Home, that's all I wanted to be right now, but no dad had me here. At the expo. If I could be at home, I would stay and watch it on the television. I was being squished between two loud and skimpy dressed girls, not how I wanted to spend my night. Looking around the newly built expo center I covered my ears, trying to block out the thousands of people screaming for dad. No- scratch that, Iron Man.

The convention was held in Flushing, New York, the Stark Expo had recently been opened so naturally anything that has dad's name on, he had to be there. I sighed to myself, regretting my decision to stand with everyone else instead of backstage with Pepper and Happy. Sure I liked being backstage, but I was there almost always. And I had wanted to see dad how everyone else saw him, an Icon, A Super hero. To me he was just Dad. But here, at the expo. People had come from all corners of the globe to catch even a glimpse of the great Tony Stark and his extraordinary suit. It had been six months since he announced he was the famous Iron Man and the world had flipped it's lid. Everyone was yelling.

"We love you Iron Man! Iron Man Rules! I love you Tony!" If they only knew. Dad had changed, he was letting all the attention go to his head again, he had promised me that he was going to change? Yea that lasted six months. The whole expo was filled with people wearing Iron Man masks, even adults wearing the plastic masks. I had been furious when he did announce he was Iron Man, he was just suppose to say it was a demonstration gone wrong and that it was a bodyguard in a suit. In all reality it was Obadiah who had tried to kill dad, more than once. With the suit growing more and more popular I was concerned that someone might want to take it. Dad thought he was defending us and that if anyone was stupid enough to try and steal it, it wouldn't work.

Of course I was happy no one had tried to steal it, but I was still worried. Since everything had happened, the east-west relations had been stabilized thanks to dad. Naturally becoming a super hero who saved thousands of lives. Iron Man comics were created, Iron Man Figurines were sold at stores and there was so much merchandise that was created it overwhelmed the world. Each month dad was featured on a number of magazines all asking about the suit. Life was great to say the least.

Dad was no longer called; a drunk, or playboy. We were back on top, well Stark industries was as least. Everyone was here for dad, and the people were starting to get restless and bouncing around more. Chanting his name. Though everyone's eyes were fixed onto the stage, I knew better. Tony Stark was to make a grand entrance. Something to do with fireworks and the suit of course. The fireworks boomed above us and the explosions of color shot into the sky. While everyone's eyes were glued to the stage mine were fixated on the sky. Waiting, I had been quite good when it came to searching the sky's for the suit. Dad's dancers he hired began prancing around the stage in their ridiculously revealing outfits. Everyone had instantly got even more crazy, jumping up and down. Dying to get a look at Iron man. My ears were ringing loudly and I gripped at my head with the loud yelling. Suddenly dad slammed on the stage, a kneeling position. Standing up with his arms extend out to the crow the stage around him started to take off the armor. The familiar machines came out of the ground and disassembled the armor, and in seconds dad was standing before the crowd in a plain suit. I saw his eyes scan the crowd, I thought he was looking to me but I highly doubt he could see me. The Ironettes, as dad called them finished their routine around dad with their glowing hands. That resembled the Iron Mans blasters aimed to dad. I was glad they were over with and promptly left the stage.

"Oh it's good to be back! You miss me? I missed you too." I rolled my eyes. How could they miss him when he had never left? I crossed my arms, fixing the on my right wrist.

"Blow something up!" Someone yelled through the crowd up to Dad.

"I already did that." Dad chucked, his voice echoing through the many speakers across the giant room. Smoothing over his jacket dad looked out over to the thousands of people. He seemed so calm, no sense of fear or nervousness. I wasn't as good as he was, though he had a good ten or something years of practice on me. I could speak in front of people, I just preferred not to. "I'm not saying that the world is enjoying its longest period of interrupted peace in years because of me." The crowds cheering for dad deafened me only more and I would be sure to get him back sometime. "I'm not saying from the ashes of captivity never has a greater phoenix metaphor been personified in human history. I'm not saying that Uncle Sam can kick back on a lawn chair, sipping on a ice tea because I haven't come across anyone who's man enough to go toe-to-toe with me on my best day!" Dad was far from a humble person and the crowd didn't care, they were screaming up how much they loved him. Whatever dad was saying, was off the top of his head. Like half the shit that came out of his mouth, improv.

