Title: My Favorite Weakness (is You)
Chapter 17 Summary: And then in walks 'Nick the auDACity Fury.'
Author's Notes: Thank you for all the love and support! I apparently haven't been getting update emails, so I logged on and was very surprised that people had actually written comments and left kudos. I immediately went to write the next chapter, and here we are! Thank you guys! I read every comment, and will reply after I publish this chapter! This one's for you!
Chapter 17: 'For Now,' He Says.
- Morning of Peter's 3rd Day in the Other Universe -
Tony's watch buzzed early, waking him up.
Well, 10 am "early."
His initial plan to ignore it was interrupted by another buzz.
And then three more.
He swiped it open to block whoever it was that was texting him, and sighed when he saw who it was.
Nick the auDACity Fury.
Dared to show up.
Tony got up, stealing a glance at Peter, who was curled up in his recliner chair fast asleep. Good, the kid needed sleep. Tony guessed he hadn't slept much since he'd been here, judging the growing circles under his eyes.
He used the blurry reflection in the elevator to comb his hair down with his fingers, but another notification from Mr. Impatient prompted him to stop on his floor to grab fresh change of clothes.
If Fury thought he could walk in unannounced, then he could also wait. Tony didn't want to feel late to a meeting that didn't exist, unless it could be fashionably late on his own terms. And as he had the ability to make that happen, he put on his smartglasses and did just so.
"Stark," Fury greeted him when he finally entered the room, Watching as Tony made his way to the mini-bar rather than to the sitting area.
Natasha chimed in from the other side of the room, "Nice of you to join us," she played at Stark, keeping her features stern.
Sam, Clint, and Steve were also present, though they didn't look the least bit concerned.
Smart. Unlike Fury, they were learning.
Tony could feel the annoyance in Fury's demeanor, and couldn't help but send a smirk Nat's way as he poured his coffee, facing away from the man.
Oh, they had their fun.
Tony turned back to face them both, maneuvering around the counter to be closer to them.
Fury sighed; "are you ready?"
A rhetorical question.
"Just a moment," Tony quipped, before he shifted his weight so that he was leaning back on the counter. "You may begin."
It was the little things in life.
"Oh, we've begun," Fury went on, though they all knew Tony didn't care. "My new irritation is catching you up."
"Oh, I think I've been doing alright in that aspect. We had Monolith Discovery Monday, Taco Tuesday resumed after media backlash, Florida Man did something not-bad… and that's it. Or do you mean catching me up on things like the new weather party going on in Eastern Europe? Yeah, I didn't think the Adriatic Sea belonged in Serbia, either. Not that I knew it didn't until ten minutes ago. Oh, and also water generally doesn't… walk."
Sam huffed a ghost of a laugh, and Fury folded his arms.
Tony knew what was up.
"I'm here, to do something about it."
Tony raised his mug as if in toast, "A-men to that," he said, and worked on emptying the cup.
Fury glared, then turned, addressing the entire team now.
"We're going to need to commence a search and rescue ASAP," another glare towards Tony, "with a few modifications.
"First off, we're adding a discovery piece. Resources in Atlanta gave me some… interesting information, after you all left location. Rather hurriedly, might I add."
Tony rolled his eyes.
"Moreover," Fury went on, "we need to be more secret about arriving on scene. Our data experts are analyzing the anomalies as we speak, and after this morning's events, they think they'll be able to pinpoint the next location. Though I doubt we'll know when it'll happen, so our best course of action is to go there now."
The team nodded, but Tony filled with worry for Peter. He couldn't leave him again, after yesterday.
"Do we all have to go?" Clint asked.
When was the last time Tony told Clint how much he loved him? Yeah he was probably due for that.
Fury stood up.
"You got somewhere else to be, Barton?"
"Nah, I just-"
"You were just packing up for Serbia, right."
Tony downed the rest of his coffee, getting ready to put up some sort of argument, when Pepper's voice entered before he could get the chance.
"Excuse me, director?" He heels tapped across the floor as she made her way towards them. "I hope I'm not interrupting, though it looks like I caught you at the right time."
"Ms. Potts," Fury said, almost politely. Almost. "I was just leaving."
"That's okay, I can walk and talk," she said businesslike. Professional as always, yet somehow with the same power he got only through being… well, however people would describe him as being.
"Agent Hill will arrive shortly and meet you at transport," Nick said to the team, before turning to go.
They nodded, and Pepper didn't so much as glance at Tony as she effortlessly turned and matched his step.
But he could have sworn he saw A Look pass between her and Natasha. He couldn't read her face, though, and she wouldn't look at him.
So that was a yes.
Tony pretended to listen to Steve as he gave the team a rundown of the plan, and could only hear a snippit of Pepper's conversation before they got out of earshot.
"I'm sorry to inform you, director," she was saying, "but I'm going to have to steal Tony for the day. Believe it or not, he's been slacking in some of his work, and-"
"I believe it,"
"Well, good," she replied, he could faintly hear her, "and you understand how those deadlines come out of nowhere for him..."
How did Tony get such good people.
It was when Steve's voice stopped that he was brought back to the conversation in front of him.
"Any questions?" he asked.
"Nope," Sam replied, for the team apparently.
"Good." Steve went on. "And Tony, since you'll probably be staying here, maybe you could keep an eye and an ear out for that next location Fury mentioned."
Tony didn't deserve these people.
"I'll be sure to know before he does."
"Perfect. Then that's all for now."
Author's Notes: Yes that was short, but I need to get back in the swing of things. Thank you all again, seriously, for your comments. I really logged on, saw your notes, then went and finished writing this chapter. I'm looking at the notes I have written for their future, and I'm excited. Hope you all are too!