" you make my heart beat faster by the second "

Chapter 15:

You Are All I Have

Before Annabeth went back to Tony's house from the company, she decided to pick up the present that she and Pepper had gotten made for him. 

When the salesman brought it to her she was pleased with how they made it. That old Arc Reactor was in a metal plate with letters around it where it could read: "Proof that Tony Stark has a Heart."

It was perfect. 

Annabeth couldn't think of a better way to show him that she cared for him and supported him— that both Pepper and she did (obviously, they both did... equally...maybe...). And maybe now he could start to see this reactor with her eyes and maybe, just maybe, it could give him the incentive that he needs, to do the changes that he feels the need to do.

When she arrived at Tony's, Annabeth was surely surprised to see Obadiah Stane there. He was pulling out from his car when she was parking hers. She took her purse and Tony's present that was wrapped and went to greet the older man, who, to her surprise was holding a pizza box.

"Morning Obie."

"Good morning, Annabeth, I thought you would be inside," He smiled at her as she felt this uncomfortable feeling come over her at the sight of him.

"A lot of work was left and now I have a college seminar," She simply replied as they walked inside Tony's mansion, "I take that you are here to see Tony?"

"Yes... Just arrived from New York. Brought him some breakfast, his favorite," he pointed at the pizza box and laughed a little.

"His favorite is cheeseburger," she casually told him, "Not pizza... which could hardly qualify as breakfast, Obie."

Obadiah didn't say anything.

When they arrived in Tony's living room, Annabeth started to buzz for Tony knowing that he was already at the workshop. When the billionaire didn't answer, Stane left the pizza at the small table in front of her and went to the piano.

"I told Tony a million times already that it would be easier if he just gave me access to his shop," complained Stane as Annabeth let out an uneasy smile considering she already knew what what the passcode was on her second day of work.

"Well... he is very private of that place," She spoke buzzing for Tony again.

"Do you know what he is working on?" he asked as he started to play the piano.

"No," she answered, "He hasn't said a word about it to anyone."

Annabeth saw Stane frown at her answer. Usually his assistants were the first to know about Tony's projects.

"Must be something special then," He murmured.

There was an uncomfortable silence between them, so Annabeth decided to take Tony's present and get up.

"I better go downstairs to call him," She spoke walking for the stairs leaving Stane alone.

As she suspected, when she arrived at the workshop Tony was too involved in his work. She put his present in one of the tables of the shop with a note that says "From Pepper and Annabeth," and decided to put his coffee mug on top of it.

Knowing Tony, this is the only way to fish him...she thought, He will notice the box only when he need his coffee.

Just then, she looked at him. He had something mechanical around his arm and he was making adjustments.

"I've been buzzing you," She gently spoke to him.

"What?" Tony asked lifting his mechanical arm from the table.

"Obadiah is upstairs—"

"Great, great—"

"What do you want me to tell him—"

"I'll be right up."

Annabeth came close to him as he aimed at the imaginary target in front of him. She frowned at the vision while he adjusted his arm.

"I thought you said you were done making weapons."

"I am," He spoke as he adjusted his body. "This is a flight stabilizer... It's completely harmless," He said while he pressed a button in front of him.

At that second there was a noise and the mechanical arm let go a massive fire— so strong that it threw Tony's body back and he hit his back on the wall behind him. While Annabeth covered her ears and protected her body afraid from the object she looked for a way to break Tony's fall. When it was over she looked at Tony, nervous and scared that he hurt himself. 

"I wasn't expecting that," he spoke quietly trying to get up.

Annabeth ran to his aid. 

"You okay?" she asked, helping him get on his feet.

"I'm fine" he let out a smile, "Are you?"

"Tony, you just flew across the room!" She whisper-yelled, "I am the one who should be worried."

"But you are all I have," Tony said casually as he moved towards his desk, "I am bound to get worried."

Annabeth's faced turned red and she tried to focus more on Tony trying to change the subject than her teenage like feelings.

"Tony, what the hell?!" she questioned and he started to laugh.

"Told you! Flight stabilizer. I guess it's more powerful than I initially calculated," He said still smiling, probably finding the whole situation funny. She let go an exasperated sigh.

"One day you will die with those things you know," she spoke with a small smile on her face that only made his own grow bigger.

"Come on, it was at least funny," She rolled her eyes at him, "I will take this thing out and I'll be right up."

"Okay."

 She gave him one last look as he started to take off the flight stabilizer from his arm. Annabeth went upstairs to inform Obie that Tony was coming. While they were waiting, Annabeth decided to open her computer to catch up on the assignments Stephen had been sending her for extra credit as an apology while also listening to the Co-CEO play the piano.

