Good Day all!

Here is the latest chapter. Sorry no Toni in this chapter. I hope you enjoy this, so please let me know what you think!

No, I do not own Avenger or make any money on it.

Chapter 4:

Fear of the Hero

As soon as Bruce heard about Toni's disappearance, he had cut his trip short and returned to the tower as soon as humanly possible. Toni, one of the few who understood him, was important to him and he would do anything to save her, and he wasn't alone. Anyone of the Avengers would do the same to save her.

Bruce, who looked like he hadn't slept in days, was presently in Toni's lab, trying to figure out what the hell had happened. With the help of JARVIS, he was able to tell that the device worked in an outward wave, affecting anything within its ten foot range. This had included Toni, and that made his heart stutter. JARVIS had informed him of what could happen to electronics and how he was unsure if the Arc Reactor could withstand the Device. Why couldn't Toni wait for him? He knew the answer was simple: she had hard headed. He admired her for that, but at the same time, it annoyed the hell out of him.

He had studied the hole and watched the security footage. He was shock at first that JARVIS even allowed it as Bruce did not have the authority, but it seemed like the AI cared about Toni's safety, even though JARVIS had no heart. The footage was croppy and kept skipping, which he couldn't understand. JARVIS told him that there wasn't anything wrong with the video.

"How can that be?" Bruce asked. Toni kept jumping to different locations.

"It is the device," JARVIS answered. Each time it went off, Toni's location jumped. "It is not the video, Sir. It is Miss Stark."

Shaking his head, Bruce took a deep look at the video. JARVIS wasn't going to admit that there had been an issue with the footage; Toni must've programed some stubbornness into the AI. Bruce picked up the tablet and watched the footage again. He watched it a few times before he noticed the clock on the desk that Toni kept changing. "Why did she keep changing the clock?" he asked himself. It was old; plus, it wasn't jumping.

The footage had a time stamp on it, and that time stamp was correct. As Bruce had watched it in real time, he could tell the stamp was correct. So why was Toni messing with clock? He studied each time she changed it, and it was always after the wave. What did that mean? Why did she think the time was behind?

He watched the type again, but this time, he watched it at 3 times its normal speed. He studied Toni's movement, as the jumpy footage was the key. "Could this even be possible?" he asked himself. There was the only answer possible; the Device was jumping Toni back in time.

"JARVIS, is it possible that the device could've sent Toni back in time?" It could be possible, if the right portal was created, and maybe that device did that. Maybe, it opened up a portal?

"That does seem to be the case here."

*O*O*

Natasha wasn't a science genius, but she knew her way around a computer. She had helped Bruce for a few hours before leaving with Clint to see Director Fury, who might be able to locate Toni. Director Fury had an uncanny ability to find anyone though no one had any idea of how that was, but the Avengers weren't going to complain now. They needed to find one of their own.

Up in the penthouse, Steve was sitting at the bar using a tablet, which he still struggled with. Even after all this time in the present, Steve didn't understand modern technology, and he couldn't be of any real help for Bruce or the others. He didn't even try pretend and try to help because he knew it would be a waste of time. Unsure of what else he could do, he looked through the security logs with the help of JARVIS, who was doing most of the work.

"I don't see anything," he said in annoyance, as he scanned through the imagines.

"There is nothing to see," JARVIS stated. "I have already studied the footage. There is no record of Miss Stark leaving."

"That can be altered," Steve replied, coldly.

"Anything can be altered, Captain, but this is not the case here. Only Miss Stark has the authority to alter my records, and she did not do so."

"Would you tell me if she did?" he asked, exasperated. He wasn't sure what he was getting at, because there was no way that Stark could have altered it herself. Even if she did, why would she?

"It would depend on Miss Stark's instructions. I cannot go against her order."

"Understood," Steve stated, putting down the tablet. He stared off, thinking.

"Captain, Mr. Banner is on his way up to speak with you," JARVIS stated after a few seconds of silence. That was one of the few things Steve liked about JARVIS as the AI was always there. No one could sneak up on him, granted it was hard to sneak up on him these days.

