A/N: Enjoy!
Katie was haunted by the past that brought both joy and pain to her heart. She had to be a sadist or something. It's the only reason she could explain when she sat curled on the couch of the den in the sanctum, her eyes on the television currently playing the DVD of her wedding.
She could see it. Right there on the screen. That look in her eyes as she looked at the man that she was giving herself to completely. She loved no man as she loved him.
"You are my best friend and one true love. And there is still a part of me today that cannot believe that I'm the one who gets to marry you. So I want you to know right now, today and everyday after I will show just how grateful I am. I will love you and protect you and I will make it my mission-" he placed his hand on her cheek, and she stared into his eyes. "To make sure you never feel alone again because if I am around, you never will be."
A warm tear escaped Katie's eye, and slid down her cheek, and she lifted the remote and paused the video before they kissed. She quickly wiped the tear away when she felt eyes on her. She turned and saw Stephen standing there behind her, his eyes on the television. She rolled her eyes and turned off the television before standing to her feet about to head back to her room.
"How long will you do this?" he asked suddenly and she stopped, but she didn't turn to him. "You can't move forward, if you're torturing yourself with things that only bring you pain." she turned back to him. "Your focus is needed on what's important, and-"
"My husband, and my daughter are important." Katie says cutting the man off and taking a step toward him. "And I understand that may be lost upon you since you've taken on a life of miserable solitude here in this sanctum where you've been deemed it's protector. My husband, he-" Katie turned back to the blank television screen. "He stood there and he promised me that as long as he's alive, I will never feel alone, and then he just-"
"He left." Stephen said bluntly, and Katie turned her eyes to him. "But the truth will always remain that you are not alone."
"I know physically I'm not alone. I have you to annoy me, to try to distract me, and I have Wong whose been secretly trying to teach me life lessons, but that man-" Katie glanced back over to the television. "That man is the love of my life and he has my baby, who I haven't-" Katie felt tears in her eyes and she swallowed the lump in her throat. She turned back to Stephen and shrugged with a look he could only describe as defeat. And he didn't understand it, because he hasn't even seen her fighting..but maybe that was the point. "I haven't held my baby in about two months, and she's really young, so there's a chance she doesn't even remember me " The moment the words came out of her mouth, the tears poured from her eyes. "I had everything, and I just let it slip out of my fingers and I don't even know why." she looked over to Stephen who continued to stare at her in silence. She shook her head and turned away, drying her eyes with her hands. "I'm going to go for a walk." she stalked out of the room, leaving the man still in silence.
Stephen turned, and spotted Wong who stood at the rooms other entrance with a look of slight disappointment.
"Look I'm sorry, but I don't know what to say to her. This is all-" he turned away and shook his head. "Christine would know what to say." he muttered.
Tony was very much aware of Pepper's eyes on him lately. Ever so often whenever they were in a room together and when he wasn't looking, she would look over to him. Study him. For any sign that the story of his magically appearing friend in their penthouse was having some sort of affect on him. And even though he wasn't looking back to her, he always felt her eyes on him.
At the moment he was buttoning his shirt and she was sitting on the edge of the bed, her eyes on him. He couldn't take it anymore, and so he finally turned to her.
"Ok, this has to stop."
"What are you talking about?" she turned her eyes back to the tablet in her hands. The one she was supposed to be looking at instead of watching him.
"Look, if you're looking at me because you think I'm insanely hot and you just can't figure out how you got me-" she glanced over to him with a quirked brow. "And from the look on your face I'm gonna assume that's not the case. Just say it." the woman looked at him for a moment, before letting out a sigh and turning away. "Pep-"
"It should've happened by now."
"What should've happened?" Tony asked honestly confused, and Pepper turned to him with a shake of her head.
"Tony, I told you that Katie appeared in our home near death from hypothermia. When she finally woke up, she told me not to tell you that she was here, and then she just disappeared."
"I'm still not understanding your point." Pepper tilted her head slightly as she looked at the man trying to see some sort of sign if he was really being honest. "She told you not to tell me, so I'm going to assume she doesn't want to see me."
