Chapter 17: Under Pressure
TONY'S BEDROOM IN THE PRESENT
Tony did exactly what Steve asked him to do. He told him not to move and that he was on his way. Well ok? He wanted to see him anyways but Tony didn't understand what the big rush was about.
"Sir, Pepper Potts and Captain Rogers are on their way to your floor."
Tony just nodded his head. He had no idea who "Pepper Potts" was but as long as he saw the Yankee that was alright with him.
He got off his bed and he walked over to his bedroom door.
As soon as he opened it he saw Steve right in front of him. SHIT, Tony was startled he took a step back.
"Uh, Hi.." He rushed his greeting because he didn't expect him to be all in his face.
Steve walked up and he received the shock of his life.
Tony practically hopped in Steve's direction and he pulled Steve into an unexpected kiss. Pepper walked in and she slapped her hands to her face.
Steve froze for a moment. The way Tony kissed him sent a shock wave down his body. Steve gave into the kiss and returned it. He felt Tony wrap his arms around his shoulders. Tony broke away from the kiss and gave Steve a very warm hug.
"What are you freaking out about Yankee? You seem all spazztastic." Tony grinned and looked at Steve.
Steve just stared at nothing. He was in a daze. Tony sighed and he looked over at Pepper. She kinda freaked out. She could see a difference in Tony and it frightened her.
Steve failed to realize that he started to return Tony's hug. Deep down he wanted to feel like his feelings were returned.
But the person he hugged back wasn't Tony. He wasn't Iron Man and...
Steve cleared his throat and tried to ignore what he felt at that moment. He tried to ignore it all. He figured out Tony's behavior. That was how Tony would be if he was free from Obadiah Stane at a younger age. With his past altered, he was a totally different person.
The other Tony never acted that way towards him. He never made him feel...Steve felt sad and he just looked at the floor of the room.
"You ok Steve?" Tony asked as he looked at Steve's face. His Yankee looked fucking DEPRESSED.
Tony had no idea why and he frowned.
"Tony, can I see your chest please?" Steve asked as he stared ahead. Tony didn't get it but he shrugged and he opened up his sweatshirt.
Steve had to see it in person.
There was nothing. He touched where the scar used to be.
"What is WITH you." Tony pushed his hand away and he tried not to glare.
"Your scar is gone." DID THAT REALLY MEAN HE WAS NO LONGER IRON MAN? Tony's past had definitely been altered. Of course it was. Steve started to think about all the stupid things he did when he was back in the 1980s.
HOW STUPID COULD HE BE? He actually expected there to not be any repercussions? Everything fell apart.
"What scar? What the hell are you talking about and WHO is this?" He pointed at Pepper. Steve explained everything to her on the way there and she was absolutely shocked. Tony had no idea who she was because of what Steve did in Tony's past?
Pepper wanted to cry. She tried to wrap her head around all of it.
"I'm Pepper.."
"I've established that much already." Tony's tolerance for the situation had officially run out.
"I work for Stark Industries. You made me CEO remember?" She was under the impression that he had amnesia? WHAT THE HELL WAS GOING ON?!
Tony's face slipped into a confused frown.
"I don't have anything to do with that company. Sorry." Tony turned to the Yankee because it was all bullshit.
He gave him a confused look.
Pandora's box was officially open. Steve took in a long breath and he finally said something.
"Tony after I took you back to Obadiah Stane. We said goodbye and I left you behind. What did you do?"
That had to have been the action that altered Tony's future.
It had to have been the force that changed him into the person that was in front of him. Steve had to figure it all out. He had to get the real Tony back.
"Captain Rogers, there is movement in the Stark Lab. It appears that Bucky Barnes is awake." Steve wanted to collapse. Why now? He rubbed at his eyes for a moment and tried to pull himself together.
Absolutely everything went to shit.
"Jarvis, please tell Clint and the others to meet me in Tony's lab. I need to speak to everyone and I need Clint to watch over Bucky until I get there." Steve was ready to pass out.
Steve turned his focus back to Tony.
"What did you do after I left you?"
"I went to find you. What the hell do you think I went and did?" Tony answered and he ignored all that stuff about Bucky. He didn't give a crap if Bucky Barnes was awake. If he had his way the stupid terminator could rot.
Steve felt a jolt of energy rise throughout his spine. He stepped towards Tony.
"But did you find me? How did you get to this moment right now?" It wasn't right. Something about all of it wasn't right.
If the seventeen-year-old Tony left Obadiah Stane to find him that would explain why Tony would not become Iron Man and have nothing to do with Stark Industries. That would explain how he would have never met Pepper.
That made perfect sense. But Steve needed to know how Tony found him.
