Tony opened his eyes, only to see the grim visage of Victor von Doom hovering over him. A terrible headache caused him to close his eyes again right away. Also, the fact that DOOM was apparently standing over him didn't help, that really wasn't a nice sight to behold. He kind of hoped that all of this was a bad dream, but the all too familiar voice brought him back into reality.

„So we meet again, Iron Man. I've to admit that I'm amazed at your audacity, but pray tell me – why do you honour me with your presence?" Doom's voce oozed with sarcasm.

Tony groaned. A sarcastic Victor von Doom, well, that was just wonderful. This day kept on getting better.

„Well, it's father's day, Vicky, and I thought there's something I should tell you! I also brought chocolates."

Doom raised his hand and did something that Tony couldn't quite make out. A searing pain went through his right arm. Ow, ok, sarcasm and Doom, baaaaad idea, Tony thought fleetingly, before he sank down into a world of darkness.

When he woke again, the headache was even worse. And that's what you stop drinking for, he sighed internally, only to have interdimensional-jump-and-Doom-torture-hangovers. Speaking of which, it was probably time to figure out what dimension he was in now. From a mission with Reed – not genocidal manic Reed, thankfully – he remembered the one where Doom ruled the world, enslaved everyone (he would of course call it freeing them to their natural state of being) and constantly made them sing his praises. He just kind of hoped it wasn't that one, he wasn't too hot on the singing.

He very carefully turned his head (ouch) and noticed for the first time that he was apparently chained to some sort of examination table (chains. Great.) and couldn't move one bit. He was still in the armour, though, so he had that going for him, even though he was sure that Doom was holding him in an EMP-field to incapacitate him. Doom himself was standing in a corner, fiddling with some device.

„Hey!", he called. Doom turned around. He had removed the lower part of his mask, apparently to take occasional sips of wine from the glass he was holding in his hand, which gave Tony a perfect view of the sardonic smile on his face.

„Stark. Welcome back."

„How do you know I am Stark? Maye this is all just some elaborate ruse and in fact this is Reed Richards wearing the armour."

Doom positively snorted. „Of course, a brilliant ruse. How is it working out for you?" He pushed a lever on his console and it hurt. Tony gritted his teeth, but thankfully, it wasn't as bad as last time and over quite quickly.

„Stark, you gave yourself away the moment you made your pathetic" – Doom sneered – „quip."

„Unfair. I thought I was pretty funny, all things considered, chains and all."

„You know, Stark, I have always had a certain – fondness for you, as far as mortal enemies go. You display so much childish arrogance it even impresses Doom. And you will be useful; on top of possessing your technology, you will either be a willing collaborator or a rather precious hostage. I know Richards has taken a liking to you."

Tony sighed, thinking back to the dimension he had just left – so at least he was, in all probability, back in his own dimension, as the relationships seemed to be identical.

„Well, hostage sounds just peachy to me. And I am warning you, Doom. You are bringing the joint forces of the Avengers and the Fantastic Four down on yourself, and even your over-inflated ego should realise this isn't the best idea. Also, just give up, you won't be able to open the armour."

Doom stepped closer again, another pleasant smile on his face (creepy). „Iron Man, I like my food canned. Just wait and see." With that he returned to his device, apparently some kind of computer terminal.

Despite his nonchalance Tony was genuinely worried; Doom might be a megalomaniac madman, but he was also a brilliant megalomaniac madman. Of course it was almost impossible to unlock his armour, he had used his most advanced algorithms to guard his hardware... but Tony was too smart to assume that he had thought of everything. He had to do something before Doom had time to think up a solution. Perhaps the old Stark-mind trick would help?

„So, Doom, have you burnt any Renoirs lately?"

The other man looked up, but only for a few seconds. „If this is your attempt to lure me into a discussion about art, then I'm seriously disappointed, Stark. But what could one expect from a spoiled playboy?"

„True, I'm not exactly a fan of art anyway. I like to keep it simple, so I just watch old movies, for example that space flick about this bald Captain and his crew... what is the title again? Ahhh, yes – Star Wars."

