Tony lay on the uncomfortable hospital bed glaring at the ceiling. He would never understand why he had to stay in this place while the doctors ran tests when he could just as easily take care of it all at home. He already knew what was wrong with him anyway.
He was dying.
It wasn't all that complicated really, he was in his mid sixties, he had a love affair with alcohol and he caused undue stress to his body on a nearly daily basis for years. Even though the arc reactor kept the little pieces of death from entering his heart, it also caused strain to his system as it compromised his ribcage and overall lung capacity. Not to mention the wear and tear the suit caused on his body during the many battles he had fought.
No, Anthony Edward Stark wasn't surprised to find out that he was kicking the bucket a little sooner than the average bear. He knew the others weren't surprised either, they just couldn't sit on their hands and watch. So they ran around ordering tests and studies and what not trying to figure out a way to give Tony, The Iron Man, more time on this earth. Tony found it all kinda endearing, if pointless.
He was ready to go. He was old, though he loath to admit it, he was. He had three beautiful and amazingly intelligent children that he couldn't be prouder of. He had spent his life with the woman he loved. He smiled to himself. Pepper. Leaving her was the one thing he would regret when he left this world. Somewhere, deep down, he hoped that they would meet again in the next life or in heaven or wherever the hell you went when your lights went out.
The door to his room swooshed open and he looked away from the ceiling to the familiar face standing in his doorway.
"Well hello there stranger, long time no see." He smiled.
Steve Rogers gave him a big, if slightly sad, smile as he made his way into the room to stand at Tony's bedside. Steve looked just as young and spry as the day Tony met him and he always would. The same bottled miracle that made him a super solider had also either slowed his aging to be unnoticeable or stopped it entirely. A terrible blessing, Steve had called it.
"I just couldn't help myself, Tony. You are such a joy and pleasure to be around, I couldn't stay away."
"I know, I know. It is totally unfair for you to all have to share me, but there is only one Tony Stark." Tony smirked back at the captain.
"Yeah…" Steve looked decidedly sad now and Tony felt a bitter sweetness in his chest.
"Cheer up Cap," Tony tried to lighten the mood, "I'm not dead yet, so stop bumming me out."
Steve laughed sheepishly and murmured an apology just as the door swooshed open again to admit a horde of white coated doctors into Tony's room. They eyed the Captain for a second, but quickly dismissed his presence and approached the bed side. The Avengers were nothing new to Tony's doctors.
"Mr. Stark," some doctor that Tony really should have known the name of was addressing him, "I am regretful to inform you that the tests ordered by your wife have not provided any new information or insight into your condition. I am sorry." He finished lamely.
"S'okay." Tony replied, trying his best to sit up. "I didn't expect anything to change. Just can't say no to the wife." He grinned at them.
The poor doctor still looked put out by his inability to help, but he smiled back all the same and moved aside for Steve to lend Tony a hand to sit up.
"Now," Tony sighed once he was up with his feet dangling over the edge of the bed. "Please tell me that I can put some pants on. Unless, of course, you have a thing for old guys."
The doctor blinked and then flushed with something between annoyance and embarrassment.
"You are free to go whenever you wish and knowing you that will be right away. I will have the paper work drawn up." He turned to Steve. "You can handle him, I assume?"
Steve smirked, "yes of course."
The doctor nodded and quickly exited the room. Steve turned to Tony giving him the mother hen look. Tony smiled back innocently as he could. When Steve rolled his eyes, but said nothing, Tony pointed to the pile of cloths neatly folded on the chair by the window.
Steve quickly grabbed the cloths and tossed them to Tony. He sat on the opposite side of the bed and watched the traffic through the window as the once Iron Man got dressed.
"Widow and Hawkeye are coming up from Chile to see you. Bruce should be at the tower by now. I had Jarvis order a car to pick him up at the airport. Didn't think you'd mind."
"And I don't." Tony answered through his shirt.
"Sent a message to Thor. Course, I have no idea if he got it or not since he is even worse at using technology than I am." The Captain smiled
"I'm sure there will be a freak thunderstorm hitting New York in no time at all." Tony laughed as he pulled his socks on.
"Your kids have the whole house set up for us, so you don't need to worry about that."
"And by my kids you mean Jarvis."
"Naturally."
Tony snickered and stood grabbing his oxygen tank and looked over his shoulder at Steve. "Come on, Cap. Let's roll."
Steve shook his head with a wistful smile on his face, but he stood and followed Tony through the door to the elevators. Once inside Tony cleared his throat.
"There damned well better not be some lame party where I can't drink waiting for me at the house."
He saw Steve smile from the corner of his eye.
"Damn it, then there better be presents and cake!"
***
Tony walked into the living room and smiled.
