You guys are gonna LOVE this chapter ;)
-Two months later-
Tony and Veronica had pushed The Hunter to the back of their minds since he hasn't contacted SHIELD for two whole months.
Little did they know, something devastating was about to happen.
Veronica was in the kitchen, loudly singing over the radio as she cooked her and Tony's dinner. Tony came waltzing into the kitchen, latching his arms around her and kissing her neck gently.
"Hello beautiful" He grinned as he heard her little giggle.
"And hello handsome" She smirked, turning her head slightly to catch a glimpse of him.
"Looks delicious, by the way" Tony remarked, losing his grip of her.
"Thanks, I've been cooking for almost an hour" She chuckled.
Tony kissed her cheek before walking into the dining room. "Who said I was talking about the food?" He remarked snidely from the dining room, leaving Veronica with a laugh.
Veronica walked into the dining room with her finished masterpiece. "Bon appetite!" She grinned, setting all the food out on the table.
"Wow, I'm dating a Goddess and a master chef. Lucky me" He chuckled, landing a sweet kiss on her lips.
Veronica grinned and wrapped her hands around his neck as he pulled her body close to his.
"By the way, I've been trying to get an answer out of you about something for a while and I have yet to have a 'perfect moment'" He chuckled. "So I'm going to try this one more time…" He took a deep breath and looked Veronica in the eyes, watching her breath escape.
"I love you" He whispered as he pressed his forehead to hers.
Veronica gave him a sincere smile, when there was a knock at the door. She looked at Tony sadly and then left, walking to the door to answer it.
"Dammit!" Tony frustratingly said under his breath as he rubbed his temples. "The Gods are against me" He rolled his eyes as he looked up to the ceiling.
"Tony!" Veronica called him. Tony rushed to her side to see The Avengers standing at his door, their suits on.
"Hey, if you wanted to come over for dinner all you had to do is ask" Tony put his hands up in the air defensively.
Veronica rolled her eyes. "Tony, they've found The Hunter. It's time to suit up" She smirked, looking at Tony knowing he would be delighted to finally use his new suit.
-Later-
"Where exactly is he?" Veronica asked, suited up in her Avengers uniform while running to get a plane from SHIELD with Natasha at her side.
The rest of the team was waiting for our call once we tracked him down.
"Where else would a freak seeking attention go to?" Natasha smirked as they begin turning on the plane, ready to pilot it.
Central Park was their destination.
As they arrived, Veronica picked up her speaker and tuned into everyone's communication ear pieces. "Alright guys, we've spotted him in Central Park, Fifth Avenue" She said sternly.
"That's cliché" She heard Bruce remark before going Hulk.
"Veronica" She heard her name called over the speaker. It was Tony.
"What's up?" She asked as she co-piloted the plane with Natasha helping her. To think, Veronica thought the piloting plane classes she had to take at SHIELD would be useless.
"Be careful" He spoke. You could just feel the concern in his voice.
"I will. You too" She remarked while smiling.
"I love you" He said once more, and then the speakers went out.
"Wait, what happened?" Veronica asked Natasha.
"Uh…I don't know" Natasha said dumbfounded. She quickly began flipping switches and other things to see if she could turn it back on.
"Tony?" Veronica asked frantically over the speaker.
"I can't get a hold of him" Steve said from over the line.
"Where is he?" Veronica asked in fear, looking at the built in radar.
"Down there!" Natasha yelled, pointing out the window of the armed jet, seeing a red and gold figure fighting odd looking monsters on the street as people cowered in buildings and ear curdling screams were heard.
"We have to help him. There's too many of those things for him to fight alone!" Veronica said over the speaker.
"On it!" Hawkeye yelled.
"Don't worry, Veronica. He'll be fine" Steve reassured.
Veronica watched the battle below as she saw ugly creatures of all shapes and sizes attack the suited up men. Tony, Steve, Thor, and the Hulk were viciously fighting off as many as they could but there seemed to be an endless amount. She spotted Clint on top of a nearby building, using every arrow in his artillery.
"We need to help" Veronica said to Natasha sternly.
"I can't land the jet anywhere, there isn't enough space and we can't leave them here" Natasha said looking at Veronica with a sorrowful face.
Determined, Veronica turned around and walked to the edge of the plane, opening the hatch as gushes of wind flew in.
"What are you doing?" Natasha asked flabbergasted.
"Helping the man I love" She whispered to herself, and then jumped into the air.
"Veronica!" Natasha yelled.
Veronica stared down at The Earth below, almost terrified to fall to her death, when she put her hands out in front of her. Slowly, she closed her eyes and felt the wind change as it wrapped around her, securing her in midair. She set herself down carefully on the ground and began running towards the action.
"About time you got here!" Steve remarked as he used his shield to bang a monster in the head.
"Sorry, I sort of had to jump off a plane" Veronica said as monsters began filing towards her.
"You what?" Tony said, lifting his mask up for a moment.