"And you're alright with that?" Pepper asked standing to her feet. "Tony, I hate to admit this, but from the state she was in when she came here, something is definitely wrong, and I assumed you'd be hell bent on figuring it out."
"And I will, once she actually asks for my help." Tony replied and Pepper seemed surprised. She assumed she knew how the man in front of her would react, but this definitely wasn't it. She watched as he grabbed his jacket, slipping it on before walking over to her. "This doesn't change anything, alright?" the woman silently nodded, before his lips met hers in a quick kiss. "Have fun at work." the man turned slipping on a pair of sun glasses before heading out, leaving his fiance more confused than she's ever been.
It was starting to get to her. The realization of Katie's life was starting to sink in, and she could feel herself slowly breaking. The more she sat in her room, and thought about time after time she'd made a horrible decision. They were the nails she was hammering into her metaphorical coffin, and now she has to live with it.
When the memories of her screw ups were just too much, she decided she needed to just get away, and clear her head. She got dressed, always remembering the stupid baseball cap, and sunglasses, before skipping down the stairs in hopes of avoiding any annoying questions. All hopes were lost the moment she opened the door, and there stood Stephen who was about to walk inside.
"You're going somewhere?" he asked, before holding up a brown paper bag. "I got bagels."
"Uh, cool. I'm just going to go for a walk. I need to get out of here for a while."
"Did you want me to-"
"No." she said already rushing out the door. Stephen stood there for a moment, watching as she rushed down the sidewalk, stuffing her hands in the pockets of her jacket and dropping her head. He'd noticed it before, how well she seemed to make herself unnoticeable. He's sure it's a trait she's not pleased to need.
Katie hailed a cab around the corner, and decided to head over to visit Odin. It had been a while since she'd seen him, and she figured now would probably be the best time to really dig into figuring out what happened to him and how she could help him.
Katie's eyes went wide the moment the taxi stopped in front of the nursing home. She handed the driver some cash before stepping out, unsure why there was a pile of rubble where the building used to be. She glanced around hoping for a sign about what was going on. There was a sign posted a couple of feet away, and she started toward it. She was halfway there, when familiar voices struck her.
"I swear I left him right here."
Katie turned her eyes not believing anything she was seeing. There was Thor and he was standing next to Loki who she believed up to this point was dead.
"Right here on the sidewalk, or right there where the building is being demolished?" Thor shook his head. "Great planning."
"How was I supposed to know?" Loki turned to his brother in annoyance before turning back to the rubble. "Can't see into the future. I'm not a witch." the truth was Loki really didn't care where their father was. His life as the king of Asgard was going perfect, but his brother just had to show up and ruin everything like always. Loki turned away his eyes searching for some sort of sign that would point them in the direction of their father and shut up his brother, but what he saw made him grow still.
"No? Then why do you dress like one?" Thor muttered still not believing his brother's actions. "I can't believe you're alive. I saw you die. I mourned you, I cried for you." he looked over to his brother who wasn't even paying attention to him. "Loki, are you even-" he followed his brother's gaze to see what has him so enamored, and the moment he sees Katie, his eyes seem to light up. "Lady Katherine!" he rushes over to her, and scoops her into a tight hug lifting her off the the ground. "I can't believe you're here, I feel like it's been ages since we've-" he placed her on the ground and pulled back and get a look at her, the wide smile still on his face until he sees the frown on hers. "What's wrong?"
"I can't be here." she began inching away from the man, glancing once again to Loki as she shook her head. "You're not supposed to see me." she looked back to Thor who stared at her in confusion. She noticed the stares they were getting, and she knew she was too close to blowing her cover. She shook her head before turning back to Thor and letting out a sigh. "I have to go, but find your dad and make sure he's ok."
"Katherine, what-" before he could even finish the question, Katie had turned and ran as fast as she could away from him. He was about to follow when he turned back to his brother, and figures he has something to do with his run away friend. "Loki-" suddenly sparks of orange light appear at Loki's feet, and both look down in confusion. "What is this, what are you doing?"
"This isn't me." it were the last words the man spoke before suddenly falling out of sight with an echoed yelp. Thor's eyes look to the spot his brother mysteriously disappeared, only to see a business card. He pokes it with his 'unbrella', which is really his Mjolnir in disguise. "Loki?" he bends down and picks up the card, and reads an address he assumes is where he'll find his brother.
