Jarvis reached around them as Tony came through the ceiling with Jim.  Ms Rushman backed into a defensive stance and Jarvis closed his hands around her biceps firmly.

“Ms Rushman, I believe your services are no longer required on these premises,” he said firmly in her ear.  With Ms Pepper distracted by the boys roughhousing, Jarvis led Ms Rushman out of the room.  He applauded as Mr Hogan collected Ms Pepper and herded her out now that all the other guests were gone.  Jarvis left Ms Rushman in the hands of the last of the security forces and ordered all remaining forces to the perimeter and set Jr to watch them.  

By the time he’d made it back to the main room, Jr reported the only remaining observers of this fight were Ms Pepper, Mr Hogan, and Jarvis, naturally.  Jarvis joined Ms Pepper and Mr Hogan on the porch by the pool as Tony and Jim traded metal punches.  Tony was clearly still favoring his upper back, but he had more experience with the response time of the suit than Jim.  Eventually he smashed Jim into the bar, taking him out of the fight temporarily.

He turned and saw the three of them watching.  He seemed to stare at them for a moment, as if the shame of what he was doing finally penetrated the alcohol he’d imbibed to convince himself to go through with this ridiculous parody of gift giving.  He bent over and screamed at them, “Get OUT!!!!!!”

Ms Pepper and Mr Hogan scrambled back, Mr Hogan urging Ms Pepper to leave.  Jarvis simply met Tony’s lighted gaze and sighed.  “Be careful, Master Tony.” He said quietly, knowing full well the suit would pick up the voice.  Jr would ensure it.

He made his way out of the lot, informing Jr to lock down the house once it was vacated.  A minor explosion later and he saw one unit fly away.  He remained seated in his car and waited.  Less than an hour later, shortly before the sun started to rise, he saw another light stream leave the house.  

That was Tony.  

Starting the car, he had Jr pass along the message that Ms Rushman was a spy and thus fired, Ms Pepper was to avoid handling this for a few hours and Mr Hogan was to care for Ms Pepper.  Jarvis had a genius to find and wrap in a soft blanket.

Jarvis found Tony hanging out in the donut of Randy’s Donut shop.  He wasn’t terribly surprised.  It was only the third place he’d checked.  Somehow, he doubted donuts were what Dr Wu had in mind when he gave Tony the EDTA and DMSA last night.  Then again, the fight wasn’t really the rest he suggested either.

Jarvis tensed when he saw Director Fury appear in the parking lot.  Apparently, he hadn’t gotten rid of Ms Rushman soon enough.  He opened the door of the car as Fury called Tony inside, and strode for the door.  Two agents met him there and they, plus Ms Rushman, attempted to hurry him off.  He frowned at them sternly. “I believe you haven’t the right nor the privilege of this outrage.”

Ms Rushman shrugged and turned away, calling behind her to the guard to move him along.  He sighed and, with a few quick strokes, incapacitated the pair.  They even had handy dandy cuffs for him to use on them.  Instead, he entered the building and walked towards his Master.  

Director Fury was sitting opposite Tony along with Ms Rushman.  Fury was complaining in an exasperated voice, “-made your girl your CEO, you’re giving away all your stuff.  You let your friend fly away with your suit!”  Fury’s understanding of Tony was too spot on.  The outside perspective had allowed the man to see much clearer than those close up.  “Now if I didn’t know any better-”

“You don’t know any better! I didn’t give it away, he took it.”

Fury gave him a disbelieving look as Jarvis stepped closer and stood at the table.  Ms Rushman gave him a guarded look, but Tony and Fury barely blinked his way.  Tony was used to him appearing where Tony needed him and Fury might actually remember him from when the man worked with Howard.

“Woah woah woah, no-, he- He took it?  You’re Iron Man and he just took?  The little brother walked in there, kicked your ass, and took your suit.”  Fury turned to Ms Rushman with an exasperated voice. “Is that possible?”

“According to the Stark Security database guidelines, there are redundancies to prevent unauthorized usage,”  Ms Rushman reported.  Jarvis mentally upgraded Jr’s evaluation of what she’d access from important to vital on the task list.

Tony glanced at Jarvis, who just waited.  He’d follow Tony’s lead on this.  Tony looked back at Fury/. “What do you want from me?”

Fury growled, “What do I want from you?  Na-ah-ah!  What do you want from me?”  Ms Rushman got up from the bench and Jarvis turned slightly to keep her in sight in the reflection as Fury berated Tony. “You have become a problem, one I have to deal with.”

Jarvis bristled as Tony’s head ducked in shame.  It was the same old song and dance as with his teachers when he was a child.  Tony wasn’t a problem, he was a person!  And if Fury didn't want to deal with him, they could just go on their merry way and let Tony continue the analysis of nuclear acceleration he’d been doing before the midnight party.

“Contrary to your belief, you are not the center of my universe.  I have bigger problems than you in the Southwes-”

“Then you should tend to those, Director.” Jarvis interrupted Tony’s acquiescing nods.  Both looked at Jarvis in surprise.  He placed his hands on the table and looked Fury in the eye.  He was just as intimidating as he had been when he’d met Howard all those years ago.  “If you have problems to deal with, then you had better go deal with them.  This particular situation is not your responsibility.”

Fury stared at Jarvis a moment, but Jarvis wasn’t worried.  No one thought about the help.  Jr kept updating his records on all databases.  As far as everyone was concerned Jarvis was only 20 years older than Tony, which made him almost the same age as Fury.  Fury met his stare head on before glancing back at Tony with a sigh and a snap of his fingers. “Hit him.”

Jarvis had been ready for her though.  He grabbed her wrist the second he saw the needle in Ms Rushman’s hands.  Tony jumped up, turning away. “Jeez, Fury, what is going on here?”

Jarvis placed himself between Tony and Ms Rushman as Fury spoke calmly. “What are we trying to do for you.  That Lithium Dioxide.  It’ll take the edge off.”

“Mr Stark shall not receive medication from anyone except his physician, Director,” Jarvis instructed the man shortly.  Fury didn’t seem fazed, but Ms Rushman backed off, setting the vial on the table, eyeing Jarvis with considerably more respect and confusion.  Jarvis looked back at Fury.

“I’m trying to get him back to work.  It doesn’t look like this is going to be an easy fix.”

Tony scoffed behind Jarvis.  “Trust me, I know!  I’m good at this stuff!  I’ve been looking for a suitable replacement for the palladium.”  Tony stood, glaring at Fury.  Jarvis stepped away to give him room to walk or pace as he needed.  “I’ve tried every combination, every permutation of every known element.”

