She lowered her head as she tapped her hand against the glass, aware that whatever A.I. was currently powered up had already alerted him to her presence.
He looked up when he saw her, motioned for her to come inside and she stepped in.
"I hope you're going to make yourself useful while you're here," he said, handing her a wrench.
She wrapped the fingers of both hands around it, clutching it to her chest for a moment. "I'm… sorry about earlier," she said quietly.
He nodded once in recognition of her apology. "I suppose I caught you off guard, considering. You're not from around here, are you?"
She shook her head. "I don't think so. You know?"
He smiled. "I sort of figured it out when you hit me in the face."
She cringed. "Everything's the same… only some things are different."
He gestured a finger in between them. "Us not being married is one of them."
"So you don't think I'm crazy?"
"No, of course not. I think you're from another reality, but I don't think you're crazy."
She sighed in relief.
"Who else knows?"
"Um.. Clint. And Rhodey, maybe. I think that's it."
"Good. Let's keep it that way. No need to alarm the others."
"Where's your wife?"
He studied her, setting his tools down on the counter and stepping away from his workbench. "Standing right in front of me."
She rolled her eyes. "I mean your Nat."
"Well, there can't be two of you inhabiting the same space at the same time." He folded his arms across his chest. "That's not how this works."
She raised an eyebrow. "And you're suddenly the expert on alternate realities, even though it's only been a few hours? You are the same Tony."
He grinned, a familiar grin that spread over his features. "Now you're getting it."
"Same place, same time. Different circumstance," she said slowly. "Are we really married here?"
"Yes. I take it we're not there yet, where you're from?"
She shook her head. "No, no, no. We're not… anywhere…. at all. Actually, we barely get along. Sometimes we don't even like each other."
His grin softened into a wistful smile, his eyes shining. "Ah, yes. I remember that stage."
She crossed her arms.
"Well, can I get you anything while you're here? A snack? Some tea?"
"Actually… it's been a long day. I think I just want to go to bed."
He nodded. "Alright. I'll show you upstairs. We can figure this thing out in the morning." He offered his arm and she let him lead her through his house to a bedroom.
She recognized most of his house, knew this room was his private bedroom as she'd been to his home many times before and knew his taste. But there was something different. A purple comforter was spread neatly over the king sized bed, purple curtains covered the futuristic blinds and the pile of simple gray pillows had a few purple ones neatly tucked into an inviting looking pattern. Purple… her favorite color.
The area rug in front of the closet had a Russian design to it, and even the sheets were a fine silk, her fabric of choice for bed linens.
She placed a hand over her chest, her eyes filling with tears. "Maybe this… this was a bad idea," she whispered.
"It's fine. I'll sleep in another room," he said softly.
"It's not that it's just… this is a little overwhelming right now."
He nodded. "Totally understandable. I could make up another room for you, if that's what you prefer."
She shook her head, reaching for his hand and he eagerly slipped his hand over hers, giving her a light squeeze.
"Tony…" she whispered, the tears falling down her face. "I'm scared."
"I know, sweetheart," he said, pulling her into an embrace. "Me too."
She sobbed into his chest. "I want to go home."
"Sssshhhhhh," he murmured, his fingers circling over her back. "We'll figure this out, I promise. But you're safe here." He pressed a soft kiss to her temple.
"I don't know how to get back home."
"I don't either," he admitted. "But I promise, I'll help you." He gestured to the bed, inviting her to sit and she patted the space next to her.
"You probably want your wife back just as badly as I want to get back to my friends," she realized out loud.
He nodded in agreement, sliding across the bed until his back was against the headboard. "But it's okay. You're among friends… people who love you."
"You… love me?" She asked, raising her head to look up at him.
His brown eyes were wide, long eyelashes damp. "I love you very much," he whispered.
She swallowed hard, something about the honesty in his voice and his expression causing a lump to form in her throat. "H-how…. how long have we been married?" she asked, leaning her head against his shoulder.
He smiled fondly, the fingers of one hand coming up to brush through her hair. "It will be five years this Saturday. We have a big anniversary party planned in the ballroom of the new compound."
"Five years?!" She asked incredulously, her voice taking on the squeaky tone for a moment. "Then we have to get your wife back before then," she added more decisively.
"I'm a little out of my element on this one, but I guess I do have some ideas about what happened," Tony said softly.
"Good," she said. "That makes two of you who are on it."
He stopped stroking her hair long enough to gaze at her quizzically.
"If I know my Tony, then he's already looking for me," she told him.
"I thought you said you don't get along?"
"We don't. But you're still the most loyal, determined person I know," she said softly.
He pulled her closer into his chest. "Well, if I know your Tony, and I do because I'm him… then he won't stop until he finds you."
She smiled, leaning into him. "If anyone can figure it out, it's you," she said, knowing it was true.
He held her tight, both arms wrapped around her and a part of her thought maybe she should put some distance between them, but a bigger part was grateful for the soft, comforting, nurturing side of her friend that she'd barely had a glimpse of.
"So… how did we get together anyway?" She asked sleepily.
"Hmmm… it's a bit of a long story, but I guess it all started when we made out at my fortieth birthday party."
"No way…. that's not how it happened. I was working undercover during your fortieth birthday party."
"Yeah, and we made out in the closet. I'll admit, I was a little… bruised when I found out the truth. But… daaaaaamn. That kiss."
She frowned, calling upon her memory to piece together the differences from what he was telling her as he rambled on, his voice soft like a lullaby and his embrace comfortable as he tucked her in between the blankets while he talked. She could feel the smile in his cheeks as he pressed his face into the top of her head, one hand still stroking her hair as she started to drift off.