Tony was supposed to be meeting with Happy to go over the details of the items that actually made the move after his plane both crashed and exploded. In all honesty he was supposed to be doing anything except for what he was doing right now.
He heard the sliding door open, and glanced over his shoulder and rolled his eyes before turning back to the holographic screen in front of him.
"Hey Matt, what are you doing here?" Tony asked, hearing the man's nearing footsteps.
"I tried calling you, and you didn't answer, so I called the future Mrs. Stark, and said you were meeting with Happy. I called Happy, who still hates me by the way, but he told me that he hadn't seen you either." Matthew walked up to stand beside the man, looking over to see what Tony was staring at so intently, and his mouth dropped open slightly. Tony glanced over to him, wanting to gauge his reaction. "I thought you were looking for agent assface?" Matthew asked looking to the man. "Why are you looking for my sister?" Tony quirked a brow.
"I thought you'd be a little more excited about the prospect of finding your sister. I mean it's been months, right?" Tony watched as Matthew turned away, looking back to the screen.
"Yeah," Matthew cleared his throat and Tony narrowed his eyes. "Right, months."
"You're lying." Matthew turned at the accusation, before shaking his head and heading back to the steps. "Is she in New York?!" Matthew stopped, but didn't turn. "She is, isn't she?" Tony shook his head, completely livid. She was so close and yet she nor his friend here thought he should know. "I can't believe-" he let out a huff turning back to the screen. He was glad Pepper couldn't see him now, see the reaction she expected and not the act he was putting on. It was the fact that at the time he didn't know it was an act. He thought when he heard his fiance's tale about his friend appearing in their place, as if she'd been nearly frozen to death, that it truly didn't faze him.
It was simply that over time he'd gotten in his head about it. After all this time, with Clint and Natalia not with her, there truly was no telling what kind of situation she could be in. That's what worried him. She was on her own, alone, with no one watching her back and he didn't like that at all.
"I thought she'd forgiven me, but she doesn't even want to see me."
"If you believe that then you don't know my sister at all." Matthew said, and Tony turned to see the seriousness in the man's eyes. "I've seen my sister a few times since she's been in this city, and each time she looks scared." the man shook his head. "You see my sister lost everything, and the only solace she has is know that without her in everyone's life, they're safe." Tony furrowed his brow in confusion. "Tony you haven't seen her, and she doesn't call you because in her head she thinks she protecting you."
"Protecting me from what?"
"Her, and this thing she believes destroys everything she's around. The CIA are still after her, whatever HYDRA lackeys that are out there are probably still after her, that bastard of a husband left taking her daughter, and told her he was protecting her from my sister, the woman with the biggest heard I'd ever known." Matt slid his hand through his hair in frustration. They stood in silence for a few beats, before Tony finally spoke.
"Well is she alright?" Matt didn't have a definite answer to that question and so he gave a slight shrug.
"She's trying to stay under the radar, I mean the few times we'd meet up, she looked fine, but I could tell she wasn't in the best place. That whole Barton thing really messed her up and I don't like her not always being on top of her game. Not when it's concerning her life." Matthew glanced over to to Tony who let out a deep breath of air, and he could tell this wasn't exactly the news he wanted to hear. "She's not alone. She has a friend who she says is helping her."
"Friend? What friend?"
"No idea, she didn't tell me much. She just told me in more or less words, he was someone who could be in the tornado that was her life, and not get knocked down." Matthew glanced up to the screen, and sighed at the picture of his sister. "You should end that search." he looked back over to Tony. "Look I know you want to see her, but I think for the moment she's fine, she-"
"She not fine." Tony stated plainly and Matthew saw how sure he was of those words as he took a step forward. "Something happened last night."
"What?"
"Your sister came to my house."
Katie ran, got in to not two, but three different cabs that she had drive aimlessly in case she was being followed. Seeing Thor, and Loki no less just really threw her for loop. She wasn't expecting to see them, and she definitely didn't expect them to see her. She had decided a long time ago that until she got a handle on her life, that she would place as much distance as possible between her and her friends...and whatever government agency was looking for her. After about an hour she finally had the taxi driver drop her off a block away from the sanctum. She didn't feel like she was being followed, but it didn't stop her from glancing over her shoulder and looking over the faces that passed her.
