Request for Olympus97- sorry about the wait!
New multi-chaptered fic, charting events after Iron Man 3, could act as an Avengers sequel.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Avengers, they are a part of the Marvel universe.
The title is a Torchwood quote.
After the Fall/ The End Is Where We Start From
Looking back, he really shouldn't have been surprised at how things turned out. Of course everything would fall to shit with his goddamn luck and of course the only thing that could buy their freedom was currently sitting at the bottom of the ocean. Damn it. Damn it all to hell.
He hears a click of a gun being prepared and forces himself to look up and discover which of his friends' temples the cold, unforgiving metal is pressed against…
Part 1
As they survey the remains of the white walls and showy décor of Tony Stark's Malibu mansion, they are struck, once again, by how much has changed since New York. Then, Tony Stark had just been a cocky billionaire who sometimes played at being a superhero. Now he was…'Well, still all of the above' Clint said to himself with a wry smirk. 'Just minus the mansion.' Even as he laughed quietly to himself, he was aware that his statement wasn't quite true. Cocky, yes, billionaire, well, that was a given but hat wasn't the whole picture. There was a whole lot more to Tony Stark than a huge ego and witty one-liners.
Considering its recent run-in with terrorists, the house wasn't looking too bad. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the mansion looked set to be restored to all its former glory. All the main structural work was already almost complete in a surprisingly short time of just a few weeks. Apparently, when rebuilding a state-of-the-art, beautiful, enormous mansion, having more money than you knew what to do with was a distinct advantage. It always was.
A figure stands overseeing some of the building work. With her tailored skirt and jacket, matching high-heels and stylish hair-do, Pepper Potts is immaculate as always. They try to reconcile this with the last time they saw her, on TV, crying over a head-piece of her boyfriend's suit in the ruins of her perfect life, unaware her every move was being caught on camera.
Pepper turns to direct supplies and spots the Avengers team hovering awkwardly. Her lips quirk upwards in a small smile and she comes towards them.
"Clint, Natasha, Steve, Bruce…We weren't expecting you." She sounds confused and can tell from the way they're dressed that this isn't a social call. The teams dressed for battle.
Natasha, who knows her best, steps forwards, cool mask hiding some of her concern.
"Pepper we heard…a little of what happened. We know you were…how are you?"
A haunted expression briefly crosses Pepper's face. She slowly, deliberately closes her eyes and when she opens them, the expression is gone.
"I'm…ok. No, really, I am. Or at least I'm getting there."
The team smiles in genuine relief. They haven't, with the exception of Natasha, spent much time with Pepper but she's lovely and good for Tony and no way in hell did she deserve to be caught up in this mess.
"Listen, I'm guessing you're here for Tony?"
Steve, as the closest they have to a leader, nods.
"Yes. We were briefed this morning on a mission requiring all the team by Director Fury and- "
"-and Tony was a no-show right?"
"Yes. We were wondering…"
"Look. Tony's not the same. He hasn't been since New York and then this came along and well, all I'm trying to say is maybe there's a reason he was left out of this."
Her tone is gentle, sad and the team can't help but think she's not telling them much more in case she starts crying.
Bruce clears his throat. "We know Pepper, we know. We're worried about him."
A small, sad smile graces Pepper's lips.
"Aren't we all?" she murmurs to herself, before visibly pulling herself together.
"He's round the back. And guys? Try to be gentle."
They find Tony, predictably, bossing around some unfortunate construction guys, who look more than a little relieved to see the team of superheroes approaching. Tony turns to face them, frowns a little, then smiles, a large, cocky, welcoming smile. It doesn't reach his eyes.
He thinks they don't notice.
They do.
"Hey guys!" he calls out, striding towards them. "Er, if you wanted a tour, you've picked a bad time…"
"You missed the meeting." As usual, Clint isn't one to beat around the bush. Tony flinches.
"Yeah, look, about that...I've been doing some thinking and you know, I've got a great girl, whom I really don't deserve- don't tell her I said that- and, you know what, maybe I should give the whole flying round in a tin suit a rest for while."
There's a stunned silence. Natasha is the first to recover.
"What? Please tell me this is a bad joke Tony." She sounds pissed but there's a slight tremor to her voice. She's worried. They all are.
"No joke, Miss Romanov. I'm deadly serious. Blueberry?" he holds a packet out. They ignore it. He doesn't blame them.
"This isn't like you Tony."
The billionaire smirks.
"Concerned Cap? Afraid I'm not much without the suit after all?"
"You know that's not true."
Tony's expression softens.
"Look guys, I'm sorry. But Fury knows and now you know. I threw the Arc Reactor to the bottom of the ocean. I blew up the suits like a firework display. I'm done."
A few hours earlier…
"So what does Fury want this time?" Bruce sighs as he sits heavily down in one of the chairs round the conference table. His question is met by a sea of shrugs.
"Who knows?" Clint responds.
"Where's Tony?" The Captain wonders out loud.
"Who knows?" Clint repeats.
"Actually Captain, Mr Stark will not be joining us." Fury announces as he strides in self-importantly.
This sparks confusion for a moment, before they remember that this is Tony after all.
One of Natasha's perfectly shaped eyebrows raises slightly in amusement.
"Oh really? And where is Mr Stark then Director?"
Clint smirks.
"Oh, you know Tony…drunk…."
"…passed out…" Natasha adds.
"….holed up in the lab…." Bruce contributes.
Steve smiles in amusement. Fury doesn't.
"Yes, yes, very funny. Point is, Stark's sitting this one out."
The smiles fade.
"What do you mean 'sitting this one out?" Steve asks. "Isn't he just skipping the meeting?"
Fury shakes his head.
"No Captain. Mr Stark will not be joining you on this mission."
It's clear that to Fury the matter is closed but as he begins the briefing, it's equally clear to the team that no, it isn't. Tony won't be sitting this one out. He's Tony. He's a part of the team.
~end flashback~
"I'm serious guys. No more IronMan."
But if there's no more Iron Man, will that mean no more Avengers?
Because in a team, everyone needs to play their part.
Hope you enjoyed it, let me know what you think! I'm having a bit of trouble with my internet connection so please bear with me as I try to update everything- I will, I promise!
TheWordThief