At the Stark tower everything was normal as the Avengers were finishing up their duties for the day; at least it looked that way to anyone passing by. Thor was moving the new equipment shipment into the lab, with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes as it normally would. Bruce was in the lab unloading the equipment in his usual meticulous manner, although if you were looking you could notice a faltering as he picked up a hidden bottle of whiskey. Clint and Natasha were in the gym practising their hand to hand combat, taking longer breaks than usual. Steve was in the armory polishing his shield with a bit of excessive vigor, Phil on the floor next to him mindlessly loading and unloading the barrel of a gun. Pepper meanwhile was in the kitchen preparing their dinner of pasta, making barely audible sighs every now and then, when Fury stalked into the room with a grunt.

"How? The best agents and…. It's just not possible." Nick said as he sat himself

"I know. It's been hard, hard on all of us, but we will…" Pepper broke off.

"We will what?" Fury replied furiously, "It has been two weeks and nothing, no signs, no clues, nothing! It is hopeless. I have lost one of my top agents…"

"Is that all that you think of him as? He is our friend, our partner, our sense of humor, our love, and here you are worrying about losing one of your little workers!" she spat at him.

Rogers and Coulson hearing the commotion come running to the sound of danger. Entering the kitchen just as a very angry Pepper picks up a knife, Rogers quickly sidles up to her and gently the removes the knife from her hand. As he does Pepper leans into his muscular shoulder and starts sobbing uncontrollably.

"What did you say?" Coulson inquires coldly to sad looking man in the chair.

Before Nick has a chance to respond there is a knock on the door and a high pitched cackle is heard as they all rush to see who could be there. No one is in sight but as Natasha steps out to see down the hallway her foot hits a small package lying on the ground. Picking it up, the wrappings come undone revealing a damaged arc reactor still glowing with words inscribed along the side.

A promise is a promise, a deal is a deal, but a bargain can be played with.

Still teary eyed Pepper, shuffles slowly to the door. "Who was it?"

Without a word the assassin holds out the glowing reactor as Pepper clumsily grabs it to read the inscription. Her face turns white as her body crumples beneath her.