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Logan held her in his arms, felt her lifeblood run down his chest, felt his tears fall freely and stain his cheeks, tasted them as they ran against his lips. He'd tried to save her, failed so miserably and painfully he felt the beast at his back, saw the red run over his eyes, fought against the berserker rage that threatened him. Pain he hadn't known in so long filled him, cradling her limp form against him. The heels of boots crushed against the debris and the gravel, looking up after a time to see a man he hadn't seen in years looking down to him, pity and sorrow a look that didn't suit Nicholas, Nick, Fury...Director of Shield.
"I know I've asked you before, but given the circumstances I'll pretend this is the first time. What's your answer?" Nick asked, armed men standing behind him with weapons drawn.
Logan looked up to him in his grief, felt a part of himself die as he looked down to her, knew he'd do anything. Holding her out to a man he'd known for longer than he'd care to have, Logan struggled for breath, struggled to let the words slip past his lips.
"Yes." Logan said after a time, Nick signalling the men behind him, their weapons lowered in an instant as they marched off.
"And?" Nick asked, the times he'd asked this question before always denied, knowing a cost when he saw it, one he was well ready to pay.
"Just save her." Logan said, laying her down in the dirt, brushing her hair from her closed pain filled eyes, running a finger down her cheeks.
"Alright. I need Medivac down her last Christmas folks! This goes beyond top priority, I don't care if your mother, grandmother and great aunt just died, get your sorry ass's down here!" Nick cried over the open line, jets flying down from the helicarrier to the scene of a battle they'd just barely missed, one that had meant so very much to them.
Tony Stark sat at the bedside and looked over the charts, the slow steady beep of the heart monitor singing a sad song as the artificial lungs breathed life for the patient.
"You're serious?" Tony asked looking up to Nick Fury who stood there with that same unreadable expression as always.
"Deadly." The patient's vitals were a mess Tony saw, the worst of it the spinal injuries that would easily leave her a paraplegic.
"What happened to her?" For the first time since Tony met the Director he saw him flinch.
"Classified." He couldn't believe it, all the clearance Tony had, the secrets he knew, and here he'd been brought in to this secret SHIELD facility asked to save this girl and he was being told it was Classified?
"Ahem, Mister Fury, I didn't ask how it happened to her, I asked what happened to her." Nick stood silent, his face expressionless as he stared down Tony.
"She was caught in an explosion, the worst part of an I beam impaling her. The concerned party I was in touch with agreed to a deal where so long as we save her he'll join the Avengers Initiative." Staring at the Director of SHIELD Tony realized then that he'd love to meet the man who could get him to ask the impossible as part of a bargain.
"Okay, on a scale of one to are you crazy, what do you expect me to do?" Throwing the charts down Tony looked to the patient and just wondered how this kid had gotten mixed up in the likes of SHIELD.
"If I'm doing this, we do it my way. Get her transferred to Stark Tower, I work better there." Tony said, climbing from the bed with a last glance to the girl.
He didn't wait to watch the Director's reaction this time, Tony simply left the intensive care unit he'd been escorted to when the deadly Natasha Romanoff had pulled up at Stark Tower in his own Audi. Spending his time as a once consultant and then Avenger left him often racing off to many undisclosed places, ranging from meetings in seedy bars to high end hotels, speaking with the very curious people the agency seemed to be interested in.
To date though the most demanding task they'd asked him surely had to be this, putting some girl back together who couldn't be more than fifteen. Pushing past the military men Tony tore through the doors of the warehouse he'd been taken to, a front to disguise the secrets within. Leaning against his Audi dressed in a business suit and skirt Natasha looked just as innocent as she had on their very first meeting, innocent with a hint of danger.
"Take me to the nearest bar and mind the car." Tony said climbing in.
It was rare for Tony to ever let anyone else drive his toys, he didn't like to share. Yet he was distracted as his mind raced with ideas in a way it hadn't since his very life had hung in the balance as he was slowly killed by the very thing meant to save it.
"Just tell me one thing, she's not SHIELD is she?" Tony asked, not knowing how very much that question echoed another once before.
Turning to look to him Natasha regarded him for a moment, then jerking the wheel as the car sharply drifted around a corner that left Tony slamming into his door.
"I'll take that as a no, good to know the agency draws a line in recruitment somewhere." Fifteen minutes later they pulled up to a bar that looked something straight out of an old pulp detective novel, the windows frosted brown with unwashed dirt, the entrance a pair of mismatched wooden doors with suspicious holes through them, the neon signage above flickering with two letters burnt out.
