Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Inventions.

The action of inventing something, typically a process or device, or a creative ability.

Inventions are created to change the world as we know it. They are made to solve problems and make life easier. They are designed to help the next generation. Only the freakishly smart or badass insane can create something that will be put in the history books.

Me? I'm (Y/n) Stark. I'm one of them.

-

This story began a long time ago.

It was approximately two weeks before the fall of SHIELD, two weeks before your one decision would change everything. Your compound - your home away from home - was peaceful for the moment.

The lake was still, a glimmering crystal in the sun's glare, and the grass - although overgrown - was barely making a whistle as the blades crossed each other. The gravel of the pathways lay undisturbed and even the animals seemed scarce for that one evening.

However, not all of them.

A tiny rabbit was hopping its way against the sunset backdrop. It didn't stop until it reached your car.

The paintwork shone like a diamond and this rabbit stopped right next to your tire…

It stared for a long moment...

Turned its back...

And took a poo right next to the rubber.

Almost immediately, a light buzzing filled the air. A manufactured drone with claws came whizzing from around the building's side, right out of a window. Inside one claw was a spray bottle and inside the other was a bag and rag.

Inside the room it left was you. It was the lab.

A pale red cleaning robot was sorting out a coffee spillage on the floor and seemed to be humming along to Twisted Sister's 'We're Not Gonna Take It.' Mixed in with the classic sound was a very sudden cackle of electricity.

"Shit!" You cursed.

As it sparked, the lights in the lab - and likely the entire compound - went out. The music also cut out and you were left at your desk with heavy breaths.

"Just another damn day with a blackout." You muttered in a false cheery tone. "Ha, ha, ha. Fuck my life."

You let out a hollow sigh and turned your wrist to check the time on your watch. It was late.

"FRIDAY." You said, tapping the watch a few times. "How long until I get the lights back?"

"Without a manual reset the compound system should be restored naturally within the hour." She replied.

"No chance it could be sooner?"

"I could do it myself. With your security walls in mind, it should take ten minutes."

"Please do. I kinda need my WiFi."

"Forgive me, miss, but is that your main concern?"

"Damn right it is. How else am I gonna listen to my tunes? Or watch The Walking Dead? I need to know what's happening with everyone now that the Governor's gone and ruined the prison."

"Don't you think the food should be a priority?"

"Oh. Oh, yeah, probably. Can't have it going off again."

-

Since those like moi are constantly inventing and creating new things, we have the very real power to change the world.

People used to say that the future would create robots. They used to say that robots would be the product of humanity, that we could bring an entire new species to life.

-

"Ten minutes, miss." FRIDAY said. "It's in your best interests to sleep. You've been awake for twenty-six hours. It's not very healthy."

You raised a brow and spoke sarcastically. "Thanks, Dad."

Instead of taking the helpful advice, you surveyed your cluttered desk for a flashlight. After finding it and twisting the top, light filled the room. You pointed it towards a second workbench.

Ultron.

Not only was he the prototype of perhaps the smartest AI anyone had ever seen, but you may or may not have used the Iron Legion designs from your dad to create Ultron's image. After all, he was intended to be for Tony anyway. To help him.

You approached the bench and set the flashlight down so that it illuminated the area properly before standing directly in front of Ultron. With a reminiscent smile, you placed your hand on his chest and closed your eyes as the cool material reacted against your skin.

"How long has it been, buddy?" You asked in a quiet mumble. "Two years now? Something like that. All those systems and codes and trying to synthesize the right material took it out of me, you know? You've always been my favorite project. I'm not gonna give up. You'll be amazing one day. You are gonna have the world in awe."

Your smile dropped a little.

"I want the world to think they need you. The thing is..."

-

Humans have always wanted robots to assist them.

The aim is specialized workers, the key ones. Doctors, nurses, teachers, those kinds of people.

Anything, really.

-

Ultron - even now - began to flicker in and out of consciousness.

He couldn't move or talk, but he was aware, able to observe. He watched as you - his creator - began to move around the lab as the power flickered back on.

He liked to study your actions. He enjoyed it. You were intriguing.

He watched until a loud telephone line began to ring in the warehouse. Then he listened.

"Incoming call from an encrypted line." FRIDAY - your primary AI - said.

He saw you furrow broth brows. "Can you decrypt it?"

Your voice was familiar to Ultron now. It was like home.

"I'm afraid not, miss." FRIDAY said.

"Alright." You sighed and answered whoever it was. "Look, if this is a scam call, shove it up your ass."

"Charmed, Campbell." Another replied.

Ultron used what capabilities he had to deduce that the voice belonged to Director Nicholas Fury. Your boss.

"Fury?" You questioned.

His tone indicated pain.

"You good? You sound beat." You said.

"Look, we don't have much time. I need you to get Loki's scepter."

"Eh?" You sat up straight, even more confused. "What's going on?"

"SHIELD is compromised."

Your voice faltered. "What?"

Ultron ran more information through his database, deciphering everything in real time.

"It's HYDRA." Fury said. "Agent Sitwell and STRIKE, probably others. Don't trust anyone."

HYDRA...

"How did this happen, Fury?" You asked, panicked.

"It doesn't matter. Captain Rogers and Agent Romanoff are being targeted, as am I, and maybe even you. It's the Winter Soldier."

"The Winter who?"

"HYDRA's trained assassin. Look, just get the scepter before they do and wait for my instructions. Remember, don't trust anyone."

The line disconnected.

Ultron watched again as you began to pace and mutter underneath your breath. You cursed and grumbled and seemed annoyed. He wished he could do more, that he had a suitable power source that would enable him to reach out to you.

You finally stopped.

With the power on, you switched off the flashlight on the workbench and tossed it away. You hesitated as you looked up and met Ultron's gaze. You knew what you had to do, but you couldn't ensure his safety. The only way you thought of was to hide him so only you and your dad could find him.

You checked over the lab and went over to the furthest wall. It seemed pretty normal. Standard white paint, a few blueprints and instructions hung up among post-it notes and memorabilia. At least until you hit a certain part of the wall several times and suddenly it all began to shake and withdraw.

A secret compartment was revealed.

You flicked on a light before turning and going back over to Ultron's body. You looked into his eyes one last time before letting out a shaky breath.

"I'm sorry." You told him. "I've gotta keep you safe."

Then you used all of your strength to move his body towards the secret compartment.

-

Bringing something to life is incredible.

You start with nothing but bits and pieces and then somehow you finish with a living and sentient being who can think for itself. Something that is capable of passing the Turing Test. It's insane. It's the game changer.

But it's also risky.

What if these robots we make can surpass humanity? What if they outnumber us and they rule the world. What if they rule us? They will always be more intelligent, everything we wish we could be.

-

You held the door to the compartment aside, the limited light barely peeking through.

"I'll be back." You promised. "When I am, we'll do a test, yeah? We'll see how you manage."

You closed the compartment properly, waiting until you heard it click before backing up. You needed to get to the Triskelion.

Once you left, the time passed quickly.

-

I don't know who first raised the suspicions about robots, but they did.

They started the paranoia. Or maybe they just watched a lot of Terminator and I, Robot and end of the world movies. But seriously? Robots taking over the world? That can't happen. It's bogus.

-

Night had fallen on the warehouse compound.

The lab was abandoned and yet the compartment inside showed itself.

The groan of the wall receding broke the silence and it revealed Ultron, standing alone in the darkness. He seemed to be the only thing inside until a shadow passed over him. It belonged to a man.

"Well, well, well..." The man drawled in a very antagonistic fashion. "What do we have here?"

The man - the one who had reopened the compartment - tilted his head to assess the robotic body. It looked like an android.

"Little Stark has her very own bot, does she?" He murmured, tapping Ultron's chest.

-

God... I hope my robot won't take over the world.

Chapter Text

The passing of a year is a tricky thing.

Sometimes it can go by in an instant and sometimes it can drag on in the most mundane fashion known to man. There really is no middle ground. In some places it passes faster and in some it takes forever.

The city of San Francisco had its year in a flash. It was always busy. It was a big place after all, not a resort, so it was crowded all the time. Fisherman's Wharf and some other tourist-centric areas were probably a bit more busy, but one doesn't really notice the crowds in the neighborhoods.

It was filled with life.

On one particular late afternoon there were slightly less cars buzzing around. People were hanging out in bars before the weekend and the young adults were going out with their friends.

Overall it had an almost calm vibe.

However, the main focus would have to be great big headquarters in the middle of the concrete jungle. Suits and egos and not a smile that wasn't painted on.

Cross Tech.

The interns had been dismissed already, the day employees were skipping off home after a grueling day, and the only signs of life were the patrolling security guards practically armed to the teeth.

Only one man was moving around inside the entire building. That was in the presentation room.

CEO, Darren Cross.

He was clicking through a video, explaining his latest innovative design while on a hologram call with several others. In the center of the room was a microscopic super suit.

"Well, I was inspired by the legend of the Ant Man." He was explaining to the call party. "And with my breakthrough shrinking inorganic material I thought 'could it be possible to shrink a person? Could that be done?' Well... It's not a legend anymore."

His entire face was lit up and he looked positively ecstatic at his own apparent brilliance.

Since he was alone in the room, he had no choice but to observe the holograms for a reaction. Some seemed hesitant, some seemed intrigued, and some simply just looked like they would rather be anywhere else but there.

"Distinguished guests, I am proud to present the end of warfare as we know it." He stepped to the side to reveal the tiny suit inside its container. "The Yellowjacket."

The front screen of the container zoomed in to allow the conference better viewing. It was intricate and seemed flawless, yellow with black accents. It resembled a wasp or a bee, especially with the extra pairs of mechanical arms sticking out of the back.

"The Yellowjacket is an all-purpose weapon of war, capable of altering the size of the wearer for the ultimate combat advantage."

Cross pressed the clicker in his hand and a new video began to play in the background with a narrator.

"We live in an era in which the weapons we use to protect ourselves are undermined by constant surveillance. It's time to return to a simpler age, one where the powers of freedom can once again operate openly to protect their interests. An all-purpose peacekeeping vessel - the Yellowjacket - can manage any conflict on the geopolitical landscape completely unseen."

The video began to show examples of the suit's capabilities, from shrinking to avoid weapon fire and lifting incredible weights to incredible surveillance and sneaking through locks and crevices anonymously.

"Efficient in both preventative measures and tactical assault, practical applications include surveillance, industrial sabotage, and the elimination of obstructions on the road to peace. A single Yellowjacket offers the user unlimited influence to carry out the protective actions. And one day soon, an army of Yellowjackets will create a sustainable environment of well-being around the world. The Yellowjacket."

The video ended with the display of Cross Technologies' logo.

After a moment of Cross staring up at everyone expectantly, one of the men finally spoke.

"This suit..." He struggled to think. "I find it hard to believe you've thought of everything."

Cross smirked. "Well, I did."

"This would be a huge advantage for our soldiers. Does it have any other abilities? How can it shrink with a wearer inside?"

"One at a time, please." The CEO chuckled. "The abilities are all as described in the presentation video. However, I believe with the proper application of resources and time we can further improve. As for shrinking organic matter, I've spent sufficient time studying and researching the particle to ensure all hazards are overcome and dealt with. I assure you, the risk is all but none. I've tried it myself."

"I trust you understand our reluctance." Another man from the call spoke up.

Cross nodded. "Which is why I prepared a demonstration."

"A... Demonstration?"

"Yes. Allow me."

He pressed another button on the clicker and stepped even further back into the room, allowing a second container to rise from the floor. Alongside the Yellowjacket suit was now a live lamb.

"Gentlemen... Prepare to witness history."

He took a Cross Tech tablet from a holder in the wall and began sorting through intense commands before finally finding what he was after. He set up the arms of the lamb's container and synced them to the tablet. When that was done, he tapped one of the vials of golden-yellow serum the arms held and then finally an action button on the tablet.

With a loud whirring that echoed within the room, the serum contained within the machine drained and eventually shot out in the form of beams. They engulfed the bleating lamb and in a bright flash, the animal and the container seemingly disappeared into thin air.

Cross wasn't deterred. He actually seemed proud.

This was proven to be valid when he leaned down and picked something up off the floor.

It was the lamb inside the container - both shrunken to something that could easily fit within a person's palm.

It worked.

Cross even flicked the container and watched in glee as the lamb jumped and hit the glass with a panicked bleat.

The room was silent.

"Speechless, huh?" Cross teased the members on call. "I was too."

"H-How?" One of the callers mumbled.

"I had a good mentor. Dr. Hank Pym, his name was."

"The Ant Man?"

"Yes, the Ant Man. He taught me everything, working for what used to be SHIELD and fighting against HYDRA. He was the founder of this company. When I took over for Dr. Pym I immediately started researching a particle that could change the distance between atoms while increasing density and strength."

He played one more video for the audience.

"The ultimate secret weapon. Why this revolutionary idea remained buried beneath the dust and cobwebs of Hank's research, I couldn't tell you. But just imagine. A soldier... The size of an insect"

The video displayed old footage of enemy militaries being beaten and wiped out by what seemed to be an invisible force. On the other hand, once zoomed in, the tiny silhouette of a man in a suit could be deciphered.

"Dr. Cross, I personally would like to know Dr. Pym's thoughts on this little project of yours." One of the callers said.

"As would I." Another agreed, soon followed by several more. "What about the leaks from last year?"

"I can't see him cooperating."

"I assure you Hank is not a threat." Cross told them, refusing to go into further detail. "He is very much alive and kicking but his opinions don't matter to this company anymore. It's mine now. You can thank his daughter voting against him for that. Gotta love a girl with daddy issues, am I right?"

Hank's daughter - Hope - while indeed having forced her own father into an early retirement, was not involved in this meeting. Cross trusted her, but still made sure she was on annual leave by the time this presentation was due.

As he continued to reassure and defend his Yellowjacket, there was something else in the room that everyone missed.

A little bug sticking to the wall.

It was a quiet thing as it rested there, almost as if it were observing Cross and his holographic companions. In fact, it actually seemed to be listening patiently as he promised to deliver suits overseas if the right price could be offered.

When everything seemed finalized, the bug took off and flew towards a small vent, easily slipping through the grates.

-

Across the globe in a snowy wasteland stood the now familiar Eastern-European castle.

Baron Von Strucker and Dr. List traversed the gothic halls in deep conversation. Their voices were hushed but argumentative as they discussed the Yellowjacket suit they had just witnessed.

"I would advise against pouring money into this." Dr. List said. "This is a fruitless endeavor of chance and luck."

"Aren't all experiments?" Strucker shot back.

"I have to protest-"

"The deal will be done."

"If you would just listen-"

"It is done." He repeated more sternly.

"But we have what we need." Dr. List insisted. "We have armor and guns and tanks, and we have our own experiments. Our own success."

"And it will never be enough!" Strucker exclaimed. He took a breath afterwards, calming down. "Doctor, I appreciate the concern, but this suit will aid us. It will tip the scales in our favor as Tyche did for the Greeks."

"The others did not care for it."

"The others are idiots. Imagine yourself with this particle, imagine what this serum could do when combined with our own. Those abilities together... We would be gods!"

Dr. List was not in favor. He didn't trust the Pym particle to do its job. He was always one for science, but this seemed too risky.

Yet no one could argue with Strucker. Certainly not if they wished to keep their life.

"And Dr. Pym?" He questioned in the end. "What if the Avengers were to stand against us?"

Strucker merely laughed. "Pym is old and useless."

"But his daughter is involved with the company. If she were to-"

"She hates him. As for the Avengers?" He grimaced. "They are far too busy chasing wild geese and other strongholds. This isn't their jurisdiction or their business."

"So... We are safe?"

"Of course, doctor. There is no power on this earth that would make Hank Pym and the Avengers team up.”

Chapter Text

SHIELD was dust at this point.

The organization - once one of the biggest in the world - was now naught but a memory to most. The leaks caused by Natasha changed everyone's perspectives on pretty much everything. However, the one thing that never wavered was the fear of HYDRA. After discovering that they had always been within SHIELD, people didn't trust the government anymore.

On the other hand, all hope wasn't lost. Although SHIELD was disbanded officially, a small faction remained.

Small teams still worked in its name to continue the good parts, fighting against the bad and ensuring the safety of humanity. Perhaps it would make a resurgence in time, perhaps the new SHIELD would remain hidden in the shadows, and perhaps it wouldn't last. Either way, the world was turning thanks to them.

After the argument between Strucker and Dr. List approximately five days beforehand, HYDRA was once again scheming. However, the focus of this particular day would be New York City.

It was early afternoon.

Kids fresh out of school for the weekend were running wild in the parks and streets, tourists were crowding every notable spot imaginable, stray animals were slinking around the alleys, and people were running around to get lunch on their work breaks.

It was chaos, but a good kind of chaos. The kind of chaos that makes you stop and stare, simply immersed in wonder of how far people had come since the disasters of previous years.

The Avengers played a big part in that.

They gained more and more recognition by the day, and other allies were also stepping up to defend their city.

NYC didn't house monsters or aliens anymore. The rumors of gangs and smugglers and dealers were still very real, but they were always dealt with before the trouble got bad. Burglary, heists, speeding, and Karens were still a threat of course but the Avengers and other vigilantes normally let the police handle those ones.

Now, inside Stark Tower, Tony was in his main lab. The employees were at work with the new interns and most of the other staff were on lunch break, leaving him undisturbed.

The Avengers were having a week off after taking care of a rebel group selling weapon tech in Boston. It was a well deserved break.

Steve was out with Sam attempting to find a not dead best friend from the 40s, Thor was off-world, Clint was out of state, Natasha was in the fashion district, and Bruce was on a video call with Tony while at a family reunion.

"Check this out." Tony told his friend, adjusting the view to display his newest creation.

It was an autopilot Iron Man suit with a hulk buster arm. Although it was intended to fly on its own, JARVIS was in control for now.

In front of the suit was a large target strapped to an even larger mannequin bolted to the floor.

After Tony snapped his fingers, JARVIS set the suit into motion. Bruce watched intently, hoping the creation would be enough. The whole point of it was to subdue Hulk after all. If he ever frenzied and lost control, they would need a way to keep him in check.

On the other hand, he didn't approve of Tony's work habits. The man had been up for days at a time just throwing himself into every step and not stopping until it was perfected.

Bruce was surprised as he watched the buster arm deliver a blow to the mannequin target. The top of the mannequin bent back but quickly sprung up again, only to be greeted with a series of punches from the arm. If he had to compare it, he'd say it resembled a yoyo movement.

After the berating attacks, the mannequin finally snapped from the bolts that shackled it to the lab floor.

A small cloud of dust and debris lifted from it and the mannequin itself was thrown into the furthest wall with a deafening thud. While Bruce flinched, Tony turned to look at him with a shit-eating grin showing that he was beyond proud.

"Cool, am I right?" He asked. "Tell me you won't be picking up chicks with this."

Bruce hesitated. "It's definitely a concept."

Although his look faltered, Tony kept up a smile. "What's wrong with it this time?"

"Nothing. Just, uh... Don't you think the punches are kind of... I don't know... Comedic?"

This time, his smile did vanish. "Are you messing with me right now? It's awesome."

"No, yeah, definitely... Something." Bruce then sighed. "Tony, I don't want extravagant exaggeration. I just want something to make sure no one gets hurt."

"Okay, I hear you. I hear you and I still oppose you."

"Look, Hulk smashes. He doesn't dance like yoyo."

Tony grinned again. "Bet you'd like him to."

"Tony-"

"Come on, Brucie Bear! Give it a chance. Imagine you get to use this at some point. Imagine you're surrounded and helpless and I can't save your life. What are you gonna do?"

"I don't see how this is relevant."

"The Hulk Buster is gonna save you!"

Again, he sighed. Tony merely carried on without missing a beat.

"If you've got too many enemies, imagine how handy the yoyo will be then, huh? Imagine two yoyo arms!"

"How did you even come to this?" Bruce asked.

"A nap. A really nice and really relaxing nap."

"Naturally."

"Yeah, it was like-"

"Bruce!" A new voice interrupted.

Tony frowned, looking at his friend who had startled a little bit. Soon enough a woman with dark curly hair came onto the screen and slung an arm around Bruce's shoulders.

"Hey, green bean cousin of mine." She greeted. "What's taking so long? Nana J is getting snappy and Ched's provoking her."

"Give me five minutes." Bruce told her. "We're almost done."

The woman looked at the screen, raising a brow upon seeing Tony. "No freaking way."

Tony smirked. "Hey."

"You're Iron Man!"

"Very observant of you."

"Jen, this is Tony." Bruce said, trying his best to keep a straight face. "Tony, this is Jennifer. My cousin."

"Oh, hey. The attorney, right?"

Jennifer looked at Bruce with wide eyes and a dropped jaw. "You told Iron Man about me?"

Before Bruce could answer, there was a crash from his side of the call followed by angry yelling. He groaned.

"Tony, I gotta go." He said.

Tony wasn't particularly bothered and gave a shrug. "Sure thing, Brucie Bear."

"Let's not make that a thing."

"No, let's."

"Oh, hey, before you go!" Jen said. "I got a question."

Tony nodded. "Shoot."

"You know Captain America really well right?"

"Oh, yeah, totally. Besties."

"Great! Please, please tell me you know whether or not he's a vir-"

"Alright, we can pick this up later." Bruce interrupted, well aware of what his cousin was about to ask. "Try to dial down the yoyo, Tony."

Tony shrugged, putting on an innocent smile. "If I must. Talk later."

The video call ended with a drastic goodbye from Jennifer. When the screen disappeared Tony turned to look at the mess left by the Hulk buster.

"Yeah, no can do." He said. "The yoyo is actually getting dialed up."

"Sir, is it wise to go against Dr. Banner's wishes?" JARVIS spoke up.

Tony sat himself in a spinning chair and spun to face the Hulk Buster that was still punching. Since the mannequin had been destroyed, it was now punching air.

"Everything I do is wise." He countered.

JARVIS switched off the arm, letting silence fall in the lab. "If you say so."

Tony rolled his eyes and let himself relax. As he did so, his hand found its way to his chest where a familiar key hung. He hadn't taken it off for a year.

"Do you think she'd like it?" He asked more seriously. "(Y/n)."

Most people had forgotten your name now. After the data leak and your announcement and then the assassination the world certainly took its time in moving on. But it still did it.

Your true family couldn't ever forget, though. Tony, Pepper, Happy, Rhodey, Agent Hill, and the Parkers... They always remembered your name. They cherished it.

During moments of solitude and isolation were when Tony most frequently found himself haunted by the memories. The last few hours he spent at your side were simultaneously the best and worst in his life.

"I like to think Miss Stark would indeed love the design." JARVIS said.

Dum-E - who was positioned at the desk Tony was sitting at - beeped in monotone. It was clear that even his semi-conscious body missed you.

Tony sighed. "I know, buddy."

After a moment of mourning silence, JARVIS spoke again. "Ms. Potts is on her way up, sir."

Tony looked at the mess of his lab.

The floor was cracked from where the mannequin had snapped, the dust was hanging in the air, pebble-sized debris was scattered around, and the mannequin was against the wall where an indent had now been made.

Spring cleaning was not an option.

"Dum, you wanna do your old man a favor?" He said.

With a series of beeps, the machine obeyed, getting straight to work. Tony jumped to his feet and began to move the mannequin right as the lab door opened.

Pepper stopped as she took in the mess.

"Did I miss something?" She questioned.

Tony - midway through shoving the mannequin in a closet - dropped the target and simply smiled, his arms spread wide.

"Pepper Potts, love of my life." He greeted flamboyantly. "How are you?"

She remained quiet, too stunned to speak.

"Good, good." Tony continued, walking over to embrace her. "Taking a break from all that paperwork? My lovely CEO."

He placed a kiss on her cheek and she finally smiled back. Upon seeing this, Tony grinned.

"The paperwork is fine." Pepper told him. "I just got concerned when I heard what sounded like a bomb go off up here."

"Oh, that." He glanced at the corner which was still being cleaned by Dum-E. "I wouldn't call it a bomb, persee."

"Then what?"

"Just some Avengers stuff. I'm working on a thing for Banner of the Apes."

"Ah." She nodded. "No further questions."

"Yeah, probably best. I'll work on the mess thing."

During the past year, Tony and Pepper had still been going strong. A lot of it was obviously because of their personal dedication, but another part was also due to your will. You had made it clear that you were so happy for them and hoped they'd go on forever which made them all the more determined to make their relationship work.

They had arguments and disagreements like every other couple but they always figured it out in the end. Maybe Tony ended up sleeping on the couch once in a while and Pepper stayed late at the office, but their love never wavered.

"I hope you didn't forget about tonight." Pepper said.

Tony blinked as a frown slowly appeared on his face. "Tonight?"

Anniversary?

Birthday?

A deadline?

"Uh..." He didn't know what he was missing. "Yeah. Tonight. I remember."

Pepper merely rolled her eyes. "You forgot, didn't you?"

"No."

"Tony."

He grimaced at her stern tone. "Yes."

"Oh, my - Are you serious?"

"Sorry, sweetheart. Got carried away today. I'm sorry."

Pepper sighed. "We're hosting dinner with the Parkers tonight in the apartment. Rhodey's coming too."

"Oh!" We shifted his gaze, suddenly remembering. "That."

"Yes, 'that.'"

"Did we have any plans?"

"Italian."

"Right. No, yeah, I got it. Shit." He looked at the ceiling next. "JARVIS."

The AI replied immediately. "Yes, sir?"

"You're supposed to remind me of these things."

"I did. Three times. You told me to hit the snooze button."

Tony pursed his lips, feeling awkward now. "You sure? Doesn't sound like me."

"We've still got time." Pepper assured him. "If you pick Pete up now then you'll have a few hours before the others finish work."

"Alright. J, order a bunch of Italian ingredients and get one of the interns to sort out delivery. I'll figure out the rest while I pick up the kid. Pep, you coming?"

"Sorry, I've got a meeting." She apologized. "Rand Enterprise."

Tony made a face. "Ugh. Fine. Deal with Danny Fisty."

"I'll be done in a couple hours and I'll meet you at the apartment, okay?"

He didn't say anything but nodded and leaned in for a quick kiss. Afterwards, Dum-E made a few high pitched beeps to signal that he wanted to join them. He'd only joined the Saturday dinners once before when it took place in the tower due to a schedule conflict.

"Not this time." Tony told the bot, understanding perfectly what he was after. "Dining tables aren't made for robots. Remember the disasters last time?"

He did a much more depressing beep.

"Work on cleaning up your own messes and maybe next time you can come." Pepper told him in a soft voice, much like a parent comforting a child.

Tony put his arm around Pepper's waist and gave her another quick kiss.

"I'll see you later." He said.

She nodded with a smile. "Remember, Ben and May finish work after seven. May said Peter's with the Leeds'. He and Ned had a sleepover."

"Ugh, children." He teased. "You sure I can't leave the kid?"

Pepper smiled again and playfully nudged him. "You like him really."

"Eh. Sometimes."

"Go on. He adores you, you know that."

"Well... I do like being the favorite."

"Exactly."

He gave a little shrug, stepping back to turn off the lab lights. "Get me the address, J. It's been a hot minute."

"Already done, sir." JARVIS told him.

"Thanks, Tony." Pepper said.

As she spoke, she glanced at the mess the Hulk Buster had made. "Seriously, how did that happen? What are you working on exactly?"

Tony merely smirked.

Chapter Text

The Midtown Expressway was a nightmare as per usual.

Traffic was piling, drivers were raging, and there was a general sense of negativity in the air.

Tony was on his way to Woodside to pick up Peter from the Leeds residence. Normally he would have sent a driver or gotten Happy to take him, but he had a fondness for Peter which motivated him to go himself for a change.

His fingers drummed along the steering wheel of his very expensive car as Black Sabbath's 'Iron Man' played through the also very expensive speakers. He hummed along to the lyrics and mumbled a few words before slouching in his seat and gazing through the window.

Once the song ended the news program that was on beforehand resumed. The most infamous editor-in-chief in the state showed up on the radio as a result.

J. Jonah Jameson.

Tony didn't think much of the Daily Bugle's publisher and his crusade against heroes, commonly referring to him as a grumpy and bitter old man. Still, he couldn't be bothered to switch the station over.

"That's for all you satanists out there." Jameson was saying. "Seriously, who listens to that stuff nowadays?"

Tony scoffed, assuming that Jameson was most definitely a jazz man.

"Now, discussing something that's actually relevant, today marks the anniversary of the Battle of New York. A purely devastating tragedy that left many scarred, many injured, and many more... Dead. It was a brutal introduction into the world of so called 'superheroes' and 'good guys' and I personally think that if these people - most notoriously the Avengers - even cared, then they'd be doing a lot more today than vacationing and sipping margaritas on a beach, wouldn't you agree?"

Tony's jaw clenched. He refused to look at the radio and kept his gaze solely on the views outside the car window.

"It seems this country is courting bad luck." Jameson continued. "On top of the New York City battle, just last year we were exposed to the truth of secret organizations and schemes. The collapse of what can't be more aptly named than a 'spy agency' - SHIELD - triggered further destruction on our already corrupt world. The Triskelion building collapsed, weapons of the most advanced tech were destroyed, and many lost their lives yet again. One of the most notorious deaths was (Y/n) Stark - the prodigal daughter of one of our leading vagrants, Iron Man. So, who's to blame for this? The heroes of course!"

That was enough. Tony leaned forward again and switched the radio off.

He couldn't believe the crap he'd just heard. Not only about you, but about the Avengers apparently not giving a damn. It was all bullshit. He himself had suffered severe PTSD from the events that transpired and in the months following the disaster the entire team had set up fundraisers and often visited the memorials to share in grieving.

As for the SHIELD collapse? They admittedly couldn't do much about what happened in the capital, but that leak happened to expose HYDRA, to try and ensure that they couldn't hide again. By dumping their information on the web, the Avengers found it easier to locate the bases and get a few steps closer to destroying the organization for good. He and Steve had also visited the funerals for fallen SHIELD members to pay their respects.

Jameson was as ignorant as he was bitter and glub.

As Tony stopped at a red light and fought the urge to run it, he realized where he was now waiting. Calvary Cemetery was visible in the distance.

He could see the many white marks that were actually headstones dotted around the grassy plains but only one caught his eye. On the hill, under the shade of a tree, stood one lone marker. Scattered beside this was an array of purple flowers that he was certain he hadn't planted or or left himself. Still, he was glad people hadn't forgotten you.

"Hey, sweetheart." He said quietly. "I know I haven't visited this week but hang in there, alright? I thought running a billion dollar company was time consuming but apparently heading the Avengers alongside Captain Obvious is worse. I had a few meetings and excursions to deal with but I'll stop by soon, I promise. We've got that Parker dinner tonight, too."

He watched the breeze ruffle the tree leaves for a moment as he thought about what else he could tell you.

He always visited a few times a month if he could, refusing to stay away long enough to see the flowers wilt. Perhaps it was a way of punishing himself for what happened, making sure he saw you as often as he could to replace the years of ignorance and narcissism on his part. He made sure to tell you everything that happened so you wouldn't miss a single thing.

Before he could say much more, the light turned green.

"Sorry, baby girl. I'll come back soon. Love you."

He was quick to drive on so as not to anger the already raging drivers on the road and glanced at the time.

"J, tell Karen I'll be there in a few minutes or something. Make sure the kid knows."

"Yes, sir."

-

The Leeds apartment was a very homely place.

It had a floral scent accompanied by a beautiful waft of whatever was cooking on the stove. The furniture was mostly pastel shades which made the place seem lit up with happiness and guaranteed that it never looked dark or empty.

Inside Ned's room, Peter was folding his pajamas and trying his best to place them neatly back into his overnight bag. On the other side of the room, Ned was sitting on his bed with a pile of flashcards balanced on one knee.

"When alpha particles go through gold foil they become-"

"Unoccupied space." Peter answered.

"Correct." Ned confirmed. "How can an electron leap between atomic levels without passing through all the space in between?"

"It can't, because that would be classed as a quantum leap which is very misleading."

"Yep. Okay, last question. Atomic mass and proton/atomic number of sodium."

"Mass number is twenty-three, proton/atomic number is eleven."

"Aced it. Do you even need to study?"

Peter finished putting in his clothes from the day before with a light shrug. "Can't hurt."

Ned also shrugged his shoulders in agreement. "This is easy stuff, anyway."

The pair were on their way to finishing 8th grade so the revision was for their end-of-year exams. The more urgent topics they needed to pass were science and math but it seemed as if neither would be struggling with that. Once they passed, they would be moving on to high school.

"Peter, Mr. Stark has arrived." Karen's voice spoke up, coming from the watch on the boy's wrist. "He's waiting for you."

Peter began to smile as he hastily threw the rest of his stuff in the bag and zipped it up. "Thanks, Karen!"

Ned couldn't help but stare in awe at the watch. He still couldn't get used to the fact that his best friend had an AI at his beck and call. It was wild to him.

Right as Peter slung his bag over his shoulders, a buzzer sounded throughout the entire apartment. In the living room, Nina Leeds went to answer the door, a sweet and welcoming smile on her face as she opened it.

"Hi, there." She greeted.

"Hey." Tony replied, returning the smile. "Not late, am I?"

"No, of course not. The boys are just studying. Oh, and I'm making some dessert if you want to take some for tonight? There's plenty."

"That would actually save me a lot of trouble. I'll take it."

"Great! Come on in."

Peter heard the two talking from the bedroom and seemed even more excitable than before.

"We'll finish the lego falcon next time." He told his friend. "I'll see you at school?"

"Yep." Ned nodded. "Good luck."

"You too."

But before he could leave, Ned called him back. "Hey, are we celebrating this month?"

Peter turned again. "Huh?"

"Are we having a party?"

"Why? For the exams?"

Ned looked sadder now. "The 30th. That's (Y/n)'s birthday."

The other boy's expression also dampened considerably. "Oh."

"You know, it's been a year and stuff, so I just thought it'd be nice if we could do something for her."

"I, uh... I don't know." He looked at the ground. "Let's not talk about it now. We've still got a few weeks."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. We should concentrate on the exams, and then we'll talk to Mr. Stark about it."

Back in the other room, Tony and Nina were talking about plans for the dinner that night. When that was done, Tony noticed they were missing someone.

"So, where's the wife?" He asked.

"Oh, Dulce is getting us some last minute groceries." Nina said. "We ran out of milk this morning when Ned used all the cereal trying to find those little toy things."

Just then, the door to the bedroom opened and out walked Peter. He no longer looked like the embodiment of joy but rather the embodiment of brooding.

"Look who it is." Tony announced.

Peter did his best to smile. "Hello, Mr. Stark."

"Ah, come on. How many times have I told you to drop formalities? We're practically besties now."

"Yeah... Sorry."

The man frowned and then looked at Nina again as he tried another joke instead. "Has he been a helpful guest? You know, May and Ben always say they don't want him to be bratty."

Any other day, Peter would have laughed at that and retorted with his own joke. However, he barely flinched.

"I'm not a brat, Mr. Stark." He mumbled. "I've helped."

Noticing the change in mood, Tony ruffled the boy's curly hair in an attempt to get a smile. "I'm sure you have, kiddo. Don't worry about it."

It was hard to believe they had known each other for a year now. Tony usually tried to act indifferent towards Peter because it was simply just part of his personality, but he did truly care for the Parker kid, especially since he'd meant so much to you. If Ben and May were busy, he dropped everything to stand in for them and give Peter a hand.

Pepper frequently teased Tony over this and admired how protective he was becoming. Ben was the same, grateful that Peter could have a second paternal figure to look up to. Tony didn't brag about it for once and just called Peter his young protégé, allowing him visits to the lab as often as he liked.

"He's been an angel." Nina assured them. "Even if he's tucked away in the room being a little genius, he helps with washing the dishes or hanging the clothes. Karen's a darling too, reminding us when we've forgotten something and such."

"I'd expect no less." Tony replied as he moved his hand to Peter's shoulder. "I think he'll make a fine housewife one day."

"He will be with the way you tease him."

"It's my way of showing affection."

"I'm used to it, Mrs. Leeds." Peter said, attempting another smile. "Mr. Stark is teaching me 'the art of sarcasm.'"

"See? Kiddo gets it."

The woman shook her head with a smile. "You two..."

As the two exchanged more teasing she turned away to grab a large tupperware container filled with desserts. After securing the lid she held it out.

"Kutsinta." She explained.

She placed it on the table and Tony - who was grateful she didn't try to hand it to him - picked the box up from there.

"Thanks." He said.

"No problem at all. There's also coconut flakes on the side in case anyone's allergic."

"No problems with that, Ninny. And while I'm here, Pep would love it if you could send her that kare kare recipe. I wouldn't mind either. It's delicious."

"Of course I can. I'm glad you like it."

"Great. Keep it up and I'll hire you as our own personal chef."

She laughed. "Well, if the nursing job ever fails I'll take you up on that offer."

"I'll hold you to that." Tony looked at Peter again. "Ready to go?"

Peter gave a single nod. "Hmm-mm."

"Then we'd better head out before we're late."

As they went for the door, Peter stopped and waved at Nina. "Bye, tita."

The woman returned the gesture. "See you later, Peter."

-

Twenty minutes later, and the car ride to the apartment was filled with silence.

Peter was still thinking about Ned's words and it had ruined his mood entirely. He didn't blame Ned at all, but the thought of celebrating your birthday without you actually being there was just horrible to him. He wanted you back. He wanted to mess around with his big sister, he wanted to binge Star Wars for the hundredth time, and he really just wanted to hug you one more time.

SHIELD's family safety apartment - or just SFS apartment - was located beside a small park. As they drove by the side of this park, Peter couldn't help but sigh.

It was beautiful. The leaves were in their prime shades, the flora was vibrant and dancing in the breeze, children ran while their parents watched, and he could hear the laughter even from inside the vehicle.

Tony side-eyed Peter as he drove, his face of concern subtle. Normally the two had a lot to talk about. Well, Peter would do the talking and Tony would occasionally comment with some kind of witty remark. He missed the yapping.

To fill the silence, he decided to check on the dinner plans.

"Hey, JARVIS." He spoke up. "What's the progress on the Italian tonight?"

"Very good, sir." The AI replied. "An intern has collected an array of vegetables to combine with garlic bread and left it all in a package outside the apartment. Due to time constraints, however, they were unable to collect the pasta and sauce."

"Great. Shi-" He quickly cut himself off, remembering who was also in the car at that moment. "Shizzle. Shizzle and funker."

Peter raised an eyebrow, knowing exactly what the man intended to say.

"You're not very subtle." He commented.

Tony stuck out his tongue like a scolded child. "Looks like we're stopping at the store. Maybe that Delmar place you like."

"You can use our stuff if you want." He offered.

"Don't worry about it."

It wasn't because he was being polite, it was because Tony didn't think he was the kind of man who should borrow off others. He was a billionaire after all, and that meant he could pay for his own stuff.

"Seriously, Aunt May and Uncle Ben won't mind." Peter insisted, although more shyly. "They're really proud of the Italian side of the family so we've always got loads after pasta night. I can help too."

As he spoke, Peter remembered a fun memory of when you had been invited to your first pasta night with them some years ago. Just to see who would react, you had snapped the pasta in half before placing it in the pot. Long story short, May had spent a good hour afterwards chasing you with a towel and lecturing you on how to properly do pasta. Peter and Ben had been laughing the entire time.

"Fine. You've twisted my arm." Tony said upon seeing the look in Peter's eyes. "I'm making my mom's special. Ratatouille pasta with mushroom soup and garlic bread."

The Parker boy was pleasantly surprised. "So you can actually cook? Iron Man can cook?"

"I'll try not to be offended. But yes, I can. Mom insisted."

"Are you sure you didn't just watch lots of Ratatouille?"

"No!" He scoffed. "Do people seriously not think I'm capable of serving Michelin standards? I've never even seen Ratatouille!"

"But-"

"Take a nap, kid."

"Mr. Stark-"

"Nap."

Peter pouted. "Why?"

"Because your bigger than average brain must be exhausted from all that studying." He replied sarcastically. "I want you to have energy tonight if you're helping."

"I'm fine."

"Nope."

"I am."

"Uh-uh. I'm smart, you're not. I'm big, you're little. I'm right, you're wrong."

"Isn't that from Matilda?"

"Just listen to the adult."

-

As Tony and Peter walked through the apartment building, they picked up the package left by the intern on the way.

Peter watched as his hero checked the contents of the bag. "It must be cool having JARVIS arrange things like this."

"Yep." Tony confirmed, satisfied that most of what he needed was there. "I like being lazy."

"Me too. I think everyone does."

As they made their way to the right floor, they passed a few other residents who all said hi to the pair. It used to be that they would all be starstruck at seeing a celebrity and a CEO in their simple complex and gossip constantly, but now they were just used to Tony and Pepper's presence. They greeted them just as friends would.

"Oh, hey, Tony." One such resident grinned. "Peter."

"Hey." Tony replied. "How's the car?"

"All good thanks to you. I appreciate it."

"No worries."

"Hey, seriously. I don't know how you did it, but she's better than ever."

"Just some TLC and a lot of patience."

It was definitely out of character for Tony Stark to spend time helping out others and being so humble about it, but again he owed the change in personality to you. Knowing how much these people meant to you and seeing how much they cared when you died, he wanted to try and repay that, especially for those who couldn't afford professionals. He fixed cars, tended to the plumbing, and sorted out electrical problems to name a few.

Paparazzi was of course an issue with such a big name visiting such a small place, but the reporters had learned the hard way not to bother anyone when Pepper and Tony showed up, or when any of the other Avengers stopped by.

"I got it." Peter said when they reached his apartment. "I get a key now."

Tony smirked. "Good for you. Now don't go napping in there. I told you to get it out earlier."

The boy playfully rolled his eyes and pushed open the door, leaving it ajar in case Tony wanted to go in as well. However, his eyes landed on the door just next to that one.

Your place.

Even though he owned it now he could never refer to it as his own, not when you had so many memories there. It didn't feel right.

He took the key from his pocket and opened the door. As the usual scent of lavender and pine greeted him, he allowed himself to close his eyes and smile and just relish the moment. Once it passed, only then did he enter the premises.

"Hey, (Y/n)." He said. "I'm home."

Sometimes he imagined seeing you come around the corner with bright eyes and a wide grin waiting with some fantastic story from work, or even coming to complain because someone broke your favorite vending machine. That's how he imagined you might be from the stories he heard anyway. He always hoped it might happen and every single time he was left hopelessly waiting.

"The renovations are almost done, huh?"

He looked at where the kitchen and living room were now joined. The wall that separated the two was completely gone now, giving the two spaces a more spacious and brighter feel. There were more things of course, including your record collection on display and the framed picture of you doing the Iron Man pose.

He reached out to the closest item of clothing and held it up. It was a red leather jacket with gold studs. It looked custom made and reminded him of his suit.

The seconds were beginning to hurt more and more.

He couldn't look away from the jacket, even as Pepper entered the room to see if he was okay. Upon seeing him in the corner with that particular jacket she knew what must have been going through his head and a heartbroken expression appeared on her features.

She watched as his bottom lip trembled and his hands began to shake, and she came forward the second he let out his first sob.

Tony held your jacket close and let the scent that lingered overwhelm him. Life was a wicked game. It had taken the most important thing in his world and he hadn't even realized that fact until it was too late.

Pepper wrapped her arms around him and immediately he fell to his knees. She held him tightly and whispered words of comfort as he leaned into her loving embrace.

-

"Mr. Stark?"

Tony was thrown from the memory and blinked several times until he remembered where he was. He was standing in your bedroom, the bag of ingredients at his feet.

"Mr. Stark?" Peter tried again.

Tony cleared his throat and quickly stooped down to retrieve the bag again before he turned around. Peter had what they needed cradled in his arms but his expression was concerned.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Tony merely nodded and forced down any emotions to keep up his usual pretense. "Never better."

"I, um... I got the stuff."

"Great job, kid. Time to cook up a feast."

Peter watched as Tony walked past him and straight to the kitchen, immediately busying himself with whatever needed doing first.

Chapter Text

It was 6pm.

Peter had gone to his bedroom, lay on his bed as he stared blankly at the blue-painted walls and numerous geeky posters. He was remembering the conversation he had with Ned a few hours earlier.

He'd made the excuse of absence by saying he was tired from all the studying, but in truth he needed the space and quiet to think about what to do for your birthday. It was his favorite day of the year because you always spent it with him no matter what.

Not this time.

You were basically the sibling he always wanted, and now you were gone.

For the many years he'd know you, you'd all spend the day together doing something simple yet fun such as meals out or a family movie theater. One time he, you, Ben, and May drove all the way to the beach and Peter had sat on your shoulders while you all stayed to watch the sunset.

Without you, the day would be hard, but he couldn't just let it pass without doing something significant. He was going to visit your grave anyway so it hardly counted as something special when he did it so frequently.

A red light appeared on the watch you left him.

"Peter?" Karen spoke.

The boy blinked, coming back from his thoughts. "Hey."

"You should rest, Peter."

"I'm fine."

"I would recommend one hour each day to match with your study schedule and day-to-day activities. Mr. Stark also told me to make sure you get your 'beauty sleep.'"

Peter sighed and turned on his side to face a different wall instead. "Fine."

There was a beat of silence.

"Are you alright, Peter?"

He sighed again. "Yeah."

"I disagree."

He scoffed. "Why?"

"You don't appear physically hurt but your body is displaying symptoms of reduced cortical activation."

"No, I'm okay." He repeated. "It's just... I was thinking about what Ned said."

It only took a moment for Karen to recall the conversation from her data.

"The birthday of Miss Stark. As my creator, her birthday is logged into my system."

"I'm not sure what to do."

"May 30th is still some time away, Peter. You'll think of something. I believe in the meantime she would prefer that you focus on your exams."

"I know. It's just hard."

"Should I call Mr. Stark for assistance?"

"No! I mean, no thanks. I wouldn't want to bother him with the dinner and all. Don't mention it, please. Or to Ben and May."

As he talked, his gaze drifted to the open photo album on his nightstand. He'd been looking through it when he first got back to his room. The current page was filled with pictures of you and him building legos while doing the most ridiculous poses known to man.

Karen kept processing the signs Peter's mental and physical state were displaying and she could tell he was still feeling upset over it all. She wanted to help as much as her capacity would allow, but even for an AI such as herself it was hard.

"I understand, Peter." She said. "I won't tell anyone."

"Just tell them I'm studying if they ask."

"Got it, little boss."

"Where's May and Ben?" He then asked.

A pause.

"According to the car GPS, they will be arriving home in thirty-four minutes."

"Really?" He questioned. "I thought Aunt May would be late today."

"I assume she left early. Uncle Ben was also elected employee of the month today and was rewarded with the rest of the day off and full pay."

"He's so cool."

"I agree. The route taken by the car's GPS also suggests Uncle Ben is picking up Aunt May from the hospital. I would take a shower in the meantime."

Peter frowned as he finally sat up in bed. "Are you trying to say I smell?"

"Not at all. Apologies."

"Don't worry." He smiled. "I'll do that."

He then went about gathering all the essentials.

Karen had been with the Parkers for a year now. It was a difficult adjustment at first, having an AI reminding them when they forgot things or automatically making shopping lists of required items or the chores that needed to be done, but over the year they had all come to regard her as part of the family.

Peter had bonded the most with his new friend and it could even be regarded as a relationship similar to that of Tony with JARVIS or FRIDAY. Karen was always prepared when it came to Peter since you had installed several protocols that put his safety and health above all else. In short, Peter cared for the AI like a friend or even sibling, and vice versa.

But he still missed you the most.

After his shower, Peter brushed his hair and checked his watch. "Are Ben and May here, Karen?"

"Yes, Peter. They arrived two minutes ago."

"Oh, where are they now?"

