A/N My third Avengers Story :)

There aren't enough Tony/OC stories out there... At least in my opinion

I own nothing

"Tony, we need more time." She whispered to me.

I looked up from the metal suit I was in and into her sea coloured eyes. She looked frightened but determined as she looked over to Yinsen, an unreadable look in her eyes.

"We need more time," she whispered again, this time to the older man.

Yinsen nodded, seeming to understand the look in her eyes and looked at me with a faint smile, "Stay here," he told me firmly before leaning over and whispering something into her ear.

He turned on his heel and ran out the door, gun in hand. She watched him go with tears in her eyes, before looking over to the large computer. She nodded to herself before jumping as gunshots rang out, echoed by a loud yelling.

"Yinsen!" I yelled, trying to move in the metal monster.

She turned to me. "Tony, please don't move," she begged, hurrying over to me and placing a delicate hand on my 'heart.' "You need to get out of here, and this suit is your ticket," she told me, her voice wavering.

I shook my head, "Our ticket, Quinn, our ticket," I corrected, shooting her a weak smile.

She smiled back as the tears fell free from her eyes, nodding her head wildly. More yelling sounded down the hall as the suit started to rumble, making the words impossible to understand. Quinn looked confused before she looked over at the computer, eyes widening when she noticed the suits percentage at ninety nice percent. It was almost ready.

"Hide, quickly," I told her urgently, "Follow when I've cleared the checkpoints."

She nodded before hurrying over to a shadowy corner, chocolate hair bobbing in a rhythm behind her. The lights started to dim and flicker as the suit powered up, draining energy from its surroundings.

I heard shouting in an unknown language before shots were fired and the metal objects in the room reflected the shots, causing large sparks and bangs before everything settled down.

I finally managed to move in the suit and took a few steps forward, making my way to the door. In the darkness all I could hear was the suit whirling as it moved.

"Quinn, follow when its safe," I told her before firing out into the darkness, provoking screams from the terrorist group flunkies.

I hurried out, attacking anything that moved or screamed. Whether I used my metal clad fists or my bullets, I didn't care, as long as I made a safe path for Quinn. I followed the screaming men out and spotted Yinsen, bleeding on a sack of ammo.

"Yinsen!" I yelled moving towards him.

"Tony look out!" He screamed feebly.

I heard him just in time to stop my advances forward. A missile went flying past where my head had been and smashed into the rock behind me, causing rubble to go flying in every direction.

I looked and fired a missile of my own at the perpetrator, sending him flying back. When I didn't see him get back up I hurried over to Yinsen.

"Yinsen? Come on we've got to go. Move for me, come on. We had a plan, we're gonna stick to it," I told him hurriedly, trying to find the source of the blood.

"This was always the plan, Stark," he said back, a weak smile painting his lips.

I froze at his words before I hurried on again, "Come on, you're gonna go see your family. Get up," I said stressing the last words.

"My family is dead." He told me softly.

I turned to look at him, my mask hiding my real emotions, "I'm going to go see them now, Stark," he whispered, his eyes growing dull.

I tried to open my mouth and tell him that he was not giving up on me. "It's okay," he said, reassuring me, "I want this," he whispered before looking at me.

"Get Quinn out of here, Stark," he said to me as firmly as he could. "Let her see her family again," he managed to get out before the light left his eyes.

I swallowed back the sorrow of losing Yinsen before I stood to my full height. As I felt a sob build in my thought, movement caught my attention and turned, my hand lifted and ready to fire.

"Tony!" A small voice yelled, stopping me from pulling the trigger.

I lowered my arm and saw Quinn come hesitantly out of the shadows, tears in her eyes as she looked to Yinsen.

"No," she whispered brokenly, the tears leaving trails in the grime on her pale cheeks.

I took a few steps towards her, "You need to stay here, I'm going to try and clear the path as much as I can, and when there's a way out I want you to take it," I told her firmly, "I'll follow you, and even if I don't people are out there looking for us, they'll find you," I promised her before turning and heading outside.

I waltzed out, the others outside hesitated before lifting their guns and firing with everything they had. After a few minutes they lowered their guns only to find they had done no damage.

"My turn," I said darkly raising my hands and letting loose a stream of fire.

I ignored their screams as I took steps forward, lighting up everything burnable and within my reach. The men scattered, turning and running with their tails behind their legs.

It didn't last long and eventually I felt the heavy pressure of bullets hitting the suit again.

"Tony! Look out!"

I turned when a voice screamed out and narrowly avoided a tank firing at me. In return I blew it sky high before looking over to Quinn, worry thrumming in my veins. I opened my mouth about to tell her to get back inside, where it was safe, when a bullet came out of nowhere.

I watched as she clutched her stomach and stumbled, looking up at me in shock. I took one step forward before another bullet hit her in the shoulder, flinging her back and staining the white tank top she wore with a deep, scarlet red. She smacked into the rock wall, beside the cave entrance, fear as clear as day on her features. By the time I had taken another step she was shot again, causing her to fall to the ground, a scream ripping its way past her lips and echoing of the walls of the cave.

"QUINN!" I screamed.

"QUINN!" I yelled as I shot up in bed, sweat pouring down my face in waves.

I swallowed heavily, blinking back tears as I thought back to my dream. How was this still haunting me? It was years ago, long before Reindeer games and before Obadiah. Before I became the infamous Ironman.

"Quinn," I whispered to myself, the chocolate haired girl entering my thoughts again.

I leant back against my pillows once again, "Sir, do you require assistance?" I heard a British voice ask.

I shook my head, "No JARVIS," I said weakly, my strength drained from the nightmare.

"Shall I alert the others?" He asked me.

