"Miss Stark." I went to cover my head with my pillow in hopes to ignore the robotic voice speaking over our houses speakers. "It's seven a.m. And the weather in Malibu is 72 degrees with scattered clouds. The surf conditions are fair with waist to shoulder high lines. High tide will be at 10:30 a.m." The blinds over my window started to roll open and I grumbled wishing I could just sleep a little bit longer. "Miss Stark-"

"Jarvis. It's seven a.m." I lowered my pillow and blinked opening my eyes slowly. To my right the lights shined brightly, the Malibu beach. Rolling over onto my back I stared at the ceiling listening to it speak back to me.

"Your father insisted I wake you." The automated voice spoke, half an apology the other programs that I helped create.

"Well mission accomplished." Sighing heavily, I pushed myself up into a sitting position, running a hand though my brown hair. Pushing off my bright red covers I flung my legs off onto the cold tiled floor. "I'm up." I was in a long ACDC shirt and a pair of black underwear. The shirt was originally Tony's but I had taken it when I was a little girl. I stretched my arms out and stood, looking at the bright day that was almost every day in Malibu. I slowly dragged myself down the stairs and walked through the large house.

"Tony? Hey, Tony?" I could hear someone woman in the living room. Last night I was at a gala, that was dedicated to Tony. But he hadn't gone, instead I think he went to some casino in Las Vegas, to gamble and gain all the many women that flocked to him. One, still here. Heaving another great sigh, I made my way down the stairs towards her voice. The alarm going off caused me to miss a step and almost go tumbling down them. I quickly steadied myself and mentally cursed Tony for having created the damn thing.

"You are not authorized to access this area." Looking to the woman I saw she was clad in only one of Tony's shirts. My arms crossed as I watched her.

"That's Jarvis. He runs the house." When she heard my voice, she jumped spinning around looking to me. She grinned, the expression condescending to me.

"Jaedyn Stark. The prodigal daughter." She sauntered over to me as if I should be impressed with her. She had slept with Tony Stark, many have. Congrats, you're not special. "Almost seventeen and already so important in Stark Enterprises. Am I right, Jaedyn?"

"Actually." I paused looking over to the woman, trying to me nice. I had tried, but I am my father's daughter, that means I had to add a snarky remark. "You can call me Miss Stark. And I am important to the enterprise."

"You little-" That's when Pepper chose to intervene.

"Miss. Everhart," Both the woman and I turned towards the living room. "I've got your clothes here. They've been dry-cleaned and pressed, and there's a car waiting for you outside that will take you anywhere you'd like to go." I grinned leaning against the wall, the look on Ms. Everhart's face showed that she had been bested by me. Yet she wanted to try and win against Pepper Potts. The woman who can take on Tony and I, thank god for that.

"You must be the famous Pepper Potts." Pepper nodded giving me a half smile looking to myself before listening to Miss. Everhart. "After all these years," She had taken the clothes hanger from Pepper, "Tony still has you picking up the dry-cleaning." With a slight pause, Pepper glanced again to me and I shook my head in response to the unspoken words causing Pepper to turn back to the woman.

"I do anything and everything that Mr. Stark requires, including, occasionally, taking out the trash. Will that be all?" That had caused me to break out laughing, and I was almost unable to handle how excellent that burn was. Everhart had given me an evil glare but I just rolled my eyes as she went to the bathroom. I gave Pepper a quick smirk and made my way over to the kitchen. Pepper had made her way down towards the lab, where Tony basically lived.

An hour later, after I had gotten dressed in a pair of ripped jeans and a red tank I had made my way towards the living room once more. Eyeing my dad's bags, stacked by the door. He was leaving again. Another weapons demonstration in Afghanistan. I hated when he left for these. It made me worry for him, he was putting himself in too much danger. I held a cup of coffee in my hand and when fingers snapped in front of my face I almost dropped it. But Tony had grabbed the glass before it fell.

"Jaedyn-Woah." He chuckled for a moment, handing me back the glass. "You all right there princess?" I blinked again and was brought back to see my dad's brown eyes meeting my hazel ones.

"Actually..." He was the only one who could see though my sarcastic facade I held. "Not so much." I was frowning now and I put the cup onto the nearest table so I could fold my arms. "You know I hate it when you do these. I mean, can't Obadiah or Rhodey do it? What if something happens?" All he was doing was grinning to me, giving me that I'll be fine look he gives Pepper all the time.