The only moment she felt like she could breathe was the moment she stepped inside the Sanctum, closing the door and dropping her head against it.
"Lady Katherine?" the sound of Thor's voice once again caused Katie to whip her head around, not quite believing that he was standing right there next to Stephen who was now dressed in his whole wizard gear, cloak and all. She looked over to Stephen who stood, staring back to the woman with a furrowed brow waiting for her to just speak.
Katie opened her mouth, unsure what she was going to say. Instead she closed her mouth and turned grabbing the door handle before pulling open the door and running out. She didn't hear the words Stephen muttered, but she knows he did something because the moment she stepped out the door, she appeared on the stairs now looking down to the two men. Thor looked over to the door in confusion, before looking back to Katie. Katie turned a glare to Stephen who turned back to Thor.
"Mr. Odinson was here requesting my help in finding his father." Stephen says taking a step forward, his eyes still on Katie. "I mentioned to him my knowledge of his father's presence here, and the visits you were making to him, giving him hope that you would help him." Katie still didn't say anything as she turned back to Thor.
"Lady Katherine, I'm not quite sure what is going on, or why you fled from me earlier," he glanced over to Stephen warily before turning back to Katie. "Are you here of you own volition?" he took a step forward. "Are you safe?" Katie let out a heavy sigh, before coming down the few steps, and suddenly bringing her arms around Thor in a hug that he returned.
"I'm sorry I ran and yes I am safe. I'm just in a bit of a situation." she pulled back from the hug and he looked to her eyes in confusion. "Don't worry I'm handling it. Or trying to handle it." she shook her head. "But that's not why you're here. Your dad. He was at that nursing home-"
"How did you know he was there?" Thor asked. "My brother who is very much alive as you've seen did something to him and hid him away in that place. How did you find him?"
"Honestly I don't know. I was out for trying to clear my head, so I was just roaming around all over the city, and I walked by that nursing home, and just stopped. I don't know why, but I stopped and went inside, and to say I was surprised to see Odin is an understatement. I convinced the staff that he was my grandfather, and when I went over to him to ask him what he was doing here, he didn't say anything. It's like he was there, but not at the same time." Katie shook her head looking up to Thor's eyes. "I didn't know what the hell was going on, but I knew he needed help. I didn't know how I could help, but I believed I could figure it out. So I would visit him, talk to him, tell him he was going to be alright. I can't believe he's gone. I'm so sorry, I should've-"
"Katherine, it's not your fault and I am eternally grateful for your watchful eye on my father."
"Well not watchful enough because he's gone." Katie says before turning to Stephen who stood off to the side watching the pair. "You knew he was gone, didn't you?"
"It is my duty to be aware or any and all other worldly beings who come to Earth." Stephen replied once again and Katie rolled her eyes.
"You know where he is?"
"He's in Norway." Stephen replied and Katie's brows shot up on her forehead. She knew she missed a couple of visits, but she didn't expect him to be in another country. Stephen turned to Thor, "And I will be happy to send you to him, so you can take him along with your brother back home and far away from Earth."
"That's not nice." Katie said.
"I wasn't trying to be." Stephen said before suddenly reaching over to Thor. "I just need...a strand.. of hair." Thor inched back away from the man's grasp.
"Let me explain something. My hair is not to be meddled with." Thor's words didn't matter because when Stephen was close enough he grabbed one strand of hair. Thor watches as the man fluidly moves his hands, and suddenly sparks appears. Both watch as soon a spinning circle appears and on the other side is a beautiful meadow. "He's waiting for you." Thor simply nodded before glancing over to Katie who gave a small smile. "Don't forget your umbrella."
"Oh, right." Thor says, before extending his hand. And they all listen as things begin to crash. The wait seems long, and the sound of all the crashing just makes Stephen grimace. " Sorry." suddenly the umbrella flies to Thor's hand and Katie looks at it in confusion, reaching over to poke the thing.
"How did you-" she shakes her head figuring her brain at this point couldn't take any more craziness. "You know what, never mind."
