"Answer your phone, Tony… I know you can hear me."

BEEP.

"Didn't I apologize for crashing – actually, that's all on you. You owe me a new Bugatti anyway."

BEEP.

"Fine, old man. Go ahead and not answer. I'll just call your dazzling PA."

BEEP.

"Okay, okay. You don't owe me one. Just call me all right? It's urgent."

Tony Stark, billionaire extraordinaire, stared in thought as the blue glow of hologram schematics illuminated his face. The last beep felt as if it lasted for an eternity, resounding throughout the large open space of his garage. It had only been a week since he escaped from the cave in Afghanistan. Months since he built the mini arc-reactor in the cave. Half a year since he last heard from one of the most important women in his life. And over a year since he last saw her.

He usually wouldn't be worried about the lack of contact. After all, the munchkin had survived all of her college years without so much as seeing him. If it wasn't for the fact that he dropped by for surprised visits, he had the feeling he wouldn't have seen her at all besides Christmas break. It was just odd that she never called or even stopped by recently. What with being found and brought back from Afghanistan and all.

Last week, he had traced her last calls and pinpointed her location on a street close to her penthouse in New York City. He could not believe what Pepper told him after the press conference. Tony had even called Rhodey, who was in the Big Apple for a presentation, to go and check on her. As soon as his best friend told him she wasn't answering, he hopped onto his jet to go to the city. She wasn't there. He got JARVIS to try and track her phone. Nothing. Not a trace could be found of her current location.

"Tony?" a quiet voice asked. He didn't look up as he continued to inspect the holographic model of a robotic arm.

Virginia Potts watched her boss run a hand through his hair. An action she had taken up frequently as well. As soon as Pepper heard that Tony was missing after the attack in Afghanistan, she called the young woman. It had been after all only a day since she talked to her. When the girl didn't answer her phone, Pepper started to worry. Something was wrong after she didn't pick up her phone. Pepper contacted the doorman and he told her that she never came back. Obadiah told Pepper he hadn't heard from the squirt in a while. Rhodey had not heard from her either. So she did the only thing she could do and filed a missing person report.

The assistant made sure that the missing report was kept under wraps. It would be a hayfield if the media found out both Starks were missing. So an agency called the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division came into contact and informed her they were by all means trying their hardest to find her. Then months later Tony was found in Afghanistan. Pepper didn't know how to break it to him. It was heartbreaking really. After his press conference, Tony had asked his assistant if she heard from her. He was met with a brief silence as Pepper tried to break the news to him. Now here she was, watching her boss. Watching Tony – a man known by others as a snarky bastard of a genius – silently break down as his eyes slowly met hers.

"Doctor, have you achieved any more progress?"

"There is a possibility that the cube's power can be attainable. It will take time, however."

"Then I suggest, doctor, you get started."

Johann Schmidt turned his back on the short doctor, leading the way towards the door. Four other men followed him as he paused to type in the passcode. However, his fingers stopped as a bright glow emitted from the blue tinged cube. It was glowing erratically as soon as Doctor Armin Zola tried once again to tap into the cube's power. For the past month Armin Zola has tried every possible way to develop a machine that can harness the power of the cosmic cube. This time was a lot different than the rest.

A thick beam pulsed from the cube and shot up into the ceiling of the lab. It was surreal what happened next. As the beam of blinding light flashed, a projection of stars glowed through. The Milky Way flashed above before the occupants' eyes. It was then that an odd image began to materialize from the space above and a petit figure came crashing down on the lab below.