Chapter Twenty-Nine

Beep... beep... beep beep... beep beep beep beep beepbeepbeep-

Carter's head snapped up. The heart-rate monitor was going crazy. But it couldn't. It had just stopped a second ago. What the fu -

With a gasp, Bruce shot up in bed. Carter leapt back, staring at her husband. Shocked, scared, happy - there was no real way to describe what she was feeling. Mostly confused. She'd seen him die, she'd felt his hear stop.

Bruce let out an anguished cry and his whole body began shaking uncontrollably. "Gah!" He turned to face her, panting and wide-eyed. "Carter - run! I can't... I can't control... He's - he's back, I... Arrrggh!" His eyes began to turn a bright, toxic green. "Ughn," Bruce groaned. "Run."

That was when it hit her, like a ton of bricks. Bruce was alive. He was about to lose control and probably kill her, but he was alive. Unable to keep an unreasonably giddy grin off her face, Carter scrambled back and out the door.

As she sprinted away from the bedroom, she heard the familiar cry of "HULK SMASH!" echoing through the mansion.

Bruce was back.


AVENGERS ASSEMBLE


"Breathe. In and out. Breathe."

"I can't breathe!" Tony shouted at the nurse who was trying to calm him down. "I'm having a freaking panic attack! How am I supposed to breathe?"

"Tony, I'm giving birth and I'm breathing just fine!" Pepper snapped. As if to prove her point, she took in a deep breath then and let out a cry of pain before doing the little short breaths like the doctor had told her to. "See?"

Dr. Burns was unreasonably proud. "That's good, Mrs. Stark. Now, push. Good. Again. Push."

"Jesus, I'm gonna be sick," Tony muttered, turning away as Pepper let out another scream. God, this was worse than the 'Miracle of Life' video he'd been forced to watch in High School when he was eight. "Please, somebody pass me a trashcan."

Someone, most likely the nurse, held the black bin out in front and he snatched it. Hugging it to his chest, Tony squeezed his eyes shut. Just relax. It'll all be over soon. It'll be over soon. Soon. He rocked back and forth on his heels, head inside the trash can. He was so focused on trying to calm his churning stomach that he didn't even registar to new higher pitched scream that mixed in with Pepper's cries and the doctor's "That's great, Mrs. Starks!"s.

Suddenly, he felt someone tap him on the shoulder. Tony whirled around to see the doctor smiling at him. "Mr. Stark? Would you like to meet your daughter?"

"I... my... huh?" This didn't feel real. No, it couldn't be real. In a minute, he'd wake up to the smell of pancakes. Or Poptarts, given Thor's taste. He pinched himself.

Nothing happened.

So it was real. He, Tony Stark, was a father. He had a little girl. A daughter. Where was she? He had to see her. Tony peered around Dr. Burns's shoulder.

From her spot on the bed, Pepper smiled up at him. Even with smeared make-up and a blotchy red face, she was beautiful. Her eyes flickered down to a bundle of blankets in her arms, and then back to Tony expectantly. Oh, right. She was holding the baby. No freaking duh.

Tony tentatively crossed the room. God, why was he so nervous? It's not like the baby was gonna judge him or anything. He, as a parent,got to judge her. That was just how things worked, right? Tony pulled back the little blanket, holding his breath. Two thoughts crossed his mind when he saw his little girl:

She's so beautiful and Jesus Christ, that thing is ugly.

His daughter's face was wet, raw, and wrinkly. Water, blood, and a whole manner of other liquid-like things Tony didn't really want to think about made her black hair (well, the little tuff that was there) stick to her forehead. She looked up at him with Pepper's intelligent blue-gray eyes. A smile spread across Tony's face when she let out an adorable little coo.

Yeah. She was beautiful. He couldn't believe that he had helped make something so amazing. His dad's words suddenly made sense now. You have been, and always will be, my greatest creation.

"Hi," Tony said in a quiet baby voice, sounding like a complete idiot. "Hey there. How are you?" He wiggled his finger in her face. With a toothless grin, the little girl reached up with both hands and swatted at it.

Tony chuckled. "Well, aren't you a little energizer bunny?"

"Did you just call our daughter an energizer bunny?" Pepper asked incredulously. As hard as she tried, she couldn't keep a smile off her face. "Really, Tony? Really?"

