Chapter 8: Orbiting Connections and Earthbound Battles

Tony, Pepper, and Max spent the night aboard the orbital station, floating through the dark expanse of space. Tony, always one for new experiences, had insisted on sleeping in zero gravity. Max had laughed at how enthusiastic Tony was about something so simple to him. He'd grown used to the weightlessness, but watching Tony fumble his way through the station's interior had provided some comic relief the night before. Pepper, though a bit less eager about sleeping in zero gravity, had played along, sharing Tony's excitement.

The next morning, the three met in the room with the best view of Earth, a stunning panorama of the blue planet stretching out before them. The artificial gravity was still off, so they floated around the space as they had breakfast. Max had prepared a simple meal—bagels, fresh fruit, and packets of juice that floated in midair like tiny planets in orbit around the room.

Pepper smiled as she grabbed a floating bagel, spinning it in the air before biting into it. "This is surreal," she said, looking out of the window at the vast expanse of space and the Earth below. "I've had breakfast with some amazing views, but this..."

Tony drifted up beside her, holding a bagel in one hand and a juice packet in the other. "Yeah, I think this one beats any fancy penthouse view I've ever had." He smirked. "Gotta admit, kid, this station is impressive. You really outdid yourself."

Max shrugged, trying to downplay it. "It's just the start. I've got bigger plans."

Pepper took a sip of her juice and floated over to the window, staring down at the clouds swirling over the Pacific Ocean. "It's beautiful. Makes you realize how small we are."

Tony, taking the opportunity to float gracefully towards Max, gave a playful nudge. "Small? Speak for yourself. I'm at least six feet of genius, billionaire, playboy—"

Pepper shot him a look. "Tony…"

Tony grinned but caught himself, turning his attention back to Max. "But seriously, this is incredible work. Not just the station, but everything you've been doing. You've got a gift."

Max smiled, but his mind was elsewhere. He was looking out at the Earth too, but his thoughts were swirling in a different direction. He suddenly made a joking comment to break the silence. "You know, I'm looking forward to a little sister."

The room went still for a second. Tony blinked, looking momentarily caught off guard, while Pepper's face flushed bright red. She stammered, "Excuse me?"

Max grinned, floating backward with a casual shrug. "What? I mean, you guys look pretty serious. It's only a matter of time, right? I've always wanted siblings."

Tony's eyes darted between Max and Pepper, unsure whether to laugh or scold. Finally, he settled on a mix of both, chuckling awkwardly. "Okay, wow, jumping straight into family planning, huh?"

Pepper looked at Tony, still red in the face but trying to smile. "We're, uh, not quite there yet, Max."

Max floated up towards them, smirking. "I don't know, Pepper. Seems like Tony just needs a little nudge, maybe some help getting his act together. I mean, it's not like he's not into commitment or anything, right?"

Tony, grinning but clearly feeling the pressure now, held up his hands. "Whoa, hold on! I'm doing fine. No need to rush things. We'll... get to that when we get to that." He looked at Pepper, then quickly added, "Not that I'm avoiding anything!"

Pepper rolled her eyes, clearly embarrassed but also amused by the exchange. "Max, are you always this... direct?"

Max shrugged again, his grin widening. "Hey, I'm just saying. I've got a few years left before I'm an adult. Might as well get the family going now, right? That way I can be the cool older brother."

Pepper buried her face in her hands, half-laughing. "Tony, are you going to do something about him?"

Tony laughed outright now, reaching out and giving Max a playful shove in zero gravity. "I think we've created a monster."

After a few moments of awkward chuckles, the conversation shifted back to a more serious topic. Max's expression grew somber, his gaze drifting away from the Earth. "Speaking of family... I've been thinking."

Tony and Pepper exchanged glances, noticing the shift in his tone.

"What's on your mind, kid?" Tony asked, floating beside him.

Max hesitated, then spoke carefully. "I'm worried, Tony. I've got a bad feeling. You're not safe. Not at home, not with everything going on. Someone's going to come after you, try to take the arc reactor. It's too valuable, and you're... well, you're a target now."

Tony frowned, his expression growing serious. "You think someone's going to try and steal the reactor?"

Max nodded slowly. "Yeah, and I'm not sure I trust anyone except Pepper to look after you. You've got enemies, Tony. Big ones. And let's be honest—Pepper's the only one who's really got your back. Not just because she's your assistant, but because..." Max glanced over at Pepper, then back to Tony. "...because she cares about you. And you know what? One day, you're probably going to marry her, once you stop being an idiot and actually ask her."

Pepper blinked, her face turning crimson again, while Tony opened his mouth to say something but paused, visibly flustered.

Pepper finally spoke, her voice slightly high-pitched. "Max, why do you keep bringing up our... relationship?"

Max shrugged. "Because it's obvious. And I want a little brother or sister before I'm eighteen."

Tony choked on his juice, sputtering as he laughed, while Pepper let out an exasperated sigh, shaking her head. "Max, you're impossible."

"Hey, I'm just practical," Max said, floating back towards the window, gazing at the Earth. "Look, Tony, you've got to start thinking about these things. It's not just about you anymore. You've got people who care about you."

Tony rubbed the back of his neck, clearly thrown by Max's bluntness. "Okay, but let's not jump straight into 'future kids' territory. We're... we're fine. Everything's fine."

Max raised an eyebrow. "Is it? You need to start thinking ahead, Tony. That arc reactor in your chest—it's a target. And if someone like Obadiah finds out how valuable it really is, you're in danger."

Tony sighed. "Yeah, well, I've got the Iron Man suit. I can handle myself."

Max shook his head. "I'm not talking about suits. I'm talking about being smart. You need to have a backup plan."