The door to the room opened to reveal a tired Bruce, who sported a weird expression on his face. "Banner," Steve greeted. "Find something?"

"I think, but I need a drink first," Bruce said, as he walked to the bar and poured himself a whiskey, but it didn't last. In one tip of the glass, he downed it in one slip, and the Whiskey burned on the way down.

"Are you okay?" Steve asked. He hadn't seen Bruce drink before, because in the back of everyone's mind, there was always the fear that he could hulk out and hurt someone. "Are you sure you should be drinking?" Though he was a super soldier, there was some doubt that he could stop the big guy.

"It's fine. I can handle myself." He picked up the bottle and poured himself another cup. "I think I know where Toni is."

"Where's that?" Steve asked; his heart picked up. He found Toni?

"I'm unsure of the time, but I'm positive that she's in the past." Bruce stared at his glass before taking another slip.

Steve looked at him with an eye brow raised. "Did something hit you in the head?" He paused as he thought about it. "Time travel? Have you fallen asleep reading a science fiction or something?" That made no sense whatsoever.

Bruce looked long and hard at Steve. "Really? You're a super Soldier, I turn into a big green beast when I'm angry, and we're friends with a god. And you stop at time travel? We aren't strangers to portals, Steve. Time travel would work along the same idea." He huffed in annoyance.

"I guess," he stated.

"I'm starting to believe Clint."

Steve narrowed his eyes, not like being compared to Barton. "Believe Barton? With what?" he asked, annoyed.

"Don't worry about," Bruce waved off. He didn't need a pissed off Captain America, because they had other things to worry about. "I'm not an expert in portals. I think we'll need help with this one."

"What time do you think Stark is in?" he asked. Worry was present in his tone as he said her name.

"I don't know, and that may be the problem." Bruce shook his head. There was no real way for them to know what time she was transported back to, and he knew that would be a major issue. How could they save her if they had no idea of where to save her from?

*O*O*

Director Fury was pissed. He was always pissed, but at this point, he was royally pissed, and everyone knew it. Anyone who had any common sense stayed as far away from him as possible, and that was hard since they were in a base flying in the air. One of his SHIELD bases had been broken into and they had no idea who or how. The security system had to have been hacked, because there was no record of any unauthorized entry, and there had been one. None of his techs had been able to figure out how, and that really pissed him off. No one stole from him and got away with it.

He was going to ask the egoist Stark, the last resort, for help only to find that she had disappeared without a trace, and that didn't sit well with him. Sure, he knew she was working on something and the Avengers blamed her disappearance on that Device, but he wasn't so sure. It couldn't have been a coincidence that she disappeared on the same day that one of the SHIELD's bases was broken into. He would get to the bottom of this.

But first, he had to speak with Agent Romanoff and Agent Barton again. He had already spoken to them about the strange disappearance of Toni Stark, but they hadn't heard about break in yet. He wanted their opinion on the matter, because he valued their opinion more than he let on.

Director Fury stepped into a small conference room, where Natasha and Clint were waiting. "Have you found anything out about Stark yet?" he asked the two highly trained assassins.

"No, but Banner's looking for answers in Stark's lab," Natasha answered from the corner of the room.

"Do you think this could've been an outside attack?" Fury asked, waiting for the right moment to mention the security breach.

Clint narrowed his eyes. "I believe you do?" he asked, seated. "Did something happen?"

"Somehow, someone had broken into the base at Black Hawk," Fury stated, irritated. "There is no footage or record of the unauthorized entry, but a few of the top secret items had been taken."

"And you think this has something to do with Toni's disappearance?" Clint asked.

"I do. With the items taken, it would've been possible for them to affect Stark's Device." Fury with his one eye was able to look at both Romanoff and Barton. If they were surprised or taken back, they didn't show it.

"Stark had showed me the specs for her lab once, and from what I could tell, she made that lab into a fortress. Nothing would affect it," Natasha stated. "Unless you found a way."

Fury took a deep breath. "We need-"

"Is this about how you think the Avengers are a National Security risk and you need a way to take each one of us down if needed?" Clint injected, bitterly with his armed folded across his chest.