“Well, I’m here to tell you, you haven’t tried them all,” Fury informed him calmly.

Jarvis glared at Fury as Tony scoffed and paced in the restaurant.  Fury stood.  “We should relocate to your place.  Clearly this area isn’t very secure.” He waved at Jarvis.

Jarvis gritted his teeth and frowned before looking at Tony for direction.  Tony seemed to consider the idea for a moment before sighing.  “Fine, I’ll meet you back at the house.  I’m riding with Jarvis.”

Tony stormed out of the room.  Jarvis stepped to follow, but Fury’s hand stopped him.  “You know, you’re pretty spry for an old guy.”

Jarvis glanced back at Fury and looked at the hand on his arm.  “Yes, I am.” He informed Fury and went to follow his Master to the car.

Jarvis frowned at the agents making themselves at home in Tony’s house.  He shooed them away.  The recalcitrant ones he asked Jr to take pictures of and then informed them that, should they care to stay, their photo would be given to Tony’s social media account as nuisances.

That moved many of them.  Jarvis found Fury giving Tony a long talk about Howard and how much the man had believed in his son.  His heart broke hearing what Tony still thought of his father.  Howard had been a great man, but communication had never been one of his strong suits.  It was unfortunate that they’d never been able to meet as adults.  In this, Director Fury may indeed know more of Howard.

As sad as that was, Jarvis thought it was far from Director’s Fury’s place to dictate to Tony what would happen in his own home or his company.  Jarvis had Jr send a message to Ms Pepper and Happy about Ms Romanoff before approaching Fury leaving Tony with a pile of information and a babysitter.  If Young Master Tony needed someone to watch over him, it would be Jarvis, not this Agent.

As Natasha strode out of the room, claiming all communication disabled and her position at Stark Industries secure, Jarvis stepped forward.  Tony was doing his ‘give me some space’ joke.

Agent Coulson just stared blandly back, waiting for Young Master’s speel to run out.  It really was the best approach.  Jarvis approved the calm response until he spoke, “I’m not here for that. I’ve been authorised by Director Fury to use any means necessary to keep you on premises. If you attempt to leave or play any games, I will tase you and watch Supernanny while you drool into the carpet. Okay?”

Jarvis stepped between them before Tony could respond in any way.  “I think you’ve overstayed your welcome.”

“Jarvis?!?” Tony yelped behind him.  Jarivs didn’t take his eyes off the Agent.

“If you will excuse me, Sir.  I think I shall remove the garbage from your living room.”

Agent Coulson shifted his stance to a more defensive stance.  Jarvis nodded his head slightly. “Jr?”

“Agent Coulson’s threats to Sir’s life are recorded and ready to be sent to the appropriate legal team.” Jr responded right on time.  Apparently, Ms Romanoff’s ‘disabling’ didn’t give him any difficulties.

Agent Coulson paled. “Life?  I didn’t-”

“When an energy producing device is keeping one alive, I presume you have the common sense to speculate on the outcome of its interaction with a taser?” Jarvis said mildly, shifting to remove the pathetic man.

Agent Coulson turned to look at Tony over Jarvis’s shoulder and his face lost all color and he swallowed.  “I- I understand.  I shall stand guard again- against intruders at the entrance.”  

His swallow and surprise seemed genuine.  Jarvis watched him leave the room as he heard Tony return to his seat behind him.  “Jeez, Jarvis.  You didn’t need to scare him like that.”

Jarvis sniffed.  “Really, Sir.  Since when do you suffer gross incompetence with such accommodation?”

Tony stared at him a moment.  Jarvis held his almost lost gaze calmly.  Without this information, Tony’s life expectancy was mere days.  Yet this Director had withheld it until now, until Tony’s desperation and timeline were so crunched.  If whatever information Tony discovered in these boxes could help, but he hadn’t the time to use it, Jarvis would rain hell on SHIELD before quietly fulfilling his Master’s last wishes.

Tony blinked a moment and then again.  “Gross…?”  He seemed to consider this a moment before a frown crossed his face.  Jarvis simply waited as Tony considered this.  His brain was usually so fast, but Jarvis did suppose he had a lot on his mind.  Slowly a grimace and then a smirk crossed his face.

“I’m Tony Fucking Stark,” he stated firmly. 

Jarvis nodded.  “Very good, Sir.  Shall I fetch your coffee and Dr Wu?”

Tony looked back up at him and grinned.  “Nah!  I think a meal would be good.  I have some homework.”

Jarvis smiled as Tony grabbed the case and headed for his lab.  That was the young man he loved.

When Tony emerged from his workshop via the garage, Jarvis awaited him with a bottle of his detox drink and his medicine from Dr Wu.  “Shall I straighten the workshop before you return from Stark Industries, Sir?”

Tony gave him a rolled eye as he took the drink.  Jarvis relaxed at the return of focus common when Tony had a trail of an idea to follow.  “Don’t traumatize any of them too much.”

“Of course not, Sir.  The very Idea!” Jarvis responded calmly.  Then, eyeing the blazer Tony had put on,  “Please give my best to Ms Pepper after you inform her of your health concerns.”

Tony sighed and hopped in his Audi.  “I guess I have some apologies to give her, don’t I?”

“It would be apropos, Sir.”

Tony waved with a grin as he sped out of the garage.  Jarvis watched him leave the premises before turning into the house.

“Clarification?” Jr requested his attention as he made his way to the workshop to collect the materials Tony had left out and shoo any spies out of bounds back.

“Yes, Jr?”

“Howard Stark called Tony ‘his greatest creation’.  He claimed Sir would be able to finish his life’s work.  Why then does Sir not believe his father cared about him?” Jr asked in confusion as Jarvis swept for the SHIELD bugs the Agents had left here earlier.

Jarvis sighed.  “Howard and Tony have many things in common, not the least of which is their method of communicating with others.  In his own way, I believe Howard was calling on his son to be his legacy.”

“Yet, Sir seems unsure of his worth in the eyes of his father?”

“Howard never told Tony this directly,” Jarvis commented sadly, picking up the stack of notebooks and setting them on the table.

Jr was quiet for a moment.  “Do you think Sir would feel better if he heard his father say that?”

Jarvis chuckled.  “I think he’d give much to hear that from Howard and know that he meant it.”  Jarvis finished straightening up and turned to head upstairs.  “Why?”

“Sir just did.”

Jarvis glanced back through the window to look at the film he’d carefully packed.  He had to smile.  Howard had found a way to say it to Tony, even with all the difficulties and uncertainty the man lived with when Tony was involved.  That was good.