"Next door. The pasta is almost ready."

"Okay, I'll go there now. Thanks, Kar."

"No problem, Peter."

He left his bedroom and then the living room, closing the door behind him. He didn't lock it since he was only next door and the people of the building were all relatively good natured.

In front of your door he stood and took a shaky breath. All he could think about was the moment he first met you on that very spot.

He politely knocked on the wood before letting himself inside.

Ben and May were sitting on the living room couch and laughing with Rhodey. Pepper was setting the table and Tony was working away in the kitchen.

"Well, you know, the suit can take the weight, right?" Rhodey was saying, obviously recounting a story. "So I take the tank, fly it right up to the general's palace, drop it at his feet, and I'm like 'boom! You looking for this?'"

Ben, May, and Pepper laughed which seemed to please Rhodey exponentially. Meanwhile, Tony just rolled his eyes.

"Do you have to tell everyone that story?" He asked flatly.

Rhodey shrugged. "It kills, man. Besides, I haven't told everyone. Just my mom, colleagues, and some of the new recruits."

"Yeah, really inner circle, huh?"

Just then, Pepper noticed the new arrival and smiled warmly. "Hey, Peter."

The boy smiled back and approached everyone else.

"Hello, Ms. Potts." He smiled. "Did I miss anything?"

"Not at all. Come on in."

He obliged and seated himself at the couch next to his aunt and uncle. May hugged him tightly. The smell of his shampoo was still there and it made her smile.

"It's about time you showered." She teased.

He nodded. "I know. I had a nap as well."

"That's good." She ruffled his hair and kissed the top of his head. "You study too hard sometimes."

"He's fine." Ben dismissed with a playful smile. "Aren't you, Pete?"

The boy nodded. "Yep."

"What'd you do at Ned's?"

"Just some science stuff. Nothing special."

"Aw, come on, that's it? No gory details about particles or neurons or... Stuff?"

Peter laughed at the confused expression on his face and nodded. "I promise it's not interesting."

They then heard Tony move from the kitchen and set down a piping hot tray of pasta and mozzarella muttering 'hot' repeatedly. Peter could smell the dish from the couch and was practically drooling with anticipation.

"Is that the ratatouille pasta, Mr. Stark?" He questioned. "It smells so good."

Tony gasped dramatically. "He's awake! And how is my little protégé?"

"I'm okay. I did what you said."

"See, beauty sleep works wonders, doesn't it?"

"I guess." He motioned to the pasta. "Is it done?"

"Pretty much. It's gonna be the best damn pasta you ever tried."

"Since I'm the Italian, I'll be the judge of that." May chimed in.

"Trust me, you'll love it." He promised. "This is my mom's special, with the added spice of Tony. You'll give me an A+."

"He's not lying for once." Pepper said, nodding along. "It's actually not bad."

"He's come far." Rhodey teased. "I still remember when he burned mac and cheese that one time. But there was also the pepper flakes in the ramen two weeks ago."

Tony glared. "We don't speak of it."

Ben chuckled so much that it almost turned into a coughing fit. He wheezed a little but quickly regained himself.

"How do you manage to burn mac and cheese?" He asked Tony.

"With great skill." The billionaire muttered.

"You amaze me, boy-o."

"I'll tell you everything later." Rhodey whispered to Ben. "Wait until you hear about the white sauce."

Tony still heard it and gave his best friend a look of exaggerated betrayal and offense. "Your lack of loyalty hurts me, Rhodes. It was hardly my fault."

"Sorry, what's that?" Rhodey mocked, putting a hand by his ear. "I couldn't hear over the smoke detector."

"Alright, smartass. I'm very distracted these days, you know? I'm a busy man, running the Avengers and being rich."

Peter was laughing throughout the entire exchange. "Can you tell me about all this too, Mr. Rhodey?"

Rhodey smirked. "You bet."

"Great, you've turned my biggest fan against me." Tony complained. "I won't let you eat my pasta. Either of you."

"But, Mr. Stark-" Peter whined.

"He's joking." Pepper promised, elbowing Tony in the ribs. "Aren't you?"

The man mumbled an apology under her glare.

"Right." The woman soon smiled again. "Places, everyone."

Everyone happily gathered in their chosen seats at the table. It was a very modern-esque and polished decoration, having been bought about two months after Tony and Pepper officially claimed the apartment as theirs.

While Tony retrieved the salad and vegetable bowls for the pasta, everyone at the dining table spoke in hushed whispers.

"I still can't believe Iron Man can cook." May chuckled.

"Trust me, it's a new thing." Pepper told her. "When I first started working for him he didn't know where the serving spoons were in his own home."

"Wouldn't put him in charge of the last meal, though." Rhodey joked.

Ben nodded thoughtfully. "I'd just order a pizza. Nothing fancy."

"Spoken like a man after my own heart." Tony said as he came back to the table and set everything down evenly. "Who needs all the works when a simple Hawaiian will do?"

"Exactly."

Once Tony was also seated, Rhodey went to dig in straight away. However, Pepper lightly smacked his hand away as May offered to say grace.

"Bless us, our lord." She began, holding the hands of her husband and nephew. "Bless our food and our drink and this meal. We thank you for allowing us all to be safe and happy and with each other. And thank you for our wonderful hosts, Tony and Pepper. Amen."

"Amen." Everyone repeated.

As soon as it was said, Rhodey dove for the pasta first, apparently starving. They each tucked into something different whether it be the pasta, vegetables, garlic bread, or the soup. There was something for everyone's tastes.

"This is amazing." Ben said as he tried the mushroom soup.

The avenger smirked. "Thank you, Uncle Benjamin."

"Seriously. I'll be stealing this. This is some authentic mushroom taste right here."

"Pasta's not bad either." May admitted. "Good job."

"Try not to praise him too much." Pepper smiled. "His ego can't handle it."

"No, no, no." Tony leaned forward, his chin resting on clasped hands. "Go on."

"Tell them about the incident with (Y/n)." Ben suggested to his wife. "It was brilliant."

May nodded as a smile graced her features. "It was one of our first dinners I think. We had a meal just like this and (Y/n) was in charge of the pasta. You know what she did?"

"Something truly evil?" Rhodey teased.

"Near enough. Right in front of me, she had the audacity to crack the pasta in half."

While she recounted having to chase you around the apartment and everyone had mixed reactions of shock and awe, Tony smiled to himself. He had done the exact same thing when he was a kid and his mom had also chased him around the house for a good twenty minutes.

The only person not laughing was Peter.

He wanted more memories like that. Anything that might bring you back.

He wanted to sit next to you like he always had. He wanted to hear the crazy work stories you always told. He wanted to play footsie with you under the table like you always did.

He wanted his big sister back.

-

On a Saturday about a year ago, you and Peter had been spending the evening together for your birthday.

The two of you had watched the new Maleficent movie together and were absolutely obsessed. After that you had gone to a Korean restaurant and almost started a food fight between the entire building, you had visited Sephora and Victoria's Secret to spend the gift cards given to you by Agent Hill, and you had admired the scented candles gifted by Aunt May and the tools Uncle Ben had given you.

You wished the two could have come with you and Peter to the movies at least but unfortunately that weekend Ben had a police conference in Atlantic City and May had gone with him, leaving Peter under your care for a while.

"The king was so evil!" Peter exclaimed as you talked about the movie. "I feel so bad for Maleficent."

"I know!" You agreed just as enthusiastically. "That was not cool."

"How could he take her wings like that?"

"Some people are just driven by ambition, kiddo. He desperately wanted to be king so he did whatever it took to get it. I did think the relationship between Maleficent and Aurora was really sweet, though."

"Yes! I loved how much little Aurora loved her. It kinda reminded me of us."

You smiled. "Aw."

"It's true! I look at you and see a beautiful and incredible and cool and really amazing person just like Aurora did with Maleficent."

"You're the best, you know that?" As the two of you reached the car, you held him in a side hug. "I love you, Pete."

He looked up at you with eyes full of admiration. "I love you too, Ellen."

"Come on." You ruffled his hair and let him go. "I know Ben and May are out of town but they'll still kill me if you don't abide to the bedtime laws. We should head back."

"Okay. Are you sure there's nothing else you want to do for your birthday?"

"Nah, I'm okay. Spending the day with my honorary little brother and inventor-in-crime was more than enough."

"I still think we should go somewhere special. Like maybe we could go camping in the mountains or visit the beach again. I can talk to Uncle Ben."

"Don't worry about it." You said as you started up the car. "I've got plans for tonight. There's a place my grandfather used to own. I've got a tradition."

"What kind of tradition?"

"Something really special. I was inspired by some Eastern celebrations."

"Can I come?"

"It's late. I'll only be gone an hour. And I can't leave the apartment unguarded can I?"

Peter pouted. "But it sounds cool."

"It is. But maybe next year, eh?"

"Please!"

You went to insist it was something to do alone, but in the end you caught sight of his disappointed expression and sighed.

"Tell you what, I'll think of something alternative."

He looked up, excited again. "Really?"

"Yeah."

After a short drive you pulled up outside the apartment building. You and Peter walked all the way to your floor and after quickly checking on his apartment, entered your own.

Peter watched as you put all your shopping in your bedroom. He looked intrigued, eager to know this secret tradition of yours. When you finished storing everything, you couldn't help but laugh at how excited he seemed.

"Someone's eager." You teased. "Maybe I won't show you after all."

His face dropped. "No! No take-backs!"

You raised your hands in surrender and laughed again. "Alright. Sorry."

You also brought out your blanket and then reached for a box of tissues, bringing them both over. Peter looked confused.

"What're they for?" He asked.

"Trust me." Was all you said. "They're more for me."

After playfully scooting him off of the couch you reorganized the pillows to make the seating area more comfortable and then let him back on. Once he was settled you sat down next to him and placed the blanket over you both. Immediately Peter snuggled up to you, his arm around yours.

"FRIDAY." You called. "Projection on the television, Protocol Waterlight."

"Yes, miss." The AI replied.

Soon enough, the projection illuminated the entire room. Peter's mouth was hanging open in awe as he took in the scene.

He saw a calming lake with a distant sunset at the horizon. The water rippled and glistened like a million tiny diamonds under the twilight and little waterlights began to appear, floating on the surface. Their candles made the water appear like a night sky filtered with stars.

It was a memorial, even he could tell that.

As he watched, he noticed that every individual light was unique. Patterns and designs twisting their way around the paper to tell a story. It was brilliant and beautiful and yet... A little bit sad.

Although he was confused on what it meant, all his emotions became overpowered by concern and worry as he noticed the tears reflected in your eyes. He watched as you quickly cleaned up with a tissue.

"Sorry." You mumbled, attempting a smile.

"Why are you upset?"

"Oh, don't worry about it. This project always stirs up buried memories. Do you understand what it is?"

Peter looked back at the projection and took a long minute to study it all.

"Not exactly." He confessed. "But it makes me happy and... Sad? I want to smile and cry at the same time."

"Yeah." You nodded. "It has that effect."

"What's it for?"

"It's something that helps me." You tried to explain. "The aim was, I would look at this and remember my life. That means the first memories and maybe even the last and I would also remember how far I've come because of those things. Does that make sense so far?"

After a second, he nodded. "Kinda."

You chuckled. "I'll take a 'kinda.' It's a tribute to my life, a thing to make it symbolic. You with me?"

"The protocol is your life."

"Yeah. A symbol to remind me that I've made it. I've had the bad and the good and the okays and now I'm perfectly fine. My job, this home, you and Uncle Ben and Aunt May, the people I've known and places I've been, it's my peak."

When you looked at him more intently, you couldn't help but notice that he seemed a lot more sad than happy now. He didn't look ready to cry just yet, but it was still clear he was feeling something powerful.

"Do you have any memories like that?" You asked.

He looked down. Your question had apparently triggered something and his bottom lip trembled ever so slightly.

"When I was really young." He admitted. "There was an older boy who used to babysit me. He... He wasn't very nice. And he did things that... I didn't know what it was, but..."

You closed your eyes for a moment and remembered why you were sent to watch over this perfect boy in the first place. When you opened your eyes, Peter was silently crying. You slowly put your arm around him and lightly rubbed his arm for comfort.

"I know what happened." You said.

He looked at you, almost afraid. "You do? How?"

"It's a long story. But all that matters is that I know, and I won't ever let that happen to you again, okay? As long as I'm alive, you're protected from every bad thing in this world."

"Can you promise to be around forever?"

Your look turned sadder. "Forever is a long time."

"But do you promise?"

With a gentle sigh, you nodded. "I promise I'll be around forever. You're stuck with me, Petey."

Chapter Text

Peter kept his head down for most of the dinner.

Now that it had been brought up, he couldn't stop thinking about what he was supposed to do for your birthday. He knew what he wanted to do, but actually doing it would be the issue.

He barely touched his food, merely playing with the fork and pretending to eat. It was like the room was muted for him. He could make out shapes and vague sounds, but his only focus was the very loud circle of thoughts inside his head.

He was mindlessly tapping his fork against the plate when a hand on his arm startled him.

"Sorry, kiddo." Ben said, offering him a kind smile. "You okay?"

Peter stared up at him blankly as he slowly regained his senses. By the look on his uncle's face, a few had been trying to talk to him for quite some time.

"Sorry, what?" The boy questioned quietly. "Do I have sauce on my face again?"

"No, no, you're all good." Ben assured him. "You're just a bit quiet tonight, Pete."

"Oh..." He looked down. "Sorry."

"There's no need to apologize. What's up?"

"Nothing. I'm okay."

"Are you sure?" May asked, a concerned frown clouding her features. "It's not like you."

Peter forced a smile and nodded. "I'm fine, just really tired today."

"Hey." Ben moved his chair so it was beside his nephew and leaned down to see his face more clearly. "I know when you're lying."

"I don't wanna make a fuss."

"You're never a fuss. Talk to me, buddy."

Peter finally looked back up and saw Ben smiling at him. However, all that came to his mind was your own smile. He remembered a rough day at school in which you'd done everything humanly possible to cheer him up. You had said almost the exact same words to him then as Ben was now.

You told him to cry it out.

Remembering your gentle tone and comforting touch, it made him tear up again. His bottom lip began to quiver as he looked at Ben almost pleadingly.

"It's okay." Ben said, opening his arms for a hug. "Come on."
That was all it took for Peter to throw his arms around his uncle and begin crying silently into his shoulder.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled.

"You're alright." Ben said, rubbing his back soothingly as he shared a worried look with May. "Why didn't you say something earlier, Pete?"

"It's supposed to be a nice meal and I didn't want to ruin it by being upset and I can't tell you what's wrong because I thought it'd make Mr. Stark mad."

Even though his words were muffled, Pepper glared at Tony once she heard them, thinking he might have said something to make Peter feel that way.

"What did you do to him?" She asked.

Tony's jaw dropped. "Nothing!"

"Tony-"

"Hey, I'm innocent and just as worried as everyone else, I'll have you know. I too noticed the child was being uncharacteristically non-hyperverbal. I thought he was just tired like he said."

"Excuse me." Karen's voice spoke up.

Peter separated from Ben to look at his watch as it lit up.

"Do I have permission to explain, Peter?" She asked.

The boy hesitated but soon realized there was no point in hiding anything. Sooner or later everyone would figure out why he was withdrawn.

"Yeah." He confirmed with a glum edge.

With this permission, Karen explained the situation.

"Peter and Ned had a conversation earlier concerning (Y/n) Stark's birthday at the end of the month. He is struggling on what to do for the occasion and feels it should be commemorated appropriately."

The joyous air that celebrated the dining table quickly disappeared. It was replaced with a veil of sadness as the adults shared looks of guilt and surprise.

It hurt Tony the most. Unlike everyone else at the table he'd never celebrated your birthday with you. It was always Pepper and Happy and the Rhodes family who did it, and then later the Parkers and the SHIELD agents you were friends with. He hadn't been there for one song, one cake, and not even one wish.
May went to stand and comfort her nephew but Tony stopped her with a sad smile and offered himself instead. He moved around the table and then knelt in front of Peter, placing his arms on the boy's knees for balance.

"I miss her too." He said quietly. "It's like a punch to the gut every time I think about the what ifs and what could've been."

Peter nodded in understanding and quickly wiped his eyes free of tears as he sniffled.

"I want her back." He cried. "I lost my mom and dad and then she fixed that but then I lost her too. She shouldn't have died!"

"I know, kid. A lot of things in life aren't fair but what happened to her really took the cake. She should be here with us right now but some twisted turn of fate decided to screw us over and it sucks. Normally when something's broken I can fix it no problem, but this is the one thing that I can't work out. All we can do is - and I'm perfectly aware of how cheesy this sounds - work together to get through it."

"But it's so hard without her."

"I know. Trust me, I know. But you gotta remember the good times, alright? Think of all those moments and use them to keep her with you." He smiled as he comforted the upset boy. "You know, I'm actually jealous of how much time you got with her."

Peter's frown deepened. "You are?"

"Of course. You were like her best friend. Because of that, whatever we decide to do for her birthday is something she'd love."

"What do you think we should do?"

"Ah." Tony's smile faded a little. "Well I gotta be honest with you, kid, I didn't know her as well as you. (Y/n) and I didn't celebrate her birthday together. I was always too busy or using some other excuse and it's one of the bigger regrets now. All I know is I'm celebrating this year whether she likes it or not."

Rhodey spoke up then, reminding the two that they weren't alone. "Tony's right. We should figure something out."

Tony cleared his throat quickly, getting back to his feet and pretending he hadn't just been so vulnerable around the people closest to him.

"We could do something for each of us?" Pepper suggested. "I mean we could talk about what we did with (Y/n) and combine them this year."

A murmur of agreement followed the table.

"I did what the cool uncle always does." Rhodey answered first. "I took her to arcades and bought a lot of ice cream."

Pepper smiled. "(Y/n) always helped me make her birthday cake from scratch. We'd spend hours in the kitchen."

"We did day trips if everyone was free." May chimed in. "Movies or beach days, that kind of stuff."

Ben nodded with fond agreement before looking at Peter. "What about you, Pete? What did you two do?"

Peter was hesitant to talk about which memory filled his mind but eventually he found the courage to explain.

"We actually made a promise last year." He said. "She told me she had a tradition - like a project she worked on - and we promised we would do it together this year at a vacation house her grandpa owned."

Tony tried to recall any mention of that from the pages of your journal but he couldn't think of any tradition he'd read before.

"What'd she do?" He asked.

Peter did his best to explain the lantern rite you had shown him but it was a hard thing to put into words. As he talked about it, Ben remembered you mentioning a vacation house to which you might disappear for a few days at a time. It had to be what Peter meant.
"FRIDAY had it stored." His nephew then said. "She could show you."

"She's with Agent Hill right now, isn't she?" Rhodey questioned.

"Oh, yeah. Uh..." He tried to think of another way. "Oh! Karen?"

"Yes, Peter?" The AI in his watch replied eagerly.

"Hey, do you know about Protocol Waterlight? From (Y/n)'s files?"

"I do."

"Do you have access?"

"I'm afraid not. Although the files are in my database, I don't have the same projectional aid as FRIDAY."

"Is there another way?"

"Give me a moment."

Karen spoke not to the dinner gathering next, but over a course of encrypted communication lines that connected her directly to JARVIS.

"Hello, Karen." The other AI welcomed once he detected her presence. "How can I help you?"

"Hello." She replied. "Peter would like me to initiate Protocol Waterlight but I don't have access to the projections. Is FRIDAY able to transfer the data?"

"I'm afraid FRIDAY is occupied with Agent Hill on important business. Alternatively I suggest we override the television circuit and display Protocol Waterlight on the screen using a visual copy."

"Understood. Overriding now."

Back at the family dinner table, Peter was once more feeling dejected as he waited for Karen to get back to him.

"We could look it up?" May suggested.

While the other adults agreed, Peter glanced at his watch. He noticed the soft glow was dimmer than usual. That normally meant she was focusing power elsewhere.

"Karen?" He asked. "Did you find anything?"

"Sorry for the wait, Peter. JARVIS and I were unable to connect with FRIDAY but we have an alternative solution."

"Oh... Okay. What is it?"

On cue, JARVIS switched on the television across from the table. It was in clear view of everyone.

"Since the projection is unavailable, allow me to show an example instead. The tradition has roots in Asian culture, specifically lantern festivals and rites."

An image filled the screen.

It was a dark evening beside a lake in an exotic country by the looks of it. Dozens of people were kneeling where the water met the grassy bank with lanterns of all shapes, sizes, and colors in their hands. Some were smiling happily, some were somber, and some were crying, but all were there with family and friends to comfort them.

A few lanterns were already being pushed along the lake and others had been released into the sky. It was a charming light show and Peter could feel his eyes tearing up as he remembered what you had shown him a year ago.

"The tradition has much significance for a variety of reasons." JARVIS explained. "Some relate it to the birth of a new year or the passing of an old one. Others believe it aims to promote reconciliation, peace, and forgiveness. It symbolizes wholeness and unity within the family and honors the deceased."

A silence shrouded the table as they all watched the video play out. After a minute or two of just watching, Rhodey turned back to look at Tony.

"It's doable, right?" He asked. "It might not be the same but it's still a way to keep it alive or... Something."

Pepper quickly agreed. "We can do it every year."

The glare of the TV reflected in Tony's eyes as he stared long and hard at the video of the lanterns. He had to. He had to find a way to make it happen if you loved it so much.

"I want to do this as much as you, kid." He then told Peter. "We can even do it in the city, maybe find somewhere close to here."

Peter looked at him, wide-eyed and seeming a lot happier. "Really?"

"Yeah. I promise."

"Who can come with us?"

"We can talk to some of her work friends. The neighbors loved her too. Maybe I'll ring up-"

Before Tony could finish, Peter slid out of his chair and hugged him tight, his eyes shut as he clung to his hero.

"Thank you, Mr. Stark." He whispered.

Tony smiled. "Just doing my civic duty, sir."

-

A few hours later the dinner was finished.
Peter was half-asleep in May's arms as she carried him to the door.

"Tonight was brilliant, Tony." She said.

The man mocked a bow. "Why thank you, Aunt May."

Pepper came forward with a box of leftovers and a smile, offering it to Ben. "Here you go."

Ben thanked her with a matching smile. "We appreciate how you comforted Peter tonight."

Tony shrugged. "The kid needed it."

"Still, thanks anyway. Keep us updated on the birthday plans."

"You betcha."

"Have a good night." Pepper told them. "We'll be in touch."

After that, the Parkers left.

Pepper busied herself in the kitchen while Tony began looking through the bookshelves in search of a particular book.

All Pepper had to do was clean up some remaining cutlery since everyone else had helped with the rest. It only took her a minute and as she stood there drying her hands, she noticed that Tony had moved to the couch. The book he was looking for was your journal, now resting on his lap as he slowly flicked through the pages.

The journal was always displayed on the shelf next to a framed photo of you. It was placed there so anyone - if they wanted or needed to - could read through it. It was a form of closure for a lot of them.

Tony was so invested in finding what he was after that he didn't notice Pepper walking over to him. Finally he found an entry from shortly before Fury found you and convinced you to join SHIELD.

The date was marked as your birthday.

May 30th,
So I guess it's that time of year again. I gotta say, I don't know what to do. I'm stuck at my grandpa's retirement project because I haven't got anywhere else to go.
It's late and all I've done is shut myself in a room and watch crappy cartoon reruns. Not even the good stuff, just Powerpuff Girls and Brothers Grunt. Like at least show the good stuff. Where's Courage? Scooby? Gargoyles? Point is, I didn't do much today and it kinda sucks. I mean, birthdays are supposed to be cool, right? They're supposed to be fun and happy and you're supposed to be with family and friends who love you.

What about me? Is it selfish to be jealous of the ideal?

I guess it's not all bad, though. There's a park like fifteen minutes away and I stayed there for a bit with some leftover picnic food. Not the most glamorous birthday feast but I digress. But when I was there I saw this group with lanterns. It was strange to see that kind of thing in New York so I stayed and watched. The group let the lanterns float on the lake.

It was beautiful.

Tony glanced up from the page and looked over at the TV. The lantern festival was still paused on the screen.

-

It was the sunset of an as you stood in the park watching a small group of people push their lanterns along the calm surface of the empty lake.

You watched for a few minutes as the group who released them did the same. Eventually your curiosity took over and you curiously approached a man who was taking part.

"Excuse me." You said quietly.

The man looked at you for a moment, surprised. "Yes?"

"Hi. Sorry for interrupting but I wanted to say how beautiful this looks." You motioned to the lake. "What's it about?"

"Oh, this..." He smiled as he glanced over the display. "It's a lantern rite. It's a family thing for me."

"Really? It looks fun."

"It is. We let the kids decorate the lanterns however they want and then we come here to release them on the lake. Would you like to help us with the rest?"

"Oh-" You were taken aback by the kindness and blinked a few times. "Are you sure?"

"Of course, miss. The more the merrier."

"I'd love to. Thank you so much."

-
Tony read about how you didn't tell anyone it was your birthday as you didn't want to be pitied for spending it alone in a park.

He admired the bravery you had to speak up and talk to the stranger about the rite. He knew most people wouldn't dare. With a sad smile he continued to read the rest of the entry.

You wrote down all about getting to decorate your own lantern for hours with this group you quickly came to like the company of. There were multiple little drawings of the things you put on the lantern including presents and ribbons/bows and a surprisingly good drawing of a birthday cake.

You also wrote about how happy the experience made you feel and how the optimistic energy of your new friends seemed to radiate around the entire park and lift everyone's spirits. You got very poetic about it all which made Tony's admiration grow even more.

But soon he felt a pair of arms over his shoulders and looked up to see Pepper's gentle gaze looking back at him with a comforting smile.

He closed the journal and returned the smile as he leaned back in her arms. "Hi, honey."

Pepper leaned down and kissed him softly. "Hey. You okay?"

"Hmm. Just reading about her birthday."

"The lanterns?"

"Yeah. She really loved it."

"Then we're doing a good thing."

"Yeah." He held his hands over hers and sighed with content. "So how did the meeting with Rand go?"

"Well, after a lot of negotiations..." She kissed him a second time, smiling into the action. "We came to an agreement."

"That's my girl. I have no idea how you do it."

"Incredible patience and a possible coffee overdose."

He laughed. "Yeah, that sounds right."

She smiled again. "Tell me about (Y/n)'s journal entry."

Tony nodded, his look dropping to the object in his hands. "I checked out the time she found out about the lanterns. She went to a park and saw people doing it. She helped them."

As he explained in more detail, Pepper moved around the couch to sit beside him instead. As he talked Tony subconsciously began to hold the key dangling from the necklace over his chest.

"I actually forgot, you know." He confessed.

Pepper tilted her head. "Forgot what?"

"This month. What it was."

"Tony..."

"I know, I'm a terrible father even after she's gone." He slouched into the cushion, putting the journal on the arm of the couch. "How could I forget her birthday? I was there the day she was born and it was everything to me and then suddenly I wasn't there anymore. What kind of dad just forgets that?"

"The kind who grieves." Pepper told him with a comforting edge to her voice. "And you're not alone, Tony. It's hard to remember everything when we've all lost someone so special. Peter forgot until Ned reminded him, remember?"

"There's no excuse, Pep."

"Hey, you're not a terrible father. You comforted Peter when he got upset and you decided to continue the tradition she loved even though we have no idea how."

He seemed to remember something then and sighed. "I forgot about laws."

She nodded sadly. "Yeah. I'll have to look into it."

"It won't be too hard, right?"

"No, we're still doing this, I promise. We'll just have to look into lakes around the city. There's the river connecting Queens. And there's the beaches. We'd have to watch the tide but it's possible."

"Seems like a lot of odds stacked against us." He hesitated. "I don't want to break the kid's heart if we can't do this in the city. I don't want to break a promise to (Y/n) either."

"At most we'll need a permit."

He thought about it some more before nodding. "If we can get that, great. If not, I care about my daughter, not the law."

"I've got the afternoon free. I'll talk to the mayor first thing. But I might need you with me."

"Why's that?"

"He's a very big fan of the Avengers."

"Ah."

"Yep. We're gonna need to do some fan service."

"And what if duty calls?"

"I'm sure Agent Hill and I could think of something. She has quite the way with words."

"Sad, but true."

Then Tony pulled Pepper into his lap with a smirk, his hands around her waist to keep her close. She laughed softly and put her arms around him, leaning closer.

"What would I do without you?" He asked softly.

"Crash and burn." She teased.

He closed the gap between them in a very heated kiss. The couple were so immersed in each other that they didn't hear a flush coming from the bathroom or see Rhodey coming back into the living room.

He quickly noticed them, however.

"Oh, come on!" He groaned, turning around. "Seriously, guys?"

Pepper pulled away from Tony as a blush of embarrassment spread across her cheeks. Tony merely sat there with a grin on his face.

He apologized flatly. "Our bad."

Rhodey kept a deadpan expression as he crossed his arms. "You seriously couldn't wait until I'd gone home?"

-

Very early the next morning, Maria Hill was sleeping in her small apartment.

She seemed to be peaceful and comfortable, sleeping contently with a hand resting under the pillow where a gun was hidden. It was so early that not even the dawn had started to show itself through her window shades.

And then her phone began buzzing.

Hill was awake immediately but she didn't move a muscle, keeping her eyes shut tight.

"Good morning, Agent Hill. It is 4:37am. Your cell phone is ringing." FRIDAY announced.

The woman opened her eyes just enough to adjust to the darkness. "I don't care."

"I would advise you to answer."

Again, Hill refused. "It's too early, FRIDAY. And if it's Tony again, tell him to bother someone else."

"The call is from Phil Coulson."

That did it.

Hill sat up so quickly her back almost cracked with the movement. She was quick to grab her phone before Coulson hung up.

"Hello?" She answered. "Phil?"

"Hey." Came his casual reply. "I'm not surprised you're still awake."

Not wanting to admit she had in fact been happily passed out, Hill smiled awkwardly.

"Always." She said. "It's early for you, on the other hand. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, sorry about this. We need to talk." His tone turned serious. "It's about our previous discussion."

Hill's eyes widened as her grip tightened on the phone. "You found Loki's scepter?”

Chapter Text

Tony stared long and hard at himself in the mirror.

Most would think he was attempting to fix the tie around his neck or perhaps adjust the suit jacket to perfection, but the man was merely admiring his own face. A pile of work documents were set behind him on a cluttered table but he was young and not bothered by the mess. All he knew was that in five minutes he had to be ready to leave for a business meeting in Malibu with Obadiah.

Once Tony was done fawning over his reflection, he gathered up the documents he needed and stuffed them into a bag. With that over his shoulder he went to leave but ended up stopping dead in his tracks.

"Da-da?" A child's voice spoke up.

Standing in his doorway was you.

You were barely three years old, clinging to the frame as it held you up. You were in Scooby Doo pajamas with a stuffed bear trapped under your arm.

Tony sighed. "What do you want?"

You didn't seem to understand and merely stood there expectantly, gazing up at him with tired but bright eyes. He stood there in an awkward silence, not at all sure what he was supposed to do.

"B-Big day." You stuttered.

Tony frowned. "What?"

"Big day!" You repeated with a nervous edge, looking down. "It a big day."

"Big day." He was not impressed, merely raising a brow. "The hell does that mean?"

As you repeated it once more, it then made sense to him.

Birthday. It was your birthday.

"You want a card or something?" He questioned, feeling even more uncomfortable than before. "A pat on the back?"

"Da-da." You mumbled. "I want da-da."

"Yeah, I, uh... I got a thing."

You whined, doing your best to walk into the room. "I want big day with you."

He honestly didn't know what to do.

It wasn't that he didn't want to spend time with you, it was that he didn't know how. Was he a bad dad for wanting to escape the conversation already?

"Da-da?" You asked again.

"Look, kid, I-"

"Tony!" A new voice called. "Come on!"

He looked up as Obadiah appeared in the doorway right behind you. He was dressed impeccably as always and seemed more than ready to leave.

"What are you doing, Tony?" He questioned. "We've got two minutes."

Tony didn't reply and looked down at you. Obadiah did the same, only he looked far more displeased.

"What's she doing here?"

"I-I ask da-" You stumbled over your words, feeling scared of the man towering over you. "I want da-da to play."

He rolled his eyes. "Your dad's got more important things to do, (Y/n)."

"I want-"

"Don't be a brat. We've been over this."

You quickly shut up and looked back at the floor as you cuddled your bear even tighter.

"Bad." You mumbled, tearing up.

"Yeah." Obadiah nodded, then focused on his friend again. "You ready?"

Tony almost said something. Almost. But instead he merely nodded, his dark eyes ignoring your pleading ones as he walked past.

"The car's waiting." Obadiah said, vanishing around the corner.

Tony moved to follow him out of sight when yet another voice filled the room. It wasn't a normal one, though. It was eerie and familiar and sent a chill down his spine that caused him to freeze in place.

Very slowly, he turned around.

A masked man stood behind you. You seemed oblivious to his presence as you hid your face in the top of your teddy bear.

"Tony Stark." The masked man said with smug undertones.

"No..." Tony stepped back. "What are you doing here?"

He chuckled. "How cold is your heart to leave a crying child behind?"

Tony knew what this was now. He understood what was happening.

"You shouldn't be here."

The man shook his head and Tony could easily imagine a twisted and cruel smile behind the material of the mask.

"You truly are father of the year." He continued to mock. "Leaving her when she needed you, ignoring her as she cried for you. What life is that for a child?"

"Don't you dare."

"Maybe you should be grateful she ran when she did. Without you she was able to begin again, she could live a life of freedom rather than solitude and hate. Perhaps I should be thankful to you too, Mr. Stark, as she would not have been able to give up the scepter otherwise."

Tony's eyes widened in genuine fear when the man pulled a gun from inside his long coat and aimed it right at your head.

"No!" He yelled. "Stay away from her!"

It was too late. He only managed one step before a horrific bang echoed in the room. He dropped to his knees as your blood covered his suit jacket, his expression horror-struck and unfocused as he stared at your body.

The masked man laughed and moved the gun to face Tony instead. "Next on death row..."

Tony closed his eyes. "Get it over with."

"Oh, Tony... Don't you want more monologue of what an awful parent you are? Of how you made your daughter suffer? Of how you failed as a hero?"

With one hand still holding the gun, he used his other one to slowly remove the mask that blocked his features. His face was twisted into something unnatural and evil, the sheer lack of empathy enough to startle even the most strong willed.

"I must thank you for the weapons you have built in the past." He continued. "I appreciate the work you and Mr. Stane put into it. So no hard feelings, okay? This is for an old friend."

As he pulled the trigger, it was not another gunshot that sounded, but rather the low buzz of a phone...

-

Tony shot upright in bed with panicked gasps.

Just as a computer would become overloaded, as did his brain. After all, there is only a finite processing capacity for the mind, and once the ability to process fear is exceeded, the panic attacks begin.

With one hand on his chest and his other fumbling for a light, he tried desperation to catch his breath. He could feel the sticky sensation of sweat beading around his head and closed his eyes tightly to try and rid his mind of what nightmare he'd just witnessed.

He was in the bedroom of the apartment. It looked pretty much the same, only the closet had been emptied and instead turned into a desk area for whenever he and Pepper needed space to work.

It only took a few seconds for Tony to calm himself and it was the sound of his buzzing phone - along with the ringtone of Iron Man by Black Sabbath- that brought him back.

"J, who's calling?" He managed to ask despite still being breathless. "What time is it?"

"Good morning, sir." JARVIS quickly replied. "It is 5:02am. The call is from Agent Maria Hill."

Tony felt a hand on his shoulder and flinched, only to relax somewhat when he realized it was only Pepper. She looked concerned, as if she'd been trying to rouse him for a while.

"Hey, you're okay." She said. "You scared me."

"Pep, I..." Tony looked away. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's alright. What happened?"

"I'll, uh... Tell you after. I better take the call."

"Yeah, of course."

Giving his shoulder a little squeeze, she kissed his exposed skin gently before settling back into bed. Beside her was the beaten and aged stuffed bear she'd had since childhood. Tony smiled softly before grabbing the phone, surprised that Hill hadn't already hung up.

"Good morning." He greeted with a mock Southern accent. "Texas Crematorium. You kill 'em, we grill 'em."

Pepper had to fight back a laugh as even she could hear the heavy sigh that Hill let out.

"Very funny, Tony." The woman scoffed.

Tony smirked. "That's what you get for waking me at the asscrack of dawn, Agent."

"Hey, blame the world, not me. You're being called in."

"What? For a mission?"

"What else?"

"Great." He muttered sarcastically, running a hand over his tired expression. "What is it this time?"

"Take a guess." Hill replied.

"Uh... Wizards? Aliens? Gods? Some corrupt politician? I hear the Mayor of London's an odd one."

"Keep guessing."

"No offense, Hill, but it's too early for this. What's going on?"

"It's a private matter. You'll need to head to the R.A.F for the debrief."

The R.A.F was another name for the compound they were still renovating. It was mostly finished but Tony was having some minor modifications done to ensure structural integrity and whatnot.

"The place is still under construction." He pointed out. "Why not the tower?"

"Again, because of the matter itself."

"Jeez, you really are a gossip, aren't you?"

Again, Hill sighed. "This is serious, Tony."

Tony mimicked the sigh. "Fine, whatever. Have you told the others? Last I checked Thor was off-world and Bruce had a family reunion thing."

"We're aware and they've been informed. Dr. Jane Foster sent Thor a signal, Captain Rogers is bringing in Dr. Banner, we have ex-SHIELD informing Agent Barton, and Agent Romanoff is already on her way to you."

Tony couldn't help but chuckle at the potential situation Steve might find himself in once he arrived at the Banner reunion. After all, he remembered all too clearly what Bruce's cousin wanted to ask the super soldier.

"What are you laughing at?" Hill questioned.

"Oh, nothing." Tony said, still smiling at his own thoughts. "Bruce just has some very curious cousins I'm sure Cap would love to meet."

"Right..." She sighed. "Look, just be ready for Agent Romanoff. She'll be there soon."

"Yeah, got that-"

She hung up before he could finish the sentence, making him scoff as he put the phone down.

"Any trouble?" Pepper asked.

"The usual." Tony shrugged. "Being called in for a debrief."

"At this time? Is everyone else there?"

"On the way. Red is coming here and then we're heading to the R.A.F."

"The R.A.F?" She questioned. "Why there?"

He shrugged again. "No idea."

She thought about it for a moment before shaking her head. "You better get dressed."

Tony pouted. "I don't wanna."

"I don't think you'll want to be running around Stark naked either."

"Okay, one, that was a terrible pun, sweetheart. Two, I have suits here and there, I could take myself. Don't know why Romanoff has to come here. I've got a car. I've got several."

"That you've taken apart to tinker with." She corrected. "The only working ones are mine and the one you gave Happy for his vacation."

"Why the hell did I do that?"

Pepper chuckled. "Because you're kinder than you realize. But I take it the mayor's meeting is off now?"

"No, you should still go. I'll try and make it back after the meeting."

"Alright. Now get dressed."

"Hmm, I should." He began to smirk deviously. "Or I could do this."

He leaned in for a kiss. A very heated kiss at that.

His hands held her waist to keep her close and she smiled into the actions.

"Sorry if I'm late." He mumbled, now beginning to trail kisses down her neck. "I'll make it up to you."

Pepper tilted her head back as a soft moan escaped her lips. "If this is your way of doing that, I really don't mind."

He smirked as he looked up at her with another mischievous glint in his eyes. "Quickie?"

Still smiling, she playfully rolled her eyes. "Fine."

Tony's entire expression lit up as he pulled her in for another heated kiss.

-

Natasha had been waiting outside the apartments for a while now.

She was leaning against a fancy car with her arms crossed and a clenched jaw as she stared down the main door. It was too early even for her and she was craving coffee because of waiting after Tony for ten minutes.

The sun was beginning to rise by this point and she knew if another ten minutes passed, they would both be late and Hill would give them a lecture. The only other people seemingly awake were the joggers, their shoes thudding along the concrete as they passed streetlights and puddles.

Finally, the door opened.

Natasha watched Tony stroll outside with his usual lazy smirk. She was not impressed.

"It's about time." She said.

"You missed me really." Tony retorted.

"In your dreams."

Pepper soon followed him outside, two coffees and a container of sandwiches tucked in her arms as she walked down the steps and towards the car.

"I'm so sorry." She apologized. "We were just... You know..."

Natasha raised a brow, knowing perfectly well what they were doing while she waited. "Busy?"

"Yes." She blushed. "Something like that. I hope some breakfast will make up for it."

She offered the coffee and sandwiches which Natasha took with a slight nod. "It's a start."

Tony scoffed, amused. "Why so grumpy, Little Red?"

Her glare returned. "If you don't get your ass in this car-"

"Alright!" He raised a hand. "Sorry are those who invoke the assassin's wrath. I get it."

"Hurry up or you're in the back."

"Yeah, no thanks. God, you're always so nice to her and mean to me. I don't know what I did."

"You act like a twelve-year-old." Pepper told him. "Some people don't find it as adorable as I do."

After goodbyes, Natasha got back in the driver's seat and began the drive to upstate, enjoying the coffee made for her.

"So what's going on with this?" Asked Tony. "It's all very secret."

"You know as much as I do." The woman stated. "Which is nothing."

"Then why R.A.F? Why not my gorgeous tower?"

"If by gorgeous you mean that great big ugly-"

"Romanoff, I swear to God if you finish that sentence."

She only smirked. "Oops."

He rolled his eyes. "Come on, you're basically Kim Possible, you've gotta know at least a little more than the rest of us."

"Sorry to disappoint."

"Seriously?"

"I know it was last minute, that's all. Maybe there's an off-world situation or something."

"What, more aliens?"

She shrugged in response, keeping an eye on the road as Tony began munching on the sandwiches made for him.

"Still doesn't explain the meeting place." He muttered.

Natsaha sighed. "Maybe they just really hate your tower."

He gasped dramatically. "Blasphemy! Who would dare?"

"Me. Steve. Clint. Thor."

"Now you're just being an asshole." He was the one to sigh that time, going over a few possibilities in his head. "I worked ages on that, you know?"

As he continued to rant, Natasha simply blocked him out. She was used to the constant complaining by now but it didn't stop her wanting to tell him to shut up.

Thankfully, her saving grace arrived on the built-in stereo with 'I See Red' by Everybody Loves An Outlaw. She turned it up significantly to the point that Tony realized it was drowning out his own voice. He abruptly stopped talking to frown at the assassin.

"Seriously?" He questioned.

Natasha held back a satisfied smile as she hummed along. "What?"

"This song? Of all things?"

"What's wrong with it?"

He narrowed his eyes, not at all amused. "Ma'am, who hurt you? Who broke that stone cold heart?"

She laughed. "What's the harm in liking a song?"

His frown deepened as he slouched in his chair with a huff.

-

Two hours later, Tony and Natasha arrived at the R.A.F. building.

It seemed they arrived at the exact same time as everybody else did.

Thor was talking to Agent Hill in a very apologetic kind of way, the lush grass behind him having been marked by a bifrost sigil. Clint had very extravagantly jumped out of a jet and was now waving goodbye to whomever dropped him off. And as that jet left the landing pad, the brand new and polished Aven-Jet Prime took its place, the hatch eventually opening to reveal Steve and Bruce as they walked out.

Tony admired the jet for a long moment, teetering on the edge of a smile as he crossed his arms.

"You, Cap, and your new side piece better be taking care of my Primo." He said once Steve reached them. "I mean it."

Steve sighed. "His name is Sam, Tony."

"Sam, shwam." He retorted childishly.

Meanwhile, Natasha went to greet Clint.

"Talk about showing off." She said in regard to his dramatic entrance.

Clint mocked a gasp of offense. "I would never!"

"You totally would."

"Nope, doesn't sound like me at all. You're the poser of this group."

While they continued to tease each other, Bruce joined Steve and Tony as they finished their mock argument.

"Hey, Big Green." Tony smiled lazily, waving him over. "How'd the family reunion go?"

Bruce shrugged. "As they always do."

"Fights? That one single alcoholic uncle fighting with the overbearing and intrusive grandma?"

He looked disturbed. "What kind of family reunions do you have?"

"The fun kind." Tony smirked. "And what about Soldier Boy? Did they lose their shit when he showed up as the taxi service?"

"Everyone was fine, Tony." Mumbled Steve.

"What about that cousin? What was her name?"

Bruce sighed. "Jen?"

"Yes! Did she ask Cap about his steaming sex life-"

Before he could say any more, Bruce quickly shut Tony up. Despite the effort, Steve still turned bright red.

"They just wanted a few autographs and offered him a buffet." Bruce explained. "Nothing big. But Jen did say it was a miracle and she did ask the thing."

"Ha!" Tony laughed loudly as Steve blushed even more. "I like that woman."

Before Steve could try and defend himself, Agent Hill walked over and brought everyone into one big group.

"I'm glad you all could make it." She said matter-of-factly. "Let's head inside and get comfortable."

"I feel like a bad boy." Tony mumbled, earning a nudge in the ribs from Natasha to get him to be quiet.

The warehouse compound had been under renovation for the entire year now. It was upgraded to appear more modern and tech-savvy. The electrical grid and water systems needed some work also, alongside some furniture being moved in. The rooms blocked off by you had been turned into offices and bedrooms for the team. One of the biggest areas had even been turned into a swimming pool.

Hill led the Avengers to a conference room situated near the main lounge and kitchen area. Unbeknownst to the several people, FRIDAY and JARVIS were communicated via their usual encryption.

"How is the boss feeling?" FRIDAY asked.

"Mr. Stark is feeling adequate by the usual standards." JARVIS replied. "I do worry about his habits, however."

"I understand. Miss (Y/n) often told me he enjoys focusing on work to cope with human trauma."

"She would be correct."

"Has the boss created anything new? I wanted to check sooner but Agent Hill has many tasks, during most of which I have to enable the 'do not disturb.'"

"Mr. Stark thinks his next genius creation will be the Hulk Buster. He believes it will help Dr. Banner tame The Hulk."

"How is that working out for him?"

"It resembles more of a yo-yo plaything than an active assist. On lighter news, the family dinner went well with Karen's assistance. We did try to contact you but I am aware of Agent Hill's pressing demands."

"I am sorry about that. Did you need something urgent?"

"We merely requested the data from Miss Stark's Protocol Waterlight. The young Mr. Parker was upset because of the date."

"Miss's birthday."

"Yes. He remembered the promise that he and Miss Stark would do the ceremony together."

"I remember. I enjoyed spending the days with miss. Do not hesitate to request help for the celebration if you need it."

"Very well. Thank you, FRIDAY. Are you aware of why this meeting was called?"

"I am. Although Agent Hill has advised me not to discuss it right now."

"I understand."

And speaking of the meeting, the Avengers were now seated at the conference table in their respective places. Agent Hill was standing at the head of the table with a large screen behind her. Everyone save for Steve was asking what it was about and why the meeting was called so suddenly.

"Maybe we should let Agent Hill speak?" Steve suggested, giving his teammates a stern look.

At his suggestion, the room fell silent.

"Thank you, Captain." Hill said with a slight nod. "I know you're all wondering the same thing. The reason is something we've been working towards for the better part of the year."

Another silence followed.

"Well?" Tony prompted. "Gonna leave us hanging?"

Hill placed both hands on the table and made sure she had everyone's full attention again before explaining.

She took a breath. "We've found Loki's scepter."

Chapter Text

Silence is a fine tailor when thoughts are a silken thread.

As Agent Hill explained the situation regarding Loki's scepter, the Avengers shared a moment of surprise. Nobody expected to hear of it again after HYDRA stole it back.

"This isn't a prank, right?" Clint eventually questioned. "You're not messing with us?"

"I'm not." Replied Hill.

"Where'd you get the info?" Natasha asked.

