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three months later

For the first time in Aurora's life she woke up early. At 11am.

Three months had felt like an eternity for Aurora, each day dragging as she awaited any news of Tony. When it finally came that he had been found, she was filled with a mix of relief and excitement. She practically flew around the mansion, hurriedly preparing to see her brother after such an agonising wait.

She wore a bright, hopeful smile the whole journey, jumping excitedly in her seat, whilst Pepper besides her had to calm the hyperactive girl who almost gave Happy a heart attack, almost crashing into cars, every time she yelled how happy she was that Tony was home.

She dashed out the door, making her way to the tarmac where Tony's plane was due to land. The excitement bubbled within her, overshadowing any lingering worry. As she reached the designated area, her eyes scanned the crowd, eagerly waiting for her brother's arrival. When the plane finally touched down and the doors opened, Aurora's heart raced. She spotted Tony stepping down the aircraft's stairs, a cast on his arm catching her eye.

Tony quickened his pace, ignoring everyone around him, his sole focus on his baby sister. The reason why he kept fighting every day in that cave, hoping one day he would see her again.

"I can explain," he began. "I actually got lost on the way when getting the cheeseburgers," he joked.

Her legs carried swiftly towards him, tears brimming her eyes. "I don't care about you. Where's my food?" She matched his energy.

"I ate them all. Didn't want to save half of it at all," he shrugged.

"Wow, and here I thought you were my favourite brother," she scoffed, her lips now starting to quiver and her voice slightly cracking towards the end.

"I beg to differ," he chuckled. "Is that a tear slipping down your cheek i'm seeing?" He swallowed the lump forming in his throat, his own eyes brimming with tears.

"I hate you," she whispered, choking on a sob as she let the tears fall freely.

"I love you too," he cleared his throat to stop himself from crying, staggering a little back when Aurora threw her arms around him, tackling him in a hug as she quietly cried.

"I've missed you so much," she murmured, sniffling as Tony moved her back, wiping her tears away for her.

"Yeah, you better have," he teased, his own eyes glassy.

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As they made their way to the car, Tony stopped in his tracks, eyes squinting towards the figure in front of him. "I would've thought he would be gone by now."

Aurora rolled her eyes, beckoning her boyfriend, Jonah Stane, the son of Obadiah Stane, towards them. "Be nice, Tony."

"I hate him," he murmured. There was just something about Jonah Stane that irked Tony. He never really was a fan of Aurora dating his partner's son, but if he made Aurora happy then he wouldn't argue with that, even though he occasionally did throw in snide comments about his distaste towards the man.

"I should've taken him with me to Afghanistan. They surely would've kept him instead of me."

"Anthony!" Aurora smacked his arm.

"Ow! That hurt. I think I need to go to the hospital again," Tony feigned innocence.

Jonah stood in front of Tony, smiling widely at the billionaire. He brought his arms forward as Tony moved back, giving him a raised brow. "What do you think you're doing? We are not at the physical touch stage."

"Right," Jonah cleared his throat. "I'm sorry."

"Apology not accepted," Tony quickly remarked back.

"Kill me now," Aurora murmured.

"We've missed you, Tony," Jonah said.

"Mr Stark," Tony corrected, boredom filled in his tone as he rolled his eyes.

"Sorry, once again."

"Not accepted. Once again."

"Anthony!" Aurora glared at Tony, who was very much ignoring it and enjoying what he was doing.

"Rory and I will be leaving now," Tony grabbed Aurora's hand. "There's no space in the car for you."

"I can sit at the front," Jonah offered.

"Happy likes his personal space," Tony shrugged. "It's part of his contract. Can't breach that i'm afraid or else he'll file a big lawsuit against us."

Aurora quickly moved towards Jonah, giving him a chaste kiss. "I'm sorry about that. You know how he is," She sighed, whilst being dragged away from him by Tony.

"Come on, I want my cheeseburger," Tony urged.

"I'll see you at mine?" Aurora asked Jonah.

"Yeah," Jonah nodded with a smile.

"No," Tony said at the same time.

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"There's my future daughter in law!" Obadiah happily greeted Aurora as she made her way towards him and Tony in their mansion. Aurora let out a nervous laugh, as Obadiah pulled her into a hug.