"Please, it's not about me. It's not about you. It's not even about us. It's about legacy. It's about what we choose to leave behind for our future generations." I smiled softly, as I could tell that one was for me. Ever since the night of Obadiah's attack he had kept me on a short leash, in hopes to protect me. "And that's why for the next year and for the first time since 1974, the best and brightest men and women of nations and corporations the world over will pool their resources, share their collective vision to leave behind a brighter future. It's not about us. Therefore what I am saying, if I'm saying anything, is welcome back to the Stark Expo." I clapped with everyone else, but mine was not as eccentric as some. Then it hit me, what everyone else was seeing; inspiring, genius, unafraid. But I was the one who saw him at his worst. I was the one who was able to see what other people couldn't the good, the bad, and the worst. "And now, making a special guest appearance from the great beyond to tell you what it is all about, please welcome my father, Howard." Dad walked off stage as this enormous screen as wide as the sage changed from the Stark expo logo to a video of my grandfather. I smiled, only for a moment. From what Dad had told me he wasn't such a good father, but he was a fantastic inventor.

"Everything is achievable through technology," Grandfather's voice spoke, I had watched that video so many times I knew what he was going to say next. Of course I felt sad over never meeting either my Grandmother or Grandfather. But I did have my Grandmother's name as my middle name, Maria. Over the years dad had told me stories, and from what I heard he was a great man, when it came to inventing and business. But when it came to being a father, not so much. Dad hardly spoke of them, and I had only seen forced pictures of them together. Part me of thought that the reason that dad refused to get me a nanny was because he didn't want to have that relationship with me as he did his father. He never really bonded with his father. So dad was determined to have a relationship with me. Everyone had stopped moving in order to focus in on the video. I took that time to push through the crowd over to the side entrance. When someone had gripped my arm in order to get my attention they saw that I was the granddaughter of the man who was on the screen so they instantly took their hand from me. I resisted the urge to argue with them and kept walking. Reaching the edge of the stage I pulled out my badge, flashing it to him and went to walk by. But again everyone seemed to want to grab at me, this guy gripped my upper arm tightly, causing me to drop my badge.

"Ouch, what the hell?" I said glaring to the man, he shook his head.

"You aren't suppose to be back here little lady," He said, pulling me away from it, I went to look for anyone for assistance.

"Hey!" Looking passed the man, who was built like Gaston. The guy turned and saw dad storming over to us. "Get your hands off my daughter... Now." The guy dropped his hand almost instantly and I picked up my badge from the ground. "She has more brains than you and she's only just turned Seventeen. Haven't you seen her graduation speech on the internet or something? Summa cum laude from MIT just like her old man."

"Dad..." I grumbled, hiding behind my hair. "He made a mistake, it's fine. And you don't need to boast about that," I rolled my eyes and took a sigh of relief as Dad guided me over towards the ramp that led us backstage.

"What I can't be proud of my daughter?" He chuckle, smiling over to me. I shrugged in response. "I'll be proud of you verbally because I am proud of you Princess." He kissed the top of my hair and I groaned smoothing out my hair fixing the little headpiece that held my hair up. "Anyways, how'd I do?"

"Great as always," I began and his face showed how proud he was of his achievements. "You already knew that didn't you."

"Yes. But it's always nice to hear it, look at you," He said motioning down to my dress. I rolled my eyes my arms crossing over my chest. "Always trying to steal the spotlight."