"Seriously?" Tony asked of Natasha.
The woman feared the world over just shrugged as she exited the car to resume her place against the hood. Rubbing his eyes Tony joined her for a moment, throwing off his jacket then and rolling up his sleeves after undoing the first few buttons of his shirt.
"Make sure no one has a piss on my car while I'm gone, I just had it detailed." Throwing open the doors Tony ignored the looks thrown his way as he strode to the bar, looking to the selection of spirits gathering dust.
"Scotch, Neat. Eighteen years at least and I don't mean for how long it's sat on your shelf." The bartender to his credit just looked to Tony for a moment, turning to the shelf and pulling out a bottle of Glenlivet.
"Perfect, leave the bottle." Throwing down the cash Tony spun his finger in the air. "Round on me."
The atmosphere in the bar instantly change, the hostility bleeding out as a waitress carried pitchers of beer around, mugs set before the lone stragglers in the dark corners. On his third glass the doors to the bar opened as a patron walked in, Tony catching sight of some stout man in sorry need of a haircut talking to Natasha before they slammed shut again. Intrigued he grabbed the bottle and finished his drink in a single gulp, kicking his way past the doors to look over the scene before him. Where he expected some drunkard about to get his ass handed to him by the deadly femme fatal, he instead found the two talking quietly as if old friends.
"You going to introduce me to your friend miss Rushman?" The man turned to look at Tony, a mix of pain and anger in his eyes that left Tony just wondering if this was the very man he'd long to meet.
The stout hairy man stalked his way over then grabbed the bottle of Glenlivet only to pound it back, the fine scotch suddenly losing it's appeal Tony thought watching as it was nearly drained in a single thirsty gulp.
"Thanks for the drink bub." The bottle was pressed back into Tony's hand then, the doors to the bar slamming shut as the mysterious man left.
"I take it that's Mister Deal No Deal himself?" Tony asked pointing after him with a curious expression, Natasha simply remaining silent standing next to the car.
Tony thought about following the man but the images of the patient stole his resolve, the train of thought already rambling through his mind once more.
"Miss Rushman, kindly take me home." Climbing into his car Tony pulled out his phone quickly looking through the assets of Stark Industries for any solution to the problem that lay before him.
"You know what, take the scenic route, I need time to think." Natasha started the car, the engine purring as she placed a hand on the stick.
Revving the engine she sped, clearly enjoying the car Tony thought as he scrolled through tagging possible holdings or prominent employees until he finally noticed something amidst the sea of technology available to him. Looking the specs over again he saw in it a crude elegance and already ideas for how to polish this diamond in the rough. The time passed in amicable silence with Tony tapping away at his phone, jotting down quick computations that brought a twinkle to his eyes. "God damn I'm good."
He'd leave SHIELD to deal with rebuilding the poor girl's chest, his task well on it's way to finding someway to fix the damage to her spine that now left her trapped within her own body. With Natasha pulling into his private entrance, the elevator started to climb, knowing he'd have to have a look at the security systems to just figure out how she had pilfered his car from the garage. Looking out over the city that swiftly fell below them Tony heard his phone ring, cursing himself knowing he'd forgotten to make one very important call.
"Tony, there's SHIELD running all over the place. Jarvis let them in but won't tell me why, none of them have answered my questions. What is going on!" Smiling to the irritated and flustered Pepper Potts he looked to his private suite of the tower and noticed the very military looking men working away.
"Well Pepper, it appears that we're going to have a house guest." Tony said.
The last had left, the chaos the SHIELD agents and specialists had caused for the last several hours had cumulated as the medical team brought the comatose girl in to the room set up in Tony's workshop.
"A doctor and nurse will be on site twenty four hours a day in shifts, at their discretion you'll be able to see to her injuries." Tony bit his tongue at the annoyance of his home being referred to as a site by Natasha, knowing very well she was all business despite how well she portrayed the roles her line of work called upon her.
"Miss Potts." Natasha offered as she took her leave, Pepper nodding in return to Natasha's courtesy.
Watching his lovely assistant as she took in the changes to her life yet again Tony knew he'd have to make it up to her somehow. Alone with the seemingly slumbering patient he closed the distance between Pepper and drew her into his arms, placing gentle kisses upon her neck and nuzzling his chin against her shoulder, following her gaze to the bed.
"When you said house guest..." Pepper started, she was shocked he knew, really one couldn't be at looking on the petite girl so buried in medical equipment with a complexion of parchment.
