Hey, you guys! I know it's been so long since I updated this one, sorry for the wait, and I hope you're still reading.

I wrote this at one in the morning, and then fell asleep. I don't think you have to worry about my grammar, but as far as story content goes, it might not be the best. Also, some of my quotes might be off-I needed to use some from IM 2.

And, I know that this chapter is short. But the next one is going to be even longer than my previous chapters, so bear with me :)

I'd also like to thank the anonymous reviewer "Heart Torn Out" for reading and reviewing nearly all of my stories within two days.

Anyway, hope you like it-

-IRON MAN-

Previously in Key to the Future…

"Jason's special because he was born first," James said angrily. "Liz is special because she's the only girl. I'm nothing."

"That's a lie," Tony said firmly. "Yes, Jason is older than you. Because of that, he's allowed to do more. But when you're his age, it'll be the same for you."

"That's not what I mean," the boy said quietly. "You love him more because he looks like you." Tony frowned, his eyebrows narrowed.

"That's not true," he answered, a hidden question in his voice. "He does look like me. But you look like your mother. And I love your mother very much, you know that, right?"

"Yeah," James said slowly, furrowing his brow.

"And yes…Elizabeth is the only girl," Tony said finally. "But that doesn't mean I love her any more than I do you, James. I love the three of you equally. I'm sorry if I've ever made you think otherwise."

"No," he mumbled. "Sorry for stealing her doll." Tony smiled gently, ruffling the boy's pale orange hair that reminded him so much of Pepper.

"No lasting harm done, pal," he said. "All right?" James nodded silently as his father kissed his forehead lightly.

"Okay, Dad."

-IRON MAN-

That night; Stark Mansion

Malibu, California

Tony smiled grimly as he brushed dust off a case that was labeled as the "Property of H. Stark." As the top came loose, he wrenched it off and peered inside, a look of slight confusion on his face. He coughed as he lifted out a roll of film that released a layer of dust. He waved his hand in front of him and looked inside again. There were blueprints that Howard Stark himself had drawn, information about water and sewage, and yellowed newspaper and magazine articles, ranging from Tony's first circuit board to the revealing of the Arc Reactor at Stark Industries.

"Daddy?" a quiet voice asked from behind him, and for a moment, Tony thought that he'd imagined it. He turned around to see his only daughter studying him with mild curiosity. He smiled softly and took her into his arms.

"Yeah?" he asked, as he climbed into the hot rod, Elizabeth sitting beside him. Tony looked over and winked, earning a smile from the girl.

"You're confusing," she stated, staring at her father with the large, clear blue eyes that she had inherited from her mother. He smiled.

"Am I?" Tony asked, amused. "Why do you think so, Miss Stark?" He tickled her gently, causing his daughter to squirm in her seat and giggle.

"Daddy…" she complained, "Stop!" Tony smirked and pulled on her light orange hair affectionately. Drawing her closer to him, he pushed back her bangs and kissed her forehead.

"So…I'm confusing?" he asked again, raising an eyebrow at his daughter. She folded her arms and frowned.

"Yeah," Elizabeth said. "You hide a lot from the world." Taken aback, Tony simply stared at the five-year-old girl.

"I do?" he asked, blinking. He shifted his grip on her waist and lifted her onto his knee.

"You're sick," she said softly. "I know you are." She stared up at her father, studying his face that had grown pale and then lightly touched his neck, causing him to wince. Elizabeth frowned. "I just don't know why."

Tony forced a smile. "I'm fine, sweetheart," he said, kissing the top of her head. His eyes quickly darted to the stairs. "Why don't you go bother Jason or something? I have some work to do, Liz." Her eyes narrowed angrily.

"You're not-"

"Elizabeth Maria," he warned. "Upstairs." She crossed her arms, but groaned and turned away, heading back up to the living room.

Tony heaved a sigh and looked back at his father's case. A smile occasionally crossed his features, whenever he saw something he recognized from his past. He picked up the roll of film hesitantly.

Damn, he thought. How did I never know that this still existed? How could I have gone this long without knowing that there was some tangible evidence that my parents existed?

He wiped dust off it and carefully set it aside. As he placed it beside him, from the corner of his eye, Tony noticed a blueprint that he fully recognized.

The Arc Reactor.

He almost laughed at the irony. Who knew that Howard Stark's real pride and joy was ultimately killing his only son? Tony tore his eyes away from it, and found himself staring at the film again, wondering. He gritted his teeth and picked it up, standing. Sighing, he set up the screen and began to play the film.

"Everything is achievable through technology. Better living, robust health, and for the first time in human history, the possibility of a world community. I'm Howard Stark, and everything you'll need for the future can be found right here…" And then he trailed off, muttering different ideas for catchy phrases, like "city of tomorrow" or "city of the future". He stood back at his starting place, and began his monologue again. "I'm Howard Stark…"

Tony looked down at an old journal that had once been his father's, marveling at the man's mind. As he watched the video of his living, breathing father, he found it harder and harder to believe that he had ever thought he knew this man.

"From all of us at Stark Industries-Tony?" He looked up as he heard his name, and saw a smaller version of himself in front of the camera, messing with his father's large model of the Stark Expo. He smiled wistfully at the memory, and looked back at the journal, studying various drawings of early versions of inventions that the elder Stark had been famous for.

But as he heard Howard speak his name in a different tone, he was drawn to look up. "Tony, you're too young to understand this now, so I thought I would put it on film for you." And though he knew his father was not really speaking to him…he knew the old man was long gone, and this was just a memory…Tony reflexively straightened up in his seat. His father gestured to the model of the Expo. "I built this for you. And some day…you'll realize that it represents a whole lot more than people's inventions."

Tony's eyebrows narrowed in interest as his father continued to speak. "It represents my life's work." Howard pointed to the model with a firm finger. "This is the key to the future." He looked into the camera, his eyes almost sad, but plain and honest. "I…I'm limited by the technology of my time, but one day you'll figure this out." Howard smiled, as if he was imagining the older Tony watching the video. "And when you do…you will change the world." Tony's heart pounded in his chest, his eyes widening. Was his father, the great Howard Stark…was it possible that in order for him to save his future…all he needed to do was dig into his past?

"What is, and always will be, my greatest creation…" Tony stared at the screen, unable to blink, his brown eyes even wider. "Is you." The film ended, and the screen went black. But Tony continued to stare.

He loved me, he thought, bringing his hands to his forehead. He loved me…he just never said it. And he knew a way to replace palladium, I know he did. That's what he was trying to tell me.

I'll have to create…

And Tony looked back at the Mark V, almost smiling.

…a new element.

He tapped his fingers on his arc reactor and frowned in thought.

But what to do…what to do…

-IRON MAN-

So what'd you think? Please let me know :)

I figured I should give Elizabeth some time with her father...tell me if you liked her character...haha, five-year-old girls aren't exactly my strong point.

Always (and yes, I know it's repetitive) remember to review!

Thanks,

William D. J. Watson