"Well I try not to. Not my fault I'm prettier than you," Looking up at him I noticed his smile didn't quite reach his eyes as it had before. It had been that way for a while, and I hadn't figured out why. I knew when my dad was hiding something, and I might just be able to figure out what it was. So many thoughts ran though my head as I was thinking of reasons for him keeping secrets, each worse than the last. Stock market failing? No, it was more than fine for us. The suit? No, I wouldn't let him use it otherwise. Could Pepper be finally realizing she's in over her head with Tony Stark? No... Though she had yelled at him for announcing it to the world he was Iron Man. I took a breath finally giving up. Shifting on my heels I took a deep breath before looking over to dad. After a good bit of silence between us I broke it. "I don't know how you do it, there's a lot of people out there."

"You know, it's gonna be worse when you take over," He pointed out causing my eyes to widen. "You'll have to make public speeches, and do everything and more." I groaned but went silent as I saw dad looking at the video of my grandfather.

"Don't remind me," I stopped speaking when I heard roaring applause from in front of the stage, indicating the video was over. "There's your cue." I turned him and pushed him gently towards the stage. He flashed me his winning Stark smile and then confidently walked out back onto the stage.

It was a good fifteen minutes before dad exited the stage, after he had introduced the man who would manage the expo. I was on my phone, scrolling through my emails. Many interviews, or photo-shoots. I was not really wanting to do any of that. I just graduated a week ago so god knows that they want to know about what I plan to do with my life. Truth be told, I didn't know. I was probably just gonna end up following in dad's footsteps.

"Hey, Princess?" Looking up dad was in front of me. "Ready to go?" I tilted my head to one side in confusion. "I don't have to stick around, lets get out of here." I chuckled as he looped his arm through mine. I just wanted to go home, back to California and be in my own bed. I had expected to be here for longer than we had been here. But we were out of there rather quickly...

For crying out loud, it was like autograph, photo-op, autograph, repeat. I leaned against our new white Audi R8 Spyder, which I got to pick out. V10 engine with a top speed of 194 miles per hour. I loved it, but god knows dad wouldn't let me drive for another two years. I've been driving since I was Fourteen, but dad didn't like me driving, that's why we had Happy.

"Jaedyn Stark?" I opened my eyes looking over to see a tall dark haired woman walking over. Dressed well, high waisted skirt and a purple blouse, the height came from her black pumps though she was already taller than I without them. Her warm smile wasn't inviting as she stopped by the car.

"You are?" I questioned, my time for being polite was over, I just wanted to leave.

"Where's your father?" She replied to me with a question, I guess she had come to the conclusion from my snarky reply that I was in fact Jaedyn Stark. Hopefully she wasn't some girl wanting into his pants, it was one thing to flirt with him alone. But I'm his daughter and that would just be wrong to flirt with him in front of me. I was about to open my mouth when my eyes went to her hand, then her waist. Badge... Envelope. Not a good sign. If that is a paternity test so help me. Before I could say anything though the doors from the main opening opened for dad, followed by Happy.

"See, that wasn't so bad," Happy said to dad, their steps quickening over to the car.

"No it was perfect," Dad replied, his eyes widening seeing the scene before him. A grin spreading across his face, I wanted to say something but I let the scene play out. Hi," That's all he said. What the hell?

"Mr. Stark." She said calmly, obviously not impressed with him.

"And you are?" He approached the woman and shook her hand.

"Marshal."

"Irish. I like it." I rolled my eyes and left them, walking around to the passenger side of the car.

"Please to meet you Tony." Happy pressed the button on the keys that lowered the roof on the car and put Dad's bags in the trunk with mine. Without having to be asked, he threw the keys to dad, who caught them easily.

"What are you doing here?" Dad asked, his eyes moving over to me as if to say, don't touch anything. I groaned and slumped in my seat.

"Looking for you," She answered.

"Yeah? You found me." I was so glad to finally be sitting down, and the ride to the airport would be quick then we would be in the airplane for a while, I would be able to sit down the whole ride. My feet were aching. Dad quickly slid into the driver's seat. I unzipped my boots and took them off taking a relieved sigh. "What are you up to later?" I shot a look to dad who flashed me a smirk. God, I hoped that was a rhetorical question.