"Sorry. SHIELD business, they got in over their heads so I get to bail them out." He whispered.
Tony spun Pepper about in his arms to face her, catching her lips in his own as he knew she longed to ask the very question he had asked of Nick earlier. Noses touching Tony forced a smile as he caught her eyes then.
"It doesn't matter how or why, just that I will help her." With his arm about her shoulder Tony lead Pepper from the bedside and to the exit of his workshop, pausing as they neared the doors.
"Jarvis, how about a some Debussy for our guest, Clair de Lune?" As the first notes played Tony felt a smile tug at his lips, hoping in some way the poor girl could hear the beautiful work if only to bring her some peace for now.
Together they sat near the edge of the tower, a blanket draped about them with only the heavens above and the city below spread before them. It'd been their favourite retreat for quiet moments, the joke of Rhodey taken so very literally since that day at the Expo.
"You have a board meeting at ten." Rubbing his eyes Tony realized it was easily three in the morning and still not the least bit tired between the hectic day he'd had and the company he now kept.
"Send Happy. Tell him to take notes and punch anyone who sounds like an idiot, wait no that would be the better part of the board, get him to text you who to punch." Tony watched in surprise as Pepper changed the agenda for the day, Happy surely in for a surprise in the morning.
"My, my miss Potts, you really did learn what it's like to be a CEO didn't you?" Any further remark was silenced as she employed what he could very well believe was a grapple or throw learnt from none other than Natasha, Tony finding himself under her as she placed a knee between his legs, her lips brushing his own.
"If you ever do that to me again I'll kill you." Pepper whispered as she painfully bit his ear, the memory of her time as CEO of Stark Industries one he knew she longed to forget.
"Depending on how you do it Pepper, I might die a happy man." Grinning up to her Tony watched as her fatal facade shattered, Pepper laughing as she nearly straddled him.
"Did you wish me to clear the rest of your schedule Mister Stark?" Pepper asked with a pout, Tony coughing at how stunning she looked.
"Depends on what you have in mind Miss Potts?" Deft keystrokes later Pepper threw her phone over her shoulder as it skittered along, Tony drawing his arms about her as they embraced another under the night sky, playfully pulling the offending garments from another that stood in the way of the only meeting the two longed for that moment, one filled by the unrequited passion that had burnt between them for so very long until finally neither could ignore its heat.
Daylight streamed in through the blinds, Tony tugged awake regretfully as he hissed in discomfort. Pepper was gone already, one of these days he swore he'd surely tire her enough to laze in bed as he did so enjoy after the sexual escapades they'd enjoyed the previous night. Feeling the scratches down his back and the nail bites in his bottom he knew that was a promise that he'd be hard pressed to keep, the prim and proper assistant a veritable vixen. Rubbing his eyes Tony finally threw off the sheets and walked off to his en suite bath, relishing the steam from of the shower that sprung to life as he threw the door open, perfectly set to the point of nearly scalding as he worked out the stiffness and aches of his muscles.
"Jarvis, how are our guests doing today?" Tony asked soaking his head under the spray.
The Artificial Intelligence modelled after a butler related the news, spoke of the medical team and the patient in their care. As the avatar for the computing power he had at his disposal, Tony listened to the rambling ons of the AI always thinking of improvements. "Wait, back up, what was that about Rhodey?"
With a slash of his hand the spray of the shower ceased, Tony stalking to the mirror to brush his teeth, giving his face a once over before deciding the stubble he sported looked suitably rugged before spitting out and rinsing.
"Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes is in your workshop, requesting authorization to use the War Machine Designate armour." Jarvis spoke in that crisp voice so modelled after a British accent.
Tony knew Rhodey wouldn't ask for that if it wasn't serious, quickly throwing on a robe of Egyptian cotton Tony made his way to the kitchen. His coffee awaited, making two cups and placing them on a tray as he looked in the fridge until he found some strawberries he'd once again foolishly bought Pepper always seeming to forget in the spur of the moment his allergy. "Her loss."
Tray in hand Tony made his way to his workshop to greet his friend, not the least bit surprised to find him standing at the bed of the only really invited house guest he entertained.
"Rhodey." Tony said quietly handing off a cup of coffee to the career officer.
"Who is she?" Sighing at the usual attitude of his dearest friend Tony walked off to his desk and sat down, munching on a strawberry.