"All these years and nothing has changed. As soon as you all show up you start drinking my booze and eating my food!" He shouted to the room. The Avengers smiled back at him.
Banner laughed from his seat on the smaller sofa. "Whatever, Tony. You know you missed us."
Tony glanced at his old friend, not that you could tell they were old friends by looking at the man. Aside from a few new scars here and there, Bruce Banner looked much the same as he always had. There was no real explanation for the abnormality, but then, if the other guy could spit out bullets maybe he could fight off old age.
"Perhaps, and perhaps I will miss my fine whiskey." He smirked
"Perhaps I missed you fine whiskey too!" Clint interjected from the wet bar behind the couch where he and Natasha stood, no doubt at the ready to squander more of Tony's liquor.
"I bet you did! How are my two favorite love birds doing?" Tony asked as he sat down heavily on the couch next to Bruce.
"We've been married for years, Stark. We can hardly be called love birds now." Natasha grumbled, but Tony could see her smile slightly.
"If you are still in love you can still be called love birds. And I refused to ever get over it at your wedding; you want me to be a liar?" Tony accused. Clint chuckled and Natasha shook her head.
"Tony, stop harassing out guests." Tony looked over his shoulder to see Pepper walking out of the kitchen. "They just got here and we haven't seen them in forever." She smiled, leaning down to give him a kiss.
"All the more reason to tease them. Think of all the time I have to make up for!"
Pepper ignored him, "but really, how have you two been?"
"Oh, same old, same old," Natasha sighed and swirled her drink.
"So you're still terrorizing terrorists then." Steve chimed in and everyone laughed lightly.
"Well, we can't let the young bucks have all the fun." Clint shot back.
"Not that Bruce and Steve have to worry about that." Tony chuckled, "It's totally unfair if you ask me. You and Bruce look the same while Clint, Tasha and I look like raisins… Incredibly sexy, bright eyed, bushy tailed raisins." He added when he saw Natasha give him a warning look.
"It isn't like anyone planned it that way Tony." Bruce huffed, "I'd grow old if I could."
"Right," Steve muttered, "It's not as much fun as you think."
"Yes well, since you can't experience this joy, allow me to give you a summary of old age." Tony stood and waved his hand dramatically toward the tank of oxygen sitting next to him. "This sexy sexy piece of equipment is called an oxygen tank. It helps old people breath once their lungs are trashed. See the wheels for easy mobility? That's so you can stalk all the other cute old people with little to no trouble." He winked at Pepper. "Oh, and going to the bathroom is a breeze! You just go when and where you want, 'cause you see we have these really nifty adult diapers here that-"
"Okay! Thanks for the run down there Tony, but I think we are good." Steve yells as Tony starts pulling down his pants.
"Aw, but I didn't get to tell you what my favorite brands are yet." Tony smirked, "I mean, I would hate for you to feel left out or anything."
"Your kindness knows no bounds." Steve replied, rolling his eyes, but Tony could see a hint of amusement in those baby blues.
"If you weren't you, being old wouldn't be so bad." Natasha cut in.
"Yes well if I weren't me then the whole conversation would be irrelevant."
"No argument there." Clint chuckled.
"So, how are the kids?" Bruce asked as Tony took his seat again.
"They are doing great. Gabe is making jumps in medical tech. Ronnie is kicking butt in working for Shield, which I'm sure Steve can attest to. Mike has all but taken over for Pep; poor girl won't have anything to do before long." He winked at Pepper. "But you can talk to them all about that tomorrow. They will be coming over in the morning."
The night continued on like that for a while everyone laughing and talking and reminiscing about old times. That was, until Tony started laughing so hard he had a coughing fit. Soon enough Pepper was leaning over him and rubbing his shoulder suggesting that he call it a night. Once he had his breathing back under control, Tony nodded and stood.
"Guess I am gonna call it a night since someone, and by someone I mean Pep, thinks I have worn myself out." He rasped then winced. He was starting to sound like Darth Vader when he breathed. "Oh and don't make plans for tomorrow night. We are going out for shwarma!"
"Tony, you can't eat that stuff anymore." Pepper said softly.
The others looked at him. They said nothing, but their eyes spoke volumes.
"Come on, Pep. This started with shwarma and it should end with shwarma." He declared.
"Please tell me you did not just suggest that we live and die by the shwarma." Clint groaned.
"For Shwarma!"
"Truth, justice, and shwarma. Yep that's what the Avengers stand for, let me tell you." Bruce deadpanned.
"Damn straight." Tony replied with his oh-so-serious face. The jaw cracking yawn that came afterward kind of ruined the effect.
"Bed Tony. We'll worry about shwarma in the morning." Pepper sighed, resigned to Tony's antics.
"Yes dear. Jarvis!" Tony called as he waved a goodnight to the others.