"If I may add, now is not the time for quarreling!" Thor yelled over the commotion while slamming his hammer to the ground, causing any nearby monster to fly in the air, falling to their death.
Veronica began doing everything she could to kill off the monsters. She whipped them into the air with wind and threw fire balls and gushes of water at them. She lifted pieces of Earth from the ground and pinned monsters down. Using umbrakinesis, she cast shadows over the creatures, distracting them while she killed them in some way. Suddenly, a large portion of new monsters came her way. She planted her feet firmly to the ground as she used her icy breath to freeze them solid. Tony blasted them, giving Veronica a curt nod as the mask covered his face.
"Ow!" She screeched as one of the beasts dug its claws into the skin of her thigh. She fell to the ground but regained her composure and stood back up. "Haven't you learned any manners? If you're going to stab someone, do it from the front!" Veronica yelled as she manipulated plants to wrap around the beast and suffocate it.
Veronica distributed water from her hand onto the wound, feeling the intense burn. She then layered it with ice to keep it safe.
After another attack of beasts, the team realized the extreme number decreased to nothing.
"That's it?" Veronica asked as she heaved heavily from exhaustion.
Veronica watched Clint climb down from a building and join the group. "Looks like we're done here" Clint shrugged nonchalantly.
"This seems…sudden, don't you think?" Steve questioned.
"It is rather odd" Thor added on.
The team finished contemplating the idea and was going to return to the plane Natasha was still hovering in air with when a deafening siren was heard.
"What the hell is that?" Tony asked, looking all around.
Veronica pressed her hands to her ears and groaned from her eardrums practically bursting.
"I see you all have destroyed a good portion of my army" A voice called out.
The team looked forward to see a man in a cloak with even more monsters quietly standing behind him.
"You truly are quite the team, I'm impressed" He chuckled as he slowly walked forward, the army behind him not moving an inch.
"Hunter" Steve snarled, defensively putting his shield in front of him. Clint prepared one of his bows as Thor gripped his hammer, the two ready to attack. Tony slowly made his way to Veronica, standing beside her protectively.
Veronica stood strong, even in her torn up demeanor. She felt a cold robotic arm make its way around her waist as Tony pulled her to his side. He was going to take off in the air with her if need be.
"Ah, my princess" The Hunter began, slowly taking the hood from his head. With each step he took, Tony's grip around Veronica's waist became tighter.
"You have a robotic protector? How charming" He chuckled.
"Try human protector" Tony said, his mask lifting up to reveal his face.
The Hunter suddenly frowned. "You" He began with a frown apparent on his face.
"Sorry you missed out on the great news. Your princess and I have been together for…almost a year, right sweetheart?" Tony asked, looking down at Veronica.
"Tony, don't do this" Veronica warned him as fear filled every part of her body. Her glance went straight to the Hunter as she saw his face practically crumble.
"Verona…you have another lover?" He asked with pain in his voice
"Don't act like you two were an item. You and Veronica-" Tony emphasized her real name "-Were never together and you never will be. Not while I'm around" He threatened as his nostrils flailed.
"You are threatening the wrong God" Hunter suddenly said, his eyes squinting. He quickly raised his hand.
"No!" Veronica yelled, but before she could do anything, a large fire ball was thrown straight at Tony, knocking him to the ground.
"Tony!" She screamed in fear and dropped to her knees, manually taking off his helmet and throwing it unimportantly to the side.
"Now that you have tasted my power, do not underestimate me. I'll be back my love" He threatened and turned around. A large blue beam from above took The Hunter and his army and they disappeared.
"Natasha did you get any reading on a flying aircraft?" Clint asked through his earpiece, talking to Natasha.
Veronica tuned everyone out as she held Tony's face, The Avengers crowding around him.
"Tony…Tony, please. Come on, don't do this to me" Veronica begged, tears stinging the corners of her eyes.
The man she loved laid on the ground in complete silence, not a single breath escaping him. She intertwined her fingers with his robotic hands and stared at his lifeless face. She quickly began sobbing, tired of holding in useless tears. Everything she had held in for the past few months escaped her. She felt her heart break into a million pieces and her stomach tighten as it flopped and twisted with pain.
Feeling anger rise in her, she couldn't bear to look at his face any longer. Her head tilted upwards as she scowled, her tear ducts now dry. She squeezed Tony's hand with all her might and let out a blood curdling scream towards the stars. The tears resurfaced and even more poured down her face.
Her gaze returned to Tony; just staring at his pale face made her throat burn and fists clench. Slowly, she reached out her hand and gently caressed his face. Her lip quivered as she felt his suddenly cold skin.
"Veronica…we need to go" Steve stressed, resting a hand to her shoulder. Veronica shook it off.
"Give her some time, Steve" Clint whispered, walking over to him. The two men's stare switched from their friend's lifeless body to the girl who's heart was literally breaking.