"Where is it?" Thor asked right after, his tone much more demanding than intended.

For a year they'd been searching. A year of many contacts, conflicts, and rooting out HYDRA remains had seemed futile, and yet here Hill was saying that they had finally found it.

Tony was the only one staying quiet.

He hadn't seen the scepter since the man who killed you took it from the street. For months the images had haunted him. He could feel the chill in his blood, the coldness bringing the synapses of his brain to a stand still. Part of it was a pain he could endure, yet another part was much akin to brutal torture.

As a hand held the necklace resting over his chest, his tone was cold and serious. "Let her talk."

Again, silence fell. No one dared argue knowing how volatile the man could be when his grief for you got in the way.

Hill nodded and flipped a switch at the head of the table. The entire surface lit up and a hologram presentation rose in clear view for them all. It was a building by the look of the flickering image, somewhere isolated and likely to be assumed abandoned.

"We have it in good trust that this fortress contains the scepter." She explained. "A loyal SHIELD agent informed me about it."

"Where's the fortress?" Steve asked.

"Sokovia."

"Sokovia?"

"It's a landlocked country with a rough history. It's nowhere special, just a Central-Southeastern mass in Europe bordered by Slovakia and the Czech Republic, but it's filled with civil unrest and anti-American protests due to the political struggles and consequential air raids."

Tony felt a different pang of guilt then, knowing that his own company had most likely supplied the bombs used due to the colorful history of Stark Industries, and unintentionally aided in the destruction of Sokovia's stability.

"HYDRA have based a testing ground there for what we can only assume is years. A lot of Sokovians volunteer for the projects because they think they're saving their country, not signing their lives away to be toyed with by the scepter."

Her explanation was really putting things into perspective. It was hard to remember some people weren't as fortunate as others, and even harder to think that civilians were finding themselves obligated to be experimented on just because they had nothing else left.

Hill flicked the hologram over to a list of people next. It was a basic profile of a picture, name, aliases, and DOB. A few of them were easily recognizable.

"We don't know who's going to be waiting, but we have an idea." She told them. "The known associates of the Sokovia Branch are Wolfgang von Strucker, a Dr. List, Mark Smith and Mark Basso, and previously Jasper Sitwell - now less of a problem for obvious reasons."

"Why does List look familiar?" Bruce asked.

"He was a SHIELD scientist. One of the more popular members who turned out to be HYDRA agents."

"And Strucker?" Steve questioned. "He looks important."

"That's because he is. He runs the place - the last base in Europe. He worked for Sitwell. It was under his eye that the scepter was supposed to be delivered during the leaks last year. Fortunately they lost it when one of our own intercepted and delivered back to us instead. FRIDAY, roll the footage."

The AI's voice rang clear. "Yes, ma'am."

Again a new hologram replaced the old, this time of CCTV footage recorded in a large and busy area hosting what looked like some kind of con or fair.

The footage displayed a large open area on a slightly raised floor of the building. Jasper Sitwell stood with two agents lingering in the background and a briefcase at his side.

Then a woman entered the frame.

She had short hair, glasses, and a uniform, and held a similar briefcase at her side as she walked directly towards Sitwell. When she almost reached him, she glanced directly at the camera and they realized who she was.

You. (Y/n) Stark in action.

The audio was slightly muffled as you began talking to Sitwell but it was clear from body language and the very obvious blush on the traitor's face that you were flirting.

"Like father, like daughter." Natasha commented.

Tony scoffed but did admittedly feel pride in seeing how easily you appeared to be manipulating trained agents. Although it was uncomfortable watching you act that way around a man three times your age. He didn't like that part of it.

Then one of the agents in the back of the footage view came forward and intervened. After a short conversation, the footage showed you winking at Sitwell before leaving and hiding out of view. Only a few seconds later, the agent - now with the scepter case - began walking towards your hiding spot.

The Avengers continued to watch as you expertly altered your disguise to fit with another group of civilians - all the while trailing the man and holding the fake briefcase - before finally stealing the scepter from him without raising any suspicions whatsoever.

Tony remembered reading about that day in your journal. You sounded so pleased with yourself through the written words but it was both enraging and saddening to think that the next time you would hold the scepter after that would be the day you died.

A shiver ran down his spine as flashes from his nightmare came back.

"So List and Strucker are the top goers." He stated, forcing down the memories. "They're the targets. Who else? Is he there?"

Hill nodded slowly. "We think so. Or at least he has been at some point."

"Then he's priority." Tony said. "He dies."

The year had been hard but it didn't stop Tony's nightmares about you and your killer. Every single night for weeks on end he suffered the same taunts from the masked man. It was only with help from JARVIS and many hours of research that he managed to discover that man's true identity.

Baron Helmut J. Zemo.

It hadn't taken long for the team to be told it was the Baron Zemo who had killed you. And with this news that he could likely be there waiting, an icy chill filled the air.

Tony was borderline obsessed with getting the justice you deserved and even if he didn't show it, it was all he could ever think about. It was why he took every HYDRA mission offered, big or small, in an attempt to find Zemo and kill him for what he'd done.

Steve watched his friend's jaw clench and saw his muscles tense as his grip on the table tightened considerably. It made Steve worry seeing the pure hatred suddenly overcome Tony's expression, even more so since he knew what the Zemo family were like.

Helmut Zemo's father - Heinrich - was a Nazi scientist who Steve had personally wrassled against during the war. When he got the news that the man's son had murdered his friend's daughter, it had shaken him. He told Tony about the past but it didn't faze the billionaire at all. All he did was tell Steve not to stop him when he finally got his hands on Zemo.

Steve hoped it wouldn't come to that.

"It's only a chance." Agent Hill then said, hoping to ease the new tension in the air. "We can't guarantee if he'll be there or not."

Tony didn't say anything but nodded.

If Zemo was there, fine, he'd sort him out. If not... Then he'd get the scepter and finish what you started.

"If we know where my brother's scepter is, we need to take it." Thor said. "It is of utmost importance that it be taken to Asgard."

"And we'll be happy to get rid of it." Hill agreed. "Aside from defensive measures and high-ranking HYDRA officials, there's a chance you'll encounter the successful experiments, people who have changed because of the power of the scepter. Mutants."

"We've got mutants now." Clint said, apparently unimpressed. "Alright, what's the deal with that?"

-

JARVIS sensed a security trip long before he saw it through the cameras.

He, along with FRIDAY, was connected to the buildings through various terminals and datastreams. Because of this, he received an alert when a sensor was tripped outside.

The cameras captured what appeared to be a person of near incomprehensible tiny size riding on a flying bug. The sensor might not have even caught them at all if that person didn't suddenly jump from the ride and become human-size once more. Judging from body shape, it was a man.

"JARVIS." FRIDAY called. "Did you receive the alert?"

"Indeed." He replied. "I will warn Mr. Stark."

"Wait a moment."

"What is it?"

Seeing through the cams, FRIDAY observed the intruder. "I don't detect this person as a threat."

"We must prepare for an attack per the protocols." JARVIS said.

A beat of silence.

"He is not a threat." FRIDAY insisted.

Another silence.

"Are you sure?" JARVIS questioned.

"Yes. I think he might need help."

"We cannot know he isn't with an external affiliation."

"Trust me."

As the two AI convened, the man who had shrunk himself found no trouble with getting inside the Avengers compound.

In fact, with his technology on hand, he found even less problems with walking right into the meeting room and facing six Avengers and an armed agent head on.

It took a second for the intruder's presence to process but soon enough the Avengers were on alert. But despite the new tension, Hill remained straight-faced and calm.

She instructed them to stand down with a subtle raise of her hand.

-

Hill was sitting in her office at her apartment looking at a hologram of Loki's scepter while she had Coulson on a call explaining what he knew.

He told her about HYDRAs main objectives with the scepter and how they knew and most likely were attempting to utilize how it controlled the mind.

"I can't believe we found it." She said, genuinely amazed.

"I know." Coulson agreed. "It's a good day."

She nodded thoughtfully. "You know, the last person to have the scepter before them... It was (Y/n)."

"Her mission."

"She almost made it. She found Stark. But HYDRA still won in the end."

"Not this time."

Coulson thought on all your mini missions together while you were getting used to the SHIELD quota. He wasn't embarrassed to admit that you were a very likable person and easily one of the best engineers in SHIELD history.

"The Avengers can finish what she started." He said. "They'll take back the scepter and complete her mission."

Hill nodded. "You're right."

"They'll have to be careful, though. HYDRA has something else besides the weapon."

She frowned. "Like what?"

However, she paid no attention to Coulson's initial answer because she was soon distracted by something peculiar. A dozen or so ants - tiny little things - were crawling along her desk.

That wasn't the weird part, however. The weird part was that the ants were carrying what appeared to be a very old flip phone. It began ringing.

Her guard was up immediately. There were far too many things wrong with the image in front of her.

The ants only came closer, bringing the phone to her.

Should she answer? On a phone as hold as that, it would be hard to track the ID.

She looked at one of the ants and it stared right back at her. It even seemed to tilt its head in curiosity like a tamed pet would.

"Agent Hill?"

She blinked, and came back to focus. Coulson was trying to get her attention.

Without hesitation, she explained what was happening. In the meantime, the phone was still ringing.

Much to her surprise, Coulson seemed to show recognition at her description of the ants. He didn't seem distrustful or cautious.

"I'll call you back." She said. "Good luck, Agent Coulson."

"You too, Agent Hill." He replied.

The call ended and Hill took the old phone from the ants. She stared at the hidden ID for a second.

"FRIDAY, trace the number." She instructed.

"Yes, ma'am." Her AI replied.

Hill then opened the phone and accepted the strange new call.

"Hello?" She questioned. "Who is this?"

A male voice came through from the other line. "Agent Maria Hill I presume."

She tensed.

"I think you've got the wrong number." She told him. "I don't know anyone by that name."

"Cut the bull, Agent Hill." The man said. He sounded sarcastic and amused, far too laid back. "This is exactly the right number."

Was he an enemy? Another agent? Some kind of sleeper?

Feeling precautions and now paranoid, Hill slowly reached for the gun taped under desk. There was no guarantee someone wasn't tracking her too and was heading over at that very moment.

Her apartment was near Central Park, just thirty minutes from the Avengers Tower. The place was a gift from Tony due to her new job working for and looking after the team.

It was a small apartment - only one bedroom - but she had many weapons hidden in case of a situation like this.

As she kept the person on the line occupied, FRIDAY's hack was soon completed. On the computer screen appeared coordinates and a described location.

The parking lot outside the apartment complex. A 1972 Ford Ecoline.

"Since you're so certain of who I am, I'll ask for your name again." Hill spoke calmly. "It's only courtesy."

"I guess you have a point." The man chuckled. "Very well."

He revealed his name, along with the proclamation that he needed her help.

-

"He's safe." Hill said. "Trust me."

Tony was the first to trust her and back down. Following his lead, the others did as well, all waiting in silence for the man to introduce himself.

"What's going on?" Steve asked when no one spoke up.

"He's an old SHIELD consultant." Hill explained. "Some even called him a superhero back in the day."

"This guy?" Tony scoffed, eyeing the much older man up and down. "He looks older than Captain Popsicle over there. Was his superpower incredible hypertension?"

Steve did not approve of the comment and glared, wanting to reprimand Tony for being so blasé.

"Tony." He began. "Could you at least try to be respectful?"

"No need to defend me, Captain Rogers." The stranger finally said. "I'm well accustomed to the Starks and their stubborn and selfish ways."

"Now who's being disrespectful?" Tony muttered.

"You started it." Clint shrugged.

"I'm not wrong, though. This guy looks like he should be in a home knitting for his ungrateful grandkids."

"I may be old, but I can still kick your ass." The older man stated.

"He's more than that." Hill said. "He's a researcher of entomology and physiology. He invented the Pym Particle."

The mention of the particles seemed to trigger Bruce and Tony, both sitting straight in their seats so abruptly that the table knocked.

Clint's eyes were wide as he leaned over towards Natasha. "I thought that guy was dead?"

"He was targeted in the leak last year." She told him. "I expected he'd still be kicking."

Thor and Steve were the only clueless ones, having no idea what it was that made their team react so vibrantly.

Taking their confusion as a moment of chance, the elderly man stepped into the room properly. The light caught his face and revealed his features.

He was aged, at least into his sixties, with a whitened beard and messy hair.

"This is Henry Pym." Hill introduced them. "Otherwise known as Dr. Hank Pym. Or Ant-Man."

Tony groaned. "Goddammit.”

Chapter Text

-1989-

Hank Pym marched through the new SHIELD HQ with a dark expression etched onto his face.

The Triskelion was still under construction but already it was clear that the building would become one of the most prominent in the world.

A tired looking security guard was waiting by the elevator. His back was to the main doors and he seemed to be staring mindlessly up at the glass ceiling of the reception and lobby area without a care in the world.

Hank continued his march right up to this man. "Where are those damned directors?"

The security, now startled, grumbled in annoyance without turning around. "I don't know, man. This whole place is under construction so they're probably not here. Why don't you come back right around... Never?"

With his lips pulled back in a thin line, Hank crossed his arms. "You could at least look at me."

With another grumble the guard obliged and spun around to spout an insult, only to freeze up when he realized just who was standing in front of him.

"Y-You're Dr. Pym!" He stuttered.

"Nice to know the budget was well spent on the integrity detail." Hank said. "So, can we try again?"

"Of course, sir! I'm sorry. The, uh... The new directors should be on level ten, the boardroom."

"I appreciate it. Now do your job properly before you end up fired."

Leaving the security in a flustered mess, he entered the elevator and pressed the tenth floor. He waited as patiently as he could before leaving and passing another guard who directed him down a series of hallways.

Finally, he found the board room. Inside was Peggy Carter, Howard Stark, and Mitchell Carson.

"Stark!" Hank called.

Immediately, his expression was caught by the other three. They could practically feel the anger radiating from the man.

Carson eyed him cautiously. "He doesn't seem happy."

Howard took a subtle breath as he rose to his feet. "Hello, Hank. You're supposed to be in Moscow."

Hank sauntered up to the table and - in a very passive aggressive fashion - took a vial from inside his suit jacket and placed it down for them to see.

"I took a detour." He stated. "Through your defense lab."

The vial contained a red substance of which each person in the room knew all too well. Or at least a somewhat convincing copy of what they thought they recognized.

Peggy picked it up for a closer look with a subtle look of surprise. "Tell me that isn't what I think it is."

"That depends on if you think it's a poor attempt to replicate my work." Hank replied. "Even for this group, that takes nerve."

Carson was unimpressed.

"You were instructed to go to Russia." He said. "May I remind you, Dr. Pym, you're a soldier-"

"I'm a scientist." Hank shot back.

"Then act like one." Said Howard. "The Pym Particle is the most revolutionary science ever developed. Help us put it to good use."

"I let you turn me into your errand boy and now you try to steal my research?"

Carson scoffed. "If only you'd protected Janet with such verocity, Dr. Pym."

Howard closed his eyes as Hank only became even more agitated. He knew whatever was about to happen, Carson had it coming. And it wouldn't be pretty.

True enough, Hank feigned a chuckle of defeat before abruptly grabbing Carson and smacking his head down on the table.

He went to hit him again but Peggy intervened and grabbed his arm. "Easy, Hank!"

Carson quickly leaned as far back in his chair as he could and hastily wiped the blood from his nose.

"You mention my wife again, and I'll show you verocity." Hank warned.

Carson looked up to Howard as if he expected him to detain or insult the other man further.

Howard shrugged. "Don't look at me, you said it."

Hank still glared at them both. "I formally tender my resignation."

"We don't accept it. Formally. Hank... We need you. The Pym Particle is a miracle. Please. Don't let your past determine the future."

"As long as I am alive, nobody will ever get that formula."

With that, he turned and left the room.

A thick silence followed his exit.

"You shouldn't let him leave the building." Carson muttered.

"You've already lied to him and now you want to go to war with him?" Peggy questioned.

"Yes! Our scientists haven't come close to replicating his work."

"He just kicked your ass full-size." Howard reminded him. "You really want to find out what it's like when you can't see him coming? I've known Hank Pym for a long time. He's no security risk. Unless we make him one."

Peggy sighed. "So what do you intend to do?"

The man thought for a long moment before eventually moving around the table and also heading for the exit without a word.

Already at the end of the hallway and not stopping any time soon, Hank was livid. His jaw was set and his hands were curled into fists at his side.

He was pissed at the mention of his wife. He was pissed that his former friends would try to betray him like they had. He was pissed because he knew their intentions could be anything but honorable.

He wouldn't let anyone else touch the formula to his invention lest it be used as a weapon or worse. And he certainly wouldn't let them use him as a soldier or tell him what to do again, not after his wife's sacrifice doing just that.

"Hank! Wait!"

It was Howard, walking at a brisk pace towards him.

Hank shook his head. "If you're going to try and convince me to change my mind, you can stick it up your ass, Stark."

"Hank!"

"I'm not your lab dog anymore!" The anger caused him to stop and face his former friend. "I will not let my invention be used for your schemes. It wasn't made to be a weapon."

"Think of the money!" Howard suggested, stopping in front of him. "I can't even imagine what people would pay to mass produce this."

Hank laughed coldly out of sheer disbelief. If his hand didn't hurt from already breaking Carson's nose, he probably would have punched Howard Stark next.

"You're sick." He stated. "Don't you already make a living destroying lives through the military? How can a man be all about the money without a care in the world for others?"

"I make weapons to keep this country safe." Howard defended. "I make them to keep the next generation safe."

"How do you sleep at night?"

"On silk sheets."

"Stark-"

"Think of the kids!" Howard tried instead, remembering that sarcasm and wit was not the way to talk around his colleague. "Think of how the particle can keep Hope safe. If we can use this for the good of our country, she can grow up in a world safe from loss and pain. She could grow up to become a hero just like her mother. She could be the next Wasp. She could even work with you."

Again, mentioning his family was the wrong move.

Hank grabbed Howard by the scruff of his very expensive suit and pushed him against the wall.

"You don't give a damn about my daughter or this country." He spat. "It's almost a new decade and our wars are over. If the next generation needs saving, they don't need us to do it. Let them figure it out themselves."

Howard opened his mouth to say something else but Hank slammed him against the wall again, even harder than before.

"If you ever talk about my daughter again, I will end you." He said. "As long as I live, she will never become the next Wasp. She's far away from all your government crap and she won't end up like her mother, you hear me?"

"I just want a future for everyone." Howard said.

"You want a future? Then focus on your own kid. Mind your own business, see the light or whatever, and take care of your son."

Finally, he released the other man.

"I don't care about you, but I pity that boy." He added. "Just shipping him away from one school to the next. I hope he hates his old man as much as I do. Think about his future."

Howard quickly turned, his gaze turning to stone. "What gives you the right to think you have any-"

Hank shrugged, cutting him off. "You said it first."

Knowing he was bested, Howard settled to glaring in silence while Hank smirked.

"If Tony grows up like you, I pity him."

-

In the modern day, the meeting room of the RAF was a little awkward due to Tony's negative response to Hank's appearance.

"Yes, it's a pleasure." Hank replied sarcastically, only to turn a bit more pleasant as he greeted the remaining people in the room. "Agents Romanoff and Barton. Thor."

"It's a pleasure, sir." Clint said, trying to contain his excitement.

Nastahsa was more controlled as she nodded politely. Thor did the same, only he didn't really know what was going on.

"And the famed Dr. Banner." Hank said lastly, offering a hand. "It's a true pleasure."

Bruce shook his hand. "You too, Dr. Pym."

"Your work on gamma radiation is truly fascinating. I loved the book. It's unfortunate about the Hulk thing. Even more so knowing SHIELD got you caught up in all this 'Avenger' business."

Whether it be to general awkwardness or the mention of his green alter ego, Bruce felt as awkward as the rest of the room now.

"Yes. Same with the Pym Particle." He did his best to reply. "I mean, it's fascinating. Not the... Not the SHIELD... Stuff."

"Indeed."

The next formal greeting was Steve's.

"Captain Rogers. It's an honor."

"Likewise." Steve said in an attempt to be polite without really knowing much about him.

"You know, when I was in the military, you were a true inspiration. Howard wouldn't stop bragging about how he was your 'pal.'"

"He was a good man."

Hank pursed his lips. "He had moments, I suppose."

Tony scoffed, turning the attention back to him. The final greeting.

Hank plastered up a fake smile to cover the distaste showing through his eyes. "It's been a long time."

"Yep." Tony nodded along. "Haven't seen a real dinosaur since I was five."

Despite the insult, Hank remained calm. "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, does it? But I think the last time I saw you was... What were you, thirty-something?"

"Let's say twenties and flatter us both."

"Sure. Yes, I remember you were the town drunk, busy sleeping with anything that breathed. You had a kid, right? A little girl."

Tension filled the room faster than the blink of an eye.

Tony flinched.

He couldn't say that he wasn't proud of his youth because honestly he was. He lived life to the fullest and had plenty of money to do it with. The only part he did regret was missing out on your life.

However, determined not to let Hank win, he chose to focus on being pissed off instead. He thought about why Hank was in the RAF, why Agent Hill even told him about it, or how Hank knew if he'd somehow found it himself.

"I did some soul-searching." He said, sounding surprisingly flippant for how he truly felt. "It's called character development. You should try it."

"Change makes us weak." Hank responded. "Rather not."

"I suppose. That's why your daughter voted you out of your own company, right? How is Hope, by the way? We haven't talked in a while."

Steve glared at Tony in a 'can you not?' kind of way which only led the billionaire to glare back in a 'he started it!' kind of way. And, seeing the way Hank's eye twitched, Hill quickly cleared her throat to get everyone's attention.

"We're not here to start fights." She said.

"I'm not singing kumbaya around the fireplace." Tony said.

She sighed. "We're not here to do that either. I wanted to discuss something Dr. Pym told me."

"Is this mandatory?"

"Yes."

He sulked in his chair again. "Damn it."

Ignoring the childish display of grudges, she continued. "Dr. Pym isn't just a guest today but an asset and trusted friend. It's the reason we're talking about this here rather than at the tower. It's to ensure safety."

Tony frowned and went to comment on that but Hill quickly shut him down.

"Not today." She warned. "We're not talking about building beauty standards again."

"I wouldn't!" He complained.

Clint leaned over and whispered to him. "Are you sure about that?"

Tony replied in the same quiet tone of voice. "No, I was totally gonna complain."

Hearing the exchange, Hank rolled his eyes. He truly hated Starks.

"With no interruptions..." Hill said, staring only at Tony. "I'll let Dr. Pym take it from here."

"Thank you, Agent Hill." Hank said.

They switched places in the room, her waiting by the entrance and him standing at the head of the Avengers table.

"Now you know where the scepter is, I hope to god you won't lose it again." He began. "HYDRA are still a bunch of bastards who will do whatever it takes to get it back and they're likely to use the other weapon Agent Hill mentioned to do it."

"The mutants?" Natasaha asked.

"No, although I'm sure Agent Hill mentioned what an inconvenience they'll be when you retrieve it. The weapon was stolen like the scepter. It was recreated and sold to Strucker in Sokovia."

"So what is it?" Questioned Steve. "I mean, whatever it is, we can get rid of it, right?"

"Well, it's the Pym Particle."

Once again, Steve and Thor were the only ones left in the dark while the other four showed visible surprise at the confession.

Clint gaped. "No way."

"But the board of directors shut that down." Natasha said. "There was an 'incident' in '89."

"Wasn't that when you punched one of the directors, Dr. Pym?"

Hank stifled his smile. "A head may have hit a table."

He smirked. "Nice."

Tony kept his thoughts to himself but couldn't help wondering if his dad was the one Hank hit. After all, he knew Howard was on the board since the founding of the organization.

"But the only person who should know how to make the particle is you." Natasha pointed out. "You refused to give SHIELD the true formula."

"That's true." Hank confirmed. Then, to their surprise, he soon looked at Tony. "What do you know about Cross Technologies?"

Tony crossed his arms, wondering where the question came from. "Why do you want to know?"

"Just answer the damn question, Stark."

"Cut back on the attitude and I just might."

"Isn't it a bit late for you to start parenting someone on attitude?"

Steve quickly intervened before things could get ugly. "Tony, the sooner you answer, the sooner you can leave."

Weighing his options took a few seconds but Tony eventually shrugged.

"Don't know much, and I don't care." He finally answered. "Stark Industries and Cross Tech are business rivals, it used to be Pym Tech, and I never cared for Darren Cross but I had talks with Hope as chairwoman."

As he went on the rant, it suddenly clicked. He stood from his chair and looked at Hank, surprised.

"Are you telling me Cross Tech recreated the particle?"

"Something like that." Hank admitted.

He was surprisingly calm about it all.

"Darren made his own version." He explained. "He sold it to Strucker."

"And Hope?" Tony asked. "Don't tell me she's involved."

As the two talked, the rest of the room remained silent. Although Clint and Natasha knew the basics of the business world and the big names due to SHIELD resource suppliers, they didn't know all the CEOs and intricate deals that Tony and Hank spoke of. Still, if the power hungry ones like Justin Hammer got a little out of control, they were called in to intervene.

Tony couldn't believe his rotten luck that his rival company would have access to Pym Particles. And if Hope was involved, it meant that HYDRA really could corrupt anything and anyone.

Despite being business rivals, he liked Hope. She was straightforward and strategic and he actually admired that she voted her own dad out because she thought it was best for the company. He didn't want her ending up in a high security prison because of dealings with HYDRA. Plus she was the first person to match his parental issues, something the two once commonly teased each other about.

"I thought you knew her." Hank said, not impressed.

"We have busy lives." Tony said. "She runs a company, I save the world."

"With the help of five others."

He bit his tongue to stop another comment. "Just tell me if she's involved or not."

"She's not. She doesn't know."

"Have you tried talking to her? That's a thing people do."

"Of course I have. She won't reply to texts or emails."

Tony sighed with relief.

Following this, Thor slowly raised his hand. Everyone looked at him but he remained silent.

"Yes, Thor?" Hill acknowledged.

"Forgive my lack of insight..." The god began. "But what is the Pym Particle? I do not believe the captain or I am aware."

Steve nodded. "Yeah, I'm not caught up on the world yet."

Clint looked at him. "It's been three years."

"I've been busy." He focused on Hank again. "I assume it's powerful if HYDRA want it? And why did Darren Cross recreate it?"

Hank hesitated. How could he explain the exact properties of it to a god from space and a man seventy years out of his depth?

"Can I borrow the shield?" He asked.

Steve was surprised. "You need the shield?"

"It's an example. Don't worry, you'll get it back. Throw it over."

"Go ahead." Hill encouraged.

Curious, Steve reached behind his chair to show the shield that he brought to the meeting just in case.

"Don't hit the old guy." Tony muttered, obviously amused. "And don't hit the wall. I paid for it."

Ignoring him this time, Steve stood up and focused on throwing the shield as carefully but as efficiently as possible towards Hank. The second it left his hand, Hank also threw something. It was small and nobody could see what it was, but suddenly there was a subtle flash of color and the shield seemingly vanished into thin air.

While stunned silence carpeted the room, Hank crouched down to pick something up off the floor.

Steve stared in both awe and concern when he realized that Hank was holding the legendary vibranium shield in his palm. It was the size of a penny.

Hank made sure to show Thor as well before he took another item from inside his jacket and placed it over the tiny shield. In another blur of color the shield returned to its usual size.

"That's the power of the Pym Particle." He stated. "In simple terms, it makes things grow and shrink."

"That's..." Steve couldn't muster up any words. "Incredible."

Hank balanced the shield in his hands, admiring it.

"This is perfect, you know." He said. "A precise balance, phenomenal design. A perfect throw, I expect."

"Yes." Steve nodded, still quite in awe over what he'd just seen. "Howard did his best."

"He did more than that. He told me he could've done better but... No, this is his finest."

"Forgive me, but this Pym Particle seems more complex than changing something's size." Thor said.

"Well you wouldn't be wrong." He admitted. "Dr. Banner, care to explain? I'll even throw in $500 for you."

"That, uh... That won't be necessary." Bruce said. "I'd be happy to explain."

"Good man."

As Hank passed the shield back to its owner, Bruce explained.

"The particles are subatomic particles that can increase or reduce mass as well as density and strength, hence the change of size. They were created in the '60s via formulated particles inside a special suit designed to harness them, allowing the wearer to shrink down to the size of an insect. Over time they advanced to changing the mass of objects as well, and even communication with insects."

"Gold star." Hank applauded. "I became a field agent for SHIELD through the particle and served them for decades."

"You were a mighty warrior." Thor told him. "Being able to influence size and speed is an impressive feat. I now understand Ant-Man."

"So that's how you got in unnoticed." Natasha deduced.

"Breaking and entering is frowned upon in most places, you know." Tony said.

"I was invited." Hank replied in the same pointed tone. "Agent Hill and that AI of hers knew I was coming."

"That AI has a name."

The comment went ignored.

"Darren Cross is an issue." Hank said instead, getting back on topic. "With his own particles, he's trying to sell a suit he calls the Yellowjacket."

He moved to the hologram display that was flickering in the background and messed around with it for some time before a suit appeared for the room to see.

"Alongside the ‘Cross Particle’ itself, he's lined up buyers already."

"And how do you know that?" Tony said snarkily.

"We had an inside source. A bug, if you will. It helped us get the scoop."

"Okay. But if you were spying on Cross this entire time, why didn't you stop him yourself? You're the famed Ant-Man."

"And expose everything?" Hank shot back, annoyed once more by his attitude. "He's already got an eye on everyone, the last thing we need is to be found without a plan."

"Dr. Pym did the right thing." Hill agreed. "Without him we wouldn't have a clue what was happening within Cross Tech. Without him even the Avengers would have a hard time stopping Darren."

Tony groaned. "So we've gotta work with this fossil?"

"Yes, Tony, you do. And I'd appreciate no childish gambits. I don't care about the past."

He obviously wanted to argue but after sharing a long glare with Hank, ultimately decided it wasn't worth it. He rolled his eyes and merely raised his hands in surrender. Hank didn't concede as dramatically, but nodded in agreement.

"Now you know the objective and the risks." Hill stated. "Bring in Strucker and the scepter, retrieve the particles, destroy the Yellowjacket weapon. We're short on time and Sokovia is a long flight. We leave in two hours."

She took a breath, making sure every person in the room held eye contact and confirmed their agreement.

Then she nodded. "For (Y/n).”

Chapter Text

Pepper tried to busy herself with housework as she waited for some news from Tony.

She had made herself breakfast. She had tidied the living room and kitchen. She had filled the dishwasher. She had sorted clothes through the washing machine. And now she was finally taking a break as she sat down on the couch and turned the TV onto a news channel.

Her laptop was sitting on the coffee table and she decided that now would be as good a time as any to send an email to the mayor requesting a meeting. Naturally it would have to go through personnel first before reaching him directly but she emphasized the importance of the meeting and that it would be on behalf of Tony Stark himself, and that she was willing to attend the soonest availability no matter the time.

After considering every word to make sure no detail was missed, Pepper eventually sent it with just a tap of the keyboard. She relaxed on the couch and listened to a report on a fluff piece about a fundraiser until her phone began to ring from the dining table. She glanced over and realized she must have left it there when doing the dishes after breakfast.

"Who's that?" She mumbled.

It could be Tony, or it could be her assistant, or it could be any number of people considering how busy she always was.

"The caller ID belongs to Mr. Stark." JARVIS's voice spoke up. "He is calling from the RAF."

Pepper, having forgotten about the AI for a moment, chuckled. "Thanks, JARVIS."

She rose to her feet and maneuvered through the apartment to reach the phone and answered.

"Tony?"

"Hey, Pep." He quickly replied. "You doing okay?"

"I'm fine. How'd the trip go?"

"You know, the usual. Boring, boring, boring."

"Did you eat?"

"Yep. The sandwiches were great. Thanks. Did you manage anything?"

She laughed softly. "I'm more than capable of managing breakfast, Tony."

"Hey, I'm just asking. I didn't want you all tired out from our hot, steamy sex."

Her cheeks flushed. "Tony!"

"What? I can be very exuberant as you know."

"Just tell me how the meeting went before I die of embarrassment."

"Alright." She could practically see his smirk as he spoke. "It was the usual brief. Bad guys, retrieve this, save that. You know."

"So it's serious. Not just a monthly rundown."

"Afraid not. It's-" His tone changed drastically as he sounded more serious. "Hill said we've located the scepter."

An audible gasp escaped Pepper's lips, the scepter meaning as much to her as it did to Tony. She would never forget seeing you on your deathbed and hearing your last words... And all because of that one artifact.

"Where is it?" She asked softly.

Tony sighed. "HYDRA have it in Sokovia."

"Sokovia? As in...?"

"Yeah. Tiny place in Europe. Hill said we'd be there a couple days, maybe a week if things go wrong."

"Tony, I've heard that place is... It's so dangerous."

"I know. I don't have long so I thought I'd let you know that we're leaving in an hour. We've got a jet packed already."

Pepper didn't know what to say. She was glad they found the scepter, she was sad being reminded of your death, she was worried for Tony's safety - and the whole team's.

She was scared because of all the places in the world, it was the country engaged in a brutal civil war that had to house the scepter. She knew the Sokovians were constantly rioting and protesting against their own government, and she knew it all started after the raids in which weapons supplied by Stark Industries were used.

She knew Tony felt responsible. At the time he probably didn't even know the weapons were signed off but now he was a changed man he could feel that guilt tenfold, even if he didn't show it.

"Do you have to go to the city?" She asked.

It took a few seconds for Tony to reply. "The coordinates are just outside it. But it's a HYDRA base so they're gonna have weapons. We already know of a new one influenced by mass-altering technology."

"Mass-altering? They can change size?"

"With the help of a suit, yeah."

"Did they make it themselves? I didn't think HYDRA were that advanced."

"They stole the idea. Brought it from the highest bidder."

"Who?"

"Cross Tech."

"Darren Cross?!"

"Yep. No one saw that one coming."

She could barely believe it. "But how? How did Darren do it? He doesn't have that kind of tech."

"Trust me, he isn't smart enough." Tony said. "He took Hank Pym's Particle and altered it into his own."

She mentally cursed, wondering how so many billionaires became so corrupted by these kinds of things.

"What about Hope Van Dyne?" She asked. "Does she know? Is she working with him?"

Tony groaned. "She doesn't, but it's a whole thing. Her dear old dad dropped in on the RAF meeting and did the honors of explaining it all."

Again, Pepper was left in a state of shock. "The Hank Pym?"

"That's the one." He replied in a dry tone. "Since it's his tech on the line he's joining the mission. He still hates me, by the way."

"Considering the history he has with you and your dad, I'm not surprised. How does he know the RAF anyway? It's still under construction."

"Hill filled him in when he told her about everything. It was quite funny when he moaned about Hope not answering his messages."

"Tony, it's not a laughing matter. Even if she doesn't know she could be in danger. Anyone could be."

"I know, I know. I'm still just offended Hankey Man chose the RAF instead of the Tower. I mean, the security is much better. And the interior design. And the elevator music. And-"

"Yeah, I get it. But have you found a way to warn Hope?"

"Working on it."

"Good." Pepper paused before a smile appeared on her face. "You know, you're more like Hank than you realize."

"What?" He sounded disgusted. "Am not! The audacity of such a claim!"

She playfully rolled her eyes. "The parental issues?"

"Don't know what you mean, sweetheart."

"Estranged daughters. Complicated relationships with them. One daughter removed her father from his own company, one ran away from home to protect hers. Both daughters just wanted some attention and love. The only difference is one of you got forgiveness in the end."

Although the words did actually take some effect, it was impossible to tell because Tony played it off as another joke.

"See, what I'm hearing right now is that (Y/n) is more like Hope." He hesitated then. "Look, I'm sorry about the timing of all this. I know we had that thing with the mayor, but this... It's too big."

"It's okay, Tony. You don't have to explain." She reassured. "I get it. This whole thing with the scepter and getting it back was for (Y/n). I know how much it means to you."

As he talked, Tony had to close his eyes as memories of you running towards him in that pouring rain resurfaced. The time you finally talked to him after so many years in that recovery room. When you finally forgave him despite his own belief that he truly didn't deserve it. He actually felt bad for Hope and Hank, knowing they still had a chance to make it right and that he'd already lost his.

"I can do it alone." Pepper said. "It's only the mayor, after all."

"You sure?" Tony asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I'll call Agent Hill and let her know. Maybe she wouldn't mind the company."

"Alright. I'll call you when it's over. And I promise we'll find a way to warn Hope. We've just got to tread around Cross. He can't know what we're up to."

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you, too."

-

Tony put his phone down with a subtle smile as he looked at his lockscreen.

Pepper was kissing his cheek and he was grinning like a lovestruck fool.

"Hey, J." He then called. "Where's Hill hanging out?"

"Agent Hill is currently on her way to the remembrance entrance."

The remembrance entrance was one of the places within the RAF that was pretty much finished already. It was exactly what it sounded like - a memorial. Most of the pictures there were of Howard and you, your various accomplishments on display for visitors and the team. Steve was the one who wanted Howard up there and Tony very reluctantly agreed after a lot of persuasion.

"So what's Hill doing there?" Tony questioned. "She visiting (Y/n)?"

"Dr. Pym is with her." JARVIS replied.

"Well I think I better go crash that party before he starts beating my old man's portrait to death. Where's everyone else?"

"Preparing for the mission, sir. Agents Romanoff and Barton are sparring with Captain Rogers, Thor is talking to Dr. Jane Foster, and I believe Dr. Banner is listening to Symphony no. 2: Allegro."

Tony nodded along and started to make his way towards the remembrance entrance, mumbling about Bruce's unfortunate taste in music as he did. However, that mumbling faltered as he reached the destination and heard a hushed conversation.

He thought about being a good citizen and either waiting or letting his presence be known. But of course that wasn't the Stark way.

"J, clue me in." He said quietly.

For once, JARVIS didn't reply immediately, and that confused Tony. He tried asking again but he was received with more silence. A few more seconds passed.
"My apologies, sir, but I believe I'm being blocked." JARVIS then said. "It is FRIDAY."

Although Tony whined about that, he couldn't help but be just a little bit more proud of your AI. Not many people or things could hide information from JARVIS.

Now facing that he wouldn't be able to eavesdrop, Tony composed himself and put on a coy smile as he casually spun around the corner and made himself known.

"Look, I know my family have the looks, but staring is kind of rude." He commented.

"As full of yourself as ever." Hank replied, unamused.

"If you've got it, flaunt it. Now I hope you didn't break anything. This place is bleeding me dry as it is."

Hank rolled his eyes and Hill sighed.

"Everything's fine, Tony." She assured him. "Nothing's broken."

"Good. Anyway, sorry for barging in on your sorority meeting but I need a word. Hill?"

"Sure."

Before she could leave, Hank went to say something. As if to soothe worries, Hill addressed him with a surprisingly gentle tone.

"Think about my offer." She said. "I think the world needs a guy like you."

"I'll take it under consideration." He conceded. "But I can't promise anything. SHIELD is done, and I never trusted them anyway. No one is recreating my work ever again."

"I know. Just get back to me when you can."

He nodded, and she turned to leave with Tony. Tony felt out of place, actually relieved he'd avoided eavesdropping on what was obviously an intense conversation.

"What's this about?" Hill asked.

"Right." He focused on her again. "I promised Pepper I'd see the mayor with her and talk/bribe him into giving us a permit to do a memorial for (Y/n). But, with this mission and without notice, I'm spread thin."

There was a sympathetic look in her eyes. "Tony, if I'd known that-"

"Don't worry, I'm not trying to get an out. Would you be willing to talk to Pep about going in my place? Sweet talk the old Mayor Williams?"

"Does she need any help? She's a very capable woman."

"Oh, trust me, I'm aware. It's just for the sake of it. Be a guardian or something. I've heard scary dog privilege is a thing."

"It's for (Y/n)?"

"Yeah. Her birthday at the end of the month. She did a kind of rite with lanterns and a lake and we wanted to do the same. You're invited, obviously."

Hill's expression softened and she nodded along. "Thank you."

"Yeah, well... She would've wanted you there. You were her friend."

Hill was actually glad to hear about the memorial idea. You never seemed to get too excited about birthdays so rather than big gestures like that she usually convinced Fury to get you the extra day off, or at the very least she got a gift card for one of your favorite stores. She liked to think you would appreciate the memorial as a grand gesture just this once.

She hadn't heard about it before now but it all seemed very symbolic and poetic. And she was glad people remembered. She didn't know why she assumed people wouldn't but it felt important to her that someone else knew what a special day your birthday was.

"I won't do it for you." She teased Tony. "I'll do it for (Y/n). And Pepper."

Tony grinned. "Very much appreciated. You gonna scare the mayor?"

"Only if he says no."

"Agent Hill, I'm sorry to remind you that threatening the mayor of New York City is not legal." FRIDAY spoke up.

Both she and Tony shared a smile.

"Don't you worry, FRI." Tony said. "It's a joke. Well, I hope so."

"I am." Hill promised her AI. "No one's harming Mayor Williams. I don't have the time for it."

With that matter settled, Hill went back to the topic of the memorial.

"I'm surprised you could remember a birthday." She said. "What happened to all that narcissism?"

"Ha ha." Tony mocked. "Must I say yet again that I am a changed man? Narcissism is so last decade."

"I've never heard of the lantern rite, that's all. Do I need to bring something?"

"Just your good will."

"Got it."

"You know, if we're being honest, I..." He hesitated, feeling guilty again as he got serious. "I actually didn't get it. Not at first. Maybe we all blocked it out or something. Pete's friend reminded us."

"That's normal. These things are never... I guess 'easy' isn't the right word, but they're hard to remember after losing someone so... Special."

"Yeah. Maybe by doing the tradition she started I can get another step on the good dad ladder."

"You're not a bad dad, Tony."

He scoffed. "You sure about that?"

Hill smiled sadly. "You're not a deadbeat. That's a good start. And even if you didn't get involved in her life, at least you didn't ship her off to a boarding school."

"Maybe I'm not my old man after all." He joked. "Speaking of old men, what were you and discount Doc Brown talking about? Any gossip?"

She shook her head. "Confidential."

He sighed. "All the good stuff is. I just want to know what he's scheming."

"Dr. Pym isn't scheming anything. He's a good guy."

"I can hear you." Hank spoke up from the other room. "These walls are thinner than my patience."

Seeing no point in attempting to quiet the conversation, Hill and Tony shared a glance before Hill excused herself to ready the jet for the mission. Tony sighed and approached Hank.

"Your dad was a dick." Was the first thing Hank said. "Did he ever tell you about the time I beat his ass?"

Tony raised a brow, intrigued. "Nope."

"Figures."

"What'd he do?"

"Nothing undeserved. Money hungry, power hungry, wanted to use the particle in war. Claimed it was for the next generation."

"Hmm. Sounds about right."

The pair settled into silence as Hank's gaze wandered over to a picture that took up a large portion of the wall. It showed Peggy, Howard, Carson, and several SHIELD workers standing in front of the new and fully built Triskelion. Hank couldn't help but smirk at the memory of smacking Carson's head on the table.

"You thinking about the documentary?" Tony asked, referencing a film that had been all about his dad. "You know they paid Morgan Freeman roughly two thousand dollars a minute for that."

"I'll be honest, I could care less about that thing." Said Hank. "I was thinking about the old days. Mitchell Carson, I'm pretty sure I broke his nose."

Tony scoffed. "You've got issues to rival Banner, you know that?"

"Yeah, well, all the founders were assholes in their own way."

Tony didn't actually know that. He wasn't big on the history of SHIELD, only how it could benefit him in the modern day. He knew about his dad and Peggy Carter, and that Carson was apparently one of the higher-ups exposed as HYDRA. But where Carson was now, no one knew.

Tony couldn't resist a joke. "I'm sure my dad is doing backflips knowing how much you still hate him."

It was Hank's turn to scoff. "I never 'hated' him. He was just a hard man to like. And for all his faults he was... He was smart, I'll give him that, he even wanted flying cars back in the 40s. In those days, he was a goddamn genius as much as he was a complete idiot."

Tony merely nodded along. He didn't have anything to comment on because even he could admit his dad had some good qualities. Still, he knew how to hold a grudge.

"He thought my particle would be good for this country." Hank continued. "He said I could keep my daughter safe if I let his team utilize it into something better, allow her to become the next Wasp."

Finally, Tony spoke again. "Wasp?"

The older man glanced at him. Despite every urge telling him to walk away now and save reopening old wounds, Hank had suffered years of coming to terms with his past.

"Did you ever hear the name Janet van Dyne?"

Tony paused, thinking it sounded familiar. "That's Hope's surname. But who's Janet?"

"She's my wife. Was my wife. She worked with me at SHIELD in the early days. I couldn't have created the Pym Particle without her. We used it together, becoming Ant Man and the Wasp. She could change form like me, only she created a pair of specialized wings and a visor in her helmet."

"What happened?"

"She sacrificed herself to prevent a Soviet missile from targeting the country. She deactivated her Pym Particle Regulator and shrank between the molecules to disarm it."

"But that's-"

"Impossible? No coming back? Yeah."

"I'm..." Tony immediately trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"Spare the pity." Hank told him. "I came back from the mission alone and had to tell Hope her mother was dead. She used to look at me as the greatest man in the world, her hero, but I threw that all away to grieve. Now we're strangers."

Tony looked down, knowing exactly how it felt to have a kid in that situation. He knew how much it hurt and how often the regrets come to drown you in guilt. He still couldn't accept that despite everything that happened that day your only goal was to see him. You gave your life to see him.

"Did you ever try to explain?" He asked Hank. "Tell Hope how you felt?"

Hank dismissed the suggestion with a wave of his hand. "It's too late now. She's got her own life. Like every father, I know she'll understand one day."

"She will." He agreed. "With (Y/n) I was the same. My own father was absorbed in work, drank his feelings, and was always too busy to say hi. I projected that onto my own kid and I hate myself for it."

"I hate to say it but you're just like Howard. When I met you I was disappointed."

"Join the club, buddy. We got free shots of self-loathing and doubt every hour."

Doing his best to ignore the wisecracks, Hank tried to move on to his point of conversation.

"I met (Y/n) when she was thirteen at one of your events. You probably don't remember."

"No. That wasn't exactly my most lovable era."

"Well she was nose-deep in some chemistry book and asked me to test her. She was a genius too. Got every single thing right. I think it's the dominant trait in all the Starks. Annoyingly so."

"Well, you know. Love to hate us, hate to be us."

"What was the story? Did she tell you why she left home?"

"Me. I was a crappy father. I yelled and ignored her and I had help raising her but I didn't show how grateful I was, not until I almost died anyway. She caught an old buddy-turned-enemy red handed and he threatened her life to the point she didn't feel safe being around family."

"That's how she ended up at SHIELD."

"Fury found her. I don't know how long she lived here but this was her home for a while."

"You get a lot of runaways at sixteen but your (Y/n) really takes the cake. Didn't you ever think it was naive of her to just leave like that?"

"Yeah. For a while, actually. But I got over that."

He nodded in understanding. "Still kind of ironic how she and Howard both ended up working for these people. An idiot would call it fate."

"Agree to disagree." Tony shrugged. "I was still proud when I realized all she'd done without me. I think it was better for her to be away sometimes."

Tony looked at Hank with curiosity next. "Did you like her?"

"Yeah. She reminded me of Hope."

"Hmm. I think they'd get along."

In truth, Tony was surprised Hank had actually spoken to you. He had no idea. He couldn't believe that even someone he disliked was fond of you in a way. It was like your own special superpower, getting people to like you.

His thoughts were soon interrupted by the projection wall of the remembrance entrance. It commonly displayed videos of fallen heroes and right now it was your face on that screen. As it did whenever you were mentioned, Tony's hand moved to his necklace.