"Yes sir"
"I'm hitting the hay. Call the elevator get a shower going." Tony ordered as he slowly made his way to the hall.
"Already done, sir"
"And make sure our guests are well taken care of." He added
"Of course"
***
Tony shot straight up in bed wheezing like the old geezer he was. He grabbed at his oxygen mask that lay on his bedside table and pressed it over his mouth. Once he had his breathing back under control he looked around frantically to see what had woken him so suddenly.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Pepper was curled around his side, her hair spread about her head like a halo. The arc reactor glowed faintly. The wall sized water fall made peaceful sounds on one wall. The light hiss of the oxygen tank, while annoying was nothing new. So what-?
The lightning that lit the sky was like nothing Tony had ever seen. He looked at the large windows with wide eyes as it cracked across the sky like the limbs of a great glowing tree.
He cursed softly and lay back on the bed. Damn Thor and his dramatic entrances. He glared at the window as Lightning streaked the sky again. He blinked, rubbed his eyes and blinked again. No it wasn't his eyes playing tricks on him. The lightning was red, blood red.
"What the hell?" He whispered
Pepper stirred next to him. "Swhats goin' on?" She mumbled rubbing a hand across her face.
He spared her a glace before looking back to the window. "I have no idea… Jarvis!"
Jarvis didn't answer.
"JARVIS!"
Nothing.
Tony began to have an uneasy feeling as Pepper sat up and looked out the window.
"Is that Thor?" Pepper asked hopefully.
Tony swallowed and tried to remind himself to keep breathing. "If it is then we've got two options."
"Which are?"
"Either he's learned some new tricks or something is seriously wrong."
"That doesn't sound promising. Any other options?"
"It's not Thor."
Pepper fell silent.
More crimson lightning broke across the sky like an angry wound. It was far too close. Tony and Pepper screamed as the massive window shattered, showering the two in glass. They blinked and Tony winced as he felt the cuts on his already weak skin pull. That's when he noticed the boots at the foot of his bed. Pepper obviously noticed about the same time because she let out a shriek.
Tony followed the boots up to their owner. A tall and ugly man stood above them. He wore red armor that looked as if it had been made from the scales of some large beast, each single one looking to be the size of a dinner plate. The parts that weren't covered in the disconcerting armor were clad in black leather. Tony's coffee brown eyes met with a striking set of deep red ones.
The owner of the eyes was ugly. His face was gnarled, but by war or birth Tony couldn't tell. His ears were of a similar contortion and didn't seem to match one another. His skin, or at least the small part that Tony could see, was discolored. It changed shades as it moved across his face like over saturated water paints on cream paper. Basically, he was one ugly son of a bitch.
"Who the hell are you? Igor?" Tony growled around his oxygen mask. Giving 'Igor' a good death glare wasn't easy to pull off when dressed on ones pajamas with an idiotic oxygen mask pressed against ones mouth.
'Igor' smiled, or at least it looked like that was what he was trying to do. It was hard to tell with how badly his mouth was shaped.
"Tony Stark?" It ground out.
"What was your first clue? The giant sign on the building or the iconic glowing circle in my chest?" Tony shot back. He wasn't in the best of moods.
The ugly whatever it was laughed like Tony was just the funniest thing since Abbot and Costello. Then without warning the stranger surged forward and grabbed the front of Tony's shirt, hauling him none too gently to his feet on the bed. He smiled again, his face inches from Tony's face.
"Tony!" Pepper screamed.
"You are dying, Tony Stark. Your body grows weaker by the day. I can sense it in you; your mortal parts are but deteriorated. Your time is not long." The creature whispered darkly, his crimson eyes burning.
Tony opened his mouth to reply, but without his oxygen all he could get out was a weak cough.
"Your mind is the greatest to pass through the nine realms." The man growled all traces of amusement gone from his voice. "Stories long told of The Wind of Change taking physical form and into what form does it choose to make itself? A mortal!"
He shook Tony hard causing the mortal to cry out.
"Stop!" Pepper cried, "You're hurting him!"
The creature laughed again, less amused and more sadistic this time.
"Fret not, dear woman, he need not worry about his body much longer."
"What?" She asked as tears ran down her face, but his eyes were only for Tony.
"When you become one with me your physical short comings will no longer be an issue." He cooed.
Tony's eyes grew wide. He could here Pepper shouting something in the background, but it was drowned out by flashes of red lightning and thunder. A strange mist seemed to be filling the room and, as it grew denser around he and creature,Tony turned to look back at Pepper frantically.
"Pep-!"
Just like that they were gone. The wind died down and the sky cleared almost instantly of the unearthly red lightning. Pepper stood by the bed alone as shocked tears ran down her face. Sudden she fell to her knees, cutting herself on the shattered glass and screamed.