Doom sighed. „Captain Picard is from Star Trek."

„That can't be right, the Captain's name is Kirk."

„Kirk is from the original series, Picard is from the next generation." Suddenly Tony felt the searing pain again. „In my experience pain is a great teacher, I expect you to remember the difference between Star Wars and Star Trek, Stark."

„Is that how your mother taught you, Vic? No wonder you became a super-villain."

His words had the desired effect, Doom go so riled up that he strode to Tony. He braced himself for the trademark Doom-monologue, but instead of delivering his usual rant, Doom stared to chant in a mysterious language (I hate magic!). Images of his time as an alcoholic started to fill Tony's mind, and he regretted that he had provoked Doom. His memories seemed strangely distorted; they got mixed up with some of the Civil War. Overwhelming guilt and shame, even fear overcame him as the relieved the horrible moments when he fought Steve.

„So you actually felt guilty for doing what you thought was right?" sneered Doom. „You're pathetic!"

Tony caught his breath and answered: „Funny, and I always thought that you're pathetic because you actually think what you're doing is right and justified."

„As much as I enjoy your illusion that your rambling is witty, I'm afraid that it's time to end this." Suddenly Doom released the force field that was holding Tony. Tony was surprised; it had to be some kind of ruse.

„What a pity, Vic, I was just about to get used to your lovely face."

But Doom just turned around and said: „You're free to go, Iron Man."

In this very moment Tony realised that he couldn't move. The display of his suit changed from his usual azure blue to green. Damn it! Doom had hacked his armour, he had hacked him! Fucking magic!

„Kneel before Doom," the monarch of Latveria commanded. And he knelt.

Tony was utterly helpless as he heard his voice modulator activate, it said only three words, but it was enough to make him truly afraid: „Glory to Doom."

Doom was towering above him, another sneer on his face. In the suit, Tony desperately tried to wrest back control, but all to no avail. Doom had obviously managed to overtake his software programming using either a virus or some magic trick. Or even worse, was Doom able to control him directly, to control the suit through him the way he had just controlled his mind, making him see those horrible memories? Tony shuddered. At least his hardware still seemed to be safe, as Doom didn't release the armour to examine his tech.

„That's better. Now, how shall we pass the time, what do you think, Stark?"

Tony remained silent, as he didn't think he could even still communicate, with Doom in charge of the voice modulator. But when nothing happened for a few seconds, Doom murmured something and a new wave of pain rolled over him. He clenched his teeth, but a little whimper still escaped his lips, a whimper that promptly made Doom's smile even wider. So he could still hear him and was actually intent on playing his sarcastic games. The bastard.

„Now, answer me. How shall we pass the time?"

„I don't know", Tony said through still clenched teeth, „I'm told I do a fantastic pole dance?"

„I am becoming tired of this", Doom said coldly.

„Yes, you should go and have a little beauty sleep, I have heard it does wonders for wrinkles. And when you wake up again, I am sure you'll be back to your usual sunny disposition, grumpy."

Doom sneered. „I think not. However, I would like you to make yourself useful during your extended stay here."

„So you're into pole dancing after all? Doctor, I never...!"

Doom stepped closer menacingly. „If you don't watch your mouth, Stark, I will consider putting poles to other uses!"

„What, magnetism?"

Tony immediately regretted his banter when Doom took up his chanting again. Damn him and his quick mouth. Maybe he should take this up with his psychologist sometime, explore whether his behaviour was borderline suicidal, or something. Subconscious wish for self-destruction. Not something he was known for, of course, Tony thought bitterly.

The funny feeling in his mind turned into another vortex of memory. He saw himself and Reed, in the arena, the Hulk forcing them to fight one another, him waking up in the middle of a heap of corpses, murders that Yinsen's kid had forced him to commit, Steve, lying dead on the cold examination table in the helicarrier, Tony abandoning himself to hopeless sobbing... When the wave of images subsided, Tony was left desperately gasping for air. He instinctively tried to release the helmet in order to get more air, only to remember that he couldn't –

When he had calmed down a little and the black spots in front of his eyes had dissipated, he saw Doom smiling diabolically. He turned around, switched on a holographic projection and began to talk.