GAHH HE WAS SO CONFUSED. Steve couldn't get his brain to function. Did that mean that the seventeen-year-old Tony was looking for him at that moment in 1989?!
"Tony, tell me how you found me. Where did you look?"
Tony stared at him and he was clearly confused.
"I..I dunno. Why are you asking me this?" Pepper was so lost that it felt like her head was going to explode.
Steve forced himself to turn away. Wow, he really fucked everything up he had to physically turn away. Steve needed to go see Bucky but he needed to figure out what to do.
He tried to think. How the hell was he going to fix it?
Steve was on the right track but he didn't realize it. The seventeen-year-old Tony was currently on the hunt for him.
He was still in the machine. He crossed over into the present as they spoke.
AND as soon as he arrived at the S.H.I.E.L.D base in the present the adult Tony disappeared completely. Pepper saw him just vanish in an instant and her body shot up taller. She gasped loudly and it startled Steve.
Steve had his back to him so he didn't see him disappear. But he noticed Pepper's reaction immediately.
He turned around and stared at the empty space in front of him.
"Tony just disappeared?! He was standing right there!" Pepper was a mess. She tried to remain calm but it really became difficult.
I mean Tony just vanished into thin air and Steve didn't say anything to her.
"WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? Should we call Fury? Or assemble the avengers together or something? Steve where the hell did he go?" Pepper couldn't contain her confusion and frustration
any longer.
"I don't know what to do Pepper. But we can go to Tony's lab and talk to the others. I need to tell them what's going on."
Steve did his best to NOT freak out. If he did then nothing would get fixed at all.
There had to be a way to fix it. Steve started to head down to Tony's lab to talk to the others.
S.H.I.E.L.D BASE IN THE PRESENT
Tony opened his eyes and stopped squirming around. The space machine opened up and Tony stared off into the room around him.
Uh whoa.. There were tons of work stations that were covered with devices that looked cool.
Tony crawled out of the machine and he headed over to one of the small tables and he started to look things over.
The future had really cool shit. He started to wonder what planet he was on.
Tony noticed an oversized window to his left so he tried to work his way to the door and hide at the same time.
He didn't want any of Fury's flunkies to catch him. Tony hugged his backpack and he went to the door.
Tony slowly turned the knob and he looked down the hallway.
Nobody to his left, he maneuvered around and checked his right. He saw some suits and he sighed. He wondered, Why couldn't it have been an abandoned building or something?
Shit always had to be difficult.
He thought he should just bust in there and start to wave his gun around? Nah. Tony bit his lip and waited. Eventually, the suits went further down the hall.
Tony turned around and looked at the windows.
He thought he could climb out. But, he wouldn't know where to go. Finding the Yankee wasn't going to be as easy as he thought.
Tony sniffed and wiped at his nose. It still ran like a faucet and it really friggen irritated him.
Saaa how the fuck was he going to find him? Tony looked back down the hallway and saw that the coast was clear.
He decided to try his luck and see how far it would take him.
Tony strapped his backpack to his back and he headed out into the unknown. He got about five steps down the hallway when he heard someone's voice.
"HEY YOU! You're unauthorized to be here." The voice was loud and Tony turned in the direction of the person immediately.
Seriously, not even ten seconds and someone was on his ass.
"I'm looking for someone." Fuck off. Tony turned and started to head where he wanted to go. The man in the suit said nothing at first and Tony was ok with that.
What he said after really freaked Tony out a bit.
"Mr. Stark?" That was all he said and Tony turned back in his direction. Mr? Mr. Stark? SAY WHAAAT? What did he look old or something? Tony looked down at his clothes.
"How do you know my last name?" Tony asked and he felt totally weird.
The guy jumbled to answer.
"Are you being sarcastic Mr. Stark? Everyone knows your last name. I have to say you do look a little, different.." Tony rotated in his direction completely and he put both his hands on his hips.
"I'm always sarcastic. I told you, I'm looking for someone so back off."
Tony wanted to do what he wanted to do. And if he was called Mr. STARK in space then whatever...
So be it.
"Who are you looking for sir? Maybe I can help you out." Uhhh sir? HE CALLED HIM SIR TOO? Tony was shocked but at least he wasn't being arrested.
Apparently he was well known?
"STEVE. I'm looking for Steve. Have you seen him?" Tony only knew him as Steve, "Bruce", and Yankee. Hahaha well, his luck was going great for him so far so he gave it a shot. "Captain Rogers? ..."
CAPTAIN? OK. Tony refused to connect the dots between STEVE and CAPTAIN AMERICA. That was just way too freaky for him.
"Maybe? You mean Captain Rogers as innnnnnnnn the really tall, attractive, blonde do-gooder that works here?"
Tony crossed his arms. He hoped that the description helped.
The guy just started to laugh at him.
