Chapter 6

"Call for a press conference?"

"Yeah."

"What on earth for?"

He doesn't give an answer, choosing to turn to Happy. "Hogan, drive. Cheeseburger first."

"Yes, sir."

Pepper takes her phone out. However, she hesitates before making the call. "Are you sure you're fine?"

"Peachy," he says, but there's a metaphorical cloud on top of his head. Eva tries cheering him up by puffing her chest and leaning on the side of his head, offering comfort by trying to arrange his hair with her nose.

It works somewhat, but it's inevitable that each phone call Pepper does makes him grow even tenser.

Luckily, the stop to buy the burger is quick. Most likely, it's already ready by the time they pass by. As they didn't go out. It kind of reminded her of Mc drive.

By the time they arrive at the Stark industries HQ, there's the press waiting for them, with Obadiah by the center of it all. Tony runs his hand on her fur one more time to settle himself and she sits up to nuzzle his face. She uses that moment to hunch slightly in a quasi-hug, his fingers tangling deeper into her fur.

"Wish me luck, Eva."

She pats his face as she says in his mind, 'Good luck, Tony. I'll accompany you, so don't worry.'

He nods to herself or to Pepper; she doesn't know. She only knows that the door is opening, and she needs to put on her cute face on.

Game on!

"Look at this! Tony, we were going to meet at the hospital," Obadiah says as soon as they come out, all smiles as he places a hand on Tony's shoulder. He takes quick notice of her as she comes behind Tony, his expression morphing into something weird. Though Tony's answer of 'No, I'm fine,' takes his attention back to Tony and his burger.

"You had to have a burger, yeah?"

Not answering him, Tony chooses to motion for him to walk next to him. "Well, come on."

Obadiah goes, his gaze turning to her every so often. "You get me one of those?"

Tony's grip on his burger tightens, trembling slightly. She knows he's been asking for it since she met him, so maybe he sees it as proof that this isn't a dream. So she's not surprised when he answers with, "There's only one left. I need it."

Holding his hands up in a 'take it easy' action, he glances one last time at her. His face frowns when he sees her going inside with them.

"Shoo, shoo," he says. "Animals are not allowed here."

"Let it go," Tony snaps his fingers at her. "Walk next to me, Eva."

She ignores the fact that he's commanding her like a pet for this time. Choosing to go down as she trots quickly forwards with a spring in her step as he shoots a smug glance at Obadiah, who just looks at her blankly. In the end, he just shakes his head, puts on his best smile, and claps.

"Well, let's get this started," he says. A second later, he walks to the podium with Tony a step behind. Then he seems to realize he doesn't actually know what this interview is for. He looks at Tony. "Uhh..."

He probably expects Tony to waltz to the podium and talk with his usual exuberance, but it doesn't happen. Instead, he sits in front of the podium, his tiredness not showing on his face but on his posture. "Hey, would it be alright if everyone just sat down? Why don't you just sit down, that way you can see me, and I can…" He gives a bite of his burger as he waits for all of them to follow his instructions, which they do, luckily, or it would have been awkward real quick. "…A little less formal."

When he's almost done with the burger, and all the people are already sitting or squatting, Tony finally speaks, "I never got to say goodbye to Dad. There are questions I would have asked him. Like how he felt about what this company did. If he had conflicts, if he ever had doubts. Or may he was every inch the man we all remember him from the newsreels."

She leans into him, and Tony uses his free hand to pet her in an attempt to calm him or her. She doesn't know. What she does know is that he seems more relaxed.

"I saw young Americans killed by the very weapons I created to defend them and protect them. And I saw that I had become part of the system that is comfortable with zero accountability."

When he finished, the reporters immediately started talking, shouting, 'Mr. Stark' every now and then. Tony lift his hand and pointed to one person. "Hey, Ben."

"What happened over there?" the reporter, Ben, is quick to ask.

"I had my eyes opened," he says, giving her the last small piece of burger for her to eat. He stands up and moves behind the podium. "I came to realize that I have more to offer to this world than just making things that blow up." He takes a deep breath, his shoulders squaring and his whisky-colored eyes determined. "And that's why, effective immediately, I'm shutting down the weapons manufacturing division of Stark international." Everyone stands up in shock, but Tony doesn't care. He continues, "… until such a time as I can decide what the future of the company will be."

Obadiah moves close to the podium. She can see him moving his lips, but can't hear his muttering. After all, her attention is on Tony, who continues talking about the direction he wishes his company should take. He doesn't seem sure of what it is, but he's confident in being consistent with the highest good for this country.

After that, he moves aside, seemingly done and wanting to go away. Obadiah is quick to grab the microphone after him. "What we should take away from this is that Tony's back! And he's healthier than ever. We're going to have a little internal discussion and…"

She doesn't bother hearing him anymore. She's following Tony.

.

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