Pepper was concerned about Tony. Which wasn't anything new. In fact it was monotonously old news. When wasn't she worried about him? In fact, not being worried was a whole new worry in and of itself. It was like he was a ticking time bomb waiting to blow and do something idiotic. And always at the most inopportune times.
Though this time she was rather worried.
She had woken up a couple of days ago to the strangest and distressing set of text messages. Apparently JARVIS had sent her several calls and messages claiming that something serious had happened to Tony. So serious that the A.I hadn't known what to do. She was a second away from shooting out of her room still in her pyjamas and her hair like a bird's nest. When she found more recent texts.
Sorry Ms Potts, I was mistaken. Sir is in fact whole and healthy and there is nothing to be concerned about- JARVIS
Yeah, don't worry the Boss is fine :D- F
She had no idea who 'F' was or how they had gotten her number. The messages did not really do much to alleviate her worries though. Something must have happened to send JARVIS into a panic. Something that she would no doubt have to reprimand Tony for.
When she called in to check him though, he did sound like himself and he told her that the messages of danger were just a fault from where he had been tweaking JARVIS's system. She wasn't sure how much she believed that but she let it slide for now.
But then James had called her a couple of days ago saying that Tony had been acting strangely. That he had been overly emotional and had nearly been in tears over James' legs of all things. While that wasn't the strangest thing she had ever heard it did indicate that Tony might be in a bit of a fragile state. A state he hadn't seemed to be in a few days ago.
James was also waxing lyrical about Tony's new friend. Which was a piece of information that she definitely did not know. Since when had Tony kept something like that a secret? Tony was usually the one to tell her these things in excruciating detail. And the way James described them, it looked like they had been friends for quite some time.
She knew that Tony kept things from her but that was usually about Iron Man. Tony would have never kept this from her. He would have been singing from the rooftops about his new 'science bro'.
Pepper didn't like to admit it but she was hurt that Tony hadn't told her. Did he think she wouldn't approve? She would never have said anything against it. In fact she would have outwardly encouraged the two to hang out more; she always wanted him to make a new friend.
God, that sounds patronising. But it was true. He needed a friend who he didn't employ and one that could understand when he talked shop.
It just seemed off somehow, that she didn't know about him.
Pepper had called again a day ago to see how things were but he seemed really dismissive on the phone. She tried to talk about the new reactor but he kept brushing it away as if it wasn't really important.
"I've already done everything. All the plans are ready, it's fine."
Well the last time they spoke he had hit a snag and he was complaining about how he might not get it completed in time. But now he was saying that he was done?
He also seemed to forget things they had discussed barely a week ago. And when she heard the voice of a stranger-who she could only guess was this mysterious Bruce- she couldn't help but feel suspicious. Something had happened and Tony wasn't telling her about it. Maybe this new friend was behind it all. He could be trying to work his way into Tony's good graces, only to betray him later.
Pepper had done her research on the guy and he did seem to be a real scientist. But when she probed deeper she found an article about an exploded lab and how he hadn't been heard from since. Most assumed he had died in the inferno yet here he was alive and well without a scratch on him. It wasn't the most innocent looking thing she will admit. It only added more to her suspicion.
She needed to see him for herself. Just so that she could see that she was overreacting.
So she marched her way down to Stark Tower early in the morning. There were still building crews on some of the middle floors but the reception was already complete. That way she could make her way straight through unhindered. She didn't even need to show any I.D, the staff knew to let her in.
When she got into the elevator she expected to hear JARVIS's voice. Except there appeared to be more than just his.
"Young FRIDAY I don't think it's-"
"Good Morning Boss Lady!" A strange new voice greeted her eagerly, they had a soft irish twang. "It is very nice to see you."
"Er, nice to see you too?" She replied with uncertainty. Though she knew it was foolish to say 'see you too' when you couldn't actually see them.
Who the hell was that? A new A.I? But Tony would never replace JARVIS. He would tell her if he was creating a new one. Wouldn't he?
An uncomfortable feeling settled in her stomach like lead. Something was definitely wrong here. It felt like the twilight zone. Or the mirror dimension in Star Trek. She was going to find evil Tony who had a beard. Wait, no Tony already has a beard. His evil one would be clean shaven.
"Young FRIDAY is just excited, Ms Potts." JARVIS explained. "Though, I too, am happy to see you."
"Thanks JARVIS," she said distractedly.
She had originally been going to ask JARVIS if she had noticed anything different about Tony. But now she knew that there was a foreign system in the mainframe she was hesitant. Had someone hacked in?
Her heart beat began to pick up alongside her new feelings of alarm and dread. It made her feel jittery.
