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Chapter 18: The "Bat Phone"

RRRIIIIGGGGG!

I stilled my hands around my microscope as my cellphone rang.

RRRIIIIGGGGG!

I looked up from the lens and sighed. I thought I had turned off my phone. It had been a day since Tony's house was attacked and he had been declared dead. He'd called Pepper a few hours after she'd seen the Iron Man suit blast out of the ocean to tell her he was okay, but he couldn't go home. And he stole a poncho off a wooden Indian. Smooth.

RRRIIIIGGGGG!

My cellphone wasn't ringing. I nearly fell off my wheelie chair when I looked behind me. The old rotary landline that Tony had installed for "emergencies only" was ringing. The black clunky box was practically shaking as it ringed loudly once more.

RRRIIIIGGGGG!

This was the first time in four years that it made a sound. My hand shook as I reached for the handset that had been labeled "Bat Phone" in silver sharpie by Tony himself. With a deep breath, I picked up the handset, holding it to my ear.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Old Maid."

"God," I breathed a sigh of relief.

"No," Tony chuckled, "just me."

"Where have you been," I found myself whispering over the phone.

"Look, I don't have a lot of time," he audibly exhaled.

"Tony –"

"You were right, I was wrong. I should have listened to you. I didn't and I made things worse."

And at that moment, I knew exactly what he was talking about. I understood. I shook my head, "Tony, it doesn't matter anymore…"

"Yes, yes it does. All you ever do is look out for me. Aside from Pepper, you were always there when I needed you. You were there when I didn't need you. And – I always thought it was because you felt like you had too – because of dad. Not once did I ever think 'she might be looking out for me because she wants too'. I'm a chaotic mess, Macie. I didn't want to admit something was wrong with me, but there is, and all you wanted to do was help. I pushed you away. I did that."

A small tear escaped down my cheek.

"I've been stupid and selfish. And I want you to know it won't happen again."

I was stunned silent. I was wracking my brain for all the things I could say back, but nothing seemed right.

"Please say something because the silence on your end is killing me here."

I let out a breathy laugh, more tears falling down my face, "I accept your apology."

Tony was silent then. If it weren't for his heavy labored breathing I would have thought our connection was lost.

"Tony," I asked slowly. "Are you okay?"

"I can't shake the nightmares, Macie," his voice was small, frightened. "I think I have it all under control. Then, when I least expect it, I'm – I'm back – up there. Everything is cold and dark. I can see the warm light but I can't reach it. I'm gone."

"And they never really go away," I heard Tony scoff. "Yeah, that's not what you want to hear. But those kinds of things stick with you – for a lifetime – trust me, I know. But whenever you start to have those nightmares, you think of something good. Give yourself something to hold onto and don't let go. Let it surround you with that warm light and pull you back to – wherever the hell you are."

"On my way to Miami."

"Okay?"

"That's where I am."

"Wait? So I try to give you sage advice and you tell me you're going to Miami? For what?"

"Yeah," Tony chuckled, ignoring my question. "Met a pretty cool kid. He's keeping an eye on my suit and hopefully keeping quiet. But I gave him a little bullet as incentive."

"You gave a child a weapon from your suit," I screeched in horror.

"Yeesh, woman," I could tell Tony had pulled away from the phone he was using. "You sound just like Pepper. No. It's just a little popper, really. An Anti-Bullying gift, if you will."

I pinched the bridge of my nose, "God forbid you ever have children."

"Thanks for that. Anyway, look, there's something I need your help with. Chad Davis. Military guy. The kid told me he went crazy and made a bomb. But! Bomb blasts don't leave behind five perfect human silhouettes."

"So what? He used some type of new military weapon? He's a Mutant? I could ask Charles to look for him."

"Don't bother, he's dead," Tony said quickly, "Five silhouettes, not six. Five because Chad Davis was the weapon. A human bomb."

"Tony…"

"Have you heard of AIM?"

"No? Should I have?"

"Not when it's a secret organization within a legit organization."

"Why are you going to Miami," I asked again, biting my lip.

Tony was silent for a moment. It was only when I released a deep sigh that he responded, "I know where the Mandarin is."

"What," I exclaimed. "Tony you aren't going to do something stupid, are you?"

"The Mandarin might be the face of AIM be he isn't the mastermind. Aldrich Killian is. I'm going to stop him."

"Then you need help," I said without hesitation. "We agreed after the Juggernaut incident that we would always try to be there for each other. Let me help you."

"You wouldn't make it in time so –"

"Bullshit," I cut him off.

"I've don't this plenty of times without you," Tony sounded like he was trying to convince himself that he didn't need help – that he didn't need me.

"Maybe. But you don't need too anymore. We're Avengers. A team. Are you afraid to ask?"

"I'm not afraid," Tony scoffed on the other end.

"Then admit it."

"What's there to admit?"

"Tony…" I sighed.

"Look, this is a little difficult for me…okay…I may or may not need your help. I'll send you the coordinates, but seriously, by the time you get there I'll have it all under control."

Then, the line went dead.

"What the fuck," I exhaled sharply as I slammed down the "Bat Phone" handset. The phone made a little jingle noise as I did so.

You may not be surprised, but I never received those coordinates from Tony. Even as I sat on my couch on Christmas Eve, eating Chinese food and watching Miracle on 34th Street with Dean, I kept looking towards my cell phone for the text from Tony that would never come.