„To the ‚heroes'" – Tony could practically hear the quotation marks – „of New York. Your ally Iron Man is in my hands." Tony felt the camera turning on him. „As I am already getting tired of his moronic banter, I concede to release him. Under one condition: Reed Richards and Steven Rogers are to come to Latveria and negotiate. Alone." Click, silence. Doom seemed to send the video off somewhere.

„What are you up to, Doom?", Tony asked, and his voice sounded weaker than he would have liked.

Doom turned to him and Tony couldn't help but shudder at the diabolical glint in his eyes. „Just wait and see, Stark, just wait and see..."

xxXXxx

„Well, that's disquieting..." murmured Reed. „What?" asked Steve, somewhat tired. Reed was sitting in Cap's living room and had a whole computer terminal projected via his holocommunicator. A little red dot was blinking in one corner of the projector, but Reed ignored it.

Carol had just drunk another coffee and was quite sure that Richards had just found some – at least for him – especially interesting, albeit useless detail about Tony's situation. Reed stretched his head into the kitchen, and let his body follow as he said: „It seems that the reason why Tony reacted too strongly to my detox-serum was, that he... he is a heavy drinker. The data on his liver suggests that he has been drinking for months if not years."

Carol felt like her brain was stuck processing the information that Tony, her Tony had been drinking and she hadn't realised it! Steve seemed equally disturbed.

„I don't believe that! It can't be!" he said. „I would've seen it!"

„Believe me, Captain, I'm as baffled as you..."

„Do you hear yourself, Richards?! ‚Baffled'? Show at least some em-"

„Shut up, both of you! I don't know what kind of issues you two have, but I don't care!" said Carol dangerously quiet. „So put your dicks back in your pants and let's help Tony. After that you can go on with your ego-trips!"

At this very moment the door to Steve's bedroom opened and Tony appeared in the doorframe. He was even paler than before and was visibly shaking. „Nice to hear that, sweetie, but tell me one thing, why did you let that maniac inoculate me in the first place?" Tony didn't speak in his usually pleasant intonation, his voice sounded strained. Carol was taken aback by his unexpected appearance, she had been certain that he would sleep for at least two more hours.

„Tony," began Steve, „I... I don't know what to say... Reed told us that according to his scans... What triggered the relapse?"

„What relapse?"

„Tony, my data indicated that you are an alcoholic..." said Reed, but Tony interrupted him.

„Are you so socially inept that you would think that I'm not getting the meaning? Or do you think that you're the only smart person on earth and that the rest of us are so fucking dense that we require your help to understand even the most banal things?"

Tony still didn't quite look at Reed, but rather somewhere to the left of his shoulder; his fists were clenched and his posture was even more tense than it had been seconds before.

Reed opened his mouth, then closed it again without saying anything, like a fish. There was a suspicious gleam in his eyes, and with a start Carol realised that he was close to tears. And that really wasn't a sight she needed in her life – Reed Richards, who could outsmart almost anyone and destroy their self-confidence with a few poignant and often insensitive words, reduced to tears like a little boy. She took a step forwards to keep them apart (but neither seemed very keen on advancing anyways) and was shocked to see that Tony positively recoiled the moment she came closer.

„Tony-"

„Stay back", Tony hissed. Then he seemed to realise what he had said and raised a hand that was trembling slightly. „No, wait, Carol, I'm sorry. It's just... Why did you let him do that to me?" His eyes seemed huge in the dim light of the living room.

„Tony, I don't understand", Carol said, by now close to desperation herself. „What on earth is going on? Reed is your friend. I am your friend, and so is Steve. Why have you not told us about the relapse?"

Tony's face seemed to crumble. He raised his trembling hands to his face and buried it in them for a moment, and then went on to comb them through his hair. „I... There was no relapse. I have always been a drinker, just one who was rather good at hiding it. Okay?"

