Status: Active
When It All Falls Down
Eight
Tony was tight lipped. Katie sighed heavily, as she leaned into Tony. "My dad was my biggest supporter during my school career. He was at all the parent-teacher conferences, open house, school functions. Mom was too, but she was working a lot. A nurse.
Dad had served in the army as well. Two four-year tours. He didn't want me to follow in his footsteps. He wanted me to go to college, graduate, then find a job. Wanted me to live a normal life and just be me.
I had been on the drill team. Junior Varsity my freshman year, varsity my sophomore year. I almost quit my junior year. My coach encouraged me to stay on. Even when I was in the system.
All my teachers pitched in to pay for me to stay on. My teachers made sure I kept my grades up. By the time James got me out, I was in the top twenty in my graduating class. By graduation day, I made it to the top ten. I was accepted into UCLA, MIT, CORNELL, NYU, even University of Cambridge in London.
Except no one expected me to enlist, the next day. We had recruiters there at least four times a month. I glanced at the table. Some times, pausing at them. One of those times I took a flyer with me.
The recruiter just nodded. I showed up at ten o'clock on the dot. The recruiter was there. Sergeant Kyle Murphy. He smiled when he saw me.
"I was wondering when you would come by," he said. I returned the smile. From that moment on, he worked to get me on the right path. He pushed for me to make Lieutenant Commander. In the field of Navy SEALs."
She was quiet after that. Tony had an arm wrapped around her. After sometime had passed, she got up. She left the library in a hurry. It didn't take long for her to get to the living room.
She had her cell phone out, ready to call a cab. Tony had caught up to her. He gently took the cell phone out of her hand. He pulled her into a hug. She felt numb at first but began to feel relaxed in his arms.
He leads her to his room where he gets out a pair of sweatpants. He hands them to her. "Go ahead and sleep in here. I'm going to go down to the shop. I need to clear my mind." He kissed her forehead then left her alone in his room.
She stared at the door. When he didn't return, She slipped out of her jeans and into his sweatpants. She walked over to his bed. She pulled back the covers, then crawled in. She cried herself to sleep.
Tony tried to keep himself busy. He was trying to comprehend what she told him. She was missing her dad. Her father was the exact opposite of his own father. That's where he wanted to forget everything.
Fours hours had passed, doing absolutely nothing but wondering about Katie. He walked out of the shop. "Jarvis," was all he said. The lights went off and the alarm system went on. He made his way to his room.
Katie had her back to the door. He ran a hand over his face. He pulled back the covers then crawled in beside her. He placed an arm around her and scooted himself behind her. He inhaled the smell of her hair...raspberries and jojoba oil.
He just watched her as she slept. He just wanted to watch her, afraid that he'd miss something. But that didn't last long. He fell asleep shortly after crawling in bed.
They slept in until noon. James had showed up looking for Katie. He pounded on the door. When no one answered, he used his code to get in. "Jarvis, where are they?"
"Miss Katie is sleeping. Mr. Stark is coming now." Tony turned the corner. "Rhodey! What are you..." James punched him in the nose.
That stunned Tony. He stumbled back then his hands flew to his nose. At that moment, Katie appeared. "What do you think you're doing!?" She ran to Tony's side.
"Are you alright?" she asked him. He didn't answer her. She herded him to the kitchen. She sat him down. Jarvis began opening drawers.
She grabbed a Ziploc bag. She went to the freezer and began to place ice cubes in it. She grabbed a paper towel and wrapped it around the Ziploc bag. She walked back to Tony. She moved his hand from his face.
She carefully placed the ice compact on his nose. She looked to her uncle. "You had no right to barge in here! No right to punch Tony in the face!" She seethed.
Dad had served in the army as well. Two four-year tours. He didn't want me to follow in his footsteps. He wanted me to go to college, graduate, then find a job. Wanted me to live a normal life and just be me.
I had been on the drill team. Junior Varsity my freshman year, varsity my sophomore year. I almost quit my junior year. My coach encouraged me to stay on. Even when I was in the system.
All my teachers pitched in to pay for me to stay on. My teachers made sure I kept my grades up. By the time James got me out, I was in the top twenty in my graduating class. By graduation day, I made it to the top ten. I was accepted into UCLA, MIT, CORNELL, NYU, even University of Cambridge in London.
Except no one expected me to enlist, the next day. We had recruiters there at least four times a month. I glanced at the table. Some times, pausing at them. One of those times I took a flyer with me.
The recruiter just nodded. I showed up at ten o'clock on the dot. The recruiter was there. Sergeant Kyle Murphy. He smiled when he saw me.
"I was wondering when you would come by," he said. I returned the smile. From that moment on, he worked to get me on the right path. He pushed for me to make Lieutenant Commander. In the field of Navy SEALs."
She was quiet after that. Tony had an arm wrapped around her. After sometime had passed, she got up. She left the library in a hurry. It didn't take long for her to get to the living room.
She had her cell phone out, ready to call a cab. Tony had caught up to her. He gently took the cell phone out of her hand. He pulled her into a hug. She felt numb at first but began to feel relaxed in his arms.
He leads her to his room where he gets out a pair of sweatpants. He hands them to her. "Go ahead and sleep in here. I'm going to go down to the shop. I need to clear my mind." He kissed her forehead then left her alone in his room.
She stared at the door. When he didn't return, She slipped out of her jeans and into his sweatpants. She walked over to his bed. She pulled back the covers, then crawled in. She cried herself to sleep.
Tony tried to keep himself busy. He was trying to comprehend what she told him. She was missing her dad. Her father was the exact opposite of his own father. That's where he wanted to forget everything.
Fours hours had passed, doing absolutely nothing but wondering about Katie. He walked out of the shop. "Jarvis," was all he said. The lights went off and the alarm system went on. He made his way to his room.
Katie had her back to the door. He ran a hand over his face. He pulled back the covers then crawled in beside her. He placed an arm around her and scooted himself behind her. He inhaled the smell of her hair...raspberries and jojoba oil.
He just watched her as she slept. He just wanted to watch her, afraid that he'd miss something. But that didn't last long. He fell asleep shortly after crawling in bed.
They slept in until noon. James had showed up looking for Katie. He pounded on the door. When no one answered, he used his code to get in. "Jarvis, where are they?"
"Miss Katie is sleeping. Mr. Stark is coming now." Tony turned the corner. "Rhodey! What are you..." James punched him in the nose.
That stunned Tony. He stumbled back then his hands flew to his nose. At that moment, Katie appeared. "What do you think you're doing!?" She ran to Tony's side.
"Are you alright?" she asked him. He didn't answer her. She herded him to the kitchen. She sat him down. Jarvis began opening drawers.
She grabbed a Ziploc bag. She went to the freezer and began to place ice cubes in it. She grabbed a paper towel and wrapped it around the Ziploc bag. She walked back to Tony. She moved his hand from his face.
She carefully placed the ice compact on his nose. She looked to her uncle. "You had no right to barge in here! No right to punch Tony in the face!" She seethed.