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Summary: Anita pops up at the Towers attempting to get Tony to give in to her demands from earlier in the week. Tony's not at all receptive and through conversation a whole lot of things come to light that ends Anita up somewhere she hadn't planned on being this night.
Date: April 11, 2011
Log Title: An Intervention
Rating: PG-13 (L) There's some language used.
Stark Towers
Parking Garage at the Main Tower
It's rather late in the evening, too late for there to be many people milling about in the parking garage at the main tower of the Stark Towers. The elevator on the far side of the garage parts its doors allowing a very busy and troubled man to step into the garage. No longer wearing the monkey suit he was in earlier in the day Stark is clad in t-shirt, dark jeans, sneakers, and a leather jacket. In his hand are a pair of shades he folds to hang off his shirt. It's clear he's making a beeline for his private section of the garage where he houses several vehicles.
Looking a little worse for wear, Anita has been impatiently waiting for a certain billionaire to show himself. Not content to wait for him herself, a stray cat that sometimes prowls the garage has been asked to keep an eye out for any humans that come out of the elevator. When the cat calls her, the dancer slips out of her hiding place near the exit and makes a bee line for the man that hung up on her a few days before, "Tony!" She looks a little worse for wear, like she hasn't been taking care of her quite as well as she normally does; her hair a little greasy looking, her shirt wrinkled and hanging from one shoulder, and dark circles under her eyes from not sleeping.
So focused on what needs to be done Stark continues walking through the garage towards his car. It is only as he hears footfalls close by that he turns to find Anita approaching him. The greeting he would have tossed her dies before he even bothers opening his mouth. Instead he gazes upon her as if he's trying to puzzle out what's happened to her. "You look like hell." Not what any woman ever wants to hear but it was an apt description. Anita in the entire time he's known her has never once looked like she rolled off the back of a truck.
The rough looking woman stops a short distance away, scowling a little and running a hand through her hair, wincing when her fingers catch on tangles, "Yeah, well, I've been kind of busy lately." Beat, "Like trying to get in touch with you." She gives him a hard look for a moment, "Your phone must not be working right. The call dropped the other night and I couldn't get back ahold of you." Because surely he wouldn't ignore her call!
Tony folds his arms across his chest as Anita catches her fingers up in her hair. There's a bit of a wince for that considering it had to be painful for her. "All of my calls are being sent to the message system. Working as intended." The joke may not go over well but it was the truth after all. Unfolding an arm he waves in her general direction. "I terminated the call the other night. In fact you've caught me at a rather inopportune time yet again."
"You… hung up on me." Anita seems to have a hard time understanding that and falls silent for a moment, "And why, exactly, would you hang up on me?" This is said as though she's the most important person in the conversation, rather than just being a stripper that's 'friends' with one of the richest men in the world. She sneers a little at the joke and folds her arms across her chest, just emphasizing the fact that she's not in the most pristine condition. It might be a trick of the light, but her hands appear to be shaking the faintest bit until she steadies them on her arms.
"There was nothing more to be said," Stark mentions as he tucks his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. "I explained my side of things and you persisted in not accepting that." Based upon her attitude as of late coupled with her worse than bedraggled appearance Tony takes a few steps toward her. "I've still got a hundred and one things that need to be done; which are all quite serious as it involves people's lives. If there's something bothering you or whatever is going on you've got to come out and say it because I just don't have the time right now to hang around chatting in the parking garage with a friend."
Anita closes her eyes for a moment, looking either like she's about to break down and lose it or just scream, "I just thought you might like a night away from everything, honey." Again, she reaches up to run one hand through her hair, pulling at snarles, as she slips her other hand into her pocket to toy with something, "Well, I can go with you, then." She just assumes that she'd be welcome. The cat that had reported Tony's presence comes to wind around the woman's ankles, but hisses and vanishes into the shadows after just a moment.
