Guardian of the Avengers
Summary: Jarvis always protected and loved Tony when he was alive, now he is protecting Tony and his Avengers family in the form of an AI, but Jarvis had never been picky.
AN: So this turned out to be waaay more popular than I could have ever thought. (Thank you!) People asked for a chapter 2/sequel so I complied, while also deciding to revise this chapter a bit since I, myself, have updated in my writing skills.
"Jarvis"
:...Recordings...:
"Normal"
I OWN NOTHING
~?~?~?~
Tony Stark
"Jarvis, calculate this equation for me," Tony muttered, gulping down his coffee; he was dead tired, having worked so much to restore the Avengers tower.
"The answer is Vf = Vo + at," Jarvis replied helpfully.
"Thanks," Tony sighed, rubbing his eyes.
"Sir, may I suggest going to bed? Or at least the couch; you have been working none-stop for fifty-three hours and forty-five minutes and haven't eaten anything nutritional in forty-eight hours," the AI informed him.
Ton sighed again. "The Avengers need me to get this place up and running again," he replied and yawned.
"I agree sir; however, I believe they feel your health is more important than the towers. They only have one of you and they won't get another anytime soon I'm afraid," Jarvis said.
"Mhm," Tony mumbled, yawning as he stood.
Suddenly, whatever force that kept Tony standing up-right gave way and he was falling, luckily he caught the corner of his desk so he didn't face-plant but he still fell to the ground. Tony was numb with no energy to get up.
"Tony?!" that was Bruce's voice; his loud footsteps not far behind.
Tony's eyes cracked open slightly. "You traitor," he grumbled under his breath.
"I shall hold the title with pride sir," the AI said almost cheekily.
Tony saw Bruce reach him before he was under; peacefully unconscious, thankfully fine, though he'd be very hungry when he'd wake.
Bruce Banner
Three AM, everyone was asleep.
Bruce was panting as he shakily packed his bag, bringing only the essentials for his leave.
"Going somewhere Dr. Banner?"
Bruce jumped, tensing before taking deep breaths to calm himself.
"I apologize Doctor, I had not meant to startle you," the AI said.
Bruce sighed. "It's okay Jarvis," he replied, shouldering his bag.
"May I inquire as to where you are going?"
Bruce frowned, walking down the hall. "I'm ready to leave," Bruce finally said, though it was a lie. He never wanted to leave.
"What happened to Mr. Stark was an accident, those tend to happen from time to time," Jarvis said gently.
Bruce squeezed his eyes shut as flashbacks of the day before ran around his brain. "I broke his arm," he said tensely. "I thought I could make it work here but I can't! What if next time it's his leg, or what if the Other Guy accidently pushes him too hard and his head craves in?! I can't risk that!"
"Then perhaps you should focus on the good times; for they far outweigh the bad," Jarvis replied calmly.
Bruce paused. He remembered. The sense of shock and hope when Tony blatantly mentioned his like of the Other Guy when they met. His instant amusement, and what would be future affection, when Tony shocked him with the prod; that show of trust. Tony creating the Hulk-room, giving Bruce his labspace, and all of that tech. Tony giving him a home….
Tony giving him a friend...
"I cannot make you stay, you have your own free-will. However, I can ask," the AI said. "Mr. Stark's health mentally and physically has changed for the better dramatically since you have moved in and begun to work with him in the lab. So I ask; please, don't leave."
Bruce was silent. "Bruce?"
Bruce looked up in surprise, somehow he had made it into the kitchen and in it was Tony—black cast, pyjamas, and all. And then, Bruce saw it; in Tony's eyes. Despite being tired and probably in pain, Tony was happy to see him, happy just to be in his presence. It almost made Bruce cry.
"Is something the matter?" Tony asked, digging a butter knife under his cast.
Bruce chuckled, shaking his head. "You shouldn't do that," Bruce chasten, discreetly putting his bag behind the counter.
"But it itches," Tony whined.
Bruce smiled. "I have an easy remedy for that," he replied and then, the two friends, Science Bros, left the kitchen, happy just to stand in the other's company.
Steve Rogers
Steve was sitting on his bed, staring at a deck of bloodied cards. Phil Coulson's vintage Captain America cards to be exact. Next to the deck was a newer set; those with no blood. All were signed by Steve himself, and now, he had nothing to do with them.
"If I may Captain Rogers," Steve jumped at the disembodied voice, "perhaps you may place a deck by Agent Coulson's grave and save the other for yourself, so you may remember him."
Steve frowned. "I wouldn't know which one to keep," he sighed, wringing his hair with his hands.
"Phil, I'm so sorry," he finally whispered. "Where was your hero when you needed him most?"
"Doing his job." Steve looked up in surprise.