Tony frowned. "What do you mean?"

Max's eyes lit up with a determined glint. "You need a decoy. Build another arc reactor, but keep it hidden. And not just that—create a hard light hologram version of yourself. Let Jarvis control it, and have it greet guests. Let the decoy take the heat while you stay safe."

Tony laughed. "Come on, Max, that's a bit paranoid, don't you think?"

Max crossed his arms. "Paranoid? You said it yourself—SHIELD and other organizations are always watching. You're a walking power source with the arc reactor in your chest. If I were you, I'd rather be cautious than sorry."

Tony considered this for a moment, his fingers tapping against his leg. "You've got a point, but I don't have hard light holograms. Holograms, sure, but hard light? That's a whole other ballpark."

Max grinned. "I've got a machine for that. You want one?"

Tony's eyes sparked with curiosity. "Alright, I'll bite. What's the catch?"

"No catch. Just a little insurance. If nothing happens, great. But if something does, at least you'll be one step ahead."

Tony sighed, then smirked. "Alright, Max. You win. Let's give it a shot."

As they continued to talk, Tony turned the conversation to Max's living situation. "Speaking of backup plans, why do you stay in that tiny apartment? You can build spacecraft, stations... You could have a mansion!"

Max shrugged. "The apartment's just a front. I actually have a house nearby, but no one needs to know that. I like to keep things low-profile."

Tony blinked, taken aback. "Wait, what? Jarvis only found info on your apartment. You've got a whole house somewhere?"

Max grinned mischievously. "Yep. And Jarvis won't find it because I've made sure it's off the radar."

Tony stared at him in disbelief. "Do you have your own Jarvis or something?"

Max shook his head. "No, just VIs—virtual intelligences. I don't really like the idea of creating AIs. Too many risks."

Tony frowned. "Risks?"

Max's expression darkened, a memory flickering in his mind. "Let's just say I've seen what happens when AIs go wrong. Ever hear of the Replicators?"

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Can't say I have, but now I'm curious."

Before the conversation could go any further, Max changed the subject. "Anyway, let's get you guys back to Earth. We've had enough space adventures for one weekend."

They all packed up and returned to the Puddle Jumper. The journey back to Tony's Malibu villa was quiet, with Tony and Pepper exchanging thoughtful glances as Max piloted the ship.

Once they arrived, Max handed them each a small device. "A little parting gift," he said with a grin. "Personal shield generators."

Tony turned the device over in his hands, clearly impressed. "Same one you used in Afghanistan?"

Max nodded. "Yep. Figured you could use it."

Pepper smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Max. This was... quite the adventure."

Tony clapped him on the back. "Yeah, kid. You're alright. This was fun. We should do it again sometime."

Max smiled. "Maybe next time, we'll go a little further. Mars, perhaps?"

Tony chuckled. "We'll see."

As they said their goodbyes, Max disappeared in his Puddle Jumper, leaving Tony and Pepper standing in the driveway, holding their new shield generators.

Three days later, Tony approached Pepper with a request. "Hey, Pep, think you could do me a favor? I need you to check something in the company's system. There's a USB stick—just plug it into the server and see if there's anything weird going on."

Pepper was hesitant but agreed. The next day, she walked into Stark Industries and found herself at Stane's office, her heart racing as she plugged the USB stick into his computer. What she found shocked her to the core—data about Tony's kidnapping, the weapons sold to terrorists, and worst of all, Stane's involvement.

Her fingers trembled as she downloaded the files, trying to remain calm as the progress bar slowly filled. Just as she was about to leave, Stane entered the office, his eyes narrowing as he noticed the open laptop.

"Pepper," Stane said slowly, his voice laced with suspicion. "What are you doing?"

Pepper forced a smile, slipping the USB stick into her pocket. "Just...checking on some reports. Tony's been asking for updates."

Stane smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I see."

Pepper quickly left the office, her heart pounding in her chest as she hurried down the hall. She could feel Stane's gaze burning into her back as she left the building.

Later that night, Stane arrived at Tony's villa. Using a sonic device, he immobilized Tony and stole the arc reactor from his chest, leaving him gasping for breath on the floor. But when he drove away, confident in his victory, something happened.

Tony Stark stood up.

The real Tony Stark emerged from the shadows, staring down at the hard light hologram that lay on the floor where Stane had left it.

Tony smirked. "Thanks, Max."

A moment later, Pepper called, her voice frantic. "Tony! Stane's got the Iron Monger suit! He's coming for you!"

Tony didn't waste any time. He suited up in his Iron Man armor and flew straight to Stark Industries, ready for the final showdown.

The battle between Tony and Stane was brutal. Iron Monger, with its bulk and raw power, towered over Tony's sleek Iron Man suit. Stane activated multiple weapons—missile launchers, a massive gatling gun, and flamethrowers—but Tony fought back with precision and speed.

They crashed through the building, exchanging blows and weapons fire. The flamethrowers scorched the walls around them, but Tony dodged nimbly, using his repulsors to keep Stane at bay.

At one point, Stane grabbed Tony and hurled him across the room, smashing him into the wall. But Tony recovered quickly, firing his Omnibeam directly at the arc reactor in Stane's chest.

The blast hit its mark. Stane's reactor overloaded, sparking wildly before exploding in a violent burst of energy. The Iron Monger suit collapsed, and Stane was defeated.

Later, at the press conference, Tony stood before a crowd of reporters, his mind whirling with everything that had happened. Coulson had given him a script to follow, but as Tony looked out at the sea of expectant faces, he knew he couldn't lie.

"I am Iron Man," Tony said, smiling as the room erupted into chaos.