Natasha took a glance at Clint, knowing he was insulted by that, but she understood where Fury was coming from. If anyone one of them decided to turn, there would be no one to stop them.

"Yes, and the items taken were specifically designed to take down Toni Stark and the Iron Man Suit," he stated with no shame. Fury wasn't one to regret his actions. "And this is why I think these two things are related."

Clint was having a difficult time believing what he was hearing. "Really?" he asked, shaking his head. "Okay, let's look pass the weapons that you can use against the Avengers and look at the Device that Toni, herself, had made. It was that device that made Toni disappeared. What makes you think that the items stolen did anything to her?" Clint was pissed and it was clear with each word he spoke.

"We knew about the Device that she was working on, and it was clear that the person who stole the weapons," he said slowly, unsure if he should use that word, "knew as well. Her unnamed Device worked through a wave, and we had a device that could have interrupted that." He had no plans into going to go into detail about the device.

"Do you think it was an inside job?" Natasha asked. She didn't look pissed, which annoyed Clint.

"I don't know, but I can't be for sure. We have to keep it a possibility," Fury stated. "I had sent a message to Asgard for Thor, which wasn't something I wanted to do, but we'll need his help for this. He should be able to help locate Stark and the missing weapons." He turned to the door and Agent Romanoff didn't stop him as he left.

Clint looked between the two. "Are we really not going to talk about the weapons you created to takedown the Avengers?"

"Barton, let it go," Natasha stated. "We have other things to worry about."

Clint looked between the two. "For now."

*O*O*

Steve was now located with Bruce down in the lab, where he was pretty much useless, but he had to do something as he would go crazy if he didn't. He was Captain America and he refused to stand on the sideline and do nothing. However, at this moment in time, he was pacing besides burning a hole in the floor…which was doing nothing.

"Steve, calm down," Bruce stated, eyeing him from a workbench. "And stop eyeing the hole. It isn't doing any good."

"I can't help it. I have a teammate missing and there isn't anything I can do." He stopped and looked to Bruce, who was building something. "Have you heard from Barton and Romanoff yet?"

"JARVIS said they are on their way back and Barton isn't happy about something."

"He isn't happy about a lot of things," Steve muttered, sighing. They hadn't talked much since the night Toni had disappeared, and it wasn't because they were worried about the lost genius. Hawkeye and Captain America worked well together in the field, but off the field, their two different attitudes didn't match well together.

Bruce rotated in the chair. "Neither are you. Do you want to talk about it?"

Steve turned to him and replied a little too fast, "I'm happy, well happy as I can be with Stark missing."

"You can talk about it. There's nothing wrong with talking," Bruce stated.

"And we don't have time for this."

Taking a deep breath, Bruce spoke, "We do. There's nothing else I can do without Barton and Romanoff. They're being back supplies from SHIELD."

Steve took a seat at the hole's edge, letting his feet hand over the edge. "I'm just worry about Toni," he said after a few seconds of silence. He was staring at his hands, unsure of what to do with them.

"We're all worry about her."

"I feel like it's my fault."

Bruce stared at him for a few seconds before standing up and walking over to him. "How is this your fault? You didn't lock her in the lab and force her to work on that Device. You have no idea of what could've happen."

"But it is. If I didn't get into a fight with her and force her back in here, she wouldn't have been working on it," he paused, "She wouldn't be in danger if I just left her alone. Her chest piece could be malfunctioning right now, and it's my fault because I pushed her. I pushed the woman that I-" He stopped himself. He wasn't going to say it.

Bruce didn't push. "Toni is hard headed and this would've happened with or without you. She had been pushing herself to the breaking point before she met us and she'll be doing it after we leave."

Steve looked at from the corner of his eye. "Are you thinking of leaving?"

Startled at Steve's question, he didn't answer right away. "I'm not thinking of leaving. Toni is one of the few people, who I can be myself around, and I wouldn't give up that friendship."

"Then why did you state 'she will be doing it after we leave?'" Steve asked, studying Banner's face.

"You never know what will happen in the future," he stated, defending himself.

Steve took a deep breath. "I understand. Let's not fight and find a way so we can get her back."

