Welcome back everyone!

Here is story 2.5 in the FMA/MCU crossover world I have been writing. If you haven't read 'I'll Catch a Break Someday' and its sequel 'World With No Shield', I suggest reading those to begin with :)

Thank you so much to all the readers who have enjoyed the first two stories and I hope you do as well with this mini-story (it "should" be less than 10 chapters but we'll see if I can pull that off!) As I mentioned at the end of the last story, this one will slowly start to alter the timeline of the MCU (and I'm pretty sure a lot of you may guess on what subject ;P)

Enjoy!

P.S. Unless stated otherwise, the story is written in Ed's (1st) POV!


End of February 2010 – Stark Mansion

I stretched, walking into the kitchen, breathing deeply as I tried to blink the sleep away from my eyes. I almost regretted staying up so late once again.

Almost.

What would make me regret it less would be some peanut butter and banana –

I stopped, spotting Tony sitting at the kitchen island, staring intently at a cup of coffee in front of him.

And he didn't seem to have noticed my being there just yet which, in itself, was bizarre considering he wasn't even working on anything. And he NEVER just sat at the island.

That was my spot.

"What's got you looking so moody?" I asked because on top of sitting at my spot, his entire demeanor seemed… quieter.

He barely jumped as he finally looked up at me, blinking once before saying, "You must be delusional. I have not and will never be 'moody'."

Ah, denial. It had been overly clear in his voice but at least his overall attitude changed.

I scoffed and shook my head, more for his sake than mine, as I headed towards the cupboard to get my breakfast.

"Well, you were something if not moody," I said, pulling out some sliced bread.

"Not moody or anything else, Short Stuff," he replied, taking a sip of his coffee. "And have you packed your things yet?"

I hummed distractedly as I began setting my breakfast up. The reminder to pack making my insides churn slightly. I actually hadn't packed but… At the moment, I was more curious about the change of subject from Tony.

I wondered what was bothering him…

The last Iron Man stunt he had pulled had gone well from what I had heard so it must not have been that… He had successfully stopped more of Stark Industries weapons that had been shipped months ago and had saved several villages. Alone considering he never warned me when he was leaving…

So, what –?

"You're not getting out of going to NYC with us, Short Stuff," continued Tony. "You can't use any excuses, especially not with Pepper. She'll guilt trip you enough to get you on that plane." Sadly, he had a point… Something I wouldn't admit out loud. "Maybe you shouldn't have neglected to tell her your birthday was at the beginning of the month."

I groaned, remembering the day she had found out. Even though I had explained to her multiple times that it wasn't a big deal for me, she had insisted on at least getting a cake, ordering my favorite fast food and had even gotten Rhodey and Happy at the mansion.

Even though I had thought I hadn't wanted anything to commemorate my birthday…

I had had difficulty not getting emotional over how much care had been put into the quick affair.

And, because of that night, I didn't think I would have it in me to say 'no' to Pepper about heading to New York with her and Tony. Not when we were going there a day or two before their big meetings to do several activities Pepper had planned out for us.

The only problem with the trip was…

"You don't look too keen on going," remarked Tony.

I glanced behind, raising an eyebrow in his direction. "We are FLYING there," I said, unamused in an attempt to hide the real reason I –

"You need to get used to it, Short Stuff. It's the fastest and safest way to travel."

I just rolled my eyes, taking a bite out of my toast. He could say that all he wanted, show me every different statistical research about the subject, I still wouldn't be comfortable with travelling by airplane.

"Go pack. I know you haven't yet and we'll be leaving soon," said Tony, motioning for me to hurry.

"As if you've already packed," I countered, jumping onto the counter top to continue eating at a leisurely pace.

"It's my plane. It leaves when I want it to," stated Tony. Perfect then I could just miss – "And that includes YOU being ON said plane."

I just groaned, shoving a large piece of toast in my mouth and jumping off the counter, walking away.

"JARVIS, remind Short Stuff every hour to pack until she does," said Tony.

"Yes, Sir."

"You are especially annoying today," I called out, leaving the kitchen.

Without thinking, I walked back to my room, not sure how I would be able to get out of travelling all the way to New York.

Honestly, I didn't think I was going to be able to.

Tony had been right: Pepper would guilt trip me and I didn't want to disappoint her again.

Ignoring the tightening in my chest, I sighed, kneeling on the ground and reaching under my bed. I found the suitcase Pepper had gotten me in December for when we had gone to see Peggy and Daniel Sousa in Washington D.C. that same month and tugged it closer.

I didn't think I was going to use it again so soon.

Pulling it out from under the bed, the suitcase moved aside several loose papers at the same time, several that had been UNDER the bed as well, even –

That's where that one went!

I picked up one paper in particular and added it to the pile on my new desk. I had finally decided on one a week or two after the Stane incident and it had been very useful ever since.

If I remembered correctly, it had been less than a day before the entire surface had been covered in papers.

Since then, it hadn't gotten any better. All that had changed in the last few months had been the laptop that was currently partially covered by one of my notebooks.