"She won't be," Tony added in.

"She will," Obadiah said with confidence. "We're practically family anyway!" He wrapped an arm around Tony's shoulder. "Isn't that right, Rory?"

"Mhm," Aurora nodded with a smile. "I need to speak to Tony."

"Of course," Obadiah nodded.

"Alone, please," she added softly.

"Ah, okay. I'll see you later." Obadiah left the mansion, leaving the Stark siblings alone.

"Please don't tell me while I was away, he proposed," Tony pleaded.

Aurora nervously tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, rocking back on forth on her feet. "He only just mentioned it," she shrugged.

"I'm going to-"

"I'm not ready anyway," she quickly added in.

"Good. That's what I like to hear," he nodded. "I'm not ready to let you go."

Aurora smiled softly, giving his hand a squeeze. "I want to see it," she gestured towards his chest.

"Did Rhodey tell you?" Tony rolled his eyes.

"Show me!" She urged.

"Fine!" He unbuttoned the first couple buttons of his shirt, revealing the arc reactor embedded in his chest, its blue glow softly illuminating.

Aurora's eyes widened as she stepped closer, her gaze fixed on the reactor. She reached out hesitantly, her fingers lightly brushing the cool, metallic surface of the arc reactor. It pulsed softly beneath her touch, and she felt a faint vibration, almost like a heartbeat. "This- this is what's keeping you alive?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Tony nodded. "Keeps the shrapnel from reaching my heart."

Aurora's hand lingered for a moment longer before she pulled back, her eyes still locked on the glowing device. "Tony, this is- I mean, I knew it was bad, but seeing this-"

He offered her a small, reassuring smile. "I know, it's a bit much. But hey, I like to think of it as an upgrade. Makes me unique, right?"

Aurora's lips curled into a soft smile, though her eyes were still filled with worry. "Unique, yeah. But Tony, are you really okay with this?"

Tony shrugged, "I've made my peace with it. This thing- it's more than just keeping me alive. It's a second chance. And I've got plans, Rory. Big plans. This is just the beginning."

Aurora nodded, her fingers brushing his reactor once more before she stepped back. She trusted her brother, despite the lingering fears. "Just- promise me you'll be careful. I don't want to lose you."

Tony's smile widened, more genuine this time. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

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Tony led Aurora to the workshop, the hum of machines and the flickering of monitors created an atmosphere of quiet intensity as they moved deeper into the space that had become Tony's refuge since his return. Aurora could sense the weight of what was coming, her footsteps slowing as they reached the workbench. She knew exactly what Tony wanted to talk about, something she had been trying to avoid since he came back. She turned slightly, hoping to deflect or delay the inevitable conversation, but Tony was quicker.

"Hey, we need to talk," he said firmly.

Her eyes darted around the room, searching for a distraction, a way out of the discussion she didn't want to have. "No, we don't—"

"Aurora," Tony interrupted, his tone sharpening. "Rhodey told me what happened."

Dang- not the full first name. She thought.

"I didn't mean to," she avoided his gaze.

"I know, but every night-" he trailed off.

Talking about Aurora's powers was a sensitive subject for her. The day Tony had finally had her in his arms, he had discovered Aurora was not the same Rory he knew when she was a child. Things had happened to her in those 10 years she went missing, but even Aurora couldn't tell him what really happened. She lost her memories of that period of her time, everything was hazy. Tony got all the help he needed to get her memory back, but nothing yet.

So, he had taken it on himself, a secret between him and his sister to keep those powers hidden away. With technology, Tony created a power dampening jewellery to keep them suppressed. Aurora had never been more grateful than she had been on that day.

"Your powers are getting stronger," Tony spoke up, the guilt now increasing more in Aurora.

The nightmares, the fears that had gripped her every night, had manifested in the worst ways. And she had tried so hard to keep it together, to not let her powers slip out of control, but every night the walls had trembled as if mirroring her inner struggle.

Tony continued, stepping closer, his expression softening. "I'm not saying it's your fault. What happened to me, what we've both been through would shake anyone. But we've talked about this. You have to keep your emotions in check. You can't let them control you."