"You know nothing is going to happen to me Jaedyn." I sighed heavily showing that didn't help my nerves. "It'll be fine. I promise." I narrowed my eyes and unfolded my arms taking a step towards him. I rose my hand and folded every finger besides my pinky finger. He laughed smiling to me. "Pinky promise." We linked pinkies and I felt better now that he had promised. Pinky promised.

The next morning Jarvis once again, got me up early. "Good morning Miss Stark. It's seven a.m. The weather in Malibu is 76 degrees, sunny with no chance of clouds. The surf conditions are fair with waist to shoulder high lines. High tide will be at 10:30 a.m." Quickly I tore off my blankets and walked over to my desk, grabbing my phone. I rubbed my eyes and blinked a few times to clear my vision. Turning the screen on I saw I had no calls or texts. Strange... I frowned, Dad should have called by now. But he's Tony Stark, unpredictable.

"Jarvis. Is Pepper here yet?" I waited for the ceilings response.

"Yes. She arrived ten minutes ago and is now residing in the kitchen. She's taken a phone call Miss Stark, and looks to be in great distress." Everything was silent. In a quick motion, I was down the stairs, my feet moving faster than my brain. I hurried off towards the kitchen and I could see she was indeed in distress. Tears were falling down her face, mouth open in shock and pain. No noise was heard, I stood in front of her, waiting. She saw me and had to turn from me, I didn't like the look of that. I searched around her for anything to tell me what was going on. Finally, the silence broke.

"Yes... I will... I can tell her. Thank you, Rhodey." She hung up the phone and came around the counter looking to me. "His- Tony's hum-vee was bombed." Everything went still at that moment. "They can't find him, but his escort is all dead..." She went to hold me, but I took a step away, almost falling backwards. My head was spinning and all I could think about was that my father could be dead. Again, Pepper tried to take hold of me but I quickly pushed off and raced away. He couldn't be gone, lost possibly, but not gone. He's smart, super smart. He's okay...

"Jae..." I had heard Pepper's heels follow me but I was quicker. "Jaedyn..." I flopped onto the bed, his bed. I could hear my heart in my head, thumping against the walls of my skull.

"Lock it." I muttered to Jarvis, and the clicking sound of the door caused Pepper to rattle the door handle.

"Miss Stark I'm not sure that's the-"

"Don't you dare open that door." I said louder so the automated voice could hear me better. Tears started falling and that quickly turned into me sobbing quietly into the pillow.

"Jaedyn, they'll find him..." Pepper's voice had spoken to me though the door, but I had turned it out the best I could. Days turned to weeks then into months. I had stayed in my dad's room for a good week and a half. I hadn't rarely eaten despite Pepper having made breakfast and leaving it outside the door for me. My dad was missing what was I suppose to do? Pepper, Rhodey, and Obadiah all stepped up. Pepper dealt with press, Rhodey made sure to keep me up to date with my classes, Obadiah took control, temporarily, of Stark Enterprises.

The nights were the hardest, after the week and a half of staying in his room, Pepper had enough. She dragged me out of the room and forced me to take a shower and eat at least a bowl of cereal. When I went back to his room Pepper was changing the sheets, and I went to grab the pillow that she was taking the pillow case off.

"No..." I muttered, my eyes fixed on the pillow.

"Jaedyn..."

"It smells like him..." I took the pillow from her and set it on a chair and helped her make the bed. We didn't exchange words, and we had hardly looked to each other.

Later that night my dreams were plagued with visions of Dad being killed, or tortured. When the dreams turned to night terrors Pepper or Rhodey came in an held me. The first time that I had a night terror Rhodey had raced into the room and held me for a good hour as I cried. The dreams eventually got so bad that Pepper had given me sleeping pills in order for me to stay asleep. I hurt, so much, and I couldn't do anything about it. There was a numbing sensation that the pills gave me. I only wanted him to be safe, if I could go there and get him I would, but what would a seventeen year old do in Afghanistan? I felt so helpless, they'll find him... They'll find him...

The day he was back, I was in my engineering class. It wasn't too bad until I saw some other student looking to me then muttering something off to his friends.