Ten minutes later, Tony came up excited as always, "So, how did it go?" Annabeth heard him ask then he saw the pizza box. "That bad, huh?"

"Just because I brought you pizza doesn't mean it was that bad."

 Annabeth listened to the older man answer as she also thought about asking Pepper to get her some chocolate ice-cream on her way back from the office.

Annabeth's ears perked up as she heard the two men talk about the meeting in New York.

Funny thing... You didn't inform me so I could schedule his agenda to go, Annabeth thought when she heard Obie complaining that Tony should have been there and knew Pepper had no idea considering the Potts woman always made sure Tony got to a place.

Tony seemed surprised that the meeting was in fact, a Board of Directors meeting, which meant that his presence was crucial, especially in a time like this. At that information, Annabeth stopped doing her work and decided to pay more attention at what they were saying.

Stane came closer to Tony and explained calmly:

"The Board is claiming you have PTSD— they are filing an injunction."

 Annabeth had to hold in a surprised sigh. She didn't wanted to bring attention to herself unless it was necessary.

"What?" Tony asked surprised and hurt as he had every reason to be.

Annabeth remembered when her dad thought she had PTSD— it was right before the divorce and he thought she was spoiling the company's name.

"They want to lock you out Tony," Obadiah told Tony.

"Because the stocks dipped 40 points?"

"56.5" Annabeth decided to correct him.

"It doesn't matter," Tony looked at her agitated, "We own the controlling interest in the company."

 Annabeth decided to stay silent. Later she could talk to him in private and more calmly.

"Tony," Obie called to his attention. "The board thinks that your new direction is not in the company's best interest."

"I'm being responsible!" Tony yelled.

 Annabeth couldn't deny that. After she heard what he been through and saw how motivated he was, in these last few days, Tony was being more responsible than the majority of the time she had known him— and she had known him since she was ten.

"I mean, me on the company's behalf being responsible for the way..." he started to ramble the way he did when he got nervous— a rare sight, truly.

Annabeth knew what he meant, but she doubted that Obadiah did. He was looking at Tony like he had lost it— like he found it funny how Tony was being agitated and nervous like that.

The millionaire finally gave up and decided to walk back to the workshop.

"Tony, come on!" called Obie again, "Don't be like this. Come on. Let the engineers analyze that."

 He pointed at the reactor on Tony's chest that was showing due to the hole on his shirt.

"No!" Tony said giving more space between him and the older man, "This one is mine, Obie."

The genius man ran back to the shop while the co-CEO asked to see what he was working on.

"Bye Obie!"

When Tony walk away, Annabeth was, unfortunately alone again with Stane as that hollow feeling came over her.

"I'm trying to help him," Murmured the old man, "but sometimes it's really hard." 

She let out a friendly smile for the man.

 "I'll do everything I can to stop that injunction Annabeth, but meanwhile... you and Miss Potts better keep him in control." Obie said this pointing at the stairs where the playboy had disappeared a few seconds ago.

She gave him a nod as he started to walk out of the mansion.

By the time the afternoon came, Annabeth had finished her assignments already. 

She looked at the clock. Tonight was the Firefighter's Family Fund benefit and she had to get ready to be there. With Tony 'hiding' from the press, she thought that at least she needed to be there to represent him considering Pepper had a date tonight.

Before she walked back to her room Annabeth went downstairs to check on Tony and wanting to make sure he ate something, she took the sandwich she made for him. When she arrived there, Annabeth was surprised to see that there were papers everywhere. DUM-E was holding a fire extinguisher, U had a camera with him, and Tony was in front of his computers looking very focused.

"You okay?" she asked putting the sandwich in front of him. He gave her a brief look with a small smile before stopping from typing whatever he was typing to eat the food she just brought him.

"Yeah."

"What Obie said—"

"Don't worry; he will help me win the board over. You will see," He spoke with such confidence that she decided not to question him anymore, he was clearly having a hard time with the news. Just the few seconds that she had looked at him she could tell how worried he was.

"I'm leaving for the night. Do you need anything?" she asked.

"Where are you going?"

"Some fundraiser," She answered, "Are you sure there is nothing you need?"

"No. I'm good, Annabeth. Thank you."

 She frowned. It was rare for Tony Stark to thank her just because she asked if he needed something. This new gentle, responsible, focus and caring side of him was often taking her by surprise causing the reddening of her cheeks to increase.

"Alright Tones, see you tomorrow," She told him and started to walk out of the lab. While she was doing that, Annabeth could feel Tony's eyes on her watching every move until she was out of his sight.

[OMG I AM SO EXCITED FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER THAT I WANTED THIS OUT OF THE WAY AHHH]