Aurora finally looked up, her eyes glistening with guilt and the weight of unspoken fears. "I tried, Tony. I really did."

"You haven't been taking your medication either," he continued to speak over her.

And that was when Aurora snapped, "Well, how could I, Tony?! You were gone for 3 months! I was alone!" Her voice filled with the pain and fear she had bottled up for so long.

Tony's expression softened, the sting of her words settling in. He hadn't truly grasped how deeply his absence had affected her, how the fear of losing him had pushed her to the brink. He saw the tears welling in her eyes, the tremble in her hands.

Aurora turned away, wiping at her eyes angrily. "Every night, wondering if you were even alive, if I'd ever see you again. I tried to hold it together, but everything just—" She paused, her breath hitching as she fought to regain her composure. "It just got to be too much."

Aurora sat down on the stool, Tony following, sitting opposite her and holding her hand in his as he gently caressed the back with his thumb. "I had a nightmare the same night you were kidnapped," she revealed. "It was of you, lying on the table and there was blood around your chest. A man was putting that-" she pointed to his chest. "In your chest."

"Rory-" Tony began, but she shook her head.

"I just- I didn't know how to stop it. And I- I don't want to hurt anyone. I just- I need help."

"And I'm going to help you. We're in this together, okay?"

"Okay," she nodded.

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the next day

A giggle escaped Aurora's lips when Jonah trailed his lips against her neck, tightening his grip on her hips when he had her straddle him on his lap and she ran her fingers through his hair.

"Jonah," she laughed, moving her head back to look at him only for his lips to move between the valley of her breasts.

"Baby, I need more," Jonah whined, flipping them over so he was on top of her and bunched the hem of her dress upwards, grabbing her thighs to wrap them around his waist.

"But we already did. Twice. This morning," she continued to laugh, trailing her fingers against his cheek when he pouted at her. "You're always hard."

"For you," he winked, leaning in to kiss her again.

The story of how Aurora and Jonah began when she made her first official public appearance at the Stark Industries annual gala three years ago. As she stepped into the room, her elegance and gentleness captivated everyone, especially Jonah, who was drawn to her beauty and grace.

Despite the allure of his charm and persistence, Aurora politely refused to indulge Jonah's advances each time. She was focused on herself, striving to carve out her own identity to separate from her brother's. Jonah, however, was determined. He continued to attend events he knew Aurora would be at, always finding ways to engage her in conversation, learning about her interests, and slowly building a friendship.

Over time, Jonah's genuine interest and patience began to break through Aurora's guarded space. A year ago, after countless multiple rejections, Aurora finally agreed to give Jonah a chance.

"Jonah," Aurora squealed, laughing when he nipped at her ear, ignoring her pleas to stop.

"Miss Rory," the voice of JARVIS echoed in her room. "Mr Stark needs to speak to you."

"Why?" Aurora lifted her head, only to be put back down by Jonah when he nuzzled his face in her neck.

"Princess," Tony's voice now echoed in her room, connecting through the technology he created for their home. "I need you down here. Now."

Jonah groaned with an eye roll when Aurora shoved him away from her, sitting up straight and smoothing her hair down along with fixing her dress. "Just ignore him," he said, pulling her from her behind back to him.

"I can hear you," Tony said.

Jonah's eyes widened, releasing his hold on Aurora as she turned to him with a smile, throwing her pillow at him. "Be there in a min," she told him.

"I'm counting," Tony disconnected himself.

Jonah caught the pillow and scoffed, "He needs to stop calling you princess. It's weird."

Aurora's smile faltered to a frown, as she whispered. "My dad and Tony would always call me that."

"Fuck," Jonah winced, standing up and cupping her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Rory. I didn't know. You never told me."

I've told you so many times. She wanted to say actually. He seemed to have forgotten again. "It's okay," she murmured. "I'm going to go downstairs now. I'll see you at the Season's tonight."

As she walked away, he spoke again, "You're not upset with me for that, are you?"

"Oh- uh- No," she shook her head.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you too," she smiled, and left her room as she made her way downstairs to Tony's workshop.

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Tony was seated in his chair, his shirt off, revealing the arc reactor in his chest. Tools and parts were scattered around him, and he looked up as she approached. "Perfect timing," his tone was filled with sarcasm.