"Serving subpoenas." She said with a grin. Bad... Very bad...

"Yikes," Was all Dad said. The woman held out the white envelope, waiting for Dad to take it but he made no move to grab it. Oh come on. I couldn't believe Dad was still going with his 'not taking anything handed to me' crap. Only I, Pepper, Happy and Rhodey could ever hand him something. Dad looked to me out of the corner of his eyes, the corner of his mouth turning up in a smile. I sighed angrily and lent across the car to snatch the envelope from her hand.

"He doesn't like to be handed things," Happy explained from where he stood behind the woman. I chucked the envelope onto Dads lap then rested my head in my hands.

"You are hereby ordered to appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee tomorrow morning at 9:00 am." No! I just wanted to go home! I almost screamed. Now we had to go all the way to D.C!

"Can I see a badge?" Dad asked.

"You wanna see the badge?"

"He likes badges," I said sarcastically. The woman smirked as she pulled out a small badge and showed it to Dad.

"Still like it?"

"Yep." He slid it back inside her skirt and she backed onto the footpath as Dad started the car. "Princess?"

"Yes?" I gritted through my teeth turning to him.

"How far are we from D.C?"

"250 miles," Dad revved he engine and we took off down the street. I saw Happy wave bye in the mirror and I put my hand up waving back to him. Pepper and him wouldn't be far behind. Leaning my head against the head rest I closed my eyes listening to the engine pur like a kitten. Soon my head started to pound behind my eyes, if we had aspirin in the car I would have down the bottle as my head was aching terribly. I wish I could have taken the jet, but I had to babysit dad, who would have gone doing something stupid. Currently I had to be the adult, which was ridiculous me having just turned seventeen. I asked dad for one thing only for my birthday, for him to take the day off. Which surprisingly he had. We spent the whole day in the garage or sitting in one of dad's hot rods I helped build watching old videos. There were tears, mainly him. Seeing as I was almost an adult already. Time sure flies by when your running a company or being a super hero instead of raising your daughter. Taking his eyes away from the road I could feel him staring at me. "Keep your eyes on the road dad."

"You always could tell when I was looking at you, even when you were little," He chuckled the car becoming a smoother ride once more.

"I can also feel the car shift when you aren't looking at the road," I smirked shortly before the silence over took the car again. "I'm fine."

"I know that. You always say that." I shifted in my seat waiting for him to continue. "You can talk to me you that right. I know things have not been best, and with your-" I cut him off.

"Depression?" I opened my eyes giving him a sharp look. "I'm fine." Turning the radio up I settled into the seat and the silence between us for the final time. Neither of us wanted to talk about what the other was going though, which was something we hardly did. But this gap was starting to build between the two of us. I didn't bring up the subpoena because I didn't know what to expect from it.

Within a half hour we were out of the city and on a highway with the top down. I quickly tied my hair so it didn't whip and hit my face. As we drove I watched the road zoom passed us, noting that dad wasn't going as fast as I bet he wanted to. He was driving tamer than usual, probably because I was in the car. Surely he was desperate to test his toy, and frankly I wasn't gonna be able to sleep in a car without being cramped.

"Dad..." I began and he hummed in response. "You know you can go faster right?" I heard him chuckle before he looked to me. That restraint was quickly thrown out the window. His hand went to the gear and changed it quickly. I felt gears shift in the car and soon dad was on the oncoming road zooming passed a semi, I grabbed onto the car door handle and held on for what seemed dear life. We both yelled out in excitement and I rose my hands up high into the sky. He easily weaved though the lanes and we sped on down the roads, so quickly. Reaching a bend in the road I felt the tires skidding on the asphalt. It had been about ten minutes and I had realized it was better driving fast to relax me, I guess I was an adrenaline like dad. Sooner than later, my eyes fell closed and sleep over took me.