"Agent Phil Coulson believed in heroes, from the simplest to the most complex. He believed that heroes were everywhere though he never believed he'd ever meet his hero. And while he could not be saved by his idol, I am sure, Captain Rogers; he died peacefully knowing he helped his hero save the world, in his own way."
Steve chuckled breathlessly. "You know for a robot, you speak with more soul than most men I knew," he replied.
"Thank you Captain."
Natasha Romanoff
Natasha was in the training room, pounding on the punching bag. Alone. As it has always been, and seemed to always be.
Natasha laughed, leaning against the bag panting.
Alone…Never has she had someone to call on.
Natasha flinched as suddenly static of speakers came on.
:…I'll always have your six Nat…:
Natasha looked up in surprise. 'Clint?'
:…Hey 'Tasha, want to watch something blow up?
Buzz off Tony.
Oh you know you love me!...:
Natasha relaxed, putting her weight on the bag as she listened to the audio recordings.
'Tony you idiot.'
:…Good evening Agent Romanoff.
It's Natasha, Bruce.
Then good evening… Natasha…:
'Bruce, where would I be without you and the Hulk to protect me?'
:…Lady Widow of Black, may I inquire upon how he died?
How who died Thor?
Your husband! Surely if he was yours he must have died a great death!
Oh Thor…:
Natasha snorted silently. 'Tch, Thor, you keep me going.'
:…May I have you opinion Miss Romanoff?
Sure Cap…:
'Steve.'
:…Do you think I'll get to meet him Nat?
Anything's possible Coulson…:
'Phil, how I miss you.'
"Agent Romanoff?"
Natasha jumped at the British-accented voice.
"May I offer my company?"
Natasha smiled. "Actually Jarv, invite the others to the living room; I think we'll watch a movie together."
"Very well, Agent Romanoff."
"It's Natasha, Jarvis," Natasha replied.
"Very well, Natasha."
Natasha nodded and walked out. 'Jarvis, you're my light.'
Phil Coulson
Agent Phil Coulson of the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement Logistics Division, aka SHIELD. Alive. (yay!)
Once again, Agent Phil Coulson had been used to bring together a bunch of loner who would do a greater cause, and usually Coulson didn't mind, he'd just come back a month or two after the disaster was terminated, but this time had a problem. Coulson hadn't wanted to die for his idol but he did and now he was scared. Currently outside of the Rec. room in the Avengers Tower, which the Avengers were inside, Coulson was supposed to go inside to be their liaison, but he was scared.
What if his friends/idol hated him and yelled? What if Clint and Natasha didn't want to see him again? What if he lost what little trust Tony had in him? What if he lost all of their trust?!
Coulson didn't want to risk it.
Just as his nerves were about to win and send him into hiding at SHIELD base, someone spoke.
"Trouble, Agent Coulson?"
Coulson frowned. "I can't go in there," he said quietly.
"And why is that?" the calming voice asked.
"They'll hate me," Coulson muttered. "I'd rather they grieve for me for life than hate me for life."
"Oh contraire," Jarvis replied. "Many times, the Avengers, in their own way, have asked why you had to die and not them. Tony demands all the time why you tried to play hero when you had no powers."
Coulson frowned. "Really?"
"Of course, you were, and I quote, their Super-nanny, and they'd ask for no one else but you to liaison for them... That and the other liaisons Director Fury has sent have all left the building screaming."
Coulson chuckled, shaking his head. "That sounds like them," he agreed.
Coulson took a deep breath; glancing at the ceiling. "I'm reaching out and trusting you on this one," he said accusingly.
"I've never been one to lie Agent Coulson," Jarvis replied.
In retrospect, Coulson probably should have thought that statement through because the AI has lied to him before, many times. Luckily, Coulson idly thought as he opened the door, he hadn't this time.
"Son of Coul!" –Thor
"Coulson?" –Steve
"Agent Agent!" –Tony
"Phil…" –Clint
"…" –Natasha
"Agent Coulson." –Bruce
"Welcome back Agent." –Fury
Phil smiled, welcome back indeed.
…
"YOU DID WHAT TO MY CARDS!?"
Clint Barton
Tossing and turning. Moaning and groaning. That as all Clint seemed to do in bed anymore, have nightmares and night terrors, flashbacks of his mental torture forced upon him by Loki. Counselors tried to talk him down and 'help him' but Clint was a hawk and they were loners; sometimes that was his downfall…
Agent Barton
...What?
Agent Barton, please wake up. You're experiencing irregular heartbeat and your breathing has labored.
Jarvis?
Like lightning, Clint bolted up from bed gasping while gripping his chest, right over where Loki took control of him. Before Clint could control himself, he was crying into his knees, hiding his head under his arms; a position that spoke trying to protect himself but failing.