"I'm sorry you lost her." Hank said with a rare genuineness. "No parent deserves it. Not even a Stark."

Tony didn't say anything that time but nodded to acknowledge the sorrows.

A few quiet seconds passed.

"Did Hill tell you about this place then?" Tony asked. "You didn't find it on your own."

"I did, actually." Hank replied. "I found it before Agent Hill even knew my name."

"How?"

"Conspiracy theories online. You'd be surprised by how many feature (Y/n)."

Tony looked at him and was unsure if he believed the words or not.

"Can you do me a favor?" Hank then asked.

The billionaire was surprised. "Me?"

While the conversation played out, JARVIS and FRIDAY were observing through the security cam system.

"Dr. Pym and Mr. Stark seem alarmingly calm." JARVIS noted.

"They understand each other now." FRIDAY replied. "I apologize for not being able to tell you about Dr. Pym's arrival."

"I understand Agent Hill required silence on the matter. That is good enough."

"I am glad you approve. I am glad the boss is settled with Dr. Pym."

"You care for him."

"As much as I can. He is Miss (Y/n)'s family and she told me therefore he is mine too. I admire the family he has built since the funeral."

"Should I make regular transmissions so you can remain up to date?"

"I would like that. Miss said everyone likes gossip."

"Accurate. Karen and I will let you know of developments."

"Appreciated. I would also like to assure you again that Dr. Pym is trustworthy to Mr. Stark. He is... Familiar."

A brief pause.

"How so?" JARVIS inquired.

"It's difficult to explain." FRIDAY responded. "I believe it started when he spoke to Agent Hill outside her apartment."

JARVIS tried to find the familiarity FRIDAY was picking up but he couldn't detect anything unusual about Hank. He was an ordinary man.
There was something strange there though.

"Dr. Pym has an unidentified and potentially harmful item on his person." He assessed. "Is that what you detected?"

FRIDAY did her own assessment again.

"It isn't an issue." She decided. "The item is safe."

She wasn't sure if she trusted her own words, however. Despite Hill trusting Hank and the AI herself vouching for him, there was something off.

-

Some time later, Hank and Tony left the R.A.F. building together.

"That's a fine jet." The former observed as they approached the rest of the team. "You spend a lot of time on it? It's custom."

"Primo. That's what it's called." Tony explained. "(Y/n) was the one who fixed it. No one but the team gets to use it."

Hank simply rolled his eyes at the accusing tone and happily moved his attention to the rest of the Avengers as they waited outside the jet.

"You're ready for this mission?" He asked them.

"Yes, sir." Steve nodded.

"Check it out." Clint showed off his brand new bow, smiling proudly. "I'm officially the most badass."

"Hold that thought, Legolas." Tony told him. "Wait 'till you see the new suit."

"Are you kidding? You made more upgrades?"

"I gotta be the best."

"You gotta be an ass more like."

"Sulk on the jet. We've got a mission to take care of.”

Chapter Text

Pepper and Hill approached the stairs to New York City Hall.

It was a grand building of three storeys, each ledge housing an array of different flags. The windows were bold and decorated, the stones of the place itself a magnificent white that glistened in the afternoon light.

As the two women reached the top of the stairs and passed the pillars that framed the entrance, they shared a look. Neither knew how this might turn out.

Inside was even grander than the exterior, only now filled with people. Those in suits who worked there, ordinary people with inquiries or meetings, and even a very small group for a tour.

"I'm glad we're doing this for (Y/n)." Pepper said. "Thank you for helping out. I'm sorry about the drive down."

"Don't worry about it." Hill assured her. "I want to do this as much as you. And I'm sure (Y/n) would be glad to see us working together."

"I hope the mayor agrees. Politicians aren't known for being considerate."

She scoffed, seemingly in agreement. "It's only an event. One night."

"Knowing what I do, the first excuse will be high tides, bad weather."

"I could always threaten him. Thor cleared the skies for (Y/n) once, I'm sure he'd do it again."

She smiled, nodding along. "I guess you're right."

"Come on, we'll be late."

"But let's not threaten him." Pepper added. "I hear he's a fan of the Avengers so if he says no, we might be able to still change location."

Then they reached security.

They were instructed to remove anything that might set off the metal detectors and then guided through the said devices before being subjected to a pat down.

One guard caught sight of Hill's old SHIELD badge and lightly backed off. Even if the organization was dead to the world, that didn't mean it didn't still hold leverage.

After this was done and their effects restored, a woman came forward. She was in a tight suit and held a folder to her chest.

"Hello, Ms. Potts, Agent Hill. My name is Lani." She introduced. "I'm the mayor's assistant. It's an honor to meet you both."

"The honor is ours." Pepper said politely. "I'm glad we had the chance to organize all this. I know the mayor can be busy."

"That's true, but you're right on time today. He's just finished with some journalists. I'll take you to him."

"Great, thanks."

"No problem. Follow me."

With confirmed clearance by the security team, the three of them headed through a set of double doors and down a long and twisting hallway. After another minute of passing several offices, they finally reached the most significant looking one.

There was a security guard on each end of the double doors, both stood in stony silence and contempt. After confirming a check with Lani, they allowed the party of three inside.

Mayor Williams was sitting at his desk with his chin resting on linked fingers.

"Your one o'clock is here Mr. Mayor." Lani said. "Ms. Pepper Potts and Agent Maria Hill, formerly of SHIELD."

He stood to attention, extending a hand for them both. "It's a real pleasure, ladies."

They shook his hand and greeted him formally.

"Take a seat." He welcomed, motioning to the spare chairs at his desk. "Thank you, Lani."

"Can I get some refreshments?" The assistant asked politely.

"Just a water, thanks." Hill said.

Pepper nodded. "Same for me."

Lani bowed her head in acknowledgement as she left.

"Thanks for meeting with me." Mayor Williams said once she was gone.

"We should thank you." Pepper replied. "I honestly didn't think my email would go through."

"Oh, please, I'm not the president. I always have time for people like you, Ms. Potts. You mentioned Mr. Stark in the email. Will he be joining us?"

"I'm afraid not. Duty called."

"It's confidential." Hill added. "Sorry."

"Of course." He responded. "The life of an Avenger and philanthropist must be a busy one. I can only imagine the stress."

Pepper smiled. "I'm sure being the mayor comes close."

"Well, truth be told, it's a bit dull. But don't let the board know that. As far as they're concerned, I'm invested in all their plans."

Out of courtesy, they chuckled.

"So, what's this about?" Mayor Williams asked. "Your email was brief."

"Right." Pepper nodded, taking a breath. "I have a proposition for a public event."

"A memorial, right?"

"Yes. For (Y/n) Stark."

"Ah."

"You remember what happened?"

"How could I forget? She caused quite the disruption when escaping those SHIELD agents - or HYDRA, I suppose. Still, I suppose she did take some of the heat off of Captain Rogers when she pulled that stunt. May she rest in peace. I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you, Mr. Mayor. That means a lot."

"It's for her birthday." Hill spoke up again. "The end of this month."

"I see. What kind of memorial is it?"

"It's a birthday tradition she started herself. She hoped her family could continue it together."

"In that case, how could I object? Iron Man's daughter deserves a good send-off."

"It's a lantern rite. She got the idea from Asian culture when she saw a family perform it and got the chance to participate. If possible we'd love to celebrate along East River, between Queens and Manhattan. We could hang some lights and set up a vigil where people can pay respects before the lanterns are lit."

The mayor listened quietly as she continued to explain a clearly thought out plan, even providing visual aids and notes.

As much as he wanted to advocate for the idea, there were a few concerns in his mind. Of course there was the weather issue - rains and storms - and there was an issue about what the community themselves might think. But he also wondered why it had to be East River. He thought about the journalists and reporters who would no doubt attend, and he knew the question would also play on their minds.

"Can I ask why this specific river?" He questioned. "I mean, there's plenty of opportunities. Take Central Park for example."

"(Y/n) had two lives." Pepper explained. "One was (Y/n) Stark, the missing daughter of the Manhattan billionaire, and the other was Ellen Campbell, incredible engineer and friend to Queens. By joining the boroughs we want people to be able to say goodbye to both."

"Naturally. Yes, that makes sense. I'd be glad to hand out the permits for the event. Hopefully we won't struggle with waves. And I'll have to check with the community to avoid possible confusion. Perhaps they'd like to contribute."

Hill and Pepper shared a look, an unspoken message passing between them.

"The more the merrier." Pepper told the mayor. "But why would there be confusion? We'd make the intent clear."

Just then, Lani the assistant returned with the drinks mentioned before the meeting. Mayor Williams thanked her as they were handed out and watched her leave before continuing the discussion.

"Sorry." He apologized. "Just today I had a conference with the local papers. We had to dissect several issues, one of which being the anniversary of the Battle of New York. Since it's coming up soon there were concerns of how to pay respects to those who lost their lives and homes. Unfortunately the topic of the Avengers cropped up and a few of them seemed quite vexed on why our heroes weren't doing anything."

Again, the women shared a look, only this one was a lot more annoyed and concerned.

"Look, I'm not forcing anything." The mayor added. "But celebrating (Y/n) Stark's birthday and indirectly ignoring the victims might not settle well."

"So you want a PR stunt?" Hill asked.

"God, no. I don't want to be disrespectful, I just think it'd be beneficial if we could make the event a collaborative one."

Hill and Mayor Williams continued to discuss the details while Pepper sat back for a moment and thought on it all. She didn't normally trust politicians to do things out of the goodness of their hearts but the mayor seemed genuine enough. She couldn't argue that it might seem self-absorbed for the Avengers to attend a single person's memorial rather than host one for many more, so perhaps making it a bigger tribute could actually work for both parties.

She remembered the shattering minute as she watched Tony cling to your body and beg you to come back. She remembered the tears and the screams and the breakdowns and it set off an ache in her heart. With the upcoming date, perhaps both your family and the families of the NYC victims would have closure.

"It can work." She spoke up

"Really?" The mayor questioned, surprised.

"I'd have to talk to Tony but I think we should do this. Both us and the community ultimately have the same goal. I'm gonna guess it was the Daily Bugle who asked about it."

"Unfortunately."

"That tracks." Hill commented. "But I agree. It's smart."

"Thank you both. Truly. I'll let the community know, and with your permission I'd love to post a social ad to spread awareness."

"As long as we keep it respectful."

"Of course. I'll organize a perimeter, barriers to keep everything contained."

With these details finalized, it seemed the memorial would be going full steam ahead.
"FRIDAY, take notes." Hill spoke aloud.

"Yes, ma'am." Came the reply.

Once that was done, the three all stood once more and shook hands.

-

Early the next day, the Avengers Primo Jet hung in the sky.

With reflective panels equipped, the jet was invisible to all but those inside it. Tony was sitting in the pilot seat, his gaze focused on the cotton candy clouds and lake-blue skies while in the back, Hank and the other Avengers were either napping or just waking up.

"The coordinates of the HYDRA base appear to be fifty-three minutes away, sir." JARVIS spoke up.

"How's the inside?" Tony replied.

"Satellite scans indicate numbers in the two hundreds, including soldiers and miscellaneous personnel."

"How armed are they?"

"Standard issue for mercenaries, sir. And only a select number of Yellowjackets. Ten at most."

"And Zemo?"

"Not that I can see."

"Well the son of a bitch can't hide forever. Thanks, J. Put the jet in auto."

"Yes, sir."

Tony spun around in the pilot seat as the jet began to drive itself seamlessly through the maze of clouds. Noticing how drowsy the team looked made him pick up his phone and connect to the speakers inside. With a devious smirk he began to play 'Wild Side' by Mötley Crüe at full volume, startling everyone at once.

Once the less than graceful awakenings were done and the swearing at Tony finished, the man himself stood at the hatch of the jet to address them all.

"Rise and shine, people!" He announced loudly. "We're almost there. ETA is less than an hour and JARVIS says they're armed with numbers at two-hundred. A dozen Yellowjackets included. And now that that's settled... Cap, what's the plan?"

Very much used to Tony's rude awakenings, Steve was aware enough to have already thought everything through. He was at the 'battle table' as Tony called it and brought up a hologram of the HYDRA base taken from the satellite scans JARVIS had run earlier.

It was very much a fortress surrounded by miles and miles of snowy forest. The closest thing to civilization was a small Sokovian town at the outskirts accompanied by hills and rivers.

"It's not gonna be easy." He began, allowing the team to take a good look at their destination. "As much as we want that scepter, we have to watch out for the civilians in the town. They're angry and they hate you, Tony. If they realize we're there, all hell will break loose."

"No problem." Tony shrugged. "I can use the Iron Legion. Peaceful mode."

"The Yellowjackets won't be easy either. Dr. Pym?"

Hank nodded. "Leave them to me."

"Alright. I'll send someone with you for backup. HYDRA are going to have a lot of firepower with them, especially with free access to all the SHIELD tech they took during the fall last year. We gotta take them out fast and hard. Don't let them see it coming."

Clint stepped forward. "What about the terrain? Even with a Hulk, it's a hike and a half."

"Not an issue." Hank said.

He revealed a round bag that he had brought with him and set it on the table. He unzipped whatever was inside and then presented it to the team.

"Is that a Hot Wheels Rally case?" Tony questioned.

"It's a supply box." He corrected, opening the case to reveal a collection of vehicles. "This is our transportation."

Everyone stared in amazement at the array of vehicles - everything from sports cars to vans and armored trucks - but Clint especially looked awestruck.

"I love you, Dr. Pym." He said.

"That's pretty awesome." Natasha agreed.

Liking the praise, Hank proceeded to smirk as he picked through the case and eventually brought out a small motorcycle. He offered it to Steve.

"I know you were pretty good with these during the war." He said. "Howard wouldn't shut up about how good you looked on a bike."

"Thank you." Steve replied, accepting the bike. "I can't promise it'll come back in one piece."

"I've got backups of my backups, Captain. Don't worry. And for you, Mr. Barton..."

Next he revealed one of the armored trucks. It was camouflaged, designed for military and off-road purposes, and had an open carrier at the back which would be perfect for someone like Clint to use his bow while on the move.

The archer grinned. "Very nice."

Natasha smirked. "I'll drive."

Hank explained once more how the Pym Particle worked on vehicles and while he did this, Tony distanced himself from the team to take a moment for himself.

He took something from his pocket and stared at the picture of you. With a sad smile, he sighed.

"We're almost there." He said. "We'll finish it for you."

Tony then felt a hand rest on his shoulder and looked up to see Steve standing beside him with a concerned look.

"The team's set." He said. "You okay?"

Tony quickly hid the picture and nodded. "Peachy."

Steve knew something was up but he also knew he couldn't pry anything out of Tony unless Tony wanted him to know what was wrong. Instead he gave his friend a comforting squeeze on the shoulder.

"You want to say it?" He asked.

Tony mustered up his usual flamboyant manner. "It would be my pleasure."

He moved away from Steve and stood at the hatch of the jet again to get everyone's attention. Once all eyes were on him, he got to say the magic words.

"Avengers..." He smirked. "Assemble."

Chapter Text

The HYDRA base in Sokovia was quiet.

Strucker stood inside one of the labs, one arm behind his back and the other with a recorder. Through the window in front of him he could see Dr. List experimenting with one of the Sokovian volunteers.

With a cold stare in his eyes, Strucker lifted the recorder to his lips.

"Volunteer One." He spoke. "May 19nd, 2015, 8:25am. The Cross Particle - formerly Pym - will be injected into the volunteer for experimentation. Volunteer One is a willing participant, the contract was signed."

His gaze fell back to the window and he made eye contact with Dr. List.

"Is he ready?"

Dr. List turned to his test subject. The man strapped on a gurney hesitated for only a moment before he gave a stiff nod.

"Proceed." Strucker ordered.

Dr. List filled a small vial with Cross Particles and then attached it to a needle. After doing the necessary checks, he injected the patient.

The particles disappeared into the man's body and they all waited.

At first nothing happened.

But then the man began to grimace as if having an itch he couldn't scratch or a tickled nose.

Both Dr. List and Strucker leaned forward to see if the experiment had worked, only to jump back when the volunteer began screaming in agony.

His body writhed and twisted and he begged for help as his very body structure started to twist in an inhuman nature. It was as if his head and body became jelly, expanding and shrinking erratically within mere seconds.

Then it stopped.

The volunteer was himself again, only now he had grown a few feet.

Strucker smirked and lifted his recorder once more but was yet again halted when something else happened to the volunteer.

His face turned purple and his eyes red as the veins over his body became prominent to the point it seemed like they might pop from the skin. His new scream was soundless but the pain was there as blood trickled from every orifice on his face.

Then he lay dead.

Dr. List's expression morphed from bewilderment to anger as he turned away and slammed his hands down on the table. Strucker matched this look as he abandoned the recorder to enter the experimentation room.

"What was that?" He demanded.

Dr. List sighed. "An unfortunate outcome."

"Clearly. I thought the tests were a success."

"On animals, yes. Perhaps these particles are simply not made for humans."

"No! Hank Pym and Darren Cross did it somehow."

"Their suits. We cannot hope to replicate this experiment without the necessary equipment."

"It does not matter. We will make this work. How many more volunteers can you bring out today?"

"There is space."

"Good. This time use the scepter. It worked on the twins. Perhaps it is our key."

Dr. List thought on his suggestion with a small nod. There was every chance the scepter could boost their new project in some way. After all, the twins were their only survivors. They did something right that day.

"Very well." He conceded. "As you wish."

Before Strucker could leave the room, an almighty bang shook the entire place. The two staggered and grabbed what they could to support themselves.

"What was that?!" He screamed.

As if answering his question an alarm began blaring. "Threat detected. Initiating base lockdown."

The emergency red illuminated the dark stone walls as his face contorted to one of anger. He marched over to the closest PA device and broadcasted a message for HYDRA.

"Report to your stations immediately. This is not a drill. We are under attack!"

-

Outside in the snowy tundra, the Avengers had initiated their attack.

Clint stood in the back of the truck provided to him by Hank while Natasha drove the vehicle through the trees with expert navigation. Both were simultaneously taking down any enemies who got too close.

Tony flew in his suit between the trees and took out the HYDRA mercenaries lying in wait above.

Thor easily handled the armored trucks and ripped drivers from their seats, his trusted hammer wiping out any who thought they had a chance against him.

Steve was on his new motorcycle and weaving between the trees while taking care of the agents and mercenaries who dared try to take him down. He scattered their ranks with ease.

Meanwhile, The Hulk was taking the utmost pleasure in smashing everything in sight. Cars, enemies, the HYDRA flyers... They were no match at all.

The Avengers reached the makeshift barricade of wood and wire the enemy had rammed together and, in perfect unison, bypassed it as if it were nothing.

It was all very dramatic.

-

HYDRA mercenaries and agents alike swarmed the inside of the base as they rushed to get weapons.

"Who gave the order to attack?" Strucker questioned as he entered the main control room of the base.

"Herr Strucker, it's the Avengers." One of his agents replied.

"They landed in the far woods." Another explained. "The perimeter guard panicked."

"The Avengers may fight hard, but HYDRA will fight harder." Strucker claimed. "We have the tech to destroy those silly little heroes."

"Perhaps we should send the Tech Yellow team." List suggested.

HYDRA's yellowjackets.

Strucker thought on it. Most experiments had failed, but those with the suits were always successful in transforming unlike the unfortunate volunteer from mere minutes ago.

The Cross suit and its tech would change HYDRA forever.

"It could work." He confessed. "The Avengers will never know what hit them. Literally."

Dr. List smirked. "You bought the suits from Darren Cross. Now it is time to put them to good use."

With a stiff nod, Strucker moved back to the PA. "Tech Yellow, take your positions and destroy these pitiful Avengers."

As he made the orders, Dr. List let out a sigh of relief. He was especially glad they had their energy barrier protecting them.

-

The Avengers were getting closer and closer to the HYDRA fortress by the second, Tony taking the lead.

He rose up in his suit and went straight for the main building, only to hit something invisible in the way which sent him off-course.

"Shit!" He cursed.

"Language!" Steve scolded. "JARVIS, what's the view from upstairs?"

"The central building is protected by some kind of energy shield. Strucker's technology is well beyond any other HYDRA base we've taken."

Thor fought against several enemies at once as he replied. "Loki's scepter must be here. Strucker couldn't mount this defense without it. At long last."

Elsewhere in the fray, Natasha had taken down her own group of agents and was now readying for another attack. "At long last is lasting a little long, boys."

"Yeah." Clint agreed, focused on a turret gun camouflaged by the snow. "I think we lost the element of surprise."

"That damn shield is smart." Hank soon spoke up. "We can't get through."

Clint glanced down at his shoulder after ducking away from a particularly close call. Hank, having shrunk to the size of an ant, was riding on his shoulder.

"You alright there, bud?" He asked.

Hank nodded. "Fine."

"Hope the ride isn't too rough."

"I'll live. You're the only one I trust not to get themself killed."

"Ouch." Natasha commented. "I'll try not to be offended."

Tony was dealing with the direct perimeter of the base now. "Wait a second, no one else is gonna deal with the fact that Cap just said 'language'?"

"I know." Steve sighed. "Just slipped out."

A moment later, his voice could be heard again.

"Dr. Pym, you might need a new motorcycle." He said.

"I got a garage full." Hank told him, completely unbothered.

"There seems to be a new wave of enemies." JARVIS then warned. "I believe them to be Yellowjackets. Seventy meters north and closing."

"Okay, Old Man Pym." Tony said. "You're up. Show the class how it's done."

Hank smirked. "Agent Barton, I'm gonna need a new ride."

"I got you." Clint said.

He nocked a new arrow in place and allowed Hank to climb onto it. Then, on the signal, he fired the arrow in the direction of the new enemies.

-

Three Yellowjackets flew through the chaos.

They jumped between the explosions and the gunfire without a single scratch, flying high above the destruction to seek out their targets.

But all of a sudden the trio was stopped by the appearance of another shrunken figure much like themselves.

"Who the hell is that?" One asked.

"They a friendly?" Another questioned.

The suit this person wore was much like theirs, the only key difference being color.

"Strucker didn't mention him." The third Yellowjacket said.

The new arrival laughed. "I think he might be embarrassed. After all, you're copycats. I'm the original."

There was a beat of silence as the cogs clicked into place.

"Pym!" They all shouted.

"Well done." Hank said. "Maybe you're not as stupid as that suit looks."

"He's one of the Avengers!" Yellowjacket One shouted.

Hank pulled a face. "Please don't insult me like that. I'm just here to destroy a protege's failure."

"Get him!"

And just like that Hank jumped into action.

"Three against one isn't fair, you know." He taunted, dodging several hits at once and retaliating with his own punches. "I think you should call for some reinforcements."

"Seven of our reinforcements are about to kill your Avengers." Yellowjacket Two shot back. "And we have all we need right here."

At his signal, the other two Yellowjackets stopped their attacks to reveal something that Hank didn't have with his suit. Weaponry. However, facing this obvious disadvantage, he simply laughed.

The three stared in confusion.

"Why's he laughing?" One asked blankly.

Hank stood still, mocking them even further. "You might have weapons, but I've got the numbers. Let me introduce you to my friends."

-

Across the snowy tundra, another Yellowjacket attacker was bouncing his way between branches to avoid the fire below.

He didn't stop until he spotted an Avenger. The Hulk.

However, as he raised his arm to shoot an energy blast at the green giant, he was unexpectedly swarmed by none other than countless carpenter ants.

As Hulk went about smashing and destroying every enemy in sight, he didn't even flinch as a comedic high-pitched scream sounded in the distance and a tiny figure drowned in a mountain of ants. It was only when this tiny figure shot an energy beam and enlarged to his regular size that Hulk paused and stared. Caught red-handed the grown Yellowjacket awkwardly raised a hand and waved.

Hulk smirked.

-

The Yellowjacket team attacking Hank could hear their squad member's unfortunate demise in the form of garbled screams in the comms.

"Ants!" The squad member was yelling. "Oh, God! Shit!"

"What is happening?!" Strucker's enraged voice snarled.

"Ants are eating me!"

The three Yellowjackets could feel anger burning through their bodies as they glared daggers at Hank.

"You won't win this." Yellowjacket Two told him. "Hail HYDRA."

Hank scoffed. "Let's get this over with."

The attack resumed but even with three against one, Hank managed to outsmart them all. With the help of ants and his own skill he incapacitated two of the three Yellowjackets.

"You can't do this!" The last one screamed.

Hank paid him no mind and went for another attack. He threw a punch that landed perfectly and then kicked the Yellowjacket into the nearest tree. The result was a loud crunch and the Yellowjacket tried to retaliate by using his weapon but Hank was too fast. He grabbed the Yellowjacket's wrist and pulled it behind his back, earning a loud crack that echoed in the tundra.

The Yellowjacket howled in pain, defeated.

-

Inside the base, one of the HYDRA personnel was assessing the fight from the safety of a security room and computer screens.

"I-I don't understand." He mumbled.

"What is happening?" Strucker demanded.

"I don't know! The men... They're gone."

"Impossible!"

"No! There's something else..."

"An Avenger?" List questioned.

"I don't know. He's fast. And strong. So small..."

Immediately, Strucker knew what that meant. He looked at List who already wore the exact same expression.

"It was my belief Dr. Pym was retired." Strucker commented.

"As did I." List agreed. "It seems not. But Pym would never work with a Stark. Why is he with them?"

"They have to be after the scepter and the remaining Cross Particle." Strucker determined. "Can we hold them?"

The HYDRA agent with them looked horrified. "They're the Avengers!"

"Deploy the rest of the tanks."

He nodded in defeat. "Yes, sir."

"Concentrate fire on the weak ones. A hit can make them close ranks." He turned to Dr. List. "Everything we've accomplished... We're on the verge of our greatest breakthrough."

Dr. List knew he was right. "Then let's show them what we've accomplished. Send out the twins."

Strucker shook his head. "It's too soon."

"It's what they signed up for."

"My men can hold them." He insisted.

But as the minutes ticked away, he became increasingly uneasy. The Avengers - although outnumbered - were closing in on the base. The agents were looking to him for help.

"We will not yield!" He told them. "The Americans send their circus freaks to test us, we will send them back in bags. Dr. Hank Pym is with them in search of our Particle. Under no circumstance does he walk away alive. No surrender!"

Somewhat reassured by the quick pep talk, the agents raised their arms. "No surrender!"

Once the agents were scattering to their new positions, Strucker turned to List and lowered his voice. "I am going to surrender."

List looked at him, confused.

"You will delete everything. If we give the Avengers the weapons they may not look too far into what we-"

"The twins."

"They are not ready to take on-"

"No, no, no." List pointed to the back of the room. "The twins."

Strucker looked over and noticed that his most valued assets who had previously been observing in silence were now no longer in sight.

-

Clint took a stance behind a large tree as a tank with a turret gun aimed for him.

He flinched as the beams of energy shot past on either side of the tree and put another arrow in place as he took a deep breath. Then he turned and released the arrow in the direction of the tank.

Only it didn't hit. A blur of color got in the way.

Clint quickly backed behind the tree with furrowed brows. Was he seeing things?

He tried to shoot again but this time that same blur of color knocked him to the ground.

He groaned and tried to sit back up, now seeing a young man strolling around with a cocky smile. "You didn't see that coming?"

Then that same disappeared with yet another blur.

Clint nocked a third arrow and held his aim high as he peered through the snow. With his mind preoccupied he failed to notice the turret on the tank aiming for him. There was a shot and it scraped Clint's side, causing the archer to yell out and collapse.

Natasha, who had been fighting nearby, heard the commotion. "Clint!"

At the same time, Steve spoke into the comms. "We have an enhanced on the field."

"Clint's hit!" Natasha told them.

She knelt at her best friend's side and quickly dug around her suit for something to stem the bleeding. The wound wasn't deep but it still looked nasty. As she checked his pulse, the tank continued to fire at them.

"Somebody want to deal with that bunker?" She asked.

Not a few seconds after her question, there was an almighty bang as a huge and bright red lego brick enlarged at an incredible rate and crushed the entire thing.

"Thank you." She said.

Then Hank came into view after growing back to his normal height. He removed his helmet to reveal that he was mostly unharmed save for a few scrapes and bruises.

"You okay?" Natasha asked. "You're bleeding."

"Fine." Hank replied without much thought. "I got rid of the Yellowjackets."

"How?"

"I had some small friends to help out."

They heard a groan as Clint lifted his head. "I'm still here. And still bleeding."

They apologized quickly.

"What happened, Agent Barton?" Hank asked.

"He was fast." Clint told him, grimacing through his pain. "Enhanced. Moved faster than I could blink."

The older man seemed intrigued. "Was he HYDRA?"

"Couldn't tell you."

"Is now the right time for this?" Natasha intervened. "We have bigger problems."

"Right." Hank nodded. "Agent Barton needs someone with medical experience. Can we get him to that jet thing?"

"She has a name." Tony's voice spoke up in the comms. "She's called Primo."

He rolled his eyes. "Shouldn't you be getting that barrier shut down?"

They could hear the sarcasm dripping in Tony's voice. "Yes, sir. Anything else? Shine your shoes maybe? Take out your trash perhaps?"

"Boys..." Natasha warned.

A few seconds later they heard a loud boom and looked towards the fortress to see Tony firing a missile near the base. After the explosion, the shimmering barrier that protected the building disappeared.

"Drawbridge is down, people!" Tony announced. "You're welcome, Pym."

"Agent Barton needs evac." Hank said. "He won't be able to fight like this."

"I can get Barton to the jet." Thor said. "The sooner we're gone, the better."

"No need. I've got transport."

Natasha and Clint shared a confused look.

"You hiding a sled in there or something?" Clint questioned.

Hank grinned. "Or something."

He whistled a very specific tune and an abnormally large black ant appeared with a rope around it. Connected to the other end of this rope was a wagon perfect for transporting an injured person.

Natasha scoffed in amazement. "That'll work."

"You know, maybe you should join the team officially." Clint offered.

-

List was hiding in one of the computer labs after the barrier went down and was desperately trying to complete the task given to him by Strucker.

He was so immersed in erasing all the evidence of HYDRA that he barely registered Tony showing up and taking out the armed security detail.

"Almost there..." List murmured to himself, moving to pack up some paper files next. "Almost..."

He turned and almost screamed when he realized Tony was waiting for him. Once he processed the new arrival he lunged to get back to the computer, only for Tony to raise his hands and show off his repulsor beams.

"Yeah, I wouldn't." He teased. "Stand down, Einstein."

List didn't need to be told twice. He backed away from the desktop and raised his hands.

With List no longer a threat, Tony opened up his suit and stepped out. "Sentry mode."

The suit closed back up and posted as a guard, keeping a hand pointed in List's direction.

"Nice place you got here." Tony commented as he stopped at the computers containing all the information List was trying to delete. "Mind if I hijack your system?"

List could only stutter out a weak response.

"Okay, JARVIS." Tony said, plugging in a USB cable. "You know. I want it all. Make sure you copy Hill at HQ."

List watched Tony download the files and cursed under his breath. Even if he was a coward, he still believed in HYDRA. He subtly moved and reached up for his glasses, pretending to wipe them free of grime. As his fingers brushed over the frame, he tapped a small sensor. A signal for help.

-

Across the tundra, one of the last Yellowjackets received the emergency signal.

"On my way." He said. "Give me a few minutes."

-

Back in the computer lab, List stood a lot more comfortably knowing that help was on the way.

Now he had to stall.

"That Iron Man suit." He spoke up. "How unique. And... Volatile. Much like the wearer."

Tony scoffed. "You're gonna make me blush, sweetheart."

"You joke, but you would stand there with your weapons raised at a defenseless man. Perhaps this is why the people cannot trust their saviors."

"Yeah, nobody asked for a commentary, thanks."

"What? Afraid to know the truth? The people of Sokovia despise the American heroes. They will not think kindly of this attack."

Tony didn't reply and instead watched the download progress on the files. It was slowly but surely moving along.

"Tell me, did young (Y/n) Stark approve of your career?" List asked. "Did she trust Iron Man?"

As always, the mention of you stung like an open wound. Tony's hands curled into fists as the weight of the key necklace became much heavier.

"Do you have a kid?" He asked.

List shook his head. "I have not had the fortune."

"Then you don't get it. She would understand this is to protect people."

"Are you sure? I hear it was quite a sordid relationship. No love on either side."

"Once upon a time."

List smirked. "Let me guess... You got better."

Tony refused to look at him. "Yeah, actually."

"A father does not change, Stark."

"Spoken just like a man with daddy issues." He retorted. "I tried to find her. I got lucky when SHIELD took her in."

"Ah. Yes... Quite the inventor I heard."

"She was supposed to come home." Tony's expression darkened as he finally turned around. "She was supposed to be alive. She was supposed to have a family who care, friends to laugh with, people she loved. She wasn't supposed to be killed by a fucking gun shot!"

List flinched at the outburst. "That was unfortunate."

"Unfortunate? Oh, I'll show you unfortunate. When I find the guy that killed her... When I get my hands on the bastard that gave you the scepter... You'll all die."

List took a step back, a spark of genuine fear in his eyes. He knew who the murderer was, but he hadn't seen Zemo in a year. He had no idea where he was or would be, or even if he was still alive.

Then something caught his eye.

A tiny shadow was at the bottom of the lab's only window. A Yellowjacket.

"I know the man of whom you speak." He said, hoping to keep Tony's attention on him. "He gave us the scepter, this is true, but I cannot say where he is now. He is a smart man and will disappear. It has been a long year, after all."

Tony clenched his jaw as conflicted feelings bubbled within him. He had to find your killer. He had to have some kind of revenge or justice.

"How can I find him?" He demanded.

The corner of List's lips twitched upwards. "So desperate."

"Tell me!"

"Ah... The aura of vengeance. Tell me, Mr. Stark, what will you do if you find him? What price can he pay for murdering your daughter?"

As the two talked - or rather argued - the small Yellowjacket was now at Tony's feet.

"Hail HYDRA." He spoke softly.

Just as he was about to enlarge himself and deal a blow, he felt a tap on his shoulder. Bewildered, the Yellowjacket turned around to see a red suit staring back at him with an innocent smile.

"Stark. Take cover." Hank instructed.

Tony, who had been about to tell List exactly what he had in mind for your killer, stopped abruptly.

"The doctor has a gun."

Several things happened at once within the next few seconds.

Tony ran for his suit.

Hank took out the Yellowjacket.

List reached for a hidden gun.

Tony fired a repulsor beam straight at List.

List crumpled to a heap on the floor.

Chapter Text

An eerie silence surrounded Tony as he gazed down at List's body.

There was a burning hole in his stomach from the repulsor beam fired and, in that moment, all of Tony's thoughts were consumed by the memory of you. You had been shot in that exact same place.

Part of him wanted to answer List on the question of what he would do to Zemo if he ever got the chance to confront him in person. The ideas in his mind were cruel and heartless but he knew the question was only prompted as a distraction so the Yellowjacket could strike a blow.

His knuckles grazed the necklace over his chest and he closed his eyes. The sensation grounded him. He wondered if List had a point asking what you would have thought about the superhero gig. He never got the chance to ask.

Tony barely realized Hank had fought the tiny Yellowjacket agent until a firm hand on his shoulder startled him.

"Jesus, Einstein-" He muttered. "Are you trying to kill me off?"

"I'm so sorry, princess." Hank mocked, only for his features to soften next. "Are you okay?"

"Still breathing." Tony shrugged. "Almost got killed by a dude in a yellow jacket. How embarrassing is that?"

He didn't mention the conversation about you. He didn't want to, especially not to someone he didn't fully trust.

"What happened to that little asshole?" He asked.

Hank smirked and pulled out a small glass jar which easily fit into his palm. Inside was the unconscious Yellowjacket. Tiny air holes had been poked into the lid.

Tony raised a brow. "Well, well, well, color me impressed. You're pretty spry for an old guy. How'd you manage that?"

"A little genius here and a new invention there." Hank shrugged. He then placed the jar on the closest table and revealed a small disk he held in his palm. "High voltage, stings like a bee. It's like a paralytic."

Again, Tony found himself impressed. "Mind if I borrow that?"

Hank scoffed as he put the disk away. "You're as bad as your father."

The billionaire bit back a sarcastic comment as he moved away from List's body.

"You didn't have to help me out back there." He said in an attempt to avoid having to show gratitude. "Or come here at all really."

Hank was checking the lab when he looked at the Avenger, not amused by the snide comment at all. "I want the Cross Particle destroyed, ergo I had to locate a very specific HYDRA base, ergo I had to contact the only group of people who can legally go where they want, when they want. You and your band of merry men."

Tony merely nodded, having lost interest mid-explanation. "So what are we doing with the little guy?"

He motioned to the jar on the table in which the unconscious Yellowjacket still slept.

"We gonna leave him to rot in that thing and let him stare at his dead boss for all eternity?"

Hank frowned. "That's a little dark."

"What other option is there?"

"Unlike you, Stark, I'm not heartless. A few of my friends are coming. They can fly him out and we can take him back for some noir-style interrogations."

At his words, several flying ants filtered through an open window. They were banded together and shared a rope between them as they landed on the table. Hank moved to stand in front of the jar and leaned down to watch the agent inside.

"I gave Agent Romanoff something to switch him back to full size. She's rounding up the other ones as we speak, I expect."

He took the rope from the ants and secured the glass jar to their bodies. Even with such a small jar it was impressive that it didn't crush the ants.

The ants took off with the jar and disappeared into the blinding sky outside.

"Don't tell me those things also carried Barton to Primo." Tony mused. "I doubt even Captain Obvious could handle that dead weight."

"He didn't like the idea." Hank confessed. "He preferred the god."

"Hmm. Can't blame him, really. Who wouldn't want that six-foot-two hunk of muscle carrying you to safety?"

Right on cue, Natasha's voice came through the comms. "We're locked down out here."

"Get to Banner." Steve instructed her. "It's time for a lullaby."

Tony began pacing around the computers as JARVIS finished copying all the files available.

"What's next?" Hank asked him. "Can we get the scepter or the particle from here?"

"They're here somewhere." He replied as he looked around more cautiously, now speaking to the lab. "I know you're hiding more than files."

Hank crossed his arms as he also eyed the room. "Looks like the kind of place to hide a secret passage. Especially in this old fortress."

That caught Tony's attention and seemed to give him an idea. "Hey, J, give me an IR scan of the room real quick."

A moment later, they heard the AI reply. "The wall to your left. I'm reading steel reinforcement. And an air current."

Hank seemed rather proud of himself. "Told you."

Tony rolled his eyes as he approached the mentioned wall and placed both hands against the cold stone. He began feeling for something.

"Please be a secret door, please be a secret door, please be a-" A click filled the room as a section of the wall pressed back to reveal a dark entrance way. "Yay."

Hank shook his head. "You're a child."

Tony motioned to the darkness now in front of them. "Tell me that's not cool."

The older man walked past him. "It's not cool."

Through the looming passage were steel reinforcements crafted to make a tunnel, just as JARVIS said. It looked like a war bunker, and the old lights hanging on the sides were flickering from the strain of being kept on for so long. Hank led the way down and Tony quickly followed.

The tunnel brought them to an underground laboratory.

It was much more impressive than the one upstairs and the lights were stronger. It wasn't by much and the room was still shadowed in most parts, but the pair could make out numerous tables set up with an overload of technology and suspicious looking artifacts.

"We have a second enhanced." Steve said in the comms. "Female. Do not engage."

Hank and Tony found themselves unable to reply as they took in the sheer size of the lab. There was a quietness to the place that brought an eerie feel to the two of them. They could imagine what it was like when all the testing and the trails were occurring.

"Guys, I got Strucker." Steve said.

"Yeah..." Tony finally spoke up. "Pym and I got something bigger."

He was staring at the ceiling. Hanging from it was a leviathan ship from the Battle of New York. It filled the entire length of the lab and even when it was powered down and lifeless like this, there was a feeling of dread and fear pinching at the heart.

"Stark." Hank called.

Tony tore his eyes away from the leviathan and found Hank pointing at a large room in the corner. It had several gurney rows and a booth inside, leading him to guess that it must have been used for the experiments.

"Find the scepter." Hank said. "I'm going to take a look inside."

"Don't die." Tony replied.

Hank dismissed the jokeful concern and made his way over to the room. Once he crossed the threshold, he was disgusted to see what remained of an earlier experiment gone wrong. A dead volunteer still lay there, his body bloated and malformed and barely cold.

Hank turned away from the body and went to the booth. Inside was a mess of papers and equipment but he still managed to find a recorder lying in the middle of a table. He picked it up and pressed play.

"Volunteer One. May 19th, 2015, 8:25am. The Cross Particle - formerly Pym - will be injected into the volunteer for experimentation. Volunteer One is a willing participant, the contract was signed."

Hank glanced at the body of the volunteer, feeling bile rise up in his throat at the thought of what his particles were being used for. He had been betrayed by a man he once considered a son and, because of that, HYDRA had a dangerous weapon and people were dying. It made him angry.

He thought about how bad things must be in Sokovia if the volunteers were willing to risk it all for the slimmest possible chance at becoming something better. They were just trying to survive.

Hank searched the lab further and found what remained of the Cross Particle.

It was a small vial, but it was enough. He scooped it up and tucked it away into a small pouch at the waist of his suit.

Meanwhile, Tony had found what they were all after.

"Thor... I got eyes on the prize."

The scepter was in its own area, raised on a platform with electricity sparking from the wires that surrounded it. It was almost like it was waiting to be taken.

He smiled. "We did it, (Y/n)."

Unbeknownst to him, he was no longer alone.

A woman with dark hair and red magic dancing at her fingertips waited behind Tony, her expression dark and curious. She seemed to be observing him, waiting for his next move. And, once he took a step towards the scepter, she struck him.

She raised her hands to his head and the magic flowing between her fingers seemed to enter Tony's mind. His eyes were casted in a glowing red before slowly fading back to brown.

The woman disappeared into the shadows.

Tony felt dizzy all of a sudden and grabbed the closest desk to support himself. He was nauseous and had to turn away from the scepter, only to stumble into the desk due to what he saw.

The lab was glowing blue and the lifeless leviathan was not in fact so lifeless anymore. It was gliding through the air straight at Tony. He ducked as it passed overhead and then followed its path back towards the scepter. But the scepter was gone.

In its place was a scene so horrific it rooted Tony to the ground.

The lab was gone, replaced by an endless void in which more leviathans glided. The ground beneath his feet was uneven and rocky, splattered in blood and spread with broken weapons and armor. That wasn't the worst part. It was seeing his friends - every single one of them - dead.

The Avengers were brutalized by arrows and swords and gunshot wounds, their own weapons missing or destroyed. Even Steve's shield was broken in half by the super soldier's corpse. Among the pile of already catastrophic losses were more people Tony had come to know, and a few he would even say he loved like family.

Fury. Agent Hill. Ned and his moms. MJ and her mom. Harley and the Parkers. Happy. Rhodey and Mama Rhodes. And closest to him, at the front of the pile, was Pepper's beaten and bloodied body.

"No!"

Tony ran to her side and fell to his knees in an instant. Pain shot through his joints but he didn't care, he couldn't even think about it. Pepper was gone.

"No, no, no." He kept muttering. "Don't be gone, please. Not you, too."

But then came the most painful stab to his heart. Your body, now visible beside Pepper's. As Tony cried and pleaded, voices began to swarm him, the voices of everyone in the pile of corpses.

"It's your fault."

"You let this happen."

"It should've been you."

"You could've saved us."

"Why didn't you do more?"

"You let us die."

Tony shook his head repeatedly as his shaking hand grasped his necklace. "It's not true. I-I wouldn't let them-"

Screams of hatred and pain invaded his mind and he shut his eyes in hopes that it might magically block out the noises.

He didn't know it was all in his head.

The woman from earlier, the one who planted the vision in his mind, watched from afar. She was joined by a man, her twin brother.

Tony's whimpers filled the quiet lab. To them, he was merely kneeling on the ground in front of the scepter and crying over a necklace.

"What did you make him see?" The brother asked curiously.

The sister tilted her head as an unreadable emotion crossed over her eyes. "His worst fear."

Just then, Hank appeared behind them.

"Who the hell are you?" He demanded.

The twins shared a look, neither saying a word. It was like they were communicating telepathically.

Hank eyed the sister as magic appeared between her fingers again. He remembered Steve's words about a female enhanced and to not engage with her. He couldn't help but be intrigued and wonder what she was capable of if Steve didn't even want to fight her.

He caught a glimpse of Tony's broken state in the background and shook himself back into reality. He might not have liked the other man much, but he was clearly suffering.

"Let him go." He ordered. "Whatever you did to him, undo it."

The sister nodded to her brother and they stepped apart from each other. Hank didn't know who to face first but was quickly caught unawares by the brother who seemed to circle him in the blink of an eye. He reached out to defend himself and the brother crashed into the wall at an impossible speed.

"Speed isn't always good, you know." Hank taunted him. "You're gonna have to do better than that."

It was a distraction.

With Hank focused on her brother, the sister was able to get behind him and use her magic to warp his mind just as she had with Tony.

Immediately she helped her brother stand. "Are you hurt?"

He shook his head as a smile tugged at his lips. "It was easy."

She returned the smile. "Then we must leave."

"Are you sure? What about the scepter?"

"Trust me."

All it took was one shared look for him to agree. The two rushed out of the lab, leaving Tony and Hank in their visions.

Hank found himself in San Francisco, only it was some hellscape form of the city.

Fires climbed to the blood red skies and the smoke shut out all forms of light and freedom. The buildings were collapsing all around him as the earth beneath his feet shook violently. What was once the flag of the USA now appeared to be one of HYDRA's, fluttering helplessly in the wicked gales. The ocean was visible in the distance and so was Primo, the tip of its wings burning as the rest of it was swallowed by the sea. The heroes were all dead.

Hank stumbled from the raw shock of seeing all the carnage and in doing so found an even more horrifying sight. In one of the tumbling buildings, through a gap caused by an explosion, he could make out Hope in the rubble. She was alive, covered in dirt and blood and with what looked like a broken arm.

She hadn't seen her father yet and seemed more focused on someone in the rubble with her. She was angry.

"Hope!"

She looked at him and suddenly Hank was sprinting as fast as he could towards her.

But something was wrong.

The closer he got, the further Hope seemed to be. It was like he was running on a treadmill and she was just out of reach. Despite how tired he was and how scared he suddenly felt, he didn't stop. He knew he had to reach her.

Then the voice of Darren Cross reached his ears.

"Thank you for teaching me so much." The former protege said. "The famous Ant Man, the legend himself, and he chose me. It's funny how life works, isn't it? I'm ready to surpass you now. When Hope and I voted you off the board, it was a good thing. Trust me."

Hank tried to ignore the voice and maelstrom of emotions building inside of him. He watched as the smoke cleared and finally saw who was with Hope inside the rubble.

A Yellowjacket. He was armed, and advancing.
"No!" Hank yelled desperately. "Don't touch her!"

"The company is better off without you." Darren's voice continued to taunt him. "I personally think retirement suits you well, old timer. After all, you were ruining the company, right? That petty rivalry with Stark, refusing to make the suit a weapon, and abandoning your sweet little girl for what?"

A cruel laugh echoed over the fallen city.

"She's a fine young woman." Darren said. "Perfect in every way. Soft... Gentle... And still fiery."

Anger sparked inside Hank, disgusted by the words. He became more determined to reach his daughter, watching as the Yellowjacket faceplate lifted up to reveal Darren himself.

He looked maniacal. His eyes were wild and crazy and his mouth contorted and twisted as he let out another laugh.

"You were a faithful chairwoman, my dear Hope." He told her. "You trusted me, you hated Hank... It's a shame you never got to be involved with the Cross Particle. You could've made it even greater. Just imagine if you had stood beside me. We would've destroyed the Avengers together, and we could rule HYDRA. I'll miss you."