"What are you looking at?" I grumbled, moving my hair out of my face. I had hardly slept, ate, wore makeup or even tried to look presentable.

"I'm just wondering." I motioned for him to explain with my hands. "Well, I'm just wondering how you'll react if when you find out your dad's going to be killed by some Terrorist in the middle east." My hands clenched tightly and I walked over to him. "You look like shit now, so I can't imagine how you'll look when the story bre-" The guy went tumbling back into a table and yelled out gripping his nose in pain. "Bitch!" He yelled lowering his hands only for a moment to see all the blood that had gushed out of his nose.

"Miss Stark." I turned to see the professor looking over, I walked over to her and braced myself for the lecture. "Headmasters, now. Jameson, go to the nurses." I scoffed shaking my head as I grabbed my bag. Walking down the barren halls Jameson's words kept haunting my mind. Before I got to the administration's office the hour bell rang and students left their classrooms. The halls were soon flooded and I was overwhelmed with people. Suddenly it got silent, and a team of security men came down the hall. Their gaze found mine and Rhodey passed them seeing me as well.

"Jaedyn..." I waited, the whole school seemed to be looking to me this moment. Rhodey came over to me and started to usher me towards the exit. I stopped myself and planted my feet.

"Tell me."

"Jae-" Rhodey began.

"Tell Rhodey... Now."

"They found him..." Instantly the hall was filled with scattered conversations. "He's on his way to the airport now, I'm to take you there." I nodded quickly and made my way to the exit with him. My whole demeanor seemed to improve instantly. We reached a blacked out car and we both got in, he noticed my hand when I reached for the seat belt. "Details?"

"Punched a guy for saying Dad was dead, hopefully I broke his nose." I looked to my fist that was slightly bruised already. "What's the protocol?"

"You need to let him come to you so that you don't set him off. He's a little different, but from what I've seen is that he's better than you'd expect." The rest of the drive was silent, we'd waited for months for this, he was held hostage. I wouldn't know who was coming back, all I knew was that he was back and I was happy. Sure, he was hurt, mentally, emotionally, physically. He wasn't gonna be the same Tony. "When I found him in Afghanistan, he smiled so I'm hoping, but I'm not optimistic about him being completely fine."

Reaching the airport, I exited the car, and Rhodey had to leave me to go to the plane. Pepper saw me and hugged me, her eyes were red, meaning she had been crying either in her car or before she left the office, hopefully it was happy tears. We stood together and I was so excited to see him, but when I caught sight of him being pushed in a wheel chair I didn't know what to think. Was he paralyzed? As soon as that thought exited my mind, he stood and started to yell about him not needing the ambulance or all the military police. I sighed relived that he was still him, slightly. Damn the protocol. I took off in a full out sprint towards him, the military police had tried to grab at me but I got out of their reach only to hear Rhodey calling them off. When I reached Dad, I had almost knocked him over with my arms wrapping around him tight. That's when the tears started soaking his shirt.

"Jaedyn..." He whispered my name and my grip loosened enough so I could look up to him. We both scanned each other, his eyes widened. I looked like hell, sweats and a tank, dark eyes with pale skin. "Princess..." I choked a laugh and he tilted my head up so I looked up to him. He wrapped his arms around me once more, kissing my head and face. "I'm so sorry, for everything. The partying, the woman, gambling... All of it." I shook my head, he had been the one kidnapped and he was apologizing to me? "I'll make it up to you princess, I promise."

After a while, dad and I finally walked over to Pepper, his arm around me lowered to his side when he saw her. She wasn't as bad as I was but he could tell she had been crying. She faked a smile, but it soon fell after dad broke the silence.

"Your eyes are red, A few tears for your long lost boss?" I rolled my eyes as he looked straight to Pepper. She replied, though I didn't catch it. I was staring at Dad, he had changed, though he was putting on a facade that I do. He was bruised and battered, what had caught my eyes were the fact that he had darker circles under his eyes than I did. "Come on my ladies. I want two things; an American cheeseburger and a Press conference. No hospital. Cheeseburger, press conference. That order." After the hectic schedule that dad had gave us, with the news reporters wanting a comment and us going all over to get dad a good cheeseburger we were able to return home.

I had my eyes closed and my head resting on the car door, I was dozing as far as anyone could tell. My door slowly opened and someone was reaching across to un-buckle me.