"You've had your clearance upped right? State Secrets, National Enquirer type stuff?" Tony asked before sipping his coffee, Rhodey turning to favour him with that 'spill it' expression he always reserved for moments like this.
"Don't know. Sleeping Beauty works. SHIELD wiped her clean, I had Jarvis look for any hint of her and got nothing. Guess they did it before the shit hit the fan." Tony said, trying even to find traces of the mystery man he'd seen at the bar, crossing the history of Natasha and only finding convenient blanks.
"Why is she here?" Tony could at least smile at that question, an answer in hand.
"Jarvis, bring it up." Looking to the screen a small bullet appeared.
"You'll enjoy this Rhodey, whoever her Prince is, they got SHIELD over the barrel. They've contracted yours truly to get her up and about again. Oh, and by the way of course you have authorization for use of the War Machine armour, no amount of dry cleaning could get your BO out of that thing." Tony threw a wink to his friend, enjoyed his irritation.
Having suitably distracted Rhodey, Tony typed a few keystrokes and brought the entire plan on screen. To his credit Rhodey picked up on the most key point in it all.
"Tony, if I'm reading this right, that's an Arc reactor there." Pointing to just below the virtual girls chest, the holographic representation showed the latest model of the miniaturized Arc reactor.
"Yes it is, no lithium batteries for Sleeping Beauty. This idea has been thrown around a lot but I have the tech to do it. That there Mister Rhodes is a microchip that will interpret the signals that normally travel from the brain and through the nervous system." Tony started, letting the holographic image detail the proposed plan.
"Doing this it then sends the signals down to the interface that will grafted onto the intact section of her spine. Until we can figure out how to repair that damage she'll be represented as another bit of tech I've been working on. Taking all these holograms and creating a virtual avatar for people. It will let her at least interact in the real world, laugh, joke, most likely swoon over yours truly, in essence lead as normal a life as we can create for her." His speech done Tony realized he could help so many people the world over if this tech worked, just the task of finding a way to simplify it down to everyday costs.
"Shit Tony." Rhodey was smiling, Tony liked it when he did that feeling the infectious nature of it, holding up his hand as he swallowed Tony looked to his friend.
"I know, I know, I'm brilliant. It's just going to take a while, that chip was just a blueprint and I won't bore you with the flaws. I'm going to have to damn near build one from scratch. As for the rest, well, I'm afraid she'll be missing the prom." Swivelling his chair about Tony looked to the bed where the girl lay, popping another strawberry in his mouth. Rhodey joined him placing a companionable hand on his shoulder.
"As painful as it might be to hear this Tony, I like the new you better." Tony couldn't help but agree with his friend, looking to the bed then and thinking how to safely rush the first phase.
"Alright, alright. Get out of here, go defend world peace or whatever it is your superiors claim you do. Just bring it back with a full tank of gas." Tony said, punching his friend in the shoulder before pushing him off.
Watching Rhodey then Tony enjoyed the anticipation his friend had as he raced off to the Rack, Jarvis helping him into the armour. With the thrust of the suits jets he watched his friend race off in the very armour he created, knowing well that the ideals he longed for would be well guarded. Looking about the workshop he eyed the erratic and oft malfunctioning robotic helper.
"Just stay away from the fire extinguisher unless I ask for it alright?" The nod the articulate arm did then did little to reassure him as he returned to his computer, summoning an interactive hologram of the interface chip prototype and doing what he did best, making it smaller and better.
He sat in a coffee shop, out on the patio in a secluded corner, sipped his cup of black brew and looked at the card again as he'd done so many times before. He could feel the Big Guy, saw through his eyes to the irritation that built to anger, from anger to rage. A couple arguing all too loudly, a baby crying, a driver on the street cutting off another, and his own cup of coffee ordered black with no sugar, sitting there with cream and two. He'd learnt long ago how all these seemingly petty things built up, until finally just a moments lapse let him out. He'd feared him at first, but in those years he'd learnt that the Big Guy had a softer side, could known restraint, could be just what the world had needed not long ago, a hero.
Doctor Bruce Banner had taken time since that battle to pay heed to lessons he'd been through, gone to the depths of the desert and let him out, let him free. It made life easier, confronting what he'd fought against for so long, coming to accept it. He was coming to accept a truth he'd been scared of, knowing he wasn't alone any longer, no, in truth knowing he was two people trapped in one body. The Big Guy let him have this moment, just as he'd let him have the desert. Looking at the card again he knew his answer finally, reaching for his cell to dial the numbers. The phone rang for a time, fearing it'd go to voice mail, hearing a snort he alone could hear, a grunt at the slight.