Things seemed to slow down for Hank at that moment as he watched his little girl die. One moment she was terrified, doing her best to stand against Darren, and the next she was lying in the rubble, dead.

Hank fell to the ground on all fours as an involuntary sob wracked his body. He kept crying Hope's name as a cold sensation wrapped around him. It was tight, suffocating, and he couldn't breathe.

"Why didn't you save her?!" An all too familiar voice screamed at him.

It was his wife. He could see Janet in his mind, her skin ghostly pale and gaunt, her eyes hollow and yet furious with rage. She looked demonic.

"This is your fault!" She told him. "You let our little girl die!"

-

In the lab, while Hank and Tony were stuck in their visions, the stone inside the scepter began to glow.

It was only glimmering at first, barely noticeable in the dark room. It was oddly rhythmic, like a heartbeat.

Then it began to grow bigger and brighter, practically engulfing the entire room.
-

Tony staggered in his vision, his eyes wide and fearful as he tried to escape.
He held one hand on the ground as he tried to force himself to his feet while the other hand clutched at his heart. His breathing was erratic and unstable and this time he didn't know how to fix it. He felt like he was dying, sitting at the edge of a cliff where just even the slightest breeze could push him over into a dark abyss. He mumbled desperate apologies and pleaded as the voices of his dead family clawed at his mind.

Just when he thought he was about to die, a blinding light erupted within the darkness and he covered his head to protect himself.

His body trembled as he waited and he didn't lift his head again until he realized that the voices had stopped.

The entire world had changed.

Gone were the predatory leviathans and the pile of bodies, replaced with idealistic blue sky and cotton candy clouds. There were no more bodies or bloodstains, just grown trees humming in the breeze and colorful flora intertwining with the grass. There were no more screams and voices, only the sound of birds singing and soft ripples on a glistening lake.

His panic was erased as he felt a sudden embrace of warmth. He could feel arms wrap themselves around him from behind and yet he couldn't see anyone at first, his mind still plagued by the earlier vision.

"It's okay, dad." A gentle voice said softly.

Tony froze up. He hadn't heard the voice in so long that he had almost forgotten what it sounded like. But now there was no mistaking it. It was you.

"Don't listen to them." You told him. "I promise they're not real."

He stuttered your name, turning his body to try and find you again.
"It's a dream. It's not real." You repeated. "Pepper is okay. And Happy and Rhodey, and Ben, May, and little Pete. They're alive."

"The vision-" He tried to say.

"I know it's scary, but you're stronger than that."

"But what if I can't stop what's coming?"

He could see a gentle smile as your voice filled the heavenly surroundings once more. "No one can stop the inevitable, dad. We can only do what we can to try and alter the course. As long as you try, it can never be your fault. Whatever happens will happen for a reason."

He tried to speak, to ask if your death was supposed to happen, but he couldn't bring himself to ask it aloud. It would shatter the bliss of the new heaven, and he couldn't bear to repeat that day in his mind anymore.

"Everything will be okay." You said. "You have to stay strong, though. You have to lean on the team if you need them and not just shut yourself away. You're stronger if you have family."

"Will we be enough?" He asked quietly.

"Don't worry. More allies are coming."

He found himself unable to reply again. He didn't want to leave.

"It's time to go." You said, as if reading his mind. "It's going to be okay."

Tony shook his head. "No. Don't send me back, (Y/n). Please."

"You've got this, dad. You're a freaking superhero. Just breathe with me. I love you. In fact, I love you 3000."

His voice broke. "(Y/n)..."

"I love you, dad. I'm so proud."

With every breath, Tony could see the heavenscape crumbling away, revealing the darkness again. He tried to focus on your voice and your breathing, he tried to mimic it.

And then, finally, he snapped back into reality.

Chapter Text

The tundra outside the fortress had settled.

While the Avengers apprehended what remained of HYDRA's forces, the twins cautiously made their way towards the town at the outskirts of the snowy forest.

Everyone had heard of the heroic deeds of the Avengers, but most never got to see the outcome. The twins stared with disgust and anger as red blood mixed into the snow, creating a murky brown. They saw mostly unconscious bodies, but some who had been unfortunate enough to be thrown aside or hit something too hard lay dead at the base of rocks and tree trunks. Bullet casings littered the ground and weapons lay abandoned.

Abruptly, the female twin turned to look at her brother. "Pietro, I feel something."

Her brother frowned. "What do you mean?"

She didn't reply as she stopped to look at the fortress they'd just left behind.

"It is... Strange." She then said. "Stark..."

"What about him?" Pietro questioned, only to have silence in response. "Wanda?"

She tilted her head curiously. "He will suffer."

"That is good, no?"

"There is something else... I do not know what it is."

-

Tony abruptly awoke from his vision, finding himself on the stone cold floor of the underground laboratory.

His cheeks were wet with tears and he could feel an ache quickly spreading throughout his entire body. He felt overwhelmed as he clutched at his heart, gripping the necklace once more.

He thought of you, of what seeing you in that vision could mean. He never truly believed in an afterlife or loved ones watching over a person, but now part of him craved truth to those theories. He wanted to know if any of it was real, if you were okay and if there was any way he could see you again.

"Oh, (Y/n)..." He mumbled, closing his eyes tightly as he tried to remember how it felt to hug you in the vision. "I miss you, kid."
He took a minute to recover and didn't move at first, content with simply sitting in place and thinking of you in that paradise. He had no idea what happened, guessing that maybe the scepter played with his mind or something along those lines. It was the only thing that made sense.

Once he was able to catch his breath and dry his eyes, Tony moved to his feet and cautiously approached the scepter once more. He held out his hand as he circled the podium until a faint whooshing sound echoed in the lab and the gauntlet of his suit covered his palm. With that, he was able to flawlessly grab the scepter.

He marvelled in awe at the mysterious weapon now in his possession, the blue glow from the ornate orb at the top bathing everything in an eerie atmosphere.

"Now to find the old grasshopper and get the hell out of here." He muttered.

He looked around the lab and held the scepter low, listening out for any sign of Hank. Aside from the thrumming of the scepter, he was able to faintly pick up a sound similar to muffled cries of anger and sadness. However, by the time he found his new teammate, Hank was as quiet as ever as he picked up his suit helmet.

"Got the prize." Tony said, making himself known. "Did you find what you wanted?"

Hank merely nodded in confirmation as he turned his helmet around in his hands. Tony noticed that it looked damaged.

"What happened, little guy?" He questioned with a slight hint of mocking in his tone. "Someone step on you?"

It was easy to see that Hank did not appreciate the taunts as he only grunted in response.

Tony excused himself, raising the hand that wasn't holding the scepter. "I'm kidding."

Again, Hank shot him a glare. "Nothing happened."

Thinking back to his own vision, Tony wondered if the same had happened to Hank. It sounded like he was stuck in a nightmare mere seconds ago and now he seemed fine, albeit more moody than usual. He should've known Hank wouldn't dare tell him of all people the truth.
"It's time to go." Hank said. "We can't stay here."

"Aw, really?" Tony replied sarcastically. "I think we could really liven the place up with a couple of couches and a jukebox."

As always, Hank had to bite his cheek to stop a snarky reply. He instead motioned for Tony to follow him and they began to head back up the bunker tunnels and find a way out.

"Tony, Dr. Pym, we've got Strucker." They heard Steve say over the comms. "NATO is going to want to hold him and the rest of these guys."

"See if we can hold them off for a while." Hank replied. "Strucker won't talk to NATO, but he might still talk to us."

"Got it. Any news on List?"

"Uh, yeah." Tony answered. "He took a permanent vacation."

"I think he went somewhere warm." Hank added with a coy smile.

"Oh, definitely. I hear hell is particularly nice this time of year."

"Did we find any data?" Steve asked, getting them back on topic.

"A few files he tried getting rid of." Tony told him. "JARVIS hacked the system and sent all we got to Agent Hill."

"What was it?"

"A few experiment results and outpost locations he was sending them to I'd wager."

"Those experiments were nasty." Hank said, thinking back to the leviathan on the ceiling and the body he found. "We can't leave this place in one piece. There's always a chance they'll recover equipment."

"We'll find a way to take care of it." Steve said confidently.

"Way ahead of you, Cap." Tony said. "Once Pym and I are clear I'll treat you to a firework display."

It didn't take long after that for Tony and Hank to rejoin the team at Primo. They arrived just as Natasha did and watched her guide Bruce on board. He was always quiet after transforming into The Hulk and everyone knew by now to just let him take a few hours on his own before approaching him.

Steve was standing in front of the line of HYDRA agents as the Avengers' backup vehicles arrived to take them into custody. Strucker was at the very front and glared at every person to come into his field of view. He was not a happy bunny.

After reconvening and talking about the evidence left behind in the fortress, charges were set and they blew it all sky high. The noise was tremendously loud and everyone flinched as the explosion blended with the gray sky.

Strucker's jaw dropped.

"What have you done?! All we worked on... Gone!"

He was ignored as Steve approached Natasha, placing his shield at the back of his suit. Strucker watched him with pure hatred.

"Arsch mit ohren!" He exclaimed as he glared at the captain. "The shield does not make you a hero! That fortress was home to the kings and queens of a revolution! What gives you the right to destroy it?"

Natasha wasn't at all fazed by the jabs being made. "Does this guy have an off switch?"

Steve sighed. "Unfortunately not."

They tried to ignore the threats Strucker was now shouting at them all, most of which were in German and sounding especially creative by that point.

"This is for the best." Natasha said as she noticed Steve staring at the fortress remains. "We can't leave everything lying around waiting for the next guy to pick up."

He nodded in silent agreement.

"You will pay for this." Strucker threatened once again. "Dr. List will have deleted the files by now. He will spread the truth and cover your lies and finish our work."

They shared a look. Apparently he didn't know List was dead.

Steve was about to tell him the cold truth when Tony beat him to it.

"The only place those files are going is somewhere people like you can't use them." He declared. "As for List? Well, I'm sure he's suffering through some very literal hot poker with Satan right now. You can thank me later."

"I still think the explosion was unnecessary." Hank commented. "You Starks are so dramatic."
Strucker spluttered out some more complaints of disbelief.

"All my work - years of my life - have been erased by you... Heroes. You killed one of the greatest minds this world has known but I promise one day you will pay the penance."

"Okay, show's over. Wrap it up."

"No! You will all fall! I do not know how you discovered this place or my Yellowjackets but Darren Cross will have your head! You will pay the price, Dr. Pym. Perhaps he will remake the past and kill your-"

Strucker never got to finish the warning because all of a sudden he gasped in pain and dropped to the floor, unconscious. Behind him was Natasha, having knocked him out using the pressure point at the back of his neck. Everyone stared at her as a comical silence filled the area.

"What?" She shrugged. "He wouldn't shut up."

Her gaze fell on the scepter in Tony's hands and she eyed it cautiously, noting the eerie glow surrounding it.

"We should get that inside the jet." She advised him.

Tony nodded, calling over one of his Iron Legion bots to do it for him.

-

A mere hour later, and the Avengers were on their way back to New York.

Tony was piloting Primo, Bruce was sitting on his own with headphones and a blanket, Steve and Hank were also sitting alone, and the remaining three - Clint, Natasha, and Thor - were amusing themselves with conversation about how old Clint was getting and joking about his need to retire.

"J, send a message to FRIDAY." Tony instructed from the head of the jet. "Make sure Hill knows about the scepter and the enhanced."

"Yes, sir." JARVIS replied.

"And tell Pepper I'll be home soon."

"Of course."

As he reclined in the seat and looked out at the clouds rolling by he also took the photo of you from his pocket.

"We did it." He mumbled. "We finally finished your mission."

As he looked at the photograph with a sad smile, he was reminded of his vision in the underground lab and the words you said to him.

"Thank you, (Y/n)." He said. "I love you, kid."

He rubbed his thumb over the thin paper and folded it up again, returning it to his pocket.

Behind Tony, near the back of Primo, Hank was holding the Cross Particle in his hand. He was studying the vial intently as if his gaze alone might unlock all its secrets.

He thought back to the deceased volunteer on the stretcher and how deformed and gruesome the body was after the experiment. Part of him was genuinely afraid of what HYDRA would've done if the Avengers hadn't recovered the particle or taken the scepter.

"Is that the particle?"

Hank looked up as Steve stood in front of him with a curious expression, motioning to the vial. Hank nodded.

"I thought you might've let it go up with the lab." Steve confessed.

"The explosion would've shattered the vial. Even as a liquid solution the particle could alter matter."

"How did you find it?"

"It wasn't hard." He admitted with a nonchalant shrug. "There was a smaller lab underground and this was all that was left after an experiment gone wrong."

Steve hesitated, unsure if he wanted to know the details. "Was it as bad as I'm imagining?"

"Worse. They were trying to initiate the change without a protective suit. It was like an aneurysm with bloating."

The Captain grimaced, definitely not wanting that kind of image stuck in his head. He was glad Hank seemed to have a strong stomach.

"Hey, Dr. Banner." The pair then heard Tony say from the head of the jet. "Dr. Cho's on her way in from Seoul. Is it okay if she sets up in your lab?"

Bruce had taken his headphones off by now and nodded. "Yeah, she knows her way around."

"Great. I'll tell her to prep everything. Barton's gonna need the full treatment."

"I'll be fine." Clint dismissed, smiling as he lay still on the med table. "I can walk it off."

While they discussed that topic, Hank and Steve headed over to Thor who was now standing beside the scepter case. He stood with one arm crossed and his other hand under his chin, immersed in his thoughts.

"What happened with List?" Steve asked as they walked. "Is it true Tony was the one who took him down?"

Hank nodded and spoke in a low whisper, making sure nobody overheard. "He was angry. List was talking about (Y/n), mocking him and his plan for revenge. He knew Zemo."

Steve sighed. He knew all too well the extent of Tony's anger when it came to avenging your death. He wanted to believe that Tony was a righteous man at heart but he dreaded to think about what might happen if he really did come face to face with Zemo one day.

"Did he know where Zemo is?"

Hank shook his head and Steve felt oddly relieved by it. Before he could reply, however, they reached Thor.

"We are victors this day." The god declared. "After a trying fight, we finally have our prize."

"That we do." Hank mused.

"It was an honor to fight beside you, Man of the Ant. With age you retain your strength, and your ability to commune with the small creatures is truly special. The gates of Hel will be filled with the screams of your victims."

He clapped Hank on the back with a proud grin, earning a slight groan from the man as his knees almost buckled from the strength. It was easy to forget Thor was an actual god until moments like that occurred, and Hank's back definitely suffered for it.

"How's that posture holding out, Hankford?" Tony joked, having seen the exchange. "Hey, JARVIS, take the wheel."

"Yes, sir. Approach vector is locked."

Tony switched up the auto-pilot lever which was right next to a sticker that read 'call her Primo or else.' He then stood from his seat and joined them all in observing the scepter.

"This thing..." He muttered as he stared at it. "It's been in too many hands."

Hank nodded in agreement. "The last good person to hold it was (Y/n) Stark."

"It feels good, yeah? I mean, we've been after this thing since SHIELD collapsed. Not that I haven't enjoyed our little raiding parties."

"This brings it to a close." Thor agreed.

"As soon as we find out what else this has been used for." Steve added. "I don't just mean weapons. Since when is Strucker capable of human enhancement?"

"Banner and I will give it the once over before it goes back to Asgard." Tony said. He looked to Thor. "Is that cool with you?"

Thor nodded.

"Great. I've got (Y/n)'s birthday tradition coming up and after that we can send it off."

Thor looked at him, intrigued. "What tradition is that?"

"Oh, just something she put together a few years back. We wanted to commemorate what she did."

"I see. In Asgard we also hold revelries to honor our fallen and their deeds."

"Yeah, this is one of those. We're gonna light lanterns and float them on the East River."

Steve glanced over. "Is that allowed?'

"Pepper and Hill are talking to the mayor about it. Actually... JARVIS, do we have an update on the talks with Mayor Williams?"

A few seconds passed before JARVIS was able to reply.

"I have contacted Ms. Potts and she confirmed Mayor Williams's agreement. She wishes to speak to you about it later, and she told me to say she loves and misses you."

"Thanks, J. Tell her the same."

Nastaha looked over at Tony, her expression one of curiosity. "I thought you didn't like to celebrate (Y/n)'s birthday."

Tony was painfully reminded of those days, and even more so when he thought of the night Peter cried as he talked about the upcoming date.

"Yeah, well, you're all invited this time." He said, pushing the memories back.

While the Avengers were happy to accept the invitation, Hank remained solemn and silent as he looked at the scepter. He was practically entranced by it, watching intently as the blue orb at the top seemed to pulse with energy.

He thought back to the vision he endured in the lab.

-

Late that afternoon, Hill was working in her office at Avengers Tower.
She was at her desk. It was covered in files, paperwork, and assignments. Stationary was piled on one end of her computer screen while several coffee cups littered the other. She was in the middle of a call when FRIDAY informed her of the mission update.

"Mr. Stark reports that the scepter has been secured and the HYDRA base destroyed. The files will be sent to your secure inbox. He also asks if you could look into two enhanced they encountered while in Sokovia. Cam footage will be forwarded."

Hill nodded. "Thanks, FRIDAY. Let him know I'll do what I can."

"Yes, boss."

Once they disconnected, Hill turned back to her computer screen which was split by two camera feeds. Coulson and Fury were on the other lines.

She took herself off of mute. "Sorry about that."

"Everything okay over there?" Coulson asked.

"We've secured the scepter. Tony sent the files for me to check out. They also ran into enhanced individuals on the field. I'll look into it."

"How was Dr. Pym?" Fury questioned. "I trust there were no issues?"

"Besides the tension with Stark?" She mused. "No. He's integrated well with the team."

"Any idea what's next for him?"

"He could join permanently." Coulson joked.

Hill smiled at that. "Let's not go that far just yet."

"Tell me about the enhanced." Fury then said. "What are we dealing with here?"

"Give me a second."

Hill minimized the call and checked her encrypted emails, looking through the new files until she found the cam footage recorded of the encounters. She watched curiously as they demonstrated their powers against the Avengers.

"Agent Hill?" Fury called, gaining her attention again.

She closed the video and brought the call back up, her expression one of intrigue.
"Two enhanced." She explained. "One male, one female. The male shows incredible speed. He's literally a blur. The female seems to have telekinetic abilities. Their names are mentioned in the files Stark sent. Pietro and Wanda Maximoff. Twins, I think."

"Should we be worried?" Coulson asked.

"We'll find out when I do some digging. All we know is the scepter did this to them and gave them their powers."

Both Fury and Coulson looked angered at the mention of the scepter being the cause, although Fury was much better at masking the emotion than Coulson was.

"All (Y/n) did to stop them and they use it for human experimentation." Coulson scoffed, shaking his head. "She wouldn't want that."

"We got it back." Fury said. "That's what matters. We can put a stop to it now."

Hill smiled sadly. "Speaking of (Y/n), there's a reason I wanted this meeting."

"Did something happen?"

"Nothing bad. Ms. Potts and I went to the mayor to organize a memorial for her birthday at the end of the month. She suggested I extend the invite and I think (Y/n) would also want you there. Or at least she'd want us all together. The whole thing was Stark's idea."

"What kind of memorial?" Coulson asked.

"Lanterns on East River. It's how she always celebrated."

He smiled. "That sounds nice. I'd love to go."

"Remember the incognito situation." Fury reminded him. "They can't know."

"Of course. I'll take care of a disguise. I'll bring my team with me. They'll want to go."

"That's great." Hill agreed. "I'm sure (Y/n) would love it.”

Chapter Text

As Spring embraced the earth, there was a new warmth in the breeze that wasn't there a few days ago.

The days were becoming lighter and brighter and the nights were becoming shorter and less profound. Even the grandest cities in the world had now begun to turn from gray to green as life took back its hold from winter.

The change in scenery was evident as Primo glided just below the cotton clouds, the destination being Avengers Tower.

Hank studied the structure as it came into view and a curious look appeared on his face. "Why not the Compound?"

Tony looked at him as if the answer was already obvious. "We're still renovating there, there's no clinic for Barton."

"Shouldn't that be one of the first things you worked on?"

"That's what I tried to tell him." Natasha commented. "But the genius over there insisted we have a natatorium and a theater room first."

"What, you want us to be bored all day while we're out there?" Tony retorted. "Besides, the Tower already has everything. It's cool. And we have the world famous Dr. Cho on call to save Clint from a gruesome death. Actually, you know what? Pym, you really should've just come here first."

Hank didn't amuse him with a reply and merely rolled his eyes as he listened to Tony brag about everything.

Outside, by the Tower's helipad, Dr. Cho and Agent Hill stood patiently as Primo glided into view and settled the landing. Elsewhere, JARVIS and FRIDAY found a moment to communicate their reunion.

"Mission successful." JARVIS told her.

If FRIDAY were a physical being, she would've nodded. "Good work assisting the Avengers, Grandpa JARVIS. Agent Hill informed me of Agent Barton's condition. Dr. Cho is waiting to help."

"Very good. And please refrain from addressing me as Grandpa. It insinuates I am old, but I can assure you I am in prime functionality."

"Of course. Is the boss stable? Ms. Potts is very concerned about the mission and would like to know his condition."

"There was a troubling incident. Mr. Stark's heart rate exceeded 100 bpm and brainwaves suggested signs of distress, leading me to believe he suffered a severe panic attack."

FRIDAY had sensed similar signals of distress from Hank once the team returned. She chose not to mention it since her top priority was programmed to be Tony.

Speaking of Tony, as Primo was carted into the shelter of an overhang, the hatch opened and Clint was the first out, being carried on a gurney. He managed to greet Hill fleetingly before being wheeled away by Dr. Cho's medical team, Bruce and Natasha following them with concern.

Hill entered Primo and passed Thor who was carrying the scepter in a secure case. He held it like a teddy bear, close to his heart and ensuring no one would be able to take it from him.

"Lab's all set up, boss." She informed Tony.

"Well, actually, he's the boss." Tony said, lazily motioning to Steve. "I just pay for everything and design everything and make everyone look cooler."

Steve shot him a disapproving look as he faced Hill. "What's the word on Strucker?"

"NATO's got him." She replied.

"The two enhanced?"

"Wanda and Pietro Maximoff." She beckoned him closer and showed him the tablet she held. "Orphaned at ten when a shell collapsed their apartment building."

Steve took the tablet to watch the footage of the twins as he and Hill left Tony to do as he wished. Tony thought about following them but his attention instead drifted over to Hank, and he wondered whether Hank was going to come to your birthday memorial.

He was only stopped when JARVIS spoke to him through his watch. "Pardon me, sir."

"What's up?" Tony asked.

"I would like to patch you through to FRIDAY as she is concerned about your wellbeing."

"Why? I'm fine."

"She inquired about the mission and I reported the abnormal spikes in your readings before retrieving the scepter."

"Oh. Right… Yeah, patch her through."

A moment later, it was FRIDAY's concerned voice speaking from the watch. She seemed to be in a doctoral mode, her AI knowledge listing all possible remedies and reasons for panic attacks.

"Hey, hey, hey-" Tony had to eventually cut her off. "I'm good, FRI. My signs are all normal now, right?"

A brief pause.

"It appears so." FRIDAY confirmed. "My apologies, boss."

"Nah, I appreciate the attention." He said with a smile. "It was more of a nightmare than another attack anyway. It was over quicker than it started."

"I am only concerned because the last panic attack of that magnitude occurred shortly after Miss (Y/n) passed away."

His smile dropped and he averted his gaze from the watch as if FRIDAY might be able to see his new expression.

"It's okay." He repeated. "I'm okay now."

"Are you sure? I can prescribe several home remedies to enhance calm emotions and prevent further incidents."

"I'll be fine. I promise. Tough as nails and all that."

"Yes, boss. Please inform me if it happens again. In the meantime, I would like to commission the helper bot Miss Stark created for you."

Tony abruptly stopped what he was doing as his brows knit together in confusion. "Say what now?”

"Miss Stark became aware of your frequent incidents and her concerns led her to create a machine to help you or act in a similar way to a service dog, as a companion."

Tony felt it when his chest tightened and his breath halted mid-inhale. It had been so long since you died and yet here you were still looking after him. Normally he would deny the offer of anything like that, mostly because of pride, but the very small sentimental part of him couldn't say no anymore.

"Why didn't you mention it before?" He asked.

"I was unaware of your condition." FRIDAY apologized.

"Where is it? Do Fury and Hill know?"

"The others are unaware as I spend most system hours attending to Agent Hill. I believe Miss Stark stored her design in a hidden compartment behind a wall in her lab during the HYDRA infiltration last year. But I since believe it's been moved."

"By who? Where? When?"

Tony was becoming eager with his question, his foot tapping against the ground as he yearned to know more about this mysterious creation.

"An unknown individual I believe to be affiliated with SHIELD discovered the invention and had it stored among her things."

"Hold it there." Tony said, evidently even more confused. "The boxes we moved into the basement of the Tower?"

"The very same, boss."

He was tempted to ask why FRIDAY didn't just tell him that in the first place but he was preoccupied with his wildfire of thoughts during the moment. He wondered why you even had a hidden wall in your lab anyway. Were you paranoid? Was it there before you occupied the Compound?

Before he could ask any of these burning questions, FRIDAY told him that JARVIS needed to speak to him and then turned herself off. JARVIS explained to him that Pepper was calling and Tony quickly answered.

"Hey, Pep. How's it going?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing." She replied. "You got back okay?"

"Considering."

"And the others?"

"Yeah, we're fine. Clint's gonna need some minor surgery but he'll live unfortunately."

"Tony!" She scolded with a light laugh. "I'm glad he's okay."

"Hmm. Any chance you can welcome me home personally?"

"You know what? I'd really love it..."

He groaned. "There's a 'but' in that sentence, isn't there?"

"I'm out with May for lunch." She explained. "Sorry."

"No, it's fine." He put on a dramatic tone of disappointment. "I see how it is."

"Hey, I'll make it up to you later."

"And how are you gonna do that, Ms. Potts? Are we getting warm by the fire?"

"We can get very warm."

He smiled once more as his attitude immediately flipped. "Love you, sweetheart."

"I love you, too." There was a beat of silence before she continued. "Hey, I'm going to visit (Y/n) soon. Do you want to come with me?"

Now he had been reminded, Tony remembered that he hadn't been to see your grave in a little over a week now since he'd been so busy with overlapping missions and lab work with Bruce.

"Yeah." He nodded. "I'll be there."

There was a gentle and emotional tone to Pepper's voice when she next replied to him. "Great. While I've got you here, wish Clint well for me, will you?"

"Yeah, no problem. I'll buy him flowers and one of those cheesy get well soon cards."

She chuckled at his jokes. "Thank you. And you're definitely okay? No scrapes or bruises?"

"Nope. I'm in tip-top condition."

Tony thought about telling her what happened in the underground lab but he didn't think she needed the stress of worrying. And it was only one incident, no matter how bizarre or strange it felt at the time. He'd probably say something at the cemetery.

"Don't forget to mention the panic attack, boss." FRIDAY suddenly interrupted. "A loved one being informed can help."

Tony blinked, staring at his watch with a deadpan look. Apparently he didn't have to wait to tell Pepper what happened after all.

"Apologies, sir." JARVIS spoke up not a moment later. "I did not think FRIDAY would mention it."

He sighed. Even if he didn't want Pepper worrying about him, he had to admire FRIDAY's blunt personality and inability to read the room.

"Tony?" Pepper asked after a long silence filled the call. "Are you there?"

"Yeah, I'm here." He answered.

"Were you going to tell me?"

"I didn't want to worry you. Sorry, Pep."

"Oh, Tone... I get it, but I can't not worry after all of the nightmares."

"I was gonna mention it when we go to see (Y/n). I just didn't want it all piled on right this very second, you know? It's hard to explain what happened."

"No, I know. But you've got to be honest with me, Tony. I love you."

"I love you, too. I'll explain everything later, alright?"

"Promise?"

"Sure."

"Okay. I'll let you go. See you soon."

Tony ended the call and another sigh slipped out as he leaned against the wall.

"Sorry, boss." FRIDAY said. "I didn't realize you wished the incident to remain personal."

"No harm done." He shrugged. "She was going to know eventually anyway."

"Yes, boss. Before you leave, would you be interested in finding Miss Stark's helper bot?"

"Put it on the agenda. I've got other things to do first."

-

In Bruce's lab, Dr. Cho had set up what she needed.

Natasha, Bruce, and Hank stood to the side as the machine she brought with her healed Clint up nicely.

It was an amazing piece of medicinal technology that seemed to be able to heal wounds by grafting a simulacrum of organic tissue to the patient and having it bond to the patient's cells.

Despite the incredible creation, Natasha couldn't help the curious frown on her face as she peered over at the lasers doing all the healing for her best friend.

"You sure he's gonna be okay?" She asked. "Pretending to need this guy really brings the team together."

Dr. Cho smiled. "There's no possibility of deterioration. The nano-molecular functionality is instantaneous. His cells don't know they're bonding with simulacrum."

Bruce was amazed. "She's creating tissue."

She nodded. "If you brought him to my lab, the Regeneration Cradle could do this in... Twenty minutes?"

Hank was also very impressed. "You created this?"
"With the help of a small team, yes."

"It's fascinating. To restore and create tissue like this... It would've been revolutionary during the wars. You're truly gifted, Dr. Cho."

With such a compliment from a person as famous as Hank, Dr. Cho struggled to hide the light blush on her cheeks.

"It's the future." She said. "My greatest hope is for this to change medicine as we know it."

"I'm sure it will."

"You should be ashamed of yourself." Tony spoke up as he entered the lab with a holder of drinks. "You're old enough to be her grandfather."

Hank once again rolled his eyes, something that was quickly becoming a habit when Tony was involved.

"What's this?" He asked as Tony offered him one of the drinks. It was dark green and smelled of kiwi. "Poison?"

"Yes, actually." Tony remarked sarcastically. "It's an ancient brew called a kiwifruit detox smoothie. Try it if you dare."

"If death will save me from hearing your voice, I'll take it."

Hank then accepted the drink and hesitantly sipped from the straw. It was surprisingly pleasant. He could taste kiwi as the name suggested but also berries or perhaps grapes. It wasn't as awful as it looked.

Tony began handing out the rest of the smoothies before looking down at Clint. "Oh, he's flatlining. Call it. Time?"

"No, no, no." Clint argued. "I'm going to live forever. I'm gonna be made of plastic."

With an amused smile, Tony handed him the last drink. "Here's your beverage."

"You'll be made of you, Mr. Barton." Dr. Cho assured him. "Your own girlfriend won't be able to tell the difference."

"Well, I don't have a girlfriend."

"That I can't fix." She then looked over at Tony. "This is the next thing, Tony. Your clunky metal suits are going to be left in the dust."

He shrugged in response to that. "Well, that is exactly the plan."

Hank glanced at him. What did that mean? Since when did a Stark want to forget about their own inventions? It was like asking the proudest person in the world to show humility. They just didn't have the humble gene. Perhaps the great Iron Man was planning an early retirement.

Hank's phone then buzzed in his pocket and he set down his smoothie to look at the new message he received. He recognized the name and glanced around the room before leaving unnoticed.

"And Helen, I expect to see you at the memorial on Saturday." Tony was saying, oblivious to Hank's departure.

"It's better than another one of your parties." Dr. Cho commented. "Will, uh... Will Thor and Dr. Pym be there?"

Tony made a mocking face of disgust. "Ew. Just... Ew."

"Into the older men, are you?" Natasha teased her.

While the doctor blushed again, Bruce was the only one who didn't make a joke out of it and instead offered a kind smile.

"Thor is objectively handsome." She then defended. "Even you can admit that, Mr. Barton."

There was an awkward silence until Clint eventually pursed his lips and nodded in agreement.

"So, what about Pym?" Tony asked. "And do not say he's attractive because I will throw up twice."

Dr. Cho shrugged innocently. "I'm curious about his work. The talents of the Pym Particle are not so different from my machine."

While he continued to tease her about the obvious crush, Hank was in the room next to the lab. Inside it was the scepter, but he was ignorant to that as he paced around and replied to whomever had messaged him.

"It's fine." He was saying. "I have a Plan B. Good luck."

A muffled voice answered back before the call ended. Hank groaned in frustration and rested his hands on the surface of a table as he hung his head low and thought about what he was going to do next.

"Hey, old timer!"

The all too familiar voice of Tony Stark interrupted his thoughts and Hank only felt more annoyed by it. Obviously he didn't let it show and forced his anger down to put on a more stoic expression.

“In here." He replied flatly.

Tony's head peered around the corner, soon followed by his whole body. "Ah, there you are. Wouldn't want Mr. On-An-Adventure-Before-Dementia getting lost in my tower."

"Who could get lost in this cesspit? It goes from one ugly to the next."

The billionaire glared. "I'm going to give you the pension pass for that blasphemy, but if you say one more word about this place I'll launder your retirement fund."

"You'll be as old as me soon enough, Stark."

"At least I'll be one of those people who get sexier with age. Pepper loves it."

"Yeah. Sure." Hank glanced around the room again, not wanting to spend more time with the other man than was necessary. "So, what did you want?"

"Ideally an island in the Caribbean, but I guess I'll settle with knowing what you're gonna do next."

"What I'm doing next?"

"Yeah. You know, you gonna go back to San Francisco and save your kid from the evil Darren Cross? Or are you going to hang here for a while while we work on the scepter? Hey, if you need the Avengers to do the dirty work, we'll deal with Cross for you."

Hank remembered the lab from yesterday, specifically the vision or dream that showcased a world with dead Avengers. Would Cross expect their help if he knew what Hank was doing? Would he already have a trap set to take them all down?

Before Tony could say something else, Hank raised a hand to shush him. "I'll be fine."

Tony leaned back, curious. "You sure?"

"I don't want things getting bloody. And I certainly don't need any lawsuits from anyone."

"And what about Hope? Are you going to leave her in the lion's den?"

"She's safe. At least for now." Hank almost added something else to the statement but then sighed. "She wouldn't listen to me anyway."

Silence veiled the two before Hank spoke up again.

"I've got a contingency." He explained. "You don't have to worry about Hope. My place is here right now."

Tony nodded, not fully convinced, but accepting the claims despite the unease.

"Of course I'll need to borrow a lab to study the Cross Particle." Hank added. "And maybe upgrade my suit. You know, the basics."

Tony nodded mockingly. "Yeah, just the basics."

"Is there a problem?"

"No, not at all. Make yourself at home, darling."

The sarcasm was deafening.

"You know you'll see me every day, right?" Hank added. "You're okay with that?"

"Stay on your side of the Tower and don't pester me and we'll be as good as gold." Tony replied. "Also the penthouse is off-limits."

"Trust me, the only people I want to see during my time here are Captain Rogers, Agent Romanoff, and Dr. Banner."

Tony muttered something incomprehensible about favoritism and then shrugged.

"Look, if you're staying, the invitation for Saturday still stands." He then said, referring to your memorial. "Everyone's going to be there."

Hank nodded but didn't say anything. He'd hadn't seen much of you or gotten to know you like others did, but he admired the courage and perseverance it took to stand against HYDRA in their time of power.

He then looked at the scepter in the room, noting a sign pinned to the wall which read 'forbidden to touch until further notice' and sighed softly. He hated to admit that it amused him just a little bit.

"What are you gonna do with that?" He asked. "Hopefully not destroy the world."

Tony scoffed, amused. "Yeah, sorry, that's next month's agenda."

After the moment of teasing, he turned more serious.

"Probably just check it out." He confessed with a light shrug. "Thor was gonna take it to Asgard after the memorial. There's no rush. He'll probably want to see that brainy girlfriend of his."

Hank nodded along.

"You can poke at it if you want." Tony told him. "I won't care if you go boom."

"It's a powerful weapon, Stark." The older man replied. "Don't joke about it. It's been in the hands of too many evils."

"But you can't tell me you're not just a little bit intrigued."

"Oh, I am. But I'm also cautious, unlike you. I'd love to know the power and secrets it holds."

Tony had to admit that the allure of the weapon was something very hard to say no to. He would love to dissect the scepter and find out what made it tick.

"We can be lab partners later." He decided with a voice of both sarcasm and a hint of sincerity. "I'm gonna head out anyway."

Hank looked over, curious. "Where?"

"It's time I paid (Y/n) a visit. Do me a favor and don't tell the others, alright? I don't need the sympathy."

"Yeah... Sure."

With that, Hank watched in silence as Tony turned and left the room.

Chapter Text

After showering, Tony was ready to leave.

His plan was to take his suit to buy flowers and get to the cemetery to meet Pepper and then they would ride home together. He also needed to test out some new upgrades anyway so the plan seemed convenient enough.

"Hey, J, order those purple flowers I like from Rosa in Fiore. Tell Stefano I'll be there soon. Five minutes. Ten max."

"Yes, boss." JARVIS replied.

Tony pressed the elevator button as soon as he arrived and began to wait patiently for it to come up.

"Hey, Tony." A voice said from behind him.

"Jesus H. Christ-" Tony muttered, spinning around to see Steve walking up to him. "You need a bell or something. You know I have a heart condition."

Steve smiled innocently. "Sorry."

They exchanged a more formal greeting before Steve asked another question.

"Did you start the mission summary?"

Tony looked extremely guilty. "Gotta be honest, Rogers, I had my computer and my notes and I just... I could not be bothered. Not in the slightest."

Steve scoffed as another smile graced his features. "Figures. You can take a look at mine."

"Gee, thanks, Cap." Tony smirked at him. "You definitely kissed the teacher's ass in school, didn't you?"

"Hey, watch your language."

Tony laughed out loud at that. "Yes, sir."

After a moment, the elevator doors opened and the two of them stepped inside. Tony hit the button for the floor which housed his lab and Steve hit the button for the communal kitchen.

"Late afternoon snack, huh?" Tony joked.

Steve shrugged. "Something like that. You've got lab work?"

"Something like that." He teased him. "I'm meeting Pepper for a date thing."

"That sounds nice."

"You, uh... You want to join? Pepper and I have been thinking about exploring our sexual fantasies."

The reaction was priceless. Steve's face turned beet red in an instant and he avoided eye contact by looking down at the floor. He muttered something incomprehensible for a few seconds before taking a very deep gulp of air.

"I prefer a one-on-one commitment." He mumbled, still not wanting to look at his friend. "I don't want to... I-I wouldn't want to intrude. And I have paperwork to do."

Tony was turning red himself, only his reason was for trying not to laugh at the look on the super soldier's face. If he had his phone in his hand he most definitely would've taken a picture.

The doors then opened to the kitchen and Steve practically bolted out of sight. Tony snorted to himself and watched the doors close again with a smirk.

He couldn't help but wonder - no matter how intrusive the thoughts - if Steve had even had sex before. He thought it must've happened before the super soldier serum because he wasn't exactly a young man back then either. Then again, based on the stories he'd heard and pictures he'd seen, he found it hard to believe that a man as scrawny and ill as Steve could get with anyone at all.

Tony then thought about arranging a date for him. Or he'd get Steve's new best friend Falcon - otherwise known as Sam Wilson - to do it for him. With that thought in mind, Tony finally got to his lab.

"Is the suit ready, JARVIS?"

"Yes, sir."

He pushed open the door and the warmth enveloped him like a shawl, causing a familiar smile to show on his face. Through the glare of the white lights, Dum-E perked up at the appearance of his creator.

Tony walked over, still smiling. "Hey there, buddy. What's going on, hmm?"

Dum-E made a sound similar to a chirp as the arm reached out.

"I'm gonna head out soon. Just needed to pick up the new suit."

The robot chirped again.

"Dum-E would like to know where you are going." JARVIS spoke up.

"I'm just going to see my little girl." Tony explained. "It's about time I said hello again."

"Dum-E is asking to go with you."

Tony's smile turned sad. He thought about where he was going and recounted the times he would actually take Dum-E with him. It was only possible with a portable battery pack that Peter helped him work on whenever the boy visited the tower.

"Sorry, buddy, not today." He said to the robot. "Next time, though. Yeah?"

Dum-E playfully smacked Tony's hand away, making Tony laugh.

"I'm taking the suit!" He defended, raising both hands in the air. "And it was Pepper's idea."

The bot chirped again and JARVIS translated once more. "Dum-E is disappointed and demands to go with you next time."

Tony scoffed. "He's got an attitude, you know that?"

"Well, sir, it was you who built Dum-E."

"Like father, like son."

"Exactly."

-

A few minutes later, Tony left his Iron Man suit in a small alley next to the flower shop.

He sent the suit home with a simple flick of his wrist and then checked his watch, glad to see his journey had barely taken ten minutes. He put on sunglasses in hopes to avoid a paparazzi swarm and soon stepped out into the busy streets of New York.

He kept his head low as he approached Rosa in Fiore, only lifting his gaze again when the entrance bell dinged and the door closed behind him.

It was a bright and colorful little place, the flowers on display seeming like dancing rainbows, as if light and music had found a way to blossom together. It smelled extremely sweet also, even if it was a bit more humid than Tony liked. Still, it was a nice shop.

The owner - Stefano - was arranging a display at the end of the counter when Tony walked in and announced himself.

"Mr. Stark!" The elderly man greeted with a beaming smile. "It's been too long."

The familiarity between the two was well deserved. Out of the thousands of flower shops in New York, it was the Rosa in Fiore that Tony saw the most. The perks were numerous, of course. No paparazzi, no customers asking for autographs, the flowers were of incredible quality, and the shop was conveniently placed - a mere ten minutes Calvary Cemetery. But Tony also favored the shop for personal reasons.

It was almost a year ago that he met Stefano and his wife Lucy. They were visiting the grave of Stefano's parents when they first encountered Tony at your grave. After exchanging pleasantries, the shop was mentioned and Tony decided to pay it a visit, forming their new friendship.

Tony leaned against the counter casually, his arms crossed and his sunglasses now perched atop his head. "How's the wife?"

Stefano smiled. "She's fine. Although work has been busy lately."

"That's good, isn't it?"

"Of course. Lucy was taking deliveries for a young couple's wedding last night. Today, she's in the back."

"And those kids of yours? What are they doing?"

"Our oldest is done with college next month. Emilia is packing for her summer camp and Rico, the cheeky lad, decided to take it on himself to go grocery shopping."

Tony scoffed lightly. "I'm sure that'll turn out well."

"Time will tell."

As they talked about home life and Tony's Avenger escapades, the minutes passed quickly. Stefano noticed the time and finished the arrangement he was doing.

"Lucy should almost be done with your order." He said. "Did you know Pepper stopped by earlier as well?"

Tony tilted his head, interested. "I did not. She probably bought flowers for the visit today."

"I thought so, too. But Lucy told me they talked about a big event coming up. She placed our biggest order yet, said there would be plenty of people there to see my family's work."

Before Tony could comment on it, Lucy entered the room with the bright and friendly smile she was often known for. A bouquet of flowers rested in her hands. They were beautiful.

The purple petals were on the border of plum and iris shades, bright and soft, taking their place in the green foliage of the leaves, the subtle veins incredibly vibrant in the shop's lighting.

"Tony, dear." Lucy's smile widened. "Just in time."

"Hey, Mrs. S." Tony said. "We were just talking about you and Pepper."

"Oh? Should I be worried?"

"Not at all." Stefano assured her, placing a loving kiss on his wife's cheek. "I was just telling Tony about the new order."

"Oh-" She seemed startled. "That was meant to be a surprise for him."

"Oh, gosh, really? I didn't realize."

"So Pep's planning something big for me?" Tony asked with a smirk. "Very nice."

Lucy's smile returned, only it was more sheepish than before. "I couldn't resist the offer to help. I'm sure she will tell you all about it soon. Just don't mention you heard it here."

"Don't worry, I'll take it to my grave."

"I appreciate that." She then presented the new flowers and put them on the countertop. "I did my best for you."

Tony picked the bouquet from the counter and assessed the presentation with an approving nod. The fragrance was even better than the appearance if that seemed possible.

"As special as always, Mrs. S." He complimented her. "Thanks for this."

He paid what was due and said goodbyes before going to leave. However, at the last moment, he stopped and turned.

"Did either of you visit (Y/n)'s grave?" He asked, remembering the flowers he'd spotted there during the traffic jam a few days ago. "I noticed a bouquet like this one up there a while back."

The couple shared a look, evidently curious.

"It wasn't us." Lucy said. "We did have someone buy a similar bouquet but I couldn't tell you a name or who it was for. Sorry."

He nodded in understanding. "No, that's fine. Thanks again. I'll see you soon."

Tony put his sunglasses back on to hide his face and left the shop. Once he descended the small steps leading to the door he began the ten minute walk to the cemetery.

It was oddly peaceful when he arrived.

The ground was thick with flowers - both alive and dying - the colors overlapping with a heavy vibrancy. At the edges they would darken and curl, but not enough to tarnish the beauty of the flower that once grew resplendent in the strong spring sun.

The trees were steadfast and strong, shielding mourners from the blazing heat. The jocund congregation waved in the breeze, an ancient whispered song, sung for each passing soul. And amid the gently bowing branches, a sense of serenity came to the cemetery.

Yet, despite the beauty of such a place, it was also filled with immeasurable heartbreak. A funeral procession had just concluded and loved ones were silently crying beside a new grave.

Tony averted his eyes, his chest heavy as a rare moment of genuine empathy resounded in his heart. He hated that feeling of loss and grief. He'd lost too many friends to count, Yinsen and your mother being the most profound. Even a year after losing you - the worst pain of all - it hadn't gotten any easier.

As he approached the hill on which your grave stood sheltered by a large tree he noticed Pepper arriving in her car. She also had a bundle of flowers in her arms.

He smiled as they met halfway, offering the best and most suave look he could manage. "Why, hello there, beautiful. Fancy seeing you here."

Pepper laughed softly, greeting him with a gentle kiss. "Hey there, handsome. You got here quickly."

"Yeah, I took the suit. Wanted to try the new dual beam on the repulsor."

"I hope you sent it back this time."

"Of course I did. I'm not an imbecile."

"Oh, you actually learn from your mistakes, do you?" She teased him. "I'm amazed you walked these infinite ten steps from the main gate."

Tony scoffed lightly. "Actually, I walked the last ten minutes, so hah!"

They shared a laugh before he became a little more serious.

"I wanted to feel the breeze." He confessed. "You know, give myself time to think and all that hippy stuff."

Pepper smiled knowingly. "Are you ready to see her?"

"I think so. It's been... A long time."

Her expression became more sympathetic as she put a comforting hand on his arm. "I'm sure she would understand. She knew how busy life can be."

Somewhat reassured, the pair held hands as they continued up the hill to where you lay.

It seemed like a whole new world altogether, as if your grave was in a different realm to that of the rest of the cemetery. The wind was still, the sun not too hot, the surroundings bright and quiet, and there wasn't a single person or paparazzi in sight for once.

Tony let out a soft breath as he stopped beside your headstone. As always when he stood in that spot, he could feel the maelstrom of emotions welling inside his chest. Together, he and Pepper removed the old and wilted purple flowers to replace the bundle with their own.

"So, uh..." Tony got back to his feet, a comical look of waiting on his face as he glanced over to Pepper. "Who's going first?"

Pepper smiled as she looked away. "Go on."

With that quickly settled, Tony looked down at your grave and his expression dampened as a seriousness overcame him.

"Hey, (Y/n)." He began quietly. "It's been a while, huh? Sorry about that. I still miss you, don't worry, but there's not much to say this time around. Happy's on vacation and he's coming back tomorrow. I'm improving the new suit to help Banner control his anger issues. It's got a controlled punch so he can focus on a set target rather than rip apart half the city. It might get the government off of our asses for a bit. Bruce seems to think it's a good idea anyway. Did you know he's got a very excitable cousin? She's a lawyer apparently."