Bruce looked back to his work desk, knowing he would do anything possible to get Toni back. Anything. "JARVIS, are Barton and Romanoff back yet?" he asked.

"Yes, Mr. Banner. They have just arrived on the helipad with the equipment you require."

*O*O*

Clint was still annoyed and it showed to everyone round. He so annoyed that he was willing to pick a fight with Captain Rogers just so he could have something to do, something else to think about.

"Barton, you need to calm down," Natasha stated as they walked down to the labs. They both had suitcases in their hands, and each held important equipment.

"How dare SHIELD think we're dangerous when they have weapons that can take each of us out?" he asked angrily. He picked up his speed in order to get the lab faster.

"It's understandable. Think about it."

Clint turned quickly and glared at her. "I have already, and I think Director Fury is an idiot. And don't try to make me see reason, because of right now, one of our teammate is in danger because of him. If anyone happens to Toni because of Fury, I'll never return to SHIELD," he snapped, turning away. "And then he can really count me of an enemy, as I'll be coming for him." He tightened his grip on the metal suitcase.

Natasha walked behind him in silence, because there was no talking him down. He had to cool down on his own, and besides, she knew how he felt. Though Stark was a pain in ass, she cared about the genius and she would do anything to save her.

*O*O*

When they arrived at the lab, Banner with eyes on the lab's door was sitting in a chair waiting, while Rogers with a hard expression sat on the edge of the hole. "About time," Banner stated as the assassins entered the room. "I was starting to worry about you guys."

"Director Fury wanted to speak with us about a theory." Natasha said as she handed the suitcases to Banner, who took them both and placed them on the desk.

Bruce looked back and noticed the anger on Clint's face. "What's up with you?" he asked. "If you were the hulk, we would be in trouble." He kept back his laughter, but there was still a smile on his face.

With a hard expression, Clint turned to him and explained the conversion that Natasha and he had with Fury. "I told Natasha this, but I will tell you this: 'If anyone happens to Toni because of him, I'll never return to SHIELD.' They can consider me their enemy. I'm dead serious." His voice was cold, and his eyes were hard.

Steve looked up and eyed the archer. "I do remember him stating before that we were a security risk," he stated, softly. His arms were folded across his chest as he recalled that conversion.

Bruce, who was taking deep breaths, sighed. "I still don't see how Captain America is a national security risk," he said in annoyance. "And I would agree with Clint. I might have to reintroduce SHIELD to the big guy." He wasn't joking in the slightest, and his tone was clear.

Natasha looked annoyed, but she didn't say anything. She wanted to be piss at SHIELD, but she knew where they were coming from. Banner for example couldn't control the Hulk completely and could destroy a whole city, so SHIELD needed a way to stop him. Clint had turned on them already (sure not of his own will), but he had caused a great amount of destruction. With the Iron Man suit, it was possible for someone to steal it or recreate a suit like it, which had happened. They needed something to stop something like that…However, that didn't mean she wouldn't let SHIELD have it if something did happen to Toni, the Stupid Genius.

Steve ran his hand through his blond, messy hair. "Let's get to work, and worry about SHIELD later. We need to find Toni." His worry was breaking through his voice, as he crossed to the case and opened one of the cases. Even if he had no idea of what any of it did, he stared at the equipment, like it would magically come together.

Clint took a big breath. "Anyhow, Director Asshat sent a message to Thor."

"That might be helpful," Bruce stated.

"Why do you think that?" Natasha asked, eyeing him.

"We believe Toni's in the past and Thor might some sort of idea of portals," Bruce answered, as he walked back to the workbench. He was just as tired as Steve, and he also refused to rest. Running his hand through his messy hair, he took a deep breath. "That's how he travels home, and I believe time travel works in the same."

"Wait what?" Clint asked, shocked. His expression morphed, and his eyes were wide.

"What are you talking about?" Natasha asked, her eyes narrowing. She studied Bruce's back, looking for some hidden joke. "When is the last time you slept?"

Bruce looked back, smiling lightly. He didn't bother answering the last question. "I believe that Toni transported herself to the past, though I'm not sure to which time period."

I hoped you enjoyed this.