Thor looked over to Stephen, and gave a nod. "I guess I will be needing my brother back."
"Oh, of course." Stephen lifted his hands, and with a rapid spin of his hands, a portal opened and out fell a screaming Loki who crashed to the floor.
"I've been falling for thirty minutes!" he yelled jumping to his feet. He stalked toward Stephen, before stopping and looking over to Katie, his anger suddenly subsiding, as she looks to him. "Mad woman." Katie looked at him for a moment because for the life of her, she couldn't shake the feeling that something felt off. Up to this point she absolutely knew Loki was dead, but why did it feel like this wasn't the first time she'd seen him since seeing him die. She closed her eyes and winced as a memory she didn't even know she had hit her.
"You and I both know death doesn't necessarily mean the end."
Katie's eyes snapped opened and she looked right at the man and he just knew she remembered. He couldn't read her expression for a moment as she walked toward him. A part of him wanted to flee, because he'd know if she ever found out the truth her reaction wouldn't be pleasant. Or at least that's what he assumed. No one in that room quite suspected the moment she brought her arms around the man in a hug that he was too stunned to return. He glanced over to his brother who stared with wide confused eyes, before looking up to him brother with a glare.
"What did you do, Loki?" there was his brother's accusing voice once again.
"I didn't do anything!" Loki exclaimed looking back down to the woman who finally pulled from the hug. "I told you she was mad and she-"
"You saved my life." she stated and he shakes his head in refutation.
"I have no idea what you're talking about. I would never save your life, you are one of the many banes of my existence, and extending your life doesn't benefit me."
"And yet you did. You saved me and my daughter." She looked over to Thor who still watched in confusion. "He is the one who got me out of that car before that truck hit." she looked back over to Loki. "I just don't know why." he looked at her for a moment before clearing his throat and standing a bit straighter.
"You truly are mad, I tell you." he muttered before turning to Stephen, suddenly becoming enraged again. "You think you're some kind of sorcerer?"a blade suddenly appeared in Loki's hand as he stalked toward Stephen. "Don't think for one minute, you second-rate..." with a wave of his hand, he moved the portal, forcing Loki to go through it before turning to Thor. Stephen turned back to Thor and held out a hand.
"Good luck."
"Thank you." Thor said, shaking man's hand before turning back to Katie. "For some reason I don't feel right leaving you here." he glanced around the place. "Alone." he turned back to her, not sure if he should ask about Clint. "Maybe you should come with us to Asgard, at least until you handle whatever situation you're in."
"That is a very tempting offer-" Katie says glancing over to Stephen. "But something is happening here." she looked back to Thor. "We're not sure what it is, but something is coming." she walked over to him, and placed a reassuring hand to his arm. "But if you find yourself needing to avenge something, I will definitely be there." he gave her a smile before once again bringing her into a hug. "Oh, and I'm sorry about you an Jane." Katie had read some article quoting Jane that she and Thor had broken up.
"It was a mutual dumping." Thor said for the second time today, pulling from the hug. "And your Hawk, he's-"
"He and our daughter are safe, and that's all that matters." Katie replied before taking a step back. "You should go, and tell your dad I might hold it against him for not saying goodbye." Thor gave a nod before turning to the portal. The moment he stepped through, it was closed and he was gone.
Katie and Stephen stood in silence for a few moments before the man finally spoke.
"Uh, are you alright?" the question seemed so awkward coming from him. He truly wanted to help her, but he really was no good with the emotional stuff he knew she was holding onto. Katie stood there for a moment, really thinking about the answer to his question. She glanced up to him and just shook her head.
"No, I'm not." Katie slid her fingers through hair and looked up to meet the man's eyes. "I want my life back." she took a few steps toward the man. "I need a computer, and for Wong to meet me up to in his library."
With a laptop, Katie could find herself hidden beneath some of the best keep secrets of the world, and not be noticed at all. When Stephen placed the laptop in front her, he watched as she seemed to perform her own sort of magic as he fingers danced against the keys. He looked over her shoulder, the screen changing quickly, making it hard for him to even follow what she was doing.
"What are you trying to accomplish?"