The laptop had been the eventual replacement for the tablet I had broken during the break-in – which, in itself, had been an interesting story to tell Tony and Pepper. The laptop, at least, had been just as useful with the added bonus that its keyboard wasn't 'touchscreen' like the tablet's had been. My automail would not have let me type if I still had the tablet…

I picked up the suitcase, tossing it onto my bed and heading towards my dresser to pick out some clothes for the trip. We would be gone for at least 5 days, so I should grab some of these –

"If I may, the weather is currently colder in New York city than Malibu, Miss," stated JARVIS.

I paused, looking up as I stopped pulling out a set of t-shirts. "Just how much colder?" I asked.

"There is currently snow on the ground."

I sighed, almost annoyed by the situation but… I could at least wear gloves without getting weird looks. It may be a good test for my automail too, to see if the new composition would hold up well in the cold. I couldn't test it in Washington, not with Peggy and Sousa making sure all of us had been warm enough on a constant basis.

"Thanks, JARVIS," I said, as I put one of the t-shirts back and reached for my long-sleeved shirts instead, closing the drawer with a hit from my hip.

"My pleasure, Miss."

I smiled, shaking my head. Even though, at first, JARVIS had been calling me 'Ed', over time, he had switched to 'Miss'. Tony may have had something to do with it but I didn't particularly care.

JARVIS never called me something related to my height so I was fine with him calling me 'Miss'.

I continued to pack some clothes before heading to the bathroom and gathering my stuff there: toothbrush, toothpaste and –

I paused, staring at my reflection in the mirror.

A brush too would be a good idea.

My hair had grown passed my ears now, aided by the fact that I hadn't cut it since arriving several months ago. Even though Pepper had tried to help me with finding some hair styles that could work for this length, I usually either had a headband or a hat – a beanie from what I learned it was called – to attempt to tame my hair until I could tie it up again.

I truly did miss that.

Picking up several more items, I made my way back to my room, dumping everything into the suitcase.

Maybe I should arrange it better…

I spent several minutes to do so but, as I did, my mind wandered to why I didn't particularly want to do to New York. Not just the place but considering…

Not with…

I shook my head, trying to push those thoughts away.

I needed to keep them at bay during the trip. Pepper had put effort into it and I didn't want to ruin it for her. I needed to be happy for her sake.

I didn't want her to worry about me.

One thing at a time… My first issue stemmed from the fact that we had to FLY there… Of course, I knew taking a car or even a train would take much too long but still…

The U.S.A. was MUCH bigger than Amestris!

Flying it was…

Maybe – just maybe! – I could get some sleep during the flight. I nearly scoffed at the idea: it was very rare that I actually slept on an airplane unless I was exhausted.

And even with limited sleep, I wasn't THAT tired…

Instead, maybe I could get some research done. For that, I grabbed my laptop and its plug, stuffing them into a backpack: I had learned to not make the same mistake as the first flight and not put everything that could distract me in the one bag that would be stowed too far away from me. Notebooks too went in the backpack. Pens were important too.

Maybe the research would actually distract me because, honestly, I had hit another roadblock with the energy needed to power the transmutation circle – not that I had finalized a design for said circle either…

But… I couldn't figure out yet what I could exchange to cross through the Gate in one piece.

What would be the price?

Well… that entailed me getting my alchemy back at some point as well…

That was another problem to solve, one that I wasn't even close to doing…

Maybe…?

The offer from that Nick Fury came to mind once again. The night he had broken into the mansion, he had talked to Tony and myself about this so-called 'Avenger Initiative'. He had wanted to gather a group of people together to make a – somehow – powerful group that would be called upon to protect… the Earth?

Tony, being Tony, had refused there and then, not bothering with asking any more questions or clarifications.

I…

Truthfully, seeing Fury brought up memories of –

Not Master Sergeant Kaim Fuery that was for sure but…

Furher King Bradley.

Thankfully, the major difference was that I hadn't been getting a strange and… scary vibe like from Fury like I had gotten from the old Furher.

Nick Fury would get the benefit of the doubt for the moment but he wasn't getting my full trust just yet.

Hence why I never actually gave him an answer about the 'Avenger Initiative'.

If S.H.I.E.L.D. could go and create a full identity for me within 12 hours, what other resources could they have access to? Sadly, this whole thought process felt like being recruited as a State Alchemist all over again.

But… I didn't have my brother by my side this time. I didn't have Mustang and his crew to watch my back.

I would be alone.

And, not knowing much about this world nor this time, I didn't think I was ready just yet to maneuver my way through S.H.I.E.L.D. without being taken advantage of.

Not to mention doing my research on alchemy and crossing the Gate without tipping them off to it.

Maybe one day, I would humour their offer.

See what they would offer in exchange.

For now, I had a place to stay with Tony and…

I sighed. A trip to New York City.

I finished packing with so many thoughts swirling in my mind and, next thing I knew, I was closing the suitcase, zipping it shut. I tossed my backpack over my shoulder and rolled the suitcase out of the room.

Maybe this trip would do me some good and would be the distraction I needed.

Maybe.


Let me know what you thought! :D