This story takes place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe of The Avengers, after Thor: The Dark World.

Again, there is one major difference: in this story, Stark DID NOT have his arch reactor removed.

I own nothing.

Rated T for Violence and Language

Part Five: Gold

Chapter 20

"They really did all that to her?"

Tony Stark nodded solemnly, averting his gaze from Pepper's as he swayed in his chair restlessly. He had told her everything, leaving no gruesome detail out as he recalled his last month at the bottom of the S.H.I.E.L.D. labyrinth with Charlotte Gale. Finally finished, he chanced as glance up at her horrified face. Pepper's blue eyes were round with terror, and her elegant fingers covered her gaping mouth. He chewed at his cheek as he looked at her, inhaling deeply through his nose. "I shouldn't have let it go on as long as it did." He muttered, shaking his head sadly, "I should've stopped it sooner."

He looked over to the bench seat across from them, where Charlie lay sleeping. She had passed out not long after their bumpy takeoff, unable to fight her exhaustion a minute longer. Curled up in a tight ball, she had her knees to her chest and her hands folded in front of her face. She was still cocooned in Happy's jacket. The toes of her sneakers were all that was visible as they poked out from underneath the black fabric. A pang of guilt ripped through his chest, his diaphragm tightened achingly against his heart, "I shouldn't have let it happen. Period."

"You did what you could." Pepper tried to console him, reaching out and grasping his hand.

"It wasn't good enough." He stated solemnly, looking back at her with tired eyes, "Nothing will ever be enough after all this." He sighed, massaging his temple, "I'm sorry I didn't consult you first. I just thought… Maybe, this way, she'd have a chance."

"I'm glad you did it." Pepper told him sincerely, glancing sympathetically at the sleeping girl, "You did the right thing."

Bright, golden light. Blinding. Intense. All consuming. And then, there was blood.

It was on the floor, on the walls, and even splattered on the ceiling. Violent splashes of bright crimson. Its smell hung heavy in the stagnate air, so strong she could taste iron with every breath she took.

Charlie slowly made her way down the hallway, stepping watchfully over the bodies at her feet. Cold sweat dripped down her spine, despite the fact that the room around her was hot like an oven. Panic rose in her breast with every corpse she stumbled over, her gaze lingering on every face. Each had their eyes open, staring into nothing as flies buzzed around the moist orbs, blood congealed around their noses and lips.

She wanted to scream. She wanted to stop and sob into her hands. But, Charlie had no control over her body as she kept inexplicably moving forward, led by an unseen force.

She could hear shouting resonating from the room at the end of the passage. She strained her ears, trying to understand it, but the sound of gunshots suddenly exploded over the voices, with screams of agony immediately following.

She came to a stop outside a heavy metal door with Arabic script painted across it. Her heart felt like it would beat right out of her chest, blood pounding in her ears as she was overwhelmed by the urge to open it. She reached for the handle, her fingers trembling, when the door abruptly jerked open.

Charlie jumped back, her blood instantly freezing in her veins as her blue eyes met with Agent Barton's silver ones. His muscles were tight in an archer's stance as he framed his bow expertly, his arrow aimed directly at her sternum. She stared at him in shock, opening her mouth to plead with him, but unable to make a sound.

He loosed the arrow.

"Charlie!"

Charlie jolted upright, Happy's jacket sliding to the floor as she awoke with a start. She grasped at her core, to where the arrow had skewered her, breathing sharp and short.

Tony Stark was staring at her, as was everybody else on the plane. He released her shoulders slowly, having tried to shake her awake. But, kept his hands up, like he was afraid she would fall back over. "You okay?" He asked her quietly, "That looked like one helluva nightmare."

Charlie blushed and turned away, embarrassed, but not sure why.

A nightmare? She pondered to herself, focusing on the early morning light pouring through the port hole beside her. It had not felt like any nightmare she had had before. Everything had been so vivid. So solid. She could still smell the blood and the rot in the heat. She could still feel the stifling warmth on her skin, and the stiff air in her chest. And, the fear. The paralyzing terror that had overtaken her.