"I need to know if our all knowing government is hiding any big secrets that could bite us in the ass." she replied her eyes not ever sparing him a glance. "Maybe whatever this is, whatever is coming was already spotted, and they don't even know it."
"I think I would." Stephen replied, but the woman didn't stop typing. "I know you rely heavily on this, this computer and information trapped inside, but no matter how extensive the information is, it's still limited." she didn't say anything. "If you want to find out the truth, then you're going to have to rely on something that is beyond reason, beyond numbers, beyond whatever you think you're going to accomplish with this computer." she still didn't say anything and he sighed before slamming down the lid of the laptop, taking it and throwing it into the wall. It shattered, and for some reason, Katie felt as if her hope did as well. She angrily jumped to her feet, and planted her feet in front of the man and the look in her eyes was undeniable. She wanted to attack.
"What you're asking is impossible. Years of logical thinking is ingrained in my brain, so excuse me for relying on it in a time a crisis." she shook her head before storming away from him.
"You can apparate of your own will." he said and she stopped. "Explain how that is possible logically." he turned waving a hand toward the laptop and watched as it seemed to piece itself back together before sitting on the table. He flipped open the lid and turned it to her. "Show me on here an explanation on how you're aware of a phenomenon that hasn't even happened yet." she remained silent and he shook his head. "Logically, you're not supposed to be here. Logically, you shouldn't have accepted my request to come here and yet here you are. The world is beyond logic, and the moment you realize that, the moment you immerse your self in that possibility will be the moment you are no longer blind to what is actually coming."
"What do you mean blind?"
"You feel it. Feel the dread that comes from whatever you believe is coming. But you know there's more and it's as if you can't even see it. The truth is you can, but you're too afraid of what seeing it will make you. You thought you knew the person you were, but this will make you something else, and that scares you." she didn't have a rebuttal, or quick comeback to oppose the accusation, because she knew it was more than an accusation. And so because the truth is hard to face head on, she turned and does what she has mastered, and that is run away.
She locked herself in her bedroom, and sat on the floor her back against the door. She couldn't stop hearing Stephen's words, couldn't stop thinking about the implications they had. Katie couldn't stop thinking about how scared to death at their truth.
The silence in the room was broken by a buzzing sound. Katie lifted her head, and glanced around the room trying to pin point where the sound was coming from. Her head turned to the drawer beside her bed and she crawled over, pulling it open to see the small flip phone ringing. Her heart stopped beating at thought of what this call could mean. Maybe she was too late. Maybe twisting of her gut at the bad feeling was for nothing. She picked up the phone, took a deep breath before flipping it open and bringing it to her ear.
"What's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing, just the fact that you're in New York, and decided not to tell me."
When the words came out of Tony's mouth, Katie felt a mixture of emotions. She assumed the phone that was only supposed ring when the Avengers needed to assemble to fight something seriously dangerous, wouldn't be the source of her friend's nightly rant.
"So there aren't aliens attacking Earth, or the some evil robots trying to outdo Ultron?"
"I'm not joking!"
"Neither am I. Look I know the last time I call you on this phone, I was in a bad place, and I totally misused the purpose of this phone, but I thought we agreed, that this is only for emergencies."
"Well how about you showing up in my house nearly frozen? Does that count as an emergency?"
Katie closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh. She assumed the last thing Pepper would do was tell Tony about that night.
"She told you?"
"Yes, she told me, but she shouldn't have been the one to tell you were here. What the hell is going on? Are you in some kind of trouble?"
"I think I'm going to hang up now."
"Don't you-" Tony exhaled before speaking again. "You're here. You're close, and for some reason I don't get to see you. I thought we were different. We're-"
"I know. I know who were are to each other Tony, and that's exactly why you haven't seen me. Because if I can somehow prevent the shit on my heels from even blowing in your direction, then that is what I'm going to do. Know that I am fine, that I am relatively safe, and that I am figuring out a way to fix my crappy life."
"Let me help you."
Katie dropped her head, her eyes closing and tears attempting to escape at his words.
"You're always trying to help me." she muttered, before slightly chuckling. "Well unless I upset you, then you let me get dragged to Timbuktu."