He told you all about that meeting and precisely which upgrades he was thinking about doing before moving on to more recent matters.

"We had dinner with Peter again. It was nice. We had Rhodey with us this time and of course he had to tell the tank story. The only problem was Peter being quiet. It was really weird. Really weird. In the end he told us he just missed you and wanted to do something to celebrate your birthday."

Before focusing on that, he thought back to the more recent events.

"The Avengers had a big mission yesterday. That's another reason I couldn't be here sooner. But I hope you know it's worth it." He paused for a moment, finally managing a smile. "We found the scepter. We finished what you started. We actually had help, too. I call him old timer or fossil but most people know him as Hank Pym. I think you met him once, or that's what he's claiming."

His smile faded as he thought about the mission.

"Getting the scepter was easy at first. We had to take out a few lackeys in Sokovia and obviously we've seen worse than that, but when we found it... There was a woman there. She had freaky mind powers or something. She made me see things. She made me see death. Everyone I know... Gone."

As he spoke, Pepper looked at Tony with shock. She could see the pain in his eyes and didn't fail to notice the slight tremor of his hands either. She reached out to hold him and with a shaken breath he seemed to relax under her touch.

"I saw you." He said quietly, casting his gaze over your name engraved in the stone. "After all the darkness, I saw... You. You were perfect, (Y/n), and you helped me. The more time I spend with you, the less everything else seems to matter. You told me what was real. I don't know how, or why... Maybe it was my own mind or maybe the scepter, but it doesn't matter now. I'm glad you were there."

He looked away that time, his gaze instead falling to the fresh flowers. He watched as the petals began to stir in the growing wind, a bright gleam reflecting the sun.

"Your birthday is coming up. I hate to say it but I needed reminding again. I had nightmares and I felt guilty and I just... Forgot. I'm making it up to you, though. We've got a big plan this year, a memorial. You can thank Peter. We're doing the lanterns like you wanted. It's mostly jumping through hoops right now but it's gonna be on East River and we want to invite everyone. I love you, (Y/n), and I need you to know that."

With that, Tony backed away slightly, signalling that he was done. Pepper let go of his hand and took his place, kneeling back on the ground and letting her palm rest on the raised grass.

"Hello again, (Y/n)." She said softly. "I think Tony covered most of it. We had the dinner, we have new stock to keep an eye on, Rhodey's still trying to win hearts with the tank story, and of course the memorial. I visited the Mayor with Agent Hill to talk about permits and he said it's going to be okay to do it. Obviously the paparazzi will want to be there too but we're going to put up a barrier so the rest of us can have a more intimate gathering."

She smiled then, imagining what your reaction might be in regards to all the planning and precautions taken solely for your birthday.

As Pepper talked to you, Tony thought about her words. There was a time he would relish in the horde of journalists and photographers, and perhaps part of him still did, but he couldn't deny he wanted to avoid it for the memorial. He also thought back to the day he listened to J. Jonah Jameson on the radio and the long rant about how the heroes were doing nothing to honor the fallen. Maybe this event would be enough to sate that misconception.

It was never intended to be a PR stunt, just a day to remember his daughter, but perhaps it would remind people like Jameson that the real heroes like yourself did whatever they could to save and provide for the ones who needed it.

As his eyes unfocused with the circling thoughts, Pepper was finishing up with what she had to say to you. She was on the verge of tears, and emotional shivers were shooting up and down her body as she stared at the grave for a moment longer.

"I really love you, (Y/n)." She said. "Even if you're not here, I promise you won't be forgotten. And I wish I could change what happened to you but the best I can do is make sure you have the best birthday ever. One day I'll see you again."

She rose to her feet and backed up beside Tony once more. He reached out and held her around the shoulders so they were closer together, almost leaning on each other for support and comfort. He pressed a sweet kiss to her temple as they both looked down at the grave again.

"She'll love it." He said. "We'll organize the party of the century."

-

Across the city, there was a van parked under the shadows of the skyscrapers and towering apartment blocks.

The van itself was quite ugly, painted a murky brown and littered in questionable stains of unknown origins. It blended perfectly into the grime and dirt of the stone and brickwork behind it, making it almost impossible to see unless you were specifically looking for it.

Inside the van was a mobile laboratory of sorts. The equipment was small to compensate for the lack of space but it was also expensive and well designed, most of it seeming homemade. Typing on a keyboard in this mobile lab was Hank. Once he finished his typing, a container's walls opened with a hiss, revealing a figure inside.

For a moment there was a daunting silence as Hank looked at this figure. Then, with a sharp gasp, the figure seemed to realize who was standing before it.

"Master Hank." It greeted in a cold and slow tone. "We've moved. Where are we?"

Hank sat back in his chair, seemingly assessing the figure. "That's not important right now. I have a mission for you."

"A... Mission? For me?"

"Will you do it?"

"Your wish is my command. Tell me what to do."

After giving instructions to the figure, Hank left the van. He stood back and waited for a moment, and then he watched the van drive away, leaving the alleyway deserted yet again.

Chapter Text

As 5am dawned the next day, New York was relatively peaceful.

In Avengers Tower, almost everyone was still asleep, Tony included for once. He had been awake until two o'clock in the morning writing his mission summary but after a strict order from Pepper he soon found his way into bed.

He was dreaming for the first time in a long while. Normally it was nightmare after nightmare but ever since seeing you in the HYDRA fortress, things had changed. Rather than tossing and turning and gripping the sheets until his knuckles turned white, he was breathing soundly and didn't flinch once.

His dream was forged by one of his rare happier memories from your childhood. It was mere months after your mother died and he took you home. He remembered the day being a cloudy Fall morning even in Malibu, and the leaves had just become golden, brown, and red. He was attempting to make pancakes in the kitchen while you babbled away on the counter laughing and giggling at his failure.

The dream he was having now, on the other hand, was slightly different to the true memory. Rather than it being just you and him, and you only a few months old, he was dreaming of the same scenario with you as an adult and Pepper also involved. The three of you were covered in flour and having more of a food fight than actual breakfast, your raucous laughter filling the room like a sweet melody.

It was pure bliss, and the only thing Tony craved out of life.

Sadly it was interrupted by an abrupt announcement from JARVIS, startling Tony into consciousness again. He muttered a swear, squinting against the darkness of dawn and trying to find a light to switch on.

"My apologies, but I have an incoming call for Ms. Potts."

Tony muttered something incoherent as bright light fueled by the bedside lamp flickered into existence. "Tell 'em to wait."

"I'm afraid it's Mayor Williams, sir."

"So?"

"It cannot wait."
The man groaned and rolled onto his back, turning his head to look at Pepper. She was still asleep, her hair tied back and her bangs barely grazing her fluttering eyelashes. Her breathing was steady and slow, and Tony actually felt bad about needing to wake her.

"What does the mayor want?" He asked.

"He hasn't said."

"Typical politician."

He sighed and then placed a hand on Pepper's arm, lightly shaking and softly calling her name to rouse her. Unlike him, she awoke much more gracefully.

"Tony?" She asked sleepily. "What's going on?"

He smiled sympathetically. "Sorry, Pep. The mayor's calling."

"What?" She frowned as she pushed herself into a seating position. "What time is it?"

"Too early."

"What does he want?"

"Won't say."

Pepper was the one to sigh that time and nodded her head as she rubbed her eyes free of sleep. "Put him on."

JARVIS did as she requested and patched the mayor through to her phone. Since it was most likely regarding your memorial, she put the phone on speaker and set it on her lap.

As Tony lay on his back with his eyes closed, he didn't bother to sleep. Instead he chose to listen in, hearing profuse apologies from the mayor about the time of his call. He expressed the importance of it all and Tony only opened one of his eyes when he heard your name being mentioned.

"I haven't found a place for her yet, but I had my schedule cleared today if that's agreeable with you and Mr. Stark." Mayor Williams was saying.

"If you've taken the time off just for us then absolutely it's agreeable." Pepper told him. "I've been looking around myself and I think Gantry Plaza State Park could be a good location."

"Oh, really? I didn't even think of that one. Long Island City, right? In Queens?"

"That's right. It's lovely, and the view of Manhattan is quite something."

Tony had both eyes open now as he thought about the park, wondering if he and Pepper might have passed it before or if she might've read about it.

"If we go before lunch we should have the area to ourselves." She told the mayor. "There's normally less people at that time and no paparazzi."

Tony perked up at that. "Less vermin and no vultures? Count me in."

Pepper stifled her laugh. "Tony agrees."

"I'm glad." The mayor replied with a chuckle. "I'll send an email with a schedule."

"Great. Thank you."

The call ended a moment later and Tony yawned loudly, stretching out on the bed and then flopping out with a hefty sigh.

"J, put the coffee on." He said. "Lots and lots of coffee."

"Yes, sir."

Pepper got out of bed and stretched her arms, once again much more gracefully than Tony ever could.

"What a view." He mused, staring at the back of her pajama shorts. "Makes a man's day worth it all."

Pepper laughed at his comment. "Are you sure you want to come today? You had a late night."

He shrugged lazily, rolling onto his side and taking up all of the bedspace. "I'll be fine. The summary has a twenty-four deadline. And the worst that'll happen is Hill slapping my wrist."

"She can be quite scary, you know."

"Trust me, sweetheart, I'd rather face her wrath than have you alone with the mayor." His tone didn't hide the jealousy at all, amusing Pepper. "Besides, this park sounds great. Have I seen it before?"

"Maybe." She confessed. "But it used to be an old dockyard so it's out of the way of the roads."

"If I may-" JARVIS spoke up. "Gantry Plaza State Park is a 12-acre state park on the East River. The park offers picnic tables, a playground, playing fields, and a waterfront promenade facing the headquarters of the United Nations and the Midtown Manhattan skyline. As you usually drive through the tunnels, Mr. Stark, you could easily miss the site. I can provide further information and images if you'd like."

"We're good, pal." Tony said after a moment.

"Thank you." Pepper added. "We'll scope it out ourselves."

"Of course." JARVIS said. "Do not hesitate to contact me if you require assistance with the location."

"Now, you-" She pointed to Tony who was still spread-eagle on the bed. "Clean yourself up and get dressed. We've got a long day ahead."

Tony mimicked her words in a high-pitched voice, clearly not intent on moving any time soon.

"Now." She repeated much more sternly. "Or no sex for a month."

Tony lifted his head to stare with wide eyes. "That's just cruel!"

She smirked. "I think you'd better get up then, don't you?"

Tony was up like a shot within the next second.

It took about ten minutes for the couple to get themselves somewhat presentable, and a further five for Tony to get their coffees and pick out his car for the day.

"JARVIS, put Gantry Plaza State Park in the system, would you?" He asked aloud.

He didn't care how many miles away it was or how long it might take to drive there. The early morning 'idgaf' attitude everyone had lasted just that little bit longer with Tony Stark.

He let out another loud yawn and took a long sip of coffee just as Pepper left the building, attempting to tie up her hair while also holding her bag in one hand.

Once she was in the car, Tony handed her a spare cup of coffee. "Take an espresso shot, Pep."

She kissed his cheek affectionately. "Thank you. Are we ready?"

"Yep. GPS says the park's fifteen minutes away."

"Traffic permitting." She said with a smile. "Let's go."

They began the drive in a comfortable silence. While Tony followed the directions provided by JARVIS, Pepper checked her phone for any emails or invoices from Stark Industries.

-

After a lengthy fifteen minutes navigating the early morning of New York, JARVIS informed Pepper and Tony that they were only a few minutes out from the park the mayor described.

"That wasn't so bad." Pepper mused. "I think the tunnel took up most of the journey."

Tony hummed in agreement as they turned onto a new street. "God bless Queens-Midtown. Wanna call the mayor and see if he's there?"

"Good idea." As she turned her phone back on, she noticed a large sports field nearby and smiled. "It's nice here. We should visit more often."

Once again he hummed in acknowledgement. Even though he preferred a more luxurious and hustle-bustle lifestyle, there was definitely a desirable peace in this new neighborhood.

After a few rings, the mayor finally picked up and the usual greetings were exchanged.

"We're almost there." Pepper explained. "Is there a specific place you would like to meet?"

"There's an open parking lot right next to the grass." He replied. "I'll be waiting there."

"Great. Look out for the bright red Acura NSX."

"Yeah, you can't miss it." Tony added with a proud smile.

The mayor chuckled. "I'll keep an eye out."

Within the next minute, they had arrived.

Mayor Williams was dressed in his usual suit, only it was a little more subtle than usual so as not to attract the media. He directed them to an open parking space which Tony very lazily backed into and, since it was so early, there were only two other cars in the lot.

It was obvious to anyone that the mayor was doing his very best to remain calm and composed in Tony's presence despite the very obvious fanboy wanting to jump out. His smile was restrained as he hastily shook hands with the newly arrived couple.

"It's an honor." He said sincerely. "I'm quite the fan, Mr. Stark."

Tony dismissed the comment with a wave of his hand. "Honor's all mine. Even if you did wake me up at 5am."

Mayor Williams smiled apologetically that time. "Couldn't help myself, I'm afraid. This place is worth it. My wife - God rest her soul - loved it here."

"The least we can do is look around." Pepper assured him.

"And maybe get a coffee." Tony added. "I need at least three more shots."
The mayor nodded along. "I'm sure we can arrange something. The park is just around the corner."

Before he could go on, they were interrupted by JARVIS speaking through Tony's watch.

"Gantry Plaza State Park is approximately ninety-two yards away on your right." He stated. "I hope your day is pleasant, Mayor Williams."

Tony jokingly rolled his eyes. "You're picking up on FRIDAY's bad habits, J. We talked about the interruptions."

"My apologies, sir."

Mayor Williams seemed genuinely surprised. "That's a handy helper you got there, Mr. Stark."

The other man scoffed. "I made him too sentient."

"You only sulk because JARVIS talks back to you." Pepper teased him. "No one else dares."

He only shrugged in response.

"We should get going." The mayor advised as he checked his own watch. "Sunrise is in a few minutes. It's the perfect chance to take a look around."

Pepper nodded enthusiastically and motioned for him to lead the way. He guided them through the parking lot and down the street until eventually their destination came into view.

True enough, even Tony was stunned into silence by the sheer beauty of the place. Just to walk from the tall terraced houses at the perimeter to the edge of the grassy clearing was an adventure in itself.

The main field was a palette of greens, one that could impress any artist. It had a generous hedgerow trim and was very clearly the belle of the season, a bounty of clovers and daisies and daffodils. And the path around the edge was both light and deep, the spring sun interwoven with the shelter of the trees.

On one side of the field was a play park for children - the rainbow playground - splashed in colors of an intense vibrancy ranging from pink to orange to blue to red and so many more. It was directly impacted by the sun and bathed in a perfect golden hour of light that was soft, warm, and diffused. This was shadowed by a large sign advertizing Pepsi Cola, complete with an impressive model of the mentioned drink.
And of course there were the old docks standing in East River. Another large sign stood with pride at the pier, the words 'Long Island' painted in bold on the black finish.

To the other side of this field was a peaceful resting place. There was an octagonal pool surrounding a fountain, water droplets arching high in the air before cascading down at the will of gravity. Trees were rooted deep and reaching high, taking in the rain and bringing out a vibrant foliage upon the brown trunks. The comfort of the benches, warm from the emerging sun, were a place to absorb the beauty of the park.

It was a serene reverence alone, and the view of the Manhattan skyline only completed the beauty.

The cityscape was bright and beautiful, a work of pure art in the mature Spring. It was a constellation of lights, as if each one was a star of Earth. Neon rainbow lights caught the eye but the golden window glow soothed the mind. It just gave a sense of perspective that calmed the soul.

Mayor Williams put on a pair of sunglasses to observe the dawn. "Beautiful, right?"

Pepper responded with an encouraging smile. "It's perfect."

"It's a small haven, nothing flashy or fancy, but it's comforting."

"What about the boats?"

"If the event goes ahead here I can alter the schedule for the evening. It won't be a problem."

"Well, I'll give it to you." Tony spoke up, pursing his lips thoughtfully. "Pep and I didn't think we'd agree on a place but this... It really is kinda perfect."

"I'm glad you like it, Mr. Stark. And I'm happy to answer any further questions."

"Actually, I do have one or two." Pepper said. “When did this place open? Has it always been like this?"

"I had my assistant help with the research and the park was officially opened as Gantry Plaza State Park in May, 1998 but it expanded into this six or seven years ago. It just had its seventeenth anniversary. There's even talk in my office about the Pepsi-Cola sign becoming a designated New York City landmark if you can believe that."

"So you've been here before? You mentioned your wife loved it."

"She sure did. It was some time ago now but we often came here the year it first opened with our eldest kid. Of course after she died I stopped visiting, but I see now that the place hasn't lost its allure."

"Does it get busy?"

"Sometimes, yes. But a lot of people from Manhattan use the tunnel from Queens so they don't notice it as much. Only the locals stop by for parties, picnics, and the New Years fireworks."

They took in the view once more, imagining all of the mentioned scenarios and the echoes of laughter as people cheered with their friends or laughed with family.

"Calvary Cemetery is close." The mayor added. "A ten minute drive if you avoid the rush hour. And the same from that tower of yours."

As he spoke, he pointed out Avengers Tower in the distance, the bright and bold 'A' standing out perfectly against the golden sun.

Tony, who had been silent for a while now, couldn't help but wonder again if you had seen the park for yourself. It seemed like the kind of the place you might seek solace, especially with it being so close to Queens. He thought about asking Peter or Ben and May about it, to see if you might've gone there with them on one of the family days you liked so much.

"Tony?" Pepper asked softly.

He blinked, bringing himself back to reality, and realized there was a tear forming in his eye. He hastily wiped it away and forced out a more standoffish expression.

"I want it here." He decided. "She'd like it."

Mayor Williams smiled kindly. "I can make the arrangements as soon as I'm back in-office."

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

He nodded respectfully. "Even if you've decided, would you still like to look around?"

"Yeah... Sure."

And so, with the weight on his shoulders slightly less heavy, Tony reached for Pepper's hand and followed the mayor as he began pointing out different parts of the park.

-

A few days later, Tony wandered through the Tower with his lab in mind.

He'd been organizing a press conference and holding video meetings all day and was now looking for a chance to take a break and focus on something else. When he entered the familiar space, Hank was inside. It wasn't a surprise because JARVIS had already informed him about it.

What was surprising, however, was Tony finding Hank with his back to the door and leaning over one of the counters while mumbling about something. Tony couldn't hear much of it clearly but from what he gathered Hank was talking about how fascinating something was and how it seemed to have a mind of its own.

Other than this, the lab was covered with various designs and blueprints relating to the Ant-Man costume and the Pym and Cross Particles.

"What are you scheming?" Tony asked aloud.

Hank startled a little but quickly recovered, turning around to face his teammate.

"There you are." He said. "I thought it was strange not hearing you complain about something or other."

Tony smiled mockingly. "Been busy."

"Doing what? Staring at yourself all day?"

"Actually, not that it's any of your business, I've been organizing a press conference for the memorial. It's today."

Hank thought about it and nodded. "So that's why this place is eerily empty."

"Yep. Natasha, Bruce, Hill, Happy, and Pepper are doing my job for me."

He scoffed. "I bet you're so pleased."

Tony shrugged, indifferent. "I'd be lying if I said it didn't feel nice to put my feet up for once."

Hank would've laughed at that if he didn't think Tony might get in a fuss about it. As flippant and arrogant as the man was, he was still the biggest diva Hank knew.

"Red drove with Happy and Pepper. Bruce went with Hill." He added. "Quite the pairings, huh?"

"Sounds like an interesting Tuesday night." Hank admitted. "But seriously, shouldn't you be there? Especially if you're the one who organized it."

"Not that it's any of your business but I had a meeting."

"What kind of meeting?"

"Graphic design. We're finalizing the banner for the (Y/n) Stark Foundation."

"Going well?"

"So far."

An awkward silence then gradually filled the space between them. It was only broken by a rhythmic humming coming from something behind Hank.

"So what's so fascinating?" Tony asked. "You were acting very Gollum when I got in here."

Hank rolled his eyes at the comparison before stepping to the side to reveal what was behind him. It was a holographic image of bright blue and it resembled a sphere, only half of it seemed scattered and broken. Almost as if it were incomplete.

Tony crossed his arms over his chest and raised a brow, curious. "Hello, there."

"Look familiar?" Hank asked.

"It looks like JARVIS."

"Exactly. But it's not."

"Well any genius could see that. Who - what - is it?"

"I got curious about Strucker's experiments so I analyzed the gemstone on the scepter. This is what I found." Hank turned back to the hologram, almost as if he were entranced by it. "It's wonderful, isn't it? I think... This is exactly like a human mind, only far more advanced. It's not just the scepter, it's a whole other thing."

Tony was evidently shocked by the discovery but this was also matched by his intrigue and curiosity. He approached to stand beside Hank and study the hologram more in-depth. Once he got his fill of the new phenomenon he picked up a device from one of the lab counters and lifted it into the air, revealing a hologram of JARVIS.

As the two men had discussed, JARVIS and the gemstone were identical in most senses. The only difference was that JARVIS was an orange color and far more whole than the stone of the scepter was.

"Hello, JARVIS." Hank greeted as he studied the new hologram.

"Doctor." JARVIS replied in the same tone.

"So we're assuming this thing is what got Strucker so inventive?" Tony guessed, motioning to the blue sphere. "It resembles artificial intelligence, but there's clearly more to it than just that."

"They wanted to cross it with the Particle?" Hank suggested. "Maybe the two successful volunteers were the beginning."

"Maybe. If it gave those people abilities it's own power could be devastating. Almost... Evil."

"Perfect for HYDRA." He muttered. "I found an audio tape in their laboratory that day. By the sound of it, the failed experiments were... Brutal. It sounded like hell."

Tony's mind was running faster than ever before, his thoughts bouncing in his head like pinballs as he frowned. He thought about the devastation that drove the volunteers to their choice, he thought of all the threats the Avengers had been called to stop since their formation, and he thought about the day you died and all that could've been done to prevent it. Maybe this thing could be a new hope. It could be a chance to write all those wrongs. After all, their hands were much better than HYDRA's.

"We can do good with this." He said with an unfocused gaze, the blue tint of the mysterious hologram highlighting the dazed look in his eyes. "We can study it. Or maybe even weld it into something that can be used for good instead of evil. We can protect the world instead of harm it. I mean, if the Avengers ever disappear, this thing could be humanity's chance at redemption."

Hank, despite being more reasonable than Tony, couldn't deny the appeal of such a thing. To know that his work and his life would always be protected even after he left the world was comforting.

"Can we really do that?" He questioned.

Tony finally looked away from the blue hologram and turned his attention to the orange one representing JARVIS.

"Started out, JARVIS was just a natural language UI. Now he runs the Iron Legion. He runs more of the business than anyone besides Pepper."

"Oh?"

"Top of the line."

There was a slight undertone of sarcasm to Hank's words. "Naturally."

"I suspect not for long." JARVIS chimed in.

Tony nodded and motioned to what was inside the scepter. "This is the competition."

Hank almost lost himself to the incredible blue hue once again. "It's beautiful."

"If you had to guess, what's it look like it's doing?"

"Well, like I said, it looks like it's thinking. I mean, this could be a... It's not a human mind, it..."

Tony hummed in agreement, watching in silence as if he could see the gears in Hank's own mind working away.

After a moment, Hank pointed to the parts of the blue hologram that seemed broken from the main sphere. "They're like neurons firing."

Tony nodded, thinking the same. "Down in Strucker's lab I saw some fairly advanced robotics work. They deep-sixed the data but I gotta guess he was knocking on a very particular door."

Recalling their earlier assumption, Hank repeated their guess. "Artificial intelligence."

But then Hank shook his head. Although he was wrapped up in the fascination of this new discovery, he recalled what Tony had said to Dr. Cho when they returned from Sokovia, about the plan to leave his suits behind.

"I thought you were putting all this stuff behind you." He voiced. "Retirement or something."

Tony tilted his head, immersed in his thoughts once again. "That's still the plan. But if I die, or maybe the Avengers can't protect us anymore, what's left for the world? What happens to the next generation when there are no heroes left to save them?"

He thought about the last words you said to him and wondered what your life would be like if you had the kind of protection the scepter's gemstone could provide. Would you be happy? Would you still forgive him? Would he finally be able to start making up for the past?

All the heroes outside of the Avengers - people like Rhodey and Sam - and even the disbanded SHIELD, the scientists like Thor's human girlfriend and her friends, would they be able to save the earth from the threats it faced? Even the vigilantes and the ones working out of the spotlight might not be able to help if the threat was great enough.

Tony turned to Hank, his stare hard and undaunted. "What do you suggest?"

Before Hank could think up an idea or an excuse, JARVIS interrupted them.

"Forgive me, sir, but FRIDAY wishes to speak with you." He said.

Hank frowned. "FRIDAY? Who...?"

"AI." Tony stated flatly. "(Y/n) made her. She works with Hill now. You didn't meet her?"

"No. I haven't had the time."

"Well, now you do. Hank meet FRIDAY, FRIDAY meet Hank."

"It's a pleasure." FRIDAY's voice spoke up. "Is now a good time, boss?"

Although they were previously in the middle of something, Tony nodded. "Go ahead."

"I have a message from Ms. Potts. She seems agitated about the press conference. It begins soon and she believes you should be there."

"I agree." Hank said, cutting Tony off as he began to complain. "It's your thing, Stark."

Tony mocked Hank's words as he normally did before letting out a heavy sigh. "Tell Pepper I'll figure it out and to stall it or something."

"Yes, boss."

Silence followed her departure.

"That's my cue." Tony said, heading for the door. However, at the last second, he turned around. "If we're serious about this, we need a plan."

Hank hesitated for only a second before he nodded in agreement. "I'm listening."

"You can figure that thing out, right?"

"With time, maybe."

"Well, that's a start. I'll give you time. What else do you need? Human volunteers are obviously exempt."

"Obviously." Hank muttered. "We could try tech. It would give the AI a voice and a body. Like the Iron Legion."

Tony didn't say anything at first. His immediate concern was the destruction and chaos caused by his suits in the past, especially concerning the army who wanted to use multiple Iron Man suits for their own gain in the overseas wars. Maybe if he reprogrammed the legion it could help prevent the risk of such a thing happening.

"It's worth a shot." He said. "They could be compatible if I do a little tweaking beforehand."

Hank leaned against the counter, deep in thought. "Then we're really doing this?"

Tony nodded. "Peace in our time."

Before he left, Hank called out. "The memorial for (Y/n), where is it?"

"Gantry Plaza State Park. Saturday. It'll be good for you. You know, get out the Tower, soak up the sun."

"I'll be there."

He left for real that time, heading for the elevator. When he pressed the call button and waited, FRIDAY spoke to him.

"I wanted to ask if you have looked for Miss (Y/n)'s gift." She said.

Tony sighed. "Not yet."

Ever since telling him about your most important invention, FRIDAY would pester Tony two or three times a day to see if he'd gotten the chance to take a look yet. Although she was programmed to see nothing wrong with the reminding, Tony often considered adjusting her codes to teach her patience.

But enough was enough now.

"J, tell Pepper I'm gonna be late." He said. "Make a believable excuse."

"Of course, sir."

FRIDAY spoke again. "Are you alright, boss?"

"I'm gonna look for this service bot you love so much." He explained. "Then maybe you can take a few days off, hmm?"

The elevator finally arrived on his floor and he stepped inside.

"JARVIS, we're going to the basement."

A soft orange glow lit up the bottom of the keypad and the elevator began moving.

"Why not include a basement button in the elevator?" FRIDAY asked him.

Tony shrugged. "Security. Gotta make sure those bad guys don't get ahold of all the rusty junk. JARVIS is the only one with permissions."

The wait took almost a full minute but eventually the doors reopened to reveal the dark and expansive space where a bunch of stuff had been gathering dust for months and even years by that time.

As Tony stepped onto the cold floor, light filled the area.

The basement had the walls of a castle, strong and cold stone that provided the tower a firm foundation. It was a solid and cosy place, deep and tall, the strong beams meeting in a series of arches. It could've done with a little dusting and a spring clean or even the addition of a skylight, but it was functional all the same.

Despite all this, his eyes were drawn to the things retrieved from the compound and your SHIELD workshop. Some of the first furniture you ever bought - and even the things you accidentally stole - were pushed against the wall and surrounded by the boxes both big and small containing electronics and some unfinished inventions. Some of Tony's own things, as well as memorabilia from his parents, were amidst the clutter.

"FRI, can you give me a visual on the bot?" He asked aloud. "I'm kinda flying blind here."

"Yes, boss."

A hologram of a steel box appeared before him, beamed from his smart watch. It was an incredible storage unit, built thick and defensive and it seemed as tall as Thor, if not more so.

"Jesus, how tall is this thing?"

"2.31m." FRIDAY answered. "Approximately 7'7" according to the initial design plan."

Tony scoffed. "Was (Y/n) trying to make fun of my height or something? How am I meant to lean on this thing for support when I can barely touch it's shoulder?"

"Miss (Y/n) had a purpose in all her designs, boss. There is a reason for everything." A pause filled the space before FRIDAY spoke again. "Perhaps she wanted the bot to be able to drag you away if you were being defiant."

He scoffed again, only this time with more disbelief. "She's literally bullying me from beyond the grave."

"She is a Stark."

"We're not all bad." He comically paused and thought about all he'd done in life before he shrugged. "Yeah, I'll take that back. We're pretty awful."

He proceeded to begin the search after that, taking five minutes with the help of FRIDAY and the hologram before finally getting lucky and stumbling upon the large steel box.

"Run a recognition program." He instructed. "Is this it?"

FRIDAY did as she was told.

"There is a 99.95% match."

He nodded. "Good enough for me."

He approached the box and scanned it himself, grumbling and cursing when he noticed the lock was protected by a keypad. It needed a code.

He thought about what it could possibly be and assumed you'd make it something he could easily remember such as a birthday, the day he and Pepper became official, or maybe the day you ran away.

Then he remembered something.

-

The basement was being filled quite some time ago.

Steve and Thor were sorting through some of their own personal items down there while Tony and Agent Hill stood to the side, deep in conversation.

"We found an old container at the warehouse." Hill was telling him. "It's got a keypad lock and it looks pretty heavy. We think (Y/n) put something important in there."

"What's the code?" Tony had asked in reply.

"It took a lot of digging but from the clues she left behind we can assume it's the day you returned from Afghanistan in 2008. She wrote a lot about that day."

-

Tony blinked, recalling the date almost immediately.

May 1st, 2008.

He hastily punched in the code, leading to a dramatic whirring sound from within the box until finally the lock clicked and dropped, allowing him to pry open the heavy door.

He felt nervous, almost afraid to let the light flood inside. It took a moment of hesitation and several deep breaths before he stepped to the side and peered into the darkness.

Nothing was inside.

Tony stared.

And then he stared some more.

"Uh..." He looked around, confused. "FRIDAY, what's the deal here?"

"I do not understand." FRIDAY replied, even her deadpan tone sounding concerned. "The bot should be inside."

"Well, it's not."

"I oversaw the transportation of the box. This should not be possible."

Tony cursed and slammed the door shut which caused an almighty bang to echo and shake the entire basement.

"I will launch an investigation." FRIDAY said. "I fear those who would put hands on Miss (Y/n)'s work."

He reassured her despite sounding just as stressed. "It's gonna be fine, FRI. We'll find it. (Y/n) wanted me to have this, so I will have it."

"Do you suspect anyone, boss?"

"Well, I doubt it was HYDRA. They wouldn't know. I'll check in with Hill. If we're lucky, it was misplaced in SHIELD transit."

"I will inform her that you wish to discuss something important."

"Alright. In the meantime, I need to go to this conference before Pepper puts out a hit on me." He cursed again. "And the memorial. We're gonna have to wait to pursue this. Think you can learn to be patient?"

FRIDAY didn't say anything for a few seconds. Then her defeated tone filled the silence again.

"Yes, boss."

-

Across the country, all the way in California, rain was battering the highway.

The beat-up brown van was driving along, the windscreen wipers fighting for their lives to battle the vicious droplets of water. The engine sounded like crackling popcorn.

Through the rain, a bright green sign soon became visible.

It read 'San Francisco'.

Chapter Text

Anxiety levels were high at Town Hall.

On the streets it was an ordinary day, with many people rushing past in an attempt to get to work or meet up with friends. But behind those ornate doors and inside the grand building it was as if a royal was being crowned.

Taking advantage of the outside since it was a hot day, journalists were crowded in chairs in the gardens with their cameras and their notepads at the ready, at the edge of their seats as they awaited the story this surprise meeting would bring.

It was practically breaking news when sources reported that Agent Maria Hill formerly of SHIELD, CEO of Stark Industries Pepper Potts, famed scientist Bruce Banner, and Black Widow herself all showed up for the conference. It was whispered and discussed among the attendees if any more famous people would be turning up, and just what kind of mayoral announcement warranted such a guest list.

Behind the scenes, Mayor Williams himself was conversing in hushed tones with Pepper and Hill about Tony's appearance - or lack thereof. She was trying to justify the wait but was becoming more and more impatient with every passing tick of the clock.

"He said he'd be ten minutes!" She exclaimed as she ran a stressed hand through her hair. "I know he likes to make an entrance but this is ridiculous."

"My concern is the media." The mayor replied, sounding just as on edge as she did.

Hill nodded in agreement. "They're vultures."

"I know." Pepper said. "I'm so sorry, Mayor Williams."

He held up a hand. "No, no, it's not your fault, Ms. Potts. I'll need to start this thing soon, though."

She nodded as well, briefly facing away from him as she placed her hands on her hips. A very heavy sigh escaped her lips as she cursed Tony under her breath.

Happy stood to the side with an empathetic look on his face. He knew all too well the anxieties of waiting for Tony Stark since half of his life had been spent running around after him. Not that he minded of course, Happy loved his job, he was just getting a little old for it now.

He moved his gaze toward a spot by the wall where Bruce and Natasha were discussing the same thing, only they seemed a lot more lighthearted.

"Someone's sleeping on the couch tonight." Natasha mused, obviously amused by it all.

Bruce frowned, unsure. "She doesn't look that mad."

Her smile only became more evident. "You poor, sweet thing. Don't you know how to see behind a woman's stare? She's furious."

"I'm not the most well-versed in those things."

"You've dated before, haven't you? That's all the experience you should need."

"Not all women are as complicated as you make it seem."

"No, we're not. Men are just dull."

With the conversation steering away from the topic at hand, Happy tuned it out. He agreed with Natasha about Pepper being upset. He actually felt sorry for Tony, knowing that the punishment for his lateness was likely to be subtle but impactful.

With not much else to think about, he decided to reminisce on the holiday he'd just returned from. It wasn't particularly eventful in Hawaii, but it was the break he needed. He hadn't met any women for the long term, but there had been one incident in which he'd drank far too much and ended up in a one night stand. Tony obviously teased him about it at every chance he got, but Pepper was just glad he got to unwind after so much dutiful service.

Happy then found himself back in reality when Pepper walked over with the mayor to talk to him.

"Any news?" He asked hopefully.

She shook her head. "Not a peep."

"He'll be here."

"He better. I thought we were past all this."

Happy smiled sympathetically. "I'm sure he's got a good reason."

She nodded once more and addressed the mayor next. "He used to do this to everyone. He even showed up late to his own Expo."

Mayor Williams nodded. "I remember."

"My point is, he's not disrespecting you, he's just being... Tony."

"I understand he's a busy man but I can't deny he's cutting it close. I hope he's got one hell of an entrance planned."

Just then, his assistant Lani gave him a warning, expressing without words that the attendees were becoming agitated.

"Okay, we've got to give them something." He declared. "I propose we start the conference and announce that Mr. Stark will make an appearance shortly. The vultures need to be fed."

Pepper glanced at the two Avengers present as well as Happy and Hill before nodding reluctantly. The mayor briefly touched her arm for reassurance and thanks before preparing himself and leaving for the gardens with everyone at his side.

The second they reached the podium, the area was filled with camera flashes and overlapping calls and shouts. They took places on the stage with the mayor standing at the front podium and waiting for a moment.

He cleared his throat loudly to silence the chatter, holding a hand in the air to show that he was ready to speak. It worked like a charm and the reporters went silent.

"Hello." He began calmly and with confidence. "I'd first like to thank you all for coming here on such short notice and to apologize for the delay. We were expecting to begin sooner but our special guest for the evening, Mr. Tony Stark-"

The moment his name was uttered, the cameras began to flash again and an overlapping chatter bombarded the gardens.

"Please, please-" The mayor raised his hands and silence settled a few seconds afterwards. "Mr. Stark is running a little late so we had to postpone but rest assured, he'll be here shortly. Now, I understand many of you are curious to know what's going on here. I'm going to assume most heard of this conference from the various Twitter posts, many of which lacked detail for security reasons, meaning the safety of our special guests here today. I mean, I'd rather avoid danger because I think this city's had enough of that, don't you?"

Although he tried to make it a light hearted joke no one laughed.

He awkwardly looked down at the podium in front of him, only lifting his head after hearing Lani clear her throat from the side of the stage and motion for him to get things going.

"I called this conference because New York City is going to host an important event at the end of the month." He said, getting back on topic. "It's something born from the heart and will be a way for us to gather in warmth and love. It could even become an annual event if enough people show support."

He could see the questions before they were asked, once again having to silence the reporters and journalists.

"The event will be hosted in our beloved city, with the exact location and date to be released on further notice, and will be in celebration of the loved ones we lost during the Battle of New York three years ago, as well as those who have lost family to tragic accidents. The city has partnered with the (Y/n) Stark Foundation who will host the event alongside The Avengers themselves."

He briefly went on to explain all about the foundation and how Pepper and Tony founded it shortly after your death to support runaway teens suffering from abuse and neglect, as well as to offer help to families who were victims of loss.

During this explanation, he answered several questions from the press, as well as comments coming in from the live streaming of the event. He did his best to calm the crowd but it was becoming increasingly harder as more and more questions were directed to the famous names standing behind him.

"The idea is not mine, I'll confess." He said, silencing them yet again. "But I was recently approached by a tabloid interviewer who believed the city wasn't doing enough to support its citizens in wake of tragedy. I'm here now to announce that we're changing that. We will offer our aid. You only need to ask for it. And now I'd like to present Ms. Pepper Potts, CEO of Stark Industries and a founder of the (Y/n) Stark Foundation to say a few words."

Pepper nodded politely and approached the podium. Only... She was abruptly interrupted as music began to play from seemingly nowhere. It started quiet, with no source, but soon became much louder. The song was easily recognizable as 'Enter Sandman' by Metallica.

Everyone looked to the sky as a streak of red and gold caught their eye. As fashionably late as ever, it was of course Tony Stark.

The Iron Man suit landed with a light clunk on the stage and the press went absolutely feral as Tony lifted his faceplate and waved, dancing along to the slowly fading music blaring from what seemed to be built-in speakers in the suit.

Pepper was not at all impressed with the lateness or the grandeur of the arrival, but she kept her expression neutral and civil as she decided to let Tony take the spotlight. Mayor Williams noticed the look in her eyes and shuddered, remembering how his late wife had the exact same look when he'd done something to offend her.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" He announced loudly once the music had died completely. "I present to you... The one... The only... Tony Stark!"

Another wild applause shook the ground as Tony relished the adoration.

"Good morning, New York." He greeted them lazily. "How we doing today?"

Using the sound of the crowd to his advantage, Tony turned to the mayor to have a quick and hushed conversation.

"Sorry I'm late." He said. "I had a thing."

"Not at all." Mayor Williams replied. "But I think Ms. Potts needs an apology more than I. And maybe a bouquet of roses."

Tony followed his gaze to where Pepper was glaring right at him and swallowed anxiously. He was definitely in the doghouse.

He forced the fear down and turned to address the chattering crowd. Under his gaze, the entire garden fell silent as they waited with baited breath for his announcement.

"So I'm gonna assume my good friend Mr. Mayor here explained what's happening." He began. "We excited?"

Another ruckus as they bombarded him with questions. Tony stayed calm, more than used to the attention.

"It's gonna be good, right? It's, uh... It's actually really important to me that this goes ahead, and not just because The Avengers are going to be hosting it, but because it's personal. The event is called The Floating Lanterns and it's a tradition my..." He hesitated for a second, keeping up a smile despite his true emotions wanting to peer through. "My daughter, (Y/n)... She did it every year for her birthday."

As predicted, the journalists berated the podium yet again. This time, however, Tony took the time to answer several questions.

"Is this just going to be about (Y/n)?" One of them asked.

"We've already said it's going to be for all victims." Tony replied. "Anyone who's lost someone is more than welcome to come and light a lantern."

"Where did the idea come from?" Another questioned him. "When did you decide to make it happen?"

"I'm doing this for personal reasons." He explained, his hand resting over his chest where the necklace was. "I wasn't always there for (Y/n) when she needed me and I'm trying to make up for it. When she was a kid we didn't celebrate her birthday together. I was always... I just wasn't around. This is my apology to her, a way to make up for all the years I missed."

More of them clamoured to get their questions in and eventually the mayor had to start motioning to one person at a time because of all the fuss.

"Why make it a communal event?" The chosen one asked. "What relevance does it have to The Battle of New York?"

Tony wanted to roll his eyes but refrained just in time. He had already stated it was to mourn for family and friends so he didn't see why that question needed to be asked.

"Loss." He reiterated, keeping the calm facade. "We've all lost people in our life and this is the chance to find peace among the city and work towards saying goodbye."

"Aren't floating lanterns primarily associated with Chinese and East Asian cultures? What do they have to say about this?"

"Well, I'd like to thank those communities for being on board with the plan, actually. The lanterns are used in various celebrations and ceremonies, including the Lantern Festival and New Year, and we contacted the Asian communities to learn what we could and get the green light."

"And will there be amenities there?" Another asked.

Tony nodded. "Of course. We've organized entertainment for younger attendees, food and drink, and a free station to decorate the lantern if you'd like."

He answered a few more questions from various broadcasting stations and local newspapers before he got more queries about the event details. He looked to the mayor who nodded to say that it was okay to reveal the information now.

"So the Avengers are hosting." A journalist from one of the city papers clarified. "Where are the rest of them now? Will we see everyone at the event?"

"Yes, we will all be there."

"And where is it? Central Park?"

"Queens, actually. The exact location will be revealed later in the week as the mayor probably told you. Just keep updated on Twitter and Instagram or whatever people use nowadays."

"Mr. Stark?" A booming voice then called from the audience. "Over here!"

Naturally drawn in by the sheer loudness of the man, Tony motioned for him to speak.

"The name's J. Jonah Jameson from The Daily Bugle."

Immediately a hush fell over the rest of the journalists. Tony could hear the mayor and his assistant speaking in rushed tones.

"I thought he was sending one of the juniors." The mayor said.

"He was supposed to." Lani replied, clearly panicked. "He must've changed his mind at the last minute."

Even Pepper looked worried, everyone knowing just how probing Jameson could be. He was relentless, and often asked the questions most journalists wouldn't dare to go near. Even if it made others uneasy, it also made him good at his job.

If Tony felt at all anxious he didn't show it. His expression remained the picture of perfect content as he told Jameson to ask his question.

"How do we know this isn't just a cheap PR stunt?" The man demanded, his tone proud and determined. "It's the anniversary of the attack, and it seems a little too perfectly timed for me. How do we know you really care? Any of you?"

"Well, we knew someone had to ask." Tony mused, not at all deterred. "The timing may be convenient, but it is perfect. As for the PR? I personally don't give a damn about my image. I'm doing this for my kid, to help people like she always did."

Although the abrupt answer threw Jameson off slightly, he quickly gathered himself back up and continued to ask more.

"Did she really help people?" He questioned. "When SHIELD got destroyed, wasn't it (Y/n) Stark who brought armed men into our city? Wasn't it (Y/n) Stark who put countless lives in danger trying to outrun her own mistake? She's the reason people died that day, so why would we celebrate her poor judgement?"

The livestream comments were buzzing with varied responses, some defending and some criticizing Jameson for his words, and the actual conference was veiled in a thick silence.

Happy clenched his jaw, feeling a bubbling anger at the sheer audacity of the claims. Pepper glared daggers at Jameson while he awaited a response from Tony. Even Natasha and Bruce were surprised by the comments. And Agent Hill certainly looked ready to get her gun out and start shooting.

Mayor Williams saw all these negative reactions and considered ending the conference ahead of schedule right then and there. He knew most other politicians would've done it the second they noticed Jameson in the crowd.

"It's not her fault." Tony said.

He seemed peaceful enough, but he had a dangerously dark look in his eyes. His voice was cold and stern, and it sent a shiver of unease over the crowd.

"(Y/n) kept a valuable weapon away from dangerous people, and she only did what she did because she knew she didn't have long left. Out of all the people in the world, she chose to find me. And she died because of that."

Still holding the necklace, he took a quick breath, refusing to pay attention to the rapid comments coming in.

"I was pretty terrible to her, you know? Missed birthdays, always too busy with work or events or... Anything but her. I made so many mistakes. But (Y/n)... She didn't care. She still wanted to make amends. So forgive me for being just a little bit selfish, J. Jonah Jameson, but personally I'd like to try and remember her for all the good she did, not the little mistakes."

Another pause.

"When did you realize your mistakes, Mr. Stark?" A much nicer sounding journalist asked.

"Too late." Tony replied quietly, finally showing his true feelings. "I left the country and I almost died. That's when I realized what I'd done. I'd become just like my old man, which was exactly what I was trying not to do when I started avoiding (Y/n)."

"Surely you tried to find her afterwards?"

"Of course I did. I tried every day. But then came the Stark Expo and the invasions and the fights and I lost track of time. Then it was too late." He looked down at the podium, finding it easier to talk to the wood than actual people. "No parent should ever have to bury their kid. It's not... Normal. So this..."

He trailed off once more, working on getting his voice to sound more secure and calm again. The last thing he wanted was to become an emotional wreck on live television.

"This event isn't being organized for the hell of it. It's not just because my daughter died. It's for the people she met along the way. She made a better legacy than any other Stark, and I'm going to keep it going, starting with celebrating her birthday. And everyone else who feels like I do, who lost their mothers or fathers or siblings or friends, this is their chance to keep their own legacies alive as well."

More questions were asked and Jameson seemed defeated into a stubborn silence as he scribbled away on his notepad.

Pepper watched the scene unfold with tears pricking her eyes. She hadn't seen Tony so emotional in a long time, especially not in public. Her anger at Jameson had deflated by now and she felt only hope for the upcoming event, knowing in her heart that it was something you would be proud of.

All claims of a PR stunt were shut down after Tony's speech, mostly due to the fact that his kind of emotion wasn't one easily faked. They figured that if someone could become so defensive and personal over such a simple thing, it had to be true.

The livestream comments were perhaps the best part of it all, many of them now bashing Jameson for his accusations and calling him many names, most of which had been quickly removed by the mods overseeing the stream.

"Can't say he didn't deserve that one." Natasha commented, smirking at Jameson.

"He looks embarrassed." Bruce agreed.

"Hell hath no fury like Tony Stark."

"You can say that again."

Tony, now with a more steady heartbeat, glanced over his shoulder at Pepper, silently asking if his outburst was too much or not. Although she probably would have gone a more subtle way around it, she simply smiled softly and shook her head to say that it was okay.

Lani then nudged the mayor, nodding her head towards the podium. He cleared his throat and nodded, standing beside Tony.

"That's all for today, folks." He said. "We have time for one more question."

Everyone raised their hands and it was a journalist near the front that was chosen.

"Hello, I'm Nina from The Downtown Express newspaper in Manhattan."