"I don't have that luxury, Anita." There's never enough time available to do everything that needs to be done. Poor woman looks more strung out than Tony's been in ages. That thought alone has him concerned that she might have gotten mixed up in something like alcohol, drugs, quite possibly the Kick that is going around. "I'm afraid not. It is Avenger business." The cat acts bizarely leaving Tony a bit perplexed by it's behavior. "What are you not telling me, Anita?"
Anger flashes in Anita's eyes for a moment before she closes them again an takes a deep breath, "God, Tony… And here I thought you liked spending time with me." Then he's wanting to know what she's not telling him and she's flushing with both anger and embarrasment, "What should I tell you?" The hand in her pocket tightens into a fist around whatever it is she'd been fiddling with, "Just because we're all not as rich as you are doesn't mean that there's something wrong. Hell, I feel better now than I have in my whole life!" She winces faintly and shoves her other hand down into her other pocket, "Well… Not at the moment, but it's fixed easily enough."
"Riiiiight," Tony says entirely unconvinced. "Never mind the fact that I did like spending time with you but at present? Not so much. You've been very snappish and rather annoying if you must know. Which of course is completely out of character." Now standing within arms reach he peers down at her with a raised eyebrow. "I've no idea why my wealth is a factor in all of this. You're not making very much sense at all. You feel better now than you've ever felt before?" Clearly standing in disbelief. "You're twitchy, you're quick to anger, your personal hygiene has been shot to hell…" Pauses a moment to let all of that sink in. "Perhaps it's best you grab a shower, maybe some sleep and see how things turn around."
"I'm annoying?" Again, Anita looks like she has a hard time understanding that, "I'm annoying, and yet you're the one that can't get shit together enough to go spend time with me?" She takes hald a step forward, "Yes, I feel better. More powerfull than I've ever been before in my entire life." She points off in the direction the cat ran when she banished it, "I can tell you that the queen over there has a litter of three kittens in an alley two streets over. That she's sure there's a nest of rats living in the walls somewhere, but that there aren't any here right now." She stands up as tall as she can, chin raised defiantly, "I'm perfectly fine!"
Tony pulls a hand out of a pocket pointing a finger at her. "That right there. You knew in advance that I have obligations that can not be shoved aside." Tony's clearly starting to get angry in the way he holds his shoulders and tenses his neck. Those eyes that are normally warm and inviting are hard and unyielding. "Iron Man will always come before anything else. Always has always will. I thought you understood that."
More powerful? Information about a stray cat with a litter that she can sense blocks away? "Firstly, you'd not mentioned you were a mutant. So glad that you pick now of all times to point that out rather than when we've talked off an on in a more civil tone." Her defiant posture is not winning her any points at the moment either. "You're not fine. Far from it. So what is it Anita? Downed a lot of Everclear? Bit of party drugs got you flipping out or have you gone and got yourself tangled up with Kick?"
"Oh, I understand that you're putting everything else in the world before me." And, to Anita, that's all that really matters right now. Her eyes narrow a little and she clenches her jaw for a moment at the comment about her being a mutant, "I never said I wasn't a mutant, either." Beat, "Do you have a problem with mutants, Mr. Stark?" Her voice is almost cold as she demands an answer to that question. Then he's accusing her of being drunk or high and she positively glares at him, "Everclear has never made me feel anything like this, honey. And I don't do 'party drugs'." The mention of Kick, however, has her tensing a little, "You don't have any right to judge me for something that isn't my fault!" She backs up a step and licks her lips, "I didn't ask for that gilipollas Kyle to give that shit to me." She just called him to get more when the cravings hit her too hard.
This was clearly going to be one of those conversations that Tony wished would not be occurring at all. Anita is clearly getting more aggressive over time and now a bit irrational to boot in his opinion. "Would you like to continue your inane commentary? I'd have rather you felt that you could talk to me but clearly we don't have very much of a friendship to build upon if you wish to keep things in the dark. In the event that you can see further than six inches in front of your face you're welcome to take a look around to see the company I keep and ask me again if you think I have a problem with mutants."