"I'm not joking. This isn't our witty banter right now. This is me asking you to let me help you."
Yet another attempting offer, and she wondered if she was crazy not to consider it. It would be so easy, but her mind only went to the downside of what excepting it could mean for Tony, for his life, and she wouldn't do that. Not to him. Never to him.
"No." she said simply, and she couldn't help that more tears seemed to pour from her eyes at her own words. "You see I'm not going you let you tangle yourself in my mess ever again. It bit you in the ass before. You almost lost the woman you love, so no, I got this."
"Why the hell are you so stubborn?"
"It's expected of me." she replied with a smile. "I'm really going to hang up now."
"I want to ask you again." Tony said. "Face to face."
"That's absolutely not happening, it's too risky and—-"
"And I don't care. You don't get to be in the same city as me, and I don't even get to see you face to face."
"Tony, no we can't, I-"
"Brooklyn Bridge Park, one hour."
Tony hung up the phone not even giving her another chance to argue. It was if he knew it didn't matter and that she would go against everything she'd just said and meet him. She snapped the phone shut and buried her face in her hands.
After a moment, her eyes looked over to the open window, unable to not think about him waiting to see her, and about how she so badly wanted to see him. To see the person who could always give hope, and always made her feel like she wasn't really alone.
Tony was early. Even after the ridiculous modes of travel he used to get here. He'd taken two cabs, two subways, and even endured a city bus that dropped him off a block from the park. Looking at him too closely, and sure you'd probably recognize him, but he did a hell of a lot to make sure you didn't. He'd switched up his wardrobe for jeans that were slightly baggy but not too much. A baseball cap that practically covered his eyes, and a black hoodie, the hood draped over his head. He'd moved about the entire way without anyone looking his way.
Tony glanced down to his watch. It was officially an hour, and his eyes scanned the area searching out her face. A part of him was afraid she wouldn't show. It's why he hung up the phone after giving her a meeting location. He didn't want to give her another chance to say no. He wanted to let guilt drive her decisions. He wanted her to feel too guilty about making him wait out here this late at night alone.
"C'mon, kitten." he muttered, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his hoodie.
"You know people only meet at this park this late at night for either drugs or prostitution." the familiar voice made a smile break out of the man's face, and when he turned to her he could hardly believe that she was really here and standing in front of him. She'd opted for a darker wardrobe as well with a dark colored jacket a knit cap on her head as she looked off over the bridge. She glanced over to him and smiled. "Five minutes, Mr. Stark, and then we both turn around and not look-" her words were cut off by the man's arms suddenly pulling her into a tight hug, that she returned without hesitation. She didn't want to pull away, didn't want to remove herself from this feeling, this warmth she hadn't felt since Clint walked away from her. She didn't know she was crying really until she sniffed back tears.
It was the sound that made Tony pull back enough to see the tears in her eyes, and couldn't take the sight and so he just pulled his arms back around her.
"I'm going to help you."
"Three minutes, Tony."
"I'll get Ross off your back, I mean I'm sure I can dig up enough dirt of him to make him stay as far away from you as possible."
"Tony,"
"You'll stay with me, and I'll keep you safe from whatever HYDRA asshole is still out there trying to get to your mother through you."
"And if I don't?"
"Well I'll take your picture and entice you into sticking around." Tony replied placing a kiss to her cheek, never removing his arms from around her. "Because you're my kitten, you're my best friend, you the peanut butter to my jelly, the Milly to my Vanilly, the-"
"One minute, Tony."
"You can't walk away from me. It's like ingrained in our DNA to always stick together. Even when we're fighting, and I'm angry with you, you're still-"
"Tony."
"No!" she felt his arms tighten around her, and she knew this moment would break her heart. It's the moment she would have to do what neither wanted them to do in this moment. "I don't care what happens to me, I don't care about the risks. I just need to know you're alright. I need you with me." she didn't says anything, and for a moment he thought she was considering it, that he'd changed her mind.
"Alright." she said, and he couldn't truly believe it. He pulled back, the grasp around her loosening. She placed a hand on his cheek and smiled. "I love you, Tony Stark." and without another word, she pull out of his loosen grasp, turned and ran away.
Because it was the truly the only thing she was good at.