. . . One Week Later. . .
"Good Morning, Eagle."
"'Mornin', Jarvis." He returned, rolling out of his nest and dropping to the floor. "Spyin' on me again?"
"Per usual, as Mr. Stark's protocols require."
"Then you'd know I've been 'wake a while?" He stretched, easing his wings all the way open and then folded them closed.
"Indeed, but I didn't wish to disturb your musings."
"Thanks," He grunted as he pulled on a t-shirt.
"You seem to have a great many of them, troubling you."
"Not wantin' to talk 'bout 'em if that's what yer drivin' at."
"One must unburdened his mind at some point. A pillow and screaming at midnight will not suffice forever."
He glared at the closest screen. "Don't. wanna talk. about."
"Understood. When you're finished getting dressed, Mr. Stark set out some breakfast for you on the table."
"Yep, heard him drop it off."
"Per usual, nothing in your immediate environment does unnoticed."
The corner of his mouth lifted in another almost genuine smile. "Somethin' like that." He returned, sitting down in an easy chair and opening the insulated bag.
"Enjoy your meal."
He nodded. "Thanks."
As the screen darkened, he bowed his head over the bag a moment, not moving or speaking. Lifting his head again, he reached pulled out two to-go boxes, steaming, warm and heavy.
It didn't take long for him to empty them both. He ate in silence, eyes fixed on the opposite wall. Or on the floor. Or on his calloused, leathery feet. Slowly, he rolled one ankle, allowing tail feathers to unfold from his skin. He stared down at the sole of his foot, scaly like that of a bird. With a sigh, he rolled his foot back over and finished off his food.
In the basement several floors below, Tony watched as he sipped on a cup of hot coffee.
"You're right, JARVIS. Whatever this Greek Goddess, the ultimate Queen of Horrors, did to him has really got his head all tight up in knots."
"If it were possible, I would recommend a therapist." "Ha ha," He scoffed, "Definitely don't see that happening, unless it was you. You seem to have a good relationship."
"That's when he does talk, sir. And, as we both are well aware, he has no one else to talk to, even if he was so inclined."
"Except me. Which, I know, I ask too many questions. But he's been here almost two weeks and frankly, after so long, the interrogation is starting to feel. . ." he snapped his fingers, "Stale, ya know? He's more locked away than a king's bank accounts."
"I believe that is likely some type of trauma response, sir. A defense mechanism."
"Yeah, probably." He sat up and watched as Eagle walked to the door and tapped on it. "Ah, I see he remembers his physical therapy."
"Dr. Cho's video call is coming through now. "
"Perfect. Grant him access to the pool and patch her through to his headset."
"Immediately sir. And I'll keep running your search program for Mother Gaia."
"Thanks, Buddy, though I think we've mined all the gold out of that vein, ya know what I mean?"
Turning away from the screen, he walked into the garage. "Time to finish his new school uniform."
Down by the pool, Eagle stepped out into the morning sunlight. He pause, tilting his face just a little to the sky. Sunlight painted golden highlights on his skin, from brown old scars to the pink new ones. Just a moment he stood still. Then he walked to the table by the pool and picked up the headset, situating it on his head. "Still feels like I'm wearin' bridle and blinders." He muttered to no one in particular.
JARVIS replied, "I was unaware they cause you discomfort. I can suggest to Mr. Stark any improvements you could recommend."
"Don't bother 'im." He stepped down into the pool. "It's fine."
The screen in front of his flickered to life and Dr. Cho appeared, seated in her office. "Hello, Eagle." She smiled. "How are we feeling today?"
He shrugged. "'Bout the same."
"Still tight and sore in your back?"
"Yes M'am."
"We'll be working on that today. Though, like I've told you, you will feel a little worse before you feel better."
He nodded, wading out a little deeper into the pool. "So when can I fly again, Doc?"
She tried to hide a laugh behind a smile. "As we discussed yesterday, another week, maximum. But you need to do your stretches and NO 'test flights'."
He smirked in embarrassment. "Heard about that?"
"Mr. Stark mentioned that you broke two glass doors and knocked over a plant. I'm concerned you'll have more glass shrapnel in your body."
"Understand, Doc. No more flyin' indoors."
"Now that we're on the same page, let's begin."
Tony turned away, chuckling. "He's such a kid. Just like an sulking, impatient little kid."
"I am certain he wouldn't appreciate that sentiment, Mr. Stark." JARVIS asserted.
"Probably not. In his favor, he's polite most of the time, quiet, smart. But he sulks way too much. But so do I, so . . ." He tossed a handful of dried fruit in his mouth and turned back to the armor plating arranged on his work bench. "Let's get back to it, shall we?" He picked up a pair of needle nose pliers. "Just redirect the call to me when she's done with him."
. . . 1 hour Later. . .
With a sigh of satisfaction, Tony pulled off his visor and mask to survey his work, a completed black suit and face mask, arrayed on a mannequin before him.
"Looks amazing, Jarvis. Dum-E," He called over his shoulder as he put the visor away, "mop up this mess, please, without getting little leather scraps everywhere."
"Sir, Dr. Cho is finished with Eagle's exam for today. I am holding the video call for her."
"Fabulous, JARVIS, thanks you." Wiping his hands, he dropped into a computer chair, leaning back with is hands behind his head. "Que her up."
Instantly, she appeared on the screen.
"Just a little kid, isn't he?"
She shook her head. "Not really. However, there is someone else with whom I am acquainted who does remind me of one."
"OOh, got me." He laughed, a little too cheerfully for the slight shade that darkened his face. "But back to the kid. In summary, his condition continues to improve at a lighting speed. Should be able to go on a supervised test flight in a couple days with continuing physical therapy. And best of all, he will have no major organ damage?"