I thought about it, at first, but decided I didn't want them to know. I was Tony Stark, owner of Stark Industries, a millionaire, playboy, genius, philanthropist... I could go on all night.

But my point was I was The Tony Stark, and I did not have nightmares. I did not need help.

"No." I said back shortly, looking over at my bedside table and seeing the holographic display telling me it was still early in the morning.

"To early," I muttered before rolling over in bed and facing the windows, which currently were blocked out.

Suddenly I had the longing to look outside, "JARVIS, can you open the curtains?" I requested.

"Yes Sir." The AI answered before dutifully allowing the lights of New York through the window.

Normally I would have found them annoying and over done compared to the nice blue glow of my own building but tonight—this morning—I found great relief in it.

"JARVIS are any of the others up yet?" I asked aloud, refraining from rolling over restlessly in my bed.

"Yes Sir, Agent Barton, Agent Romanoff and Mr. Rogers." He informed me politely.

I nodded before pushing back the blankets and sitting up, ignoring the protests from my exhausted body. It would be easy for me to only down a few cups of coffee and wake said body up. I couldn't live with lying in that bed, pretending to dream any longer.

I stumbled into the bathroom, turning on the shower and stripping my white top and boxes before stepping in. I enjoyed the warmth for as long as I could before I exited the shower and dried off. It didn't take me to long to find an arrogant looking shirt and a pair of jeans before I deemed myself ready to go.

I waltzed out of my bedroom, sauntering down the hall before going over to the elevator. After pressing the button for the Penthouse I leant back against the wall and closed my eyes, rubbing anxiously at the dark circles underneath them.

When the door chimed, signalling my arrival, I opened my eyes and strolled out casually, already heading for the coffee maker. I looked over at the pair behind me, calmly eating breakfast at the counter like any other day.

"Want some?" I offered as the coffee maker started up smoothly, not bothering with any form of greeting.

Steve shook his head, focusing back on the paper in his hands while Clint nodded happily, spooning another mouthful of fruit loops into his mouth. I sat the cup down in front of Barton before turning back and making another.

I sighed, the best thing about being me... you get top of the line in everything, normally because I make everything that's top of the line.

I heard the elevator door opening behind me but I paid it no heed, choosing to focus instead on the rapidly filling cup of rich, bitter coffee.

"Nightmares again, Stark?" I heard a woman's voice ask.

I sighed, remembering how she spent her nights watching over us all through the cameras, before turning and facing the red-headed woman, "I was going to make you some Ginger-snaps," I said gesturing to the coffee in my hands. "But now I don't think I will," I finished, pouting slightly.

She sighed before sitting down next to Barton lazily. "Are you going to answer the question or not?" She demanded her face impassive... as always.

"No fun that way," I said, blowing off the question quickly.

I heard her muttering under her breath as the door opened again and a tired looking Bruce Banner stepped through.

"Hey Bruce," I said happily.

He looked at me for a second before nodding, "Morning Tony." He said quietly, walking over to the cupboards and pulling out some tea.

I shuddered when I saw it. "How can you drink that?" I asked with a grimace.

"Because Tony," he began, pouring hot water over the sweet smelling tea bag. "I sleep at night."

"I sleep too," I grumbled dejectedly.

He shook his head with a small smile. "Really? What time did you finally go to bed last night, huh?" He questioned, sipping his hot tea carefully.

"About eleven-thirty," I admitted bitterly, turning to look out the window at New York.

"And what time did you get up this morning?" He said, continuing to pepper me with questions.

I moaned, "Since when are you my mum?"

He looked at me sternly, "Since Pepper decided she wasn't." He stated, warning me he wasn't against pulling out the Pepper card if it meant I would sleep.

I sighed at the mention of my ex-girlfriend, "Yeah well, I don't remember, mummy," I said sarcastically and in a high voice.

I got a glare, an actual glare from the ever calm and rational Bruce.

Natasha gave me an uncertain look, oh so she is capable of emotion, "He had another nightmare last night," she commented, turning to look Bruce in the eye.

I saw him fidget uncomfortably out of the corner of my eye before hearing him sigh deeply; "Tony" was all he said.

I looked at them all as they glanced at me with worry laced features, "What?" I asked, getting slightly annoyed.

"You've been having a lot of nightmares lately Stark," Clint said.

I sighed, oh yeah no need to remind me, I thought bitterly, turning to glare at the assassin.

"Have I? I hadn't noticed," I snapped, anger and sarcasm thick in my voice.

I heard Steve sigh from behind his paper but he didn't voice his opinion for once. The others just gave me the same worried look before I couldn't stand it anymore and snapped.

"So what?" I asked, "What does it mean to you?" I questioned them, curious about what they would say.

Bruce sighed, "If there're about what happened two years ago—" He started to say before I interrupted.

"No," I snorted. "This is not about stupid Rock of Ages,"

I looked over a caught a hurt look in Bruce's eyes before he quickly averted his gaze. I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck tiredly.

"Sorry Bruce," I apologized uncharacteristically.

He seemed shocked at my apology but brushed it off with a small smile, "Its fine Tony." He brushed off, sipping his tea again.

I gave him a weak smile before brewing another coffee and walking over to the elevator. A call stopped me short and I turned to see Bruce looking after me curiously.

"If you don't mind me asking, what are they about?" He asked me cautiously.

I swallowed and looked into the black depths of my cup before pressing the button on the elevator. The doors opened sluggishly and I entered, pressing the button for the level I wanted. I looked up at the others as the door beeped signalling it was about to close.

"An old friend," I muttered.

How was that? Tell me with a review and you can steal Tony's coffee... and his cookies