Stark had still not put his arms down, though he had inched them away. For a moment, she considered telling him about the bodies, and the gun shots, and Agent Barton in the doorway. But, she knew how crazy it would sound.

"My dad." She lied softly, still not looking at him. She hoped it would be enough of an uncomfortable subject that he might let the matter drop. She was right.

Stark lowered his arms, diverting his eyes from her uncomfortably as he cleared his throat, "So…ah… You remember?"

Charlie nodded slowly, more focused on the sunlight than ever, "It was something those men said, back on the plane."

"Oh?" He muttered, concerned.

"'Hail HYDRA,'" She repeated the phrase bitterly, "Agent Taylor said that. Right after she slit my throat."

The cabin was now filled with a stiff, uncomfortable silence. No one knew how to respond to that. Stark looked down at his shoes before glancing over at Pepper pleadingly, silently asking her what he should do.

"Is she dead?" Charlie broke the quiet as she turned back to the Avenger, her expression cold.

His head jerked back up, "What?"

"Taylor." She repeated solemnly, "Is she dead?"

Stark stared at her in surprise. He was mildly disturbed by the calm in her voice. "Yeah." He answered her delicately, "She's dead."

Charlie turned back to the window, "Good."

The pilot suddenly came over the intercom, defusing the building pressure in the cabin. "Good morning," He greeted them warmly, "The time is now 7:20am, Eastern Standard Time. We are now making out final approach to JFK and will be landing shortly."

Charlie's heart began to race as she leaned closer to the window, peering out at the iconic skyline below.

"Welcome to New York City."

The streets of the city were still visibly scarred by the extraterrestrial battle that had played out only months before. They were a virtual labyrinth of construction and detours, taking the already famously bad New York traffic and making it worse.

Charlie was crouched down in her seat, stealthily studying the urban landscape around her from the bottom corner of her window. She had never been to New York City, but she could remember how her mother had talked about it so longingly, clearly homesick for the city that never sleeps. But, so far, Charlie had not seen the charm.

Everything was too big, too busy, and too loud.

"Charlie," Stark chuckled at her as he fiddled with his phone, "They can't see you. The windows are all tinted."

Charlie blushed and sank even deeper into her seat.

"Tony!" Pepper hissed at him, throwing him a scolding glance from her seat opposite him.

"What?" He looked up at her, confused.

She narrowed her striking eyes at him and pursed her lips disapprovingly.

Stark grimaced, turning his attention from the CEO to Charlie knowingly. Humiliation was clear on the girl's face. "Relax." Stark urged her as gently as is natural cynicism would allow, "We're almost there."

Charlie remained hunched down in her seat, avoiding his gaze as her cheeks continued to burn with embarrassment. She knew her behavior was irrational, but the fear that had invaded her person had succeeded in completely consuming her. Her thoughts and actions were held hostage to a constant barrage of endless 'what ifs?' She was no longer her own; ruled by exhaustion, terror, and adrenaline withdraw.

She heard Stark sigh, a deep note of frustration which only worsened her nerves. There was the distinct sound of denim rubbing against leather as he shifted his weight across the seat. She flinched as his hand landed on her shoulder. If he had noticed, he said nothing, as he lightly urged her to straighten and take another look out the window.

"See?" He said quietly, pointing out the glass.

Still self-conscious, she inhaled deeply and looked back up at the skyline. "Oh…" She breathed in quiet awe, starring at the towering spire of cobalt and steel glinting above the horizon in the Manhattan sun.

Avengers Tower was unmistakable. Not in any small part due to the massive "A" on the side of the skyscraper. It stood at least thirty stories taller than any building around it, thrusting above the New York vista alongside the Empire State Building and the One World Trade Center. Lashed to the side was a large industrial crane, its beam hanging over what looked like a landing strip coming out of the side of the high-rise.

"We're still under construction." Stark informed her, quickly adding under his breath with an irritated huff, "Still cleaning up after that bastard."