"Tony, you should just wake her, your shoulde-" An arm going across me, so I didn't fall out of the car.

"I got her Pep. She's probably exhausted." Tony's voice was quieter though I could still hear him. One arm under my legs and his other supporting my back. I tried to cover my eyes and ears to hide myself from the reporters and cameras, which successfully worked. I grabbed dad's shirt with my hand only for a moment before I let it go because I had felt a cold piece of metal.

"I'll get the doors." Pepper said, I was hit with a wave of crisp air of the air conditioned house. I soon felt the comfort of my bed and my shoes get taken off, my legs were tucked into the bed and my covers were pulled up onto me. I adjusted myself in my bed and felt my hair being smoothed.

"I love you Princess." Dad whispered into my ear and a smile crossed my lips before my door was closed.

Tony walked out of his daughters room and down the stairs into the kitchen. He had of course made sure she was comfortable before leaving her, he had only thought of her and Pepper while he was away. Pepper was just preparing to turn off the television as the latest reports had just finished up. Tony as expected, made the headlines. But also his unexpected choice in shutting down the weapons manufacturing of his company. The whole situation with his kidnapping and imprisoning for three months. The press was labeling him as unsound, unstable, using his three months in captivity to justify the names. Post traumatic stress was nothing new, they all had told them that it was mostly likely to develop, but Tony knew what he was doing. Before the reports finished there was a picture of Tony and Jaedyn, him carrying her into their mansion.

"Jaedyn asleep?" Pepper asked him as he took a seat on the couch with a bottle of water. He took a rather long drink, downing half the bottle before he replied.

"She's out. Exhausted." Tony relaxed on the couch, yawning. "Seems like she's already use to me being back."

"Well your back, so I don't think she's gonna have to be taking anything anymore." Pepper sighed relieved.

"What do you mean taking anything?" Tony asked confused. Pepper sighed, realizing that he had no idea what her and Jaedyn went through while he was away. "Sleeping pills?"

"Jaedyn..." She began but paused trying to find the right words to say. "She didn't sleep. While you were away. It got bad, she refused to leave your room for a good week and a half. I finally got her out of there after that, but she refused to sleep after that time. Eventually it got so bad that I had come here after a meeting with Obadiah and all I could hear coming up the driveway was ACDC. There was glass scattered around the house, she was in your room again with your whiskey." Tony listened to Pepper intently to try and get information on his daughter and what happened to her. "In the end the doctor prescribed her with sleeping pills, otherwise she was gonna wake up every few hours screaming."

"Sleeping pills, my alcohol, blaring music. That sounds a lot like-" Tony began but didn't want say what he was thinking so he stopped himself. "She use to sleep more time than she was awake..." In all reality, from what Pepper had told him, it had reminded him when his parents died. He shook the memory quickly from his mind. Pepper was talking about his daughter, who he had to once dump a pot of cold water onto to her to get her to leave her bed. Granted they had come from Europe and were jet lagged but now his daughter had trouble getting sleep. Pepper glanced from her twiddling fingers knowing that Tony would want to know more, so she took his silence to go into detail.

"After all this began, the day after the alcohol and music situation, I forced her to go to the doctor with me, she refused to do anything. I basically had to have Happy carry her out of the room." Tony listened intently worried for his baby girl. Pepper sighed looking to Tony before continuing, knowing that the next portion might be hard to hear. "She was diagnosed with mild depression and insomnia, she had to be given medication. She won't admit to it, but she has the medication hidden somewhere in her room. She doesn't want you to think differently of her." The look on Tony Stark's face was enough to make anyone look away, he was in shock. A multitude of emotions crossed his face as he realized the grief he caused Jaedyn. She looked to be fine, but no one could really tell how she was, mentally. Physically she looked skinnier, but he thought it was just for her finals at the end of her senior year, stressing her out. With graduation and her father being missing it would have taken a toll on her. Not depression. "Mild. Not serious, and don't tell her I told you this. She already hates that I know."

"Pepper, you've been amazing with her. You and Rhodes are the only two I'd trust anyone with her." Tony took a heavy breath letting it all sink in.

"I did what I could Tony, but I'm not you. I couldn't and can't make her okay like you can." Pepper sighed rubbing her eyes, it was then that Tony noticed the circles under her eyes too.

