You Called Every Day for Two Years - Steph/Bruce and Steph & Tony

Tony's POV

After the Battle of New York, life had gone a little crazy for me. I was rebuilding my tower, naming it Avengers Tower, and inviting the team to move in pretty much from the falafel restaurant right after the attack. And building armor.

Somewhere in the haze of all of that, I was interacting with the others, but I didn't exactly retain all of those interactions in my mind. In fact, I wasn't proud of it, but I was in a PTSD fog that made it so I really didn't remember much of anything at all. It was when I helped Pepper pull through her own experiences with Extremis, and had the shrapnel and arc reactor removed from my body with open heart surgery, that I began to play back a lot of those interactions and put some puzzle pieces together.

Once I'd fixed myself and Pepper, I decided it was time to fix everyone else. So, I started with my science buddy, Bruce who'd stayed with me in the Tower through thick and thin. Of course, his grey "it's a stabilizing agent" and my grey, "well, if he could do that he could achieve heavy ion fusion at any reactor on the plant" pretty much guaranteed he'd help me out whenever he could.

As we were talking one day, one of those early pieces of information that I'd failed to retain suddenly came flying back into my mind. I waited until I could shake Bruce loose and queried JARVIS. "JARVIS, buddy, do you remember the call that came in for Dr. Banner the day after the Battle of New York?"

"Which call, sir, there were several."

"Woman, didn't leave a name if I recall correctly, claimed to just want to know that he was alright. I think she actually called back the next day, and maybe repeatedly after that."

"Yes, sir."

"She ever leave a name?"

"No, she did not."

"But you traced it and found out who she was anyway, didn't you."

"Yes, sir. Her name is Stephanie Plum, she resides in Trenton, New Jersey, and she called every day for two years. At various intervals, I informed Dr. Banner of her calls, but he always refused to take them. He even refused to talk to her or allow me to even confirm for her that he did, in fact, reside in the Tower."

"Huh." Then it clicked, "two years, JARV?"

"Exactly two years, sir. Then she stopped calling."

"Is she still alive?"

"Despite numerous attempts on her life, yes, she is."

"Somebody tried to kill her?"

"Kill her, kidnap her, and maim her. Various persons over numerous instances through the years. I became aware of the situation when I first investigated her, and I've kept a file of all of the newspaper articles I could find on the matter."

"Let me see them." I gestured with my hands to scatter the various virtual clippings around me, surprised by their sheer number. It looked like Miss Plum had been quite busy. I was in the common room, knowing full well that Bruce was asleep and would be for hours, but I still jumped when two someones dropped down from the air vent behind me. "You don't even have to sneak in here, so why? Just why?"

"Gotta keep you on your toes, Stark," Clint responded.

Natasha didn't react or respond in any way, just started taking in the information next to me. Eventually the rest of the team, other than Bruce, wandered in and did the same.

"This woman is seriously unlucky," Sam said.

"Needs a new job," Bucky snorted.

"Or to get some training on the one she has," Natasha added, finally breaking her silence. "Who is she, Stark? Why do we care about all this."

I held up a finger, and asked JARVIS to display her financials and every other little scrap of information he could find. Sure, I was now treading on her personal liberties quite heavily, but it had to be done, despite Cap's protests. "Two years," I pondered, "did she ever ask for anything?"

"Just to speak to him, sir."

"Speak to who?" Steve asked.

"Bruce," Natasha and I responded in unison. When I raised an eyebrow at her, she just shrugged but didn't say anything else, choosing instead to silently chew on her thumbnail.

I looked at everyone gathered around, realized that Darcy and Jane were even there. Focusing primarily on Darcy because she had a way of getting everyone to share their innermost secrets with her without realizing, I asked, "Bruce ever say anything about having a soulmate?"

Everyone except Darcy responded in the negative, and slowly they all turned to focus their attention on her. She nibbled on her lip nervously before she finally blurted out, "he has one, but he left right after meeting her because he didn't want her to be in danger because of him!"