Tony winced as he peeked in the office.  Pepper was on the phone arguing with Burt, their top lawyer.  He hadn’t filed the transfer of ownership of War Machine.  He knew he’d forgotten something!

On the side, he saw a pile of things that looked familiar.  Including the Expo model he’d come to look for.  Well, and to apologize to Pepper.  Jarvis was right, he needed to tell her.  Especially if he couldn’t figure out what his father had left for him.  With a secret spy organization who had probably scanned every inch of the footage.  What was his father thinking?

He set down the strawberries he’d gotten as an apology present for her.  He’d vaguely remembered her mentioning strawberries once when he’d seen the stand by the road.  And Jarvis and Ana had both said an apology gift sometimes helped.  

He wandered over to the pile as Pepper argued with Burt more.  He heard her mention Hammer got the slot he’d been requesting.  Hopefully, he wouldn’t blow up the expo.  Weapon’s that didn’t work sometimes did that.  When she repeated the question, “Will Tony Stark be there?” Tony glanced over and shook his head.  She nodded approvingly and repeated the answer to the phone.  Tony had to get his own health under control and he didn’t have much time left before the damage would be permanent and irreversible.

When she finally hung up the phone, Tony turned to her.  Unsure how to start, he waved at the pile. “I’ll get all this...uh...stuff moved.  It's your office, your company, now.”  Tony huffed.  He hated searching for words.  It was the bane of his existence.  He could talk to a roomful, but not to a single person.  Well, except Jarvis, but he didn’t count.

Jarvis always knew what he meant.

Pepper frowned at him and Tony winced at the memory of the previous evening.  “Got a minute?”

“No.”

“Come on, 30 seconds?” Tony wheedled.  He couldn’t apologize and explain if she didn’t let him talk at all.

She looked at her watch, “29...28…”  When Tony looked down too his eyes landed on the twirling metal thing on her desk.  The thermodynamics of the conservation of energy always fascinated him as a kid, especially of perpetual motion machines.

“I was just driving here and, well, I thought I needed to apologize, well, Jarvis said I should apologize,” Tony forcibly yanked his attention away from calculating the centripetal force of the twirly bob to look at Pepper,“and I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t make you an omelette this time, but I-”  

“I am going to stop you, right now!  If I hear the word ’I’ come out of your mouth one more time, I think I’ll throw something at your head,” Pepper growled, glaring at him when he reached out to stop the twirly bob from distracting him.

Tony fell silent.  Since the two things he came to say started with ‘I’ he was unsure what to do.  He tried to figure out how to reword them to exclude the word ‘I’ when Pepper saw the strawberries.  Tony grinned.  He’d brought a present, that could be good!

“Are those strawberries?”  Tony nodded, going to pick them up and moving away from the complex math problem spinning on her desk.  Maybe she’d be in a better mood if she ate something tasty.  “Do you know there is only one thing on Earth I’m allergic to?” she asked pleasantly.  

Tony froze.  That was the sweet tone of a deadly pissed woman.  He glanced down at the fruit he’d brought as a present.  Allergic.  That’s why she’d mentioned them.  Suddenly, he wanted to throw them out the window, get them as far from his friend as he could.  The fruit were a danger to her.  And he’d brought them here.  He felt the familiar pang of disappointment coming and he shut it down hard, like he used to with his father.

“Well, you shouldn’t eat them!  I-  They are a bad gift!  They are not a gift!  They aaaare proof!  Proof I-  Proof that a correlation between you and strawberries were remembered.”  Tony hid a cringe.  He sounded like a lunatic avoiding the word ‘I’.

He glanced at Pepper.  “Can I use the word ‘I’ again?”

“No,”  Pepper stated calmly.  Tony winced.

“Pepp-”

“I need you-”

Tony leaped on that. “I need you too!”

“-to leave,” Pepper finished.  Tony felt his heart drop to the ground.

Behind him, the door opened.  He glanced back as Happy poked his head in. “It's time to go, Ms Potts.”

Pepper nodded and rose.  Tony swallowed a giggle.  “I see, you get all the kids in the divorce?” he asked in a high pitched warble.

Happy shook his head slightly behind Pepper’s back as she turned to look back at him again.  “I am trying to run a company.  Do you have any Idea what that entails?”

“Yes?” Tony answered quietly.  She was giving up on him.  Like everyone else, she was giving up on him and he couldn’t blame her.

“People are relying on you to be Iron Man and you’ve disappeared, and all I’m doing is putting out your fires and taking the heat for it.  I am trying to do the job that you were meant to do!”  Pepper growled.  

Tony’s ears rang at that.  ‘Meant to do’ was a phrase he understood all too well.  It was a very common topic around him.  What he was meant to do.  He was Howard’s son.  Howard’s greatest creation.  He wasn’t a person.  He’d never been a person.  Just an invention away from another great inventor.  Always one step too far behind.

Pepper glanced at the pile of things.  “Please see to these things before I return.”  With that, she turned on her heel and flounced out of the room.  Tony winced as Happy gave him a sympathetic look before hurrying after her.

The sound of her heels and the door closing resounded in the room.  Tony looked over at the desk and the perpetual motion twirly gig on her desk caught his eye and it held his gaze for moments before he practically leaped for it.  He placed as many items in the way as he could until it Stopped.  MOVING!

Glancing at the strawberries, the latest in a long attempt to connect with Pepper since Afghanistan, Tony picked them up, determined to throw them in the nearest dumpster with extreme violence.  As he was walking out the door, he glanced at the expo model.  The reason he’d come, the message his father had supposedly left him to find.  Turned out he wasn’t any better at deciphering his father than he was his friends.  He pulled the cover off, complemplating destroying it, though what that’d prove, Tony wasn’t sure.  It was a symbol of a message Howard had left him over 30 years earlier and he still was too stupid to understand.

He yanked the rest of the cover off and stared at it blankly, thoughts of Pepper, Rhodey, Happy and Jarvis running through his head.  The four humans he was closest to and only one was still talking to him.  He’d try to run Jarvis off, but honestly, he wasn’t sure what more he could do.  Besides, Jarvis knew he was dying and wouldn’t leave him in the next little bit for all the energy of an atom.

Tony froze.  The part of his brain that was constantly calculating and investigating things pinged to that.  He looked at the model again.  There was something there.  He just couldn’t quite see it.

Well, he had a solution for that.

Jarvis had seen his masters do many amazing things in his lifetime.  He saw Howard make a car fly.  He saw Tony advance to the international market.  But nothing had ever been as beautiful or amazing as seeing either of them figure something out.