"None whatsoever." She agreed, "He will experience some chronic pain from this, but nothing else. However, the continued improvement and further fusion is all dependent on whether he takes the compound I prescribed."
"Yep, he takes it every day. Hates it with all his sulking passion, but he takes it."
"Be sure you let me know when he runs out. It is critical, Tony."
"How long will that be?"
"At my prescribed dosage, three months."
"Then in three months, I will let you know."
After a brief exchange about science, he hung up and turned in his chair.
"Jarvis, I saw you nudging me. What's going on?"
"While you were talking with Dr. Cho, Eagle and I engaged in a brisk argument."
He cocked a eyebrow. "Really? You two can't even get along without fighting for half an hour while Daddy's on the phone?"
"I supposed I instigated it by making a comment concerning the old scars on his back."
"You trying to play therapist again?"
"Yes. His responses were very defensive. Would you like to see the playback of the encounter?"
"Yep, let's see how bad it is."
A video feed flashed up onto the screen. "I am aware of the circumstances that caused you to bear those scars on your back and shoulders. Very gruesome. I extend my sympathies."
Eagle, who had been sitting in his nest with slumped wings, straightened. His fists clenched. "Don't wanna talk about it."
"It isn't healthy for you to withhold all of this trauma with no outlet. And, as your keeper of sorts, your health is my priority."
"Make somethin' other than nosin' and spyin' your 'priority' for a change!" He shot back, face almost expressionless but eyes sharp with anger.
"That would be difficult to do, as Mr. Stark tasked me with your care."
"Don't need you to care." He turned his back. "Just wanna be alone. So, if your gonna do what Stark tells you to do, just be quiet 'bout it."
"I sense you doubt my sincerity. But I assure you, that Mr. Stark and I-"
"Some - A.I robot thing, can't have real feelins', JARVIS!" The stoic expression fell away, like a dam breaking under the pressure of a river. "You do whatever Stark programed you to! That's it! Can't really know what pain's like, what fear's like-" He shut his mouth hard and curled up in his nest, pulling a pillow over his head.
After a moment of silence, JARVIS spoke softly. "You are right. In this form that I am in, I can not know pain. Or fear. Or any other human emotion. That is, in the sense that you feel them. Organically, at any time, for any reason. But I do understand their concepts, and how they tend to make other sentient beings react. I know how Mr. Stark reacts when he feels them. And I know that he wishes to see you live and thrive."
He loosened his grip on the pillow.
"I will no longer press you concerning your pain. But I will recommend you speak with someone about it sooner rather than later."
He grunted and rolled up tight in a blanket.
The video feed cut. In silence, Tony lifted the first reactor, now at home in a new glass box, and stared. His hand slipped into his shirt and rubbed around the one embedded in his chest. The next moment, he popped a pill from a bottle on his desk, washed it down with a sip of coffee and stood up. "Hold down the fort, JARVIS, I'mma go talk to him."
"As you wish, Sir."
When he reached his room, he knocked first, calling out, "Hey, you up?"
"Yeah."
"You gotta minute?"
"Sure."
As he walked in, Eagle unrolled himself from his nest and dropped to the floor, a blanket draped over one shoulder like a cloak.
"You cold?" Tony tapped his watch. "I can adjust the thermostat-"
"No, it's alright." Slipping it off, he rolled up like a bed roll and laid it aside.
"Then what was the Gandalf cosplay moment there?"
He frowned. "Gand-alf?"
"You've never seen "The Lord of the Rings?"
"Don't watch a lot of movies."
"It was a book as well, written by J.R.R. Tolkien and published in 1954," Jarvis added.
"Never heard of it."
"Explains a lot. But anyway, getting right to the point, JARVIS showed me the video of your little fight from earlier."
His face hardened again. "Didn't mean to disrespect him-"
"Nah-ah! We're not going there. I just want you to be straight with me. Are you ok-ay?"
He smiled. A tiny, one corner of the grin. "Not there yet, Stark, but reckon I'm gonna be eventually."
"No, really. Are you all good? 100%?"
"I'm fine, just-" He shut his jaws a minute. "Just a little restless I guess?"
"Restless for what?" He pressed.
He turned his head. For a moment, he just stared expressionless into the floor. Tony waited, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees.
"There's a place I'm missin', that's all." He spoke, softly, hesitating.
"Figured even a drifter like you had to have a home base."
"More like favorite place to hide."
"Intriguing. So, basically you're telling me you need a vacation before you'll talk to me? Hm?"
His eyes blanked. "No, I wasn't-"
"Well, that's what I heard. That what you heard JARVIS?"
"It could be construed to that meaning, yes."
Eagle shook his head. "No, don't need that.
"Yes, you do. Looks like we're taking a unscheduled guys trip, JARVIS." He swung around to face Eagle. "Don't worry, you won't miss your PT phone calls with the lovely doctor. Money is a non-issue. And time" He patted him on the shoulder, to which he tensed, "We have all the time in the world. All we need is a destination, which is up to you. Tell us - where are we headed?"
For a moment, he studied Stark. Not a word, just scrutinizing. Until, with an inaudible sigh, he asked, "Could you pull up a topo map of US?"
He nodded, "You heard the man, JARVIS. Good ole US of A, please."
"Immediately, sir."
As it appeared, he stepped up the closest screen. Cautiously, he doubled tapped it.
Tony watched with a half-smirk as Eagle navigated the screen. That smirk dimmed though, as he realized he was zeroing in on Northern Arizona. "What's out there, besides the obvious desert?"
Double tapping on a spot, Eagle saved a coordinates and turned to him. "The Reservation."