Half of a man
Down in Mexico
"Anthony Edward Stark!"
The sun was burning over the golden desert of New Mexico. The sky was so blue one could swear it was purer than in any other part of the world. Tony was laid down with his feet in a small plastic pool fool of ice cubes and water, drinking a cocktail on the roof of a track.
"Tony!" a long desired voice pierced his ears. Of course he never liked her screaming in that tone.
"Hi, Peps." He said like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Get your arrogant ass down here, now, Stark!" she screamed, which was good judging by how pissed she was; if she brought the professional tone that would mean trouble.
Tony got his feet out of the pool and into his boots, never minding to dry them in this hell. He jumped down to the front of the track and then climbed down.
The sight before him scared him; Pepper was giving him her professional smile which always made him shiver.
"I've been calling you for two days." She said crossing her arms in front of her chest; defense.
"I was out of reach." He said.
"There's a huge antenna over there." She pointed to the back.
Tony looked behind her and nodded. They stayed silent for a moment, Tony looking down at his boots and Pepper trying to pierce into that thick skull of his.
"I told you to go North, what are you doing here?" he asked her and he saw the world spinning. His cheek burned at the collision with Pepper's hand.
"You fly over to New York, leaving us alone and then you call and tell me to get our kids and go north; just like that, no further explanation. I've been hearing you discussing about a second war for years; a war that is going to be even worse than that battle in New York. Did you really expect that after all we've been through I'd just leave, not giving a damn what you do or where you are?" her voice was never raised. She was calm and neutral just like when she lectures her kids.
Tony swallowed hard and looked at her. "You should, this might be over our limits…"
"So? If you lose here, in New Mexico, do you think that whoever is coming will spare the rest of the world?" she cut him and he shook his head.
"No, but I'd be more relax knowing you might not be caught in the middle of a sudden attack or anything. By the way where are the kids?" he asked her.
"With their sister, which reminds me… will you give the poor girl a break? Go and do your job as a mature adult and let Mildred alone for a minute." She sighed.
"I was doing just that when you came. Bringing the kids in the center of a test field is not very smart, Pepper." He said walking towards the facilities.
"There not in the test field, they are safe, but you…"
"Me nothing, you should take the kids and leave." Tony said entering the lounge room of their little 'camp' where his favourite little minions were playing.
"Daddy! Daddy!" Edward, Marie and Logan yelled running towards him with Marie beating her siblings to Tony's arms.
"Hey! How are my little minions? Did you miss your dad?" he asked and they all started speaking simultaneously. He got the words, school, Sonia, ball, teacher, not fair and such. He let Marie down and looked at Millie on the back who was smirking at him.
"Ok, let's just calm down for a while, shall we? Let's just take this wonderful couch over here." He said and collected Logan from the floor which was looking at him with his huge brown eyes, ready to cry.
"No reason to cry, big guy, daddy's here." He said and walked to the couch sitting next to Millie. Pepper was nowhere to be seen which only meant trouble. If his wife was not there interrogating him she was with someone else doing it; with someone who would give her answers.
"So, what happened during my absence?" Tony asked.
"Mrs. Hudson put me in detention." Marie said obviously upset.
"Why?" Tony asked ready to hear a very amusing story.
"She put me in detention too, she had no right!" Edward said glancing at his sister.
"Don't tell me you guys blew up the school or something." Tony said and Millie laughed. Tony glanced at her but didn't say a word.
"No! We were just… we just… we wanted…" Marie was trying to find the right words that would make them look less guilty. Edward let her do the talking but as she could not find a good excuse he sighed and took the situation under his control.
"We were making a canon; The test ball broke a window in the greenhouse." He said. Tony's eyes were wide open and ready to reach Alabama at his son's statement.
"What? A canon? You actually build a canon? What for?" he asked upsetting Logan. He took a minute to calm himself and the toddler before Ed could explain.
"For the war." He said and Tony just froze. Little Edward looked so mature, so ready for what was to come. Of course, he could see that happening after Africa but how had he known about the war?
"There is a war coming, isn't it? That's why you left home; both of you." He said looking at his dad and his older sister. "The aliens are coming again, aren't they? The ones that came when I was a baby." He said, his eyes dark, troubled, determined but not scared. He had done it before, Tony decided. When they had been in Africa, Edward had been the one protecting Marie and Logan, he had sent the message, he had run away protecting his siblings. He had grown up so fast.
Tony looked at his children, all of them. Marie was looking at him expecting an answer. She looked a bit scared but she trusted him to protect them.
"Is it true daddy? Are they coming again? Is that bad man coming again?" she asked him and he looked at Millie. She looked as shocked as him but she was thinking rapidly. What can you answer them?
"Did mommy tell you?" it was a safe question to buy him some time. He knew Pepper would never worry them. Both of them shook their heads. This time Marie spoke.
"You left in your suit; you looked worried. You didn't call; you always call and mom was so worried."
"You left too; you were always there, but you were not anymore." Edward said to Millie. She could see the sense of abandonment in his eyes. She remembered Loki's words then.
Do you think they'll care why you died? That they won't grieve, they won't accuse themselves for what will happen to you?
Pepper appeared out of nowhere smiling sadly. Tony looked at her and sighted. She must have been really scared after the incident in the school. How can you deal with it? She wasn't supposed to deal with it.
"How can you hide yourself from them, besides they know everything." She said catching their attention. Logan struggled out of his arms to run to his mother.
Tony smiled awkwardly and thought for a while. His initial approach had been wrong. Everything was going wrong. Something was off.
"Yes, a war is coming and it's going to be worse than the last. Millie has been working on our weapons for as long as she had been missing and… that guy… Reindeer Games… he's going to help us. So no need to worry, it's going to be ok." Tony said looking at Millie.
Her expression said it all. It had been almost three weeks since they had lost Loki. He was certain she knew where that lunatic was, she could see it in her face right now. She looked guilty. She wasn't sure the demi god would be able to help them but they were sure, after what Thor had told them that they wouldn't be able to last on their own.
Their weapons wouldn't stand a chance against dark magic. They counted on their alliance with Asgard to protect them and on Frigga's promise to enhance their weapons with magic. Three weeks had past; there had been no sign of attack, no Frigga and no Loki. That troubled Mildred more than anything.
"Hey, kids, how about meeting the God of Thunder?" Pepper said distracting them. All three of them left the room with her leaving Millie alone with Tony.
"He's going to help." She said.
"How do you know?" he asked getting up from the couch.
"I just know."
"Do you know where he is?" he asked her but she didn't answer. "Do you know what he's doing, if he's going to come back?" again no answer.
"God, you don't even know if he was faking it! You don't even know if he's going back to maniac mode as we speak." He yelled but she kept her temper.
"You don't know him; I doubt I do but … I just know ok? I can't tell you for sure he'll be coming back but I know he will help. One way or another. Just trust me for a change will you?"