Pepper stepped out into the penthouse. She wasn't completely shocked to find it empty but it was always best to check up here before she tried anywhere else. Though she did peer around just to check.
The place looked like someone had been there recently. There were take out containers on the counter alongside empty glass bottles.
Wait, some of those were Tony's best bottles. She lifted one up and found not even a single drop of scotch in it. Almost like they had been rinsed out. There appeared to be his whole liquor cabinet worth of empty bottles too. Surely he couldn't have drunk them all. He'd be dead! Was that what the emergency calls were about? Blood poisoning or liver damage?
"JARVIS did Tony drink these?" there was a hint of panic in her voice.
"If Sir had consumed them I feel that he may be dead. No, rest assured Ms Potts, Sir actually disposed of the alcohol rather than drank it." JARVIS said.
He said it like that was supposed to make her feel better but if anything it only increased her sense of dread.
"Disposed?"
"Yes, Sir poured it all down the drain a couple of days ago."
Tony would never throw away his alcohol. He had an unhealthy attachment to the stuff. He used it as a crutch. No matter how much James and Pepper had tried to push him into healthier coping mechanisms he had outright refused to listen.
This, perhaps, was the biggest clue of all that something was seriously wrong.
"JARVIS where's Tony?"
JARVIS hesitated as if he wasn't sure he should say before acquiescing "Sir is in his lab with Dr Banner, Ms Potts."
That Dr Banner was still here after 3 days!?
Pepper drew herself up and took a deep breath. She resolved herself before she made her way back to the elevator; determined to get to the bottom of this. Tony and Dr Banner had a lot to answer to.
When the elevator landed on the correct floor she hesitated. But she knew that she needed answers so scolded herself and stepped out of it confidently.
Pepper decided to peek in through the glass door. She didn't want to go barging in without scoping the scene out first. The first person she saw must have been that Banner guy. He was well dressed and in a cosy sweater. His hair was curly and he had reading glasses on the end of his nose. If anything he gave out quite friendly vibes. Not quite the evil infiltrator she had been imagining.
Thankfully, he hadn't noticed her so she moved closer to the glass so she could peer further in. She caught sight of Tony and drew back slightly. There was something different about him. She couldn't quite put her finger on it. He looked older but not at the same time. There were no greys or extra wrinkles but at the same time she couldn't help but think that there was something there. It was probably his eyes, or the way he held himself.
She just had this crazy feeling that this wasn't the Tony she had seen a week ago. The idea made her fearful.
How could this not be the same Tony? She was being ridiculous. Right?
Though when she saw Tony reach up to his arc reactor (which weirdly was poking through his shirt and looked a lot different) and then proceed to rip it off, she nearly screamed.
Pepper gasped and covered her mouth. Her heart beat pounded through her ears and adrenaline shot through her veins. She stumbled back several steps. That's not Tony. That's not Tony. That's not Tony! Rattled off like a mantra in her head.
Fear gave way to panic. And panic gave way to fury.
How dare this imposter try to imitate Tony!
Pepper reached into her bag and withdrew her taser. The one Tony had designed just for her. It packed one hell of a punch. Then she slammed the door open and levelled it at the imposter's head.
"Who the hell are you and what have you done with Tony!?" She screamed.
Not-Tony threw his hands up in alarm along with Dr Banner who looked just as concerned. Then Tony peered down at the arc reactor as if he knew he'd made a mistake.
"Look Pep-"
Pepper took another threatening step forward and aimed carefully. It had the effect of shutting him up. "I don't know what the hell is happening but you need to tell me where Tony is right now or I'll-"
"Jesus Pep, you immediately jump to an evil clone. I mean how could any evil organisation perfect this majesty?" Tony indicated to himself.
While that definitely sounded like something Tony would say, Pepper was still not convinced. She did not lower her weapon. "I've seen some weird shit when it involves Tony okay. Evil clones seem as good an idea as any."
If someone had told her 5 years ago that her boss would be flying around in a robot suit she would never believe them. A clone did not seem like that much of a stretch.
"Okay, okay how about I tell you things that only I would know." He said, trying to placate her.
"Tell her she's allergic to strawberries," Dr Banner whispered to Tony.
Pepper swung the taser into Dr Banner's direction. "And how would you know that? I've never even met you before."
Dr Banner's eyes widened and he looked between Pepper and Tony almost panicked.
"Your favourite food is thai. You secretly love cheesy boy bands. You have a birthmark at the top of your left leg that you say looks like a dolphin but I really think it just looks like a sad banana. I mean it doesn't even have fins so it would be a pretty lame dolphin." Tony rattled off several facts about her "Oh and you had a serial killer in your family like 4 generation back called 'The Chef' which is a terrible and frankly misleading name because he never actually ate anybody."