He looked up at her with the ghost of a bitter smile, and Carol turned to Steve and Reed, not knowing what to say or do. The latter had his mouth open and a look of utter incomprehension on his face; Steve, meanwhile, was stepping closer to Tony. For one moment, it looked like Tony was about to recoil again, but then he visibly checked himself and stood still. Steve extended his hand and put it on Tony's shoulder.

„Tony... You are a sick man. You need help", Steve said in hushed tones.

A laugh escaped Tony's mouth and it sounded almost shrill in the silence of the apartment. „Cap, what I really need is a drink. This genius" – he almost spit out the word – „over here had the brilliant idea of sobering up a severe alcoholic all in one go. My body is protesting, and by protesting I mean shutting down, so you'd better get out your best Whiskey right now."

Cap looked revolted, but before he could react, Reed interjected. „Steve, I don't believe him."

„What is that supposed to mean?", Steve demanded, taking his hand off Tony's shoulder and turning to Reed.

Reed took a deep breath. „Well, for one thing, Tony's behaviour radically changed a few days ago. Were the alcohol the cause and had he been an alcoholic for years, there would be no reason whatsoever for this change to occur."

„Richards, I swear -", Tony hissed.

„Tony, you lost on all five boards. Something changed."

Tony seemed to be close to losing it now, eyes wild. „I lost at chess? At chess?! That is what cues you into my inner life?! And you call yourself my friend?!"

„Tony, I don't understand, I thought you trusted me, you even wanted me to operate on you, I -"

A strange choking sound escaped Tony's mouth, and the rest of colour seemed to seep out of his face. His voice was almost a whisper when he said: „Richards, I am going to kill you -"

Carol had rarely seen Tony so out of control, trembling all over, in a mixture of rage and... utter terror?

However, almost even more frightening was the change reflected in Reed's face. From one moment to the next, he seemed to close off, and his eyes became cold. His demeanour was that of a man used to being obeyed when he turned to Carol and Steve.

„Carol, Captain. Please restrain Tony. Something is seriously wrong with him and we have to find out what it is before he hurts any of us or himself. I will sedate him while I work."

Tony seemed to go into a state of abject horror at Reed's words and braced his hands on the wall, swaying where he was standing. Carol seethed. „WHAT?! THAT is your great plan?!"

„Carol, please. I am almost positive I know what is going on with Tony. He must have contracted a virus out in space on the mission that leads to the degeneration of his brain functions. I can have an antidote ready shortly. But until then, we have to prevent further degeneration of his brain by sedating him, reducing his brain function almost to zero. Restrain him."

His tone was all business as he was preparing another syringe from the kit on the table behind him. „Reed, are you sure?", Cap asked, looking from Tony – apparently only barely conscious from how terrified he was, leaning on the wall – to Carol and Reed and back.

„92%", the genius replied. Cap sighed and signalled Carol to advance. Carol, torn, hesitated, but when she saw Steve getting ready to manhandle Tony she decided to obey (for now). She carefully gripped Tony's right arm, while Cap was holding his left, put a hand on his forehead and held it back to give Reed access to his neck. Tony barely struggled, apparently in a world of horror of his own.

When Reed had administered the drug, it only took a few seconds until she felt Tony relax in her arms. She held him to her chest until he was fully unconscious, then carefully lifted him and put him back into the bed. Meanwhile, Reed was taking the parts of his armour and carrying them into the living room, while Cap was waiting by the door, closing and locking it behind them when they were done.

Carol let herself fall into a chair and rubbed her eyes. „Well, this has gone to shit." Steve nodded tersely, while Reed had already started up his computer systems again, loading the mainframe of the Baxter Building. He started typing furiously. Carol felt utterly inadequate while Reed was working in silence and Steve was pacing up and down nervously.

Suddenly, though, she heard Reed utter a little sound of surprise. When she looked up, the holographic screen flickered and the face of Doctor Doom appeared.