"You mean from him," Sam said slowly.

"Both, probably," I mused. "She have a name? Do you know when they met?"

"I don't know, I'm sorry. He mentioned something one night when he was half asleep and I was pestering him to go actually sleep in his room. Something along the lines of who was I to tell him what to do when I wasn't even his soulmate. Another time he said something about how it just figured that fate would give him a platonic soulmate who could take care of himself, but a romantic soulmate who was so beautiful but too fragile to touch."

"You think this is her," Bucky asked, "why?"

"I have my reasons. JARVIS, call Happy right now, I need a ride."

"Tony, I don't know about this," Steve argued. "We don't know if this is even the right person, or if she wants anything to do with him. Not to mention that Bruce clearly doesn't want anything to do with her."

"Wake up, Captain. She called every day for two years after the Battle and she didn't ask for anything more than to know whether or not he was okay." I smacked my hand at the area where her more personal information was, "failed marriage, so probably not with her soulmate. On-again-off-again relationship with some cop, again, probably not her soulmate. Even this guy she's with in some of these photos is clearly keeping his distance from her. She seems like someone trying to move on but unable to do so! And in all of these pictures, do you see anything even approaching a genuine smile? She wants him. And I know Bruce; I know he's lonely. He thinks he can't have her because he can't keep her safe, but we've all seen the kind of control he has over himself these days. Anything else, we'll help him with. I'll build her some armor to match Pepper's if that's what it takes, but I can't just let two people hurt like this without trying to make it better."

I strode onto the elevator to the sound of their stunned silence and went to the basement. I gave Happy the address and then settled into the seat with my tablet and began making arrangements. When I called Pepper and let her in on the situation, I was shocked to find that she was completely on board with the plan. Then again, Bruce was both of our platonic soulmate, and we were each missing one more and I knew she was excited by the idea of it being a woman who was Bruce's romantic soulmate. Especially when she heard the part about two years.

Arriving at a rundown apartment building in Trenton, I walked up to the third floor and knocked. When she didn't answer and I had no clue how long she'd be, I went ahead and let myself in. A couple hours later, the woman from the pictures walked in, tensed immediately, then relaxed a little when she saw me and recognition filled her eyes.

We stared at each other in silence for a minute before I decided that, as the trespasser, I should speak first. "You called every day for two years," I paused as she inclined her head in acknowledgement of the fact. "Why'd you stop calling?"

She looked at me, more than just a little heartbroken and shrugged her shoulders. "Because it had been two years." I stood up and held my hand out to her, showing her the words she had just spoken. As she reached out to shake my hand, she flashed me my words on her hand. When I didn't let go of her hand after we shook, she looked up at me with those sad eyes. "It had already been a decade since I'd seen him, and after two years, I figured I was beyond pathetic. Plus, your words said 'two years,' so I thought I'd at least get my platonic soulmate out of the whole mess if I stopped then."

"He's okay," I said softly, amazed by the relief I saw in her eyes. "Do you want to see him? I'll take you to him right now."

"I think he clearly doesn't want to see me, Mr. Stark."

"It's Tony, and he's my other platonic soulmate. Trust me, he does, but he's scared of losing you, so he's being an idiot and thinking it's easier to just not have you." When she still hesitated, I looked at her desperately, "Please, just trust me. It might not be easy, but it'll be worth it. He's a great guy."

A soft smile crossed her face and she simply said, "I know he is." Then she picked her purse up from where she'd dropped it on the counter and walked back to the door, opening it and waiting for me.

Our ride back to Manhattan was filled with nervous chatter on Stephanie's part, and jokes on my end to try to put her at ease. I also explained to her the set-up we had going, and who JARVIS was and how he'd found her. When I guided her into the elevator, I simply said, "JARVIS, where's Bruce?"

"He and the rest of the Tower residents are eating dinner on the common floor."

