Author's Note: Sorry, have been neglecting this one terribly. Was in the process of recruiting a beta. This one is not beta'd just because I wanted to get it out, but I will be getting my other stories cleaned up and re-posted for ease of reading. Anyway enjoy!
Redemption
Chapter 4 – A chance at redemption
"Well aside from your rather heavy handed ways I think it went well."
Stark moaned in bliss as he stood under the scalding spray. "Damn skippy it went well. The good thing about dealing with a bunch of superhero's; they deal with the fantastic everyday." He could hear his imaginary man chuckling, "Maybe it was your winning personality." Grumbling he lathered himself up for the third time, "Didn't think delusions could be so sassy."
"Finish your shower smarty pants." Grinning he did just that. Feeling better then he had in a long while. He was clean, he had soda, and more importantly he had saved Steve. It gave him hope that he could do this, he could change the future.
"Tony, if you succeed what becomes of you?" He paused toweling himself off, "Well…if I do change things, I guess I just cease to exist." He looked at the pale dead man, seeing the sorrow in his hazy eyes. "I'm not afraid love, neither should you be."
Giving him a small smile he moved to the stack of cloths. He had nothing more then his combats to wear, but Agent Hill had been good enough to scrounge him something.
With no underwear he tugged on the jeans surprised they fit rather well. The shirt a baby blue had him grinning when he saw the picture on the front. "Girl has a sense of humor," it was the Avengers in battle pose. The sweater was a SHIELD one, gray and simplistic, but he'd given up caring about his clothing long ago.
Dressed he pocketed his armor, tucking the rest of his clothing away in a backpack he slung it on. Mentally going over what he needed to do he listed the tasks in his mind. Get the rucksack from the abandoned SUV, then start correlating his data for the next phase of his plan. Nodding he ran fingers through shaggy wet locks. Moving to the mirror he pulled his hair back tying it off in a small ponytail.
Hesitating a moment to adjust the eye patch, it wasn't a traditional like Fury's it was square, black and utterly plain. Making sure it was covering his eye he looked away. "Don't know why you wear it, your eye is fine." Snorting he fished out his leather glove tugging it on his metal hand, "Really? I freak people out."
"Should never be ashamed of who you are." He gave the dead Cap a mock salute, "Too late for that my love."
Ready he zipped up his hoodie heading out into the hallway only to collide with a very real, very warm, very handsome Captain America. "Whoa," he staggered back, feeling big hands settle on his shoulders. "Sorry didn't mean to run into you," the soft voice was balm to his wounded soul. He'd been imagining seeing him again for so long.
"No prob Cap, just wasn't expecting you to be right there," the big man released him blushing faintly. "I just thought you might like some company." Blinking surprised, he felt scarred lips twitch, he knew he should say no, but the offer was far too tempting.
"Sure." He heard a faint chuckle, "Should I be jealous?"
-#-#-#-
He sat unmoving in his darkened lab. Mind moving ceaselessly as he stared unseeingly across the room. Today had been a hell of a trip. He was having problems processing. There were millions of unanswered questions. He wanted to interrogate his future self, but at the same time he was terrified to approach him.
He was scared to know what had happened to him.
Even more then that though, he could not stop thinking about his chilling prophecy. Steve was meant to die today. It clawed at his mind. How could he survive something like that? He couldn't think on it anymore, didn't want to think on it anymore. Grabbing his jacket and his keys he jumped in one of his sports car, "Going out JARVIS."
-#-#-#-
Steve glanced sidelong at the man sitting placidly beside him, looking serenely out the window, a small wistful smile on his face. A hundred questions rolled through his head, he was dying to ask, but far to polite to pester. "Ask," the other man said softly, turning to regard him amused. Steve blushed beet red, could he read minds?
Stark watched him grinning feeling giddy and light head. Unsure if it was the sugar rush from the Coke or sheer relief that he had stopped the single most horrendous moment in his life from happening.
He had saved Steve.