"I'm in your debt Pepper..." Tony said, placing his hand on hers. "Thank you."

"She's brave Tony." Pepper began again, a small smile crossing her lips. Throughout what Pepper had told Tony, the fear within the man began to increase. He didn't like hearing how his daughter was coping with this, not to mention the hell of the news reporting on the whole situation. "I'd expected a lot more break downs that what I got. At times when she left your room she went into your lab, just sitting in your cars. I once found her asleep down there. She's handled it better than how I thought she would. Though she had her moments, I came into the lab once and she had just destroyed the place. She tore everything up, destroyed one of the tables with a metal pipe. She's strong. Both physically and mentally, though not as strong when it came to you." Letting all the information stir in his head for a while, he thanked Miss Potts once more making sure she knew how thankful he was for her taking care of his kid. When Pepper went to leave for her apartment, Tony had insisted she stay. Part of him knew he would be more comfortable knowing she was there, she also helped keep him organized. He also didn't know how to react with Jae anymore, he would have to start over. God knows Jaedyn would need someone during his transition.

Things changed after dad got home. Yes I was happier that he was safe, but he wasn't really him. I could hear him when he would have nightmares. I would be woken up in the middle of the night and he would be screaming. With his room on the other side of the house it shocked me. I was step out into the hall and follow the sounds of him and Pepper. Dad was mumbling something, I couldn't make out what it was though through his door. Quick as I could when I heard someone shifting in the room I rushed behind a wall of the house to hide myself. I covered my mouth and wiped my eyes as I had shed a few tears when I heard him sobbing. We both had changed so much, and I don't think either for the better...

The next morning I woke to my phone ringing, slowly I crawled out from my bed and read the caller ID, Tony (Dad). I panicked and dropped my phone, what did he want, did he know I was outside their door last night? Answering the phone I took a deep breath before speaking.

"Yea dad?" I said, shifting on my feet.

"Can you come down to the shop for a second?" He paused for a second before continuing. "It's important." I grabbed my nearest pair of shorts throwing them on while I held the phone up to my ear.

"Yea, I'll be there in a second." The call disconnected after I replied and I made my way down the cold steps into the lab. I entered in my birthday into the keypad and it showed my picture before unlocking the door. When I shut the door behind me I screamed in horror. Sure I was worried that he hurt himself, or he just simply wanted me to hang out with him. What I hadn't expected was to see him sitting topless in a chair with a circular machine in his hands, with a hole in his chest. I stood still in shock looking to him.

"Hey, Jaedyn." He whistled and waved his hand trying to get my attention. "I need your help remember. Come here." Slowly I made my way over to him, not diverting my eyes from the hole in his chest, was that from the hum-vee explosion? "There's a little wire behind this." He spoke handing me the machine he held in his hand. "I need you to put the old one on the table, I don't care where, and pull out this copper wire."

"What is this?" I stared closer examining the machine. "Is this at least safe?" He nodded.

"It's perfectly safe don't worry. Oh just don't let it touch the edges or pull out the magnet at the end." I nodded, hesitantly I put my hand into his chest. There was a terrible squishing, then I remembered that I was playing operation with my dad's life. My hand started to shake and dad started to groan momentarily. I started to breathe quickly, hyperventilating. Dad copied me, doing the same. "Jae... Jaedyn!" His voice raised to me and I steadied my hand almost instantly. "You got this? Or should I call Pepper?"

"No. I got this." I said almost too quickly and I carefully got the wire out, setting it on the tray before I helped him put the new reactor in place. I was almost seventeen I shouldn't be playing operation. "Is this an arc reactor?" He nodded and I was almost impressed, despite the fact that I was holding his life in my hands.

"And that's why I got you and not Pepper." I screamed shaking out my hands, whatever gunk that he had in his chest came off my hands.

"What the hell?! Don't ever have me doing something like that again!" I howled to him, that had horrified me. "I'm sixteen dad! Not a doctor, I can't handle that! I don't want to be literally holding your life in my hands. I shouldn't be dealing with that."

"Woah, woah. Why are you attacking me?" I groaned gripping at my hair, pulling at it slightly. "I just got done with praising you because you just did a good job. Hey Jaedyn. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked you to do that. The good news is that this version shouldn't expire in a few days and kill me."