"I was busy," she rolled her eyes.

"Spare me the details," he cut her off. "I need a hand with something."

Aurora raised an eyebrow. "What's going on?"

Tony gestured to the arc reactor embedded in his chest. "It's time for an upgrade. I need you to help me swap this out."

Her eyes widened, a mix of concern and disbelief flashing across her face. "You want me to- Tony, are you serious? I'm not exactly trained for this."

He gave a light chuckle,. "Relax, it's just like pulling a plug and plugging in a new one. I've already set everything up. I just need you to be my hands for a minute."

Aurora hesitated, but Tony's confidence, as always, was infectious. She took a deep breath and moved closer, glancing nervously at the glowing arc reactor. "Okay, so- what do I do?"

Tony pointed to a small device connected to the reactor. "First, you're going to get the wire and pull it out, but make sure to replace it quickly with the new reactor, alright? No pressure."

Aurora shot him a look. "No pressure?! This is your heart we're talking about, Tony."

He shrugged with a playful grin. "I trust you."

With her hands slightly trembling, Aurora carefully followed Tony's instructions. She reached for the magnet, her fingers brushing against the cold metal as she steadied her nerves. "Oh my God," her face formed with disgust. "It feels gooey."

"It's an inorganic plasmic discharge from the device," Tony stated.

"But what is that smell?" She gagged. "It's either that or your breath stinks," she humoured. Tony blew on her face to tease her more and she flicked his forehead, making him laugh as he rested his head back. "It's definitely your breath."

"Ow!" He suddenly winced. "I'm going to die!"

Aurora's eyes widened. "Oh my God. I'm so sorry. Please don't die," she hastily spoke.

"I'm kidding," he laughed. "But do it fast or else i'll go into a cardiac arrest."

She glared down at him and he gave her an innocent smile. "Okay," she took a deep breath. She pulled the old wire free, and his breath hitched slightly, his face tightening as he felt the absence of the reactor.

"Rory-"

Aurora's heart pounded in her chest, panic bubbling up as she quickly reached for the new reactor. "Okay, okay- I've got it." She pushed the new reactor into place, the blue glow returning instantly as it clicked securely into Tony's chest. The room's lights stabilised, and he let out a relieved breath, his eyes meeting her with a mix of gratitude and pride.

"See? I told you could do it," he said, giving her a reassuring smile. "That was fun, right?"

She exhaled, her hands still trembling slightly from the adrenaline rush. "Yeah, well- let's not make this a regular thing, okay? Ask someone else, next time."

"But I only have you," he murmured quietly and expression softened.

"You'll always have me," she smiled, giving his chest a pat.

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"So- have you thought about it?" Aurora glanced up from her laptop, hearing Jonah speak to her as he stepped out the bathroom, hair slightly damp as he sat down next to her.

"About?" She asked, confusion set in her tone.

"Us moving in together," he reminded her.

"Oh? That," she nodded. "I- I don't know yet," she whispered.

A low, frustrated sigh left Jonah's lips, standing up from his seat as he paced around the room. "You can't just live with your brother for the rest of your life, you know?"

Aurora nervously bit on her lip. "I know."

"Then what's stopping you?" Another sigh escaped his lips.

She anxiously played with her fingers, "Nothing."

"You love me, and I love you, that's all that matters." Jonah took the seat next to her, bringing her hands in his, squeezing it firmly. "Right?"

Her eyes bore into his, a small smile on her lips. "Yeah," she nodded.

"So, it's settled then? We'll move in together?"
He asked with hopeful eyes.

"Yeah," she mustered up a smile.

Jonah's face lit up, wide smile playing on his lips as he cupped her cheeks, and pressed a deep, intense kiss against her lips.

"But-" Aurora moved back, tracing her finger on his cheek. "I want to stay at home for a while, just to make sure Tony is fine. He's gone through a lot and I don't want to leave him alone at this time."

Jonah smiled tightly, "Sure."

"Thank you for understanding," she nodded to that.

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author's note:

- introducing jonah stane whose faceclaim is jensen ackles.

- i'm excited to write about this love interest of rory's. it's her first love so just know that this will effect her in many ways.