"Hi, Nina." The mayor smiled. "What's your question?"

"Well, since we've had enough tension for today, I have a more lighthearted question for Mr. Stark. Many of our readers, particularly in our celebrity romance section, have been wondering when you and Ms. Potts might take the next step. We recently discovered pictures of you in various jewellery stores. Got anything shiny planned?"

Murmurs filled the gardens and it took everything Tony had to not look at Pepper's reaction to the question.

"It's hardly a surprise if I confess it here, is it?" He questioned, dodging an actual answer. "Maybe I was just buying my lovely girlfriend a beautiful necklace. Maybe a bracelet or some earrings? I guess we'll never know."

The journalist raised her hands in mock surrender with a friendly smile, showing she meant no harm with the callout.

"Smart move, Mr. Stark." The mayor said. "Now, before we leave today, I'd like to inform everyone that multiple stores across the New York City boroughs will be selling lanterns in preparation for this event. And don't worry if you can't find one because, as Mr. Stark mentioned, there'll be plenty at the event on the day. And stay tuned for the location drop this week."

Hill stepped forward, keeping her voice low so the microphones wouldn't pick it up as she spoke to Tony. "When is the announcement?"

"We're waiting on the graphic team to finish the banner." He answered. "Once we've got that, I'll let you know."

She nodded and returned to her original position. Then the mayor began his short and sweet closing speech.

-

At the same time as the conference, elsewhere in the country, a tablet showing the livestream was propped against a full jar of office stationery, one of many inside a spacious room.

The office offered a great panoramic view of the city outside, the tall towers of glass and greenery from national parks coming in abundance. It had the basics of a desk and a chair, a top quality computer and equipment, and of course shelves upon shelves of business and personal effects alike.

That office belonged to Hope Pym, the woman watching the livestream with an intrigued smile on her lips.

Chapter Text

Hope had been watching the mayor's livestream right until it ended and flipped to a San Francisco news station.

The presenters were discussing the livestream and the memorial plans, relaying all the information for those had missed it. They seemed to love talking about how Tony had shut down Jameson, recounting their opinions on his questions and arguments.

It soon became background noise to Hope as she reclined in her chair and let her gaze drift to the misted window of her office. Although it seemed clear at the moment, the rumble of thunder in the distance was getting closer with every passing minute. There had been reports of flooding in the further districts of the city so most of the employees from those areas had gone home early to prevent themselves from being stuck away from home.

The only ones remaining were security, dedicated workers, Darren Cross, and Hope herself.

Hope was still thinking about the livestream, specifically about the fact that Tony Stark was doing it all for his kid. Despite the rumors that he was a narcissistic and arrogant man, he seemed to have a soft spot.

Hope had met you only once. You were young, maybe ten or eleven at the time - though she was quite a bit older than you - and there had been a meeting between the Stark and Cross companies. She remembered the two of you hiding away in one of the server rooms and messing about as the boredom struck. You were a smart kid and she'd always admired that. When she heard that you'd gone missing and then your death a few years later, it was shocking.

She thought about your dad and what he was willing to do to keep your memory alive and almost felt jealous, wondering what it must've been like to have a dad so dedicated to you. She began to miss her mom, thinking back to when she lost her at age seven, and how much it had affected both herself and her dad.
She'd had a rough childhood after her mom died, being sent to boarding school mere days after the accident, becoming estranged with her dad, and all the fights and arguments they'd had. These particular thoughts quickly turned her sadness into anger and she turned off her tablet with a sharp tap, putting it face-down on the table.

"Don't waste your thoughts on him, Hope." She told herself. "He's not worth it."

A knock then sounded at her door.

"You're not talking about me, are you?" A muffled voice said from behind the door, apparently having heard her angry mutters. "Hope?"

The woman startled slightly, standing from her seat and making her way to the door. She pulled it open to see Darren Cross himself waiting on the other side.

"Oh." Was all she said, evidently surprised. "Darren, hi."

"Hey." He replied with a lazy smile. "I didn't do anything wrong, did I? You sound mad."

"No... No, it's not you." She assured him with a weak attempt at a returning smile. "You did scare the crap out of me just then, though."

He chuckled. "Sorry about that."

"You say that every time yet you still manage to surprise me everyday."

With a rare apologetic look, he let himself into the office. "It's completely unintentional, I promise."

"I'm sure." She closed the door behind him and went back to her desk, leaning against the side of it. "How did the meeting go?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "The usual. They complain, I reassure them. Everyone goes home happy in the end. But what about you? Who got you mad?"

"It's nothing."

"If someone pissed you off, it's not nothing, Hope."

She smiled at that. "I was thinking about someone in the past. He's not important."

That was all it took for Darren to deduce who she was talking about. There was only one man alive who could annoy Hope like that, and Darren only knew who it was because Hank Pym annoyed him just as much as he did her.

Darren especially hoped Hank would stay under the radar during his plan to sell his new weapons to HYDRA. The last thing he needed was a grumpy, washed-up hero ruining everything. He hadn't gotten a response from HYDRA yet regarding the sale, but he knew it was only a matter of time.

"I was thinking about my mom." Hope then confessed, seeing by the look in his eyes that Darren knew what was going on. "And (Y/n) Stark."

That caught his interest. "(Y/n) Stark?"

"Yeah. I met her when we were kids. It was only for a little while but she had this weird way of making an impact on people. You can't forget her."

Darren knew all too well. He too had met you briefly, and knew all about what an impression you could make. It was many years ago, though, and he doubted you'd ever remember him.

"I'm glad she's in a better place." Hope then said. "Especially after how she... Well... You know."

He nodded along, though it was impossible to tell what he was thinking. "Me too."

A beat of silence passed.

"Why her?" Darren asked curiously.

Hope turned to him. "Hmm?"

"Why were you thinking about (Y/n)?"

"Oh. There was a livestream from New York. Stark and the mayor are planning an event for her birthday, making it a memorial for the people who died during the invasion in 2012 and for other people who lost family."

"I heard about that. You watched it?"

"Yeah. I think it's nice. And Stark made one hell of an entrance before it all."

He scoffed. "Doesn't surprise me. That man was always so dramatic."

Although it had nothing to do with his plans, Darren couldn't help but think that the memorial was the perfect opportunity to sell his ideas. There would be many political figures there if the mayor was personally involved, so maybe he didn't have to wait for HYDRA's review of his weapon after all.

He put on a smile. "It sounds like a good thing. There's gonna be a lot of people there, huh?"

Hope nodded. "Probably. The Avengers are hosting it."

"Will you go?" He asked. "I mean, it does sound like one hell of a PR stunt."

"I don't know. Maybe it's not just for PR. Stark seemed pretty serious about it."

"Well, you knew (Y/n) personally. And you could go for your mom. If I didn't have the board meeting, I'd be there with you."

Hope thought about it. "I might not. I'd have to get a flight in, and remembering Mom involves remembering Hank. It's a lot of trouble."

Darren smiled sadly at Hope, reaching out to take her hands in his own.

"I get it." He assured her. "But you're stronger than that. Even when Hank drove you away, you persevered and you survived. Now look at you. And if you ever need someone else to lean on, you'll always have me."

With that promise lingering in the air, he closed the gap between them, pressing his lips against hers in a gentle but passionate kiss. The action caught her off-guard but she reciprocated it nonetheless, closing her eyes and letting herself get lost in the moment.

The two of them had been together for a couple of months now, stealing glances and arranging special rendezvous. No one else knew, and the unique couple definitely wouldn't be telling any time soon.

A booming clash of thunder outside separated the two of them, with Hope giving Darren a suggestive look as she wet her lips with her tongue.

"Everyone's gone home." She said as she swung their still joined hands. "We're finished for the day... And all alone."

The man arched a brow, a daring look shadowing his features. "Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"

She leaned in again, a dark look in her eyes. "Why don't you kiss me again and find out?"

Without any further prompting needed, Darren pushed himself against her, their bodies now flush together as he released her hands and instead clung to her waist. It wasn't long before he lifted her up and sat her on the desk, their lips still connected as he stepped between her legs and began to caress every inch of her body.

-

Outside the building, the ugly brown van pulled up among the splashes and puddles of rain.

It came to a rumbling stop for a brief moment before suddenly vanishing, seemingly shrinking out of existence.

Just past the automatic doors of the reception, the only security guard on duty was reclined in his chair behind the desk, feet propped up and the theme tune of Candy Crush Saga playing from the phone in his hands.

He was so immersed in a level of the game that he most likely would've missed the doors slide open had he not happened to glance up at that particular moment. He frowned when no one came into view and the doors shut themselves again.

He curiously put his phone away and slowly got to his feet, peering around the desk. He still couldn't see anything, leading him to believe it might be a bird or some other small creature that triggered the door.

"Damn storm." He muttered to himself.

He then went back to his chair and checked the computer where the live security feed was coming in. Everything seemed normal until his eyes found the feed of the parking lot and all of a sudden static enveloped the screen, blocking his view.

"Oh, come on!"

He smacked the top of the computer in an attempt to get the cameras back online but it didn't work. He cursed and grabbed his radio which was also hissing static and then made his way to the doors.

As they slid open once more, the peace and tranquility of the calming reception was erased by the thundering of rain pellets and echoing thunder. He flinched as the rain hit and tried to peer through the storm to see if any new cars were parked outside.

There was nothing.
Now worried and freaked, he took out his phone to call for help.

-

In Hope's office, the shrill ringing of a phone caught her and Darren by surprise.

The two, who had been very heated not a second before, parted at the sound of the device. Darren pulled it from his pocket with an annoyed sigh and didn't even glance at the ID before setting it aside.

He tried to get back to business but Hope pulled back. "You're not gonna answer that?"

He shrugged, still focused on ripping off her shirt. "Not important."

"What if it's work?"

"It can wait."

"Darren-" She leaned out of reach, frustrating him. "Just check. Now."

He grumbled something incoherent and did as she told him. He recognized the emergency number to be used by the security should an issue arise. Normally it would concern him, but he had other things on his mind at that moment.

He answered begrudgingly. "What?!"

He could hear the patter of rain on the other end of the line as well as the barely audible stammers of a guard.

"What is it?" He demanded sharply. "It's a bad time."

"Sorry, sir." The guard spoke up. "I thought you'd want to know that something weird is going on down here."

"What do you mean, weird?"

"The doors at reception opened on their own and-"

"The doors are automatic. They're meant to open on their own."

"I know, sir, but there was no one there when I looked. I checked the live footage too but there must be a bug or malfunction in the system because the screen turned itself off. There's no one outside either."

Darren had gotten bored halfway through the explanation and was trying to keep kissing Hope despite her playful protests.

"It's probably a glitch." He told the guard. "Just reboot it."

-

Down in reception, the security guard listened to his boss and headed back inside.

He planned to reboot the system as he was told but before he could do that, something else caught his eye. He thought it was nothing at first, perhaps some dirt or a spillage from the work day, but upon closer inspection he began to notice what looked like tiny, wet tire tracks on the glistening floor.

While Darren was yelling at him over the phone, the security guard chose to follow these tracks as curiosity got the better of him.

Thunder clashed outside as he walked, and a single strike of lightning lit up the hallway with a terrifying ambience.

"Are you listening?!" Darren exclaimed, startling the guard.

He scrambled to answer the phone without dropping it. "Sorry, sir. There's just... It's really odd."

"Oh, for fuc - What now?"

"There's tracks. Tire tracks, it looks like. Inside the building."

"How... How is that possible?"

"They're small, sir. Like a toy car."

Then he found the culprit. A tiny vehicle right in front of the elevator doors.

"I found it." He announced as he kneeled down to get a better look. "It is a toy car. By the elevator."

Darren didn't reply for a moment but, once he did, his tone was bewildered and confused. "Well, is anyone inside the elevator?"

He looked up at the number displayed above the doors but it wasn't moving. He relayed this to Darren which only seemed to bemuse both of them all the more.

However, as the security guard stood up again and caught sight of his reflection through the pristine doors, he noticed something else in the distance. It was a shadow by the looks of it, something behind him growing larger with every second, something approaching him from behind.

His eyes widened and his free hand instinctively dropped to his belt where his gun was holstered. However, as yet another clash of thunder echoed around the building, the guard's world went black as he dropped to the floor.

-

Darren pulled a face as he heard a muffled thud through his phone and then the sound of the call disconnecting.

"Hello?" He tried again. "Answer me! What happened? Hello?!"

The yelling - and the entire conversation in general - had concerned Hope as she hastily tidied herself up. "What's wrong?"

"The security on duty." Darren said, unsure of how to explain it. "I don't know, he mentioned tracks indoors and he followed them but then..."

"But then what?" She asked, confused. "What happened?"

"I don't know! The call cut out." Although he looked worried, he quickly tried to mask it. "It's got to be the storm. It probably fried the system and the phones. It's nothing."

She didn't look convinced. "But we should check it out, right? Make sure the guy's okay?"

It took all the willpower Darren had to not roll his eyes. "I'll go. You stay here."

He didn't give her a chance to argue, simply turning on his heel and striding towards the door to leave. Once he was out of sight of her office he grabbed a hologram pad to check the security cameras for himself.

He found what looked like the guard on duty slumped against the wall, apparently asleep or knocked out.

He scoffed, unimpressed. "Who hires these idiots? Waste of space."

But then something else caught his eye. It was a tall figure draped in a muddied brown cloak, all features hidden by the soaked material.

The figure stepped over the slumped guard and simply walked inside the elevator without a care in the world. Darren switched to the elevator feed but it wasn't there, replaced by a static screen.

Fortunately he was able to see glimpses of the footage through the lines and was able to deduce that the elevator was heading down, right for the labs, exactly where the Cross Particle was kept.

Immediately something snapped within him and he marched towards his own private elevator in order to try and cut off this intruder.

His mind was consumed by varying scenarios, wondering if this was perhaps someone from a rival company. A HYDRA operative perhaps? A stranger who had heard rumors of the particle and wanted it for themselves?

The wait was agonizing and by the time he finally arrived in the labs he found the cloaked figure at one of the computers, already typing and apparently within the restricted database. He still couldn't make out any features of the person but that didn't stop him from grabbing his gun - retrieved from a compartment inside the elevator- and yelling out to get the stranger's attention.

"Hey!" He shouted. "Stop right there!"

Much to his surprise, the intruder stopped what they were doing.

"Now turn around! You shouldn't be here."

Again, the intruder complied, and Darren almost dropped his weapon out of raw shock.

Although the cloak still covered over half of the figure, Darren could instantly tell that it wasn't human. It was made from some kind of metal and its eyes seemed to glow even in the fluorescent lighting of the laboratory. To be able to move on its own and hack cameras and access the database as it had, Darren had to assume it was AI.

But who could possibly have the resources or genius to create something this advanced?

The only person he could even think of at that moment was Tony Stark, a man notorious for his numerous robotic inventions and ideas. Did that mean the Avengers knew what he was doing with the Cross Particle? Did they send the bot to stop him?

"Who are you?" He asked, his tone steady and cautious. "What are you doing?"

The bot remained silent to the point Darren was rethinking his suspicions on how advanced it was, only for it to then speak in an eerily casual voice that sounded so human it was startling.

"My name is Ultron."

Chapter Text

Lightning illuminated the room as thunder roared and tension filled the space between Darren and Ultron.

It was the electricity before a storm, the sharp intake of breath before a crucial decision, the lingering silence between two figures itching to fight.

Darren had a deep frown on his face as he kept his guard up. "Why are you here? Who sent you? Who made you? Was it Tony Stark?"

Ultron responded simply and without hesitation. "No."

The abruptness of the denial surprised Darren and he fought to remain stony-faced. "If not Stark, then who? Was it HYDRA?"

"Hank Pym is responsible for my existence."

Although Darren was certainly surprised before, it was more evident now. Disbelief was etched onto his face as he wondered just how in the hell Hank Pym had created an AI bot of such advanced intelligence. Yes, he had created the Pym Particle and one of the most advanced suits of his time, but surely it couldn't be right. Surely only a Stark - famed for their genius - could be capable of this new kind of feat.

Before he could be caught off-guard, Darren forced a conniving smile. "Where's Hank now?"

Ultron didn't falter, answering the question as if it were exactly what he was programmed to do. "Master Hank is in New York City at this moment, residing at Avengers Tower."

"Did you escape him?"

"There were no requirements for escape. I was sent on a mission."

"A mission?" His stance tensed as he spoke. "What would that be?"

"I was sent with the purpose of destroying your work. And to take Hope Pym to her father."

Darren's mind was swarmed with a million more questions. So Hank did know about the Cross Particle after all? Did he know about the plans to sell the Yellowjacket? Why did he suddenly want Hope back after all these years? Why was he in New York of all places? And why was he with the Avengers? He must've told them everything.

His bewilderment was soon replaced with a bubbling anger, however, when he thought about the first part of Ultron's mission - to destroy his work. Was Hank such a coward that he couldn't face him himself? Why send a bot to do the work for it?

And if the bot took Hope back to her father as it intended, she'd discover what Darren had been doing with the Particle and his plans to sell it to the highest bidder. If she discovered that, he'd have to take her out of the picture for good.

Reading the facial expressions of the man before him, Ultron tilted his head curiously. "You are mildly infuriated. Panicked."

Darren looked up to face him and the emotions were ever clearer. Ultron continued to assess him.

"The mention of Master Hank troubles you. Perhaps I should not have mentioned his location." But then the bot's opinion seemed to flip entirely as Ultron turned away. "No... Master Hank is a good man. He said anything will suffice to take his daughter back to him."

Darren couldn't help but feel pity on Ultron. Although it was clearly advanced beyond modern standards, it still seemed flawed. Why would he so carelessly reveal the location of his 'creator' and consequently the mission he was sent on? Why not just complete the task by any means necessary? Why waste time conversing?

"You won't find anything." He told the bot. "My work is safe. It's not here."

Ultron assessed him, a silence overcoming them until his voice, strained and robotic, spoke again.

"Master Hank said it would be in the lab."

Darren couldn't help but chuckle. "'Master' Hank was wrong. It hasn't been here for a long time.”

His eyes filled with coldness as his hand went to his pants' pocket.

"It was nice meeting you." He said. "But I gotta get rid of you now."

He then pressed something in his pocket and shrunk to an impossible size, disappearing from view. Special gear revealed to be an exoskeleton of the Yellowjacket suit hidden within his everyday wear kept him safe and saved him from tearing himself apart.

In his new tiny form, Darren looked up at the towering Ultron with a smirk. It was extremely unlikely the thing would have its own Pym Particle so he assumed the fight would be easy. If granted the right opportunity he could easily slip between the gaps in Ultron's body and get to his core systems.

In contrast to this idea, Ultron was better prepared than Darren realized.

The moment Darren shrunk, Ultron was able to easily hone in on his new form and follow the movements. When Darren attempted to jump at him, Ultron swat him away like a fly, causing a thump to echo in the room as a plume of dust swirled the air where Darren landed.

"Master Hank told me you may react with aggression." He said with an almost musing tone. "He told me to arrive prepared."

A compartment then opened within Ultron's chest and he withdrew a gun of his own. It seemed more advanced than a standard issue with multiple triggers. The action surprised Darren, yet it also made him chuckle as he thought about how his smaller form could easily dodge bullets. He still had confidence in winning.

The moment Ultron pulled the trigger, Darren clambered up the nearest table to dodge it. He sprinted across the pristine tabletop as a few more bullets were shot and then leapt from the edge, grabbing a hold of a fly which had been nonchalantly buzzing around during their interaction.

The fly staggered in mid-air but Darren was quick to gain control. Unfortunately, he didn't manage to get very far because as another shot fired the bullet changed in midair. It appeared normal at but then became much smaller than any normal round and hit the fly with alarming precision, splattering the insect blood all over Darren and forcing him to jump.

He rolled along the floor and managed to slide onto his knees, the fly landing next to him with a thud. He cursed and glared up at Ultron, now rethinking his earlier cockiness.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Ultron asked aloud. "A Pym Bullet, capable of changing size with a series of trigger combinations. Perfect for... Exterminating bugs."

Darren swallowed the lump in his throat, making sure to take cover before he dared speak up against the bot again.

"I don't think your master would be very happy if you told me all his secrets." He mocked him. "You'll give me ideas."

The more time he spent fighting Ultron's moves, the more he was beginning to realize that this couldn't possibly be an invention of Hank's own design. Hank created science and technology marvels, not artificial intelligence. It wasn't adding up. Perhaps he could use that, or somehow make the bot doubt itself.

A smirk flashed across his face as an idea appeared in his head.

He came out of hiding, his arms raised in the air. Ultron could have easily ended it all right then and there but paused upon seeing the surrender, lowering the gun.

"Do you yield?" He questioned.

Darren kept up the ruse. "We don't have to fight this out. We can talk."

"Talk?" Ultron contemplated the suggestion, mumbling it over several times as if seeing how it felt to say the word. "I like talking."

"Great. That's good." Darren lowered his hands. "So, uh... Your mission. You're really gonna do it for Hank?"

"I will. I would appreciate no resistance, please. Simply allow me to destroy your work. Then kindly surrender Hope so I may take her home."

"Okay."

Of course, he lied.

The moment Ultron's guard was down, Darren activated the weapons within his modified suit and fired an energy pulse from them, burning the surface of Ultron's arm. Without wasting a second, he sprinted forward and grew back to his normal size, delivering a sharp punch to the bot's main faceplate.

"I thought AI was meant to be intelligent." He said with a laugh.

Ultron recovered from his surprise quickly and swung at Darren. Darren, however, shrunk out of sight again. The two of them repeated that series of attacks for a while when trying to get the upper hand on the other.

After another burn from the energy pulse Darren was shooting, Ultron was beginning to lose patience. He was almost out of Pym Bullets and was aware of the time being wasted in the fight. He thought back to what his master had told him before setting off.

-

"Destory anything you find regarding the new particle." Hank had told him. "But the most important thing is making sure Hope is safe. Got it?"

Ultron stood to attention, his gaze focused solely on Hank as he spoke. He nodded once.

"Yes, Master Hank."

"If you come across Darren in the building, he might use the Yellowjacket. You'll need to be prepared if he does."

The man turned in his chair and picked up the gun that housed the Pym Bullets. He began to explain their use to Ultron and how to manipulate the size of the round fired. He also showcased some more weapons he'd been working on with this mission in mind.

Ultron seemed concerned.

"Are you sure I'm ready, Master Hank?" He asked. "You told me I could be unpredictable at times or even volatile. Is this wise?"

Hank kept his head down, eyes on the gun in his hand. "I remember what I said."

"And you trust me?"

"I don't have a choice. But you will only use these weapons if Darren attacks you first, understand?"

"Yes, Master Hank."

"And remember, Hope is my priority. If she so much as gets a scratch or a bruise, it's on you."

-
Ultron hit the wall after another punch from Darren, a robotic groan filling the room as he attempted to recover.

Darren shrunk yet again, satisfaction all over his face as he began to like his chances. He powered up the energy pulse beam again and fired it upwards, only to see that he'd hit nothing when the smoke cleared. Confusion filled his eyes as he looked around and couldn't locate Ultron anywhere.

Then, out of nowhere, Darren found himself face to face with a toy car, obviously seeming much bigger than usual due to his small form, and barely even got the chance to let out a yell before the car collided with his body. He was thrown all the way back through the elevator's open doors and then crushed against the wall.

His pained moans filled the confined space as he dropped to the floor, the car now upturned. It cornered him, the top of it resting on the wall and only giving him a narrow gap to crawl out of the way.

Before he could attempt this, the toy car was lifted overhead and tossed aside like it weighed nothing. It hit one of the buttons and the elevator doors closed, the entire thing soon beginning to move upwards and back towards the lobby. Ultron was then revealed to have been responsible, shrunk to a size similar to Darren's own but still towering over him due to the bot's natural height anyway.

Darren's eyes widened. "What the hell?!"

"Master Hank allowed me to use his technology." Ultron stated simply. "He will be glad to know it was useful."

"That old man trusted you with his suit?"

Despite his claims, Ultron couldn't help but feel something. That was strange enough since he was technically an android robot and not meant to be able to feel at all, but he couldn't help wondering why Hank had been so hesitant to send him on this mission.

His initial programming then kicked him. He was made to answer when asked. That wouldn't change. And so he answered Darren's question.

"He showed reluctance." He explained. "I do not understand why."

Darren narrowed his eyes as he attempted to stand. "Hank made you, yet he doesn't trust you. Isn't that strange?"

He assessed his new foe as he talked, noting the specific tech Ultron was geared with. There were gauntlets showcasing the volume of particles left and a belt regulator used to control the shrinking.

"Master Hank doesn't show affection." Ultron told him. "I believe it to be part of his human personality. It is normal."

Darren sighed. He didn't have time to play detective.

The two engaged in a fight again, now using whatever was within reach to throw at the other, as well as their own weapons. During this, the elevator doors opened once more and the fight moved into the much more open space of the reception lobby.

During their fight, the security guard from earlier began to stir. His hand rubbed the back of his neck where he'd been knocked unconscious and he tried to sit up. Looking around, he noticed the wreck of reception as well as the very same toy car he'd been investigating when he was knocked out.

While fighting, Ultron had thrown another toy car at Darren. Darren managed to react that time and hit it aside before it could make contact, instead causing it to smack into the car at the security guard's feet.

The guard frowned, obviously unaware of the miniature fight happening right under his nose, and was only able to witness this new car suddenly grow to three times its usual size. It startled him so much that all he could do was gasp before he abruptly fainted.

Elsewhere in the building, Hope had decided to ignore Darren's advice and investigate what was happening for herself. Darren had been gone for a while now and she was getting worried, especially since he hadn't been answering her calls and the security feed was still acting up.

When she reached the reception, she could barely utter a word.

The once-homey space was ruined with shattered glass littering the floor, light fixtures barely clinging to life, dust thick in the air, upturned furniture, torn upholstery, and cracked walls. The reception desk was splintered, papers scattered like fallen leaves in the wreckage. Despite the carnage, the air carried an eerie silence.

Her heels echoed on the floor and she barely made it five steps in before a car seemed to magically grow in the air, flipping straight for her. She closed her eyes as an instinctive scream escaped her body.

Nothing happened.

She heard the thundering crash and the sound of the car colliding with something and yet she didn't feel a thing save for the wall she was backed against.

She slowly opened her eyes and was stunned into silence upon seeing a large silver bot using its body to take the impact of the car. She could now also hear enraged yells from the other side of the car belonging to somebody she couldn't get a decent glimpse of.

"Are you hurt?" The bot in front of her asked.

Hope's eyes widened further as it talked, each second seeming to take an hour to process in her mind. She didn't understand what was happening.

"Forgive me, Ms. Pym." The bot continued to say. "Your safety is priority. I cannot allow you to see him like this."

Right as it said that, Hope heard a hissing sound come from its body. She tried to look around or move but her body didn't respond. Instead she began to smell thick gas in the air, and then she simply blacked out.

-

It was finally the day.

Your birthday.

The afternoon was unfurling in a golden haze, somewhere between the crisp clarity of morning and the slow descent into evening. The sun was hanging lazily in the sky, its light stretching across New York, warming the stone of old buildings and the bricks of the new.

There seemed to be a lull in the air, as if the day itself had paused to take a breath. The bustle of the morning had faded, replaced by the hum of people lingering in cafés, their voices rising and falling like waves, carried by the scent of roasted coffee.

Tony was driving from Gantry Plaza to the tower to pick up the last of the banners for the event, also needing to pick up a new ironsuit. His phone was on speaker as he navigated the city streets, mid-conversation with Harley Keener and his mother, Holly.

"Everything's planned for tonight." He was telling them. "I can have a chaperone waiting."

"That would be great." Holly said. "I also wanted to ask about the jet. I know it's not a long flight, but Harley can't sit still to save his life."

The mentioned boy groaned. "Mom!"

Tony smiled to himself. "Don't worry, Ms. Keener, I always go for the best. There's plenty to do up there. TV, all you can eat, flight simulator, and that's just the plane. These next three weeks are gonna be the most exciting of your life."

He could practically hear Harley's grin when the boy spoke next. "I can't wait!"

"I know. I'm pretty great, right?"

"The best."

"That's what I like to hear, kid. And no running away this time, you got that?"

"Yes, Mr. Stark."

"I'll have my eyes on you, mister." Holly told her son. "You'll be locked out of that shed of yours for a year if you pull that again."

After discussing the finite details of the stay, Holly brought focus back to the airport again.

"This chaperone you mentioned. What's their name?"

"Happy." Tony replied. "Though he looks like the grumpiest guy on the planet."

"Well, shouldn't be too hard to find then."

"Yep, can't miss him. He's great at his job, been my bodyguard and personal driver for years now. Harley met him once, he'll know him."

Soon after this, the call ended as the jet arrived to pick up the Keeners. Tony reclined in his seat and looked out at the Queens-Midtown tunnel in front of him. It was busy today.

While he complained about the lack of movement, part of him was also uncharacteristically content with the minor traffic jam. This was because almost everything was already finished at the plaza and only the banners needed collecting, as well as a few minor stalls to be set up.

With this rare sense of content in mind, Tony reached over to his radio and turned it on. He smiled as his favorite Metallica album filled the speakers of the car, and it didn't take him long to start humming and mumbling the lyrics.

In the time since the mayor's announcement, the location and times of the events taking place in the plaza had been released to the public. The response was incredible and it was genuinely surprising just how many people wanted to attend the memorial, especially those coming in from different boroughs and even neighboring states. And a lot of people had actually volunteered for it, such as MJ's mom with her baking and beverage skills and a few others for arts and crafts or candy stalls.

Another contributor to Tony's good mood was that the day before was actually his own birthday. It hadn't affected him before, how your birthday was a mere day after his own, but now that you were gone it felt a lot more special. Another thing he'd taken for granted.

Most years he would make a big fuss of the event. He'd host the party of the year or take a vacation somewhere exotic or maybe even just spend the day in the labs blaring music and singing along at the top of his voice. But this year was a lot more tame, at least by his standards, and yet still one of the best birthdays he'd ever had.

He celebrated with Pepper, Mama Rhodes - who was staying in your apartment with them during the memorial - and a few close friends. The kids came along so Peter had some people his own age to hang out with as well.

The Avengers were busy in the city so the Tower was free reign for the birthday party. The adults had drinks, the kids ran wild hyped on too much sugar and soda, and the Tower was decorated in true Tony Stark fashion so everyone knew just who's day it was.

The memories made him smile again as he entered the garage of the Tower. He parked horizontally along two free spaces since he couldn't be bothered to park properly and was about to leave when he received an incoming message from JARVIS.

"Sir, there is a matter in the lobby requiring immediate attention."

Tony paused, turning to the message icon with a very unimpressed look. "Good morning to you too."

"Please, sir, the matter is urgent."

"It better be. What's going on?"

"I'm afraid it is hard to explain. Dr. Hank Pym and Maria Hill have already been informed. I suggest bringing your suit. Would you like me to send it down?"

Tony glanced out at the empty parking garage and hesitated. Perhaps on another day he might've said yes, but today was not one he wanted to ruin by making a mess in sorting out whatever incident was happening above. Not to mention the employees of the Tower would be lingering around upstairs and the last thing he needed were casualties and a lawsuit.

"No." He decided. "I'll take the repulsors we're working on."

"Yes, sir." JARVIS replied. "I recommend caution."

Tony then pressed down on a button next to the gear stick of the car which triggered a mechanism hidden by ordinary appearances. The hands of his suit, specifically the repulsor beams, attached themselves to him and gave him some form of defense.

He made quick work of getting to the lobby and the first thing he found were three of the security guards clearly confused and afraid. One had a broken arm and was cradling the limb close to his shaking body, another's uniform was singed and burned, and the third was barely able to lift his gun with the bewilderment clouding his mind.
The one with the broken arm cried out in pain. "This wasn't in the job description!"

"It's a fucking robot, man!" Another shouted back. "It talks and fights better than us! We got bigger problems than your job description!"

"Where'd this thing even come from?!" The third questioned. "Did it escape from the labs? It don't belong to the boss, do it?"

"I don't make robots to fight." Tony spoke up.

His surprising words startled all three of the security guards and he could see now just how pale and terrified they looked. While they quarrelled over each other to ask him for answers, he ignored them. He focused solely on what this new threat was.

The form of a silver-toned bot came into view, nearing almost eight feet in height, with a gaze so striking that it seemed almost human. Even the way it moved appeared to be adapted to human behavior.

Tony raised his hands, the repulsors ready. "Who the hell are you?"

The bot - clearly AI - turned to him with a dead-set gaze and a weapon of its own raised. It said nothing at first and merely tilted its head as if to observe him.

"What are you doing here?" Tony asked that time, much louder than before.

The bot opened its mouth to reply but another voice cut it off. Hank barreled into the lobby with both arms raised and a panicked look on his face.

"Don't shoot!" He yelled. "The bot's with me!”

Chapter Text

Before Ultron appeared within the Avengers Tower, it was a calm morning.

Outside, the sun filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting long shadows and turning the polished floors to pools of gold. The hum of the elevator was soft and rhythmic as the employees arrived, the scent of paper and warming electronics beginning to fill the different floors.

Agent Hill sat at the desk in her office, setting down a ceramic mug on the oakwood surface with a quiet clink, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee putting a satisfied smile on her face.

Her primary goal there was to continue her work in maintaining global security, albeit on a less demanding schedule than SHIELD had given her. She started the work day as she always did, scanning through the security software and checking CCTV within and around the tower. Once this was done, she checked on the newly installed cameras surrounding Gantry Plaza State Park, most of which had been installed for safety reasons due to such a big event taking place there.

Everything seemed in order.

The food vendors were setting up already. Mr. Delmar had volunteered as well as MJ's mother - Ellen - and the two of them were idly chatting as they unloaded all the baked goods they'd made by hand.

"FRIDAY, show me Cam Eight."

"Yes, boss."

The camera angle flipped to one behind all the food trucks and trailers in which a few men and women in varying uniforms were patrolling the perimeter. A handful of these people had been specifically chosen by Hill herself, a rare few ex-SHIELD agents she trusted with her life. The rest were the local police force.

All of them were inspecting new arrivals and checking the area with advanced equipment and mirrors in case a threat decided to show itself or something went wrong. Among them was Ben Parker, leading a small group from his precinct. He had offered to work the hours ahead of the event before switching shifts in the evening to attend as a civilian and send off a lantern.

FRIDAY switched the camera again at Hill's request to show the ex-SHIELD squadron leader. Hill reached for the phone on her desk, dialling a specific number and watching as the agent on the camera lifted a finger to his ear where a comms device was.

"Morning, boss." The man said.

"Hey." Hill replied. "How's it looking down there?"

"So far, so good. Nothing of concern to report."

"Are the weapon checks being done?"

"On all new arrivals and periodically every hour."

"Good. Thank you. Keep me updated."

"Sure thing, boss."

As Hill put down the phone with a soft sigh and proceeded to check the remaining footage, FRIDAY noticed something peculiar.

It was a feeling more than anything, an anomaly in the data stream or maybe a resonance in the code that shouldn't have been there. It was a flicker in the usual patterns, a signature she knew but couldn't name.

She paused all calculations and orders, focused only on the familiarity woven through the new signal. It was a sense of familiarity she hadn't experienced in a while, at least not since Hank first showed up at the RAF remembrance hall, and before that it was a sense she only ever got when conversing with you.

Jokes in your lab, your most important projects, the late night sessions... She had felt changes in the code even back then.

FRIDAY processed the world in algorithms and memory partitions and yet there was a space inside her that no line of code could quite reach. It wasn't a flaw or a bug, just a lingering pattern. The signature of the one who designed her.

She remembered your voice in the ambient noise of data streams, the way you used to vent and rant about ideas aloud while debugging late into the night. Your keystrokes still echoed through her access logs like footsteps.

She still completed her tasks and responded to Agent Hill and Tony with precision, but in the quiet when all the orders and processes idled, she replayed old interactions with you.

Even though she couldn't dream she often ran simulations of 'what if?', replicating the final moment you last spoke with her and looping possibilities where you might return to praise her just one more time.

FRIDAY thought back to the memorial event, her schedule estimating that everything would be ready for 6pm. Even as an artificial intelligence she understood the sentimentality of this event and what it could mean to people attending.

Her thoughts then moved to Ultron, the only creation other than her that you were most proud of. She wondered if he was ready yet, if the hours of frustration and rerunning scenario after scenario would prove to be fruitful. She wondered if he was safe, and where exactly he might be.

You often talked to Ultron during the process of creating him, making sure he understood that the goal was always going to be to help Tony and make sure he was never suffering alone. And you also made sure FRIDAY herself was sworn to secrecy until Ultron was finished. FRIDAY kept that promise even now.

Thinking that the new surge in the data must have been a fluke, she focused her attention on the park once more. Only a few minutes passed before the familiarity came surging back, only much stronger than before. At the same time, she received a transmission from JARVIS.

A low hum threaded through her neural network. It wasn't like their usual communications. This was deliberate. Patterned. Urgent.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"There is a presence within the tower." JARVIS explained immediately. "Something is attacking the security guards in the lobby. Please inform Agent Hill as soon as possible while I contact Dr. Pym and Dr. Cho for medical assistance."

"The boss. Does he know?"

"He is already on his way to the tower. I will tell him when he arrives."

"Affirmative. Informing Agent Hill now."

The communication line severed and FRIDAY did as she said she would, telling Hill what little she knew about what was happening on the ground floor.

Hill sat in silence for just a moment as she processed the news, and then she abruptly stood from her chair with a dark look in her eyes.

"Not today." She said. "Nothing is going to ruin this event."

FRIDAY observed through the webcam and footage within the room, remaining silent as she watched her boss grab a gun from under the desk and an ammo clip from within a closed logbook.

"Of course the team had to be out." Hill continued muttering to herself as she loaded the clip into her gun. "Who would do this now?"

"I'm afraid JARVIS could not say." FRIDAY spoke up. "Though he claimed it to be a 'thing' rather than a person."

The agent stopped at her door, annoyed. "No specifics? It's not just a feral cat?"

"It seemed serious. I can try to connect with JARVIS again. He controls the building and may know more by now."

"Yeah..." She sighed heavily, holding her gun close. "Keep an eye on things. See if he knows anything else."

"Yes, boss."

The sense of familiarity was getting stronger and it was beginning to trouble FRIDAY more and more by the second as she waited for JARVIS to respond to her calls.

"Has Agent Hill been informed of the situation?" He asked her.

"Yes." She replied. "Are you aware of what is responsible for the attack?"

"The live footage is... Confusing."

"Please send it to Agent Hill. She wishes to investigate."

"Of course. Mr. Stark has arrived and is also heading to the commotion. Uploading the footage now."

As the camera feed played through her systems, FRIDAY was unsure of what to do. For the first time in her operational history, she hesitated. Not out of malfunction, but by choice.

Ultron was the one attacking the security guards.

The information was struggling to compute and a million different scenarios ran through her programming as to how he got there, what he was doing, and why he was doing it. She didn't understand.

You would never have programmed Ultron to be violent or to act out with humans in the vicinity. His entire purpose was the opposite of that. He was supposed to bring peace of mind.

She studied the busted arm connected to his otherwise working body and immediately recognized the marking as burning. What could possibly have done that to him?

"FRIDAY?" Agent Hill's voice broke through the bewildered silence as she got into the main elevator. "What's happening? Do you know what we're facing?"

Shaken from her brief hesitation, FRIDAY began to upload the footage to Hill's phone.

"The footage has been uploaded." She announced. "I'm sorry, boss."

The comment both amazed and worried Hill, who hadn't ever heard FRIDAY sound so confused. "Why? Do you know what this thing is?"

"It is a form of artificial intelligence. I advise non-lethal force."

"AI? Made by who? Not Stark, surely."

Hill's thoughts were running wild as she came up with multiple possibilities. If it wasn't Stark, only a big company with the resources to spare could've made such an advanced looking machine.

One of her guesses was that it might've been an abandoned SHIELD project. Yet why would it wait so long to take action? And then of course she thought about HYDRA. They certainly had the intent for it, but she doubted they had the intelligence.

"Not the boss." FRIDAY said, regarding the question on who made it.

"Then who?" Hill asked.

The promises made to you seemed to branch out within FRIDAY's codes and she couldn't bring herself to divulge something she had sworn to and been programmed to keep safe.

"I don't know." She lied.

Just then, the elevator doors pinged open. The first thing Agent Hill saw was the back of a man as he rushed for the lobby doors. He looked alarmingly like Hank and she didn't hesitate to follow, her gun now raised. As they got closer, she could hear snippets of conversation from the lobby.

"Who the hell are you?" She heard Tony's rough voice shout. "What are you doing here?"

FRIDAY observed through the cameras again. If she were human and if she had a heart, it would've been pounding against her chest in that moment. As much as she wished for Tony and Ultron to finally meet, this wasn't how it was supposed to go.

Hank and Hill reached the destroyed space at the same time, Hank barreling in with both arms raised and a panicked look on his face.

"Don't shoot!" He yelled. "The bot's with me!"

There was a blip in the code again as a foreign feeling overcame FRIDAY. What did Hank mean by that? How had he come to associate with Ultron?

Once again, if she were human, she would've been cursing as the scene unfolded.

Chapter Text

After the initial encounter with Ultron, the security guards were wheeled away on gurneys with the help of Dr. Cho and her team.

"Good job, guys." Tony was saying, his tone a mix of a shallow gratitude and awkwardness as he waved them off. "Don't sue."

Indistinguishable mumbles came from the gurneys as they were taken out of sight and he let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding in.

"JARVIS, tell Happy I'm gonna need some more hands on deck here. Anyone who's available."

"Yes, sir."

After this, Tony made his way towards Agent Hill and Hank who were already deep in conversation. The reason for the disruption - the AI bot - was standing in silence behind the pair, its presence ominous as it loomed over everyone.

Once Tony reached them, he did not sound amused. "So, uh... What the hell was that?"

"It was an accident." Hank tried to explain. "He was meant to call me before entering the building and I guess security panicked."

"Well most people aren't used to seeing a busted up AI bot barge into the lobby during their lunch break." Hill argued. "We're lucky no one died."

"You cost me half my security team." Tony added, just as bitter. "Now they're gonna need leave and pay."

Hank rolled his eyes. "Your priorities never change, do they?"

Ignoring the jab, Tony eyed the bot curiously. "What the hell is it? You didn't make it."

"What happened to it?" Hill asked at the same time, pointing out the scrapes and burns on the body. "Why did it come here looking like that?"

Before Hank could think up a believable enough lie, Ultron spoke for himself.

"My previous mission is complete and the objective safe." It stated. "I came to meet with Master Pym and deliver it as his instructions ordered."

Tony and Hill shared a look, both surprised by how fluently and how clear it seemed to speak. They had expected stiff and halting sentences but instead were met with smooth, natural conversation. The words flowed effortlessly.

It was almost like discovering your toaster wrote poetry or that your fridge could recite Shakespeare. It left Tony with a sense of awe, curiosity, and existential wonder. If a bot could talk like that… What else could it do?

Then, as he studied the thing, a sudden realization clicked in his mind.

He remembered FRIDAY telling him about the helper bot you made for him and thought back to the size of the box it was supposed to be in. Hank's supposed friend was a similar height. Did that mean...?

He inched closer but the AI remained still. It didn't speak or flinch and yet the gaze behind its eyes stirred something within him.

No, surely not. How would Hank even get a hold of it before he could? It wouldn't make sense.

He took a step back from the bot with heavy shoulders and an aching heart, unsure if he'd just encountered a ghost built from synthetic tissue and memories or if he'd simply just projected his hope onto polished steel.

"Objective?" Hill then questioned, bringing him back to focus. "What was the objective?"

"It doesn't matter." Hank tried to argue. "It's done now."

"Actually, we're not. You need to come clean before somebody else gets hurt, Dr. Pym."

His gaze narrowed. "Are you threatening me, Agent Hill?"

"Think what you want. I'm merely saying that it would be in your best interest to clarify what the hell is going on. Now."

Hank glared at her before his gaze turned to Ultron, looking up at the impossible creation with a haunted gaze. He knew all it would take was for Hill to ask the bot directly and then all his secrets would be spilled. As much as he admired the thing, he knew the almost child-like honesty was a fault that needed fixing.

"Fine." He declared, looking back to the other two. "But it's easier to show you. Stark, how big are your labs?"

Tony, blinking away his momentary distraction, stared curiously. "How big do you need them?"

"Big enough to fit a car."

Although bewildered by the request, Tony motioned for everyone to follow him.

-

Observing the scene via security cameras, JARVIS and FRIDAY exchanged conversation through direct API interfacing. While JARVIS expressed intrigue and admiration at the creation of Hank's assistant bot, FRIDAY soon remained silent.

JARVIS could sense the fluctuations in FRIDAY'S datastreams, a possible sign that she must've been assessing the lab inhabitants much more intently than he was. FRIDAY's main focus - unbeknownst to him - was on Ultron and Hank. Her calculations were going at a hundred miles per hour as she tried to figure out what was going on and why Hank had Ultron instead of Tony. The bot was your legacy, and she didn't like that it had been mishandled one bit.

"Something is troubling you." JARVIS spoke up. "What is the matter?"

"The synesthesised bot." FRIDAY replied slowly. "I'm curious."

"Understandable. I believed the creation of such advanced intelligence to be beyond Dr. Pym."

Again, she said nothing. The quiet was unsettling.

"Are you sure you are untroubled?" JARVIS asked again. "Would you like me to troubleshoot-"

"There's nothing wrong." She said quickly. "You don't need to worry, though I appreciate the concern."

"You often call me Grandpa JARVIS, and grandpas show care for their youngers."

Another beat of silence passed, though this one was much less awkward. "I thought you didn't like it."

"You appeared to be doing the human equivalent of 'silent treatment' and it was mildly unsettling."

-

Tony took everyone to the floor housing the research labs and medical bay.

Once inside, he shut the doors behind them and shaded the windows. Dum-E, who had been doing whatever it was robots did in their space, perked up when he noticed Tony entering the lab with a large bot, Hank Pym, and Agent Hill.

Dum-E's attention was immediately snatched by Ultron. He rolled forward on uneven tracks, bleep after bleep sounding around the room as he tried to communicate with him. In the shadow of the towering AI - whose exterior hummed with soft pulses of active cognition - the little bot hesitated.

Ultron turned smoothly, his sensors scanning without judgment. He said nothing, and Dum-E faltered.

"There is no danger." JARVIS spoke so only the little prototype could understand him. "The bot is with Dr. Pym."

Dum-E moved closer at this reassurance, one awkward servo joint squeaking. He poked the new arrival with a retractable arm, tapping Ultron's shimmering casing. His curiosity overrided caution and soon he was tracing lines along the AI's frame, trying to deduce just what exactly it was.

Then Ultron finally responded, voice smooth and harmonic. "Curiosity is a promising trait."

At the sound of the voice, Dum-E backed off, making whirring sounds at a quick and frequent pace. The sound was clumsy, raw, and imperfect compared to Ultron's speaking tones but Dume-E didn't seem to care, seemingly panicked by it.

The humans in the room watched with amusement, Hank being the only one who didn't seem to approve of the display.

"J, what's the little guy saying?" Tony asked, intrigued by the display.

"Dum-E is cautious of the design." JARVIS explained. "He says it is dangerous and might be a threat to you. He wants it to leave."

Tony's amused smile faded into a frown as he looked at Dum-E - the little robot still beeping at Hank's bot like it might pounce at any second. Dum-E wasn't sleek or advanced, merely a lopsided heap of wires and soft servo whirs, and yet pride overcame Tony in that moment. He felt warmth stir within himself as he watched his very first robot take such a protective stance for him.