Charlie's gaze rose above the tower, fixing on the point where the wormhole had formed and spilled out an alien army. "You mean Loki?" She asked him with a whisper, "He's the one who did all this?"

"Yeah." Stark sat back in his seat.

Charlie turned to look at him for the first time, "Is Loki really Thor's brother?"

"Yes." He nodded slowly, choosing his words carefully, "But, Thor likes to point out that Loki was adopted. So..." He shrugged.

She considered this for a moment, studying the billionaire closely, "Is that why you didn't kill him?"

Stark blinked, taken off guard by the question, "What?"

"Loki." She repeated calmly, "Did you not kill him because he's Thor's brother?"

Stark exchanged an unnerved glance with Pepper, who had raised her eyebrows in surprise, "No, that's not… Why would you ask something like that?"

Charlie chewed on the inside of her cheek, looking down at her muddy sneakers, "S.H.I.E.L.D. locked me up. But, I didn't do anything wrong. I never meant to hurt anyone. But, an alien tries to take over the world, and then gets to walk away because… Why?" She questioned thoughtfully, voice still barely more than a whisper, "I guess I just don't understand. Loki killed people. So, why did you let him go?"

"Avengers don't kill people." Stark informed her firmly, then muttered quickly in a hushed tone, "Not if we can help it, anyway."

"S.H.I.E.L.D. kills people." Charlie fired back.

"We're not S.H.I.E.L.D." He asserted, frowning at her.

Charlie did not reply. She just continued to look up at him doubtingly.

Stark cleared his throat, "And, Loki is dead, anyway. Thor told us he was killed by the Dark Elves. I guess that's what that mess in Greenwich was about. And, he didn't get to 'walk' either, by the way. Asgard was the only place we knew that could hold him."

Charlie blinked several times, trying to sort out what had just been said. Finally, she asked, taken aback, "Did you just say 'Dark Elves'?"

His mouth twitched uncomfortably. "Yes," he said slowly, like he did not believe it himself, "I did."

"So, is Thor an alien?" Charlie pushed cautiously, "Or is he a god? Because, I'm not really sure I can handle that right now."

Stark pursed his lips, answering too quickly, "Alien. Definitely an alien."

The next twenty minutes were spent in uncomfortable silence, broken only by few feeble attempts by Pepper to get Charlie talking again. But, Charlie was done with words. She was just too tired. Instead, she just kept her eyes locked on the tower growing closer with every city block.

Upon their arrival, the Bentley was instantly swarmed from both sides of the street by a mob a screaming fans. Cosplayers and rabid groupies, all decked out in Heroes of New York gear, greeted the approaching limo with deafening shrieks and desperate out stretched arms. Charlie instinctively jerked back from the window, before looking around at the car's other passengers. She was stunned by their lack of reaction. Stark had not even looked up from the phone in his hands, and Pepper was still browsing through pages on her tablet. Even Happy, in the driver's seat, was completely unfazed by the throng of admirers on either side of them. He maneuvered the limousine through effortlessly, before pulling into a private entrance to the tower's parking garage, the large steel door opening upon their approach.

Once inside, the metallic door slid shut behind them, and the cab was suddenly lit only by the glow of hand held electronics. Charlie bit down on her lip as they began to descend down a steep, winding tunnel. Clutching her hands into fists as she watched the white glow of the bulbs on the walls blur past, her chest tightened in a sudden wave of panic.

She was back underground.

Just when she thought she could not take another second of claustrophobia, they rounded into an immense, warmly lit garage. Happy brought them smoothly to a stop in the center of the polished floor, where again, Stark was up and out of the cabin before his former bodyguard could circle around for the door. Charlie watched him leave, but made no attempt to follow. Still paralyzed by uncertainties, she stared at the open door blankly, when she suddenly felt Pepper's hand on hers.

"Charlie," the redhead smiled at her kindly, "Come on."

Charlie slowly trailed out after her, reluctant, blinking repeatedly in the bright florescent lights. Trying to readjust her eyes, she scanned her new surroundings guardedly.