"People always tell me that you're a pretty funny person. Haha I'm guessing that you're talking about Steve Rogers, but don't you all live together?"
Say what? Tony looked up at him.
"Who lives with Steve Rogers?"
"You do, Mr. Stark."
Tony's dramatic heart burst. He grabbed the wall behind him and gasped. The YANKEE lived with his older self? Tony stood a little taller and he thought about some things.
"He's a lot like you." The Yankee's words started to repeat in his head and Tony gasped again.
"Man, you really are funny. I can't wait to tell my friends that I finally got the chance to talk to you."
TONY WAS DONE WITH THIS.
"JUST TELL ME WHERE HE IS. Ok? I haven't got all night."
He had an agenda. And that dopey-faced dweeb took too much time.
"I just told you, he lives with you. At the Avenger's tower.." The guy was very confused. Tony gasped a very loud gasp again.
They lived together. That actually made a lot of sense. Why else would the Yankee STARE at him like he did? Right when they met he just stared at him. Tony felt like he knew him or something right away.
Then, Tony remembered the comment he made about him RUNNING. So, the Yankee had never seen his older self run?
"Mr. Stark?"
"THE ADDRESS PLEASE," Tony demanded and the guy started to scramble a bit. He pulled something out of his pocket and started to touch it like a crazy person.
Was that a phone?
Tony took a closer look.
How the hell? The thing in his hand had a touchable screen? What the?!
"Uh, google maps just says Stark Tower, now Avengers Tower in midtown Manhattan, New York City. That's where you all live are you feeling alright Mr. Stark?" The guy said as Tony smiled. Oh yeah. He felt fine...
"I'm just messing with you man. What's your name?" he asked the guy as he awkwardly smiled back at Tony.
"My name is Joseph."
"Cool. Thanks, Joseph I'm going to leave now..see ya." Tony started to leave and he rolled his eyes the moment he had his back to him. Moron...
The guy said one more thing to Tony as he ventured off.
"I know why you look different Mr. Stark...no facial hair! That's what it is." Yeah ok, Tony ignored him and he headed to the nearest EXITTTttttttt.
SHIT. He had no idea where he was but he knew where to go.
THANKS, SUCKER. Tony didn't want to risk and run into someone else. He headed out the first window he managed to open.
It was fucking COLD outside. Tony started to shiver as he headed down the side of the building.
Good thing he had his damn Reebok shoes on. When he maneuvered close enough to the ground he held his breath and jumped the rest of the way.
Saaaa his ankles stung but he sucked it up and started to haul ass away from the building.
Tony ran his little heart out and eventually got to a street.
ok, now shit was about to get real. Tony walked down the street until he saw a gigantic diesel truck that headed in his direction. He ran in front of it and started to wave his arms.
He needed a ride to the Yankee's place. Duh.
The lights were so bright. Ahhh Tony tried to cover his face but watch the truck at the same time. Tony heard the driver slam on the breaks. The truck screeched to a stop and the guy shoved open the door.
"WHAT THE FUCK!?" The guy screamed as Tony stood in his headlights.
"I NEED A RIDE!" he yelled back at the guy.
The guy started to shake his head no and Tony took his backpack off his back.
"I will give you a thousand dollars to give me a ride to Manhattan." He tried to bargain but the man started yelling.
"YOU'RE FUCKING CRAZY. GET OUT OF MY WAY KID!"
"I'll give you TWO GRAND. TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT OLD MAN. You're just as good as the next person that comes down this street."
The guy waited a few minutes and it was obvious he put some thought into his answer.
"TWO GRAND?"
"Yeah."
The man waved for Tony to get in. Tony didn't hesitate he ran to the passenger side. He had to make one thing clear to the guy before they just took off.
Tony sat down in the seat and he handed him one thousand dollars from his stash.
"Half now and the other half on arrival. OH and one more thing." Tony looked into his bag and brought out Obadiah's gun.
He readied the weapon and he pointed it at the guy.
"You try to fuck with me, I'll blow your head off. Just take me to this "Avenger Tower" in Manhattan and we will have no problems. You'll get your cash and I won't have to kill you. Got it?" Tony wasn't going to mess around with creep truck drivers.
Yeah, no thanks.
The man had his hands up and then he slowly lowered his hands to the money that was on his lap. "There won't be any need for that young man. I'm not going to hurt you or do anything stupid like that."
GOOD.
"How far is Manhattan from here?"
"This is Michigan kid! That's over eight hundred miles. It will be a twelve-hour drive to get there. I can get you there by tomorrow afternoon."
Tony started to chew on his lip. Like he knew where the hell he was.
"I'll pay for transportation. You know all the gas and shit. Please, I really need to get there." Twelve hours wasn't too bad.