"Well, what should I call her?" Tony countered. "What's her name? You do have something in mind, right? 'Cause you shot down all my brilliant ideas earlier, and now I got nothin'. I was kinda counting on you to do it."

Pepper laughed. "Of course you were." When she looked down at their daughter, her gaze softened and a small smile formed. "Allison. Allison Maria Stark."

"I like it," Tony declared. And really, he did.

It was perfect.


AVENGERS ASSEMBLE


"Mr. Lauefeyson," the same man that had been holding Roan captive just minutes before greeted, a grin crossing his face. A grin Loki very much wanted to smack off. "Please, have a seat."

The only movement Loki made was a failing attempt to break out of his handcuffs. They had been imbedded with some substance that blocked the flow of his magic, and he was left helpless. "Where is my son?" Loki snarled.

"Oh, Roan? He's absolutely fine. For now. Please, sit. I insist." The gestured to the seat opposite him.

Loki, seeing no other option, sat.

"Very good," the man chuckled. "I'm sure you're wondering why I brought you here." He paused and smirked again. "My name is Victor von Doom. Perhaps you've heard of me? No? Just as well. It'll give me the pleasure of introducing myself. If you haven't already put two and two together, I am the king of Latvertia. But you didn't even know where you were until just now, did you? You simply followed my magic here."

"You let me find you," Loki realized. Oh, how could he have been so blind? In his haste and panic, he'd fallen straight into a trap. How did he not see that? It was a foolish, rash thing that Thor would have done.

Doom chuckled. "Of course I did. It's all part of my plan. You see, much like you, I'm not a... mmh, how do I put it? Nice guy. I want power, Mr. Lauefeyson. I have power, more than these simple humans. I deserve to rule them, don't I? I deserve to rule all. And you are here to help me with that."

The Latvertian rose from his chair and began pacing. "You see, I can do more than just control electricity. That's a simple parlor trick, an ability I gained through an accident. No, my true power is magic. I come from a long line of sorcerers and gypsies, Mr. Lauefeyson, and this magic? This magic is my birthright, just as the throne is. Surely, you can understand that.

"But of course, compared to you, I'm nothing but a magic-act. A magician that performs at children's parties. Your power dwarfs mine.

"I've recently reached a little delemia in my latest plan. You see, I'm not strong enough to open a portal between worlds by myself. So, I enlisted the help of man I've long admired. You remember Erik Lehnsherr, don't you?"

Loki tensed at that. Lehnsherr had been working for Doom? How intricate was this man's plan? How many ties did he have, how much did he know?

Upon seeing Loki's angry expression, Doom laughed lightly again. "Of course you do. How could you forget the man who lead me to your son? However, all of that's beside the point. You see, Magneto, as Lehnsherr prefers to be called, has a machine that magnifies power. In exchange for the rule of Midgard once I've conquered the Nine Realms, he agreed to let me borrow it. But even with the machine, I wasn't strong enough.

"You, however, are."

Loki glared up at the sadistic ruler. "You want me to open a portal to the other realms? How foolish are you? Do you honestly believe that you won't be stopped? The armies of Asgard will destroy you."

"Is that so?" Doom raised an eyebrow. "Because I have an army of my own in mind. The first portal you open will be to Niflheim, where an army of Skrulls awaits. From there, you will send me and my troops to Jotunheim. Once we have the Frost Giants on our side, none will be able to stop us. Not even your puny little Avenger friends."

"What?" Loki snapped. What did Doom know of the Avengers? And there was something in his tone, something malicious, that made Loki concerned.

Instead of the mocking little chuckles he'd been doing thus far, Doom let out a completely deranged cackle. "Did you think I would forget about Earth's Mightest Heroes?" he asked mockingly. "Oh, I've taken care of them. Banner is dying, if he's not already dead. Mrs. Stark has gone into labor three months earlier than planned. The Abomination is attacking whatever is left of their team.

"Don't look at me like that, Mr. Lauefeyson. I've only orchestrated their destruction. Actually, I suppose I can only take credit for inducing Mrs. Stark's labor and setting Captain Blonksy free - Dr. Banner would have died either way.

"Tonight, the Avengers have been thrust into utter chaos. And there's no one to come to your rescue."


AN: And that's that for this story! The final installment in this trilogy, "In This Together Now", will pick up right where this one leaves off, and, with any luck, I'll have it posted in most of its entirety later tonight. Thank you guys for being so patient and wonderful!

- Mac