Everything he said was true which made Pepper hesitate. Would anyone else have been able to find out that information. Maybe some of it but definitely not the birthmark one. He was the only person that had ever called it a sad banana. She had been so insulted that it had stuck in her mind. Even under duress she couldn't imagine Tony giving that information away.
Pepper lowered the taser slowly. Still not entirely trusting.
Tony let out a breath of relief and brought his hands down. "I can explain…" but instead of continuing he turned to Dr Banner and appeared to be having a silent conversation with him.
It ended with Dr Banner shrugging and saying "Just tell her man. I don't wanna get tased"
Tony turned back to Pepper and gave her a meaningful look. The kind he only gave her when he was being completely serious. The one that always set her on edge because it meant he had probably done something dangerous.
"Look, I'm still me. It's just that I'm-we" he pointed between himself and Dr Banner "are actually from the future,"
Pepper just stared at him. Waiting for him to smirk or crack a joke but he gave away nothing. Her lips pursed with anger.
"So you berate me for thinking that you're a clone but then you come out with that!"
"Okay that's fair," he countered "But it's true I can prove it, look"
Tony pulled on the collar of his shirt until his chest was exposed. It revealed lines of raised scars across it. The most crucial one being the one in the shape of a circle right where his arc reactor used to sit. As if he had once had one and it had been removed.
But that would have killed him surely?
"I had the arc reactor removed in 2013 but the scar is still there," He said.
Pepper reached up to trace it. When her touch yielded nothing but healed skin she drew her hand back. You definitely couldn't fake those scars. There was also a sharp line that seemed to cut across his chest. When she went to trace that he gently pushed her hand away and covered it back up
"I mean I do have a few extra scars but you don't really need to bother with those," He said, though his voice was strangely tight.
This was all so crazy. She didn't know what to believe right now.
"I believe I can help, Boss," That irish voice came through the speakers once more.
"Go ahead FRI. I'm sure whatever you've got is better than what I have."
A screen clicked on to Pepper's right and she nearly jumped. Though when she saw what was playing on the screen she had to grip onto Tony's arm for support. It showed her several clips. All of her and Tony and sometimes even with this Bruce guy. The screen showed her videos of things that had never happened.
Of Tony working on new tech. Of her softly berating him or laughing at his jokes. She saw as the people in them began to look older. She saw the easy friendship this future Pepper seemed to have with Dr Banner.
It was like watching a doppelganger of herself. It was her but it wasn't.
Tony was from the future. There was no other explanation that would fit in so nicely. Nothing else tied up all those concerns she had than those three little words 'From the future'
"How, how are you from the future?" she asked "Why are you from the future?"
What the hell had Tony done that made him travel back in time? Because let's be real if anyone had created time travel it would be Tony. No one else would have sent him back; it would have been him.
Tony rubbed his face and looked almost haunted. "The future, Pep...It's bad. Like you could imagine the worst thing that could ever happen and you wouldn't even come close."
The way Tony's voice made her blood run cold. There was no exaggeration, he was being absolutely and painfully sincere. As if he was begging Pepper to understand. To believe him.
What the hell could be that bad? So bad that they had to invent time travel to erase it?
"How bad?" she breathed.
Tony gave her a pained smile that did not reach his eyes. He reached out to hold her arms as if she needed the support.
"Imagine half of the population of the planet dead in a single instant. None of them got any warning they were just-" Tony snapped his fingers "-gone."
Pepper was suddenly grateful for the arms holding her because she thought she might collapse. She was horrified. What abominable event could wipe out 3.5 billion people in an instant?"
"Not just the people either. The animals, the plants-even the bugs-half of them gone." Tony continued.
How could anyone go on after that? Even if you were one of the lucky few that survived, how could you live knowing that half of everything was dead?
But Tony had. Tony had lived through that devastation and because of who he was he hadn't rested until he found a way to fix it. Even if that meant breaking the laws of physics and travelling back in time. Because Tony refused to quit.
Yes, this was definitely her Tony. No one else would be that self-sacrificing. No one else would have achieved what he did.
Tears welled up in her eyes and they spilled over. "Tony," her voice cracked.
Tony had his own tears building in his eyes but he seemed determined to keep himself together. But when he spoke his voice was strained. "We're here because we can't let that happen. I can't watch all those people die again because I wasn't good enough."
"I'm gonna stop him Pep. Even if it kills me I'm gonna stop him."
Probably not who you were expecting lol.
But they've now got one person in the know, even if they hadn't initially planned it. Pepper is trustworthy though. I have a feeling that she would take secrets to the grave. Especially one as dangerous as this one.