Jarvis had been to war.  He’d seen pain and suffering.  Loss and grief had been his friend and that of those near him.  Yet, when he met Howard and later when his Ana and he met little Tony, he found something that he could believe in.  No matter the ugliness or the savage limitations of reality, Howard, and now Tony, had a smile that meant everything in the world was beautiful.

It wasn’t a common occurrence; far too rare, if Jarvis was truthful.  Yet for a moment, when they would figure out a solution, when they would break the barriers built against them by the universe herself, this single smile would cross their face.  Jarvis had been blessed to see it on Tony’s face more often than Howard’s.  When he convinced DUM-E to speak, when Jr grew, when Butterfingers learned to focus her lens, when U stated they were neither male nor female.  These moments of discovery, of magic, were the most beautiful.

Jarvis halted outside the workshop after Tony returned from his visit to SI.  Jr had let Jarvis know that he’d been unable to inform Ms Pepper of his impending health issues.  Jarvis had come down to discover what Tony’s plans were now.  But he couldn’t interrupt.  He couldn’t even move as Tony flicked blue light around the lab.  

His holographic design interface definitely held its own beauty and watching him interact with something so attuned to his own thought processes was poetry in motion.  Even now, with the poisoning slowing his mind, Jarvis could see the thoughts swirl in his eyes as he and Jr collaborated in a way Jarvis wished Tony had been able to do with his own father, even just once.

Around him, the blue light came together and he sprang his hands out, spinning as that beautiful smile crossed his face.  In some way, Jarvis wondered if Tony had managed to collaborate with his father.  If maybe this bit of discovery spanned generations, and Tony, Howard, and Jr had all collaborated on this one thing.

Jarvis could feel his eyes wet with tears of joy at the cheerful, contented look Tony had.  No matter how this turned out, Tony had found this.  They were family.

When Coulson got the call, Jarvis was prepared and already in front of him.  “He broke the perimeter.”

Coulson scowled at Jarvis.  Jarvis gave him a bland look.  “When the young master wishes to ‘break perimeter’ none can prevent it and better men than you have tried.  Furthermore, you and your group do not dictate to Sir his limitations, Agent.”

“I am trying to help him!  And so is Fury!” Coulson insisted.

Jarvis raised an eyebrow. “Yes, and manipulating him is not on your agenda, I’m sure.”

Coulson frowned.  “He’s important-”

“More than you shall know.  But that is not for you, or your director, to decide.”  Jarvis leaned forward slightly.  “Have care, Agent Coulson.  Tony Stark can indeed deliver the best.  It is to his allies he does so though.  To those in his scorn, he shall deliver naught but ruin.”

Jarvis met Coulson’s eyes at that and finally saw acceptance and understanding in them.  Tony Stark didn’t fit into a box, but he could do so much if people would just let him be.  Jarvis turned to head to the kitchen.  “He’s completed the remodeling and is calibrating his device in the workshop now,” he called over his shoulder.

Coulson turned to go, but halted.  He glanced back. “I do believe in Tony Stark.  I wouldn’t go to New Mexico if I didn’t believe he’d be fine.  I don’t abandon my assets.”

Jarvis glanced back.  “A good handler never does.”

Coulson met his eyes steadily.  “Then I shall leave this asset in the hands of a good handler.”

“I shall care for any left in my keeping, Agent Coulson.”

Coulson nodded and turned with a concessive look.  Jarvis could feel it.  They’d understood each other.

He then frowned in though. What would draw Coulson to New Mexico?  “Jr, please run a media search for anything out of the ordinary in New Mexico in the last 18 hours.”

Jarvis glanced up as the house lights flickered and dimmed.  “Sir is drawing excess power for the particle accelerator.  Prepare for a brief interruption in service.”

Jarvis smiled.  He’d known Tony could do it.  He set a pot of soup he’d been making to cool in the fridge and turned off the other appliances.  The lights stabilized as he jogged down the stairs to the workshop with a bowl of Tony’s favorite soup.  Looking at Tony as he picked up a small triangle, Jarvis let out his own sigh of relief at the grin on Tony’s face.  Jr piped up with his own analysis. “Sir, the reactor has accepted the modified core.  I will begin running diagnostics.”

Jarvis walked over, smiling.  “Congratulations, Young Master.  I knew you could do it.” he said softly.  Tony was going to live.  There was nothing more beautiful than that.  Tony grinned and took the soup in one hand.  WIth the other, he let Jarvis pull him into a hug.  Jarvis wrapped his arms around his young master, just as he did when the man was a child.  He could feel the breaths move through the strong lungs and the trembling working its way through his frame.

Everything was right in the world.  Tony would live.

Jarvis sat next to Tony as he explained the message his father had left him.  Jr was halfway through the diagnostic tests when both were interrupted by the automatic broadcast of the Stark Expo coming up.  Tony had left the timer running with Jr.  Hammer’s presentation was tonight and Tony was curious.  Jarvis suspected he also was worried Justin Hammer would blow something up.

Tony had known Justin Hammer since near infancy.  His father had been a shrewd businessman, in direct competition with Howard Stark.  While both boys had inherited similarly sized weapons companies and both had gone to school for engineering, Justin had always fallen largely short of the ruler.  His graduate work in business was more his speed while Tony’s had been engineering.  The envy and competition, largely in Justin’s mind, had been a source of exasperation for Tony much of his adult life, especially when devoting himself to the humanitarian outreaches of his company to take Stark Industries international.  

THe presentation had just begun  when the phone rang and Jr spoke up. “Sir, incoming phone call from a blocked number.”

Tony sighed and Jarvis nodded as Tony picked up.  “Coulson, how’s the Land of Enchantment?”

“Hey, Tony, how you doing?” A strong accent came over the line and Jarvis saw Tony tense.  “I double cycle.”

Tony swung to a nearby keyboard and started a phone trace immediately.  Jarvis frowned as Tony focused in on New York and answered the mysterious caller.  “You what?”

“You told me double cycle’s more power.  Good advice.” The man chuckled.

Tony watched as the phone trace zoomed in on Northern New York. “You sound pretty sprightly for a dead guy.”

The man laughed. “You too.”  

Jarvis hurried over to the Iron Man armor and prepped the launch pad as Tony narrowed his focus.  

“Now, the true history of Stark name will be written,”  Ivan informed Tony.  “What your father did to my family over 40 years ago, I will do to you in 40 minutes.”

Tony’s eyes widened as he looked at the TV.  The expo was still playing.  Jarvis felt his own heart race.  Yinsen and his family were there.  Ms Pepper was there.

“Why don’t we get together and hash it out?” Tony asked, struggling to keep the desperation out of his voice.

