Summary: Tony Stark finds himself in a world he has no memory of where Thanos isn't a problem. Yet. Is history doomed to repeat itself or will he discover a way to help his team in both the old world as well as the new? Will he find a way to return to his old world or will new bonds that he's formed make him want to stay?

Featuring: Tony Stark, Pepper Potts, OC, All the Avengers, and others.

Setting: Post Infinity War. Sort of.

Notes: I've always loved these movies. Been wanting to write an Avengers fic for a while now.


"I told you that you didn't have to come back here so soon. We've got everything under control. I think."

Steve Rogers pulled the frazzled brunette into a comforting hug. "I know, but it's fine. We were about ready to head back anyway. How is he?"

"He's..well.. Tony. Working on a new project in the lab when he's not with Pepper or finishing the nursery." She returned the hug and then pulled away with a sigh.

Bucky Barnes rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "It sucks, but you just have to give him time. His memories will sort themselves out when they're ready."

"Thanks." Elizabeth reached out touching his hand lightly knowing the situation probably hit a bit too close to home for him. "Um, your rooms are all set for you guys. Clint and Natasha are going around the building right now running a security breach protocol."

The blonde's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "There was a breach?"

"Not that we know of, but with what happened to Tony, they felt it was better safe than sorry. Anyway, Pepper's now on maternity leave so I'm interim CEO of Stark Industries until she feels she's ready to take the job back." She explained filling them in on what they had missed since they had left for Wakanda.

Bucky couldn't help chuckling slightly. "But you hate the business stuff. You wouldn't even take a spot on the Board of Directors until Pepper agreed that you wouldn't have to wear a suit."

"I'm well aware of that, but having an Avenger's child is stressful enough. The least I could do was fill in and put her mind at ease that someone capable was filling in for her. Look, I still have a few things to do before I'm done for today. You two go make yourselves at home."


She had waited until it wasn't too early or too late in Wakanda. Still, maybe Bruce had been right. Maybe they should have waited until they had something more concrete to go on. Before she could change her mind, the familiar voice made itself known on the other line and she bit back a sigh.

"Hey Steve. It's Elizabeth. I hope I'm not calling at a bad time."

Steve wiped the sweat from his forehead and chuckled softly. "Not at all. Just finished sparring with Okoye."

"She kick your ass again?" The brunette couldn't help smirking slightly at the thought.

He chuckled softly. "Yeah, you could say that."

"Thought so. Listen, um, something happened to Tony." Elizabeth finally admitted letting a sigh fall from her lips.

Steve stiffened immediately going into Captain America mode. "What happened? Is he.."

"He's fine. Honestly, we're not quite sure what happened. He woke up this morning and half his memory was gone. Not all of what he remembers is right either." She filled him in.

He relaxed a bit shaking his head. "How bad is it?"

"He swears that he's an only child. That..that I never existed. He doesn't remember marrying Pepper or her being pregnant. Although he does remember them getting engaged."

Movement could be heard and he relayed the information to Bucky before speaking to her again. "What does Bruce say?"

"He's not sure either. Nothing appears to be physically wrong with Tony in a way that would cause memory loss. He ran some tests. No signs of any poisons or anything like that. Is everyone okay over there?" She asked biting her lip slightly.

Steve listened sighing softly. "Everyone's alright here as far as I know. I'll see if anyone knows anything though. We'll be back in the States as soon as we can."

"No. I mean, Steve, no, that's not necessary. We're fine here." She sat up straighter assuring him.

He chuckled slightly shaking his head again. "Elizabeth, it's alright. We were pretty much done here anyway."


Setting his screwdriver down, Tony sighed running his hands over his face. He knew none of this was right and didn't know what to do about it. Making a Thanos proof suit was next to impossible though that didn't mean he couldn't try. Pulling up the blueprints of the Hulkbuster armor, he studied them going over in his mind how to possibly bring it closer to being Thanos proof.

"Making another one?"

Tony whooshed the blueprints away and rubbed at the back of his neck. "Uh, no, just brainstorming."

Bruce nodded cracking a slight smile at his friend. "Right. How are you holding up?"

He sighed sitting back down on his stool. "A bit overwhelmed, honestly. I mean, I knew Pep and I were getting married. I had hoped to at least try for a kid with her. But..I have a sister? That's still throwing me for a loop."

Dr. Banner leaned against the workbench listening to him. "Maybe you should talk to her. Get to know her. It might spark a memory to return."

Tony nodded his head sighing softly. "Is she..I mean.. she's not an Avenger, right?"