:...The funny thing about facing imminent death is that it really snaps everything else into perspective. Take right now, for instance.
Run! Come on, run! You know you can do it!
I gulped deep lungfuls of air…:
Clint looked up in surprise that was Maximum Ride: Angel Experiment. Silently, the book audio played and Clint fell back in bed, his thoughts centered on the kids who could fly free in the sky, the one thing Clint wanted most. Without his consent, soon his eyes drooped and then he was asleep; dreams of flight in his head.
"Goodnight Agent Barton."
Loki Odin-Laufeyson
Loki was locked in the basement of the tower he used to try and take over the world, bound and gagged. Most thought he was fuming, enraged by his defeat but in truth, Loki was mixed up.
Loki had awoken in the tower, faced with people he didn't know, recognizing only Thor and the Green Beast, whom he'd seen before. They arrested him for apparently attacking Earth but Loki recalled nothing.
"You seemed confused Mr. Odinson."
Loki jumped, shocked by the voice; he looked around but there was no one.
"I apologize Mr. Odinson; it would seem you haven't heard from me before. I am Sir Stark's computer, Jarvis."
Loki cautiously nodded his hello, still looking around. Suddenly the gag's electrical lock beeped and it fell from his mouth. Loki gasped and coughed, finally feeling like he could breathe again.
"I have noticed, Mr. Odinson, that you have had strange emotions ever since your capture," Jarvis informed him.
"I'd prefer Laufeyson," Loki replied hoarsely. "And I was confused."
"Confused?"
Loki frowned. "I remember falling from the Bifrost, being grabbed, and then suddenly, awakening again, surrounded by those Midgardians," Loki paused, unsure of how to continue.
"You took over Stark Tower to use as a portal to bring extraterrestrials on Earth to rule it," the AI said matter-of-factly.
"But that is impossible!" Loki shouted. "I was born for mischief! And pranks! But this… I couldn't have…"
Jarvis's sensors told it that Loki was telling the truth; the AI went through every file and report it had on the invasion and then some.
"Is it possible you were under the control of the Tesseract as well Mr. Laufeyson?"
Loki sighed. "What does it matter? Who would believe the Liesmith?" he asked defeated, spitting the last word with disgust.
"I would and do."
Loki looked up in shock.
"My sensors see your truth and I will speak for your innocence. Mr. Stark puts great trust in myself and my systems."
Loki slumped back, tears streaming down his face. "Only one has ever been so kind to me and he didn't see the lock on my cage. Why do you try to free me?" he choked.
"Because you weren't meant for containment."
Thor Odinson
Thor was lying half on his bed, his feet hanging down idly kicking every so often, simply staring at the ceiling thinking. Thor just couldn't release the image of his brother's face the day of his imprisonment verdict. During the trial Thor tried to save his brother's freedom, they had bonded again and Loki had softened. He had truly been scared at his verdict and Odin hadn't listened; he didn't even come to Midgard to hear a witness's case, one that could have freed Loki.
"All-Knowing Man?" Thor asked.
"Yes Mr. Odinson?" Jarvis replied, having adapted to the strange title.
"Did I do right by my brother? Should I have tried harder to bring him to justice?" Thor asked, covering his eyes.
Jarvis was silent. "I may speak freely?" he asked calmly.
"Of course," Thor replied, sitting up curiously.
"It is from my observation and from what you have told me, I can decide your father was at the wrong," the AI said.
"But-"
"You said I may speak." Thor zipped the lip.
"Had your father been honest with Mr. Odin-Laufeyson, then he wouldn't have found out so harshly, nor the need to fight back; he would of felt equal from the start instead of weak."
Thor was silent, thinking this over before nodding solemnly. "You live up to your name, All-Knower," Thor finally said.
Nick Fury
Nick Fury, the director of SHIELD, was once again in the New Avengers Tower. There was a debriefing to be had and, as usual, he was an hour early for the meeting. Despite his mental wishes, Fury always felt a little safer in the tower than in the base, surrounded by hundreds of agents. There were many reasons why but the main one was Jarvis.
"Shall we start from where we left off Colonel?" the AI's smooth voice asked.
Fury smirked. "Of course," he replied and sat down.
"B-7."
"You sunk my ship! You cheater!"
"I did no such thing."
They play battle ships. ; )
End
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And this is the revision. I hope you enjoy it a bit more now that I've edited it bit better. I also hope you understand it better this time.
Also; I kept getting reviews that my acronym for Shield was wrong; I googled it and I found: Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate, yet people say it's this: Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement Logistics Division. I put that to appease you but I wonder how you know it's the second one? Please explain.
PS: Ch2 is almost done but I need some ideas for Sam Wilson; Ant Man; and the Hulk. Got any? Pass it along!
Till next time,
Ja ne~!