"I wasn't…I mean I can't…" he stuttered at a lost. "You have a million questions for me I'm sure. Here pull over lets get some food and I'll answer everything you want." Nodding the blonde did just that, the other out and headed for a fast food joint, mouth watering happily. Steve fell inline beside his companion, "Are you sure we can go somewhere nicer…" the future Tony shook his head empathetically, "I haven't had fast food in a century."
Steve ended up paying as the smaller man got enough to satisfy Thor. Settling in a booth, the Cap watching astounded as he packed away the food, looking utterly content and happy. "Fire away Cap," he said around a mouthful of something, Steve chewed his own burger thoughtfully. "You really can't age?"
"Oh I age, just extremely slowly, sort of like you do. Only I don't have crazy healing powers." The blonde nodded understanding.
"Is it bad in the future?" he asked softly, wanting to take it back immediately. It had been the one thing he wanted to know most, needed to know. The man before him was a roadmap of pain and anguish. One look told Steve he had seen more then any man had right too. Yet he had to ask, needed to know the truth no matter how terrible it was.
"The world as we know it ends. This empire of materialism and capitalism corrupts and collapses. It becomes a time of martial law where only the strong survive." He looked away from stunned blue eyes swallowing his mouthful. "It's bad Steve, it's bad for a long time. The worst of it…no one believes in superheroes anymore. We're blamed for the world ending. For failing humanity." He gives the man a sad, self-deprecating grin, "I think it was only right we shouldered that."
Steve studied him a long moment, "That's not true though is it? You say 'we' but your eyes say you. You've carried this burden a long time haven't you?"
He closed his good eye, "You always knew how to see right though me," he whispered softly. "It doesn't really matter now, because it's not going to happen. The future is already infinitely better. You're still here." Steve didn't know what to say, they finished their meal in silence returning to the Tower.
-#-#-#-
He wasn't thinking anymore. His mind and body blessedly numb. The exclusive club was bumping and pounding as he downed another drink. A tall blonde women sliding up to him, to drunk to really understand he smiled sloppily at her as she said something he couldn't make out. He didn't really care, she could just go away, all he wanted to do was drink and stop feeling.
-#-#-#-
"Well this is a spare room I'm pretty sure," Steve opened the door, of a small, rarely used Tower room. "Sorry it's not very big."
The dark headed man shrugged it had a bed. He wasn't fussy. He gave Steve a grin, "Thanks it'll do just fine." He was suddenly incredibly weary; he couldn't remember the last time he'd slept. "JARVIS will help you out if you need anything," surprised dark brows rose as a genuine smile crept across his face.
"JARVIS," he breathed happily.
"Here sir, I have been filled in by the SHIELD computers on the circumstances. I am at your command." Still smiling he sat on the bed shaking his head, how long had it been since he'd heard that wonderful, pain in the ass AI? He had lost him, like everyone else. The programming corrupted and destroyed when the world had fallen apart. He'd made him again but something had been missing, it was no longer his JARVIS.
"Well I'll let you get some rest then, good night umm…Stark," he offered the other man locking eyes with him. "To you I'll always be Tony."
The door closed quietly, and he was kicking off boots lying back on the bed, a few hours sleep would be just awesome. Closing tired eyes, he was out seconds later.
His nightmares, for the first time since Steve's death, leaving him blessedly alone.
-#-#-#-
Steve did not sleep well that night.
He had wanted to talk to Tony, the Tony from this time but JARVIS had said the genius had left earlier. That never meant good things. Confused and worried he was up at 0500 heading for the gym.
It was usually silent at this time, the others running on their own schedules, but on this occasion he could hear noises within. A steady thump and a soft grunt of exertion. Someone was working out. Curious he poked his head around the corner. Recognizing the dark headed man, it was Stark, or Tony he guessed but he was having trouble reconciling the two as the same man.
Watching for a moment Steve realized several things at once; the first was this man was well trained. He gracefully moved about the floor in a series of complex exercises that left the soldier impressed. The second was he was shirtless, a familiar blue glow in his chest, but why was wearing armor on one arm?