“I hope you’re ready.” The line clicked as Ivan hung up.  Tony looked at the screen to see it zeroed in on Queens, but nothing more.  Jarvis and Tony both looked at the TV to see Hammer’s logo come up with a countdown. Two hours until showtime.  Tony looked at the new core.  Jarvis could see the calculations whirl in his head.  Jarvis knew them too.  Tony had jumped between New York and Malibu often enough for them both to know.  It usually took the suit almost 2 hours to fly 4,000 miles.  

Jarvis looked at the side suit Tony had been designing for a ride along.  It had been tested briefly by Jim.  It handled air currents, g-forces and life support fine.  The hardest part, according to Jim, was its inability to control where they were going.  Whoever was in that side-along had to trust Tony completely.

Jarvis, of course, did.

Tony only gave him a token protest as he started strapping into it.  “Sir, you shall need someone on the ground once you get there.” His argument was met with a determined look as Tony shoved the new core into his chest.  Jarvis made a mental note to remove coconut from Tony’s meals moving forward if the reactor was inducing the taste.

Jarvis had, naturally, flown in many aircraft, both as a passenger and as a soldier, back before he met Howard.  This was very different.  For one thing, he couldn’t do anything.  He had a com piece to Tony and eventually Jr and Tony started chatting with him to keep him occupied from the both dull and horrifying ride he was on.  Still, it was a small price to pay to get to the Expo in time to help.

Tony dropped Jarvis off at the entrance, not even stopping long enough to chat before taking off to join Young Jim on Stage.  Jarvis took but a moment to dislodge himself from the side carry before hurrying into the room hunting for Mr Hogan.

Up on stage, Justin was caught off balance trying to roll with Tony’s appearance.  He’d never been good at rolling with Tony’s irrational flamboyance.  This was no exception.  Jarvis didn’t waste time trying to figure out what they were discussing as he located Mr Hogan. “Order an evacuation of the Expo, Mr Stark’s orders.” Jarvis instructed him sternly.

Mr Hogan glanced at Pepper, who was looking at the Iron Man suit in confused exasperation.  Mr Hogan nudged her.  As CEO of Stark Industries, it was technically her responsibility now.  She looked at Jarvis in utter confusion when Tony’s body language changed dramatically.  He went on guard as Jim aimed at him.  

Jarvis gasped in horror, knowing the Colonel would never aim such a gun in a crowded place on his own.  Tony took off as the entire stage of fighters came to life.  Ms Pepper spun away and stalked to the controls table.  Justin was there, muttering and typing frantically.  The technician was arguing with him about how “he” had control of the drones and the guards weren’t answering.

Jarvis saw Ms Romanoff a moment before she grabbed Justin’s arm.  His face was smashed into the table as she growled in his ear.  Guessing she was getting Ivan Vanko’s location, Jarvis turned to Mr Hogan. “I shall need the keys. You stay with Ms Pepper and get the Ho family clear!”

Yinsen and his family were in the park still, but Jarvis had yet to see them.  Mr. Hogan glanced at the ladies a moment before nodding firmly and handing Jarvis the keys.  They had done this kind of trade off in protection before.  Mr Hogan was an excellent head of Company security.

Jarvis barely had the keys in hand as Ms Romanoff turned away from Justin and practically sprinted away in her heels.  Jarvis hurried after her.  “Take me to Hammer Industries.”

“Of course, Miss,” Jarvis agreed. 

Getting out of the Expo took some fancy driving, but Jarvis had been driving famous Masters for decades.  Behind him, he could hear Ms Romanoff move around and wished he could give her more privacy.  Instead, he focused on the road and getting them to Hammer Inc as soon as possible.

WHen Jarvis pulled up in front of the building, Ms Romanoff jumped out. “Stay in the car.”

Jarvis hurried up the stairs as she did, barely a step in behind her. “Forgive me, Miss, but that is not my plan.”

The first security officer came up to them immediately and Jarvis stepped to the side as Ms Romanoff cold cocked him.  Jarvis grabbed the next guard by the wrist and Ms Romanoff slid past to toss a pair of discs that tased the next one.

Jarvis was content to let her handle many of them as she flipped around them, using their own bodies against each other.  Jarvis grabbed one of the newcomers and used a gentle nerve pinch to slowly drop him.  When they both heard the radio coming around the corner, Jarvis stepped back, dragging his man along with him.  Ms Romanoff tossed a pair of gas discs before following.  Jarvis let her be quite the distraction as he snuck behind the man and while she acrobated her way around the first guard, Jarvis caught the second in an arm bar that he morphed into a choke hold.  

Ms Romanoff grabbed the next one with a wire and dropped him while Jarvis knocked out the last one, removing his spray can in the process.  Pulling guns, Ms Romanoff ducked into the tech room at the end of the hallway.

The door opened to two men hanging by the neck from the ceiling.  “He’s gone!” Ms Romanoff cursed.  As she jumped to the keyboard, Jarvis ducked back out to verify that all who were down were staying down.  When Jarvis poked his head in where Ms Romanoff was at a computer, he asked,  “Are you able to reboot War Machine from here?”

“Yes,” she answered simply.  It took a moment, but eventually she got in and it gave her system access.  Jarvis had to give her credit for the hacking ability.  She called up a com link to Tony and to Ms Pepper.  “You’ve got your best friend back.”

“Thank you very much, Agent Romanoff,” Tony replied distractedly.  Jarvis hoped he didn’t crash while talking to them.

“Well done with the new chest piece.  I’m reading higher output and your vitals all look promising,” Ms Romanoff observed.  Jarvis reached out and minimized the window.

“I believe that information belongs to the Young Master,” he scolded mildly.  She raised an eyebrow his way, but he was not intimidated.

On the screen Tony responded, “Yes, for the moment I am not dying.  Thank you.”

They were all distracted by Ms Pepper’s exclamation. “What do you mean you’re not dying?  Did you say you’re dying?”

Jarvis sighed as Tony’s attention focused on the upset redhead as Ms Romanoff . “Pepper?  That you?  Um...I’m not!  Not anymore…”

“What’s going on?!?” Pepper cried.  “Were you really dying?”

“I was going to tell you-”

“Really!  You were really going to tell me you were dying?!?” she shrieked.

Jarvis hoped Jim took the news better.  “I tried to tell you-”

“Why didn’t you tell me that?”

“I made you an omelette and-”

“Oh my god!  That was the omelette thing?  You were-”

“Pepper, I’m okay!  I-”

“Now!  When was I supposed to find out?” Pepper wailed.

“I brought you the not-present and-”

“Seriously!  That was how you were going to tell me?

“Well, I thought-”

“You really were going to tell me!?!” Ms Pepper demanded.