"I just need to say one more thing" Veronica looked at them, pleading to let her stay.
Steve exchanged a glance with Clint and nodded his head. They took a step back and gave the couple some space.
She turned to look down on his face as she slowly shook her head.
"You are such a jerk, you know that?" She sniffled. "You made me promise practically every day to keep myself safe so that you would be able to live, because you said without me your life would be incomplete. Well look now, Tony" She whimpered. "You've left me all alone…by myself…without you" She whispered, remembering the words Tony once told her. "What am I going to do without you?" She asked. "How am I going to get through my nightmares? Who am I going to make breakfast for every day? Who else could I possibly fall in love with?" She closed her eyes, memories of her and Tony running through her mind. "Why were you so stupid?" She scoffed with a dreadful knowledge that none of those questions would ever be answered.
"I'm sorry I didn't answer you before…" She whispered, knowing he would hear somehow. "I love you Tony Stark" She whispered, one last tear sliding down her chin and dropping quietly on his face.
Her world came to a haltering stop as she slowly let go of his hands and backed away. She turned towards Clint and Steve as she stood up. "I'm ready" She spoke quietly, rubbing her arm as the sting of cold hit her.
Steve looked at Veronica as she walked over to him and Clint. "I'm sorry, Veronica" He whispered, looking into her somber eyes.
"There's nothing you could have done" She spoke sternly, not daring to look at anyone's face as she gritted her teeth. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Please, just get…" She couldn't utter his name any longer. "Get him so we can leave…" Veronica whispered, pointing towards Tony.
Steve nodded his head understandingly and walked to Tony. Just as he was going to pick him up, the suit began lighting up with life. It started at the feet, then ran up his legs to his stomach, over the reactor, and finally up to his neck where the suit stopped.
Tony's eyes burst open as he sucked in a large portion of air and let out a hefty cough as he slowly sat up. "Man do I have a headache…" He groaned, placing his hand to his head as he squeezed his eyes shut.
Veronica spun on her heel to face the direction of where Tony sat. Her hand flung over her gaping mouth as an elated feeling overcame her.
"And you" Tony sighed, pointing towards Veronica. "It took you four months to tell me you loved me?" He asked with a smirk. Slowly, he got up to his feet. Steve attempted to help but Tony shooed him away, reassuring he was fine. He glided towards Veronica as she seemed set in stone.
"You okay?" He asked, setting his hands on her shoulders.
Veronica's hand flung off her mouth as she shoved Tony away.
"You're…" She began, her eyes fluttering.
"Alive?" He asked with a smart ass smirk.
"-An asshole!" She finished her sentence, walking over to him and punching his armored stomach over and over. "You made me think you were dead and you scared the shit out of me. What the hell is wrong with you? I can't believe I poured my heart out to you and-"She stopped her rant as Tony gripped her fists, and pulled her to his chest, landing a passionate kiss to her lips.
Veronica fought it at first, but finally gave in and opened her eyes once Tony backed away. "I'm so glad you're alive" She admitted as she practically fell into his arms, her pain lifting from her shoulders.
Tony looked down at her, feeling her quickened breath and watching tears trail down his suit.
-That night-
Veronica and Tony returned back to their house, completely exhausted.
"I'm just saying, it's weird how I'm the one who almost dies practically every time we have some big battle" Tony remarked as they walked through the front door.
Veronica chuckled at his comment and sighed once they walked inside. "I just want to take a shower and go to bed"
"Want some company with that shower?" Tony asked, strutting towards her.
Veronica rolled her eyes. "I'm good, thanks" She smirked.
"What?" Tony was flabbergasted.
"This is payback for making me think you were dead" She put her hands on her hips as if she were scolding a child.
"Technically, I was dead!" He retorted, throwing his hands in the air.
She kissed his cheek and walked into their bathroom, ready to take a shower.
Tony stood at the entrance of the house in shock. He shook his head and chuckled, going to their bedroom.
After an hour, Veronica exited the bathroom in pajamas with her nightly routine done and her hair a soaked mop. As she entered the bedroom, she found Tony sitting up and slightly dozing off.
"Babe" She said and his eyes flung open. He cleared his throat and situated himself, watching her enter the bed.
"Hey" He smiled, landing a kiss to her forehead.
"How ya feeling?" Veronica asked, running her hand through his hair.
"Eh, head still hurt pretty badly, but that's what happens when you fight a crazy intergalactic power freak" He smirked as Veronica giggled.
"Ready for bed?" He asked, getting ready to lie down.
"Oh no, you're not allowed to close your eyes ever again" Veronica said, crawling on top of Tony and staring into his eyes. "I never want to have to worry about losing you again" She whispered, her hands stroking his stubble with her thumbs.
"You never will" He reassured, pressing her to his chest and kissing her head.
"I love you" Veronica spoke softly. She looked up, waiting for Tony's reply.
"You're gonna have to wait four months" He chuckled. "I love you too" He added, smiling happily.