He chuckled softly. "Your sister is not an Avenger."

The father to be was relieved to hear that. "Good. Listen, there's something I've been meaning to ask you. Want to be my kid's godfather?"

Bruce studied his face for a moment to see if he was messing with him, but then smiled. "Seriously? Tony, I'd be honored. But are you sure? I mean, what about..."

He waved him off chuckling. "Of course I'm sure. You're going to be in his life anyway."


The labs were a welcome respite from her temporary day job. She passed out food to Jane and Darcy knowing it had been awhile since either of them had probably eaten. Flopping down on the couch, she sighed in relief as she pulled her heels off.

"Bad day?" Darcy quipped looking over at her friend.

"The worst. I may be a Stark, but business is just not my forte. How are you ladies doing?" Elizabeth looked over at both of them.

Jane looked up from the notebook she was writing in. "Not too bad. Still trying to work out the kinks in this new theory of mine."

"I'm sure Thor could help you out with some of those kinks." The feisty raven haired assistant smirked taking a sip from her drink earning a laugh from their friend while making Jane blush.

The scientist rolled her eyes playfully and moved to sit down. "Hush, Darcy."

"Anyway.." The younger Stark giggled softly at their banter. "The baby shower is still on for Saturday afternoon. It'll be laid back and not too cheesy, I promise."

"Why are you even throwing one when Tony can afford it all anyhow?" Darcy took a bite of her muffin raising her eyebrow at her friend.

"Because Pepper deserves a little sense of normalcy in all this. They've already got all of the furniture, car seat, highchair, and stroller ordered. I just want my sister in law and nephew to feel loved. No one's obligated to bring any gifts." She explained assuring them.

Jane nodded along listening. "What about books? We could each get him a book and write a little something on the inside covers of whichever book we bought."

"That's actually a really cute idea, Jane. I know Pepper would love that. She'd be really touched." Elizabeth smiled at the thought.


"Well he's been through so much. I honestly wouldn't be shocked to find out that he has some kind of undiagnosed traumatic mental disorder."

Ana Jarvis nodded her head in agreement as she raised her cup of tea to take a sip. "But you know how stubborn Anthony could be when it comes to doctors."

"I feel like maybe I can get him to talk to someone. If not for me and not for him then for the baby." Pepper interjected rubbing her growing stomach gently.

The eldest woman set her cup back down smiling reassuringly at her. "I know it's hard, dear, but don't fret your pretty little head over it. He will be okay."

"Ana's right, sweetheart. He'll get the help that he needs and he'll remember again. You'll see."

Pepper sighed nodding her head in agreement and reached for her purse pulling out the newest ultrasound pictures of the baby to show them.


"Tony?" The knock at the door had startled her and she was surprised to find her brother standing there when she opened it.

He rubbed at the back of his neck and sighed. "Hey kiddo. Can we, uh, talk?"

"Sure. Come on in." Elizabeth stepped aside letting her brother into her room.

Her living space was a bit more modest than his and Pepper's, much to his surprise. "I was just thinking. You know. Maybe we could, uh, start at the beginning."

"I'd like that. What would you like to know?" She smiled softly shutting the door and moving to sit down in her small seating area.

Tony took a seat as well relaxing a bit. "Like I said, let's start at the beginning. What do you remember about Mom and Dad's accident?"

"What? You've never talked to me about that before. I was five years old when it happened. No one ever pushed me to really talk about it besides the cops." She frowned pushing her hair away from her face.

He shook his head. "I'm sorry. I'm asking you now. Wait, why would the cops want you to talk about it?"

"Because I was there. Dad was skeptical about leaving you home alone with me so he and mom took me with them. They were supposed to drop me off with Aunt Peggy on their way to D.C., but we didn't make it that far. I was in the backseat. I remember the music playing and Dad telling me how much fun I was going to have. The combination of the music and the car moving put me to sleep though." The brunette recalled curling up a bit in her seat.

Tony looked over at her listening intently to her words.

"I woke up seconds after the car crash. I was thrown forward a bit and I remember the seatbelt hurting me. Dad was talking, but I couldn't tell you what he was saying. I vaguely remember someone standing outside of the car. Dad's voice got louder and he sounded panicked. It made me scream and I cried for him. I.." She trailed off making a face.

He reached over squeezing her hand gently. "It's alright."

"I remember someone reaching for Mom, but they stopped when they saw me. Whoever it was grabbed the car phone and called the cops. That's all I really remember. I've tried to block most of it out over the years. Although, I did see you at the hospital. You promised you'd never let anything happen to me again."