Not alcohol, not street drugs, so that left Kick and her reaction to that just puts a bit fat stamp on that line of thought. Of all things it had to be Kick. "Explains why you're acting like a complete bitch." That might be a bit too harsh then again it's truth. "What happened? This Kyle a part of the New Mutant Order running around Mutant Town spraying people in the face?"
"Why should I go out of my way to tell people I'm a mutant when it doesn't have anything to do with anything?" She runs a hand through her hair, getting out more tangles. Anita has the grace to flush a little at the comment on the company he keeps and shrugs one shoulder, "Alright, I'll give you that one." Then he's calling her a bitch and she straightens, pulling her hand out of her pocket, desperately clutching an inhaler, "Well excuse me for just trying to have a little fun!" She turns to stalk away, but is stopped by his question, half turning to look back at him, "Yeah. I was taking a walk in Thompson Park last week and he sprayed me." She runs a shaking hand through her hair, tugging a little and pulling a section over her shoulder, "I tried to ignore it, but…" She shakes her head, "It's not like I had a lot of choice there." A nasty grin is flashed, "I've got to say, though, that I do enjoy the results."
Tony watches and listens as clearly this is not the Anita he knows. This is the beginnings of what will happen if she is further exposed to kick and goes as mad as all of the others have on it. "This drug is dangerous. Extremely so, and you know of what it's done to others." Slowly approaching her. "This is not your fault. You didn't ask to be put in this position nor should you enjoy the results of what it has done. It's a highly addictive drug that will drive you into a padded room or a prison cell." Now that he's close enough he makes a play for the inhaler. If he can manage to get a hold of it he will pull the cartridge out and break the inhaler in half.
"What drug isn't dangerous?" Anita is still defiant, but not quite leaving. Not while she has his attention, anyway, "And why shouldn't I enjoy what's been done to me?" She rolls her eyes at the thought of ending up insane or in prison, "Pa-lease! I'm not some freak like that Dingo character." No, she's just extraordinarily self-centered. Then he's grabbing the inhaler and she's trying to keep it out of his reach. And failing, "HEY!! That's mine!" Her eyes widen when he ruins the only handy supply she's got at the moment and she rushes for him, "No! I need that."
"You're not thinking rationally," Tony insists as she comes up with various excuses for why she can get away with going on the drug. Deciding not to stop her semi-rant as it gives him an advantage to make the grab Tony does get a hold of her inhaler and wrecks it. The cartridge itself is shoved deep into the front pocket of his jeans as he deals with her wild advance. "No you don't." Insisting upon that as he grabs for her wrists trying to spin her about and pin her back to his chest. "Remember your McGruff lessons? Drugs are bad, ruff. Enough with the flailing! What you need is some help getting off of this because the woman you were before was a damn sight better than the person you've unwillingly become."
Anita finds herself pinned to his chest, still struggling with all the strength of a woman who's spent the last ten years dancing and hanging from a pole, though it's not likely that she's strong enough to get free, "Screw McGruff! I didn't listen to him before, why should I now?" She tries to twist out of his grip, for several minutes before she goes still, breathing hard, "Tony, please." Her trembling is noticeable against him, "I'm crashing… I need it."
Tony holds tight as best he can to keep her from hurting herself more so than to prevent any damage from occurring to himself. The fact that she's battled addiction before is another piece of the puzzle he wished he had learned in another way. This just means that dealing with her in such a state is going to be far more difficult. "No, you really don't." Tony repeats his statement again softly somewhere near her ear. "You may hate me for awhile but once you're off this you'll understand." At least that's what he's hoping. Already put in a call to his building security. Going to have to get her to some place where she can get the help she needs.
"Please." Anita's voice is pleading, "Come on, Tony. Just let me go. I won't bother you anymore." Just incase it's the fact that she's been 'annoying' that's got him wanting to get her clean, "Please?" She struggles a little more, jerking against his arms even as he's called in security and trying to stomp down on his instep to maybe startle him into loosening his grip enough that she can get away, "Damnit, cat! Why won't you come with I call?!" No, the cat she scared off just a short time ago is nowhere in sight.