“Yes!  I was,” Tony said firmly.  

Ms Romanoff leaned forward. “Best save it for the honeymoon.  You’ve got incoming, Tony.  Looks like the fight’s coming to you.”

Tony sighed. “Pepper, I am fine.  I will formally apologize when I’m-

“I can’t believe you!”

“-not fending off a HAMMEROID ATTACK!”

“Fine!  I’ll be mad til then!”

Jarvis saw Tony’s face relax slightly at that.  He leaned forward.  “Well done, Master Tony.”

He saw Tony smile slightly at the sound of each of them checking in.  Pepper sighed. “Mr Jarvis, the Ho family is with Happy.”

“Thank you, Ms Pepper.” Jarvis relaxed further.

“Pepper, please evacuate.  I’ll be fine.”

“Got it!” Jarvis smiled at Pepper’s response.  Thatta girl.

Tony smiled as he turned his focus. “We could have been in Venice?”

Pepper rolled her eyes, “Oh, please!”

Jarvis smiled as Ms Pepper hung up and likely turned to her next task.  She really was an excellent CEO for Stark Industries.

Ms Romanoff muted Tony’s com while she scoured the company servers.  Jarvis had to admit, she never missed a chance to collect information.  She’d just about covered the whole of the data when a new drone appeared on the control screen.  

“Tony, heads up.  You have a new drone incoming.  This one looks different,” he warned Tony.  “Repulser signature is significantly higher.”

“Ivan is not here, Master Tony.”

“Then he’s coming to us.  Thanks, guys, now clear out before we have legal on our tails.”

Ms Romanoff copied the last of her files and turned.  Jarvis was already at the door and heading for the car.  

As they got to the car, Ms Romanoff turned to Jarvis with a hand on his shoulder.  “Who are you?”

Jarvis gave her a polite smile and stepped forward to get the door for her.

“I’m the Stark family butler, Miss.”

Tony took a deep breath as he walked toward the warehouse.  This interaction was likely to be full of ducking and weaving.  It was Fury; it automatically included all that covert manipulation bullshit he was so fond of.  But Tony had likely pissed him off further after the Expo.

The Expo was restarting after a week of down time.  Tony had finished the fight, but the idiot had to have the last laugh.  The bombs didn’t do much structural damage, thank goodness.  And except for Pepper, the park was clear.  When Tony shot toward Pepper, he shouted at Rhodey to check on Happy and the Ho family.  Luckily both answered their phone as the two suits zoomed toward the entrance to the Expo.

Tony grabbed Pepper as Rhodey touched down at the car Happy had been protecting.  Pepper’s hysterics had been awkward, but understandable.  She was very upset.  Tony had winced at Rhodey’s insensitive response.  No wonder the guy couldn’t keep a date without Tony as his wingman!

“Easy, Pepper, you sound like two seals fighting over a grape!”

Pepper glared at him.  Tony quipped, “Well, it has been a long day.  She had to deal with Hammer.”

“And that’s why neither of you are smooth?” Rhodey asked.

Tony shrugged.  “The first time you almost die can rattle anyone.”

Rhodey squinted at Tony. “I always worry when you start to make sense.”

“What are you talking about, HoneyBear? I always make sense.”

“It’s when I start to think you make sense that worries me.”

Tony opened his mouth to refute that when Jarvis drove up with Natashalie.  “Ah, the hero returns!”

Agent Romanoff smirked. “Just keeping up with you boys.”

“I was referring to Jarvis.”

“Of course you were,”she threw over her shoulder as she sauntered away to a car waiting.  Tony could see Coulson in it.

Jarvis gathered Yinsen’s daughter into a hug as the family got out of the car to greet everyone.  “I suppose the Expo is postponed a few days.”

Tony regarded Jarvis with interest.  “Only a few, I think.”

“Tony!” Pepper protested.  She’d been against this Expo from the beginning.  

Tony shrugged.  “Even if I’m no longer dying, can’t forget about legacy.  Right, Jarvis?”

“Very good, Sir.  And may I say, well done,”  Jarvis had agreed before turning to Happy.  “We should adjourn to the Manhattan home.”

Tony had let Jarvis make the plans to feed and cajole into beds the weary group.  Pepper called in to Stark Industries, since California was still awake, and got the ball rolling on the clean up and PR nightmare this had caused.  Tony made a mental note to find that poor kid who’d “helped” him and make sure he was okay.

“Tones.” Rhodey’s quiet voice interrupted his whirling thoughts.  He was still feeling the aftereffects of the poisoning and the adrenaline crash of the new reactor would be impressive.  He turned to raise an eyebrow in Rhodey’s direction.

“Were you going to ever tell me?” Rhodey asked quietly.  

Tony cocked his head in question.  There were a lot of things he never came out and said to his best friend.

“I knew something was wrong,”  Rhodey continued, angling his body away from the group for privacy, yet not facing Tony.  Instead, he kept looking out over the fires of the Expo.  “I tried…”

Tony bumped their metal shoulders.  “You knew enough.”  Rhodey’s face broke in heartbreak.  Tony bit his lip.  “I always trusted you to do what you do, Rhodey.  I still do.”

“You shouldn’t have had to go through this alone.”

Tony gave him a tired grin.  “I wasn’t alone.”  They both glanced over to see Jarvis chivvy the group toward the car.   “Not really.”

Rhodey sighed.  “At least they both knew.”  Tony made a questioning grunt.  “Jarvis and Jr.  I assume they both knew.”

Tony nodded.  “Like I said, not alone.”

Rhodey had followed Tony home after that.  Tony had wiped Hammer from the system and reinstated the security, plus a few new surprises.  Rhodey would be the only pilot of War Machine.  Tony couldn’t prevent them from accessing it completely, but he could require only 1 set of biometrics for it.  That would have to do.

That, naturally, meant SHIELD had diddly to show for this fiasco.  Furthermore, Jarvis had found Coulson in New Mexico terrorizing a young scientist named Jane Foster.  Tony had been curious and Pepper had needed him to take a road trip and stop being in the papers for a few days anyway.  So he and Jarvis drove to Malibu instead of flying, by way of New Mexico.  When they got to the little town of Puente Antiguo, New Mexico, they heard and saw explosions coming from the center of town.

It was one of those little dusty towns Westerns would take place in, with one main street, a dozen businesses like the diner that had just gotten blown out.  Plus another dozen abandoned businesses, like the Malt shop behind the small, huddled cluster of 7 people.  Tony always wondered what was with gawkers and staring at a fight from the middle of fucking nowhere with no cover.  Self preservation and gawking apparently are each other's kryptonite.