"Kill you?" I exclaimed moving over to his desk. "Dad that's not something you tell your daughter whom, almost lost you."

"Look, you did good, fine. Why don't you give that old thing to Pepper, have her burn it or something..." It was almost as quick as the moment had come, it disappeared. I sighed heavily and quickly jogged up the stairs.

"His- Tony's hum-vee was bombed. They can't find him, but his escort is all dead..." I squired in my bed, my eyes tightly closing and my head moving to the other side then back again. There was a crash, then I quickly shot up off the couch. I screamed loudly seeing the hole that had destroyed the piano, roof and something crashed through the floor. I raced over to the stairs and down them, entering my code then seeing a silver man crashed into one of dad's cars. One of the robots dad built had used a fire extinguisher to put out nothing, there was no fire. I grabbed a metal pipe slowly walking over to the car that was destroyed. I had worked months on that thing, I raised the pipe and swung with all my might. Only to have it been grabbed tightly with it's hand. I looked to the glowing eye slits with horror in my eyes.

"Jaedyn." That voice. Dad? I dropped the pipe, and the silver mask came off to see dad's face. He looked exhilarated but in slight pain.

"Oh my god..." I took a few steps back looking at what my father was in. "What the hell are you doing dad?"

"Working?" I scoffed and made my way over to the door.

"Look dad. I'm graduating real soon, and this? Too much..." I shook my head and opened the door. "Just..." I sighed rubbing my eyes. "Don't kill yourself please."

I was on my laptop at my desk looking at the news, showing a video of Dad flying through the sky, it wasn't until the last moment that I realized there was person behind me. There was a figure behind me, I saw it because of the reflection in my laptop. I screamed loudly, seeing men in black invading my room. I grabbed my lamp and smashed it against the man, pushing passed the others I raced towards the stairs.

"Dad!" I yelled loudly, calling out to him for help. "Dad!" I yelled again, racing down the stairs I felt my body get lifted off the ground and slammed into a wooden chair. Dad. He was sitting on the couch, he was not moving. "Obadiah!" He was sitting next to dad.

"I'm glad you could join us Jaedyn." The look in Tony's eyes was pure horror. The men that Obadiah had with him, tied me to the chair. I let out a small whimper as the ropes cut into my skin. "Look dad..." Obadiah came over to me, a knife in hand. I wriggled but a hand gripped my shoulder tightly. I felt tears starting to fall down my face, what was he gonna do to me? "Dad's not gonna be able to help you Jaedyn, he's wasting away right now. I took his arc, seeing as he won't be needing it anymore. As he'll be dying soon..." More tears fell and I tried to hide the fact that I was so scared. My hands were moving against the ropes and I noticed, this guy can't tying a knot for the life of him. I easily undid the knot and went to race towards the stairs to the lab. But Obadiah grabbed me. "Your really a pain in my as kid." I yelled out, feeling my body be once more lifted off the ground and thrown. I felt the pain of my body hitting the floor hard, slamming my head against the stone wall. Obadiah then came over to me again, he took the knife and cut my leg. My vision was blinded by tears and my voice crying out in agony as I felt my leg stinging in pain. A liquid which I could only guess was my own blood soaked through my dress, the dress I would have worn to my graduation that was coming up. Now I don't even know if I will make it out of my home alive. Obadiah started to walk away from me, picking up a briefcase that I could only guess held the arc reactor and he started to leave.

"Sir, the girl?"

"She'll bleed out, and I highly doubt she can do anything against us." Then he left, I saw Dad on the couch, his eyes meeting mine.

"Daddy..." My voice whimpered, pleading to him. I went to stand but I only collapsed onto the floor. I was going to die, dad was going to die. And Obadiah was going to get away with this. I wanted to do something, anything but I couldn't move.