It looked more like a showroom than a parking garage. The room was lined with gleaming cars, various hot rods, and motorcycles both old and new. Closest to her were a series of sports cars in several shades of red. Admittedly, Charlie knew nothing about cars, except for what she found pleasing aesthetically, but one look told her these were expensive. Their bodies were sleek, almost futuristic looking, and clearly designed for superior aerodynamics.

The hair on her neck stood up, and instinctively her eyes slid to Stark, his rapid appearance next to her sending a chill up her spine.

"You like cars?" He asked her genially.

Charlie bit at the inside of her lip, and then shook her head. "No." She muttered, "Not really. I—I don't really know much about…umm…" She trailed off, glancing around the garage again, "I don't know. I guess this isn't what I was expecting."

He raised his brow at her, "And, what were you expecting?"

In truth, Charlie had no idea what she had been expecting, other than this was not it. She shrugged her shoulders, desperately trying to find an answer. At a loss, she finally blurted out, "Ferraris." Instantly wishing she had not said anything, she looked back down at her shoes.

"Ferraris?" She was relieved to hear a tone of genuine amusement in his voice. Stark strode over to one of the cars, looking back at her before stating bluntly, "Overrated."

He tapped the crimson hood, and then motioned for her to come closer, "You're going to learn something new today."

Charlie approached slowly, looking back nervously at Pepper and Happy as Stark exposed the motor. "This," He informed her, rattling off the features quickly, "is an Audi R8 E-Tron. It's powered by four UQM Technologies motors and a 470 kilograms / 42.4 kilowatt hours lithium-ion battery. Together, with a few upgrades from yours truly, they produce 313 PS and 4,500 N·m of torque." He stopped suddenly, leaning nonchalantly against the car's bumper and fixing his brown eyes on her steadily. "Given those parameters, with optimum road conditions, minimal air resistance and drag, how long before it reaches 100 kilometers per hour?"

Charlie waited for him to answer, assuming the question to be rhetorical, but after a few moments of silence, it became clear that he was asking her. "I…" She rasped shyly, "I don't…"

He just continued to stare at her expectantly.

Anxiously chewing at the inside of her cheek, she could feel everyone staring at her, and her gut clenched in retaliation. She took a deep breath, looking up at the ceiling and trying her hardest to ignore them as the numbers began to float abound her head. "Um…"She breathed quietly, answering him with a hesitant, "4.8 seconds?"

Stark shot a telling smirk at Pepper and laughed, satisfied, "Not bad for a hybrid."

Charlie released the breath she had been holding, taking a small step back as he straightened up and closed the hood with a snap. "It's a concept car." He told her matter-of-factly, stepping forward, "Not in production. They all are."

"Prototypes." She nodded to herself, as Stark placed a hand on her shoulder and began to steer her back around the limousine, "So, every millionaire west of Dubai has a Ferrari. But, only Tony Stark has a garage full of experimental tech?"

Pepper chuckled, rolling her eyes at him, as they approached a glass doorway at the far end of the garage, "Don't let him fool you. He has two."

Happy entered the security code, and then held the door open for them as they entered into a large, bright lobby area. The black and grey marble floor was covered with a scarlet rug. The dark walls were donned with stunning works of art in brilliant colors; all originals on canvas, not prints. And, ornate fixtures hung from the high ceiling. Charlie glanced behind her, afraid that she was leaving dirt tracks as she followed the billionaire and the CEO meekly. Happy smiled at her reassuringly as he pulled the door shut behind them, and she tried unsuccessfully to give him a grateful smile before turning to face front again.

There were no windows in the lobby, only a long security desk manned by an older gentleman, and a shining elevator. "Good morning Mr. Stark!" The security officer chimed as he stood up behind his desk and offered his employer a wide, genuine grin, "Ms. Potts! How are you today?"

"Oh, just fine Henry." Stark answered him cordially, "And yourself? Not too boring down here I hope."

