Just a Consultant
Summary: Tony Stark knew he was never really made a full – on Avenger. That didn't stop him from offering up his tower, toys, and money (and his heart) to the program in hopes of securing his spot on the team of the Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Yeah, he knew he was still just a consultant. How could he not with the way he was treated?
Author's Note: I don't own the Avenger's or the Iron Man Movies – pretty sure Marvel's got them locked up tight on that. This is Dark, and it's gonna hurt. I had a bad day at work. Poor Tony. Spoilers all the way to Cap 2 – but S.H.I.E.L.D. is recovering with its new Director.
After the Battle of Manhattan, it just made sense to Tony, that everyone had a quiet place to come home to for rest and relaxation – that wasn't S.H.I.E.L.D. With that in mind, while working on the renovations and restorations that his and Pepper's baby (the Stark – eh "A", let's just call it the "Avenger's Tower", Pep?) required after the battle, Tony Stark retrofitted entire floors to each member of the team and decorated them to the dossiers J.A.R.V.I.S. had managed to lift off of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s mainframe. Each floor came equipped with master bed/bathroom combinations as well as guest suits (for people like Thor who could theoretically bring Jane and the intern Darcy), kitchens, dining rooms, living areas, and subtle differences by floor depending on who the floor was for.
Tony and Pepper had the penthouse suit still just above the communal kitchen and communal living areas that all the Avengers could congregate too and spend some time to get to know one another. Tony thought it was a brilliant plan – but then he thought most of his plans were brilliant – the planning going off without so much as a hitch – but the actual application of said plan, is where he got socked in the jaw. And that stung. It really, really did.
Every single one of the Avengers turned down his offer of hospitality. At first he thought it was because the floors weren't finished, or they just weren't perfect enough – and that he'd get it right in time. But Thor went back to Asgard with his psychotic little brother, the assassins went back to S.H.I.E.L.D., dragging Steve Rogers with them, and not even Candyland kept Bruce Banner around long enough for the dust to settle. He kept waiting for something to change – for someone to come back – for Coulson to drop by with a debriefing or mission (only to remember that the man was an idiot and dead) and it didn't. So seven months after the Battle of Manhattan – the Avenger's Tower had been fixed for the last four (and was willed to the members of the Avengers team should something happen to him), he'd upgraded all of his team members uniforms and weapons at least twice (no thanks were ever received), and he'd shelled nearly a billion dollars into the recovery effort – when he decided that he just wanted to go home.
He flew most of the way in the newest Mach Iron Man Suit and was passing Randy's Donuts when an old conversation crept into his mind. "Iron Man Yes. Tony Stark… Not Recommended." Tony nearly clipped the damn donut and spiraled to an ungraceful heap on the ground. It all came rushing back to him then. He wasn't an Avenger. He was a consultant. He'd been busting his ass the last seven months for absolutely nothing! For Fury and Hill to have a good laugh? No wonder the others stayed away! For fuck's sake, when the nuke was coming in, Fury did the only thing he could do – he called the consultant – the only expendable one out on the playing field at that moment.
The nightmares started that night.
The good news is that he quits drinking. The bad news is that his obsessive compulsive tinkering with the suits is really starting to piss Pepper off. The nightmares had steadily grown worse and nothing either of them could do could stave them off. It wasn't until the Mandarin, and Extremis and the Iron Patriot, that Tony realized just how petty and paranoid he'd become. "Iron Man Yes. Tony Stark… Not Recommended." Truth was, he could have given Rhodey any suit that was flying, but he was shit scared that once he mastered the art of flying it – like he'd mastered War Machine (THAT HE'D STOLEN), that's he'd be the go to aerial support for the Avengers team. Maybe even as more than just a consultant? So they'd all nearly died, saved the day, and never heard a peep out of S.H.I.E.L.D. or the Avengers.
It wouldn't be until weeks later that Bruce would check in (but Bruce doesn't check in, it's Tony begging for his help to stabilize Extremis so that he doesn't lose Pepper). The laugh and they joke (Tony is faking it, Bruce is extremely uncomfortable) and Pepper will be fine. Tony realizes that while the world needs Iron Man – the Avengers do not, and they both have the War Machine/Iron Patriot, so he makes the biggest decision of his life. He has the Arc Reactor removed and a prosthesis fitted over the gaping hole in his chest so that he no longer has to worry about shrapnel. Lung capacity is still diminished and his heart will probably go long before his liver (and that's saying something given all the abuse it's taken through the years), but he refuses to be put on the transplant list. No more lives will end for his to continue. No more Jimmy, or Anders, or Yinsen.
When Thor comes back, this time putting the smack down on Dark Elves in Greenwich of all places, Tony attempts to call the team together for some impromptu bonding time. He's feeling a little under the weather, but he dearly misses his frie – the people he helped saved the world with. He's already making his way to London where Jane Foster the Astrophysicist is staying when his is politely turned downed – by every member of the Avengers team – save Thor who doesn't own a cell phone. Tony has a deep rattling cough when he lands – and sees the Avengers already gathered – along with one Colonel James Rhodes (A.K.A. Iron Patriot). "Iron Man Yes. Tony Stark… Not Recommended." Oh Yes. How could he have forgotten that?
When it becomes apparent that Thor will be staying, he again offers up the Tower, where he and Pepper had been staying, saying that they will be moving to the Stark Mansion before their arrival. Pepper is pissed. Luckily they decline again – but so too does Tony's health. He places a call to one Dr. Banner. Who doesn't have time to see him, because he is busy running missions and keeping his teammates in tiptop shape. Banner never hears the breath catch in the back of Tony's throat or the broken rattle as it leaves his lungs – he's already hung up the line.
The Avengers finally make their way to the Tower after it is revealed the H.Y.D.R.A. had been hiding within S.H.I.E.L.D. all along and in order to take it down, S.H.I.E.L.D. has fallen. They encounter a grieving Pepper Potts – who violently slaps a still healing Steve Rogers in the face when he asks to speak with "The Consultant". The Avengers warily retreat to their respective floors upon seeing the angry orange flushing of the Extremis just below her skin. J.A.R.V.I.S. directs them – bunking James "Bucky" Barnes and Sam Wilson with Steve Rogers. It is a few days later that the new Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. shows up in the Communal Kitchen to reintroduce himself to the team and to demand answers.
Director Phillip J. Coulson is not happy.
Pepper is drawn by the noise of the shouts of surprise, joy, and confusion. Explanations can wait until later, she needs him, and right at this very minute Tony doesn't have much longer. This gets everyone's attention. Under Coulson's stare Pepper breaks. Under his hand, she guides the group of damnable heroes to the deathbed of the person that makes her whole universe worth anything. Diminished lung capacity and his heart will probably go long before his liverthey had said when they removed the arc. The under the weather turning into pneumonia turning into congestive heart failure before anyone could catch it… Tony caught it, but didn't want to be an even bigger burden than he felt he already was. Well… he had, tried to make the call, but was turned away. Now there was only one irrevocable truth.
Tony Stark was dying fast; of a broken heart. But it was okay – he was Just a Consultant.
Author's Note #2: This now has a completed sequel of over 25,000 words! Be sure to check it out: Tony Stark... Not Recommended.