Suddenly he heard someone breathing hard on the other end, heard the man he recognized as Tony Stark yelling at someone, telling them to put it down. A burst of noise, a fire extinguisher Bruce thought, caught the growl Tony gave, heard the Big Guy laughing behind him in the depths of his mind.
"Sorry Doctor Banner, I'll be with you in just one moment. What did I tell you, only if I asked, now put that down!" Tony yelled in the background.
"Sorry Bruce, so, how was your vacation?" Tony asked over the phone.
"Refreshing." Bruce replied, by the time he'd left after everything that had happened he'd known he'd owed the Big Guy for everyone he'd saved, knew just where he wanted to go.
"So, did you think about my offer? I could really use someone with your credentials and brilliance working with me. As for him, well, he did save my life so I'm sure I could find some stuff for him to do. Inexpensive demolition of recently taken over properties springs to mind." Tony remarked over the call.
Looking to a window across the street, he looked at himself, into himself, saw him looking back. Waiting a long moment he saw a nod, knew the two of them were in rare agreement. Blinking away the image Bruce took a sip of his coffee, set it down only to push it away after, unable to finish it.
"I'd love to Tony, both of us." Bruce said, hearing a clap on the other end of the call.
"Alright, where are you? Jarvis? Where are they, oh. Just down the block, well, I guess I won't send a car around for you. See you in ten? Twenty? You know what, take your time. Jarvis will let you in. See you then Doctor Banner, see you both later." Tony said, the call ending.
Bruce knew the last part had been for the other guy, throwing a bill down to the table. Walking out into the street he took a calming breath, closed his eyes and found his centre. Stepping out into the crowd he walked down the street, taking in the sights along the way, making his way to Stark Tower.
The Tour as it'd been called had been everything he'd needed, everything that the time during the War hadn't been, before he'd finally realized he had to stand up for everything he believed in. He spoke at schools, talked to children, students, veterans of wars that had followed what should have been the very last War. He visited hospitals, felt his heart break seeing the victims of weapons he knew too well, weapons he hadn't ever imagined. Yet despite this they all looked to him for something they all needed, hope. He wouldn't let them down.
Looking up at the tower, something that he could never have imagined before in those years of his life that had become his past, become history, he had to admire Stark, saw the father in the son. Walking up to the doors he watched the people around him look to him, knew even without the costume he stood as something his country needed, a symbol of everything they held dear. He'd always be the Captain, but today he just wanted to be that Brooklyn boy again, to be Steve Rogers.
"Captain?" A man asked, dressed in a tailored suit with a weapon bulge at his chest, he looked more like a quarterback.
"Please, call me Steve. What can I do for you?" Steve asked, reaching a hand out, glad he took it.
"Mister Stark would like me to give you the VIP tour, Mister Jarvis will let me know where I can and can't take you. But I think I should start you with the observation level, really sir, the view is unbelievable." The man said after a time, looking down to the hand he shook, gripped all the tighter.
"Thank you, I'd like that." Steve said, letting himself be lead on to the elevator, once again saw what he needed in the man's eyes, hope.
Nick looked to her, imagined her sleeping, wished it had been that simple. Reaching a finger out to brush against her ebon locks and remembered her as he'd seen her before, wished he could see her just as she'd been then. Looking at her he thought of another, had seen the reports in the brief time Tony Stark had been assigned to the task.
"I didn't expect to see you so soon." Nick looked up, let a pained smile fall across his lips, savoured the sudden stiffness in a man who always seemed unflappable.
"I've seen your proposal, I have to say it's impressive. As a personal favour I'd like you to consider one more for it." Nick said, handing the folder over.
Tony held it, looked at it, flipped the pages after reading over them so very attentively. Looking up to 'The Spy' as he'd coined him once, he let himself smile, shut the folder before handing it back.
"It'd be my pleasure. I think we both owe him one. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do." Tony said, watching as the man left.
Keystrokes showed him them all, men he'd come to trust with his life, the spy, the soldier, and the discordant twins, the truest Gemini. Realizing he'd become poetic again he walked off to the bar, poured a drink and downed it. Out there were others, an archer, a maiden, and a god. For now he had to wait, knew the world waited with him. Natasha had said it the truest, had told him one night, knew they both had red in the ledger, swore to her then that he'd make sure they both paid that debt. Looking to the girl laying next to him, thinking of a man before her, he figured they'd be just as good a place to start.