When the elevator finally reached our destination, I stepped out, holding the doors open, not that JARVIS would shut them with Steph inside anyway, but figuring I'd make the gesture. Patiently I waited while Steph took one step outside and JARVIS quickly, but neatly, shut the doors and whisked the elevator away before she could change her mind. Everyone was watching eagerly, until Bruce, who was sitting with his back to us finally turned around.

His jaw dropped open, and I saw him mouth the word "Steph." Then he was moving faster than I'd ever seen his human form move, tripping over his chair and leaving it on the ground. He pulled to a stop about a foot away from her, eyes still wide, as he looked her over head to toe. Finally, he took another half step closer and reached a hand out running his fingers along her cheek. "It's really you, after all these years. You're okay?"

Steph smiled shakily and said, "are you going to make me leave?"

That seemed to be the thing that finally broke through to Bruce, and he pulled her fiercely into his chest, and murmured, "no, I'm not strong enough to do that again. I'll find a way to keep you safe; you just… you can't leave me again."

"I never wanted to leave you the first time," she responded with a crack in her voice.

"I know, I'm so sorry, but I couldn't control it then and I was on the run. I needed to get out of the country and away from everyone who was after me."

"I would have gone with you."

"I couldn't ask you to do that then, you were so young. But I'm going to ask you now, please Steph, will you stay?"

"Yes," she instantly responded.

I walked away and let them hold onto each other for a while, joining the rest of the team at the table and eating some food. Pepper and I arranged for some dinner to be sent down to Bruce's floor, hoping that the fact that we'd found no food allergies meant she didn't have any. Everyone was stealing quick glances in the reunited pair's direction and smiling occasionally, but trying to give them some privacy. When they finally broke apart, we watched Steph shakily wipe her eyes, then look around a little bewildered, almost as if she didn't remember anything leading up to that moment.

"Where am I?" she finally asked.

Bruce softly smiled at her and said, "Avengers Tower in Manhattan."

"Ah, okay. I know I said I'd stay, and I will," she rushed to reassure Bruce when his eyes widened at the start. More firmly, she said again, "I will, but I honestly didn't think this through at all after Tony offered to bring me to you, and this is all I have with me."

Bruce looked inside the purse she was holding and then did a comical double take. "What the hell, Steph?" He reached in and pulled out what looked like a six-shooter, a stun gun and a taser, pepper spray, and a couple sets of handcuffs out of the purse.

"I'm, uh, a bounty hunter now?"

"You were in school getting a degree in business!"

"Yeah, that didn't really work out for me, but my cousin had a bonds office. A little well placed blackmail and, bam! Bounty hunter!" There was an awkward pause while Bruce tried to process the information and Steph shrugged, "I'm not all that great, and my methods are unconventional, but I always get my man."

Bruce laughed incredulously, and then just put the weapons back in her purse. Cautiously, he slid an arm around her face, and I saw what might have been the biggest smile I'd ever seen on him break across his face when she sighed and leaned into him. I was on the receiving end of another, grateful, smile as Bruce guided Steph toward the group of us.

Pepper was bouncing around enthusiastically, and finally wasn't able to restrain herself anymore. She leapt forward and met them halfway, "hi Stephanie! Welcome home, we're so glad to meet you!"

"I always wondered how someone I just met could welcome me home, even if she was my platonic soulmate," Steph said with a smile.

Pepper let out a shriek of delight and pulled Steph into a hug, then grabbed onto her arm and walked her over and introduced her to everyone before taking her back to Bruce.

"We sent dinner down to your apartment, Bruce." Pepper informed him, and then turned back to Steph, "let JARVIS know anything you need and he'll see that it is brought to you as soon as possible. We sent a few clothes of Natasha's as well, so those should fit you well enough. Have a good night, and tomorrow we'll organize everything else. And go shopping!"

Steph looked a little overwhelmed, but just nodded gamely and smiled up at Bruce again as they got onto the elevator.

Once the door had closed, Steve was the first to say, "you did good, Stark." Without a doubt, I knew bringing those two back together would be one of the things I was most proud of doing in my entire life.