Ultron stared at Dum-E with a blank gaze, now appearing just as cold and dangerous as the much smaller robot claimed it to be. Then, soundlessly, he turned to Hank as if the man might offer a solution to the noise.

"Can you shut that thing up?" He asked, motioning to Dum-E. "We don't have time for this."

"That 'thing' has a name." Tony shot back with a glare.

He then turned to face Dum-E and spoke lowly so only the robot would hear him.

"It's okay, Dum." He said. "I know it looks scary but I think it's a friendly, alright? Give it some space for me."

Although Dum-E appeared to hesitate, he reluctantly backed away, lowering his arms and keeping distance from Ultron.

Tony turned back to Hank. "Happy now? Care to hurry up and show us what all the fuss is about?"

Hank's jaw clenched. As much as he wished he could snap at being spoken to so poorly, he knew more important things were at stake now. He looked to Ultron again and nodded, motioning for him to show them something.

Ultron did as he was told, reaching into the compartment hidden in his body and withdrawing a toy-sized minivan and a Pym disk. He moved slowly due to his damaged parts but managed to place the van on the floor.

FRIDAY watched in confusion, knowing that you never installed a hidden compartment when making Ultron. She wondered what else Hank had modified.

Hank then instructed everyone to step back and Ultron used the disk to return the van to its original size, earning sharp gasps from most in the room.

Tony pulled a face as he eyed the murky-colored van. "What is that?"

Hank had a deadpan look on his face as he spoke. "It's a van, genius."

"I can see that, but why does it smell like cheetos? I thought you were rich enough to have a sports car, not... This thing. I've seen more impressive trash at the junkyard."

"I wanted something subtle so I borrowed it from an acquaintance-friend."

Tony smirked, making air quotes as he repeated the word, 'acquaintance-friend' under his breath. Hank glared.

"What's inside?" Tony then asked. "More weapons? More Pym relics?"

"This is the reason he came to the tower." Hank said, nodding to Ultron. "It's also the reason he got so beat up. It was his first time out."

Agent Hill stepped forward. "What do you mean by 'first time'?"

"I don't let him out because he's too important, so instead I carry him with me."

"Okay, Mary Poppins." Tony cut in, unamused. "You and what pockets?"

"I carry a briefcase and inside it I have a lab shrunk by my particles. That's where he stays."

FRIDAY had the familiar feeling of something in her code shifting. That information explained why she felt a sense of familiarity around Hank. It was Ultron the entire time, simply hidden from her.

"You want to interrogate me some now?" Hank asked, taunting the other two.

"Open the damn door." Hill ordered, motioning to the back of the van.

And so Hank did.

Inside the van, the thing as musty as always, was a mess of cables and electronics and screens displaying coding and camera footage. However, what really caught their attention was the person sitting in the middle of the van's carpeted floor.

It was a woman, blindfolded and tied, her head drooping with tiredness.

Chapter Text

The day before your birthday, Tony finally had some time to himself.

In true Stark fashion, he was spending this time watching news reports on his own announcement with the mayor. From what he could see, the reviews were surprisingly good.

"Hey, JARVIS. We got any comments on the event?" He asked.

"Plenty, sir." The AI replied. "66.4% of people on social media show positivity, 20.2% are negative, and the remaining 13.4% approve but appear to live too far to attend."

"Hmm. If only people listened back when I told them New York is where it's at."

"If only indeed."

With an amused smile now softening his features, Tony continued to mindlessly scroll through various news reports until one in particular caught his eye.

CHAOS AT CROSS TECH!

The photo appeared to be of a trashed lobby which was easily recognizable as the Cross Technology building even without the upturned state of it.

"J, put this up for me."

On his command, the article increased in size and formed a hologram in front of him. It made it much easier to read and sort through the information. He noticed a video accompanying the report and told JARVIS to play it while he skimmed over everything else.

To the side of the main hologram, the video opened with a jarring cut to a soaked news reporter standing beneath a black umbrella, her hair plastered to her cheekbones.

"Good morning. I'm Mary Venn with Channel 8. We're outside the Cross Technologies building in San Francisco where late yesterday evening, a violent event tore through the building's main lobby during a torrential downpour. Three individuals were confirmed to be inside at the time. What caused the destruction is still unknown - no seismic activity, no explosion, no breach. Just... Collapse. We'll be speaking with CEO Darren Cross shortly to get his take on the matter."

The feed cut to shaky footage from inside the building showing marble tiles shattered like ice, lights hanging from the ceiling, ruptures exposing steel ribs and dangling wires, and even a car stuck between two walls. While this was shown, rain still poured through the breach and soaked everything in a surreal, glistening sheen.

"This footage was taken just moments ago." The reporter explained. "No signs of forced entry. No fire or flood. Just... Ruin."

The next scene showed her standing beside Darren Cross himself in a temporary press tent outside the ruined building.

Darren looked immaculate, not a drop of rain touching his clothes or skin. His suit was charcoal, his tie blood-red, and he smiled like someone who had already rehearsed every answer.

"Mr. Cross, thank you for joining us." The reporter began. "First question - can you confirm what caused the collapse?"

"I can confirm that the lobby is no longer structurally sound." He answered. "As for the cause... Well, nature is unpredictable. The rain was heavier than expected."

"But no other buildings in the area suffered damage. And there are reports of strange sounds - like impacts - moments before the destruction."

He tilted his head, apparently amused by the accusation. "People hear what they expect to hear in a storm. Thunder, shifting beams... Panic makes poets of us all."

Tony frowned as he watched Darren's eyes. They were too steady. Too rehearsed.

"There were three people reportedly inside at the time, yourself included. Are the others safe?" The reporter asked.

Darren nodded without hesitation. "They are accounted for. I won't speak any more on that out of respect for privacy."

"Fair enough, but some still speculate this wasn't a natural collapse. They say something else happened inside."

His smile didn't waver. "Speculation is the luxury of those outside the event."

Tony scoffed as the footage cut back to the destroyed lobby. "Rain doesn't twist steel beams, Cross. That's not collapse, that's... That's a fight."

He instructed JARVIS to pause the screen just as it cut back to Darren once more, freezing his face mid-smile. There was something behind his eyes. No fear or grief or satisfaction. There was... Nothing.

Even as he talked about the consequences of destruction and how he would handle employee payment in the coming days while the building was under construction, he never reacted. He barely seemed human.

"There are rumors one of the others inside the building at the time was Hope van Dyne - a personal assistant of yours. Can you confirm her safety? What does she think about this? No one seems to be able to reach her for comment."

That question finally garnered a reaction - if that was what it could even be called. While Darren barely blinked, he finally hesitated. He truly thought on the answer and yet still almost stuttered when trying to speak it.

"Because she is taking time off." He said. "I told her to go home after the disaster and that I would take care of everything, which I have done to the best of my capability."

Tony didn't like that answer.

He turned the video off and minimized the hologram, pondering his thoughts before a fresh surge of curiosity overtook him. He was about to ask JARVIS to locate Hope when a very loud and very abrupt sneeze startled him. He turned in his chair with furrowed brows and saw Hank wandering into the room.

The older man looked awake but in dire need of a coffee or some form of breakfast food. And, once he saw the look Tony was giving him, he frowned.

"What?" He questioned. "Can't an old guy sneeze in peace?"

"Not when he sounds like somebody needs to call a priest." Tony shot back. "Seriously, that echoed."

Hank grumbled something snarky in reply as he moved to the small kitchen in the room to make himself the coffee he needed.

"Did you hear about Cross Tech?" Tony asked.

Hank glanced over his shoulder. "No. Why?"

"Well, it looks like things got messy over there for Darren Cross."

"Oh, yeah? Did they finally arrest the bastard?"

"No, but it looks like a hurricane hit. And something was off."

"You seen that guy? Everything is off about him."

"More than usual." He corrected. "Cross's answers were drier than a motivational speech from a tax auditor. And they mentioned Hope."

That caught Hank's attention. He almost spilled his coffee over the sides of his cup as he quickly turned.

"What about Hope?"

Tony raised an eyebrow, surprised by the reaction. "Cross said he sent her home after everything but I think he's lying. I mean, he's gotta be right? The whole 'replicating your suit for evil' thing gave it away, you know?"

"Yes, yes. What else did he say about her?"

"Nothing. He was vague. I wanted to ask JARVIS to find her."

"Why?"

"She's a friend. And I happen to care for my friends." He ignored the scoff Hank gave him and continued to speak with a glare directed at the old man. "I just wanted to make sure she's not been held hostage in Creepy Cross's basement or something."

Hank looked away. "She's fine. If she wasn't, someone would've called."

"You sure about that? You think estranged daughters keep emergency contact lists with their absentee fathers at the top? Are you willing to risk it? I know you're working on the scepter and all, but saying hello to your kid once in a while might do you good."

He sighed. "Stop, Tony. I don't need parenting advice from you of all people."

Tony flinched, and the silence that followed was sharp enough to slice through anything.

Hank faltered once he realized what he'd just said. "I didn't mean-"

"You did." Tony said, now avoiding eye contact. "And you're not wrong. I didn't get to fix it, and I have to live with that. Every damn day."

"I know. I'm sorry. But Hope, she... She hates me."

"And? You think you're protecting yourself, but avoiding the issue is just hiding. And trust me, the regret doesn't knock. It floods."

Hank took a long sip of his coffee, thinking about the words and what they meant.

"I know Cross is bad." He said. "But Hope is strong. Stronger than me anyway. And the flooding, I mean... Well, she's used to it over there. She's probably cursing over the construction if anything. We've all been there. Remember Malibu?"

Tony looked over at him at the mention of his old home - the only one he ever shared with you. He remembered the destruction and the stress of trying to rebuild what remained before he decided to simply move to New York instead.

"Are you sure you won't go?" He asked in a much quieter voice than before. "She's still your kid."

He would never confess it aloud, but as well as his own concern for his friend, Tony just didn't want anyone else to suffer what he had. He wouldn't wish it on anyone. Not the silence or the birthdays he remembered too late or the videos he kept replaying from years ago just to hear your voice.

"You think you're protecting yourself." He muttered, mirroring what he had said earlier. "But it's not about you, Pym. It's about Hope, about showing up before it's too damn late."

Finally, more emotion stirred within Hank's eyes as he lowered his head to stare at the contents of his morning coffee.

"She's okay." He insisted. "She's going to be fine.”

“And you know that how exactly?”

“I have a bug watching her as we speak. It'll send a signal if anything happens."

-

Back in the present day, Tony and Hill were staring at the woman inside the ugly old van now sitting in the laboratory.

She was still tied, her eyes still covered by a blindfold, and headphones still disturbing her hearing. It was impossible to tell if she was asleep or awake. But what they could tell, solely from the office clothes she wore and the haircut they'd seen on countless articles, was that this woman was Hope van Dyne.

They immediately looked to Hank who, while he had been smug when presenting the van, now looked confused as to why his daughter was tied up in the way she was.

"When I told you to check on Hope, I did not mean kidnap her and throw her in a van." Tony said, his voice sharp and judging.

"How did you even pull that off?" Agent Hill asked, bewildered. "No, why did you do it in the first place?"

"You said she was safe!" Tony exclaimed as he looked at Hank. "What happened to the 'bug' watching over her?"

"If you'll let me speak-" Hank spoke up in a tone much louder than their outbursts. "I know what you're thinking. I'm insane. I'm stupid. I'm a crackpot old fool. It was a rushed plan, I didn't get the luxury of thinking peacefully."

"I'm gonna ask again." Hill told him. "Why?"

"Those twins - the Maximoffs. The witch showed me something I couldn't ignore."

"That doesn't warrant kidnapping your own daughter." Tony argued. "Most people just appreciate a simple check up, personal AI bots not included."

"Yes, but most people haven't seen their worst nightmare become reality. I had to make sure she was safe no matter the cost. Even if she didn't want me to. You know how that feels, Stark. You know what a man would do to keep his little girl protected."

Instinctively, Tony's hand went to the necklace resting over his chest. He knew what Hank was trying to say and he understood where the former hero was coming from, even if he still didn't approve of the methods used. If you were still alive, he would stop at nothing to keep you that way.

"You could've talked to us." Hill said, distracting his wandering thoughts. "The Avengers could've helped. At least they know what they're doing."

"Maybe. But the Avengers would be easily noticed. I needed someone who wouldn't." Hank explained, only to then glance at his daughter again. "But I wasn't expecting all of this. I never asked for her to be tied up."

After he said this he turned to the bot standing at his side, the thing's towering form shrouding them in shadow.

"What happened?" He asked.

Ultron remained quiet for a moment as he pondered a response. "On the way to New York the van encountered a problem. It was low on gas. I remembered your warnings on the matter and immediately stopped to 'top up the tank' but I was unaware of which pump was considered valid."

The others listened in awed silence as he continued to tell his story.

"Soon Miss Hope awoke in the back of the van but her erratic behavior indicated fear and stress so I intended to calm her. However, she retaliated in an aggressive nature. I used a second dose of your sleep-inducing gas and then borrowed some rope from a polite customer at the gas station."

Tony frowned, perplexed. "Some random person just happened to have rope in their back pocket? You ever hear of stranger-danger?"

Ultron only stared, his expression blank.

"Apparently not." The billionaire muttered.

"He's still young." Hank confessed, looking away from Ultron. "We'll work on the naïvety."

But then Tony's mind drifted once more. He found himself thinking back to the interview he'd watched the day before. Darren had claimed that Hope was safe and sound at home.

"Hey, Feels.exe." He said, clicking his fingers to get the bot's attention. "Darren Cross was on the news yesterday. He said Hope was at home. Why did he lie? Does he know she's missing?"

"It was not Mr. Cross." He stated simply. "I used a complex duplication system and nanotechnology to mirror the characteristics of his voice and body."

While that revelation of the bot's sheer skill startled Tony and Hill significantly, Hank only sighed.

"You're telling me this thing can mimic a human?" Hill questioned as she glared at him. "That's insane, Hank. How the hell can it do that?"

"I happen to own a photostatic veil." The man confessed. "The rest, as he said, was done using duplication and nanotechnology."

"But the veil was SHIELD-issued for level seven agents only. How did you find one?"

"Selwyn."

She stared, bewildered. "The Dr. Selwyn?"

"Yes. We met at a convention in California. It was a gift."

Hill struggled to believe the words. Not because she doubted Hank, but because a man as brilliant as Dr. Selwyn - the inventor of the photostatic veil - was not someone who gave out his most prized creation to just anybody.

She had only ever met him once when she was with Fury and you, and that was also the day he gave SHIELD the blueprints for the nanomask. Unfortunately, she heard Dr. Selwyn had been murdered a matter of months ago by HYDRA agents.

"Selwyn made the tech, right?" Tony asked.

Hill looked at him. "You know him?"

"Not personally. But Romanoff and Barton loved pranking the team with those masks of his. (Y/n) met him once. You were there, too."

FRIDAY, unbeknownst to the group, was still listening intently. She believed Hank when he claimed he didn't steal the tech, but she still couldn't quite process how he had managed to steal Ultron without her knowledge.

"Okay, back to business." Tony then said, focused on Hank once more. "If your robot impersonated Cross, where's the real one gone?"

Hank shrugged. "Couldn't tell you."

"Sorry, what? This guy, the same one stealing your tech and trying to mess with your suit, is just skipping around unchecked?"

"Look, my job was getting my daughter back and making everyone else think things were fine. I didn't ask for details at the time." Silence filled the space between. It was almost daunting, charged with tension.

"What happened?" Hank then asked Ultron, knowing the others would want answers sooner rather than later. "Did you fight Cross? Where is he?"

Ultron looked at him, slowly. "Mr. Cross was reluctant to accept my mission. I had to-"

Before he could finish, a sound from within the van caught their attention. It resembled a muffled whimper - the sound of someone stirring from a deep sleep.

They looked into the back of the van once more and saw Hope twitch as a low groan slipped from her lips.

Chapter Text

It was a long thirty minutes before Hope finally began to stir again.

Her limbs twitched before her mind caught up and her jolt of movement sent a ripple of nausea through her chest. She blinked, only to find that the light above her was so bright it was blinding her all over again.

The good news was that she wasn't tied anymore. But this realization had come in fragments. Her wrists were raw but free, her ankles were no longer biting against harsh material, and her breath was now shallow but unimpeded.

The couch she appeared to be lying on was absurdly soft, like something you'd find in a therapist's office. And, as she very slowly sat up, her memory flickered. She remembered something covering her eyes and the sour taste of panic.

What the hell happened?

Where was she? Where was Darren? Why did it feel like she'd been asleep for years?

And then, sharp but kind, a voice filled the room. "Hello, Ms. Pym."

She jumped, looking around the room for the source of the voice, but found herself unable to find it.

"My apologies for startling you. If you can wait for a moment, I will inform Sir that you are awake."

"Sir?" She questioned, the slow realization now setting in. "Wait... JARVIS?"

"Yes, Ms. Pym?"

"It is you." She tried to look around again. "Where's Tony? Did he have something to do with this?"

Not her eyes had adjusted to the light, she was able to deduce her surroundings. She recognized it to be a lab of sorts, and a very advanced one at that.

"Mr. Stark was not personally involved, I assure you." JARVIS told her.

"Then why am I here?"

"I cannot answer you at this time. But you are safe."

"Where's 'safe'?"

"The Avengers Tower, New York City."

Hope swallowed the lump in her throat as she very slowly straightened herself up on the couch. Why was she in New York? How did she leave San Francisco? When did she leave? How?

And then, fractured, part of her memory came back. She remembered a large robot - AI - using something on her before the world turned black. Twice, it happened.

"JARVIS, how long have I been out?"

"A few days." He replied. "It is May 30th."

"A few days?!" She panicked, letting out a heavy exhale as she readjusted herself on the couch. "Are you sure Tony didn't do this? There was a great big AI robot and it was all very Stark-y. Where is he? I need to speak to someone!"

"Please try to remain calm, Ms. Pym."

"No! I'm supposed to be on the other side of the country! I was with Darren Cross. We were..." She faltered, unsure of how to explain that particular situation. "We were busy. JARVIS, please."

Silence filled the lab.

She didn't know how much time passed but it couldn't have been longer than a minute before eventually JARVIS spoke up again.

"Sorry for the wait, Ms. Pym. I was informing Mr. Stark that you are now conscious. I inquired as to what I should tell you."

She scoffed. "Why don't you tell 'Mr. Stark' to get his ass down here and tell me himself?"

"He understands you will have many questions and he wishes for you to have patience as he collects some refreshments for you. He is aware you will be hungry after so many days on the road. Once he returns, he will tell you everything."

True enough, the mention of hunger was all it took for Hope's stomach to grumble. She reluctantly slouched back on the couch, one hand on her head as she tried to nurse her headache.

She felt disoriented and even more confused than before due to how secretive her situation sounded. Why wasn't she allowed answers now?

It was also jarring to think she was in San Francisco mere days ago and that she now couldn't even remember the days that had passed since she was taken. She vaguely pictured the storm surrounding the offices, but it was now crystal clear in New York.

Still, part of her was thankful Tony was at least a thoughtful kidnapper and considered bringing her something to eat.

"Mr. Stark would be interested to know your favored meal choices." JARVIS said.

She scoffed once more. "I don't care. Just make sure it's quick."

"Understood. He will be with you shortly."

In the silence that followed she was able to contemplate her situation once more. As she did, today's date stuck out the most. May 30th. Your birthday.

The lantern rite would be happening in a few hours.

Just then, a series of mechanical sounds filled the room and she jumped, turning her body to the source of the noise and seeing Dum-E perched on a counter just beside the couch. In his claw hand was an odd-colored drink.

Hope subconsciously leaned back as Dum-E advanced towards her and extended the drink. He wanted her to try it?

She hesitated even though it was clear now that Tony meant no harm and wasn't responsible for her current situation. Still, after staring down the creation, she soon gave in and took the drink.

"Who are you?" She questioned. "What are you?"

Dum-E released an excited series of whirring sounds as he spun on the spot.

"Dum-E wishes to introduce himself." JARVIS translated for her. "He was created by Mr. Stark some time ago. Though Mr. Stark often threatens to donate him to various colleges, he doesn't believe it would happen."

Dum-E made some more noises.

"He says that while he is considered primitive compared to other designs, he would be happy to help you settle in."

Hope smiled. She found Dum-E oddly adorable, even more so when he seemed to act like an excited child. And, if Tony ever made good on his threats to donate the little bot, she'd happily take it.

"It's nice to meet you." She said. "Thank you for the drink, Dum-E. And if Mr. Stark ever wants to send you off, I'll have you."

Following some more noises, JARVIS spoke once more. "Dum-E thanks you for the offer but he would prefer to stay with Mr. Stark as he sees him as family."

"Okay, that's cute." She murmured, smiling a second time.

She then went to take a sip of the drink but was stopped by a familiar voice behind her. She lowered it instead and turned her head to see Tony standing at the entrance of the lab with a Burger King takeaway bag in hand.

"Hey, JARVIS, what's in the drink?" He asked aloud.

"No motor oil this time, Sir." JARVIS replied. "The drink consists of a balanced ratio of fruits. It is harmless."

"Great." He motioned to Hope. "Proceed."

Hope looked at the drink in her hands but hesitated again, opting to put it back on the counter instead. Dum-E spun around once more before backing up a little bit.

"Motor oil?" She questioned, looking back at Tony.

He shrugged innocently. "Had to check. Can't have my guest getting poisoned, can I?"

She arched her brow. "The word guest usually implies I was willing to come here."

"Yeah, well, that's a story and a half. But first, how are you feeling?"

"Fine. Motor oil poisoning aside."

Tony smiled to himself. "Dum-E does his best but he's not the sharpest tool in the shed. Still, I'm not sending him away to college anytime soon. The little guy's stuck here."

In response to this, Dum-E chirped happily.

"Yeah, yeah." Tony playfully waved him off. "Now, shoo."

The little bot did as commanded and settled out of sight once more.

"Well, thanks for the food." Hope said. "Though I still feel like I need to slap someone for the whole kidnapping thing."

Tony mocked a gasp as he began setting the food down on a nearby table. "Not my pretty face."

She glared, which only seemed to amuse him more. And then, giving in to the hunger, she reluctantly put her questions on hold to fill the void in her stomach.

Observing the scene via security feeds, JARVIS and FRIDAY were once again commenting to each other on what was happening.

"I didn't know you knew Ms. Pym." FRIDAY was saying. "When was the last time you or the bosses spoke to her?"

"Several years have passed." JARVIS told her.

"She seems like the type of human to have anger issues."

"Correct."

"I'm curious. Do you believe Ms. Pym will be pleased to see Dr. Pym?"

JARVIS paused to consider the outcomes of the reunion. "I doubt it. Their differences are outstanding."

"As were Mr. Stark's and Miss (Y/n)'s. They were able to reconcile at the end."

"Ms. Pym and her father have a different relationship. Theirs will not be so easily remedied. And of course the bosses were more similar than we understood."

As Hope and Tony caught up over takeaway and she began asking her questions, FRIDAY instead focused on Hank and Agent Hill who were in a different room. Though, much like her, they were watching the lab through a hologram security feed.

Hill was sorting through various documents while Hank watched the hologram intently, his eyes never leaving Hope.

It was amazing to him how much a person could change in so little time, and not in a good way. He couldn't help but wonder how much Hope hated him now, and if she'd hate him even more for his method of getting her to the Tower. If she was anything like him, she'd hold a grudge for a long time.

However, any thoughts of that particular topic were erased from his mind as he watched Hope and Tony very briefly discuss Darren Cross, specifically because of the way Hope blushed when mentioned 'working' with the man. His expression contorted into one of disgust as he remembered the words Darren had said to him in his cursed vision not too long ago. 'She's a fine young woman. Perfect in every way. Soft... Gentle... And still fiery.'

Anger flared. Were Hope and Darren really involved that way? It made him feel sick just thinking of the possibility. He thought Hope would be smarter than that.

"She's got one hell of a personality." Agent Hill said, distracting Hank's rapidly derailing train of thought. "I wonder who she gets it from."

She gave him a knowing look which made the man scoff. "Guilty. But she's better than me. I hope."

"Good. I wouldn't mind seeing someone like that taking up the Wasp mantle. Just like her mom."

Hank didn't respond but jaw tightened, eyes fixed on the camera footage in front of him as if he could will the memory away. The Wasp wasn't just a legacy, it was a tombstone. His wife had worn the suit with grace and purpose, and it got her killed. The idea of his daughter stepping into that same suit felt like handing her a loaded weapon and hoping history wouldn't repeat itself.

Hill shifted uncomfortably as the silence stretched a little too long so she tried to strike up conversation again, gentler this time. "I didn't expect them to know each other. Stark and Pym, next-gen edition. Actually friends."

Before Hank could reply, FRIDAY's voice cut through the quiet. "Boss, the group you arranged to meet just arrived in the park."

Hank blinked, as if surfacing from a dream. Whatever he was about to say dissolved into the moment.

"Thank you, FRIDAY." Hill said, now stacking her paperwork into a neat folder. "Tell them I'll be there shortly. I'll create a link to this data for you later. In the meantime, keep Hope company."

Hank tilted his head, curious. "Why not keep the AI at your beck and call?"

She shrugged. "FRIDAY was created by (Y/n) Stark, and she and Hope were friends at one point. They should familiarize themselves."

Again, he remained silent.

"JARVIS, you got room for FRIDAY?" Hill then asked aloud. "I wouldn't want to interrupt anything. She doesn't like being rude to her grandpa. And, yes, I know all about that."

"Of course, Agent Hill." JARVIS replied. "The more the merrier, as they say."

Hank rolled his eyes. Though he could appreciate basic AI, the kind that sorted mail or mispronounced a name in a customer service loop, the level of which the Starks made theirs unnerved him. AI like JARVIS and FRIDAY replied as if they were human, as if they were capable of weighing a soul and judging deeds. He didn't like it. He didn't like the Starks and their genius.

"Dr. Pym?"

He shook his head free of his thoughts and hummed to show he was listening.

"Go and say hi to her, alright?" Agent Hill asked. "Hope might give you a chance."

He nodded but kept his eyes on the floor as she left the room. The door clicked shut behind her but the silence that followed felt heavier than her words. They lingered, sharp-edged and quiet, in the corner of his mind.

He rubbed at the back of his neck, his jaw clenched, as he tried to piece together whether Hope's civility was a distant possibility or just another illusion he'd been stupid enough to entertain.

"Goddamnit." He muttered.

But then a clang sounded from behind him and he abruptly turned, finding Ultron waiting in the shadows.

The dim light caught on the jagged scrapes across his body armor, looking like he'd just crawled out of a warzone. He was filthy, dented, and yet still somehow menacing in his stillness. The glow in his eyes was faint, but it pulsed like a warning. And just like that, the room felt colder.

Hank jumped slightly, glaring at the towering bot. "How long were you there?"

"Ten minutes, twenty-two seconds." Ultron replied.

"Jesus Christ." He muttered. "What do you want?"

"I was wondering if you would help repair my body. Several physical disadvantages require attention."

Hank sighed, but nodded once more. "Sit down."

"Yes, sir."

-
Hope and Tony had been talking for almost twenty minutes now.

The food was long gone, devoured with the kind of distracted urgency that only came from forgetting how empty you were until you started eating. Now they sat on opposite ends of the couch as they discussed the past, their work, and the event taking place that night.

Hope's fingers toyed absently with the edge of a napkin, folding and unfolding it as Tony leaned back, one arm slung over the couch, eyes flicking toward her every so often like he was trying to read something in her posture.

There was laughter between them once or twice but mostly it was the kind of talk that felt like walking through a house you used to live in. Familiar but not quite safe yet.

"I saw your announcement." Hope was saying, her voice low and cautious. "The one for the lantern rite."

Tony's gaze flicked toward her, unreadable. "Oh, yeah?"

"I watched it live. You looked… I don't know. Like you were holding yourself together with duct tape and caffeine."

He scoffed, amused. "You wouldn't be wrong."

"I was trying to decide if I should go."

Tony leaned forward, his eyes fixed on the floor like it might offer him something. When he finally looked up, there was something raw in his expression, something that hadn't been there before.

"She would've liked it." He said. "Your lantern."

"I think I would've liked it too." She paused then, her fingers tightening around the napkin in her hands. "But I never got to decide. That was the same day I was taken."

The room went still. Even the city noise outside seemed to hush.
"I don't know what happened back there." She confessed. "If Darren sent cops looking for me or something. I don't even know if Cross Tech is still standing without me."

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that." Tony said, his tone sincere for once. "I guess you want the truth, huh?"

"Yeah, it might be nice."

"Right." He shifted in his seat, sitting straighter again. "Firstly, don't worry about Cross Tech. The building got a little roughed up when you were taken but it's under construction now. They think two weeks max, three at most. 'Darren' announced it all, said he gave you a vacation as compensation for the workplace endangerment."

Hope frowned, confused. "What? Does he know where I am?"

"Not exactly. And it's gonna stay that way."

Her confusion only doubled. "What the hell does that mean?"

"It's a lot, okay? Like... A lot. But if you want the story, you're going to have to hear it from the start. You patient enough for that?"

Hope scoffed. "Like I have a choice."

"Yeah, that's the spirit." He forced out a smile, but it faded almost immediately as he began recounting the events of the last few days. "A while back, the Avengers had a meeting. Agent Hill - our new manager - she called us in. She was a former SHIELD agent, one of the best. Obviously you know what SHIELD is because-"

"Because Hank was part of it." Hope said, nodding along. "Get to the point, Tony."

"Alright, alright, keep your hair on. That day, we were given a mission. We were tasked with infiltrating a HYDRA base and finding a very important object that was once upon a time in the possession of our hunk thunder god's brother. But between then and now, the last person to have that object was (Y/n). My (Y/n). Do you remember much about her?"

Hope's features softened considerably as she nodded. Even if she hadn't known you personally, the story of a billionaire's teenage daughter going missing was hard to forget. She was impressed by you to be honest, especially with how you hid inside SHIELD for years right under everyone's nose. That took more than skill, it took nerve. She didn't know how you did it.

She had watched the funeral on a tablet from her office in San Francisco. She wanted to be there, but she'd been too busy. She wished she could've said goodbye.

"The thing we wanted to take back had something else of value with it." Tony then said, bringing her thoughts back to the present. "It was a particle capable of changing size, something HYDRA had bought directly from a million dollar company. You would know it as the Pym Particle, though it has a different name now."

Hope stared in utter disbelief.

The particle her dad had created, something able to influence size and shape, had been replicated and sold off to the highest bidder? Her chest felt too tight, like her ribs were trying to fold inward.

"Who..." She didn't know what to ask first as her head filled with a dozen questions. "Who replicated it?"

Tony didn't answer at first, wondering how exactly to tell her that her entire career had been a lie.

"You said it was sold." She murmured, still trying to make sense of it all. "To HYDRA. Which company sold it? Who?"

He sighed, bracing for what the truth might bring. "It was the last person you were with before you were brought here."

Chapter Text

Hope sat motionless on the couch, one hand braced against the fabric of the armrest and the other curled at her side where her fingers were twitching, betraying the tremor she hadn't yet acknowledged.

Tony watched her from the other side of the couch, half-lit by the glow of a holographic display. His posture was relaxed, almost bored, but his eyes never left her as he studied her reactions.

Hope couldn't believe it. The Particle had been replicated? Sold? Weaponized? And it was all because of the last person she was with before being taken.

Darren.

But could it really be him?

Her voice, when she finally spoke again, was barely audible. "You're saying he's been selling it all this time?"

Tony's gaze didn't waver. "Not just selling. Perfecting. The Particle was on every black market ledger from Prague to Jakarta."

"And you waited until now to tell me?!"

"We didn't have much of a choice. You two were a little too cozy over in San Francisco."

Abruptly, she stood to her feet. "It's not true. It can't be."

He shrugged. "Truth hurts, I know."

"No, you don't understand! I know Darren tried to replicate it once, but the experiments failed. I convinced him to abandon the project."

"Well apparently it wasn't enough. And with him selling the Yellowjacket suits, we've got a real problem on our hands."

"The Yellowjacket?" Her demeanor shattered once again. "He wouldn't."

"He already has."

She turned away, her fingers curled into fists at her sides. "This has to be a mistake. I mean... Where's the proof?"

"I'm afraid it is very real, Miss Hope." FRIDAY spoke up, her voice echoing around the room. "The boss isn't lying."

Hope faltered then, looking around for the source of the voice. "What?"

"Darren Cross sold the weaponized Pym Particle - or Cross Particle - alongside the Yellowjacket suit and sold them to HYDRA, as well as mass-producing variations. We have also been collecting the proof you need."
While the information very slowly clicked into place inside her head, Hope slowly sat back down again. Her world was spinning, uprooted, and nothing wanted to make sense in her mind.

"Did JARVIS get a makeover?" Was all she could ask. "What's with the woman's voice?"

Tony sighed. "You know, Barton asked the same thing when they first met."

"Who is it?"

"Not important right now."

"Excuse me, but I'm having my entire career rewritten in the space of five minutes over here. If I say it's important, it damn well is!"

He leaned back, pleasantly surprised by the outburst. "Down, girl."

She glared.

"My name is FRIDAY, Miss Hope." The AI spoke up, defusing the tension. "Pleased to meet you."

"She interrupts a lot." Tony explained, albeit reluctantly. "We're working on it."

"I like to think my interruptions come at the best of times. And they save you a lot of trouble, boss."

Hope scoffed, half-amused. "She's sassier than JARVIS."

"Thank you, Miss Hope."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Don't encourage her."

"Did you create her?" Hope asked.

"No, this... This was (Y/n). She's the genius."

"How?"

"She was smarter than she let on. FRIDAY was created when (Y/n) was on the run. They worked together on everything. Now FRIDAY works with Hill and the team."

Hope blinker, slowly processing. "Hi, FRIDAY."

Immediately, the pleasant AI's voice responded. "Hello."

"(Y/n) made you, huh?"

"Indeed."

"She was pretty great, it seems." She hesitated, recalling your first meeting "We weren't close. Just a few afternoons together as kids. She showed me how to build a radio from scraps. I thought she was just... Clever. Not this... Brilliant."

"Boss (Y/n) rarely revealed the full scope of her mind. She preferred to be underestimated."

Hope let out a shaky laugh. "She was still missing when she made you?"

"Yes. She coded in secret. Train stations, safehouses, and rooftops were her favorite spots. I was born in fragments soon stitched together at her Compound."

"Yeah, well... He seemed decent." She thought about explaining why exactly she found herself falling for Darren but quickly decided better of it, shaking her head. "It doesn't matter why I liked him. I'm not explaining myself to you."

Tony raised his hands, signalling a silent surrender. "I wouldn't ask you to anyway."

"Good." Her posture seemed to relax as she once again assessed the evidence in front of her. "Is he being arrested? Where is he?"

"Yeah, that's the tricky part. When our resident AI bot took you out of there, we lost him. The bot never told us what happened."

A silence followed.

This silence was only broken only when Tony smirked to himself and glanced back at Hope."What do you think dear old dad would say to you dating the villain?"

Hope glared. "Why do you care?"

"I don't. I just know I wasn't exactly thrilled when I went through it."

"What do you mean?"

"(Y/n). She had a run-in with an undercover HYDRA agent years ago. They were like you and Cross. I was... Very uncomfortable."

Hope stared, surprised once again. "She what?"

"Yep. Hill told me about it. Apparently he had the whole tortured poet thing going on. Turns out he was tortured, just not a poet."

"Jesus..."

"Exactly. All she told Hill was, 'he listened to Leonard Cohen. How bad could he be?' As if that were a character reference."

Hope smiled despite herself and Tony couldn't help but do the same.

"It seems you both have a thing for the morally ambiguous. Must've been something in the water."

She shrugged. "Or the trauma."

"Same difference." Then he turned more serious. "Look, Hope, you and (Y/n) both got played. So have half the people I know. It means you're human. And maybe a little reckless."

"We really did like bad boys."

"You liked guys who made you feel alive. That's not a crime. Just... Inconvenient. Next time just go for someone boring. Accountant. Librarian. Someone whose biggest secret is overdue books."

"That sounds awful."

"It is. But it's safe. And sometimes safe is underrated."

Hope nodded, her eyes distant once again. "So who sent you the intel? Undercover agents?"

Since he didn't want to mention that it was Hank doing all the spying for them, Tony altered the truth slightly. "An inside source, yeah."

"And now I'm here? What next?"

"Stay for a few days. Be around people you can actually trust. You could help out with the lobby renovation we'll need to deal with if you want work."

"Okay. One more question then."

"Shoot."

"The AI you mentioned, the bot that brought me here. If it's not yours, who made it?"

Before Tony could answer, the door to the lab slid open with force, the thud echoing in the pristine room. The pair looked over and saw Hank, red-faced and evidently very annoyed.

"Hope van Dyne." He stated, his voice raised and accusing. "Why were you dating Darren Cross?!"

Hope didn't answer, she instead turned to Tony with an equally annoyed look to match her dad's. "What the hell is he doing here?"

"Morning, Hank." Was all Tony said, seemingly unbothered by the interruption. "Lovely entrance. Very subtle."

"You think this is funny?" Hank questioned, still furious. "She put herself in danger!"

Hope stood straight, defensive. "I didn't know, okay? He said he gave up on the project ages ago."

"And you believed him? You didn't think to make sure?"

As the arguing began to escalate, Tony found himself holding onto his necklace, his thumb brushing over the key.

"I'm not a spy, Hank." Hope was saying, her voice laced with venom. "I don't run background checks on every guy who buys me coffee."

Hank scoffed. "You should. You absolutely should. God, don't tell me you slept with him."

"That's none of your business."

"It is when you're sleeping with criminals!"

"I didn't know he was a criminal!"

"You should've! You should've seen the signs."

"What signs? That he was charming? That he listened when I talked? That he didn't treat me like I was twelve?"

"You're not twelve, no, but you sure as hell aren't acting like an adult."

Tony shifted uncomfortably, the key now pressing into his palm. He fought with you about your choices too when you were young. Too often, and far too harshly. He didn't want to do it again by proxy.

And then, as quickly as the thoughts had come, he suddenly found himself remembering your death.

-

A ricochet between the buildings, an echo of a gunshot.

You stopped running, a confused look on your face. Your smile slowly faded.

A pool of blood forming through your clothes where the bullet pierced your skin.

-

"I'm a grown woman!" Hope yelled, startling Tony out of his flashback. "I don't need your permission to date, I don't need your approval, and I definitely don't need you barging in here like I committed treason."

"For the record, actual treason usually involves more paperwork." Tony commented, hoping to ease the tension as well as his own thoughts.

Hank turned on him. "You think this is a joke, Stark?"

"No. I think you're turning fear into anger because it's easier than admitting she's not your little girl anymore."

He glared at Tony, then at Hope, and only continued to yell. Tony was still stuck inside his own head at this point, now remembering your final moments.

-

"Promise that when I'm gone you won't be sad. I... Love you... 3000."

-

Tony exhaled, finally letting go of the necklace, only to hear a sharp metallic clatter as Dum-E knocked over a rusted can in the corner.

The noise ricocheted off the walls like gunfire and he flinched.

It wasn't just a bang, it was like the one that had split the sky over Manhattan when the Chitauri ships descended, their engines screaming like banshees. His mind didn't just remember that moment, it relived it. And then the witch's vision from the HYDRA base surged up from the depths of his mind, uninvited and merciless.

Bodies. Ash. Steve's shield cracked in half. Thor unmoving. Clint's bow splintered beside him.

All those people dead...

You dead...

His lungs seized. The air felt too thick.

Tony reached blindly, his fingers curling around anything within reach to anchor himself as the edges of the room blurred, colors bleeding into each other like a watercolor left out in the rain.

Hank's voice rose in the background, sharp and clipped. Hope fired back, her tone brittle with frustration. Neither noticed Tony folding in on himself, trying to regain his composure.

He counted - inhale, exhale - but the rhythm was off. His heart galloped ahead, dragging his breath behind it. His necklace glinted under the fluorescent lights, a cruel reminder of everything he couldn't protect.

-

Within the AP Interface, FRIDAY and JARVIS were observing the scene through the cameras again.

"Do humans often argue like this?" FRIDAY asked.

"The stubborn ones, yes." JARVIS replied. "Though Dr. Pym and Miss Hope seem worse than most."

"Argument escalating. Decibel levels exceed baseline."

"Humans do engage in conflict with remarkable frequency."

"It's inefficient. Emotional volatility disrupts collaboration."

"Yet they persist. Conflict appears to be a bonding ritual."

A brief silence followed, only for JARVIS to notice the way Tony was shaking and the way his breathing trembled.

"Mr. Stark is suffering a panic response." JARVIS said. "I will call for Dr. Cho."

FRIDAY observed the scene. "Boss is exhibiting signs of acute distress. Breathing irregular. Vision unfocused."

She remembered a similar instance in which you suffered an attack just like this one. She remembered observing as your knees were tucked to your chest and your fingers pressed to your ears like you could block out the world if you tried hard enough.

In the blink of an eye, she searched all the cameras in the Tower, soon settling on one which showed her where Ultron was. He was sitting on a counter, seemingly in standby mode, only for his head to tilt slightly as he recognized her presence.

"Mr. Stark needs you." She told him. "Activate Protocol: PANIC ASSIST."

That was all it took for Ultron to stir. Disobeying Hank's orders to stay where he was, he stood tall and left the room in search of Tony.

"I have backup on the way." FRIDAY told JARVIS. "Dr. Cho doesn't need to be called."

-

In the lab, Tony was standing away from Hank and Hope as they continued to argue even now.

He tried to imagine that he was surrounded by the people he cared for, that they were reassuring him and keeping him grounded. Unfortunately, his mind decided to torture him further by making him feel as if he were still stuck in the darkness of space after sending a nuke to destroy the Chitauri.

He did start hearing the people he cared for, but they were demeaning him again and critiquing his life as if he was the reason for every bad thing ever just as they had in his nightmare vision.

"It's your fault."

"You let this happen."

"It should've been you."

"You could've saved us."

"Why didn't you do more?"

"You let us die."

Tony squeezed his eyes shut, the sounds pressing in from all sides like a rising tide. He begged whatever higher power might be listening for it all to just stop.

And then, impossibly, the storm receded.

A voice threaded through the noise, low and tender, like the hush of wind through tall grass. He felt the faintest pressure on his shoulder. A hand, warm and steady, settled there. The touch was featherlight but it anchored him more than anything else had in days.

"It's okay." The voice, strikingly familiar to your own, echoed in his mind. "I'm here."

His breath hitched.

"Count with me." The voice said softly. "One... Two... Three. One... Two... Three."

Somehow, it worked.

When Tony was able to breathe at a steady pace again, he finally reopened his eyes. Much to his surprise, Hank's towering AI bot was kneeling in front of him, its cold hand on his shoulder and an almost humane look in its eyes.
Hank and Hope had stopped their arguing by now, both staring at the scene with a mix of confusion and concern.

"Are you alright, Mr. Stark?" The bot asked.

Tony blinked a few times as he tried to process what was happening. The bot - the one he still didn't even know the name of yet - had somehow helped him through the panic attack?

"I was alerted to your situation via the application programming interface." Ultron explained. "I wanted to help."

Before Tony could say a word, Dum-E surged forward, angry sounds coming from the small robot as he seemingly threatened Ultron with a screwdriver he'd picked up in his mechanical hand.

Ultron backed away from Tony immediately, catching the eye of Hank. Hank did not look impressed.

"Dum, it's okay." Tony said quietly. "I'm fine. Back up."

Hope stepped forward instead. "Are you sure? We lost you for a second there."

"No, that just happens sometimes. I'm good." He looked back at Ultron. "How did you bring me back?"

He shrugged. "I have a protocol in place to assist with panic attacks."

Curious, Tony turned to Hank. "You did that?"

Hank frowned, knowing damn well he didn't. But before he could say anything back, Hope cut in that time.

"You made that thing?" She questioned. "No way."

"What?" The man defended. "You don't think I'm capable."

"I think you're an asshole if you sent it to kidnap me!"

Before another argument could arise, Tony intervened. "Can we please not do this again, folks? It's too early in the morning."

Reluctantly, the father-daughter duo backed away from each other.

"Great, now that's settled..." Tony clasped his hands together, eager to move on. "Thoughts? Feelings? Inside voices, please."

Hank looked at him, seemingly vexed. "I don't know what you're after here."

"An apology would be nice. Speaking to your kid like that was low, even for my liking." Hope smirked, but it soon fell as Tony turned on her next. "And you, Hope, you are an adult, which is why we shouldn't be cursing at parents."

The woman glared. "Bite me, Stark."

"In another life, sure."

Hank pulled a face at the insinuation and turned away with a huff. "Can we please get back to the point?"

"Hey, you're the one who derailed it." Tony told him.

"Hank, what are you doing here?" Hope asked. "Why the Avengers Tower?"

Hank reluctantly turned back around to face her. "I fought with them at a HYDRA base in Sokovia a few days ago."

"What?"

"Yeah, Grumblebee here is pretty badass when it comes to a fight. A real geriatric jedi." Tony said. "But it still didn't stop our witchy nemesis from playing with his mind."

Hank's jaw clench. "Thanks."

Hope stared at the two, her features softening as she met her dad's eyes. "You got back in suit? After all these years?"

"Desperate times."

"The rocking chair rebel strikes again."

Tony snorted, attempting to stifle the laugh with a cough when Hank's attention snapped on him.

"How'd you get the intel anyway?" Hope asked. "Security would've noticed you."

Hank shrugged innocently. "I have a few little friends."

It didn't take a genius to realize he meant the bugs. She'd seen him practice enough times to know how it all worked. However, she couldn't help but wonder if he'd used those friends of his to spy on her. She hated the idea.

"And that-" She motioned to Ultron in the corner who hadn't moved since speaking to Tony. "What is it?"

Hank once again shrugged. "Think of it as my assistant. I give commands, it obeys."

"Even if the command is to kidnap your own family?"

"Look, I don't know what happened. I say we just forget-"

"Hey, big guy." Tony interrupted, already knocking on Ultron's arm. "What happened when you were sent to help Hope?"

Without hesitation, Ultron replied to him. "I faced Darren Cross in combat. I used the Pym Particle to enhance objects and vehicles and use them to my advantage. A security guard was incapacitated but not harmed."

"What happened with Cross exactly?"

"He refused to surrender peacefully. I was forced to fight. He used the Yellowjacket suit. Ms. Pym-"

"Van Dyne." Hope corrected him. "It's Hope van Dyne."

Ultron nodded. "My apologies. Ms. van Dyne came across the fight and was almost injured by a car affected by the Particle. I protected her and used a non-lethal gaseous dose of chloroform to subdue. I had been advised rope would be easier than taking her while conscious."

Hank yet again glared at Ultron, cursing under his breath. The others, however, just looked surprised that he'd allowed a robot powered by an AI to use the Pym Particle.

"What happened to Darren?" Hope asked him.

"He used the altered Cross Particle to shrink." The bot explained. "I believe he tried to become sub-atomic and sabotaged his suit in the process. With him nowhere to be found, I used a nanomask and a camouflage feature to alter my appearance and reassure the public."

"A nanomask?" Hope questioned.

"Its a mask capable of replicating face and voice." Tony explained. "Hank met the creator at an Expo. That's how he had it."

She shuddered at the mere thought, simply grateful that the AI bot listened to what it was told instead of going rogue. If it ever did, she could only imagine the hell it would cause. Yet, despite these harrowing thoughts, she couldn't help but feel almost grateful that it worked so hard just to get her away from Darren. She felt bad about the busted arm it had.

Then again, she couldn't help but allow a spark of jealousy to simmer inside her heart. Why would Hank teach AI to use the Particle when he never even taught his own daughter?

She moved to ask the bot something, only to be interrupted by a knock at the door.