The man laughed, his dark skin wrinkling around his mouth, "Hey, after Iraq? I'll take the quiet any day." He trailed off as he spotted Charlie standing behind them, covered in filth, with her clothing torn to shreds. He frowned, "Is everything alright, Mr. Stark?"

"Yes, everything is fine." He replied quickly. "Henry, this is Charlie Gale. She'll be around for the foreseeable future." He leaned in, adding in an urgent whisper, "And if anybody, and I mean anybody, comes looking for her? You do not let them up. And, you call me directly. Understand?"

Henry nodded somberly, "Yes, sir."

"Thank you." Stark pulled away, adding, "I'll be adding her biometrics to the system shortly. Until then, she's with me."

Henry looked from Charlie, to Stark, and then to Pepper, and back again. An uncertain grin spread across his face, "Of course, sir."

"Good man." Stark began towards the elevator, nudging Charlie on the arm, "Don't let the wrinkles fool you. No one gets passed him."

Henry winked at her as she followed into the lift. The elevator doors shut, and instantly they hurtled upward. This elevator moved as fast, if not faster, than the one that she had ridden in back at the S.H.I.E.L.D. base, and in no time, they had reached the 80th floor.

When the doors opened again, Charlie was unable to hide her astonishment. She stepped out into an immense room, separated into three large tiers that were all connected by elegant staircases. Her eyes took in every detail hungrily, her mouth agape. The top tier ran along the back of the space like a balcony, overlooking the room, with windows that stretched from the floor to the ceiling, and offered an unparalleled view of the city. The middle level had multiple seating areas filled with luxurious cream colored chairs and couches, set on clear floors, looking into the empty aircraft hangar below them, which was still clearly under construction. And, the bottom story was lined on one side with a slanted window peering into the hanger, and on the other with a back-lit bar, with a high-polished top and shelves stocked with liquor from all over the world. Doors ran off each layer. Going to what, Charlie was unsure, but she desperately wanted to know.

"Welcome home, Sir." A smooth English accent greeted them, "Ms. Potts. I trust you had a pleasant flight?"

Charlie jumped, spinning around to search for the owner of the voice.

"Relax," Stark grabbed onto her shoulders to keep her from retreating back into the elevator, "I swear, I've never met anyone so high-strung. That's just J.A.R.V.I.S."

"W-who?" She stuttered, staring back at him.

"J.A.R.V.I.S." Stark addressed the empty room, "Where are your manners? We have a guest."

"Of course, Sir." The voice responded from nowhere, "How terribly rude of me. Good morning, Miss Gale."

Slowly, Charlie began to let herself unclench. She pulled away from Stark as she looked around the room in amazement, "A computer?"

"Yep." Stark nodded proudly, "J.A.R.V.I.S. is the brains of this whole place. He runs the entire tower. Go ahead. Say 'hi'."

"Um," Charlie faltered, "Hi, J.A.R.V.I.S. Good to meet you."

"And, you as well, Miss Gale." J.A.R.V.I.S. replied, "Please let me know if there is anything I can assist you with."

"Is he…" Charlie began cautiously, "Is he an A.I.?"

"Well," Stark wavered slightly, "He started out as a standard U.I., but then he just kind of became… more."

Suddenly, a wide grin spread across Charlie's face, "Cool."

It was the first time Stark had seen her smile in weeks. Her face instantly shed weeks of worry, and the light returned to her eyes. She looked like a child again, if only for a moment. But, as quickly as it had come, it faded.

"This," He gestured to the room around them, quickly moving on, "Is the common area. Basically, it's the center of the residential floors. The personal quarters are down the hallways behind these doors." He pointed to doors off each tier, "The first 78 floors below us belong to Stark Industries. Administration. R&D. All of it. That's all Pepper's territory. And, everything from the 79th floor, up? That's Avengers' headquarters. Got it?"

Charlie nodded to show she understood.

"Good." Stark said softly, fidgeting a little, "This is your home now, so… Mi casa es su casa."

