Summary: Tony's video to Pepper reaches the Compound and a rescue operation is initiated. Basically, hurt Tony, sad Pepper and stressed out Avengers. Told from Steve's POV.
Notes: Hey all, I hope that you enjoy this! Please drop me a line and let me know your thoughts. Spoilers for the trailer! I used direct dialogue from the trailer, so please be forewarned. Rating is just for some swearing.
This story is completed, I just need to go in and tweak it here and there. It will probably be posted in three parts, depends on how the flow of the story goes.
Search and Retrieve
Naturally, it's Rocket who picks up on the distress call.
Returning to the Compound in New York and leaving Wakanda to grieve for the loss of its King and people, the surviving Avengers and the sole remaining Guardian go straight to work.
Natasha comes and goes, attempting to track down Clint. "He's alive." She says on the fourth day, after leaving the compound for nearly 18 hours. She explains that while the farmhouse is empty, her former partners gear is gone. She doesn't mention the four distinct piles of ash that she finds in the house, undisturbed – because there is no need to, the others who sit with her can read it in her eyes.
Rhodey and Pepper are rarely around, each attempting to put out the respective fires that flare up, whether that be within the American military, which is understandably on edge, or Stark Industries, whose remaining investors have little faith that the genius behind the company is still alive.
Pepper puts on a brave face in front of the news cameras, but Steve finds her crying on the seventh day, clutching an old Iron Man helmet in the communal kitchen at three in the morning. He quietly leaves before she catches sight of him, his heart heavy as he goes.
Steve isn't sure what to do. He goes to visit the wizard that Bruce had mentioned was with Doctor Strange in New York but finds the building empty. It's not hard to guess that Wong had been another victim of The Snap. He gleans as much information from Thor as he can, hoping to find something, anything in his story that might help them.
When Scott Lang shows up eleven days after their return, it's he and Natasha who sit down with him and explain all that they know. Ant Man decides to stay, hoping to help reverse what Thanos had done.
The group barely sees Bruce or Rocket. The two geniuses head directly to the lab that Tony had built specifically for Bruce, and they rarely leave. Natasha checks in on them sporadically, ensuring that they are at least eating and drinking, and to see what it is that they are working on. On one of the rare occasions that Bruce joins Steve for dinner, the scientist fills him in.
"Rocket is looking for his teammates ship. He thinks he might be able to track it using the equipment in the lab. We've also put out an SOS beacon – there might be someone or something out there that can help us."
Steve nods, the space between his eyes creases as he mulls this information over. "You think that's the best idea? Could be asking for trouble, who knows who might answer that call?"
Taking off his glasses, Bruce wipes the lenses clean with the hem of his shirt. Putting them back on his face before scratching his already wild hair in irritation. "What else can we do, Steve? Without Tony, there is only so much - I can't get into half of his research because of the security codes! F.R.I.D.A.Y is trying to help but her programming will only let her go so far and even Pepper can't override everything. Even the stuff I can get to…I can barely make sense of it. We need help." He answers, a slight waver to his voice.
We need Tony.
Bruce doesn't say it out loud, but Steve can hear it clear in his tone.
"I know Bruce, I know." He agrees soberly, watching helplessly as the exhausted scientist abandons his half-eaten dinner and staggers back towards the labs.
Fifteen days later, almost an entire month after they return to New York, Steve finds himself pouring over old books on time travel lore. Books that he had plucked from the shelves in the Sanctuary that Doctor Strange had sworn to protect. Most of it doesn't make much sense to him, but he keeps at it regardless.
Pepper and Natasha are in the same room, Pepper with a Stark Tablet in her hands and Natasha with an ancient book of her own. It's quiet – almost peaceful as the three work in silence.
Pounding feet on the stairs cause them to look up, alert with all eyes on the door. Bruce comes sliding around the corner, his face flushed with frantic excitement. "We picked up on a distress call. It's a recording from Rockets ship."
"That's great news -" Steve starts, but Bruce bulls him over, the scientist only has eyes for the redhead in the room.
"Pepper…" He starts, hesitating for a split second before rushing forward, "Pepper, the recording is from Tony. F.R.I.D.A.Y says its from his suit."
The Stark Industries CEO leaps to her feet instantly, she doesn't say a word as she hurries towards Bruce, who immediately turns around and heads back the way he'd come. Natasha and Steve follow close behind, the small group feeling its first ember of hope since Scott had turned up alive earlier that month.
They find Rocket in the lab, the small creature is moving quickly between different machines, his ears pulled back against his skull as he concentrates. "I've got it saved, I'm just trying to track the coordinates now. God damnit, I'm not sure how close they'll even be." He speaks out distractedly.
"Have you played it yet?" Pepper demands.
"No, I'm too busy trying to trace the damn signal." Rocket fires back without any real heat in his words.
"F.R.I.D.A.Y?" Pepper prompts.
"Of course, ma'am."
A smaller computer screen that Rocket isn't using, and that is out of the way from his flurry of activity, lights up. The group hurries forward with Pepper in the lead. They all watch with hearts pounding in anticipation.
"This thing on? ...Hey Miss Potts."
Pepper staggers at the sound of his voice, only managing to stay upright when Natasha shoots out a hand to steady her. Steve, standing behind the two women, places a large hand against the back of her shoulder silently.
The three Avengers take in the sight of Tony with quiet horror. They watch as the golden Avenger slumps back, taking in a thin breath – his eyes gazing at something off camera.
"If you find this recording, don't feel bad about this. Part of the journey is the end."
Pepper trembles beneath Steve's hand, and Natasha speaks quietly, "If you want privacy…"
"No." The other woman chokes out, her eyes don't leave the pale and battered face of her fiancée on the screen, but her hand reaches out for Natasha's blindly and grips with white knuckled intensity. "No, stay."
"Just for the record, being adrift in space, with zero promise of rescue is more fun than it sounds. Food and water ran out four days ago. Oxygen will run out tomorrow morning. That'll be it."
Tony's voice catches slightly, before he continues, steadier – more determined. He looks directly into the lens, Steve would later swear that the man was looking directly into Peppers eyes.
"When I drift off, I will dream about you, it's always you…"
Pulling away from the tight knit group around her as the screen fades out, Pepper rounds on Rocket. "How old is this recording? How old?"
The racoon snarls in frustration. "I have no idea, okay? I'm not sure, I've almost got a fix on it. I need more time."
Pepper looks ready to say more; her eyes are steely despite her shaking frame. Bruce moves to stand between them, his face is pale, but his eyes are calm as he places his hands on her shoulders. "Hey," He says soothingly, "Give us a couple of hours to track it – alright? Then we'll go and bring him home."
Looking down at Rocket, Pepper deflates, remembering that his family might also be on that ship. "Of course, of…I'm sorry." She whispers.
Rocket grunts, uncomfortable with the apology, and goes back to work.
"F.R.I.D.A.Y, please keep me updated on the progress." Pepper calls out to the AI as she leaves the room, "…and send a copy of that recording to my phone."
Natasha follows the CEO out, but Steve turns to Bruce instead. "Is there anything I can do?" He asks, desperate for action, "How can I help?"
"Find us a spaceship, something fast." Bruce replies grimly.
To Be Continued.
I would love to hear your thoughts so far!