Tony parked just outside the town borders in view of the huddled survivors and leaped out of the car with the suitcase, leaving Jarvis to care for the car.  Tony would be better suited to the fight than civilian rescue and the car was already going to be very full.  Jarvis drove towards the group crouched together as Tony jogged into town.

He saw a single, brave, beefy, blond lunatic approaching a large metal monstrosity that seemed to be the source of the fires.  Jarvis pulled up and they all watched in blank shock, though possibly not surprise, as the metal man backhanded the lunatic.

“Get in!” Jarvis shouted as Tony opened the suit-case.  Dr Wu had requested he take it easy as his body cleared the poison.  The Lithium Dioxide from SHIELD was not a good alternative, with its mind altering side effects.  It could cause him to reel dangerously into manic depression swings.  The slow cure was better.  But pumping adrenaline into his system was counterproductive in that respect.

Tony saw a woman complete her dash to the prone man as he felt the suit encase him.  By the time his helmet was on and running, the older gentleman Tony dimly remembered as Selvig from the reports had grabbed her and was pulling her back towards the car.

Tony felt his suit finish its start up and rushed forward to stand between the metal attacker and the eight vulnerable civilians when a wave of wind and energy landed in the middle of the street, right on the prone man, followed by a blast of lightning.

Tony covered his eyes automatically, even though the armor’s lenses filtered the light properly.  So Tony was treated to the sight of the blond man standing, a magnificent armor of metal scales covering him in the ongoing lightning.  Tony felt his own jaw drop as the man smiled in elation, holding a hammer aloft.

“Jr, details on that hammer and this guy, now!”

“What shall I look under, Sir? Electric hammers?” Jr snarked at him.  Tony ignored that, knowing his kid would do the best he could.

The man’s hammer soared out to smash the head of the attacker.  As the hammer returned to the hand of the man, Tony felt the wind pick up and the lightning die down a bit.  A tornado began, encircling the pair.  Tony turned to the gawking group. “Get going!”

Jarvis jumped in the driver’s seat as Selvig and Foster hurried after him.  Luckily, the car was a five seater with no roof, since eight people were piled on top of it as Jarvis burned rubber getting out of town.  Tony winced at the thought of the suspension and turned to the fight.  The blond took to the sky and Tony rushed forward.  Since the tornado appears to be his force, let's get the destructo-man off the ground.

He delivered a nice uppercut to stagger the monstrosity before grabbing his arm and swinging him straight up.  “Sir, the only mention of lightning and hammer together would be mythology: The Norse god, Thor.”

“Good enough for a name,” Tony shouted as he ducked backwards as Thor-dude swung into the metal attacker and pummeled them both to the ground.  Tony saw Thor-dude take off after the speeding car that was heading vaguely north out of town and jetted off after him.  

They both landed as the car screeched to a stop and Dr Foster hopped out running forward.  Tony grinned as she stopped in front of Thor-dude and asked, “Is this how you normally look?”

Thor-dude gave her admiring gaze a sheepish smile. “More or less,” he offered quietly.  

“It's a good look,” she approved.  Tony could almost hear the drooling and snickered.

“I don’t know, capes can be hazardous,” he said glibly as he landed next to Thor-dude.

The man turned to look at him as a familiar black car screeched to a halt nearby.  “I am Thor, son of Odin!”

Tony blinked in surprise.  Kudos to Jr for the correct guess at which fantasy this one sprouted from.  He retracted his helmet. “Tony Stark.  Welcome to Earth.”

He held out a hand and Thor, (and Tony was so internally geeking out over the myth standing here), reached out and crushed their forearms together.  “Well met, son of Stark.  And I thank you for your assistance.”

Tony was torn between shrugging off the gratitude of a god and clapping excitedly when Coulson trotted over from the black cars.

Coulson looked at Tony a moment. “Stark,” he greeted before turning to Thor.  “Donald.”  He eyed the others before looking at Thor. “I don’t think you have been completely honest with me.”

Thor straightened. “Know this, son of Coul. You and I, we fight for the same cause: The protection of this world. From this day forward, count me as your ally.”

Coulson seemed a touch overwhelmed, but Thor wasn’t done.  He turned and smiled at Dr Foster. “This shall be true if you return the items you have taken from Jane Foster.”

“Stolen,” Dr Foster quipped.

“Borrowed,” Coulson burst out.  “They were just...borrowed.”  Tony enjoyed watching someone else flounder a bit for a change.  “Of course you can have your equipment back.  You’re going to need it if you’re going to continue your research.”

Tony straightened at that.  “Wait, research?  Now just a moment!  Stark Industries has better protections than a shady government agency!”

Dr Foster looked between the pair with a wide grin.  Tony was going to like her.

Thor turned away and looked at her. “Would you like to see the bridge we spoke of?”

Tony wanted to see it, whatever it was.  When Thor wrapped his arm around Jane and took off, Tony followed eagerly.

They landed outside a circle of symbols in the desert.  While they waited for the others to catch up, Tony used the time to ask some questions and pitch his offer to Dr Foster.  Upon learning of Loki, he also asked Thor if he still loved his brother.

Thor’s response took some time but eventually he stood tall. “He is my brother.  I shall love him as long as I draw breath.”

Tony glanced at the van coming up, followed by his car.  And with it, Jarvis.  “Listen, as someone who also uses words and brains to win, say that.  Say it often and say it loud until he hears it.”

The others piled out of the van.  Tony stepped closer.  “Your friends clearly don’t like him; it sounds like no one there likes him.  So make sure you say it.”  Tony glanced at Jarvis, the man who made him realize he was liked.  “Say it until he hears it, because trust me.  It's hard to hear sometimes.”

Thor glanced back at Jarvis, who stood just outside of their bubble and the others who were gathering around the symbol.  He looked back at Tony and nodded firmly.

“Thank you, Tony of Midgard.  You are a true ally.”

Thor walked to the center of the circle.  “Heimdall!  Open the Bifrost!”

For a few minutes they all stood there watching.  Nothing happened.  Thor looked back at the four warriors.  “He does not answer.”

“Then we are stranded,” one of them said.  

Thor ignored him and continued to call for Heimdall.  Then a whirl of clouds and energy formed above Thor.  The warriors apparently considered this a good thing and rushed forward.  Thor turned to Dr Foster and pulled her close.

“I must return to Asgard.  My brother needs me.  But I give you my word.  I will return,” he said softly.  Tony almost rolled his eyes at the cliche.  Dr Foster didn’t strike him as the type, honestly.  Even with the kiss on the hand.

“Deal?”