After a while I had let my eyes close and I waited for the overwhelming feeling of sleep to take me. But suddenly there was a hand that grabbed me, my eyes slowly peaked open to see a pale, coated in sweat dad wrapping my leg tightly with the rope that I had escaped from. I cried out and he gave me a look telling me to give him a hand. I nodded slowly, stumbling to stand we both helped each other get to the elevator. I hit the button and tried to keep dad awake looking at me. We both stumbled out of the elevator when we were in the workshop, making our way over to the counter that had dad's old reactor in a glass case that Pepper had given him. It was a nice sentiment but now we needed it. Making our way to the counter I felt my body getting the better of me and I stumbled over my own foot, falling onto the workshop floor. My leg drenched in my own blood, scared the life out of me. Dad had went to help me but I pointed to the arc. He understood me, though his eyes were more worried with me. I watched as he slid down the counter, not being able to reach the arc. The robot that normally held the fire extinguisher came over, seeing our distress grabbed the arc, slowly handing it to dad who took it, smashing it on the ground. Grabbing the arc reactor he slammed it into his chest before falling over onto his stomach. I tried to scoot over to dad but the shocking pain in my leg wouldn't let me move.

"Tony! Jaedyn?! Tony?!" There was someone yelling, my eyes shot open and I see Rhodey racing over to dad. There's a gasp and dad gripped his shirt tightly.

"Jaedyn..." Rhodey saw me and saw my leg. It looked worse than it hurt now, I had become numb to the pain. "Rhodes where's Pepper..."

"She's fine, she and five agents are about to arrest Obadiah." Rhodey said, easily picking me up and setting me on a counter, he looked to my leg and quickly helped dad up.

"That's not gonna be enough." Dad said, the color rushing back into his body. Dad saw me and my condition I was in, I looked to him, a soft smile appearing on my lips. "I need you to get her to a hospital."

"What are you doing?" Rhodey asked as dad made his way over to the platform. The yellow machinery hands started taking out his armor and putting on the suit.

"Isn't it obvious Rhodey?" I mumbled, looking over to dad. Rhodey seemed memorized. "He's working." Rhodey watched as the armor began to fit around dad's body.

"That;'s the coolest thing I've ever seen." Rhodey said, dad motioned to me, Rhodey nodding looked to my leg again. It looked slightly paler, I was losing quite a lot of blood.

"Not bad huh?" Dad smirked, blasting a car out of the way, the hole in the ceiling wasn't filled yet so he was going to fly out of that hole. "Lets do it."

"You need me to do anything else?" Rhodey asked, snaking his arms under me.

"Get her to safety..." Dad said starting the thrusters. " And keep the sky's clear." After that he went to fight Obadiah, hopefully he would be okay with the arc reactor as that one was only his prototype.

A frightened whimper escaping my lips before it overwhelmed into a full scream as I jolted upright on the bed. It was all in my head, just a nightmare. My room empty, and dark. I thought I had slept through it all, but it was only because my blinds were down. Getting off my bed I felt the cold hard floor hit me fast. I bit my lips hard to stop myself from screaming. It had all happened, the fight with Obadiah, getting a knife cut on my leg. My leg being stitched up, the cut was four inches. My upper leg was wrapped in bandages and I had crutches as the side of my bed. Dad had saved everyone from Obadiah. Rhodey had taken me with him to his base and I was taken care of by a doctor there. I grabbed the side of my bed, lifting myself up, I grabbed the crutches and used them to help me down the stairs.

Reaching the kitchen I saw a Caucasian male with a muscular build and brown hair. He has blue eyes, and was about 6'0" tall. He wore a business suit with a white shirt underneath and a tie.

"That's just it, Mr. Stark, we've organized one in a few hours time." Tony raised an eyebrow surprised.

"What? You guys do not waste time, do ya's?" Tony chuckled, seeing me though he went over and grabbed a chair for me to sit in. I smiled softly looking to him.

"We take these issues very seriously and highly. Whenever you are ready, we have a full briefing on the cover story ready as well as a statement for you to give the press." The man said his eyes went to me, seeing my leg everyone's face softened out of pity.

"Look, I get you want to get it all done and over with. But I have to be here for her." Dad said motioning to me. "She shouldn't be out of bed, and she doesn't need to be reminded of those events so-" Tony began but the man interrupted him.

"Yes, Mr. Stark we understand but this is a serious matter. I'm sure Miss Stark will understand that you have to handle the issue had hand, and I'm sure she would be for a cover story." I nodded agreeing with the man. "My apologizes Miss Stark. I am Agent Coulson with the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division." I whistled and nodded.