Struggling against a man who can summon a layer of metal to protect himself will get her nowhere and brings an all new meaning to steel toe'd shoes. "I can't let you go in all good conscience." The guards will be here in a moment to help take her to a place where she'll be safe and can come down from the effects of Kick. "You need to calm down, get yourself together, not only for yourself but for your dogs. They need you, not the jumped up version."
It's only when her dogs are mentioned that he seems to get through to her and her strugles still, "They're fine." Anita still goes home and gives them attention, after all, "I can talk to them without actually talking now. It's better!" She thinks so, anyway. There's another jerk and twist against his arms as she tries a final time to get away, "What's bad for them is me coming down." She leans back against his chest, relaxing for a moment and breathing hard still, "You didn't see me last week before I got more. It was a nightmare…" Just judging by the light shaking she's doing now, it must have been pretty bad.
"It is not better." Tony shakes his head as the guards are coming out of the elevator to assist him with Anita. They do hold back for a moment simply by the look they receive. "I know how bad it can be. I've fought addiction numerous times before. I also know what you're up against with this. I will help you, Anita. You're not going to be left dangling in the wind." The guards come closer. "Going to put something about your wrists then we're going to get you set up at a place that will understand all that is going on. They're nice people." A guard hands over the rather high tech looking set of cuffs so that Tony can wrap them around her wrists. They're not painful but at least it keeps her from lashing out at people. "I'll take her myself." The guards understand this and will walk with them to the SUV which is easier to get into.
Anita scowls at the thought of him having dealt with addiction, too and gives a token little struggle as the cuffs are put on her wrists, "I'm not going anywhere without Dodger and Anna." She growls a little, "They don't have anyone to look out for them but me." Or so she's felt in the last week, at least. Then she's being put in his SUV and sits back in the seat, sulking while clenching and unclenching her fists, "You can't take me to some rehab center without my consent, Tony." That's what she's thinks, "And I refuse to sign anything."
Tony is pulling out of the parking garage slowly making calls already even though Anita is not aware of such a thing. "Your friend will be able to attend to them as will I. What's best for them is you getting sorted." The more she protests from the back the heavier Tony's shoulders appear to be as they lower noticeably over time. "I can, and am. Clearly you've never watched Celebrity Rehab."
The drive is uneventful at least physically but the mental and emotional toll of the events can not be measured. The staff on hand are aware of Anita and a possible history of previous addiction issues, and what the current situation is. They have already put into place a plan to help her cope with coming off of Kick and to speak with her at length about whatever issues. How do you check in someone who doesn't willingly want to be in rehab? You let them behave as they are in front of staff and the referral all but appears out of thin air.
Anita just sinks lower into her seat, "Liam isn't speaking to me right now." More likely, she isn't speaking to him just from simple shame at having managed to get herself addicted to some new drug, "I don't watch reality TV. I'm usually working." Which she hasn't done in the last week. Here's hoping she still has a job when she gets back out.
The entire drive, the dancer glares holes in the back of Tony's head, resentment almost another rider in the vehicle with them. And she'll certainly put on a show for staff at the rehab center. The longer she stays in the SUV, the farther down she goes, ranting almost nonstop at the man she's called 'friend', demanding to be let go and that he'll regret this 'kidnapping' by the time she's finished with him.
The hardest part about doing what you believe to be right, that you believe to be the best option for someone's own good, is that in the doing there is no true satisfaction to be gained for either party involved. As Anita rants and raves against her circumstances the staff move her further away from the admitting desk. Each word like a barb being flung and several wind up striking the stoic man filling out paperwork as the voice grows further and further away. The staffs attempts to assure him that the right decision has been made and that they'll help her come off the drug as best they can as Tony signs the last page. "If anything is needed or if I am needed please do not hesitate to call the number I've given. If my assistant answers she will relay the message to me." With a final glance down the long hallway towards the still swinging doors Tony sighs heavily and leaves the facility with his chin touching his chest.