Tony smiled slightly at that. "Well you know I meant it."

"Yeah, I know. I mean, I was five so I'm sure I'm probably remembering parts of what happened wrong. It was only about three years or so after that when Jarvis died. You used to call me your best beta tester and surprised me one day with the AI Jarvis. It was one of the best gifts you've ever given me." She smiled at him.

He chuckled slightly and shook his head. "It's funny. Mom and Dad never mentioned wanting to have more kids. I wonder why they waited so long. Maybe Dad's work got in the way."

"Maybe. I can't say I ever asked."

Tony grew serious again and looked at her. "So who are you dating?"

"What? Tony, I love you, but you don't intimidate any of the guys in this tower. But if you must know, I'm single. You and Rhodey go into overprotective big brother mode any time a guy steps near me." She shot him a look and then laughed softly at him.

He nodded his head chuckling slightly. "Good. Keep it that way."

"Anthony!" The brunette threw a pillow at his head.


Not wanting to upset her any further nor wanting to get anything else thrown at him, Tony ended his conversation with his sister and left her be for now. Various thoughts filled his mind as he walked around Avengers tower. With help from Jarvis, he found Bucky in the gym sparring with Steve. He nodded at them and they finished up then took drinks from their water bottles.

Tony sighed rubbing at the back of his neck. "Bucky, can I speak with you for a second?"

The blonde went into protective mode looking over at Tony. "What's going on?"

He held his hands up showing he meant no harm. "Stand down, Cap. I just have a question about the Winter Soldier."

Bucky swallowed hard and nodded his head. "Alright. What do you want to know?"

Tony looked at him, "Were you ordered to kill my parents?"

He sighed pushing his dark brown hair away from his face knowing they had already had this conversation before, but considering Tony's recent memory issues, he answered him again. "Yes. But your sister was in the backseat crying. I was ordered to leave no witnesses, but I couldn't kill a child."

The elder Stark tilted his head slightly. "Since when? The Winter Soldier would kill anyone."

Bucky frowned glancing down for a moment before looking at him again. "I know. I can't explain it. I was about to shoot Howard when I heard her."

Tony eyed him in disbelief. "That makes no sense. If you failed your mission, they would have sent you to do it again. Or sent someone else."

His shoulders shrugged. "I got them what they wanted. The vial of super soldier serum and Howard's notes about the serum. It didn't matter that I left your sister alive. She was five years old. She didn't know what happened."


"You certainly have something on your mind. Talk to me." The red haired former agent of SHIELD observed the younger woman curiously.

"It's just something that Tony said stuck with me. Would SHIELD happen to know what our father was working on around, say, nineteen eighty five and nineteen eighty six?" Elizabeth questioned glancing over at Natasha.

"I'm sure there's probably a note somewhere in his file. Around those days, with the threat of a possible Cold War looming, they were definitely keeping an eye on guys like Howard. I could look into it if you want. Wasn't that around when you were born?"

"I'd appreciate that. Thanks Natasha. And yes, I was born in eighty six. I'm just curious. I couldn't find anything in any of the files at Stark Industries. It is rather odd that they waited so long to have me though." She noted shrugging her shoulders.

"Howard Stark was a known workaholic. He barely had enough time for Tony and was a rumored womanizer. It's not too surprising that they didn't have you until the eighties." Natasha spoke bluntly looking directly at the brunette.

An arrow whizzed by their heads just then barely grazing the top of Natasha's hair and the redhead glared at the archer who simply chuckled. "What?"

"I'll get right on that after I teach Clint a lesson." The Black Widow stood up and gave chase to Clint who swore before taking off for the nearest vent.

Elizabeth shook her head smiling slightly at their antics as she stood up and made her way toward the tower's library. She sat down at one of the computers glancing around before doing a search on the web for articles pertaining to her parents' accident. She clicked around though didn't find any information that she hadn't already known. Shaking her head, she closed the search clearing the history of it. A loud clang caught her attention and she turned just in time to see the archer tumble out of one of the vents looking roughed up.

"And that's why we don't shoot our arrows so close to Natasha's head." She teased moving to help him up.

Clint sighed nodding his head as he got to his feet with her help. "Yeah, I know."

"Also no shooting arrows outside of the designated training floor." Elizabeth admonished him.

He smirked walking slowly out of the library with her. "Spoken like a true aunt to be. You're right. I'm sorry. In my defense, it was a Nerf arrow."

"Clint, only you would intentionally mess with Natasha like that."