"You're welcome to anything you need." Pepper assured her, resting her hand on Stark's shoulder supportively, "All you have to do is ask."

Charlie swallowed thickly, feeling overwhelmed again. "I, um…" She began, shifting her feet uncertainly, "Thank you."

Stark rested his thumbs in the pockets of his jeans, looking as uncomfortable as she felt, when suddenly Pepper's cell phone began to ring loudly. She fumbled in her bag, quickly pulling out the smart phone and frowning at the screen. "I'm so sorry," She said as she turned to Stark, frustrated, "Tony, I have to go take care of this. Are you good, with...?"

He kissed her quickly, "Yeah. I got this. Go. Run the company. One of us has to."

She sighed, "I'll be back as soon as I can." Turning to Charlie, she pressed, "Anything at all, just ask."

Charlie nodded again as Pepper strode passed, her heels clicking with every step. She tapped Happy on the shoulder as she passed, signaling for him to follow her. The two disappeared into the elevator, leaving the orphan and the Avenger alone.

"So…" Stark began, trailing off into more awkward silence. He cleared his throat restlessly, "Come on, then."

Charlie followed him through the door to their left and down a long, wide corridor. "You'll be in Quarters 7." He told her as they passed Quarters 6 on their right. Stark rapped the door with his knuckles, "Cap will be you neighbor, so feel free to play your music as loud as you want."

"Where are you and Pepper?" She asked timidly.

"We're in Quarters 1, two floors up." He told her without looking back. "Banner is in 3, Thor is in 4, Hawkeye is in 2, and Widow is in 5. Off course, Pepper and I are the only ones who live here full time. The other's just stay here while they're in New York. Here we are."

Stark stopped beside the door to Quarters 7. It looked like a door one might find in an upscale Manhattan apartment building, made of heavy black wood. "J.A.R.V.I.S.? Please open the door to 7."

"Happily, sir." The computer system replied, the door instantly opening with a clank. The door, Charlie realized, was not made of wood, but reinforced metal of some kind. Stark stepped aside for her, "The rooms are all secure, with individualized security. There's a print scanner on the door handle. I'll upload your specs as soon as I can. Until then…" He motioned for her to enter.

She entered through a small entry passage, and then stepped down into the room. Her first thought was that it was bigger than her entire apartment back in Boston. Everything, from the carpet to the walls, and from the bedding to the sofa, was a crisp white. The far wall was entirely made of glass, flooding the room with natural light, and looking out over the city. A queen size bed, spilling over with down pillows and a thick comforter, was directly to her right, pressed against the inner wall. Beyond that, and down three short steps, was a small living area. A large plasma television was tacked to the wall, surrounded by a lavish couch and matching chair. A desk sat opposite them, laden with a sizable computer monitor, and a shiny new laptop. Immediately to her left, was a walk-in closet, through which she could see a gleaming washroom.

She was speechless.

"Pepper made some calls from the plane," Stark rambled quickly, "There are some fresh clothes in the closet. If they don't fit, don't worry. We can get more." Charlie turned back to look at him, her jaw still hanging open. He continued, "If you need anything, just ask J.A.R.V.I.S. He'll know where to find me."

And then, he was gone.

At first, Charlie was afraid to touch anything in the room, again worried she would dirty it. So instead, she walked through the closet and into the washroom, taking a brief moment to glance at the packages stacked to the side. She made sure that she locked the door behind her, before she turned and took in the room.

If possible, it was more extravagant than the bedroom. The floor, walls, and sink were all made of white and rose colored marble. In one corner was a large Jacuzzi tub, and in the other was a steam shower with glass walls and gold railing. The room itself was lit by a small gold and crystal chandelier. An ornate full length mirror set in the remaining corner, beside a decorative changing screen. And, fresh white towels hung on the gold rack.

Charlie took a deep breath as she began to strip off her ruined clothes; the room even smelled lush. She removed each piece carefully, folding them the best she could, and placing them in a neat pile next to the long mirror, topping the heap with the scarlet Converse before she straightened back up.