Across the room the man stopped, whirling suddenly in a defensive crouch. Steve held up his hands, "Sorry just me." He stood slowly nodding, "Couldn't sleep either?" the shorter man was moving to his discarded shirt, turning his back to the other man he tugged it on followed quickly by a hoodie. Steve frowned curious.
"No not very well, lot on my mind I guess," Stark hummed in agreement, "Didn't mean to interrupt your workout." Shrugging Stark smiled, "I was going to work on some weights anyway." Steve grinned happily; it would be nice to have some company.
The stayed in the gym an hour more before making their way up to the kitchen, talking about nothing in particular. Tasha, Bruce, and Clint already at the table eating when they joined them. "Never thought I'd live to see the day Stark would workout," Clint jested.
Careful to keep his left hand tucked in his pocket Stark sat. "Surprise, surprise," he mumbled frowning when he didn't see his present self. Although that was nothing to be surprised over. He had once held a silly notion he didn't need them; he was better on his own.
He could fight his own demons.
He could avenge Steve alone; he had paid bitterly for his arrogance.
They heard a noise then, turning in time to see a long legged blonde, dressed in cloths from the night before disappearing down the hall towards elevators. She gave them a smug wave on the way by. Stark felt his blood run cold, he didn't want to see Steve's expression. Didn't want to look; but he did. The utter anguish and betrayal he saw made him want to kill himself.
"Handle with care love," the voice of reason spoke, he would listen. Standing slowly he paused in the doorway, "No matter what you hear stay away, I won't kill him." He spoke softly, calmly, but his tone left them with no doubt. Steve watched him go not sure if he should be worried or not.
He headed for Tony's room, his room, door opening for him. JARVIS could not deny his creator. It was dark, reeking of booze, and the women's perfume, but not that musky smell of sex. He hadn't, so he wasn't going to beat him too bad. Still he was going to give his past self the single thing he had wished someone had done for him his entire life.
Striding across the room he reached the bed, he could see his naked self lying vulnerable and open. He couldn't remember when he used to look like that, when the only scars he bore were the ones on his chest around his inlay. He was angry with himself, couldn't he see how much Steve loved him, would do anything for him? Didn't he realize just how precious the man was?
"Be gentle," the voice reminded, "I will just need a wake-up call. JARVIS lock us in." He could hear the door bolt, as he reached out with his mechanical left arm. Without hesitation he yanked himself off the bed marching towards the bathroom. "Wha's going on?" the man he carried slurred, completely disoriented.
Stark didn't answer turning on the shower ice cold he threw the drunk in. Watching in satisfaction as he came around then. "What the fuck!" he yelled sputtering trying to get out from the icy spray, the man from the future pushed him back. "Goddamn it you mother fucking-" he trailed off as a fist connected with the side of his head.
Stark had seriously contemplated using his metal one, but goody two-shoes had said no. Grunting in pain the sopping man stared silently at the man, so eerily similar to himself, barricading him in the shower.
Tony's head was still swimming with the booze, he had drunk himself stupid last night. Truthfully he wasn't even sure how he'd made it home. Or why he was now on the receiving end of what had to be the scariest motherfucker he'd ever seen.
"Why-" his future self popped him another one. "Shut up, for once in our miserable life shut your goddamn mouth and listen." His voice was deep, husky, and Tony couldn't help thinking sort of cool despite the situation.
"You can't bullshit me Tony, I am you…" he smiled then, and it wasn't pleasant. The scars on his face pulling tight. Without a word he unzipped his sweater, tossing it aside followed but his t-shirt, and eye patch. For the first time he faced his past, all of his failures on display.
He watched brown eyes stare at him in disbelief; his smart eye telling him the man was sobering by the moment. "What are you?" he whispered eyes lingering on the mechanical arm, the metal wires attaching it to his chest. Moving to the glowing red eye set back in the socket, his drooping lid doing little to conceal it. "A chance at redemption Anthony Stark."