"For two thousand dollars, I'll take you to California if you want. You just paid down half of my bills."
The guy revved up the diesel engine and took off down the road.
Tony felt nervous.. He felt nervous because he wasn't sure how the Yankee was going to handle him tracking him down.
Well, he needed to talk to him. Tony ignored the fact that the Yankee lived with his older self. He decided to cross that bridge later. He was on his way regardless and there was nothing that was gunna stop him.
BACK AT TONY'S LAB
Clint, Natasha, Thor, and Bruce all stood around Tony's shop. Bucky was awake inside the cryotube but he was not very coherent.
He just stared blankly as if he had to wait for something.
Steve and Pepper walked into the shop and they all turned in their direction. Bucky turned in their direction as well. He started to stare at Steve.
Steve walked up to the tube. He stared back at him for a moment.
He didn't know which issue to focus on more because both issues officially sucked.
He turned his back to Bucky and addressed the group.
"We have a huge problem. I'm going to have to explain a lot of things in order for some of you to understand what's going on."
He couldn't just say TONY'S GONE. He knew that wasn't going to get him anywhere. It was far more complicated than that. Steve's attention gravitated towards Bucky.
He was alive and that had to be enough for now.
"Clint and I were sent on a mission to protect a younger Tony. I did some things that I should not have done during the mission because it has altered the present-day Tony." Steve looked at Clint because he knew that he would be the one that would understand this far more than the others.
"The present Tony isn't here anymore. I think that his younger self is .." Clint cut him off at a very fast pace.
"WHOA WHOA WHOA WHAT?! What the hell do you mean he's not HERE anymore?" Clint grit his teeth.
He fucking KNEW that something was going to happen. Steve was a lovesick puppy dog that hung all over the younger Tony during that mission.
OF COURSE, IT WOULD AFFECT THE TONY IN THE PRESENT TIME.
What the fuck did Steve have in his head? ROCKS? Clint was so pissed off!
And what made it worse? Only the fact that the Winter Soldier was locked up in there with them like Hannibal Lector. Clint was convinced that he wanted to wait around and kill them all one by one.
Wow. BRAVO STEVE.
"I DON'T KNOW WHY HE ISN'T HERE. Ok? He just disappeared. I think his younger self is doing something in the past." Steve had no idea how to fix it. He had reached a breaking point and it took everything he had not to show it.
Clint was obviously angry with him and the others didn't know what to think. Steve looked at Pepper as she quietly listened to them all. She looked like she was in shock. Steve turned back to the group.
"I need your help. I don't know how I'm going to fix this. I have made too many stupid mistakes."
Steve felt horrible. It was one bad decision after another.
Because it was Tony. Maybe Fury was right. Steve began to question himself as a leader and he started to vent.
"Fury wants us to split up the group. I will run the East Coast Avengers and if we can manage to get the real Tony back he will run the West Coast. Or, however it gets decided."
Steve thought that Tony might never want to be a part of the Avengers again after everything.
Steve knew how he was and Tony was not going to be ok with his life being played around with. He just rubbed his forehead.
"Let's worry about stuff like that later Steve. Right now let's focus on fixing this. We can vote on the split-up thing some other time.." Bruce's calming voice filled the room. Clint didn't say anything because he was too pissed off.
Natasha just observed.
Thor walked up to Steve and he touched his shoulder.
"Steven these mistakes are not irredeemable. I know a person that can correct these issues."
Steve looked up at Thor with a small glimpse of hope in his face. He almost couldn't breathe.
"Thor has the ability to manipulate time Steve. So, you can relax and let us help you." Natasha finally said something and Steve looked at her.
"You should focus on Bucky. Clint and Thor can fix this mess that is going on with Tony. In the meantime how about you, me, and Bruce figure out what we are going to do with the Winter Soldier."
Natasha wasn't taking no for an answer. Clint laughed and walked over to Steve.
"Steve you're a total idiot sometimes, but I love you, man. We'll get through this and we will have that cocky bastard back in no time! We're a FAMILY ok? So stop acting like you're going to split us up." Clint was a bit hurt he didn't want Steve to split up the team.
Fuck a vote. He'd never agree to a split.
Steve smiled somewhat but he didn't feel very reassured. Everything about Tony's disappearance was so vague. How were Thor and Clint going to bring him back?
He had to trust them.
Steve was under so much pressure it felt like his head was about to explode. He couldn't say anything to them anymore he just walked over to the chair he had set out in front of Bucky. Steve sat down and he looked over at his friend.
Bucky and Steve just stared at each other. They both were lost little lambs.
Notes: WHOOO getting closer to the end! I hope you all like the story as it is progressing. ANy feedback is appreciated.
Thanks for reading. COMMENTS ARE LOVE!