Completely exposed as she stood in front of her reflection, her image in the mirror actually frightened her. Her skin had lost almost all of its color, and her eyes were sunken and dark. Her lips were white, chapped and peeling. Strands of stringy hair fell over her eyes, almost black with oil. She ran her hands over her cheek bones, rubbing them over her collar bones, and then down over her bare chest, pressing on her protruding ribs.

She did not understand how this could happen in only a month, and yet here she was, completely emaciated.

Unable to face herself any longer, she abandoned the mirror in favor of the steam shower, opening the door and stepping inside. She startled when the icy water first hit her skin, but within a few seconds vapor began to coat the glass. "Oooh…" Charlie moaned, feeling every muscle relax in unison as the hot water cascaded down over her, washing the layers of grime away. She delighted in the sensation of the heat snaking its way along her pores as the steam rose up around her. Even after a month of bathing with a sponge behind a screen, she could not have imagined that a hot shower could feel so good.

After a few moments of bliss, Charlie felt something in her change. Her chest tightened uncomfortably and suddenly, the water did not feel hot enough. She steadily began to increase the heat, until the water scalded her white skin, turning it pink. But, even that was not enough. She began scraping at her skin with the soap bar, scrubbing until it hurt. Her vision abruptly blurred, and the water dripping down her face became tainted with salt. Hot, moist air filled her lungs, as her breathing became labored with violent sobs. She collapsed heavily onto the shower floor, gasping. She brought her knees to her chest, and unable to control herself a second longer, wept hysterically into her arms.

She was not sure how long she stayed like that. Whether it had been minutes or hours. But, the blistering water had turned lukewarm. Her skin was red and raw. Her fingers had wrinkled like raisins. And, she had run out of tears.

She crawled from the shower on all fours, pulling a towel down to her from the railing, and wrapping herself snuggly in its softness. She stayed like that for another extended period of time, curled up on the bathroom floor and staring at the shining crystals in the chandelier numbly. Her body ached with something beyond fatigue.

Ultimately, she found her way into the closet, clutching her towel around her as she began to search through the packages of clothing. She was horrified to discover that they were all designer, knowing that this small pile of boxes was probably worth more than her father had made in six months, maybe even in a year. She felt uncomfortable just looking at these clothes, dropping a blouse quickly when she noticed the price on the tag. Finally, after a few minutes of sorting, she had managed to locate some plain black underwear, a pair of distressed blue jeans, and a dark tank top. She dressed speedily, finding that everything fit fairly well, though the jeans were a little loose in the waist.

She was about to open the door into the bedroom when the smell wafted over her. Instantly, her stomach growled at her, demanding the source of the scent. She grasped her core, hunger pains suddenly ravening her abdomen as her mouth began to water. She knew that smell.

Pizza.

Charlie tore open the door and, sure enough, there was a box waiting for her on the end of the bed. She approached it slowly, with trembling hands, the anticipation mounting to an unbearable height. The lid of the box stated "Famous Ray's Pizza" in bold red letters, under which was a hurriedly handwritten note in black marker. She was not sure which hurt more, the hunger pains, or the guilt that began to gnaw at her as she stared down at the tidy scrawl, "A deal's a deal."

After everything, Banner had kept his end of the bargain.

Charlie lifted the lid and almost cried. The pizza's golden crust had caramelized around the edge, and was smothered in bright red tomato sauce, pepperoni, and melted mozzarella. She immediately pulled the box down onto the floor beside her, sitting cross-legged on the carpet as she pulled a piece free and brought it to her lips. "Mmmm!" She hummed with pleasure as she sank her teeth into the crispy crust, sauce and cheese dribbling down her chin. It was fantastic. The best pizza she had ever eaten.

Even better than Mama Nona's.

She gorged herself. Inhaling slice after slice, Charlie barely tasted the pie as she wolfed it down greedily. She was on her sixth piece when she finally began to slow. Painfully content, she kept chewing on the half eaten portion lazily as she watched the sun move across the skyline, warm on her skin. Her stomach bulged against the waistline of her jeans, but she still kept eating, even as her eyes began to droop dangerously.