Dr Foster seemed to consider this a moment before pulling the hunk into a deep session of tonsil hockey.  Tony cheered softly at that.  A much better way to send off, to be honest.

Then all five of them were gone.  Whisked away in a swirl of light and clouds.  

Dr Foster stood at that spot for a while as Tony turned to speak to Coulson, who had caught up with them, and Darcy, who appeared to be the more level-headed, organized person of their group.  Pepper would like her.

An hour later, he joined Dr Foster at the edge of the circle.

“He’s gone, isn’t he?” she asked quietly.

Tony shrugged.  “For now.”  He looked at her.  “Shall we go and figure out how to drag his ass back?”

She glanced at him and grinned.

“You better believe it!”

So here Tony was, at a “vacant” warehouse in the middle of “nowhere” to meet the Director of the shady government organization that had tried to manipulate him.  And since Tony had stolen Jane from under SHIELD’s nose, even with Coulson standing right there, Tony wasn’t expecting a happy camper in this warehouse.  When he entered, he was shown to a platform with a table. And a few screens of news covering the Expo clean up in the background.  

He winced as he sat.  The poisoning was slowly clearing but he needed better padding if he was going to be tossed around in a gold-titanium-alloy-can often.  Even in his head, he could admit, Iron-man and Tin-can sounded better.

He closed his eyes a moment as he sat.  Fury wasn’t here yet.  Tony thought of Jarvis’s advice from the previous night.  When everything had settled enough and Fury’s meeting time had made it to him, Tony had agreed to the meet.  He’d asked Jarvis, since the man clearly knew the group even if Tony had never heard of them.

“Sir, I fail to see how they are any different than any other ally company.  Treat disrespect and incompetence with the irreverence it deserves and negotiate for better access.  You do not need me to tell you how to run a company contract.  I am your butler.”

Tony was a little late, as was his habit.  He might be becoming too predictable.  He needed to be early to the next few things to scramble everyone’s expectations.  He made a mental note to have Jr help him with that.

Still, Fury should have been here.  In fact, he probably was here.  He was making an entrance of his own.  Tony knew better than most what that was about.  And on the table in front of him were two folders.  One was labeled “Subject: Tony Stark”.  That was obviously the one they were going to talk about.  The other was “Avengers Initiative - Preliminary Report”.  Tony let his curiosity pull the report close, since it was clearly here for him to read anyway.

Before he could open it, Fury’s hand appeared on the folder.  “I don’t think I want you reading that.”  Fury sat down, pulling the folder back to him.  “Not sure it pertains to you anymore.”

Tony regarded him as he picked up the other folder. “This, on the other hand, is Agent Romanoff’s assessment of you.  Read it.”

Tony took the folder and opened it.  Curiosity, and the fact that Fury expected him to do so, ensured that.  But he let his eyes gaze over the information a moment as he considered the man across from him.  One thing his father and Stane had both taught him; come to the table knowing what you want and then leave with more than that.

Also, come to the table knowing what the other person wants and use it.

“Hmmm,” Tony hummed as he pretended to scan the document he’d already read most of.  What did Fury want?

Control.

Okay, what did Tony want?

Don’t waste your life.

Treat disrespect and gross incompetence with the irreverence it deserves.

Tony glanced up a moment before looking back at the assessment.  “Okay. ‘Personality overview. Mr Stark displays compulsive behavior.’ In my own defense, that was last week. ‘Prone to self-destructive tendencies.’ I was dying. I mean, please. Aren’t we all?”  Tony grinned at Fury, feeling his own back start to tense.  This was getting his hackles up.  He slowed down his process, analyzing the purpose of this report.  It should get his hackles up.  There were medical reasons for his behavior in the last month.  And Fury should have known that, even if Romanoff didn’t.

He looked further down. ” ‘Textbook narcissism’?” He looked up at Fury and decided to play this game a bit.  Fury wanted him angry.  “Agreed. Okay, here it is. ‘Recruitment assessment for Avenger Initiative. Iron Man? Yes.’ “ Tony closed the folder.  That was the other folder’s purpose.  “I gotta think about it,” he said, just to annoy Fury.  The next line was the stick.

“Read on,” Fury advised as Tony knew he would.

Tony picked the folder back up, already knowing the next line.  “ ‘ Tony Stark not… Not recommended’?” And that was the stick hitting him.   “That doesn’t make any sense. How can you approve me but not approve me? I got a new ticker. I’m trying to do right by the company. I’m in a stable-ish family relationship.” Tony let himself talk as he tracked the different routes here.  Fury stood and came around the table to sit above him.

“Which leads us to believe at this juncture we’d only like to use you as a consultant,” Fury responded mildly.  And that’s the carrot.  Said gently to ease the ‘let down’ with Fury sitting above Tony.  That’s the spot Fury wanted to negotiate from.  He had the thing Tony wanted and Tony had nothing Fury wanted.

I fail to see how they are any different than any other ally company

Tony stood with a shark smile.  “See, Nicky.  I have an issue with that.  I don’t consult for people who steal from me.”  Tony picked up the folder and gently handed it to Fury.  “I do favors for my friends, like dropping intended lawsuits on stealing things.  You know, lawsuits that I may not win, but can drag people into the spotlight.”

Tony leaned forward as Fury’s scowl blackened.  “I may not be the media’s darling, but I am their lodestone.  Come and play in my parlor.”

Tony turned and started walking away.  He’d only taken a few steps before he paused and looked back.  “Of course, I don’t do that to my friends.”

Tony felt his heart pounding as he exited the building.  He was gambling here.  A big gamble because Fury did have something he wanted.  Wanted badly, but he’d learned over the years, the best way to have respect and cooperation was to mimic the style of the other player.  Fury wanted to work manipulations and threats, Tony’s would have to do so as well, just a hair softer.  He needed to control the direction of the respect growth.  He needed it to move from protection racket to tit for tat.  

Luckily, he’d been doing this all his life.

He looked at Jarvis as the man opened the driver’s door for him to get in.  “I think you annoyed them, Master Tony.”

Tony grinned and put on his sunglasses.  “Possibly.”

“Very good, Sir.  Shall I put on some tea for them?”

Tony grinned at Jarvis as he rounded the car to climb in the passenger’s seat.  The Iron Man Suit was in the middle of the back seat.  “Did they find the ‘in the event of my death’ clause?”

“Jr reported it located just as you entered.”

“Excellent.  Now we play.” Tony stepped on the gas, leaving the warehouse with the likely fuming director behind.  He was playing a dangerous game, but he was determined to win.  The fate of those he protected was at stake.  But he had the best weapon of all.

And he wasn’t alone.