The dream had started out how they all did as of lately. It always started the same, I was in my room on my computer. Writing my graduation speech and the reflection of the man in black body armor. Screaming and being dragged over to the stairs, then being pulled down the stairs and thrown into the chair. Some nights I dreamt what had happened, me racing over to Dad but some goons grabbed me and strapped me to a chair. I escaped and ran away.Only to have Obadiah throw me then cut leg. It didn't matter how the middle changed, I always died in the end. Tonight Obadiah had me paralyzed on the floor with a machine him and dad had created. Dad was on the floor as well, looking to me with horror in his eyes. I could feel what was happening to me but I couldn't move to stop it. Obadiah was cutting my body, starting at my legs. Then moving to my stomach cutting my dress, then my arms, palms. Finally Obadiah brought the knife up to my neck but before he cut me dad got loose and out of no where dad had his Iron Man hand. Dad shot it to Obadiah and I went to crawl away. Dad without a hint of hesitation, he shot Obadiah though the wall and off the cliff side. Afterwords dad came over to me and I was laying on the floor, bleeding out. Dad was yelling my name but I couldn't hear him. Slowly my vision faded, darker and darker until I couldn't see.

Thankfully I woke, shaking my head looking around wildly. Still groggily I had woken up hyperventilating thinking that I was back six months ago with Obadiah almost killing me. I reassured myself that he was gone when I saw that we were still on the road, the car had slowed down but still was probably speeding.

"Bad dream?" Dad's voice caught me by surprise, his hand reached over to me resting on the center console for me to take. I sighed heavily as I set my hand in his and he rubbed his thumb over my knuckles.

"Yeah," I mumbled. Dad was studying me I could tell by the way he was almost about to say something, but he didn't press me for details. While my breathing slowed and calmed down my mind wandered. Six months it had been and I was still having nightmares. Did dad? He didn't show any signs of that night, but then again. Neither did I besides my leg and nightmares. After two weeks I was able to get off the crutches, almost brand new. Besides the four inch scar on my right thigh. I'm pretty sure dad knew that the night was the worse time, for the both of us. But we never pushed each other to talk about it. "Are we almost there?" I asked after I was composed enough, the moon was beginning to set. Telling the two of us it was early as hell and I had been asleep for a few hours. "I'd like to get to the hotel for at least a little bit."

"We should be there in half an hour." Good. I wanted to take a quick shower and get into some other clothes that were stained with the smell of the thousands of people I was standing with, though I didn't smell to good either. I grabbed the back of my neck, rubbing an rolling it, cringing. The car being expensive wasn't that comfortable.

When we checked into some hotel, I didn't bother getting the name. Too Tired. I took an extremely long and hot shower, finally feeling clean I emerged from the steamy bathroom in a large fluffy towel. When I walked out into my room I saw a dress on my bed, a black skater dress with a stripped top half. As cute as it was I was gonna add my colors to it, a red leather jacket with red boots. No doubt Pepper had went through my bag and found me an outfit for court. Pepper was fantastic during the announcement of dad being Iron Man, she had handled the press. Choosing what and how to comment on questions asked, she helped me remain semi-paparazzi free. Without her, Dad and I would be utterly hopeless. I think dad was finally realizing and acting on his their relationship though, she meant a lot to dad. I thought dad having Pepper as a girlfriend would be the best thing for him. She grounded him, though for now she remained entirely professional. Though to me she was way more than dad's assistant, she was my closest friend. She helped me with anything; from chatting with me on the shore after a long day to helping me get out of a exposed situation. There were many times though that she was busy with dad, though she then texted me.

After I stared at my outfit I grabbed my makeup bag and slapped on soft coloring of makeup, light pink eye shadow with pale lipstick. I let my hair naturally dry to have some waves, plus I was able to relax for the time being. I stared out at the sky, the sun had started to rise now. I was going to be exhausted at the senate meeting.

Well time to feed my coffee addiction...