"Charlie?" Tony knocked on the door to Quarters 7 lightly, but there was no response. He frowned, knocking harder, "Kid?"

Still nothing.

"I'm sure she's fine," Pepper told him, though she did not seem entirely convinced herself as she folded her arms across her chest.

"I put that pizza in there eight hours ago," He said, looking back at her with a worried grimace, "I just expected her to see her, or at least for her to say something by now." He knocked again.

"Tony," Pepper urged him, "She's probably just asleep. She looked exhausted earlier…"

Tony did not reply right away. He sighed heavily, grasping the locked handle and wrenching at it. "The kid is not exactly in the most stable mental state." He grumbled quietly, still fixated on the door.

"You think she's suicidal?" Pepper asked, visually alarmed.

"J.A.R.V.I.S.," He answered urgently, "Override the lock on 7."

He heard the hiss-clank of the bolts and immediately shoved the door open. Inside was dark. The only light came from the glowing cityscape outside the window. The sun had set an hour ago, and the city had come to life like only New York could. In the soft gleam of the buildings, Tony could make out Charlie's shape lying lifelessly on the floor.

His heart bottomed out into his stomach. "Lights!" he demanded, and the bulbs in the ceiling sparked to life, flooding the room with harsh synthetic glare.

Charlie was curled up on the carpet in the middle of the room, the pizza box lying open beside her. She was on her side, one armed tucked under her head like a pillow, and the other hanging motionless over her abdomen with a half-eaten slice of pizza still clenched tightly between her fingers. Her face was still and tranquil, eyes closed, as her chest rose and fell softly in the rhythm of sleep.

"Is she alright?" Pepper asked in a discreet tone from the doorway, stretching her neck to see past him.

Tony knelt down beside Charlie's resting form, reassured by her breathing. He looked from her docile face, to the piece of chewed-on crust in her hand, and then to the remaining two slices in the grease stained box. "Looks like a grade-A food coma, to me." He snickered quietly to himself, smirking up at Pepper, "At least Bruce will be happy that she has her appetite back."

She fixed her eyes on him with that look he knew all too well. The one she gave him when she was both relieved that everything was alright, and annoyed at him for getting her worked up. She had perfected it recently. "Worried over nothing," She breathed.

He shook his head and assured her, "Not over nothing."

Tony reached down and pried the pizza from her hand, tossing it back into the box with the leftover slices. Looking at her somberly, he rolled her gently onto her back. After a moment's pause to make sure he had not woken her, he slid his arms under her, easily lifting her and cradling her gently against his chest.

Pepper stared at him, "What are you..?"

"Help me with this?" He whispered to her, indicating the bed with a jut of his head.

Her arresting features softened, no longer able to be annoyed with him, as she quickly moved to pull down the overly plush comforter.

Carefully, Tony lowered Charlie down onto the mattress and cautiously slid his arms out from under her. One delicate hand fell limply over the bed's edge as he pulled away, and he tenderly placed it on her stomach before pulling the blankets up to her shoulders. Straightening up fully, he ran his hand through his messy hair and down over his face as he looked at her wearily. He heaved a sigh, and looked back up at Pepper. She was looking at him strangely; with a warmth in her eyes that he had never seen there before.

"What?" He asked, surprised.

"Nothing." She told him, a sweet smile on her pretty face as she shook her head side to side, "Just… Nothing."

Tony closed the door quietly behind them as they stepped back out into the hallway, "Make sure no one disturbs her, will you J.A.R.V.I.S.?"

"Wouldn't dream of it, sir."

"Do you think S.H.I.E.L.D. will come after her here?" Pepper question as they started back towards the common room. She was in desperate need of a drink.

"Oh, I don't doubt it." He answered her, his sardonic tone masking his true emotions on the subject, "But, the rest of the Avengers are in route. We just have to pray that they make it here before S.H.I.E.L.D. does."

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