"Mouth full..." I said crossing my arms over my chest. "I'm fine Dad... I'm gonna get ready for the press meeting, alright?" He nodded and I made my way back up the stairs to my room before slowly unwrapped my bandage. The wound still fresh, red and would for sure leave a scar. Damn you Obadiah. I started a bath before I got into it and turned on the television everything was on the giant arc reactor exploding. I rolled my eyes and turned on some music before I finished bathing. After the water drained I tried to get up but I was not able to lift myself and apply pressure to my leg. "Jarvis... Can you have Pepper come up here please... And warn her I'm... Indisposed..."

"Yes Miss. Stark." Jarvis spoke and I reached to grab a towel on the railing. I grabbed it in time and wrapped it around myself. "Miss. Stark. Your father is coming."

"No! Tell him that I specifically need Pepper." I spoke again and made sure my body was covered in case he came with Pepper. There was a knock on the door soon after. "Pepper?" I asked quietly.

"Yes Jaedyn, I sent your father off to the conference. He agreed that you and I will stay here and watch it live. I'm coming in now." The door opened and she saw my situation. "I knew something like this may happen. Give me your arm." She said and I listened, she helped me up an out of the tub and over to the bed. She then grabbed me some fresh clothes, shorts and an over sized sweatshirt. I grabbed my underwear and a sports bra. I got dressed and then flopped back onto my bed exhausted from that small workout. I tied my hair up in a bun before throwing off a few pillows so Pepper and I could both relax and watch the press conference. The more I thought about it the more confusing it got. Pepper watched me fiddle with a pillow before her phone began to buzz in her pocket, she looked at the caller ID before she answered it. "Tony, is it starting now?" Pepper stood up, automatically nervous for whatever that was gonna happen. "Yes Tony she is fine, I just had to assist her, she's fine. She's resting in her bed and were about to watch the press meeting go down. Okay, good luck." She set her phone down next to mine on the bedside table and sat down next to me. "God I hope everything is okay, there are going to be so many questions."

"Me too, I hope he's okay." I said and we both looked to the television. Rhodey and Dad both came out of a room and into the lobby, cameras I bet catching every angle.

"There's Rhodey." Pepper held her hands together, watching and listening closely to his words.

"Were all here to discuss and hear statements of the extreme malfunctioning of powerful material at Stark Industries, which took place at 0800 hours. I would like to stress that everything has been taken care of, and all is now under control. We face no threat of this malfunctioning at the present moment in time." I began to bite on my lip, a bad habit at times, I hadn't heard any of the cover story all I knew is that there was a cover story. "Now it is my pleasure to hand you over to Mr. Tony Stark, of Stark Industries." Rhodey stepped down and introduced Tony, the camera's really flashed then. I watched as my dad took the podium and his hand ran across the pocket on his suit. As expected cameras flashed wildly. He took a few steps up onto the stand before the microphone. Tony began his speech, welcoming everyone, being polite and what not. The usual beginning of a press conference. I could tell that each word that he said that the journalists and reporters were not getting what they wanted.

"There's been speculation that I was involved in the events that occurred on the freeway and the rooftop..." Tony was interrupted and Pepper groaned knowing who it was. "I know it's confusing. It is one thing to question the official story, and another thing entirely to make wild accusations, or insinuate that I'm a superhero... I'm glad you are not insinuating I'm a hero, because that would be outlandish and, uh, fantastic. I'm not the hero type, clearly... With my laundry list of character defects, all the mistakes I've made, largely public."

"What is he up to?" I asked shaking my head, trying to comprehend what was being played out on the screen before me. "Is this part of the cover?" I asked hoping Pepper would know. But I only got a shrug in response. Rhodey had started to move toward dad and lean toward his hear probably to shut him up from making a mistake. Dad cleared his throat and looked back at the cards then up to the camera.

"Truth is..." Tony said quietly.

"Oh god." Pepper whispered biting her nails nervously. Dad stared at the cards in front of him, I could read him like a book, he looked somehow conflicted. This moment, right now I could see how he was unsure what he was doing. He could either being his repayment to the world for what he had done, or continue with the obvious lies, living with his guilt and the knowledge of his life. In those few moments of silence he made his decision was made.

"Truth is... I am Iron man..."

This is only the start of my story.

My Name Is Jaedyn Maria Stark.

I'm Iron Mans Daughter.